The grey jedi

Chapter 8- Training

The scene changed into a black canvas painted with shining stars, some softly glowed, and others brimmed with bright rays of light that pierced his eyes. In front of him was a holy being he thought he would never see again, the goddess Apto. The brightly coloured paintings and statues across the temples barely captured her benevolent beauty and the kind aura she radiated. It was written that her third eye could peer into the person's mind, soul, and very future, able to guide the ones she deemed worthy. Her elongated fingers were said to be able to calm the raging storm within a person or cause an unmanageable amount of pain. To be graced by her presence would mean that you are either a blessing or a sign of eternal damnation.

"Who are you? A Jedi Knight who helps the needy and defends the weak through noble combat? Or have you become another member of the dark side succumbing to your emotions following only your base instincts and desires?" Said Apto.

"As much as my heart wants to be a Jedi Knight I am no longer that person. Their mentality was weak and therefore never had the conviction to do what is necessary," He replied.

"So have you aligned yourself with the Sith?" She asked.

"No, I would never do that. They are vile, putrid creatures that have no soul," he said with disgust.

The very thought made his blood boil.

"Vile creatures? Didn't Mito believe the Inquisitors deserved a second chance?" She asked.

"Mito is dead. She was weak and couldn't do what needed to be done," he blurted out.

The goddess leaned her head towards him and deeply looked into him.

"She was weak? Didn't you admire her for her deep connection to the force, her ability to best you in battle, her knowledge, her kindness, and her ability to forgive. Are all those aspects weaknesses?" She asked.

He took a moment as he reminisced about kind Mito. She was empathetic and sympathetic to others; so much so, that she was able to understand how one was thinking and feeling, a quality he had seen in other great Jedi. But what made her unique was even when someone made a mistake she would never shout or yell but instead was compassionate and tried to look for another solution. As he let the fond memories seep into his mind burning images of her death suddenly seared into his brain, snapping him out of his nostalgic trance.

"No, not all of them. She said there is good in everyone, sometimes it takes a little while to find it. She infected me with that belief and that lead her to her death. She should have listened to her own words, that it takes time to change someone. Let's say that those monsters could change how much time do you reckon it will take to change them? The fact is that if it takes them a long time for them to change who knows what horrors they will unleash onto the universe in that time. Then the other question must be answered, do they even deserve redemption?" He said.

"Do you?" She asked.

Her words sliced him open.

"Your words are betrayed by your previous actions. You have slaughtered people without any mercy just like the Sith and the monsters you refer to. You are one of the same." She said.

"No, I am not! They are the ones who have killed innocent people, not me. Do you expect me to roll over and watch? Or wait for some punishment to happen in court, where people lie and cheat the system? I won't wait any longer. Yes, my hands are drenched in blood but it is the blood of the guilty not of the innocent. With these righteous, bloody hands I will cleave a path that will exterminate these filthy criminals out of the galaxy. It's time for the guilty to die." He said while his fist was clenched.

She backed away and extended her hands to the universe. The stars drifted towards her fingertips and sat on top as large swirling gaseous spheres of bright white light. Then they filled with colour as if drops of paint diluted within a pool and formed canvases of exploding starships, burning buildings, and pieces of viscera scattered on the battlefield.