MasterMind

Chapter 8

Atathum walked back with a brace around his back, legs, and arms. His head was bandaged slightly on his chin, and his back brace made it all the way up to the back of his neck. He could walk a bit more smoothly, but it still hurt to bend too far in any direction.
"Just wait for Luminara to see me out here and think I'm alright until she sees the back of my neck and she'll totally flip out!" Atathum said.
Anakin laughed, causing Atathum to smile, but for some reason, it didn't seem real. In fact, nothing that used to make him happy seemed to make him happy anymore. Even if it seemed like the most real laugh in the world, Atathum still wouldn't feel like it. What's happening? Atathum thought worriedly--without expressing it of course-- as they continued to walk.
The noise suddenly seemed to die out. Oh no... Gül appeared in front of them, furious.
"When I came to talk to you, some girl--who by the way, hit me in the face earlier-- slapped me across the chest! For no reason!!" Gül explained, aggravated.
Atathum slightly chuckled.
"What exactly is so funny?! You should get rid of that girl first!!"
"Or, maybe you should try to talk to that girl and see if she takes your advice."
"Sometimes I wish you were a more seductive host."
"Only in your dreams, Gül."
"And I'm only in your nightmares."
Suddenly, the sound returned, and he noticed Anakin staring at him.
"Are you alright?" Anakin asked.
"Why do you ask?" Atathum replied.
"You just stopped moving and I thought maybe you were in pain of some sort."
"No, I'm fine."
"Is this the truth."
"Yes, it is the truth."
The boys began walking again, and Atathum tried to ignore the hilarious, but slightly horrifying, conversation. Anakin seemed lost in a trance and was on autopilot. They kept walking like that for quite a while, until someone showed up.
"Lilak?" Atathum asked, in shock.
Lilak held an ice pack to her cheek. She waved her available arm. Sebellrae was behind her, and as soon as she saw him, she ran up to him. Please don't--! Atathum thought before Sebellrae embraced him in a hug, hurting just about everything that was braced.
"Get off," Atathum said.
"Sorry, did I hurt you?" Sebellrae asked.
"Yes."
"I'm sorry. I was just so happy to see you up and...well...walking."
"Yeah. I'm not exactly running yet."
"Yeah."
Sebellrae chuckled, causing Lilak to smile, causing Anakin to be turned off autopilot and slightly chuckle, leaving Atathum...empty. Not even all of his friends laughing around him and getting along could've filled his emptiness. He walked off silently so that it wasn't possible for someone to hear him leave.
"Good choice!" Gül applauded, walking alongside him.
"I don't care what you think," Atathum began.
"You do because you're listening to me."
Atathum thought of what Gül just said. He's not wrong...
"So why do you bother to keep listening to me if you don't care?" Gül asked, "or, maybe it's because you do care, and you don't want to admit it."
"Stop reading my head, Gül."
"I am your head."
Gül left and Atathum found himself in the temple gardens. He sat down on a nearby bench. I was expecting this to be a half crescent bench! Atathum joked with himself. He studied the surrounding statues. Each had the name of who the Jedi Master was and why he was sculpted. There's Yoda, obviously, Mace Windu, Sifo Dias, Qui-gon...wow..., R...Reven? Um, can't read that name, Luminara! and her...apprentice...
Atathum walked up to the smaller statue next to Luminara. He studied the face of the young boy. He looked down to face the plack placed at the boy's feet:
"In memory of Kenli Dordo, a beloved apprentice and friend."
Atathum stared at the plack for a long time. Then he looked up at Kenli's face. It almost looked like he was staring at Atathum.
"Do you wanna know how Kenli died?" Gül asked as he sat on the shoulder of Kenli.
"How would you know about his death?" Atathum retorted.
"Since I am free from your head, I am able to be in other places. I was listening to Luminara talk to Obi-wan about your past, and then Obi-wan asked about Kenli. She told him how one day, after a bloody massacre, both consisting of Jedi and droids, Luminara, Qui-gon, Obi-wan, and Kenli all came back on the same ship. Obi-wan said how he remembered how good of friends he and Kenli were. Luminara continued saying that when they got back, Kenli wasn't feeling well, and so they stayed back on the next few missions. Kenli's health grew worse, so they had to bring him to the healers, which broke the news that he had a disease that could've been cured if he was brought in earlier, but now it wasn't. While Kenli was staying by the healers, a siege was laid in the area. Luminara was fighting off an unknown sith lord, when Kenli showed up, weak, but equipped with a lightsaber, your blue one. He fought the sith lord as hard as he could. Towards the end, he was stabbed straight through the stomach with a lightsaber by the unknown sith lord. He managed to defeat the sith lord with his dying breath, and died in the arms of Luminara. This monument was dedicated to him a few days after he was buried, and for a while, Luminara vowed to not have an apprentice until you showed up."
"How many years ago was this?"
"This was eighteen years ago."
"Man, Gül, I never knew that you could be touching."
"I have my ways."
Gül jumped off the statue. Atathum moved out of the way. Gül landed on his feet without any source of buckling.
"You know, Kenli never got to be the greatest he could be, but you could be different. I could help you achieve greatness," Gül said.
Atathum was going to open his mouth to protest, but then he stopped. Could Gül be right?
"How should I believe you?" Atathum protested.
Gül grabbed Atathum's chin. Atathum stared Gül down, not intending to let his guard down.
    "Do you question my power?" Gül asked.
    "Is that a threat?" Atathum asked.
    "Depends on what you think it is."
    "Don't try me."
    "I don't need to."
    "Why are you holding on to my chin then?"
    "So you don't "accidentally" make a mistake that could end your life." Towards the end of his sentence, Gül's voice started to disorientate, "I mean, no one would ever know if I just killed you here on the spot," Gül added, not letting his creepiness down.
    Atathum almost seemed to hit Gül's arm in almost a second, and he was free from his grip. Gül didn't lunge at him; he just stood there, laughing like he was a child. He looked straight at Atathum like some creepy robotic doll that a girl would own. His eyes had grown more terrifying, and Atathum's heart almost seemed to skip a beat every time he saw them.
    Something seemed off though, but Atathum couldn't figure it out. All that happened was that Gül's devilish looks increased and...
    I'm becoming more and more lured into his ways! Atathum realized in horror as he made sense of it all.
    "Yes! You finally understand! Your anger not only fuels me, but it helps you understand what I am here to do, and how I can help you!" Gül explained.
    Atathum looked at Gül, horrified that he was allowing this to happen. He quickly turned and fled.