Ask Crossroad Blues

[Maiko Sigur]

​

From what he'd read from the library at the Temple, both in Ajan Kloss and Yavin, the planet Mygeeto had a long history with the Jedi Order. If he could remember correctly, a Jedi Master fell here during the Clone Wars by the hand of his own men. Reading that passage brought a pang of sadness to the Sorgan native's heart, but it was all in the past now. Other than the death and wars that once plagued the planet Maiko also learned that Padawans like him often traveled (and still did) here for the Gathering, and Maiko had a feeling that he would find the last, most important piece of his half-constructed lightsaber in this place.

Three days after the funeral of Masters Tionson and Rand, Maiko started to dream of snow and a cave lined with glowing crystals. The dream persisted for days, prompting him to spend time in the library during his free time and after training so he could somehow glean something that might point him to the place he kept dreaming of. Past lessons and further researches into the library pointed him to Mygeeto, and the moment he caught sight of the planet once his Master's ship jumped out of hyperspace Maiko knew that he was in the right place.

Snow crunched beneath his booted feet as he stepped off the ramp, eyes wide as he drank in the sight before him. White, in seemingly endless stretches. Slopes pointed to mountains from a distance, and cave holes leading underground. Maiko huddled into his thermal jacket for warmth as he turned to gaze back at his Master's ship, waiting for her to descend and join her outside.

It was still light out, and snow fell gently around him. The young Padawan felt nervous, his gaze finding his boots in apprehension. He knew he was in the right place, felt the Force guide him all the way here, but somehow a sliver of doubt still crept in his mind. What if he did not find his kyber crystal here? What if the crystal itself rejected him? What if he picked the wrong one?

Questions ran unbidden in his mind, each one more preposterous than the last.

@Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

The Force was difficult to understand…even when it wasn’t. A part of Alex’s heart was still broken. A part of her still missing, but she was far better than before. The piece of her that was Jedi Master Alexandria Voran was no longer lost. Sevrin helped remind her of that. New Alderaan helped remined her of that. She could miss Max, mourn his passing, that did not mean she needed to shatter. Her family needed her. That was what mattered. So it was, Master Voran, held loosely onto the freighter flight controls. Maiko’s training was progressing rapidly. He was growing quickly into a Jedi she admired. Their journey as Master and Student brought them to Mygeeto. A world stepped in the Jedi’s history.

Before long, she walked down the ramp to stand beside Maiko in the freezing winds. Alex was dressed accordingly but the Force was her ally. She banished the cold from her body as easy as breathing. She could sense the young Jedi’s apprehension bubbling in the Force. The bond between them vibrated with anxious energy. “Deep breaths, young one.” A warm comforting smile spread across her face. “The Force lead us here for a reason…you will find what you’re looking for.” This was a sacred trial. Choosing the kyber crystal to complete his lightsaber. Alex could guide Maiko, but she could not walk those final steps for him.

“It won’t get any easier standing here in the cold and I don’t know where to go.” She laughed softly. “Trust yourself as I trust you. Listen and guide us.” Her own journey had been much the same. She remembered those doubts creeping into her mind while searching for the crystal that called to her. Nothing about this path was easy, it was meant to be a struggle. Journey before destination. Her smile grew wider. She knew Maiko was ready. He just had to see it for himself.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Maiko Sigur]

He wouldn't know what awaited him in this frigid planet but knowing what his purpose was somewhat eased Maiko's heart as he did what Master Alex told him. Every challenge faced always started with taking deep breaths, wasn't it?

The young Padawan responded to the warmth of his Master's smile with his own, soothing him with the comfort she conveyed. Her reassuring words dispelled any other doubtful thoughts that crept in his mind. He understood the meaning behind her words, and where others would feel a little disheartened it only served to embolden Maiko further. The Force was their ally, the Light a guide to their path, and his Master's trust for him was a thing to be cherished and to be grateful for. He trusted her equally – maybe it was time to trust himself, too.

"I will, thank you, Master," he told her with a bright smile. "I'm glad you're here with me for this, I–"

He felt a subtle pull on his left pinky finger, cutting Maiko off and he looked down to see a thin, glowing white string wrapped around the finger. Bewildered, he lifted his left hand up to study the thread. It wasn't there before, not even before the ship landed on the planet. What was it? What did it mean–

...and then he remembered that the Force manifested in many ways. That Force-sensitives saw it differently. To Maiko, it now manifested clearly on the form of a string.

There was another pull, this time insistent, and while his pinky finger did not move with the action he still felt it all the same. Enthralled, the young Padawan shifted where he stood and faced the direction of the pull.

"Master?" he muttered softly, gaze following the ethereal string as he took a step forward, eastbound. "Master, I think... I know where we're going."

The Force hummed in approval around him as he began to walk forward, now suddenly unheeding of the cold as he let the Light wash over him. As if preparing him for what he was about to face, what he was about to go through. And as if in a trance he pushed forward, still aware of the presence of the Jedi Master but now intent on reaching the place where the string ended. They walked for several minutes until Maiko stopped a few steps away from a cave leading underground.

The pull tightened, and with it a whispered call. The puzzles in his dream fell into place – a planet blanketed in snow, a cave that led underground...

Maiko stepped forward, mouth opening to tell his Master let's go, but a voice he was so familiar with rang gently through the Force.

"No, Maiko. There are things you have to face on your own, and this is one of 'em."

It was Harrik's, his eldest brother's voice. A fresh hint of apprehension flashed through the young Padawan, but he knew that the Force was right. There were indeed things he needed to face alone, and with his desire to be strong to be able to protect he felt his resolve growing. Drowning his doubts.

