Chapter 19 - Withering World

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3rd Person

Evil is everywhere.

Evil destroys, tortures, corrupts.

When you picture evil, what do you see? A tyrannical emperor? The violent erasure of an entire race? The swift destruction of a planet?

Evil is all those things, but it is also more than that.

Evil is not always so loud. Sometimes it's unseen, ignored.

It forces itself into the smallest of cracks, festering there for generations...

...

As the seven Jedi finished their preparations, they would depart for Irisella with none of these things in mind.

Adi

"You should let go of the boy." Master Windu asserted forcefully.

Before the seven of us had been able to board a Venator, we'd received an unexpected visit from the Chancellor, as well as several members of the council.

My former master had then pulled me aside.

"Master... I... why?" I sputtered. Clearing my throat, I did my best to maintain composure in the face of my old master. "We discussed balancing my council duties with my padawan, which I've managed well."

"Indeed. However... your padawan is no longer worth a council member's time." Master Windu insisted. My heart dropped, upon which I immediately picked it back up.

If I wasn't careful, my old master would sense it.

"I'm... not sure I agree, master." I dissented lightly.

"Enough. We all had our doubts, yet you and I saw something in the boy. Sadly, we were mistaken. It's time to move on." my old master maintained firmly.

"I wasn't mistaken." I declared, standing my ground.

"When will my lessons sink in, padawan?" Master Windu spat. "You have grown attached to the boy, and you can't even see it."

His sudden accusation finally cracked my composure.

No! He was wrong. I... I would never. I knew the importance of the Jedi way firsthand.

"That's... not true." I insisted weakly.

"Why you're even taking him with you on this assignment, I have no idea. You saw how badly he was torn apart on Jedha... nor did you fare too well." my master scorned, digging in further.

Crestfallen, I had no further rebuttals.

...

When had I ever been this indecisive, this unsure of my own actions?!

...

In my state of panic, I called upon the code I'd lived by for my entire life.

'There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force.'

...

"We'll finish this another time." Master Windu proclaimed annoyedly, motioning to join the others.

Zevon

Before we'd been able to depart, Chancellor Palpatine had ambushed us along with Master Yoda, Master Windu, and Master Shaak Ti.

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