Winter Writing Contest 2023

Librarian's Assembly Winter Writing Contest 2023

1st Place - Secrets of the Force

Written by KyoyaFerox

Secrets of the Force

CHAPTER I - The Decision

Master Ood Bnar contemplated his next thoughts very carefully. He had been defeated in combat by Exar Kun, who grinned at the defeated Jedi Master. Exar lowered his crimson saberstaff by his waist, wanting answers from the wisdom-filled Jedi.

“Your treasures belong to me now, all of the secrets you’ve held captive from the galaxy will be exposed…with me leading the way. I will be recognized as the greatest Sith of all time! With the treasures you have collected for me, I will know every detail of every Jedi in that vault. But before I kill you, tell me…why keep this hidden? You could have ruled the galaxy! These treasures can be used for power–yet you do nothing!” Exar raised his blade in anger, slashing away at the ground between the two Force wielders.

“The dark side has blinded you, Jedi Knight,” Ood started. “The Force is not in balance with the lust for conquest. This knowledge is not to be used for power, it is to keep the galaxy from falling into chaos. Yes…I have decided–” Ood Bnar paused for a moment. “These secrets and treasures will remain hidden until a new generation of Jedi come to redeem us both. We have both failed the Jedi Order, Exar, and I will try to redeem myself now.”

Angered and unbalanced by Ood Bnar calling him his former title of a Jedi Knight, Exar raised his crimson blade to cut down the old Jedi Master…but Ood Bnar was gone. With his knowledge of the Force, he metamorphosed into a grand tree. All of the wisdom of the Jedi…all the treasures Exar had sought after…were now kept in the eternal tree that was once Ood Bnar.

Exar swung his blade back and forth across the tree, but no marks were cut. No wood had singed in heat from the Sith Lord's lightsaber. Vexed by what Ood Bnar had done, he looked into the Force for answers. What he felt perplexed him, as it guided him towards the other side of the tree. There was a wooden door in the tree’s bark, with markings surrounding the perimeter. When he read the markings, he scoffed at the idiocy of the former Jedi Master. 

“So…you’ve locked yourself away here. Your sacrifice will be in vain, Ood, I will do whatever it takes to break through this damn door. These treasures belong to the Sith, and I will unleash one thousand strike bombs on you if this is what it takes! The Jedi will not come to rescue you, for I will ensure that only the Sith come into contact with you. Your will shall fall…your barrier will break eventually. You cannot hide forever!”

Chapter II - From Explorers to Jedi

Camellia Zova knew what to do. She had been training for this her entire youth. Years of training for the Trials of Knighthood had got her to this point, but she feared rejection. What if she was denied? What if she failed? Would Master Kriss drop her as her only Padawan? So many questions and not enough time for answers. With one deep breath to calm her nerves, she entered the Jedi Council chambers. 

She left their chambers with a smile brighter than Coruscant Prime. She had passed her trials. The Knighting ceremony was set for three weeks from now. Avar Kriss approached her from the down the hall.

“I congratulate you, my former Padawan,” Kriss stated.

“Not former quite yet, I have three weeks until I become a Jedi Knight,” Camellia retorted, realizing her impoliteness. “But I thank you for your training and taking me as your Padawan, Master.”

Avar Kriss smiled, the skies of Coruscant shined through the temple’s windows, augmenting Avar’s deep blue eyes. She let her blonde hair flow down now that the formalities were over. Her face became firm, transitioning from Camellia’s friend to a Jedi Master of the Order.

“Has your kyber crystal changed color yet?”

Camellia responded with frustration, “It has not. I don’t know why it’s still white, that’s not my color. It just…won’t change to blue or green.”

“Perhaps it will become yellow,” Avar started. “Regardless, that is not why I am here. As the marshal of the Starlight Beacon, I could use some recruits like yourself. Even with an unsorted saber, you could still be seen as a useful asset to the people you’d be helping. I know we have discussed this in the past, but I feel the dark side growing on my ship. I would appreciate your help.” 

Master Kriss always had a face of certainty, of undisputed authority. Camellia knew something was off, as she sensed fear in her soon-to-be, former Master.

“I am sorry,” Camellia started. “I know your work is important, but I cannot tether myself to that station. I want to explore, feel the living Force, connect with it, and embrace the worlds of nature, worlds that nobody has seen in centuries! That is my calling as a future Jedi Knight.”

Master Kriss understood her passion, even if it was naive. She too was once full of ambition, wanting to be an explorer traversing the galaxy. However, as the years went on, her passion died down, maturing into the Jedi Master she was now. She was a keeper of the peace, aiding those in need, she did not have time to explore when there were people in need of the Jedi. She nodded toward Camellia, understanding that she too must embrace her passions so that her dreams could fade and her role as a Jedi Knight would be to help those in need.

Camellia ventured on to her ship, where she would go explore the great galaxy. She became giddy, a trait she knew she’d have to stomp out as a Jedi Knight. Yet she could not contain herself. The opportunity to explore for three weeks before the Knighting ceremony was right in front of her, and she did not want to miss out. She had so many planets to explore, and the first one on the list was Kenari.

Chapter III - Marauder

Exar Kun was long gone. During his life, he had built a garrison on the planet of Kenari, wiping out nature's forests and most of the tribes living there. In the center of their base, was the tree of Ood Bnar, labeled as the Curse of the Jedi by the Sith. Bombs had been dropped on the tree for centuries as they attempted to break through Ood’s “curse.” The surrounding land was in utter dismay. Thousands of bombs had made sure that the ground beneath was scorched to hell and back. Every day, the Sith would unleash bombs, bombs stronger than the day before, trying to break through the tree. 