With another smile to his Master, this time cheerful, Maiko dipped his head in a respectful bow.

"I have to go alone, Master, I think. No, I know I have to," he told her, smile still in place. Finding the crystal that called to you was no easy task. Who knew what awaited him below, but the comforting weight of the half-constructed saber in his satchel brought him comfort. The fact that his Master was present and would be waiting for his return gave him courage and strength. The young Padawan waited for any parting thoughts Master Alex might give him before he would turn around and descend to the cave.

@Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

Alex motioned for Maiko to lead the way. She could not see what her young student felt, but she could hear the thrumming of the Force. It was guiding Maiko…and only Maiko. She nodded slowly as understanding dawned on her mind. This was his journey, not hers. Today, she was merely an observer. She knew she could not protect Maiko forever. It did neither of them any good for Alex to shield him. The Force set the path. The young Jedi must complete this task on his own. That did not make it any easier for her. Alex’s mind wandered as she followed Maiko, the Force leading him onward.

She had to trust she had prepared him for this. She had prepared him for this. It was still an odd feeling, knowing he was ready but unsure if she felt the same. The Force bond hummed again. Alex shook her head slowly. She supposed this would never get easier. Their short journey took them to the mouth of a cave. Finally, Maiko stopped and turned to look at her. She knew what he would say before he said it. Alex knew what came next. Time to do your job.

“I know you do.” She reached out to grab his shoulder, squeezing. “The Force has guided you here and you are ready.” Her hand slid up to cup his chin, tilting his face to meet her eyes. “No matter what happens you are not alone, and I am proud of you.” Alex’s smile broadened. “You are so much more than anything I could ever have taught you…intelligent…steadfast…loyal…and most importantly…kind.” She stepped back, folding her arms across her armored torso. “You will face whatever awaits you and you will succeed.” Alex pointed towards the Darkness. “I know it and I will be here waiting when you return…go.” As Maiko would turn to enter the cave, she would speak one last time. “Never alone, young one. Remember.” Now, she waited.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Maiko Sigur]

Maiko readily met his Master's gaze, warmth blossoming in his chest as her words washed over him, cheeks turning pink with shyness and humility at her praise. She didn't replace Master Atuvrak – she taught and cared for him in her own ways, and the young Padawan did not bother suppressing the surge of familial love he felt for her. He supposed she was like a mother to him, the kind who knew his strengths and weaknesses, who taught him so many things, and explained their journey – both shared and not – with much patience. The kind who understood his plight but did not sugarcoat things when the going got tough.

But Master Alex was in no way replacing the mother who waited for him back in Sorgan, and Maiko loved and felt grateful towards the Jedi Master all the more for it.

Maiko bowed at her and smiled.

"I will return, Master. I'll go now."

He held off rushing to give her a grateful hug, knowing that he could do it when he returned. With a final wave the young Padawan turned back and began his march as he pushed forward the gaping darkness.

Dark shadows surrounded him. Maiko came here prepared, one hand rummaging for one of the three glowsticks he carried. A soft glow illuminated the path before him, and, letting the Light wash over him, the Padawan took one resolute step forward after another.

Spoiler: Theme 1

The luminescent, ethereal thread wrapped around his pinky finger tugged him forward, leading him deeper in the cave until he reached a fork. The yellow light of the glowstick bounced off the ice-crusted walls of the cave and cast a pale light against his face. His free hand lifted from the sling of his satchel to the beanie atop his head, the smiles of his family flashing in his mind and giving him courage. The young Padawan closed his eyes, feeling for the tug through the Force as he pondered which path to take.

Ghostly yet cheerful laughter echoed from the path to the left, and Maiko's eyes snapped open at the familiarity of the sound.

Dia?

A figure soon complemented the laughter, the image of one of his adopted siblings waving at Maiko from the same path he'd heard the laughter. A wide, happy smile crossed Maiko's face at the sight of his older sister. He hadn't realized he missed his family so badly until he saw Dia. Longing overwhelmed the young Padawan to the point that he missed the way the thread pulled him towards the path to the right. Memories of the attack on Ajan Kloss ran unbidden in his mind, and Maiko suddenly just wanted to go to Dia, to tell her how lost and scared he felt even after the massacre on the Jedi Temple there. Dia was always comforting, and seeing her here even if it defied possibility made hope and longing fill him.

"Dia!"

She waved again and disappeared further down the path and into the darkness.

"Dia, wait!"

Maiko ran after her, making the first mistake he could commit on this journey in search for his saber's kyber crystal. The thread ceased its pull, seemingly waiting for the young Padawan to rectify this mistake.

@Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

She gave Maiko one last encouraging smile. “I’ll see you soon.” Alex had her own work to do. Her young student wandered off into the cavern, disappearing from her sight. The Force would guide Maiko, but it did need a conduit through which to work. Much like Crix’s Trial of Spirit, she would reach into the Force to aid her student on his path. Deep breath. She sat down cross legged in the snow…her eyes closing as she reached for the Force. The warm embrace of the Light spread out from her heart.

Alex could see the path Maiko was on. Feel the path rolling out from the Force. Just barely she could make out the faint visions Maiko would see. She opened herself full to the Lightside, allowing the Force to work quickly through her. A distraction appeared on the path. Family. Not a distraction but a temptation to leave the Order behind. Dangerous. Alex saw Maiko turn towards Dia…chase after the mirage. She hummed. He needed to step foot back on the path. Her mind reached out, brushing against her student’s.

