Leo lays in one of the ten rooms wearing only the one-piece clothing of his armour, the rest was set down in the opposing corner of the room to the bed. He feels the withered, dusty blanket bellow him as he comes to terms with where is. His head is spinning and aching as he slowly props himself up and puts his left hand on his forehead. Beside the bed is Yoda and Nelani, Nelani looks deeply concerned while Yoda has a calm aura about himself.
Leo slowly swings his legs to the ground and faces them both. "How long was I out for?" he asks still dazed, eyes cloudy, expression blank. He looks to the intricate mosaic carved into the wooden wall notices the inky darkness of the night sky.
"Just a few hours thank goodness." Nelani says in relief sitting next to him as she talks and places her hands on his.
"Continue to rest, Padawan. Need your strength for the morning you will." says Yoda. He walks out with Nelani following behind leaving Leo to his thoughts.
Leo lays back down, tossing and turning for several hours and eventually gives up, walking out of the room in frustration. He wonders outside the temple into the centre street of the five, pondering the origin of this mysterious place. He was unsettled by magnitude of Force presence he felt through the city.
Why would Master Yoda bring to this place? It's so cold and decrepit. Leo thinks. He starts to walk through streets of houses neglected of care. Nelani from a distance watches him. The spiral construction of the buildings loomed over Leo, telling their story through architecture. How did this place come to be anyway?
'They were made by the first Jedi' Intones a voice in Leo's head. Leo startled by the mental intrusion looks frantically in random directions looking for the cause of the voice. Nelani walks towards him.
"Was that you?" Leo asks with curiosity and amazement, catching Nelani walking towards him in the corner of his eye.
"Who else would it be?" Nelani teases in a playful tone, opening her arms and shrugging shoulders. She now stands directly in front of Leo. He losses himself in her gaze for a moment admiring her beautiful, smooth complexion. She smiles. "Something wrong?" She asks, giving a curious face.
Leo starts to blush and quickly breaks his concentration. "How'd you do that?" He asks, entranced in her gaze.
Nelani smiles pretending not to notice Leo blushing. "I'm guessing you don't."
Nelani brushes her right hand down Leo's cheek. "I can teach you if want to?" She starts to walk slowly in a circle around Leo continuing. "All you have to do is ask." She finishes the circle and gives him a wink.
Leo's cheeks become cherry red as he clears his throat to speak. "Okay." The memorization he felt watching her made his heart jump to his throat almost coming out of his mouth entirely.
"Follow me." Intones Nelani changing her tone to the soft, heavenly one she used when Leo was still in orbit. They make their way back to the temple and ascend themselves onto the roof. Nelani floats to the tip of the roof. Crossing her legs while floating above the point. Leo watches and waits for Nelani to instruct him.
"What are you waiting for? Sit down and cross your legs." Nelani encourages, slightly annoyed at his obliviousness.
"Oh, sorry." Leo innocently replies. He does as Nelani asks - struggling to maintain friction as the slope threatens to send him over the edge. "Now what?" She gives him an annoyed face.
Nelani composes herself, closing her eyes, brushing off the comment, "Relax, clear your mind and try to imagine yourself floating as if you're weightless." She guides.
YOU ARE READING
Dicing with Darkness
FantasyA young Jedi Padawan by the name of Leo Kennex has the only home he's ever known destroyed. Follow Leo's story as he goes from a mere Padawan to an experienced force user and as he struggles to contain the anger that resides in his darkside, finds f...