Exar Kun died 73 standard years after his encounter with Ood Bnar. His lust for vengeance and power kept him alive to keep trying. Trying to break through the curse, trying to regain his honor after the Sith Order cast him out because of his failure, trying to gain the power of the Force so he could take over the galaxy…to take over the Sith Order. Once he had been dishonored by the Sith Order, he gained the trust of some former Sith allies to build upon Kenari. They had traveled throughout the galaxy, enslaving those who were capable of building their base.

Exar named the base Sith Harvester, as he wanted to not only harvest the power held within the tree but to mow down the remnants of the Sith who banished him. The years went on and the tree never budged. No lightsaber could pierce it, no bomb could destroy it, and nothing was working for Exar. His slaves revolted against the labor they were forced into, and all of his success was starting to fall apart.

A cold winter had fallen on Kenari, with no transmission nor transport going outside the base. Their food began to dwindle, heat became a luxury, and many of their workers began to perish. The cold storms were relentless, ripping down the walls of Sith Harvester, with many more slaves succumbing to the cold or being crushed by the dilapidated Sith base. Many of the Sith Lords began to fall as well. Winter never stopped, as if the planet was retaliating against them. After just seven months of a brutal winter, Exar Kun was all that remained.

The cold winds began to slow, the snow stopped for a brief moment. Exar was trapped in his dormitory, the entrances engulfed by the remnants of the base. His lightsaber had been lost to the winds of the winter, and his connection to the Force was fractured. He had always used anger to fuel his connection to the dark side. Now, he lived in fear. Fear that his project had failed, fear that he would not escape, fear that his quest for power…had come to an end. Exar Kun could not regain his composure, dying within the walls that his slaves had built for him. 

“My reign is over, there is nothing I can do now. All that rage…all that power, it has been for nothing. All I can hope for now is…that someone will open the secrets of the Force.”

These were the last words Exar Kun spoke, as the walls of his chambers came crashing down over his body.

The Battle of Ruusan wiped out the majority of the Sith, leaving Kenari’s Command Post isolated for centuries. Nobody knew of his project on Kenari, and his dreams of conquest would remain dormant until a new Sith picked up the mantle. Within a new era of peace without the Sith, the planet’s ecosystem returned. The forests grew back, the animals returned, and the natives could live without fear.

Chapter IV - Rock Skipper

The calm brings yet another day,

For man to thank we do display.

For food, for water, we do thank you,

As we pray for the tides to stay blue.

A young boy was playing on the shores by his tribe. He would sing and sway to the rhythm of the tribe’s songs when they would thank the seas. The boy took off his boots to feel the sand between his toes. He would never be allowed if his brother were here. He decided to skip a few rocks along the tides of the shore. Skipping rocks along the water was one of his favorite things to do, even if he only got a few skips each time. His brother had left ten minutes ago, where was he? It didn’t bother him too much as he continued skipping the rocks. 

The calm brings yet another day,

For man to thank we do display.

For food, for water, we do thank you,

As we pray for the tides to stay blue.

“And we’ll dance in our silly shoes!” The boy added as he laughed. Ever since he knew how to walk he had always loved the ocean. Even then, he was to always wear his boots. His father always made sure he was wearing an outer layer to protect him.

“The ocean is a dangerous place,” his father would always say. “Always wear your quyip leaf water suit if you ever go into the tides. Lots of scary creatures there. Always wear your boots on the beaches too.”

The boy showed no fear. He would splash and run through the waves coming towards him. If he loved the oceans why would he be afraid? His brother was gone for 20 minutes now. He continued splashing around until he saw a black rock right next to his foot. It would be perfect for skipping across the waters, maybe he could beat his record. 

He had gathered a pile of stones to skip, saving this black one for last. He threw the first rock…two skips. Then goes the second…four skips. Eventually, the boy was holding the smooth, black stone. The time had finally come. 

A few meters away from him, a crab jutted out of the sands. It blended well with the sands of the shore, as it heavily depended on camouflage to survive. It walked along the beach towards the boy as he was getting ready to skip the rock. The muddled crab scurried directly at the child, pinching him in the foot just before he could try to break his record. He yelled and screamed in pain, fleeing towards his home village. His older brother, Unten, had heard his screams and came rushing to his aid. 

“What happened?” Unten yelled out.

“The crab! It pinched me,” his brother screamed as the pain was getting worse. He lifted his foot towards his brother, showing a wound of blood with the surrounding skin turning black. 

His brother’s face turned pale white. “No…it’s too late,” Unten said in dismay as tears started to form. “It was a Kentis crab…the poison is already withering your body away.”

Unten grabbed his brother and carried him to their home. Nobody was home, so Unten applied every medication he could find in desperation. Unten placed his brother on top of their kitchen table. It was a thick slab of dark quyip wood harvested by their father, Talray Garwood. He knew it would hold. All he could do was watch as the necrosis spread up from his foot. Getting hit with the poison of a Kentis crab is almost always a death sentence. In the centuries of their existence, a child had never survived the poison of a Kentis crab.

Minutes passed, and it became harder for him to breathe, and his mind soon warped into disarray. He began to slash out at Unten, blaming him for what had happened.

“Why did you leave me,” the boy started. “You abandoned me on that beach for so long! Why didn’t you skip rocks with me? Why did you have to leave me to talk to Nattai? Y-You got me pinched! You made that crab pinch me! I know it!”

Life started to flee his eyes, as Unten held his hand with tears streaking down his cheeks. Unten knew that what he was saying was caused by the poison–but he knew there was truth in it too. He did leave his brother on the beach to talk to Nattai. He did abandon him for longer than he should have. 

“Why did you do this to me?” he continued, struggling to get the words out. “I-I just wanted to be like you, Unten. Why couldn’t you let me? Why didn’t you skip rocks with me?”

