The Legend of the Jedi Queen

18. Seven Forms

Four months later...

The Force was every molecule in the galaxy. Nellith Solo could feel every molecule, pulsing with light and darkness, and knew their every movement, and even coax them to do her bidding. It was as simple as—

She reached out her hand and her lightsaber flew to her hand. She turned it on and opened her eyes just in time to see the brilliant magenta blade ignite. She placed her other hand lower on the base of the cylinder for support, and watched her mentor. Jaina Solo stood a few feet away on the slightly dirty mats they had been practicing on, her own blue-violet lightsaber open and hovering next to Jaina's leg, an open invitation.

Both lightsabers were set on a training mode, to prevent the permanent injuries usually caused.

In other arenas set up within the training area, Jedi Knights and Knights of Ren were running training duels with one another, with Rey supervising and occasionally assisting. It was in the center, under the industrial white lights, in which the Sword of the Jedi and Princess of the First Order practiced their duels.

"With the old Jedi Order, they used seven forms of dueling," Jaina said. "In Luke's Jedi, we stratified these down to three basic styles. Now that we've covered basic swordsmanship, it's time to begin teaching you a style."

"What style am I learning first?" Nellith asked.

"We're going to start with the Strong style," Jaina said. "It's more of a defensive style, one that emphasizes heavy, broad strokes. They aren't as flashy as the Fast style or as light as the Medium, but it gets the job done."

Nellith nodded. "Will I ever learn the seven classic forms?"

"Eventually," Jaina said. "But the reason the three basics were created were to help you adjust quicker to those seven."

"I see," Nellith said.

"We're going to run through some basic moves, blocks for the most part," Jaina said. "A lot of these strokes are blocking."

Jaina then demonstrated a simple blocking swing. Nellith copied it.

"Good," Jaina said. "Remember to keep both hands steady on the hilt," Jaina said. "Heavy strokes are called that for a reason."

Nellith nodded, and repeated the stroke, adjusting her grip.

"Better," Jaina said, nodding her approval. "Now, apply that to your basic blocks— up!"

Nellith mimicked the posture and swing as she blocked the overhead attack Jaina brought down.

"Good!" Jaina said. "Down!"

Nellith quickly adjusted and blocked the leg attack.

"Good! Left! Right!"

In a quick succession, Nellith blocked both attacks, and decided to try for a similar approach to an attack.

With a slow, heavy thrust forward, Nellith had knocked Jaina off her guard, who barely ducked out of the way.

"Good job!" Jaina said, Han's smirk on her face. "Your progress is only growing, Nellith. You've come a long way from a few months ago."

"Thank you," Nellith said, "for teaching it all to me."

"It's my job," Jaina said. "I'd be a terrible mentor if I didn't. Look at us getting all sappy."

Jaina surveyed the room a moment before looking back to Nellith.

"I think we're done for today," Jaina said. "Good work."

"Thank you," Nellith said. "I'll see you later."

Jaina gave a tiny wave, and Nellith darted out of the training room.

Nellith raised her hand in front of the access panel, and typed in the code using the Force. Her old room in Rey's compound had never been under so much security as the one on Aquilae.

As the heavy black doors swung open, Nellith mused that "rooms" might have been more appropriate. The black doors closed behind her as she stepped into the lavishly-furnished living area, which was a sublevel surrounded by short steps and entrances to other parts of her apartment.

Nellith continued into the sleeping area, and closed the curtain over the door. Within her apartment, there were no doors, partially so that the Knights of Ren would have an easier time getting in if something went wrong. But mostly, they were a testament to the security of the Imperial Palace. No need for doors within the apartments, because no one could get in without invitation.

Once she closed the curtain, Nellith immediately felt at home. Scraps of paper were taped to the wall of sketches she'd made of visions and dreams she'd had in the last few months. There were sketches that kept recurring, just like in her dreams.

One was the gnarled hand of an ancient man, unnaturally large and speaking to a history Nellith would never know. The hand itself seemed evil, and Nellith always sensed great darkness from it in her dreams. Others were faces of friends and family, like Amilyn Dameron and Sam Tico, or even her parents. Tallis appeared the most of all of them, always wearing a spiky crown dripping with blood.

The image that found itself in all of the images was the throne. Elaborate and ancient, Nellith traced the design with her finger. Something about the throne was familiar to Nellith, even though she had never seen it before, in waking, at least.

It neither appeared Light nor Dark. It just was. A paradox in the world of the Jedi and the Sith.

Nellith pulled her hand away, as if electrocuted. She stepped back, and plopped down onto her bed. Her hands instinctively found Jacen, the tauntaun stuffed animal her father had given her when she was a baby, and he still could only see her one day of the year, on Anch-To.

Will we still go to Anch-To, or is that in the past now that we're together? Nellith held Jacen up as she thought that, musing over the faded patches of plush and worn stitches.

She set down the toy, and decided to change her clothes. On the end of the bed were the casual clothes Nellith had casually discarded when it was time for her lightsaber training.

She tossed the sweaty jumpsuit into the laundry unit and changed back into the casual dress and leggings, preferring the looseness of the light fabric. With her lightsaber clipped to her belt, she rose and went out to the balcony.

Adjusting to Uphatu's frigid temperatures had also been a major adjustment. She folded her arms over her chest, shivering slightly as the cold wind blew a gust of snow her way.

The landscape of the compound was not much to look at, but beyond that were crystal caves and connifer forests, all stretched out across the planet, excepting where smaller residential compounds for stormtroopers were.

For all those months, Nellith had been itching to explore the crystal caves, but had never gotten the time. Her new life was filled with Jedi training or accustoming herself to the royal duties she would someday have.

Would she ever get to run free like she did on Aquilae again?

She knew that things were changing- her fifteenth birthday was coming up soon, even.

But as she glanced out at the snowy planet, she couldn't help but think that she never wanted things to change this much.