“Focus, young one. You have left the pain of Ajan Kloss behind…” They had come so far. The sting of their losses would not stop him now. “She can’t take away what you have been through.” Maiko missed his family. Alex understood but the Order was her family. Her parents were likely dead and gone by down, ruined by overdose. The Order no longer preached detachment. However, it was difficult to carve time away from the responsibilities of the Jedi. “You can see your family, but they are not here.” The Force began to shift again. She could feel the pull flowing out and in.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Maiko Sigur]

Maiko chased after Dia, a mirage he soon realized was leading him astray from his mission – from the path the Force laid out that he should be following. But he had missed her, missed his family, terribly so that for few precious moments he was willing to abandon his goal. But what for?

A vision that could never compare to who it was imitating. Was it worth straying from his path?

The young Padawan stopped on his tracks the moment he felt Mastet Alex reach out to him through their bond, hear her speak to him. She was right. The wounds Ajan Kloss had left him were healed, and what remained were scars that would always remind him where he came from and how far he'd come on his journey to find peace and healing from that horrible nightmare. Those scars would remind him that he had survived and was given the chance to help others who experienced the same kind of suffering he had felt.

His Master was right. His family was safe back in Sorgan. His family was safe back in the Jedi Temple in Yavin IV. He had been chasing a mirage that would never compare to the real Dia. The real Dia would never lead him astray as well. This mirage did, and Maiko came to realize that he had made a mistake.

Following his Master's words Maiko took a step back and turned around. He began to head back where he came from, only to stop again when he heard Dia's voice.

"Are you leaving me here, Maiko? Alone?"

The young Padawan closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and letting his mind be filled with the Light through his shared bond with his Master. The Force was his ally – the Light. There could only be one thing that would try to tempt him away from it.

"You will not fool me again," he muttered, a flash of strength and determination in his voice. "I miss my family. Always. And I will never stop missing them. But I know they are safe – and I'm here to protect not just them, but the galaxy as well. This is my duty as a Jedi. You will not fool me again using those I love!"

Dia's phantom laughter turned hollow and sibilant before disappearing completely. Maiko opened his eyes, a relieved sigh slipping past his lips. He held the glowstick before him and began the trek back to where the fork started. It didn't take him long to return, and once he did he felt the pull of the luminescent thread on his pinky finger again. A smile crossed the Padawan's face. He had made a mistake, and he had corrected it with his Master's help and guidance. One hurdle down – and he now expected more would come.

Now taking the right part of the fork, the pull of the thread increased its pressure. As he delved deeper into the cave, the glowstick's luminescence began to dim. Maiko endeavored to use it until the light vanished before using another one. He walked on, careful not to slip on the icy floor. It grew colder the deeper he went, and only the presence of his Master and the Light kept him sufficiently warm.

A glow from the end of the tunnel soon caught his attention. Maiko approached it slowly, his eyes growing wide once he finally saw what was at the end – an underground river he didn't know where it led. A few meters from the entrance stood a rickety old dock, a small boat docked by the riverside.

"Ehehe... are you sure this is the right way?" he jokingly asked himself in an attempt to lift his spirit. But the ethereal thread simply pulled him over, and as he approached the boat he could see strands of the same thread wrapped around the paddle. "At least I don't have to swim..."

The young Padawan looked around before stepping into the boat. "Um... to anyone who put the boat here... thank you."

Another pull to his pinky finger, and the Force paved the path before him. Maiko untied to rope that anchored the boat to the dock and began to row, following where the Force guided him. Water sloshed around the boat, the only sound that brooked the silence. He should have been worrying that he was most probably going away further from where Master Alex was, but he knew she was with him through the Force.

Spoiler: Theme 2

"And I am with you, of course."

Maiko nearly jumped out of his skin when a voice spoke beside him on the boat. A male Togruta sat across him, a smile on his face as he gazed fondly at the Padawan. Maiko's vision blurred with tears. The last time he'd seen the Togruta was in the temple on Ajan Kloss, pushing him and a few younglings towards safety.

"I'll hold them off! I'll hold them all off! Get to the ships, all of you! Maiko, take the younglings with you! Go!"

Were the obstacles to his path comprised of the people he loved? Or perhaps the vision before him was not really a vision at all, but a...

"Master Atuvrak...? Are you– Are you a Force Ghost?" he asked reluctantly, warmth and a hint of pain blooming in his chest.

The Togrutan Knight let out a hearty laugh before reaching out to press a finger to the center of Maiko's chest – directly where his heart lay. "No, I am not. I am but a memory of the Atuvrak you remember, the one you keep here in your heart. A memory made manifest by the Force, but without flesh or bone. An image, you can say. Much like Dia, earlier."

Maiko shook his head and kept rowing. "Well," he told the vision resolutely
"I won't let your vision stop me, Master. I'll follow the path the Force has laid out for me, and I won't fall for the same trick again to lead me astray."

The vision of Atuvrak let out another laugh, but it was without mocking nor offense.

"I'm not here to do that, young Maiko!" the Knight assured him with a gentle smile. A phantom hand settled on Maiko's shoulder before Atuvrak's image began to slowly fade away. "I'm here to tell you that I'm proud of you. You've come so far... and the Master you now share a strong bond with cares greatly for you as much as you care for her. You are lucky to have her as your mentor, your teacher. Even now she helps and guides you in your journey. Treasure the time you spend with her, Maiko Sigur. Treasure the time you spend with all you hold dear. Keep them in your heart, for they will be the source of your strength."

