Star Wars: The Untold Stories

Sar sat staring at his Master while she just sat calmly in front of him. Her eyes were closed and her breathing calm and steady. Sar could feel the force with each of her slow exhales. The young padawan shifted a little in his cross legged position unsure of what to do.

Master Ti, while keeping her eyes closed and her breathing steady, sensed the unrest within the young boy.

"Patience, selflessness and harmony these are the traits we seek through our meditation" she slowly opened her eyes looking straight at her padawan "You have already trained meditation in your time as an initiate, however this will be far from enough if you wish to master the force."

Sar nodded slowly, hanging onto every word that his Master spoke.

"Remember young one the reason you meditate is to find harmony and inner peace only then will you be able to truly wield the force. Do not let it control you and do not try to control it. You must try and exist together in harmony."

When she had finished her teaching she once again closed her eyes and sank back into her meditation. Sar immediately followed suit closing his eyes and entering the meditation.

"OK, inner peace, harmony should be easy enough...right?" Sar tried to steel himself within his own mind. He emptied his mind of all thoughts and just "were". He wasn't in the temple nor was he training he was merely there within the force. When he felt the force slowly flow through him he got excited, but as soon as that feeling appeared it was gone.

Shaak Ti felt it as well letting out her mild wise voice once again.

"Patience padawan, you must not try and rush it you must let it flow through you on its own, not by your will"

Sar kept his eyes closed while he responded "yes Master" delving into his meditation once again. It was sudden when the feeling of the force once again appeared, but this time he didn't let his feelings get in the way and merely felt the way that the flow of force got slightly stronger as time went on.

Sar lost all concept of time he merely were within the warm flow of the force until he felt something else, something very similar to the flow he was experiencing yet also very different. The presence he felt was dark. It sent chills through his body and slight fear through his brain, and yet it oddly warmed his heart and hummed pleasantly in his ears.

Just as Sar wanted to reach further into the mysterious presence he was jolted from his meditation. Snapping his eyes open the first thing he saw was a standing Shaak Ti, who once again had her hands in her robes, gazing calmly at him.

"Master?" Uttered Sar in slight confusion as he could feel that while Shaak Ti did not reveal it she seemed slightly displeased.

"Young padawan an impressive first true meditation. You were in harmony with the force much longer than I was the first time, however"

When Sar received such high praise he couldn't help but feel slightly proud of himself, but Shaak Ti was not finished.

"You still show great impatience. You felt a certain presence towards the end of your meditation, yes?" Shaak Ti narrowed her eyes slightly after she asked the question.

Sar still confused quickly went to answer.

"Yes Master I felt a very strange presence it was nothing like anything I have ever felt before it was dark yet oddly soothing" Sar still did not understand why his master took such great interest in the matter and how she even knew about it.

Master Ti hummed softly "Hmmm, soothing indeed, many Jedi has been let astray by that very feeling. Just as many has harnessed its power for evil for millennia"

Hearing those words it finally clicked for Sar and cold sweat started to emerge from his back as he softly muttered.

"The dark side"

"The dark side is indeed its name, but do not worry my young padawan. The fact that you felt it means that you were truly in a state of harmony with the force. Do not let your fear rule you" Shaak Ti quickly followed up to calm the young padawan while she did not enjoy scaring her padawan it was a lesson necessary for his growth.

Sar could not seem to quite get a hold of his fears as he quickly asked his master.

"Are you sure that was the dark side, Master? It's nothing like I thought it would be"

Master Ti nodded slowly.

"Yes Sar that was indeed the dark side, it acts much as those who wield it, offering great power and comfort yet corrupting your very being till nothing remains of the one who sought those things in the first place" Seeing as Sar could still not let go of the fear he felt she continued "While the dark side is powerful and deceitful as long as you control your fear and emotions it will remain in the dark"

Sar thought a little before closing his eyes once again slipping into meditation reciting the Jedi code he learned all those years ago as an initiate:

"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"

With every unspoken line of the code the presence of the dark side seemed to fade bit by bit until there wasn't even a trace of it left.

While Sar should feel happy and accomplished he actually felt a little...sad? "No!" he quickly denied, he explained the thought as nothing more than a last attempt to lure him into its clutches.

He opened his eyes once again this time with the calmness that a Jedi should posses.

