Dicing with Darkness

Chapter 16 - Final Exam

Days past faster than ever after the empire attacked, that's what it felt like to Leo anyway. Two years went by with the blink of an eye, Yoda trained Leo more rigorously from then on with sessions lasting half a day at the least. He wanted be sure Leo would be ready to defeat anything standing in his way and one day maybe even the Darth Sidious himself.

Leo felt the anxiety within his Master, Yoda recovered quickly physically from his bout with Nelani, but mentally he was scared, scared for the galaxy causing him to be more hard on Leo in his teaching methods. He knew Sidious was decisive, methodical in his approach to everything he did. So, he had to make Leo even more precise and calculative than Sidious was, over preparing him for the ultimate battle to restore balance to the Force.

A new day approached with the arrival with the welcomed warmth of the suns soothing solar rays caressing the Piranchino Mountain range as the first beam of light touches the fine point at the top of the temples roof. Leo ran up and down the compact streets of Jedi City pacing himself as he turned the corner into middle street of the five that reside with the City's perimeter.

Nelani teleports to the roof of the temple taking in the serene beauty it brought to the landscape. The consistent, rapid breathes of Leo broke the silence of the usually quiet mornings she was accustomed to. Turning her attention to her fateful lover, smiling as he turns the tight corner into the fourth street, "So committed." Nelani says to herself. "No wonder he was the right choice."

Nelani teleports directly in front of Leo, "Morning!" She announces, scaring him as he stumbles forward into her arms, letting out a frightful scream.

Leo embraces Nelani and whispers, "I almost had a heart attack." Kissing her on the lips, his mind begins to sink as his love for her takes over losing him in the moment.

Nelani breaks the lip lock and releases Leo from her grasp, "At least your still alive." She says, pulling up his white singlet feeling the muscular transformation his body has undergone, "It feels only like yesterday when you were arrived here. Now look at you, your almost ready to become a Knight." She encourages with a face of content.

Leo pulls Nelani's hand away preventing them from going further south. "Well I did have some help." He replies, placing her hand on her chest with a no-thank-you face.

The past two years have given Leo and Nelani a lot of time to work things out between them. After hearing her say to Yoda how she had been waiting for Leo, waiting for the right person and the right time to meet. At first Leo, didn't think much of it, but as time went on he began to think she was deceiving him.

After Sidious took control of Nelani. After he killed Raven and A5-ZE. After he crumbled Leo's world before his very eyes in a matter of seconds, he fell into a state of depression.

Leo sat and mourned the loss of his sister before training, after training, he trained because he felt it was the only thing distracting him. If wasn't for Nelani he wouldn't have recovered at all, she felt responsible for everything cursing Leo since he arrived and made it her duty to make amends.

Yoda on the other hand recovered in his own way. Meditating, reflecting and letting the Force guide him through almost a full year of recovery. He wishes it would've been shorter, however, as he always says, "Patience is a virtue."

"Thank you." Leo changes his tone to a serious but grateful one, "Without you I could've moved on with my life. Losing Raven was heart breaking, but I know she wouldn't like to see me mourning her death by sitting in front of her grave."

"It's the least I can do to repay you after everything I've done." Nelani facials turn gloomy as she reminds herself of the horrific experience. "Anyway, you should continue your running." She kisses him on the cheek and teleports away.