The young Padawan smiled as he watched the vision finally disappear.

"I will, Master. I always will."

@Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

The Force shift as Maiko confronted his family. Humming with satisfaction. Well done young one. Alex watched carefully as her student continued his trek through the cavern. The bond between them lent strength to them both. Alex connection to the Light was strong, she lent every ounce of that strength to Maiko. This was a journey he took alone but not without her. A shiver ran up her spine…the Force shifting again. She immediately recognized Master Atuvrak. Even before the Sullust and Ajan Kloss, the number of Jedi Masters was dwindling. The Togrutan Master was instantly recognizable. Of course, she had known that was Maiko’s former master. A difficult figure to compare herself. There was a small push in the back of her mind.

Yes…yes…I know. She was the Master Maiko needed now. Master Atuvrak had been the Master he needed then. Alex returned her attention to the cavern. A memory. The small push returned in the back of her mind. Not completely. A part of Master Atuvrak was here…flowing through the Force. She had come to see Maiko take those last few steps. Wise even in death. The journey was nearly over. The Force was reaching a crescendo. She could feel it pushing. Her mind touched the young Padawan. “Nearly there…finish what we’ve started.”

She urged Maiko forward. He was so close to achieving a truly monumental milestone, one not every Padawan managed. The Order was filled with those who would never achieve Knighthood, never pass these tests. Finishing his Lightsaber meant Maiko was one step closer to no longer needing her. A pang of sadness ran through her heart, but it was accompanied by joy. Their duty was to raise the next generation of Jedi Knights. He would not always need her and that was a blessing. It meant she had done her job.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Maiko Sigur]

The smile on Maiko's face remained even after the image of Master Atuvrak had long disappeared. Strength and determination renewed as Master Alex's presence and voice touched his mind, Maiko continued to push forward until the ethereal string wrapped around his finger pulled him again towards a certain direction.

"Thank you, Master. Yeah, I'm almost there... we're almost at the end. Please watch over me, Master Alex."

She was his Master now. Different from Master Atuvrak, but she was the one he needed the most right now. The one who guided and taught him. Both Masters, one gone and one present – equally cherished by Maiko. Equally loved. And he was thankful for having learned from the both of them.

The young Padawan stopped by a riverbank and pulled himself off of the boat. Snow crunched under his booted feet as he walked forward, lighting up his second glowstick as he pushed ever deeper into the cave. His breath misted before him, an unnatural cold seeping through his clothes and his skin. Maiko huddled into himself to preserve warmth, holding onto the Light of the Force as the darkness seemed to defy the light of the glowstick he held. Soon after it began to sputter and die, plunging the teenager into total darkness.

Maiko did not fear the dark. What he feared were the unseen things that hid in the cover of darkness.

He stood still, holding his breath while he listened for whatever that might be lurking around him. Nothing. Not a sound save for his wildly beating heart. Maiko closed his eyes, grip on the glowstick tightening until his knuckles turned white. The Force hummed in approval of his courage as he stepped forward despite being unable to see anything. The darkness was like a thick blanket. It obscured his sight but not his other senses. His surroundings grew steadily colder, and Maiko began to shiver. He stretched his hands forward, asking the Force for guidance, and the string around his pinky finger gently tugged him forward–

–and stopped.

The Force suddenly become muted, the Light growing silent as something else growled louder and sinisterly around him. The Darkness... was stopping him from reaching his goal, his kyber crystal? Or leading him somewhere else?

Maiko opened his eyes just in time to see an orange light flicker from a distance. Something unseen pushed him forward, closer to the light, and it was as if Maiko had entered a different world– no, a different time. Another vision, this time displaying the funerals of Masters Tionson and Rand. The young Padawan shied away from the vision and stopped when he noticed something different.

There was only a single funeral pyre before him. And the surroundings...

This wasn't the Jedi Temple on Yavin IV.

The Force shifted around him, turbulent and seemingly distressed. Maiko closed his eyes, willing the vision away. It won't work this time, he told himself. This is different, but this is just like with Dia earlier. This won't work–

"Yes, this is different than that image of Dia earlier," a voice gently spoke beside him, followed by another.

"Because you're now faced with the path you'll choose," said the other voice, tone grim and brimming with anger.

Maiko turned around and was confronted by two figures, one clad in Jedi robes and the other a black cloak. He did not recognize either of the figures, his confusion and curiosity growing as the two older men nodded at each other in greeting before focusing their attention on the young Padawan before them.

"Many others have experienced the vision you now find yourself in, Padawan Sigur," said the Jedi, gesturing at himself then at the cloaked man. "Many others have made the choice to go with me or my friend here."

"Right and wrong isn't always black and white, but the Force always possesses two sides," added the cloaked man. "Light and Dark, Dark and Light. Darkness exists because there is Light, and Light exists because there is Darkness. I always hated how you cling to the Light, brat. The only time you ever allowed yourself to feel me was during a funeral. That anger, that hatred... they felt good at the moment, but you grew afraid. Terrified. And it only made me hate you more."

"And that fear of turning to anger, of hating others... it made me love you more," the Jedi said, smiling kindly at the Padawan. "You have always been a kind and gentle child, always so forgiving. You know you can't always be like that. You know that it is necessary to be hard on others sometimes. It made you kinder. It made you become me."

