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Exterior: Coruscant, Jedi temple, courtyard, daytime.
The sun shone upon the marble stone courtyard and a beautiful Zen garden in the centre home to an ancient tree standing tall and strong as a beacon of light.
Master Yoda, a small, green elf-like creature with pointy ears and 3 fingers per hand, wore a cheerful expression as he met with the full Jedi Council.
The motherly Jedi Master Depa Billaba was a beautiful, serene, petite, human female with lightly tanned skin, brown eyes, long dark hair, and small culturally ceremonial jewels on her forehead.
She wore lightly colored Jedi robes, and stood proudly next to her young Padawan, Caleb Dume.
In his early 20s, Padawan Caleb Dume was a very curious-minded human male with tanned skin, teal blue eyes, and short dark brown hair except for a single braid identifying him as a Padawan.
He wore a light brown long sleeved shirt with green highlights, a utility belt, blue jeans, and brown boots.
"Master, what's going on? How did everyone on the Council find time to meet?" asked Caleb, "have they finally removed the ban on attachments?"
With a chuckle, Depa smiled at him, "Patience, Caleb. They were available because we planned ahead.
Yes, they're finally allowing attachments and personal relationships."
Suddenly wrapping his arms around her, he fondly told her, "I love you, Mum," for the first time out loud, melting her heart.
Having been the one to find and bring the boy to the temple as an infant before taking it upon herself to raise and train him, Depa hugged him back, "I love you too, son."
As the hug ended, the Jedi Council formed a large circle around Caleb and ignited their lightsabers, holding up their blades.
Yoda instructed, "Step forward, Padawan," before Dume stepped towards and knelt before the Sage with his head down.
The Jedi Grandmaster held a green blade over Caleb's right shoulder, "Caleb Dume, by the right of the Council," then over his left, "by the will of the Force," then above his head, "Dub thee, I do," before severing Dume's braid and holding his blade aloft, "Jedi Knight of the Republic."
As the newly knighted Caleb rose to his feet, he smiled proudly before his expression turned to one of sheer terror and dread.
He clutched his chest, fell to his knees, and gasped in pain, "Ahhh!" as millions of distant screams quietly echoed as if they were but a whisper through the Force.
"Caleb!" gasped Depa who rushed to his side, knelt down, and held his hand whilst looking into his eyes, "what happened? Are you alright?"
"There's something not right.
I feel… cold."
The skies turned a dark crimson.
All colour and feeling from the world seemed to fade as the world fell silent whilst the air turned colder than ice yet dry as a desert.
Everyone around him collapsed with their bodies turning into lifeless husks and corpses as their presences in the Force began to fade
Within the darkness, a spectral phantasmic nightmare made itself known.
He, if he could truly be called a man any longer, was more presence than flesh.
Its form wore a pitch black hooded cloak and robes, carrying the face of death in the form of a white skeletal mask with a single thin red stripe above both of its eye holes.
Igniting a crimson blade, Darth Nihilus, the Lord of Hunger, spoke in a faint distorted echo.
Seeing everyone he loved dying from the Dark Lord's mere presence, Caleb barely had time to react as the wraith strode toward him as if floating.
Nihilus caught him by the throat with one hand, lifting him off the ground, as something transparent and wind-like was ripped from the young Jedi's body.
Unable to breathe as his very life essence and the Force were ripped from him, Caleb’s struggling form went limp as everything faded to black.
Interior: Jedi temple, quarters, evening.
Waking up in a panic and freezing cold, Caleb, in his early teens, took in his surroundings to find himself in his quarters with a concerned Depa sitting by his bedside, and threw his arms around her whilst tears trickled down his face.
Warmly returning the embrace providing comfort to her Padawan, Depa held him close as a mother does for their child, “You’re safe now, Caleb. And I’m here to protect you.”
"Thank you, Master, you’re the best," whispered Caleb, "I love you, mum. I love you so much."
As her eyes lit up, she returned, "I love you too, and nothing will ever change that, son.” kissed his temple, and tucked him in.
