The Forgotten Jedi - Rey Skywalker // Book V in A Spark of Hope

Chapter Thirty One- Darth Sage.

Past:

A scream echoed throughout the small cottage in the almost empty planet, startling the little girl awake. Her eyes opened quickly and she looked around the room, only to find it completely empty.

She quickly climbed out of bed as another scream went throughout the house.

Outside of the small bedroom she shared with her big brother, was her mom laying on the floor with a stab wound on her chest, and her brother hovering over her with tears in his eyes.

"Mama!" Scarlet screeched, running towards her.

Her mom was awake, but fading fast.

"M-my... Scarlet," she said, managing a small, weak smile and bringing a hand up to wipe the tears out of her daughters eyes. "It'll all be o-okay." Her breathing was slowing, and her voice was cracking. She didn't have much time left. "I-I love you, baby girl."

"I-I l-love you, too." Scarlet said in between sobs.

Her attention focused on Caleb, who was now knelt down by her side, "M-my boy, y-you take care of your sister, okay? N-no matter what it...it takes. She's your responsibility now. Y-you on-only have each-each other... now."

"I-I'll always take care of her," Caleb promised, managing the smallest smile.

She gave another weak smile, "I love... I love y-"

Her eyes drifted shut, and with one final breath, she became one with the force.

"M-mom?" Caleb asked, already knowing she was gone, but refusing to believe it. "Mom?! Mommy! Mom wake up! Please!"

She didn't wake up. Of course she didn't. Scarlet and Caleb stared at her in shock.

Their mom was dead.

"Mama mama, no!" Scarlet cried. "Mama, wake up! Wake up, please mama!"

Minutes passed, and Scarlet started to believe she wasn't going to wake up. She felt weak from screaming, and fell back in her older brothers arms, crying into his shirt.

The two stayed like that until they decided it was time to leave.

Caleb stood up, and bent down to pick up his sister. He carried her out of the house that they used to call home, leaving behind the person who never left them.

"What are we going to do now?" Scarlet asked, her voice hoarse. "Daddy didn't want us, and now mama won't wake up. Who will take care of us now?"

"Don't worry about that, Carly," Caleb said, using the nickname he'd named her when she was born. "that's my problem. But I know, as long as we have each other, we'll be just fine." Scarlet nodded, resting her head on his shoulder. "I'll always, and I mean always, look out for you. No matter what."

"Even if I become evil and kill billions of people including you?"

He froze, "Where's your imagination taking you with this, Carly?" She shrugged, he sighed. "Even if you become a psychopath, yes. Yes I'll take care of you and do everything in my power to bring you back. Even if that means I have to die to save you."

"You're a good big brother," Scarlet said. "I love you, Caleb."

"And I love you, Carly," Caleb replied. "And I promise you, Carly, I'll never let you become evil."

There was silence, "You'll never stop calling me that, will you?"

"Of course not,"

Scarlet managed a small grin, "Good, cause I like that name."

~

Present:

I watch as my brother exits the room before turning to face Darth Fury. He stares at me for awhile, then focuses his attention on the floor, "I'm sorry about that, how I had to handle things." Landon apologizes.

"Oh no, I totally understand." I reply. "He was acting absolutely crazy. I don't know why he gets like that, I just don't understand it. I don't understand him, honestly."

"I don't either." Landon replies, silence following. His eyebrows furrow and he stares back up at me. "You don't think ... you don't think he's turning to the light, right?"

"Oh, no!" I exclaim. "He knows the Jedi are evil. He saw them kill our mom! If he turned to the light... then he'd be making a mistake. He'd be joining the people who murdered our mother out of cold blood."

Landon smirks, "I'm glad you look at them that way."

"Of course I do, I watched my mom take her final breath right in front of me!" I say. "I had to hear the sound of their lightsabers. It's painful, the memory. The Jedi are evil. They always will be in my eyes."

Silence fills the room, leaving us to just stare at each other, unknowing on what to say next. Whenever I speak of my mother, I'm always left with that awful memory of her lifeless on the floor with the lightsaber wound on her chest. I was only five then, and Caleb was ten. It was both the worst and best day of my life. Worst, because my mom died. Best, because I met Landon. And he's the best thing to ever happen to me.

~

I walked up to Caleb's door. Inside I hear him muttering, like he's talking to himself. I listen in, trying to hear what he's saying through the closed door: "I don't fit in," he says, though it's very muffled. "Why can't I just fit in? What's different about me? Is it because I actually have a heart and they don't? Why do I have feelings?"

I frown; he doesn't think I have a heart?

Suddenly the door opens, and he sees me standing in front of it. I shift my wait onto my left leg, and I stare at him in the eyes, "Hello, brother."

"Sister," he replies simply. "might I ask what you are doing standing by my room?"

"I was seeing if you were alright," I admit. "after the talk we had earlier, you seemed upset. I wanted to see what you were up to."

He stares at me, unconvinced, but he answers, "I was reading. That's allowed, right?"

"Yes...that's allowed." I say, walking past him and into the room. "Why did you get so upset earlier, brother? You made quite the scene."

He scoffs, "I made quite the scene? What about you all? You're the ones who threatened an innocent man and his family!"  I turn to him quickly, shocked by his tone and anger. "Sorry, I-I didn't mean it, sister."

"It's fine." I insist. "But might I suggest, you take the day off tomorrow? You seem on edge, you need the break."

"Yes, sister." Caleb says, his voice low. "Thank you."

"No problem." I say. "Now, I'll see you tomorrow. Lights go off in half an hour."

He nods but doesn't say anything. I can sense his anger, but his guilt is becoming stronger. I smirk to myself, and walk towards the door.

"Sister, wait!" Caleb exclaims, I stop in place.

"What?"

"I found my Sith name." He says, I turn to him with interest in my eyes.

"Well, what is it?" I ask.

He stares down at the floor for awhile. I patiently wait for him to announce his new name as he gazes off. Finally, he looks back up.

"Darth Shadow." Caleb says. "My Sith name, it's Darth Shadow."

————

Authors Note:

Yeah, I don't know how I feel about this chapter. Anyway, thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and tell me what you think of his name. (I don't think that's a real Star Wars character. But I'm probably wrong.)