Maiko almost laughed in relief. Why hadn't he realized that he was looking at the future versions of himself? One represented his dream of becoming the Jedi he wished to be, the healer he longed to be. The other was his fear of going Darkside, not necessarily a Sith but a person drowning in anger, hatred, and fear of losing those he loved. The choice was easy, obvious, even. The thread around his finger vanished, leaving the Padawan to make a choice. Maiko stepped forward, approaching the Jedi version of himself. The cloaked man looked away, hands clenching into fists. Maiko wrapped his arms around the Jedi, and the latter returned the gesture.

"It's always my dream to be you, someday in the future," Maiko said, the smile on his face growing. "And you're the reason why I have to push you away."

The Jedi's expression turned into a puzzled one. The cloaked man, on the other hand, looked on, a small amount of hope flashing in his dark eyes.

Maiko continued, "I always wanted to be a healer. But you're whole – there's nothing to fix." He pulled away from the embrace, smiling at the Jedi one last time. "That's why I can't choose you. You don't need me." The Padawan then approached the cloaked man and held the latter's hand. "He needs me. And if I never confront what it is that made him – the future me – this way, I can never be you."

The Jedi smiled, genuine and proud. He gave Maiko a respectful bow before turning back to leave, the darkness swallowing him and leaving the Padawan and the cloaked man behind. In front of the two, the funeral pyre crackled and steadily grew brighter. Maiko faced his troubled future self, a kind smile on his face.

"Can you tell me why I ended up to be the way you are in the future?" he then asked the cloaked man. The latter gripped Maiko's hand tightly and began to lead him closer to the pyre.

"You know your greatest fears," the cloaked man started. "And this is one of them. She became more active in fighting for the Order's cause. She never took you with her to Byblos. To her other missions. You know this, you talked to her about it. You were satisfied. You trusted her. You accepted her decisions as much as she accepted yours. I didn't." He pointed at the funeral pyre, and Maiko's gaze followed his hand. "She was fighting for the Order, to maintain peace in the galaxy. One moment she was breathing, the next she wasn't. She left you in the Temple alive and whole. She returned, battered and lifeless. And you weren't even there to witness her final moments. Wasn't even there to shield her with your body, to defend and protect her. You were useless in the end, and I hated it. Hated you for being weak. You made a promise, and you weren't even there to fulfill it."

Spoiler: Theme 3

"The Sith took her from you, so you allowed yourself to hate for the second time. You let me out. You never let me out when you lost Master Atuvrak and the younglings you called your little siblings. So when you finally let me... I never went back to the farthest recesses of your mind. You let me stay. Even more so when you lost them as well."

Five more funeral pyres appeared beside the first one. Tears filled Maiko's eyes as he finally accepted whose pyres he was looking at. Who these people he mourned, the losses that would lead him into turning into the cloaked man beside him in the future.

Master Alex. Drastus. Crix. Xiann. Lani. Willa.

He knew he was only looking at a vision. But it was a vision that manifested one of his greatest fears. He said he wanted to be a healer, and yet he couldn't even do a single thing to save them. Maiko fell down on his knees, and the cloaked man let his hand go.

"Your inability to do anything caused them their lives. And that is when I was truly born. I am you, and yet I am not. You wouldn't allow yourself to become like me. That's what you're thinking right now, aren't you?" The cloaked man laughed derisively, mocking the young Padawan. "That's the reason why I hate you, and the reason why you will be me! You should've chosen the other one, Maiko, and not me! I am broken!"

Tears began to fall down Maiko's cheeks as doubt crept on the forefront of his mind. He only wanted to help this future version of himself. Did he make the right choice?

@Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

Oh no. The funeral pyres flashed into her mind. She groped for the Force…she would not relive her lowest moment…she would not subject Maiko to her faults. Her pain was bleeding into his trial. Alex was a Master of the Force. She reached for that strength to yoke the vision and set it back on the intended path. No. She reached again. No. The vision had spiraled from her control. The Force fully in command of what Master and Apprentice would see. Alex had become merely a conduit. This was utterly and completely the will of the Force. The pyre had to be Talak…had to be Max. She fought through the pain. She needed to reach Maiko.

The truth of what he saw was even worse. The Force sough to give them a glimpse of the future. A glimpse of what Maiko could be come. It was then she realized her mistake. This was far worse than she thought. The pyre was not Talak, was not Max…but her. The day when she followed Max’s footsteps into the Force. The day she left Maiko behind and did not return. The day she made the exact choice Max made. Maiko could become the Jedi she hoped he’d be or falter into hatred. She had felt that pain during the funeral. She knew that pain. Alex gritted her teeth. She had to reach him.

Her mind surged across their bond. They were always connected, no matter the will of the Force. “That’s not you…that’s not us.” Tears were forming in her eyes, leaking down her cheeks. “Our lives are sacrifice. One day, I may make the same choice Max made but you cannot let it break you.” The Force vibrated with her words. “We are better than the pain we felt at the funeral…better than the pain we may feel again.” Push Alex. “You are meant to be the best of us, young one. My death will not change who you are in your heart…a good…kind…courageous soul...you are not this future.” The Force slammed her back into her mind. Her breathing came heavy. Was it enough?

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Maiko Sigur]

The vision did not end with that vicious shout full of self-loathing. Maiko could do nothing but shut his eyes and cover his ears as if those meager actions would help drown out the sight and the voice of the cloaked man.

His future self. The Padawan knew that nothing was set in stone, that the future was ever changing with every course of action taken in the present, but the vision around him felt all too real. Like an inevitability, forcefully taking him by the hand and dragging him along to one path that would turn the vision that surrounded him into reality. Maiko curled in on himself, knees now tucked against his chest as he tried to make himself smaller to better shy away from his future self's anger.

