READY OR NOT
All Roads Lead To Tython, Part. III
"The Light Side will prevail, Cailen. We must have that hope.”
His Master's words echoed over and over in his mind as the Padawan walked along the mountain path. Cailen had only been on Tython for a week now, but already he'd found a handful of places he could retreat to in moments like this, when his mind was so full of questions and fear that he couldn't bear to walk among the other Jedi.
A Jedi was brave, strong, noble... he was just a kid from Anaxes, a lightsaber hilt dangling at his waist and a heart full of turmoil. He felt as though the Force was pulling him apart, tugging him in opposite directions. The Jedi were peacekeepers, not soldiers. War felt so unnatural, so meaningless. But on the other hand, the Jedi were sworn to keep the galaxy safe from the Sith. From the Dark Side. He knew it was his duty to participate in that crusade, the never-ending plight of Light versus Dark.
But would he? Could he?
Cailen's hands balled into fists as he stepped over a small outcropping of stone. He looked to his left, over the cliff and into the basin below. Kaleth stood proud and formidable, a repository of ancient Jedi knowledge now serving as a command center for the Galactic Alliance. It was hard to imagine the mixture of Force Echoes he'd feel after the coming battle. When a place like Kaleth has such deep, convoluted history, the memories it holds tends to bleed together. Visions of ancient Jedi scholars unlocking the secrets of the Force would collide with the pain and horror of war, of the Dark Side. The terror and fear of the Maw intermingling with the awe and wonder of the Jedi. It made him sick to think of such a place being marred by evil.
A light rain began to set in, a misty fog settling over the valley and foothills beneath him. Cailen didn't mind the rain much. Drizzles such as these were a near-constant on Anaxes when he was young. It was actually rather soothing. Looking down upon Kaleth Temple reminded him of watching the people from his balcony on Anaxes Station.
The Padawan walked a bit further, finally coming upon the boulder he'd claimed as his meditation spot. He climbed atop the stone and sat with his legs crossed. The cool droplets of rain moistened his skin, rejuvenating him from the long hike. He closed his eyes, slowed his breathing, and reached out gently to the Force, like his Master taught him.
"The Force is a friend, Cailen," Undara told him.
"When we meditate, we call out to the Force in the same way you'd call upon a friend or a confidant. Reach out to the Force with confidence and grace, and the Force will hear you. It may even listen to you."
Cailen realized now how much he'd enjoyed the lessons he learned from Master Undara when he first came to the Jedi Order. Back then, being a Jedi was much less complicated. War, combat readiness, manipulating the Force to overpower Sith warriors. It all made the Padawan long to return to Prosperity and relive his initiation.
But there was no time for that. Cailen tried calling to the Force again, this time feeling a brief sense of direction. Whether he was ready or not, the Maw were coming to Tython.
He remained cross-legged on the boulder for awhile, but he'd opened his eyes to watch the transport ships landing in the basin below. Hundreds, maybe even thousands, of Alliance soldiers were arriving at Kaleth, ready to receive their orders and head to the battlefront. He took a deep breath before lowering himself down from the rock and retracing his path down the mountainside.
"We must have that hope," Cailen said to himself.