He felt shame as he let go of his brother’s cold hand, crying as the blood from his brother’s foot dripped off the end of the table. His father returned home an hour after the death, horrified at the scene he came home to. Unten was still standing over his brother’s body, unable to walk away. 

“What did you do?!” Talray yelled as he rushed to his son’s corpse. “Get away from him!”

“It wasn’t my fault,” Unten began. “He was alone on the beach and-and got pinched by a Kentis crab! There was nothing I could do!”

Talray held the boy’s head in his arms, trying not to weep under what had just happened. He stroked his fingers through the child’s long blonde hair like he used to do to calm him down. He looked at Unten with rage in his eyes.

 “Nothing you could do? Nothing you could do?! He was alone on the beach! Why were you not there? It better not have been that damn girl! You know it’s dangerous with crabs! You are–you…were the older brother! You’re to blame for this, do not put it on your brother for your mistakes!”

Unten was left speechless. His brother and now his father blamed him for what had happened. He grabbed a dark, long shirt and his shoes, fleeing to the outdoors. Unten’s father sang to the young boy.

Frost has claimed another soul,

For we shall mourn on this day's toll.

Until the sun shines on you once more,

We await your soul’s next encore.

Unten ran through the trails of the tribe, his neighbors watching in confusion as he fled. His tribe, the Contux, had control over the shores of Kenari. While their tribe was in the jungles, they utilized the waters for navigation, transportation, and hunting. 

Unten was always fascinated by the jungles of his home planet. He would spend hours exploring their claimed territory, but would never venture further. Beyond their territory was a cold wasteland that nobody dared traversing. As he fled from his father and his home, Unten went past their territory. He did not care if he returned, he just wanted to get away from the blame. 

The forests became colder, the wind hitting him in the face, but he never stopped. Maybe he would find a different tribe. Maybe he could find a way to redeem himself. Or bring back his brother. He stopped for a moment, even he knew that was crazy to think of. 

He traveled through the jungle, through the plains, through mountains…searching for any answer. Once he reached the summit of one of the mountains, Unten Garwood looked across the horizon and spotted a decrepit base that he had heard rumors of. It was only a myth in his tribe, but he knew it to be true now. A myth that was thousands of years old was in plain sight. The base of a Sith Lord was in his reach.

Chapter V - A Beacon of Darkness

Avar Kriss was ecstatic for her Padawan, Camellia Zova. She had passed her Knight Trials and was to be Knighted in just three weeks. She approached her Padawan outside the Jedi Council chambers, congratulating her on her success. Avar had always respected Camellia, she was skilled in combat and had a strong connection to the Force. 

They had often spent hours every day to meditate and concentrate on the world around them. Avar knew that Camellia wanted to leave Coruscant, so she offered a place on the Starlight Beacon for her former Padawan.

“As the marshal of the Starlight Beacon, I could use some recruits like yourself. I know we have discussed this in the past, but I feel the dark side growing on my ship. I would appreciate your help.” 

“I am sorry,” Camellia started. “I know your work is important, but I cannot tether myself to that station. I want to explore, feel the living Force, connect with it, and embrace the worlds of nature, worlds that nobody has seen in centuries! That is my calling as a future Jedi Knight.”

Avar hoped she would one day join her on the Beacon. It was a primary example of how the Jedi helped the galaxy, but Camellia wanted to explore. While Avar had some belief that her Padawan was wasting her time and use as a Jedi Knight, she realized it was a process, one that would bring her back to the real world eventually.

Master Avar Kriss left the Jedi Temple and went to her ship. She boarded the Jedi Vector, a starfighter that could be used for combat if necessary. For now, she was using it for transport back to the Starlight Beacon. She went into hyperspace and soon arrived back at her station as the marshal. 

Many of her fellow Jedi welcomed her back as her ship approached, including Porter Engle, Bell Zettifar, and Yarael Poof. Master Kriss was debriefed on all recent events by Master Yarael Poof. An earthquake on Eiram had left 37 people severely injured, with 12 dead. Some were treated in Eiram’s hospitals, but most were taken to the Starlight Beacon’s medical tower. There had also been a report of a Shrii Ka Rai attacking the Starlight Beacon, but it was unknown for certain.

Master Kriss took some of their files and went to her office to look over them. An earthquake on Eiram was quite unusual, they’ve never had one before. She had hoped Camellia would join her, but she was certain that her former Padawan would come around eventually. As she thought of these hopes, a large explosion shook her office. Startled, she looked outside her window to see the medical tower getting bombed. Her fears were proven right, as the dark side was present on the Starlight Beacon. 

Chapter VI - The Apostate

Marinus Klas had lived on Eiram for many years now. As a young child, he could still remember the conflicts between E’ronoh and Eiram. Now that half a century had passed, it was time for him to spark chaos. Even in his old age, he was still more than capable as a Sorcerer of Tund.

His first task was to cause chaos in Eiram, in the same streets where he grew up. Then, his task was to aid the Nihil raiders in bombing the Starlight Beacon. Causing chaos in the Republic was his mission, and he had never failed before. 

Marinus was born during the conflicts of Eiram and E’ronoh. He still had memories of ships crashing into their homes and their seas. He remembered the Jedi and the Republic’s involvement in his world, as they built the Starlight Beacon above their skies. 

“It’s our world,” Marinus would say as a child. “Why are they here?”

As Marinus grew into his teenage years, he planned revolts against the Eiram’s government. One of his more dangerous acts got two Eiram soldiers blown up by an explosive he had planted in the palace’s bathroom. He did not mean to kill them, but it only excited him to see himself make progress. 