Maiko chose him. He was right. The Maiko who became the Jedi Knight he always strove to be was an easy choice. Was he trying to prove something? But... But that was never his intent. Never. Maiko had sworn to help anyone who sought a helping hand – was there a way to help himself?

"Crying won't get you anywhere," the cloaked man chastised the young Padawan. "Get up, Maiko Sigur, and accept the future you have chosen for yourself."

It was all too easy, and yet acceptance was something that could present itself with much difficulty for those who were tasked to take. A gloved hand pressed against Maiko's shoulder, squeezing and urging him to meet the cloaked man's gaze. His other hand reached out for the Padawan to take.

This was inevitable. Maiko was weak, and the cloaked man surely was stronger. Hadn't the young Padawan vowed to become stronger so he could help and protect Master Alex? The Jedi Order? His family–

Clarity broke through the Padawan's thoughts, his vision blurring with even more tears.

"That's not you... that's not us."

Master Alex was with him. How could this vision manage to make Maiko forget, make Maiko get lost in his own doubts and fear of the future? Forget that his Master, his friends, and the Jedi Order weren't his only family? How could this vision make Maiko forget about those who waited for him to return to Sorgan?

“Our lives are sacrifice. One day, I may make the same choice Max made but you cannot let it break you.”

Her voice was faint, blocked out by the vision as it seemed to stutter into static before his own eyes. The cloaked man's scowl deepened into that of hatred, and the hand he offered Maiko grabbed at the young Padawan's collar.

"She left you, she always did!" the cloaked man spat angrily. "Why are you listening to her?"

The Force pulsed around them, the Light within Maiko defiant and comforting as the cloaked man's voice began to shake.

"She left you! Her death will break you! Turn away from her!"

"We are better than the pain we felt at the funeral…better than the pain we may feel again. You are meant to be the best of us, young one. My death will not change who you are in your heart…a good…kind…courageous soul..."

Maiko clung desperately to the bond he shared with Master Alex, offering what strength he could in the face of his own grim future. He gripped the hand holding him up with both hands, tears pouring freely down his cheeks as he shot the cloaked man an accusatory look.

"Why would I listen to you?" the Padawan asked back in a shout. "You're so angry at Master for leaving us! She's... you lost her, so why did you forget them?"

Images of a large, happy family rushed forth through the Force. Six older siblings of differing species, a pair of human parents. At the center stood young Maiko, happy and grateful to be surrounded by the family he left on Sorgan. The cloaked man fought and brought his own – Sorgan, ravaged by the war between the Jedi and the Sith. The Sigur Family, reduced to corpses that littered the wasteland of a village Maiko called home.

"Everything fell apart when Jedi Master Alexandria Thayless Voran died!"

"...you are not this future."

With those final words Maiko could feel the Force slamming Master Alex's presence back and away from him. Those words were enough to give the Padawan the fighting chance, however. More than enough, more than he could ever ask for. Fire blazed in Maiko's eyes and he reared his head as far back as he could before sending himself forward with enough force, his forehead cracking the cloaked man's nose. The young Padawan was dropped to the ground, and before his future self could reorient himself Maiko had already tackled him to the ground.

"How could you forget them? Mom, Dad, Harrik, Dia, Set, Ishim, Zaphet, Woola!" Maiko yelled through his tears, hands grabbing the cloaked man by the collar. "And how could you forget our promise to Master Alex? Don't ask me why I still listen to her – ask yourself why you stopped!"

The cloaked man's eyes were still filled with hatred, and it irritated Maiko that the former still found the strength to smile sinisterly up at him.

"Is that anger I sense from you, Maiko Sigur?" asked his future self, glee darkening his voice. "Are you finally allowing yourself to hate once more–"

"I'm not angry, you... you..." the Padawan searched for words as he used what strength he had left to haul the cloaked man up on his feet. "You rude person! I'm sad!"

The images of the funeral pyres sputtered into static and in the blink of an eye Maiko and his future self were now standing on a lush, green field. The vast, endless stretch of the bluest sky above, and the solid earth beneath them. This was anywhere and nowhere at once, the place only existing in Maiko's mind. Hands would soon begin to separate Maiko and the cloaked man, and the latter startled upon realizing that the two of them were now surrounded by the people Maiko held dear in his heart. His family. His friends.

Master Alex, standing between them.

"You didn't have to end up like this. We didn't," Maiko said softly, still crying as he took the cloaked man's hands in his. "Why are you so hellbent on this future, when it can still be changed?"

Maiko's future self lowered his gaze to their adjoined hands. He didn't miss a beat when he answered, "Because it's the only path to the strength you so wished."

The Padawan shook his head, defiance flashing in his eyes. "No. Because, in my pain you always feel, I believed it was the only path. I was... I'm afraid of losing the people I love, but won't you listen to Master Alex? Again?"

Maiko smiled at the cloaked man through his tears.

"We don't have to be this future."

"It's not that simple–"

"It will never be," he cut the cloaked man off. "And that's all the more reason to keep everyone you lost alive in your heart. You forget – there is no death. We will all become one with the Force in the end."

The cloaked man's eyes widened, an unknown emotion turning those hateful gaze bright with unshed tears. Wordlessly he pulled Maiko down until they were both kneeling on the ground. Confused, Maiko watched as the cloaked man placed the Padawan's hand on the dirt as if the spot beneath was sacred ground.

"Dig. And make your own future, Maiko Sigur. Pray you will never meet me again years from now."

