𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒 ── ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɴᴅᴀʟᴏʀɪᴀɴ ✓

0.6

SIX.
the force within

🔹️🔹️🔹️

I groaned in pain, holding the wounded side of my body. I ran over to Mando as fast as I could, trying to ignore all the pain. "Mando! G-Get up!"

It took him a few seconds to finally sit up, but the mudhorn was already one step ahead of us. Mando looked over at the child, then back at the creature. He held an arm out in front of me, holding out his dagger with the other hand and pointing it at the mudhorn.

That's when I felt a strong connection between me and the child as I looked at it. It was like time had stopped and there was just a huge power hidden within. It was as if...

▪︎▪︎▪︎

"Focus, you must, young one." The familiar voice called out to me as I threw my helmet down in frustration.

"I can't..!" I exclaimed, burying my head inside the palm of my hands. "I don't know if I can do this, Master--"

"Silence!" He said, walking over to me with the help of his cane. "Nonsense, you speak."

"How can I focus if I know he's--" I stopped myself from speaking any further, looking at my Master's face. He shook his head, sitting down next to me on the log.

"Strong with the Force, he is." He nodded, placing his hand on my arm. "Worry, do not."

I turned my gaze back on my helmet, standing up and placing it back over my head. I pulled out my lightsaber, preparing for my training once again. I focused all of the energy within me on my intuition as I began blocking the droid's shots.

"Good.." Master Yoda mumbled as I finished the droid off by slicing it in half with my lightsaber. I lifted up my helmet and dropped it on the ground. "Better, you've become."

◇ ◇ ◇

The cold night's air surrounded me as I closed my eyes, centering myself within the wind. I heard footsteps approaching me, causing me to open my eyes. I used the Force to carry me back down to the ground, facing Master Yoda. He raised his eyebrows.

"What is keeping you awake, hmm?"

"What if.." I sighed, sitting on a nearby rock and throwing a small pebble across the lake. "What if I forget the Force.. forget who I am?"

"The Force, you are not." He said, walking towards me and handing me a warm drink. "A part of you, it is. Hmmm?"

"But--"

"Lose the Force, you will not; lose yourself, you will never." Master Yoda shook his head. "Always with you, it will be -- special, you are. That, never forget.."

▪︎▪︎▪︎

.. the force was calling out to me.

I took a deep breath in, closing my eyes as I extended out my hand in front of me. I focused all of my energy on the Force's power, feeling it grow stronger and stronger inside of me. The sound of the mudhorn's footsteps slowly disappeared; instead, I only heard the heavy cries of the creature.

I opened my eyes as I looked over at the child, watching it use the Force on the creature as I was. By the time my vision had cleared up, Mando had stood up, staring at both me and the child.

The Force's power was stronger than I had ever felt it before. Just then, the child fell back inside of the crib as it released all of his power on the mudhorn.

I continued to hold the Force on the mudhorn, slamming it down onto the ground and letting the Force slip out of my hands. Mando quickly ran over to the creature, stabbing it in its side -- falling in the process -- causing it to slowly bleed out and die.

I sighed as I laid myself on the ground. Mando sighed heavily, walking over and holding his hand out to me. I gladly accepted his help and struggled to get back up on my feet.

"Are you okay?" He asked, breathlessly.

"I'm fine.." I replied, turning to look at the child. He placed my arm over his shoulder, helping me walk over to the crib.

The child was soundly asleep -- probably from exerting too much of his power at once. I looked up at Mando as he slowly let me down on the ground.

"I'll be right back." He mumbled, walking into the cave. After a few minutes had passed, he came back out with a very furry egg and helped me back up. "Let's just get this stupid 'Egg' back to the Jawas before I lose my mind."

"Right.."

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"Mando! Adalyn!" Kuiil exclaimed, waving a hand at us.

The Sandcrawler's door seemed to begin to close, but it soon re-opened once Kuiil called out to the Jawas. The Jawas began surrounding us, begging for 'The Egg'. Mando handed it over to them; they began cutting open 'The Egg' and eating its contents. I rolled my eyes.

"I'm surprised you waited." Mando said to Kuiil, now placing me over his back. I placed my arms over his shoulders, leaning my head up against him.

"I'm surprised you took so long." Kuiil replied, nodding. He then turned his gaze onto me, his expression softening. "Is Adalyn alright?"

"I think.. she's okay. She might just need some rest." Mando thought for a moment, thinking back to what happened. "I'll tell you on the way back to my ship."

🔹️🔹️🔹️

After gathering the parts and placing them inside the wagon, Kuiil began leading the blurrg to Mando's ship. Mando leaned me up against the ship's parts as he talked to Kuiil about what happened; the crib following us.

"Is it still sleeping?" Kuiil asked, looking back at the crib.

"Yes." Mando replied. I stared into the horizon, feeling a bit weaker than usual. Mando shook the crib a little to try and wake up the child; it was still asleep.

"Were they both injured?"

"Besides the fighting, I don't think so." Mando replied. "Not physically."

"Explain it to me again." Kuiil looked back at us for a moment, his eyes landing on me. "I still don't understand what happened."

"Neither do I." Mando mumbled under his breath as he turned to look at my tired eyes. "But something tells me that I will soon."