At the age of 25, Marinus stole an Eiram medical cruiser in an attempt to infiltrate the Starlight Beacon. However, his plans were foiled and his ship was severely damaged. He crash-landed on Tund, only surviving by his instincts of using the Force. He was Force-sensitive and had only just begun his journey. Tund was the home planet of dark-side sorcerers in the Outer-Rim territories, and his presence had alerted the few remaining dark-side wielders. Marinus had heard stories of them, legends really, of how they were defiant of the Jedi. As a young child, he was also told that the Jedi killed all of them, yet here they were. As Marinus walked away from the wreckage of his crash, an elderly woman appeared to him. She wore a white mask and orange robes, both of which looked like they hadn’t been cleaned in years. She seemed to be the leader of these people. Behind her, ten more sorcerers watched on guard.

Marinus was trained under the Sorcerers of Tund for many years. He was never of the leader’s name, only that she had killed several Jedi in her lifetime and that she would pass on her knowledge to him. By the age of 35, Marinus had become a powerful sorcerer himself, able to make himself float or throw boulders a few meters. He still had much to learn before he was ready to take on the Jedi. At the age of 42, his elderly trainer had died. It took a toll on him, as he had connected with her and grew to care for someone other than himself. Her last teaching was shapeshifting and implanting illusions in others. He was fascinated by these abilities, seeing the potential of them against the Jedi. She died before he had fully mastered these abilities, however, leaving him to fill in the gaps. 

By the age of 60, he was the last remaining sorcerer in the area. He was the last apostate. Marinus had created his own sense of shapeshifting and had mastered the use of the Force. He could throw boulders across the planet, he could create a typhoon out of just a river, and he could implant memories into the minds of others. It was at this moment that he knew he was ready to travel to Eiram and destroy the remains of the Jedi. It took months to create a functional ship on Tund, but they managed. He thanked the few sorcerers for their hospitality and care throughout the years and went on his journey. 

Once on Eiram, he created a plan. He met in the shadows with some Nihil raiders in an attempt to gain their trust for the bombing of the Starlight Beacon. Once everything was set, Marinus used his connection to the Force to cause an earthquake in his old town. Many buildings fell as he heard the screams of the innocent falling to their deaths under the rubble. In total, 12 people were killed with many more injured. Marinus felt pride in his Force abilities developed by the sorcerers. 

“Now,” he said. “Now I can create real change.”

The following evening, Marinus took his raggedy ship and went into orbit. He joined the Nihil raiders in bombing the Starlight Beacon. However, he had an ulterior motive. Marinus snuck on board the Beacon, accessing and looking through the data cards. Bombs were crashing overhead, shaking the cards out of their slots. There was one unread message that had been sent to the marshal. He opened it to see a hologram of a young woman with dark hair.

“Master Kriss,” the woman said. “I’ve finally made it to Kenari! I’ve met one of the locals here and we seem to have discovered an old Sith base! There’s a lot of spooky stuff here and I think the Jedi Council would be intrigued by some of these artifacts. Please send this message to the Council as I cannot transport everything here.”

Marinus now had his next mission: to intercept the Jedi on Kenari.

Chapter VII - Explorers from Two Worlds

Camellia Zova had finally arrived on Kenari. At the time, Kenari was split into two ecosystems. The Northern Hemisphere contained vast frozen wastelands. The Southern Hemisphere was filled with lush, green forests. As Camellia hovered over the Southern Hemisphere, she could see civilizations down below. If this place was habitable, perhaps it was best if she went to desolate areas of the planet, she had thought to herself. As she flew over towards the north, the transition from the forest and the ice was clear. It was almost as if an invisible barrier was splitting them in two.

As she explored the Northern Hemisphere, she came across an abandoned boat. Camellia explored the old ship, collecting any relics she could find to place on her starship. She traveled to several other ships, collecting similar relics. On her fifth discovery, it was not a frozen ship but looked to have been an old base of some sort. She landed her ship nearby and slowly approached the fallen structure. The cold winds were starting to get to her, as an eerie presence filled the area surrounding this base. Human skeletons remained, but Camellia was looking for relics. 

The “entrance” to this place, which was now wherever the scrap metal opened up led her into even more corpses. She found a lightsaber staff as well, picking it up and igniting it. Crimson red.

“What the hell happened here,” she asked herself. “Were they attacked by the Sith a millennium ago?”

Camellia heard a strange noise from further within the structure, instinctively putting the red blade in a defensive position. She felt disgusted to use a red blade at that moment, but if it saved her life she would be okay with those terms. Someone was walking towards her with his hands up to show he was unarmed.

“Don’t worry,” the man spoke. “I don’t want to hurt you. I’m just exploring.”

Camellia extinguished the red saberstaff, throwing it into a mixture of rubble and snow. As he approached, Camellia could see it was a young man, around her age, with black hair and brown eyes. He stood a bit shorter than her, probably from his poor posture and hunching over. His clothing looked dated, likely native to the tribes here.

Camellia proceeded to ask, “What’s your name?”

“It’s Unten,” he said. “Unten Garwood. Are you a Sith Lord?”

Camellia gave a small smile at the thought. “No,” she started. “The Sith are all gone now. I am a Jedi looking to explore the galaxy.”

Unten flinched at the word. Jedi. He did not know a lot about them, but he knew they were powerful beings. 

“You’re…” Unten fumbled. “You’re a real Jedi?”

“Yes…I am, Jedi Knight Camellia Zova,” She said with uncertainty, as she technically was not a Jedi yet. There were still 19 days until her Knighting ceremony where she would become a true Jedi. “Are you from here?”

Unten did not know how to respond. He wasn’t from here, in this crumbling structure, and he had just run away from his home and his entire tribe. Unten started to speak, “I am a member of the Contux, one of the main groups here.”