Seeing that the little padawan had overcome his quick encounter with the dark side. She smiled a full fledged grin this time before saying.

"Very well done my padawan. Remember there is no shame in feeling fear or other such things what is important is keeping them under control and not the other way around" She walked up to the still cross legged Sar, patting him on the shoulder.

"Come follow me we have one last lesson before we call it a day" without waiting for his response she force jumped out of the training crater and began heading for the door. Sar smiled wryly to himself thinking that his Master was a little too decisive just heading out without even waiting for him to follow. Quickly jumping out of the crater and catching up to his fast-paced master.

***

They had walked in silence for a good fifteen minutes before Sar opened his mouth.

"Umm, Master may I ask you a question regarding the current affairs of the order?"

Master Ti just let out a little hum of affirmation without even glancing at her padawan. Sar immediately asked his question as if afraid that she would refuse to answer should he tardy.

"Why is that boy that Master Qui-Gon Jinn brought from Naboo so special?"

Shaak Ti glanced at Sar who just looked at her curiously, before turning back forward and answering.

"Hmmm, I'm not sure 'special' is the right word to use, at least not yet, but let's just say that the high council suspects he may be the one to bring back balance to the force"

Sar was shocked at this answer for two reason one for the probable discovery of the chosen one and the other because she revealed what seemed like very important information to him, but seemingly having sensed the shock of her padawan Shaak Ti went to explain.

"This isn't confirmed yet the boy mostly became a member of the order on the background of Qui-Gon's last wish before he became one with the force" She now turned fully to look at her padawan letting a small smile spread on her lips "and also I am your teacher and as such I am obligated to answer your questions whether they be about training or the order itself"

Hearing the answer Sar felt not only cleared on the subject, but also touched that his Master would trust him enough to answer his question and he would strive to repay the kindness she had showed him.

Though there were more questions he wanted to ask namely who had killed Master Qui-Gon, the council had kept the exact killer a secret, he knew however that it would not be right to push his master too much, and so he swallowed the question back down.

They walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence each just enjoying the short walk and the force around them.

***

They finally arrived at the destination and Sar was quite surprised although he had lived in the temple for more than ten years there was still some places he had never seen or even heard of. This location was one of them.

It was a literal huge stone garden the whole garden was made out of weird grey stone that sent warmth up through Sar feet even though he was wearing shoes. And even though this garden was clearly outside none of the noise from the Galactic City could be heard there was complete silence and tranquility.

Sar walked a bit away from the entrance though Shaak Ti remained watching the young boy looking around in wonder.

Sar's gaze quickly landed on something he had heard about.

Force Monoliths.

These Force Monoliths where located in the middle of the huge garden. There were ten in all, but they were spread apart so the formation resembled a pentagon. Each where blacker than black and about 150 cm tall looking completely smooth. They looked like huge smooth Kyber crystals. They each had a little holder where only a little of the bottom where inserted.

Sar had heard about them before they were supposedly used to train a Jedi's strength and control in using the force. It was said that Grand-Master Yoda picked up seven at once and walked around the temple with them.

"This is where the final lesson for the day will be taught" Sar was broken out of his swooning by his Masters strict yet kind voice. He quickly responded.

"I understand Master, what would you have me do?"

She turned to look at the Monoliths before pointing at them and saying.

"You shall meditate here and while you do so you will need to lift two of these Monoliths at once without exiting your meditation" She put her arm down and turned to Sar "I would suggest that when we are not on missions or training your lightsaber combat you come here and meditate"

While Sar was a little worried about the task he had enough confidence that he would be able to pull off the task without much trouble. Though arrogance was never a good trait in a Jedi confidence was another matter.

" I understand the task you have given me Master" Sar said with a small bow.

Shaak Ti chuckled a bit before turning around and heading for the exit.

"I have business with the council so I shall take my leave, but remember to meet me in the training hall early tomorrow so we can begin your lightsaber training" after seeing you nod she said before she exited the garden "Remember to be patient young one, mastery of the force comes only through understanding it"

And with those words she had left.

Sar mulled over his teachers exiting words before sitting down this time on his knees with his back straight and his hand closed into fists which he laid on his t.h.i.g.hs. As soon as he closed his eyes he thought he heard a soft whisper, but ignored it and immersed himself completely in being in tune with the force.

If only he knew that dark schemes were brewing this very minute, and the role he would play in them.