Aldor's Eye - Part I

Chapter XI - The Relic

Neither Din nor Aldor was surprised when Grogu came out to join them as soon as Aldor opened the chest full of light sabers. He wanted to reach in and grab each and every one of the numerous weapons in the large chest, but Aldor gently chided him. "Not yet, my dear One. Not yet. When we start your lessons, you know good and well you'll only be allowed a staff until you're ready." Grogu harrumphed and pouted in response, but one stern Mandalorian look lifted the boy's features. "Your father has a lifetime of combat training," Aldor went on. "He wielded the Dark Saber for a time, as you know better than most. That is why he will begin with a real saber." Aldor turned her eyes back to Din. "And even he will have to remember that he could cut his own leg off with one of these."

Din huffed a chuckle. "Yes, my Lady," he agreed. "When the Dark Saber just brushed against my leg, Paz Vizsla healed it with Bacta, but it still left a scar."

"So our own beloved Mandalorian is very aware of how lethal a light saber can be," Aldor added, looking at Grogu purposefully. But her expression quickly softened into a smile. "Come, Grogu. See if you can predict which saber your father will choose. I'm quite curious to see myself."

"I sense you have some theories, my Lady."

"Oh, I always do, my Love. But I'll keep them to myself for now."

"So... how will I know?"

"You'll just know," Aldor assured him. "When you take the right saber into your hand, it'll feel... comfortable. You haven't harvested the kyber crystals in these yourself, so it may not feel as much a part of you as one of your own would, but light sabers are sentient in their way. A good saber would recognize a familiar energy. It will be enough for now."

Din nodded, looking into the chest at the twenty or so hilts packed carefully inside. He focused on them, and the largest immediately wanted him to take it in hand, so he did. It had emitters on either side of a brushed yellow metal hilt that was at least half a meter long. He felt the familiarity Aldor spoke of, but more on the saber's side than his. Its energy ran up his arms as he held it upright and engaged one of the blades. A yellow one. It wanted him to engage the second, but Din hesitated. He was good with long weapons, but this was different. He didn't think he should begin with it.

"Yes, my Love, I agree," Aldor said as Din disengaged the blade. "That was the weapon of a Jedi Temple Guard. A light saber pike. You should hang on to it, though. It senses your skill with such weapons. But you shouldn't begin with it. Two plasma blades is a lot to keep up with at first."

Din nodded. "I figured. But at some point, I think I would like a double-ended weapon. I'm good with a pike."

Aldor smiled distractedly in the way she had this morning when she envisioned him running the gauntlet. Now she saw him appear from the mist and darkness of the forest, wielding the pike with an elegance and ferocity he hoped to live up to. "I would very much like to see what you can do with the pike..." she said wistfully, her mind deeply occupied with this dramatic vision he wasn't worthy of. "Oh but you are, my Love," she said. She looked down at Grogu. "I hope one day, my dear One, we will succeed in convincing your father of his great worth."

Grogu responded by hopping into his lap. Din felt the smile already curling his lips, and closed his eyes as the imminent nose bump came, and his son settled his little claws along his cheeks as their foreheads came together. "Worthy," the boy said.

Din settled his arms around Grogu as he looked into the big brown eyes that showed him how sincerely the word was spoken. "You know I'll do my best, Kid," Din promised. "And I know you'll do yours."