She sensed much fear in him and knew he was trying to deceive her somehow. She then asked, “Why are you out here then? It’s too cold to be traveling with what you’re wearing. The frozen tundras should not be explored all by yourself.”

“Well,” he responded. “I ran away from my village. They blame me for my brother’s death…I blame myself for his death. I wanted the pain to go away.” His eyes started getting misty. “He died in my arms…because of me. I left him on the beach to talk to Nat–someone. I left to try to find an answer. I ended up here. Wherever this is.”

Camellia understood his emotions all too well. When she was a youngling back on Coruscant, she got someone hurt. Not killed like him, but badly injured. She was much more advanced in the teachings of the Force compared to her fellow younglings. At the age of nine, she was already able to lift an entire bookshelf or a speeder bike. 

At the age of ten, Camellia was meditating with a group of younglings. Master Elzar Mann led the group, telling them to slow their thoughts and to focus on the Force surrounding them. Camellia concentrated hard, and she was able to slow down her heartbeat to keep herself in a meditative zone. The next thing she knew, Master Mann was shaking her to stop.

“Camellia! Stop this madness!” Elzar yelled. “Look at what you are doing!”

Confused by what had happened, Camellia looked around to see one of the younglings struggling to breathe. She had slowed his heartbeat. Too slow. She immediately lost focus of what she was doing, letting the fellow youngling catch his breath. It took months for her to open up to the Force again, but soon she had full control and would learn to embrace her fears.

Chapter VIII - Winter’s Curse

Talray gathered around for the tribe’s community meeting. After all, the tribe had just lost one of their own. There were a total of 127 in the community of Contux. Now 126 with the recent death. They mourned the loss of the child. Talray made a speech about how joyous his son was. Always wanting to skip rocks across the waters, always wanting to play games with the village kids. He described what had happened when he came home to see Unten standing over his brother’s body. From his father's description, the whole village had collectively blamed Unten. Why would he abandon him on the beach? Where did he go? Was this the truth?

Nattai knew the truth. She was the reason Unten left his brother on the beach. She witnessed everything…the screams…the blood…the fear in Untens’ eyes as he realized what had happened. She blamed herself more than the village blamed Unten. It was because of her that he left. She knew that Unten liked her, and purposely teased and toyed with him over the years they knew each other.

The burial process was about to begin. Talray took his kitchen table where his son had died. The blood was dried on the dark wood, but they used it to transport the body. He and three other people lifted the child’s body, placing it back on the wooden slab. They then carried it through the lands to the great tundras. The temperature kept dropping as they moved, and snow began to fall. The cold turned some away, but Talray Garwood never wavered. He had to stay strong. That’s how his son always thought of him—a strong dad who always knew what to do. As the group lowered his son’s body on the stained wood, Talray breathed in the cold air. The tribe sang in unison.

Frost has claimed another soul,

For we shall mourn on this day's toll.

Until the sun shines on you once more,

We await your soul’s next encore.

His son was to remain in winter for eternity until a new age when the sun shrined brighter than ever before. When the sun melted away at his frozen tomb, releasing his spirit into the depths of the peaceful forests. Throughout their time, this is what the tribe of Contux believed in. For the sake of his child, Talray Garwood wished it to be true.

Chapter IX - The Loth-Cat

Camellia had just finished sending a hologram transmission over to her former Master, Avar Kriss. She had explored the halls of what she now knew to be called Sith Harvester. Half of the remnants were covered in ice or were in a tangled mess of metal. Through the ancient writings she could find intact, this was a project created by the Sith. She did not know what their project was for, or if they accomplished their goal, but she knew it could not be good. Through the texts she could find, they would enslave engineers to create bombs…lots of bombs. She still could not grasp why they built a base on Kenari for bombs. To her luck, Unten found the reason. 

“Hey Jedi lady,” he started, as he had already forgotten her name. “Take a look at this tree thing in the middle.”

Upon hearing these words, Camellia didn’t understand what he was talking about. Why would a tree be so important? As soon as she saw it, she collapsed. Not from shock, not from pain, but from a feeling of being overwhelmed. As her eyes lay on the great tree, a sudden rush through the Force knocked her down. Half of the planet was covered in ice, except this one spot. A warm glow illuminated from the tree as if it were a sentient being welcoming them. Camellia touched the warm, green grass, but suddenly shrieked in pain. 

Her thoughts were full of visions…blurs of events. She could see a dark-haired man yelling at the tree, cutting it down with his red saberstaff–but the tree remained unharmed. The man proceeded to march indoors, where bombers unleashed hell upon the tree. Not a single branch was harmed after the explosion. The grounds around the tree were scorched in a blazing inferno, yet the tree remained tall. 

Camellia let go of her visions. This is what the project was for? Cutting down a tree? She approached the grand tree, her connection to the Force growing stronger every second. Was this a Force Nexus? There were markings around the tree, but in a language, she could not read. 

Behind the tree popped out a white-furred cat. 

“A Loth-cat,” Unten questioned. “I thought they only existed in warmer climates. Why is this one here? And how has it survived?”

“All good questions,” Camellia said. She reached out towards the cat, letting it approach her. “It seems to be friendly.”

“They’re loyal hunters too,” Unten explained. “There are a few of these cats in the forests where I live. As long as you’re committed to them, they’ll give their life for you during the hunt.”

“Let’s hope that last part doesn’t happen,” Camellia commented with a sense of humor. “What should we name it?”

Unten was dumbfounded by her question. A Jedi wanting to name some random cat? “I don’t know,” Unten started. “Name it Tribith or something.”