—·—​

With a shuddering gasp Maiko opened his eyes, finding himself lying face down on the snow-covered ground. He slowly pushed himself up, breath coming out in quiet pants as he surveyed the area, the soft yellow light of his second glowstick illuminating the place. The sound of the underground river reached him faintly, and the Padawan realized that he hadn't walked too far off from where he docked the boat.

Memories of the vision came rushing back to him. Seeing the orange glow which turned out to be the prelude to the visions. Master Alex's funeral pyre, then his friends. Making the choice between two futures. Doubts and fears, eating at him, and giving his hateful future self the power to almost defeat Maiko's will.

It was his bond with Master Alex that gave Maiko the strength to fight back.

The Padawan lost track of how many times he'd cried in a single day. And as he lifted one hand to wipe at his face, he noticed belatedly that his hand was curled into a fist around something small and warm. Puzzled, he also noticed a little too late the hole he seemed to have dug on the snow-laden ground. Anticipation rose through Maiko's chest, ringing loud and clear through the now calm and peaceful waves of the Force.

A lone kyber crystal lay on the palm of his gloved hand.

His face scrunched up with another batch of tears, now crying out of sheer relief, joy, and gratitude that he had succeeded on what he came here for. His bond with Master Alex through the Force rang with happiness and a flood of humility. Maiko was proud and humbled by his success, and hopefully made wiser by the experience. He clutched the hand holding the crystal close to his chest for a few moments, simply basking in on his triumph.

Maiko then called upon the Force, letting it guide him as his half-constructed lightsaber floated out of his satchel and hovered before him. The kyber crystal followed, and using the Force Maiko assembled what was to be his lightsaber from now on, putting much care and every happy memory he had as the parts came and attached themselves to their rightful places, with the crystal now nestled within it.

The deed was done moments later. Maiko stayed the urge to see what color the blade would take, wanting for his Master to also see it for the first time with him. Carefully, almost reverently, Maiko placed the newly constructed saber back in his satchel and made the long way back to where he came from, to where Master Alex waited for him. Returning to the cave entrance was much faster than going further in, he realized, exhaustion now making itself known. He could not falter now, not when he could see the light of day ahead of him.

Mentally and emotionally exhausted from his encounters with the visions, and physically from the long trek and rowing, Maiko soon emerged from the cave and would ran directly for his Master. The Padawan would rush towards Master Alex, arms wrapping around the Jedi Master and – he'd really lost count – cried like a lost child who had finally been found.

"M-Master! We– W-We did it... We–" the Padawan stammered through his sobs. Maiko could do nothing but to bury his tear-streaked face on his Master's shoulder, crying in earnest now that he was with her. "I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I w-won't be like him, no matter what happens! No matter how much it will h-hurt once y-you become one w-with– with the Force! I won't... I won't!"

@Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

The Force shut her out. Alex could no longer feel the journey Maiko was on, she was given no choice but to wait. So, she did. The Jedi Master remained seated outside the cave, her eyes fixed on the entrance. Fear would not creep into her heart. She trusted the young Jedi she had trained. He did not need her to succeed. The Force would have no taste of her concerns. Eventually, sounds began to grow from inside the case. Alex stood quickly, brushing the frost from her robes. Her eyes pierced into the darkness and before long Maiko came running.

A smile as wide as the mountains around them beamed across her face. She welcomed Maiko with a huge, squeezing him tightly. Sobs racked the young Jedi, but she knew he had succeeded. She squeezed him tightly, her voice soft in his ear. “You’re safe now.” Alex moved slightly back so she could look into Maiko’s eyes. “I’m still here and I don’t plan on going anywhere.” Her smile stayed wide. “The future is not set and when my time comes, you won’t face that alone.” She could not help the laugh that follow. “That won’t be for a long time.” Alex released Maiko and took a few steps back.

“Now…enough of this sadness. This should be a time for celebration.” The Force vibrated with certainty. She could feel the shift in Maiko. He had found his kyber crystal and completed his lightsaber. “You have worked incredibly hard to reach this moment.” Alex pointed at the satchel swinging from Maiko’s shoulder. “It is time to find out what all that hard work was for.” Her own lightsaber clapped into her hand, flinging from her belt. She ignited the blade with the characteristic snap-hiss. The indigo blade cast a blue light on the snow. She nodded at Maiko. Your turn.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Maiko Sigur]

There was no shame in crying. The reassurance ran repeatedly in Maiko's head, more so the solid and comforting presence of his Master and her arms around him. His relief at being reunited with her increasing in magnitude at the bright smile on her face. It was so unlike the ones she usually gave him, typically small and gentle but calming all the same. This one hit differently, because it came with another promise the Padawan knew she would intend to keep.

Maiko could only nod at her reassuring words, returning her laughter with a chuckle of his own. He wiped his tears away as Master Alex stepped back, taking in a few deep breaths to help himself settle and calm. As the last of his tears faded away into nothingness the Padawan's smile took over his features, the corners of his eyes crinkling as the Force shifted around them and within him. Warmth spread from his chest down to the tips of his fingers and suddenly the cold felt like a worry from a lifetime ago.

"I know you'll always be with me, Master," he told her, as certain as the rising sun. "And I'll always be with you."

Death was a natural part of life, and the trials he faced in the quest of finding his kyber crystal proved it as much as the losses he had already experienced. He couldn't let the pain of loss break him. Never.

Maiko followed the direction where Master Alex was pointing, and almost reverently he took out his newly constructed saber from its cradle. Grinning boyishly, the Padawan held the lightsaber in a two-handed grip.

