Are We Meant To Be? *2nd book of the Other Half Trilogy*

~ Ch. 52 ~

                Luke's POV

     As Neveah and I followed the others into the Temple. I could feel immense power radiating from inside it. We all stopped in another room, with five doors, most likely one for each of us. Their are pictures of people above the doors with more of this ancient writing below the pictures. "Acarna??" Ezra asked her. Acarna nodded and got a closer look at the words.

     "This here," she pointed to the longest sentence-like of the old language. "Says: One path for each person who enters the Temple. Solo you must go. The far right, closest to Neveah reads: Wanderer. The one near Luke: D-Searcher. The one in front of Ezra reads: The Son. In front of Kanan reads: The Lover. Finally, the one in front of me reads: The Daughter. We must take these paths alone." Acarna said. "Wait......what does this say?" Ezra asked her, pointing to another sentence below the first one. "It reads: The way that you take calls to you. What you see and do will decide your Path. Anything else before we depart?" Acarna asked. We all looked around the room and didn't see anything. "Very well. See you all on the other side." Acarna said and started to walk towards The Daughter. "May the Force be with you all." Ezra said. Acarna looked back at him as we all said. "Also with you." and we departed down our designated paths. What has me curious is.........what was Acarna about to say before she said 'Searcher'......something with a 'D'? She obviously didn't want the others to know, that's why she changed it on the spot.

     As I walked further in, the scenery began to change. It was the desert and I saw a dome house that led farther down. I heard shouting coming from the building and ran towards it. I heard screams and what sounded like a baby crying? I saw two men come out with a little boy, who looked to be about 4 or 5 years old? I could tell from the energy of the Force that these two men were Sith. "LUKE!!" I heard someone scream my name. I turned around quickly and realized that it wasn't Neveah.........who's voice was it?

     The scenery changed when I turned back around and I remembered this place. It was a little wooden house, can't remember the planet but, it was where I grew up with a man. He made me call him Master Caedus. Wait.......I understand now. These are my memories.

     Back then, Caedus was training me and I didn't know that he was a Sith and was teaching me the Darkside of the Force. It quickly changed to me, holding a red saber and pointing it at a young kids throat. Master Caedus wanted me to kill him. He said my training would be complete if I did. It was then that I realized that I wasn't going to kill the kid. I wasn't going to be what my Master wanted me to be. That night, I ran away from Caedus and started a new life. I got rid of everything he gave me. The clothes, saber, everything. I had to steal clothes when I came into town so that I could blend in.

     "What are you trying to show me?" I asked well, no one. The scenery changed again and I definitely didn't recognize this place. The planet was nothing but lava and volcanoes all over the place, with one building. I followed the noise, which sounded like a lightsaber fight. I entered the room and saw younglings, watching a fight between two Padawans. The one on the right had the upper hand and knocked the other down and caused the Master in the room to hold up his hand, signaling the end of the fight. They bowed to him and left him with the younglings. The man walked and the attention of the children was on him. He put his hood down and I gasped and lost my footing.

     That man..........was an older version...........of me. Was this who I was going to become if I never left Caedus?

     "You made the decision.....You decided to become weak." I heard a voice hiss and I turned to see a mirage of Caedus. It has to be a mirage! He died a few years ago!! It was in the Holonet and their was a big funeral for him. The Empress held him in high regard.

     "No! I've become stronger! The methods of the Sith are wrong! All the Sith do is bring suffering! I've become stronger than you ever where!" I said to him. He only laughed. "Yet, the Sith killed the Jedi. The Sith are strength. Just look at her." Caedus said, and a mirage of Acarna appeared next to him, smirking at me.

     "She's changed! She is no longer evil." I told him. 'Acarna' scoffed at me. "You think I've changed?! Hah! Guess again!" 'Acarna' charged at me, saber out and I closed my eyes. I see the good in Acarna and this one in front of me....is not the real Acarna. She swung her saber down on me and vanished. I opened my eyes and no longer saw Caedus. What I saw in front of me was the Ghost of Jedi Master, Aayla Secura, smiling at me. She raised her hand for me to stand.

     "Luke, you have proven yourself as a Jedi. In your heart you can see the goodness of those who are willing to change." Master Secura said as a mirage of Acarna appeared next to her. "The darkness in her soul calls to her. As a Jedi Knight, it is your duty to help those of darkness free themselves. But, be cautious, for if those of darkness are forced, they will be lost to the light forever, with no way of ever returning to it." Master Secura said. "I understand, Master Secura." I said to her, bowing on one knee. She flicked her hand and I saw a doorway appear. "This is where I leave you. Go through the doorway. Your friends will join you shortly. Remember my warning Amidala: Those who are raised in the darkness, are the ones who we must save. You are the first Defender of Hope." and with that Master Secura disappeared. I walked through the doorway.

     I entered another room and I could feel my connection with the Force stronger than it was before. I looked around and saw a large round table in the center of the room. Looks like I'm the first one here. I sat down and watched the other pathways to see who would come out next.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[ If anyone can name the lava planet I'll give a shoutout to them in the next chapter!! =D Oh, that picture is of Sith Master Caedus....Also, this 'Defender of Hope' thing is something I made up. Think of them as Temple Guards?? Short version is: They help people (mainly Sith) come back to the light(Jedi side)

So, what was the word that Acarna WAS going to say before she said 'Searcher'?! Whose voice did Luke hear if it wasn't Neveah's?!

Specter 7 out!!!!!!!!!! ]