The Loth-cat looked up at Unten in curiosity from the name. Camellia grew interested in the cat. It was as if he knew what they were saying. She connected with the cat through the Force, and she recognized it. She had never seen a Loth-cat before, how was this creature familiar to her? 

“Do not fear, young Jedi,” A voice appeared inside her head. 

Camellia was immediately alerted by the voice, grabbing her lightsaber and igniting her white blade. Her gaze spanned the entirety of the nature zone, but all she found was Unten and the cat.

“There’s no need for hostilities here,” the voice continued in her head. “I am Ood Bnar, a Jedi Master for the Order. I have taken on the form of this tree for thousands of years to protect the galaxy.”

“You alright?” Unten asked concerningly. “It’s just us here and you’re spinning around with that sword like a crazy lady.”

“It’s a lightsaber,” Camellia corrected. “Can you not hear that voice? I think that tree is a living Jedi.”

“This thing?” Unten scoffed. “It doesn’t look like a Jedi.”

The warm atmosphere suddenly disappeared. The winds began to grow wild, splashing Unten in the face and knocking him over. Snow began to fall over them as they rushed back inside the Sith base. 

“I think you offended him,” the Jedi Padawan said.

Unten rolled his eyes. That thing was not a Jedi to him. Jedi were magic sorcerers who could fly and strike down their enemies with laser swords. That was what he knew of the Jedi. The weather had soon cleared up, with the Padawan and the Contuxian going back outside to the tree of Ood Bnar. 

Chapter X - Bnar’s Sacrifice

Ood Bnar had been alive for 4,000 years. He was a great Jedi Master, understood the Force, and could connect to other animals through the Force. Even as he morphed into a tree to protect his knowledge, he was still sentient. He had endured thousands of bombs crashing down on him, he had endured countless attempts to be chopped down from a lightsaber. Yet his will remained unphased.

 He knew that his decision kept the Jedi Order safe, even if his body may not return to the physical realm. Ood reincarnated his body in the form of a Loth-cat once the Sith base was isolated. He transformed the charred grounds into a wellspring of beauty and serenity. Ood Bnar was secluded for thousands of years, meditating in his own Force Nexus he had created. He knew that when it was time, a true Jedi in nature would come about and reclaim the secrets he had held from the world. 

That day may have finally come around. A Jedi and a Kenari native had approached him as the Loft-cat. They called him Tribith, not knowing he was Ood Bnar reincarnated. Through the Force, Ood sensed greatness and longevity in the Jedi. She was the one he was looking for.

Chapter XI - The Tribe of Contux

Talray and the tribe had just finished their ritual song called Winter’s Curse and began walking back to their lands. Many gave their condolences to Talray, but it was not uncommon for children to die at the hands of nature. Nattai walked briskly over to Talray to explain the true circumstances of what had happened.

“Talray,” Nattai said as she approached him.

“Oh…it’s you,” he said begrudgingly. “Where’s my son? I’m sure he went straight to you after murdering his brother.”

Nattai was shocked at this revelation. “You don’t know where he is? He never came to me. But that’s not why I wanted to talk to you. You don’t have the full story.”

“What the hell?” Talray said alarmingly, unsheathing his dagger. He started running towards the tribe village to see what was going on.

“Where is she?!” Marinus yelled out to the farmer begging on his knees. “I know she’s here! Come on out, Jedi!”

The farmer pleaded with him. “There are n-no Jedi here, we are just civilians.”

Marinus lifted the farmer in the air using the Force. “Look to this man, civilians of Contux. Let him be an example of what will happen to ALL OF YOU. IF. YOU DO NOT. BRING. ME. THE. JEDI!” Marinus yelled, outraged by their noncompliance. Marinus slammed the poor farmer’s body down into the ground, breaking many of the bones in his legs. The man screamed in agony, begging for mercy as he had no answers. 

Marinus would not tolerate it. He launched the farmer’s body up into the clouds, as everyone averted their gaze to avoid what was to follow. The farmer could be heard screaming as he came crashing down at terminal velocity. The screams stopped with a hard thud on the fertile dirt below. All that remained of him was a broken, jagged pile of bones piercing out of the man’s skin in a dozen different places.

Every member of the Contux tribe cowered in fear. They knew they were next to drop from the sky–and they were. One by one…every native to Contux fell to their death on the soil they had cultivated. Marinus had no answers and could only look on his own.

Chapter XII - Secrets of the Force

Camellia and Unten walked back out to the great Jedi Master. The temperature was rising back to where it was before, with a golden glow radiating off the tree. The Loth-cat sat silent as it watched the pair approach.

“My apologies,” Ood started to say. “With my newly developed reincarnation, it has been hard to keep the winter at bay. It takes a toll on even myself.”

Unten smirked. “If you’re such a great Jedi, why do you control the weather? And why the weather? Why not fight crime with a laser sword?”

Camellia nudged him, glaring at him to not further disrespect Master Bnar. 

Ood Bnar ignored his questions. “Tell me, young Padawan. What color is your kyber crystal in that saber of yours?”

Camellia took hold of her saber and ignited it. “It has not chosen a color yet, Master. I see glimpses of colors at moments but it remains white. I don’t know what my path should be. My thoughts are unorthodox to the Jedi, I want to live with nature and to protect it. My Master, Avar, wants me to be a warrior…to slay down my enemies. That’s not what I want in life. I want tranquility and prosperity.”

“Curious,” Master Bnar said. The markings on the grand tree began to glow. The door carved on its side began to morph into a bright portal. “I believe you are worthy.”

Unsure of what he meant, Camellia entered through the portal. The world around her transformed into a winter homestead. The snow was blowing outdoors, and the winds banged on the windows. The fireplace was crackling with many relics distributed throughout the wooden cabin. Many scrolls scattered about, some were unrolled. Camellia looked at one of them, it was an old Jedi lightsaber technique she had never heard of. The way the paper figures danced with the blade looked almost majestic.

