All Roads Lead To Tython: Part 4

Cailen’s heart ached like it never had before. Not like the ache of missing home, or the longing to see a friend after a long journey, but a deep, spiritual anguish that rolled like boiling water inside him. It wasn’t the blaster fire that beamed rampantly overhead, nor the explosions of Maw ordnance that rained down around him; It was the deep pangs of the Force as it suffered the simultaneous loss of so many innocent lives at once.

It was such a vivid feeling, a wildly debilitating concoction of anguish, despair, and desperation, mixed strangely with sensations of hope and pride. Occasionally, overwhelming feelings of hatred, jealousy, and unbridled passion overcame him, leaving him queasy. Cailen ran at a steady pace behind Master Undara, keeping up with him as the two Jedi made their way around the rear of Kaleth Temple.

“Don’t fall behind, Cailen!” Undara called over his shoulder between controlled breaths.

He tried to keep a steady pace, but the rocky terrain of the basin made running difficult. Cailen kept his eyes on Undara, stealing an occasional glance behind him, to the battle that was unfolding. Blaster bolts hurtled to and fro as both sides exchanged fire. Lightsaber blades of red, green, and blue clashed violently as hundreds of Jedi dueled the Sith of the Maw.

A burst of emotions hit him again, causing him to nearly double over in pain.

“Ahh!”

Undara slowed to a jog, looking behind him to his Padawan.

“Cailen, we must hurry! There’s no time…” he trailed off, seeing the boy fall behind.

Undara stopped, doubling back to his Padawan. Cailen was hunched over, a cold sweat breaking over his forehead as he gasped for air. The weight of the Dark Side was crushing him, straining his connection to the Force.

“Cailen!” Undara shouted, putting his arms around the Padawan. The boy was clenching his stomach, gritting his teeth in pain.

“Cailen, can you walk?”

The boy remained unmoved, only taking in sharp, shallow breaths. Undara looked to Kaleth Temple as a large explosion collapsed one of its stone parapets. The ground shook as several tons of blasted stone and metal reamed into the earth.

Undara scooped Cailen off his feet, jogging again with the boy’s limp body in his arms. Cailen’s head turned to the side as his Master ran, a thin stream of blood running from his nose down his cheek. The Jedi Master pushed on, toward the mountain path that his Padawan had grown so fond of in the days before the battle.

He had to get the boy someplace where his connection to the Force was strong. If there was any place on Tython that would clear the emotional blockage that burdened his Padawan, it would be there.


When Cailen came to, he was startled by his sudden state of consciousness. He flailed his arms as if pushing something away, kicking his feet violently. Master Undara rushed over to the boy, putting his hands on Cailen’s shoulders and hushing him.

“You’re alright, son,” Undara said calmly, squeezing Cailen’s shoulders both to reassure and restrain him.

The Padawan’s rapid breathing slowly subsided to a much more manageable rhythm as he got his bearings. The boy focused his gaze on his Master, a look of desperation in his eyes.

“What happened to me, Master?” Cailen asked, his voice wrought with concern.

Undara squeezed the boy’s shoulders again before letting him go.

“You had a very intense reaction to the Force,” Undara said as he stood to his feet and turned to the cliff. He stood for a moment, gazing at the battle below before looking back to his Padawan.

“Do you remember what I said to your parents after I first met you?” Undara asked.

Cailen pictured the memory vividly. Master Undara sat in his family’s living room, discussing his future with his mother and father.

“Adam, your son is very strong with the Force,” Master Undara had said.

His father couldn’t quite understand what that meant, or what exactly ‘strength in the Force’ entailed.

“Not strength in the conventional sense of physical prowess, but in the way he perceives and processes the will of the Force. His spiritual attunement with the Light Side of the Force runs very deep and has amazing potential.”

Cailen nodded at his Master.

“I remember,” the Padawan said with a nod.

“You’re connection to the Force is so powerful that it’s intertwined with your very being. When the Force cries out in pain, you do too. When the Force bleeds…” Undara continued, tapping the side of his nose, “you do too.”

Cailen contemplated his Master’s words for a moment before speaking.

“What does that mean, Master? How can I fight the Maw if I pass out like that?”

The pain in his voice was apparent, but Undara was quick to reassure him. Hopelessness is a dangerous emotion when allowed to run rampant.

“Don’t worry, Cailen. You forget, you’re a Padawan Learner. There’s much still for you to discover about the Force.”

Cailen nodded respectfully, but couldn’t help feeling useless. He was so sure the Force was guiding him to be a warrior on the battlefield, but perhaps he misunderstand… if not strong in the face of battle, then what did the Force need him to be strong for?

“Master, what’s our next move?” Cailen asked.

Undara gave the Padawan a half-smile, a face Cailen knew well. It meant Undara was about to share something he wouldn’t want to hear.

“My next move is to join the Jedi at Akar Kesh.”

He gestured with the comm-link on his wrist, adding: “The fighting’s gotten thick there and the Maw aren’t letting up.”

The fighting was already intense at Kaleth Temple; Cailen shuddered to imagine how bad it was at Akar Kesh to call Master Undara to the frontlines.

Cailen noticed Undara’s use of the word my and pursed his lips.

“What about me?” he asked.

“You’re going back to Prosperity,” Undara answered with a sigh. He raised his hand instinctively to silence the boy, knowing a stream of protests would soon follow.

“It’s what’s best,” Undara said solemnly.

“You’re in no state to fight, and I need to know that you’re safe and receiving medical attention.”

Cailen started to argue, but caught his tongue; It was bad enough that he couldn’t fight on his own, but if he followed Master Undara into battle, they’d both die for sure. Cailen simply nodded.

“There’s a landing pad not far from here,” Master Undara said as he tapped the screen of his comm-link.

“A transport shuttle is en route. I know you’re weak from before, but we don’t have much time to get you on board.”

Cailen eased himself off the ground, standing upright but still off-balanced from overstimulation. Undara moved to steady him, but Cailen shook his head. He could make the trek to the landing pad, he just needed to focus.