Avatar the Last Airbender: Jedi Outcast - Book 1 - Prodigal Butcher

Chapter 16 - Nightmares and Convictions

"An armored warrior," the laborer began, "bearing a green blade of fire." Ben relayed this intriguing snippet of information to Aang, turning to Sokka for further discussion. "The town this laborer pointed us to is under Fire Nation occupation, the entire valley too."

Katara, her waterbending flask resealed and attached to her belt, voiced her concerns. "That presents a problem... How do we know this isn't a Dark Jedi?"

Ben shook his head thoughtfully. "I don't think so, Katara. The worker mentioned the existence of a resistance group, and it's a green lightsaber. Those are typically wielded by Jedi Consulars."

Sokka nodded, finally catching onto Ben's line of thinking. "So, you believe this Jedi might be aligned with the resistance, fighting against the Fire Nation?"

Ben nodded once more, shifting his weight as he leaned on Appa's saddle. He began to massage his temples, sensing the weariness creeping in, threatening to pull him into slumber.

But Aang, his gaze fixed ahead where the sun was descending into the horizon, had a question to ask. Ben reluctantly pushed aside his fatigue, brushing away the strands of hair obscuring his eyes.

He sighed, conceding, "Yeah, sure... What's on your mind?"

Aang's eyes narrowed as he tucked his knees to his chest, as though drawing comfort from their warmth. His voice, gentle and inquisitive, pierced the gathering dusk. "How did it feel... when you killed Kiara?"

Ben's eyes widened in astonishment. Aang's voice wasn't tinged with condemnation or venomous accusation. Instead, it carried the curiosity of a young man, the Chosen One, seeking to understand the emotions of someone he looked up to. Aang wanted to know what it was like to take a life.

Katara and Sokka trained their eyes on Ben, their faces etched with concern. It had been a week since the fateful duel with Kiara and the dark Jedi. A battle that had been brief but lethal, one in which Ben's lightsaber skills and command of the Force had matched those of the Sith warriors.

Ben had tried to subdue them, to beat them into submission, but it had taken too long. The delay had resulted in the tragic death of Haru's father. Ben had resorted to a burst of lightning that cooked the dark Jedi, and Kiara had met her end with her own limb severed, an act of grim retribution.

Ben hadn't shared Kiara's final words with Team Avatar, burdening himself with the weight of the dark side and his own sins. He deemed it his duty as a Jedi Knight to carry that weight alone, sparing his comrades from being dragged into his personal torment.

"It...I've killed people before, Aang," Ben admitted, his words released into the still air. "You learn to cope with it and understand why it happened." The trio listened intently, the words hanging in the air, Ben's gaze far away as he confessed, "The first man I killed was when I was twelve or thirteen. I don't remember much from that time. I didn't pity him; he was an invader, and it was a matter of survival, his life or mine."

The grim specter of war settled upon the trio, especially Sokka. Ben was, at his core, a warrior, much like Sokka's father. Could he truly have been so naive as to believe that a warrior could avoid taking lives? His desire to contribute to the group's efforts burned within him, and he knew that he could make a difference. All he needed was to become stronger.

Ben's voice carried on, breaking the heavy silence. "Getting used to killing is a sorrowful thing. But I had no choice; I couldn't afford hesitation or prolongation. Kiara, she had to be stopped."

All four of them shared a silent understanding. Katara recognized Kiara as a relentless predator, driven by a vicious desire for violence. She would never have ceased her pursuit, and her intentions extended far beyond capturing them, unlike Zuko. Kiara reveled in the pain and suffering she inflicted, even maiming Benjamin in her ruthless pursuit.