Trials of the Jedi Part II

Sweat beaded on Malak's forehead. He twirled his lightsaber around and brought it down, trying to push to the offensive. He parried Kade's attacks perfectly, but he knew that the defense was tiring him out.

He tried to thrust his wepon at Kade's abdomen, but the younger boy simply Force leaped over him, doing a nice front tuck while he was at it.

Malak spun around and the lightsabers buzzed on impact. Kade slashed, Malak parried. Malak thrust, Kade counterattacked. Kade suddenly let out a burst of complicated and confusing moves. Before Malak knew it, his lightsaber had sailed through the air and into Kade's awaiting hand.

Kade handed back the lightsaber and wiped sweat off his face with the sleeve of his tunic.

"Nice," Malak said. "Perhaps we've trained you a little too well." He chuckled.

"Thanks," Kade gasped, breathing heavily. "You think... I'm ready... for the trials." Kade gulped in huge mouthfuls of air.

"You bet! You'll have your lightsaber before the week is over!"

Reven popped into the conversation. "Speaking of lightsabers..." He tossed Kade a crystal. "That's a focusing crystal enhanced with ion. Helps a lot against droids. Also can boost your powers a bit!"

"Wow, thanks, Rev!" Kade said, turning the crystal over in his hands. "Thanks a ton!"

"Don't mention it! What are friends for?"

"I don't think they're for you to beat up with a lightsaber," Malak winked at Kade, "but that's just my opinion."

Kade patted Malak's bald head. "Don't worry. It's only on Wednesdays."

Malak smiled. Then he turned. "Oh yeah! I forgot! I got that new accelerator!"

Kade grinned. "Alright! Install it on my bike for me please?"

"Yup. Keys please."

Kade tossed Malak the keys to his swoop bike, and the older boy jogged off.

Revan turned to Kade. "Now that he's gone... Bastila?"

Kade chuckled. "She likes you, Rev."

"No she doesn't. She's a code-worshipper. And a beautiful one at that."

Kade grinned. "Trust me. If you reach out to the Living Force you can feel he emotions. She wants to feel special, loved. And you can be her escape to that. I'm sure it involves some alone time, if you get my meaning."

Revan's eyes lit up at that. "So what do I do?"

"Just chat with her. Strike up a friendly conversation. Invite her over to your dorm. Once you guys are better friends, you can move on to more... intimate stuff."

Revan looked skeptical. "Are you sure? I've never even kissed anyone before!"

"Ooh, that is a problem. Didn't you ever play spin the juma bottle?"

Revan shook his head.

"Ok, we're going to have to practice."

Revan arched an eyebrow. "Okay, if you say so..." He stepped closer to Kade and leaned toward him. He received a punch in the gut. Rade had backed up several paces.

"Not with me, you idiot!" He shuddered. "I'm not going to sleep well tonight."

Revan grinned sheepishly. "My bad."

---

"There is no emotion, there is peace.

"There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.

"There is no passion, there is serenity.

"There is no chaos, there is harmony.

"There is no death, there is the Force."

"Very good, young Patrik," Vandar said. "But there is much more to the code than simple words. Can you explain what 'There is no emotion, there is peace' means to a Jedi?"

Kade thought for a minute. "This tenet is not to say that emotion does not exist but that it ought to be set aside. Emotions must be understood first, and it is a young Jedi's duty to explore his feelings. Unless a Jedi can confront his thoughts and feelings, he will never achieve peace. Emotions, then, are not to be overcome or denied, but rather understood and dealt with."

Vandar nodded. It made sense, and if it helped the boy become a better Jedi, so be it. "That is a well thought out interpretation. Dwelling on this tenent lately, have you been?"

Kade shook his head. "A Jedi is required to think quickly at all times, Master Vandar. Surely you of all people know that."

The boy had a straight face. 'He should play Pazaak.' Vandar thought, amused. "And they are also required not to act hastily."

Kade shuffled his feet. "Sorry Master."

Vandar looked up at Kade. "No apologies are necessary, apprentice."

The little alien could feel a wave of emotion the instant he called Kade an apprentice. 'He really wants this. But if the code means what he thinks, he needs to confront his emotions.' Vandar straightened. "It is time for you to go to Illum."

---

"Illum?!? You've gotta be kidding me!" Malak's grey-blue eyes were wide.

"What is Illum?"

"Illum is a sacred cave in which nearly every Jedi has built his lightsaber. It resembles the last, difficult trial. You enter as an apprentice, you exit as a Padawan."

"Revan didn't go there."

"Yes, his masters did not want him to. They were afraid it would break his spirit."

"Did you go there?"

Malak shuddered, memories flowing in. "Yes."

"What was it like?"

Malak looked up at Kade, and the look in his eye sent a chill down the apprentice's spine. "Horrible."

"What did you have to fight? What's in there?"

"You... don't have to fight anything physically. You have to fight your emotions."

"What do you mean?"

"The cave gives you visions, Kade. Temptations, terrible feelings... Anger... Hate!" Malak grabbed Kade by the collar, reliving the memory. "I almost fell!" He let go of Kade's tunic and slumped to the ground. "The Force... is strong in the caves of Illum. It will test you. You can't give in."

