Chapter Text
As most stories of rebellion go, this one starts with a young student in search of a greater purpose. And as most tragedies go, this one begins with a storm.
The rain pounded against the uneven stone floor; thunder slammed in the clouds as lightning struck the surface. Footsteps thundered in waves through the alleyways, citizens yelping and enforcers shouting.
The hooded figure ran down another alley, through a growing crowd and past a group of officers who were previously on look out. She forced herself to run faster, her mind working in overdrive as she ran past helpless people who were cast aside during previous hunts.
Several heartbeats filled her mind, threatening to overwhelm her already frazzled senses. Instead, she focused on the nearest one, a scared and fast drumming that filled her with a sense of her own fear. She followed the feeling further into the town.
She reached the first stop with ease as boulders filled the following alleyway. The first boulder lifted with ease, before she used it to push the next one out of the way. When she got to the third, she lifted from the floor with the grace only a dancer would have.
She slammed into the floor, an unexpected boulder threatening to shove its way into her path. The force focused on the boulder and herself. She felt herself grabbing hold of it, splitting it in two. When she opened her eyes, the stone crashed into the ground behind her, shattering into several pieces.
She reached the edge of the town soon after, the sound of enforces quieting behind her. In fact, her mind seemed to quiet along with it. Her surroundings changed into a new chamber as she slowed to a halt.
The trees around her began to darken as mist seemed to cover the ground. The darkness that surrounded her cleared with a wave of her hand, lighting the dark tattoos on her face.
As she progressed into the seemingly endless abyss, she began to hear the cries of the nightsisters and the sound of humming sabers threatened to consume her whole. She kept her grip on her own two lightsabers firm.
The forest slowly stretched into a clearing as chanting began to grow around her, encircling her like prey. She felt herself smile at the familiar setting, though she quickly recovered her composure and straightened out.
She felt the coven reach out to her, their voices attempting to carry fear into her guarded mind. Despite this, she walked further in, her thoughts set on reaching the end.
A thud sounded behind her as she suddenly became aware of the coven leader behind her, hand outstretched to her back. She kept her feet firmly planted into the ground, even as the mother's voices became curses, low and addictive sounds that promised a home.
She began to walk away before searing hot pain shot through her. Her sabers began burning holes in the ground below her.
The figure behind her leaped into her soul, searching her for weakness. With a shout, she pressed her hands to her head, willing the presence to leave. Once successful, she unclipped one of her sabers, grasping it with a firm hand and an ambitious mind.
She swung once, the blow cutting clean into the tree line that grew closer by the second. The saber was knocked out of her hand as violent gusts of wind shoved its way around her. The familiarities of the feeling became apparent when she pushed back.
She focused her mind on one target as she centered her mind on the way it moved in a clear pattern, before she shoved her hands in the way. Following this, the wind seemed to break away, slipping into the forest.
As her guard lowered, she felt deep slits drag down her back in two crossing lines, agony split her mind as a scream tore its way out of her throat. For a moment, she felt a rush of memories she had never experienced flooded her mind, echoes of whispers and hurried footsteps flowed through her ears, before it all stopped at once.
The fire in her lit once more as her scream echoed through the force. With an easy twist, she battled the red sabers with her own blue ones. She pushed back then managed to lift them enough to send the figure flying back.
She groaned as the pain shot through her. When she held her hand desperately over the beginning of one of the cuts, she felt blood soak her fingers through the heavy tunic she wore.
Nevertheless, she progressed onto the next trial.
The trees around her croaked as they fell to the ground, though the sound of the impact was muffled, the grass turned to the rough floor of a hanger. Slightly dazed, she studied the hanger for information on this test.
Before her stood a tall, white haired zabraki, someone who seemed strangely similar to her own self, if not a few years older. She progressed forwards but was quickly frozen in place as her clone turned around.
Fear filled the young Padawan's mind as she saw the countless scars on her clone. She looked angry, battle-worn, like someone who had fallen to the darkside. She tried desperately to look away but her eyes seemed fixed to this shell of herself.
The pain on her back seemed to intensify as this clone stepped towards her as if they shared the same troubles. Her clone grabbed her shoulder and she screamed, helplessly fumbling for her lightsabers to no avail.
"There is no use, my dear one. This is the end. This is us, Enya," Her clone vowed. An angry sob ripped from the Padawan's throat as she finally stepped back, closing her eyes.
Enya took a deep breath, focusing her thoughts on the force as she let it carry her through this trial. Slowly, the pain and exhaustion escaped her mind and she felt the familiar presence of the Jedi Temple surrounding her once more.
When she opened her eyes, she stood before the Jedi council with her robes repaired and her thoughts dull. She felt an odd sense of pride wash through her as she saw her master watching her from his seat.
"Gotten through the trials, you have," Master Yoda spoke smoothly, his voice bringing her peace of mind. "Watched your process thoroughly, the council has."
The council members shared various looks, all of which seemed positive to Enya, before Yoda struck his staff against the floor to gather everyone's attention.
Master Windu smiled at her as he and Master Yoda stood, "You have been granted the rank of Jedi Knight, Enya. Congratulations."
The applause and praise seemed muffled in her mind as she sighed of relief, gratefully accepting the Masters' hands. Saesee Tiin beamed his praise into her mind, her now former master showering her with honorr.
With her new rank set in place and her Padawan braid officially cut, she exited the room with a thrumming sense of exhilaration. This would be challenging, she could already tell, but she was ready.