STAR WARS: Gray Jedi

Chapter 22

TORMIR. THE OUTER RIM.

Destin ran into the Tormirian forest, sprinting as if it would help him escape the truth that had just been revealed to him. He felt as if he couldn't get far enough, trenching deeper and deeper into the woodland. He wanted to escape this hell, this cold galaxy that had taken everything from him. He couldn't understand it. Why had the Force been so cruel to him? What had he ever done to deserve such a blow. He finally stopped in a small clearing where the sun pierced through the gigantic trees of Tormir. His breath was heavy and his stomach clenched. He paced back and forth, catching his breath, trying to settle the anguish inside of him. The anger rose and rose and rose in his chest until, finally, he couldn't hold it in anymore. He shouted out in fury towards the sky above and unlatched his lightsaber from his belt. He ignited it and swung against the trunk of the tree beside him. The blue saber slashed across the thick wood, cutting a deep gash into its body. Destin breathed heavily, letting all the emotions flow through him. Neema had betrayed him. He couldn't focus any of it. He didn't want to believe it, but it had all made too much sense. All the pieces of the puzzle had fit. Destin was on the edge of tears when, from behind, he heard a familiar voice.

"Something wrong, Destin?" the voice said.

Destin spun quickly, raising his saber for a fight. His eyes widened, unable to comprehend who stood before him. This was no enemy. This was....

"Bahda? Bahda, is that you?" he asked, dumbstruck. 

Bahda Han, his dead master, stood before him, dressed in the same exact clothes he wore when Destin last saw him right before he was killed - simple slim fit trousers and a shaggy gray colored long sleeve shirt with a  V-neck revealing the kyber crystal necklace that Bahda always wore around his neck.

 "No...no, it can't be," Destin said. "You're dead. You died back on Nag Ubdur."

"Nothing ever truly dies, Destin," Bahda replied. "It is only transformed into the Force."

Destin looked at Bahda, confused. There was no doubt about it. Bahda was dead, but somehow his spirt still remained. He could see it in Bahda's form. His olive skin and ragged clothes in all. His presence was there, but his body looked almost transparent - opaque. Destin laughed. Obviously, there were still things about the Force he had yet to understand.

"Somehow, I knew I wouldn't be able to get rid of you that easily," Destin quipped. He switched off his lightsaber, retracting the glowing blade back into its hilt.

Bahda paced around Destin. "Redecorating the forest, I see" he said sarcastically. "Having another one of your hissy fits?"

Destin didn't answer. 'Damn Master Han," he thought. 'Even in death he's still cracking wise-ass.' It would've been a little unsettling to see Bahda like this, but the way his master carried along like he always had, care-free and sarcastic, made Destin feel strangely comfortable.

Bahda stepped forward looking at the tree Destin had slashed in anger. "Not easy to slice a tree like that," he remarked. "Your technique has improved. I'm almost proud."

"Tssk, almost?" Destin retorted.

"Never could fix that temper of yours, could we?" Bahda said with a smirk.

"Are you just here to haunt me with your wise cracks!?" 

Bahda shrugged his shoulders. "Perhaps."

Destin turned his head. He wasn't in the mood to be criticized.

Bahda took a moment, and softened his tone. "What is it Destin? Tell me."

Destin didn't answer. He didn't want to. Just talking about what he had just found out would only stir his anger again, and Destin wasn't sure if he could quell it a second time. There were only so many trees in the forest.