Star Wars: Tears of Fire (Book II)

Chapter 3 - Desolation

The heat of the midday sun bore down upon his exposed skin. As he continued to walk with labored steps, the steadily increasing pain in his legs and feet was slowly becoming unbearable.

The terrain around him was nearly bare except for the brown grass which was just beginning to grow again after the cold season. Small hills jutted out all around him as he marched forward into the unfamiliar terrain with larger mountains seen in the distance. What was odd, however, was the seemingly random mixture of sand he found in the grass.

As far as he could see, however, Jolis was the only creature larger than an insectoid that he could find. Recalling an old memory from a story once told to him by the Opachi village wiseman named Ulepi, "The eastern wastelands were once covered with trees and wildlife. Now, it is a place of death."

Now at the point where he was leaving a fresh blood trail behind him due to the cuts at the bottom of his bare feet from the terrain, Jolis continued to follow the inkling of the Force inside of him which told him he was heading in the right direction.

It had been four days since he'd departed from the remains of the survivors camp, leaving those who were both living and dead behind.

He left on the belief that the Force would be guiding him or at the very least, providing some sort of instruction after the previous mission had gone horribly wrong. For one reason or another, however, the Force had led him into the wilderness. Or so he'd been led to believe.

Now, he wasn't so sure.

In the days since his departure, Jolis hadn't heard the voice of the Master once. Despite his numerous pleas for direction, he was met with only silence from the Force.

Now on the fourth day, Jolis—having not eaten anything since the morning he and the Maligi warriors departed from the village for the ill-fated command ship mission—was famished. A slight rain on the third day had allowed him to quench his thirst but not to properly hydrate.

Relying solely on the Force to keep his body and mind fresh, Jolis could sense that he wouldn't be able to sustain himself much longer.

He was hungry, exhausted and all alone in his suffering. The first day had given him a chance to contemplate his decisions from the previous mission as well as the outcome. Even so, there was no peace to be had with the knowledge that thousands of his people were now dead.

His daylight hours were spent moving but his nights were spent alone; weeping in the dark for all that was lost and for that which was left behind.

Despite this, he continued on as the slight inclination in his heart led him forward.

There were many times he questioned his motives and thought about abandoning his mission altogether and turning back.

Perhaps I didn't really see the Ato-lyon? Maybe I didn't hear the Master after all?

The survivors—including Shayla and Zekiel—would certainly need his help as they entered the dangers of what surely lay ahead of them.

Deep down, however, Jolis felt the Force beckoning him to move forward despite its voiceless instruction. Where he was going and more importantly, why he was being led away currently eluded him.

"Am I a danger to my own people?" Jolis asked aloud as he wearily treaded along, lifting his head to sky as he did. "Have you led me away to kill me? With all the blood that is on my hands, is this your will now? Have I fulfilled my purpose for you, Master?!"

Suddenly stopping in his tracks, Jolis felt a whirling anger build up inside of him.

Feeling the ground beneath him begin to shake, Jolis shouted, "Have you abandoned me just as I abandoned them?