"I didn't ignite it on back in the cave," he said almost shyly, "because I want to see with you for the first time what color it will take, Master."

She had been with him all throughout his journey (albeit the Force pushing her away during its last leg) and Maiko felt it proper that she bear witness to the lightsaber igniting to life for the first time. The Padawan admired the indigo blade of Master Alex's lightsaber, and the more he stared at it the stronger his wish to see what color his own would take. Nodding over his Master, Maiko shifted his focus back to his own lightsaber and pressed the button to bring it forth to life.

An apple green blade of light sprang forth from the saber's emitter, painting its immediate surroundings with a chartreuse glow. Maiko stared at his lightsaber, eyes wide with wonder while his grip on the hilt tightened.

This was the blade he would use to defend and protect. He was aware that it could also be used to kill, and Maiko vowed that he would not let things come to that as long as he could help it. He'd sworn to protect lives and not end them, but he knew that push would sometimes come to a shove. And with the growing unease in the, he still hoped and prayed that it would never come to that.

And yet...

Maiko's gaze found Master Alex's, eyes shining with newfound resolve.

"We did it!" he cheered, the brightness of youth not diminished by the trials he had faced but was tempered by them. "I hope I could protect lives with this blade. It's... It's all I ever want. I hope– no."

Maiko smiled at his Master with a brightness that rivaled the sun's.

"I will protect as many lives as I can with this blade!"

@Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

A genuine broad smile beamed across Alex’s face. The green saber casting a natural glow against her indigo. “I know you will.” She deactivated her blade and clipped the hilt to her belt. “You are the best parts of me, young one, and you will change the galaxy in ways I cannot.” Just as Alex hoped to make change Max never had the chance to make. The Order had lost that piece of themselves. The building blocks of generations. They were meant to train the next generation of Jedi to be better. That was all she ever wanted. Her smile softened just a touch.

“I am proud of you. Think of how far you have come from that first time we met on Yavin.” Maiko had been little more than a shaking leaf that day. He had been so uncertain, so lost. The Jedi who stood before her had come galaxies from that time. “You are nearly ready Maiko.” Alex’s mind shot back to Crix. The Trial of Knighthood urging the young Jedi on. Was he so much farther down the path than her student? No. “Building your saber is the first step but that is a sign you are ready for something greater.”

The Morellian Master looked Maiko in the eyes. Her smile stayed but her voice was serious. “It is time I start preparing you to face the Trials.” She had known this time would come but frankly she was uncertain if she was ready. “We are not always able to control when the Force will present a Trial and so you must always be ready.” Alex nodded slowly. “They are coming, I can feel them.” Her voice became light again. “But they will not present themselves today. Today, we can celebrate…and get off this frozen rock.” The Force kept the worst of the cold at bay but that did not mean she enjoyed the whipping wind threatening to freeze the very hair on her head.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Maiko Sigur]

Maiko admired his newly-crafted lightsaber for a few more seconds before shifting his attention to Master Alex when she spoke. Brown eyes brightened with humility as she expressed her pride for him, as she told him that he was the best parts of her and that he would— could bring about change in the galaxy. The Padawan mirrored her actions in deactivating his saber, placing it back in his satchel and standing straighter despite the exhaustion he felt. The journey to find his kyber crystal had been harrowing but enlightening, opening his eyes to the possible future should he allow himself to fall prey to grief once the inevitability of losing the people he loved came.

He would grieve, yes — but he would never let it consume him. And besides, those you loved and who loved you in return never truly disappears. They live on as long as memories that they lived remained alive.

A hint of uncertainty flashed in his mind when she mentioned the Trials. Was he ready? Would he be prepared for what was to come? Maiko shook his growing anxiety off. Master Alex was a great teacher; she had done excellently in preparing him for challenges he would face. He would not waste everything he learned by letting uncertainty overwhelm him. She had trained him for this… he had trained for this. And now that he was one step closer from finally being able to protect as many people as he could, he would welcome the preparation for the Trials — and the Trials itself — with open arms and a determination he knew he always had.

“I am ready, Master Alex,” he declared confidently, but with the humility of a student who was endlessly grateful for the guidance of his teacher. “You trained me for this. I will do my best to succeed, and if I didn’t… I will face the Trials over and over if I have to.”

Smiling at her brightly, the Padawan offered her a respectful bow. “Thank you, Master Alex. For everything… for being here with me.” Straightening up once again, he finally let his shoulders droop as he rubbed his gloved hands together. It was time to go back to the ship and celebrate their success. "I look forward to the Trials!"

It was time to return home.

Chuckling happily, he followed her dutifully on their trek back to her ship. Something tugged at him through the Force and when Maiko looked back over his shoulder to the cave, he saw the phantom figure of the cloaked man — his troubled future self, the one who allowed himself to be swallowed by grief and hatred. But the cloaked man’ expression was lighter now, unburdened. Lifting a hand up, he waved goodbye at Maiko with a small but soft smile on his weary face.

Maiko smiled and waved back.

He knew they would meet again years from now, when Master Alex’s time came. But just as he promised her, he would not let his sadness and anger consume him. Death was always inevitable. He would grieve, yes. He would be sad. But knowing that she would never truly leave him, the Padawan found peace and comfort in confronting the man he would one day become. But instead of letting anger and hatred eat him, Maiko would use that grief to become stronger. He would transform that grief into acceptance, and while losing the people he loved would undoubtedly hurt, he knew that it would give him more cause to appreciate that they have been a part of his life.

And for having them in his life… he would forever be grateful.

[End Thread]​

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