𝐈𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤; 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐤𝐲𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫

15 | 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠

𝙵 𝙸 𝙵 𝚃 𝙴 𝙴 𝙽

I STAND INSIDE OF A SMALL ROOM, with the low hum of the ship's engines vibrating gently beneath my feet. I don't mind it, the steady pulse of the ship grounding me as I settle into the seat before the holographic projector. The space is quiet, allowing me to focus. The council's request to speak with me came swiftly after my conversation with Master Kenobi. They never like to wait.

I close my eyes for a moment, letting the Force settle around me, aligning my mind, my body, and my soul. I need this brief moment of calm before the storm.

I've been a Jedi for many years now, but there's still something about these council meetings that makes my pulse quicken. Perhaps it's because I know I'm not like the others—never was, never will be. I was raised in the Temple like many of my peers. But I was trained by Master Windu, a man who taught me not just to wield a lightsaber or control the Force, but to understand it deeply, intuitively. Though I know he's not here, his presence is still with me, guiding my every decision, grounding me when I feel myself slipping.

I hold my breath for a moment, allowing his steady influence to wash over me. Then, with a quiet exhale, I reach out through the Force, connecting to the council.

The room flickers, and the familiar faces of the Jedi Council appear in front of me, their holographic forms casting blue shadows in the dimly lit room. Master Yoda is the first to speak, his voice calm and steady despite the growing tension in the galaxy.

"Master Novak," Yoda greets me, his eyes wise and knowing. "Report, we ask, on your mission. The status of General Grievous?"

I take a moment before speaking, gathering my thoughts, my emotions. I can feel the familiar buzz of my heart in my chest, but I focus on my words. They need to hear the truth, not my worries.

"Grievous has retreated for now," I begin, my voice steady. "His fleet was scattered, and his ship destroyed. But this victory is not the end. I... feel something. A larger plan, one that is still unfolding." I pause, my fingers trembling just slightly as I fold my hands in my lap. But my fingers twitch and spasm. "He is not finished. And neither are the Separatists."

Master Ki-Adi-Mundi's brow furrows, and I can feel his thoughts swirling through the Force. "You're certain, Etta? What leads you to believe this?" I lower my gaze for a moment, letting my mind shift back to the flashes of the future that have haunted me since the battle. The flashes of what's to come. My chest tightens as I recall the vision I had on the battlefield, the blinding light, the spinning of Anakin's ship. I can feel his pain even now, still coursing through me. It's like a low hum in the background of my thoughts.

"Yes," I say softly, my voice barely a whisper, "I saw it, Master. I... I've had visions of the future before, and they are always true. Grievous is part of it, but he's only a piece of something far larger. There's more to come, and I fear it will hit us when we least expect it." Master Plo Koon nods gravely, his expression unreadable, but I can feel his understanding. The Force speaks to those who listen, and I know he hears the same warnings I do. "Then we must prepare," he says quietly.

"I have already begun preparing," I reply, the words coming easily, though I know it's not enough. There's more, but I can't explain it. Not now. "We will be ready." The council members exchange glances, the weight of the war pressing down on them all. It's clear they are conflicted, unsure of how to proceed. I feel their unease in the Force, as if the path ahead is unclear to them. It's unclear to me too, but I won't show it.

Then, suddenly, everything shifts. The air in the room thickens, and I feel the tendrils of the Force pulling me into something far deeper, far more intimate than before. The pulse of my heart quickens, and I feel as though my very soul is being pulled into the vision that emerges before me. I blink, my breath catching in my throat, and for a moment, everything falls away.

I see Anakin. His face is twisted in pain, his expression filled with a deep, aching sorrow. He's standing on a desolate landscape—an endless desert stretching out before him. The twin suns burn brightly in the sky, casting long shadows over the ground. His hand is clenched, but his lightsaber is gone, as if the weapon of a Jedi is no longer enough.

And then, I see the shadows. Darkness claws its way across the horizon, a storm of chaos, sweeping towards him. The Force ripples violently, and I feel Anakin's confusion, his struggle. He's lost, disoriented. There's no escape, no safe place for him. And in the distance, a figure stands—tall and cloaked, the outline of their form familiar but twisted.

No. I think, my heart clenching. This can't happen. It won't happen. But I can feel it. The certainty. Anakin is alone. The vision fades, leaving me breathless and trembling. The council's voices come rushing back to me, a distant murmur. But it's hard to focus on them now. The image of Anakin, so vulnerable, so isolated, lingers in my mind, gnawing at me.

"Master Novak?" Yoda's voice breaks through my daze, his eyes narrowed in concern. "What has happened?" I shake my head, trying to gather myself, trying to find my words. But the weight of what I just saw lingers, like a dark cloud hanging over me. I swallow hard, my chest tight with the pressure of it all.

"I... I saw General Skywalker," I say quietly, my voice cracking under the strain of the vision. "In the future. He's lost. Alone." My breath comes shallow as I try to steady myself. "I can't explain it, but I know it's coming." The council is silent for a moment, and I can feel their collective attention sharpening.

"What do you suggest, then, Master Novak?" Master Windu's voice cuts through the tension, his presence like a weight that grounds me. "How do we prevent this?" I close my eyes, letting the Force flow through me as I search for an answer. But the truth is, I don't know. The future is never set in stone, and yet, what I saw feels like a certainty, a dark path that we may be unable to avoid.

I take a deep breath, then speak with as much conviction as I can muster. "We must protect him. General Skywalker is not just the key to this war—he's the key to everything. And if we lose him..." I trail off, unable to finish the thought. The fear I feel for him, for all of us, is almost suffocating.

"Do not let him walk that path alone," I add, my voice growing stronger. "Please, I beg of you." Master Yoda's eyes soften, and I can feel his silent understanding. "Difficult, this path will be," he says. "But not alone, you will be. Together, we face the future." I nod, knowing the road ahead is fraught with uncertainty, but I also know one thing for certain.

I will never let Anakin face it alone.

˓𓄹 ࣪˖ ⋆ ࣪. ˖ ࣪⭑

1265 Words

A/N- etta's going through some development if you can't tell.

Make sure you eat and drink today!

-Nightmare