Trials and Tribulations {2}

Chapter 11

Luke's blue irises darted fearfully around the dark room before the rest of his body followed via a small lift. He held his breath and scanned the immediate area, his blaster at the ready.

He turned around quickly as the small hatch leading to the lift was closed, leaving a sinking silence as he was left to evaluate his surroundings further. Looking at his blaster, he was struck with the revelation that for the first time ever it wouldn't be helpful and slowly clipped it onto his belt, already missing the cold, metallic assurance it had provided.

The striped floor of the chamber slowly illuminated, casting a dark, burnt orange shadow that was subtly contrasted by the bluish hue the smoke encircling the chamber possessed. Luke's grip tightened into fists at his side as the familiar breathing echoed around the room, filling the entire occupancy of the chamber with suffocating noise.

"The Force is with you, young Skywalker. But you are not a Jedi yet." A warped voice hissed calmly, and Luke turned around slowly to reveal the black-clad man who had haunted him ever since the destruction of the Death Star. His hands were at his side in a seemingly calm manner and his voice was cold and evaluating, and Luke couldn't read his expression due to the horrific mask covering the man's face.

Luke said nothing, only setting his jaw and proceeding up the stairs that were the only obstacles separating him from his worst enemy. He gently unhooked from his belt the lightsaber that his father once used to fight evil, and it slowly dawned upon him that he was now doing the same.

He proportioned his body into a battle-ready position, igniting the lightsaber with a fierce snap. His veins were on fire, adrenaline coursing through him. Vader, on the other hand, raised the hilt of his lightsaber slowly and calmly, and even the red saber seemed to have a slower ignition than Luke's.

The two men brought their blades increasingly closer, the tension becoming even more palpable by the second. Luke struck first, swinging his blue blade towards the Sith in a deadly swipe the Sith easily parried, and the two were at a stand still once again. Luke's determination ebbed slightly due to the ease that the Sith handled his blade, but was reignited by the fact that if he did not win this battle then all of his friends, possibly the entire Rebel Alliance, and himself would all be extinguished.

Luke swung again, aiming higher this time. The Sith blocked again but was caught off-guard by the higher attack, unintentionally allowing Luke's blue blade and his own to move dangerously close to his respirator.

However the Sith regained his senses immediately, and after a forceful push with his red saber Luke was knocked onto the floor.

Luke whipped around once he had fallen, his blue eyes flashing with renewed adrenaline and a bit of weariness. His conversation with Master Yoda just before he began his Jedi training came to mind in spite of himself.

"I won't fail you... I'm not afraid."

"You will be. You will be."

And as Luke quickly pointed his blade at the Sith in an act of self defense, it slowly dawned on him that this exact situation was precisely what Yoda was referring to. Except that he wasn't afraid, or that his fear was layered by fierce spurts of adrenaline or excitement.

Luke stood up quickly eyeing the red blade that seemed to be drawing dangerously close to
him. He brought his blue blade up to meet it, the two hovering inches away, and as the two were at a stalemate Luke decided to test his power over the situation. He took a step forward, and as he did so the Sith receded a step in order to evade the blue blade dangerously close to his chest.