 In the corner of the cabin lay a small, wooden vault. It had been covered in Holocrons and many relics of the past, but she wondered what was inside. Not knowing what to do, she called out to the Master of this realm.

“What’s inside the vault?” She said, looking around for an answer.

“What you seek is the heart of my sacrifice. Old treasures are inconsequential to what is held within the secrets of the Force. The vault contains two things only. One of which is my kyber crystal. The crystal resembles my sacrifice, if it were to be used again, it should not be for combat, but for the protection of the natural order. The second piece is a Jedi relic I had discovered during my life. I discovered how kyber crystals gain their color, whether green, blue, orange, or red.”

This is why Camellia Zova wanted to explore as a Jedi. She had found the myth of Ood Bnar and his treasures of history. She did not care to bring these treasures to gain power, she wanted to uncover the mysteries. She wanted to hear the stories of those who had become before her.

Ood Bnar could feel her emotions and her passion. She was no ordinary Jedi that was clear. The door to the wooden vault slowly opened, as the ancient kyber crystal had finally seen light in nearly four thousand years. She took hold of it, sensing that Master Bnar accepted this. She took hold of her lightsaber and replaced the white crystal with the jagged, brown crystal. She had never seen a crystal so messy yet refined. A weapon so potent yet gentle. A blade not for destruction but for balance. Camellia Zova ignited her lightsaber, revealing a golden-brown plasma blade.

Chapter XIII - Cold Temptation

Unten Garwood had not entered the tree’s entrance. He was afraid he would disintegrate for not being of Jedi blood. He waited and waited for something to happen, but nothing ever did. He felt as if Camellia had abandoned him in a Sith base. After nearly an hour, Unten heard footsteps behind him. 

“I finally found you, my dear son,” the man said. “What is this place?”

Unten was dumbfounded at the sight of his father. “H-How did you find me?” he responded. “I thought you hated me after what had happened.”

The man smiled. “I could never hate you, my son. What happened was not your fault. Now tell me, where are we?”

“It’s called Sith Forester or something like that,” Unten responded with tears starting to form. “I’m so sorry, father. I didn’t mean for him to die, I shouldn’t have left him there!”

“Do not worry,” the man said, starting to tear up. “Everything will be okay.”

Unten took a step back. Something was off. “What was his name?”

“What?”

“Tell me his name.”

“W-Why would I tell you? We both know who we are talking about.”

“My father would never cry…and he would never change his mind about forgiving me!” Unten began to charge at the man but his legs suddenly stopped working. He was then levitating above the ground, clutching at his throat as he struggled to breathe.

The man transformed into his regular body. A man with long black hair with dark circles under his eyes. “You’re pretty smart for someone like you. I could crush your windpipe in a mere moment,” Marinus said. “Or I could crush your heart with my fist…which do you prefer?”

Marinus released his grasp on him, and Unten fell to the ground hard. 

“Well?” Unten questioned. “Go ahead and do it, Jedi.”

Angered by being called a Jedi, Marinus threw Unten across the field, hitting the back wall of metal.

“Do NOT call me that ever again,” Marinus spoke with rage practically foaming at the mouth. “I am no Jedi! I am the Apostate of Tund! The only reason you are still breathing is because I need you. Just how you need me, even if you cannot see it.”

“What do you want from me?” Unten asked, panicked with fear.

Marinus Klas merely smirked.

Chapter XIV - The Loyalist

Camellia Zova had come to a decision. Granted, Master Ood Bnar had made this decision nearly 4,000 years ago, but she believed in it now too. She took her natural brown lightsaber and walked out of the realm’s cabin to the regular world of Kenari.

Unten charged at her from behind with the crimson saberstaff she used earlier. He swung directly at her face, just barely missing as her Jedi instincts had saved her life. Unten was filled with rage and desperation, clinging to a false ideology. Camellia ignited her new saber and took a defensive stance. 

“Just what the hell do you think you’re doing!?” Camellia asked outraged. “You could have killed me doing that!”

A voice echoed from the shadows. “That was the point.”

Camellia could feel a great disturbance in the Force. The bright portal of Ood’s tree had now vanished, the gold glow radiating from the tree had now stopped. Winter had begun to fall. Ood Bnar was no longer with her.

“I can save everyone,” Unten said. “Marinus said that a plague had wiped out my entire village. But he can bring them back! He can help all of them, including my brother! My father! Anyone I want he’ll protect, as long as I stop you from bringing those secrets to the other Jedi!”

“These are lies!” Camellia said as she shook her head in disbelief. “Nobody has that power, not even him.”

“Your history deceives you, Jedi,” Marinus spoke. “I have been taught by the great Sorcerers of Tund and I am all who remains! I’ve spent decades studying the Force, and now I have all the power in the galaxy. I have all the knowledge in this world, but I need more. Much more. I need Ood’s secrets. They shouldn’t be locked away!”

Marinus used the Force to grab the saberstaff out of Unten’s hands to use for himself. He swung relentlessly in hatred, burning the grass and cutting into the metal walls surrounding the group. He couldn’t stop…he would not stop. His parents had died because of the Jedi’s failures, and he did not plan on showing mercy. He thrashed away at the Jedi, missing every time, and every time he’d be consumed by more rage.

Camellia defended with her hazel blade, trying to reason with Marinus but he would not listen. He never swung directly at him, merely stopping his attacks. She was better than him with the lightsaber, thwarting his swings with ease as she regained her composure. The grass had caught fire from their plasma sabers, spreading and scorching everything that remained. She turned to see Ood’s tree start to burn in the flames. She could not let the relics of the past disappear like this. She concentrated on the Force and created a gushing wind aimed at the tree, extinguishing the burning wood. 

