Insinuation

Chapter I

"Ana."

I awoke with a start, my hand reaching out to the right as I sat up, "What's going on?" I felt the hilt of my saber secure into the grip of my hand.

"There's no time to explain," the voice whispered, "We must go now."

"Is that you Mari?" I loosened my posture and rubbed my eyes, "Girl, this better be serious-."

"Stop sassing me if you want to live. Get up. Now."

Her serious tone finally went through to my brain. Somethings wrong. The tendrils of the force slowly crawled into my being, snapping and hissing. 

With a rush I threw off my quilt and set my saber back on my nightstand. My feet hit the ground as I hurriedly pulled on my boots, not bothering to lace them up. I yanked open the drawer of my nightstand and pulled out my Jedi robes. Before I could slip both arms through the sleeves, Mari grabbed my wrist and dragged me out of the hut. I turned over my shoulder and held my free hand out. I watched as my saber lifted off of the small table and raced to my hand.

I clipped it to the loop on my hip and held onto Mari's hand as we weaved through the jedi huts. It was still dark out and we seemed to be the only ones awake, yet she seemed rushed to get away from the area. Our feet moved in sync as we stepped over small twigs and boulders.

"We need to go to the opposite end of the island immediately," she let go of my hand as I stalked alongside her through the Jedi huts. 

I tensed my shoulders, "The cave?"

Her green eyes filled with worry, "The cave."

We had cleared the cluster of small buildings and stepped into the grass that covered the hills. Distancing ourselves from our home, Mari instructed me to crouch down and led the way through the stiff grass.  

All was calm in the night.

A soft breeze brushed through the tall grass.

Clouds dotted the night sky.

The pale moons' light blanketed the temple and it's surrounding huts.

The salty smell of the ocean danced in the air.

There was peace.

.

Mari winced and looked back, "It's happening."

.

It was silent at first...

And then there was destruction.

The still air became reckless with the sound of crashing stones and agonized screams.

The sky turned dark with billowing smoke.

The smell of burning wood and sea salt filled my nostrils.

I turned around with a racing heart and stood slightly taller to see over the dry grass. It all happened so fast. The temple grounds I once considered my home were now on fire. Fire that reached up into the night sky, grabbing and licking along any surface it could touch. Smoke blackened the pale light that once covered the island, and a haunting orange hue flicked against the crumbling buildings. With squinted eyes, I could see the silhouettes of my old friends falling to the ground as a figure with a lightsaber struck them down. Speed, agility and power flowed through the being as it swung the weapon through the air.

My chest panged with guilt and confusion. What is going on?

"You cannot stop Ana," she whined, "We must keep moving."

With no time to waste, Mari once again snatched my wrist and pulled me along. Our feet crunched against the rocky soil as our stalking walk became a hunched jog. I reached into the force in hopes that this was all a dream, that somehow I was imagining all of this. Instead, I only met the distraught voices of the ones I called my family. My breathing became uneven as my eyesight blurred with tears.