---

Master Padrone slowly rotated the craft until it set down on a ledge jutting out of a mountain. A small hole sat in the side of the mountain, and Padrone motioned to it. "That is the entrance to Illum."

Kade gave his soon to be Master a doubtful look. "I don't think I'm ready."

Padrone gave the apprentice an understanding look. "That's exactly how I felt. The thing is, we keep on thinking we're not ready and we never get to it. The sooner the better." Padrone drew his lightsaber. "The feeling you have after you have conquered the cave's challenges and build your lightsaber are immense. The day I went to Illum was one of the greatest days of my life, because I conquered my emotions. You can do the same. Now go. I will be waiting, my young Padawan."

Padawan. Kade gave his Master a grin. "Then I go."

---

Kade had been in the cave for nearly an hour now and he still had not seen anything. He suddenly saw a figure ahead. 'That's too real to be a vision.' he thought.

As he neared closer, he saw that the figure was Malak. He breathed a sigh of relief. "Malak, buddy, you nearly scared me to death!"

Malak shook his head. "I should have known. You've always been a runty little wimp."

Kade arched an eyebrow. "Malak, what's up?"

"What's up? You're in way over your head, that's what's up!!" Malak smiled evilly. "You know you can't survive this cave, and you know you can't survive the life of a Jedi!"

Kade saw another figure walking up behind Malak. "Revan," he breathed.

"And you know no one cares about you," the Padawan said. "Your parents dumped you on the Jedi's doorstep. They didn't want you. And the only reason we hang with you is because we must look like Jedi and have pity on you. And Dani? Well, she just needs someone to be loved by. If all she can get is a pathetic low life like you, then that's what she'll get."

Kade recited the code in his head. "No. You're just visions! You lie!!"

Malak was the first to change. He grew taller, and his jaw was replaced by a matal vocoder. Instead of the robes of the Jedi, he wore the armor of a Sith apprentice, reaching up to his neck.

Kade shrunk back at the sight.

"Wimp," Malak called him for the second time, his voice dark and metallic.

Then Revan changed. He too grew taller, even taller than Malak had grown. He was wearing the robes of the Sith, a hood drawn over his face, which was covered with a mask made of pure dark material.

They both stepped toward Kade, the evil flowing off like waterfalls. The younger boy was backed into a corner of the cave.

"Wimp."

"Unwanted."

Kade collapsed to the ground as darkness enveloped him.

---

When Kade came to, the visions of Malak and Revan had gone. He shook his head. "They were just visions. They were lying to me," he told himself assuredly. However, he was not ready for the next vision.

He had gone ahead over one hundred meters until he came across the next vision, more realistic than the last one.

It was Dani.

"I've been waiting for you," she said. It wasn't in an evil way, but it wasn't how she usually spaoke. She said it with just a hint of emotion.

"Dani?"

She smiled sweetly. "Who else do you think it is?"

"It doesn't matter."

She took a step toward him. "I hear you're going to Coruscant."

Kade nodded.

"I hear you're doing it willingly."

Kade nodded again.

"I hear I'm not going."

Kade nodded, looking at the floor.

"I thought you loved me. I thought we had sworn our love to each other. How can you willingly leave me?"

"I... It was a tough decision, Dani! But even you admitted we couldn't be together!"

She took a step even closer, they were inches apart.

"But why did you decide to leave me?"

"The Republic needs me more than you need me!"

"But will you be able to carry the weight of my pain?"

"Force, no. But you're just one life. The Republic has millions."

"So that's it. I'm just another 'life' to protect?" A tear slid down her cheek.

"Of course not, but Dani, I..." Kade attempted to wipe the tear off her cheek but his hand passed through air. Dani was fading. "Dani! Don't leave me!"

"You need a taste of your own medicine, Kade Patrik." Then she was gone.

Kade wrapped his arms around his knees and wept.

---

Kade's resolve was leaving him. He knew he couldn't survive another vision. But he kept walking, reciting the Jedi code aloud to help him manage each step.

Then, ahead, he saw light. His spirits lifted, he ran towards it and found himself surrounded by crystals. He had made it.

Working quickly, he constructed the hilt. Sliding in his own hand picked crystal, an extremely rare black one, and the one Revan had given him, Kade held it aloft, looking at it in the light of the crystals.

He knew that if he hadn't built it correctly, the hilt would detonate, and kill him. He could see scorch marks on the walls from the case of this happening.

Kade pressed the activator button.

Master Padrone had been right. Upon seeing the 'black' glow, Kade's spirits were lifted.

To the right side of his head, behind his ear, his hair grew at miraculous speed. With a smile, he twisted it into a braid.

He knew he could make it back.

---

The first thing Padrone saw when Kade came out of the cave was the boy's giant, ear to ear grin. Padrone smiled. He had even grown a Padawan braid in the cave.

Padrone smiled himself and activated the loading ramp. His Padawan jogged up the ramp. "I did it," the boy said.

Padrone put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I am proud of you, my young Padawan."

Kade smiled. "Thanks... Master."

---

-'Kade's' explanation of the first tenent of the code quoted form Wookieepedia, the Star Wars Wiki