In a moment of lapsed judgment, Marinus caught her off guard. She had been disarmed in combat. Camellia used all of her remaining strength to Force push Marinus back as he tried to swing at her.

Marinus laughed. “Is that all the power you have? I thought the Jedi were supreme warriors who could do anything in the Force…looks like I was mistaken.” Marinus grabbed her with the use of the Force and threw her against the walls. “You see my power now, don’t you? I have studied with the sorcerers for most of my life! And you think your dribble of power can stop me. I truly expected the Jedi to put up a fight.”

He pompously walked over to where she lay, saber in hand. Marinus lifted the saber above his head, ready to slash down. Camellia braced as she was about to be cut down, but instead, she heard the sounds of a deep growl. It was the Loft-cat, Tribith. He jumped and scratched at the unsuspecting sorcerer. The man screamed in terror as he could not think straight while his face was being ripped to shreds. Marinus swung the saberstaff violently, not knowing what to do. With one clumsy strike, the blade penetrated his chest. Marinus fell to the ground, dying in seconds. 

Tribith was also mortally wounded by the crimson blade. He limped and whimpered towards Camellia. She held the Loth-cat in her arms as he passed, closing his eyes for him to rest in the Force. The cat began to glow…golden like the tree once was. Tribith’s body began to fade away and Ood’s tree began to heal. Camellia did not understand what had happened, but she knew all was well with the secrets held within. She had decided not to take the relics or any of the relics of Ood Bnar. They belonged with him, and the secrets of the Force were not meant for any normal Jedi to get their hands on. Once Camellia had settled down, she looked to find Unten but could not find him in the base.

Unten had disappeared in the chaos. Once Marinus had grabbed hold of the saber from him, he ran out into the breathes of winter. He could not be blamed for anything more. Everyone blamed him. He feared what the Jedi would do to him if he ever showed his face to her. He wouldn’t let her get that chance. He couldn’t live with what he had done, to his brother…to his father…to Camellia. He could not redeem himself.

Even if he wanted to live, he was lost in the depths of winter. He did not want to suffer like his brother and chose to climb the highest mountain that he could see. As he reached the summit, he felt a sense of clarity. Over the horizon, he could see his father and his brother, and he wanted to be with them. As the last member of the Contux clan, he sang their old ritual of the dead.

Frost has claimed another soul,

For we shall mourn on this day's toll.

Until the sun shines on you once more,

We await your soul’s next encore.

Chapter XV - Winter’s Blessing

Camellia Zova was to be finally Knighted. She had explored a dozen planets in the three weeks she had, uncovering many secrets of the Force. She never forgot how she started her journey, with Master Kriss encouraging her to join her task force on Starlight Beacon. The Beacon was gone now, and she had no idea where Avar Kriss was. Camellia could sense she was still alive after the attack and was still fulfilling her duties elsewhere. For now, she would have to wait to see her old master again.

She waited outside the Hall of Knighthood, but she did not feel fear. She had felt pride to wield a tan-colored saber and to honor Ood Bnar’s sacrifice. She took the kyber crystal out of her saber’s hilt. Camellia held on to the dark brown crystal with both of her soft hands.

“I feel your presence, Master Bnar,” she whispered. “I hope I have served you well with this blade.”

“Fear not, for it is not a blade,” a deep voice whispered in her head. “It is the heart of all living things, and for as long as you wield it I will be here to guide you.”

Camellia was comforted by Ood’s words and clipped her lightsaber hilt back on your waist. She still held on to the brown crystal, it gave her clarity and a sense of calmness. She reached out through the Force, she could see the grandstanding tree of Master Bnar once again. She could feel that the long era of winter on Kenari was coming to an end. The clashing winds of the cold storms were starting to rest and the snow had started to melt away. She could reach out to every planet she had explored on her quest, Kenari, Balyeg, Depatar, Ryndellia, Ktath’atn, and then back to Coruscant.

The doors to the Hall of Knighthood had opened, and she took a step into the dark room. The Jedi Council members were in their traditional garments and positions as they circled Camellia. The ceremony began, as flashes of blue and green encompassed her body, surrounding her in the light side of the Force. She held her kyber crystal in her hands the whole time and knew she would make Ood and the Jedi Order proud. She was now an official member of the Jedi Order, a representative for peace and diplomacy. As she exited the Knighting chambers, she placed the crystal back in her hilt. Jedi Knight Camellia Zova was now ready to embark on her many journeys as the keeper of the natural order.

Winter was beginning to melt away on Kenari. Over the following decades, the frozen wastelands began to transform into beautiful rivers and growing forests. The planet was no longer divided between the hemispheres, life could be expanded on both sides now. The frozen body of Unten had finally defrosted, releasing his soul into the joys of life. He was at peace now and traversed to where the tribe of Contux once was. A new group of natives had claimed the land, and Unten was content that life had prospered. He walked to the shores of Contux and could two figures who were like him. His brother was skipping rocks across the tides, he was wearing his boots too. His father, Talray, sat on the beach, smiling as he watched the boy skip rocks. Unten sat next to him.

“Welcome home, my son,” Talray spoke. “We’ve missed you.”

Untem heard tranquility in his voice. He had meant it. He stood up and joined his brother along the coast. Untem watched alongside as he skipped the stoned across the cold waters. The child picked up the smooth, black stone that he had seen before his death. He picked up the stone, making sure there were not any crabs in the area. He skipped it as fast as he could…one…two…three…four, and on it went. He had finally broken his record. The child looked up at Unten and gave him a momentous hug as he smiled from ear to ear. It was good to have his brother back.