Star Wars: The Great Awakening (Book I)

Book I: Prologue

The two lightsabers crackled and spat as they repeatedly clashed together. The luminance of the sabers flashed brilliantly across the walls of the surrounding chamber as the energy blades collided in a flourish of combative strikes.

The younger man held his ground against his older and far more experienced opponent. Despite his best efforts, however, he wasn't able to take any ground.

Advancing again, the younger fighter's attack came from above this time but it was quickly and decisively parried away by his opponent. He followed through with an array of slashes but the older figure simply batted them away—almost as if he were toying with him.

The melee was intense and in some ways, personal. It had gone on for several minutes now but as the battle lingered, the younger man could feel his strength begin to wane. Staring into the eyes of the figure in front of him, he saw that the older man's expressionless demeanor—even partially shrouded by the dark cloak over his head—was both taunting and menacing. Showing no sign of fatigue, his opponent's face was like that of a stone.

Taking two steps forward, the young man half anticipated his opponent to retreat a similar distance. Instead, the older man made his own advance and came crashing down upon the younger fighter with a flurry of attacks.

Continuing to hold his ground, the younger man was sweating profusely from his defensive efforts as his now dripping wet dark hair began to obscure his vision but he was not about to give up. Not this time.

Blow for blow, the younger man held his ground. Using the skills he'd acquired from years of intense lightsaber training, he was simultaneously fighting and analyzing his enemy for vulnerabilities. Even though the older man was vastly more experienced, he was still flesh and blood and, therefore, could be defeated.

As the battle raged on, the younger man was able to parry an attack from the older opponent which gave him the opening he'd been looking for.

He pressed in but just as he was about to deliver what he thought was surely to be a killing blow, the older opponent dodged the incoming blade with a speed and grace the younger man had not seen before. The younger man's lightsaber sizzled as it sliced through the now empty space of where his opponent had once been.

Drawn off balance by the display, the young fighter had a momentary lapse in concentration which the older figure was keen to capitalize on.

In one swift stroke, the older man struck the blade of his opponent's lightsaber with such force that the younger man's grip on his weapon gave way. As the lightsaber extinguished and tumbled across the floor, the younger man, now defenseless, knew he'd been beaten.

With his lightsaber pointed directly towards the neck of his adversary, the older man advanced as the defeated young man soon found his back against the wall. The heat of the saber could be felt on his face as the tip of the weapon was only a mere inch from the young man's neck. The older figure held this pose for a moment as the younger man closed his eyes and turned away.

With a sudden rush of energy, the extended lightsaber became extinguished.

Ben Solo opened his eyes to see a partial grin on the face of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker.

Attaching his lightsaber hilt to his belt, Skywalker looked around the room. Several other students were present in the inner chamber of the new Jedi Temple during the melee, trying to learn what they could from watching the most promising fighter among them go head to head against the only Jedi Master in the galaxy.

They watched intently as Skywalker fixed his gaze upon them.

Luke sighed.

"Can anyone tell me what Ben did wrong?"