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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 3464684" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 451: From the DarkThe one thing that Tobias most clearly remembered from when he was younger was the stories Jyren would tell him. He would swear none of them were made up or even exaggerated, though that was...questionable. Even when he was a lot younger, Tobias wondered how much was really true. Through all of the stories, there was one constant event. There wasn’t a single one he could remember that didn’t have the words, “And that’s about the time I blacked out...and when I woke up, it was all fuzzy and I wasn’t quite sure where I was for a few minutes.”    It had always seemed strange to Tobias that Jyren had a habit of...well, going unconscious during critical moments. It was just a bit anticlimactic and sometime Toby couldn’t help but wonder if it was put in just because Jyren’s memory was off and he didn’t quite remember it all. That or Jyren wasn’t exactly the best under pressure...or very alert, considering the amount of times things seemed to sneak up on him and catch him off guard.    But as Tobias’ eyes open into a world of fuzzy, confusion, with his head spinning slightly, his first thoughts were that maybe, just maybe, Jyren hadn’t exaggerated that part. It was at least a minute before Toby was able to identify the ceiling above him was a mix of rock and durasteel panels, meaning he wasn’t outside...which wasn’t hard to figure out but considering his mind’s current state of dizziness, the conclusion was an accomplisment.    “Easy, Tobias...” the voice was calm, almost emotionless, and something he recognized but, at the same time, didn’t have the mental capacity going to identify it, “Draw on the Force...but don’t overdo it. Just enough to regain your focus.”    Some part of Tobias managed to make sense of those words and did as he was told, using the little strength he had to call on the Force...to...pull it to him, as it were. Slowly, but surely, his vision began to come into focus, as did his other senses, though when he relinquished his grip on the Force, Tobias felt even more exhausted from the effort.    “Well done,” it was Master Ral, sitting in a small chair next to a small bed that Tobias was on. After a quick glance around, he identified the room as the small infirmary within the Jedi Temple, which he’d only seen in an initial tour of the place just so he knew where it was. The blue-skinned Omwati Jedi then leaned forward in his chair slightly, “What you did was foolish and very dangerous.”    It was then that Tobias experience another constant in Jyren’s stories that always seemed strange to him. He opened his mouth, and no words went with it. Embarrassed, he quickly shut his mouth and tried to find his voice, realizing just how tired he was. A few deep breaths later and Tobias was ready to try defending his actions again, “I needed...to go back...”    “Do you know why?” the way Master Ral asked that was piercing and suddenly Tobias was glad they were the only two in the room.    But the question, despite its ominous tone, was an easy answer, “I...I ran away before...I failed. And I...had to go back.”    “Failure is a part of life, Tobias,” his Omwati Master said in that same tone, “Yes, you failed when you entered that temple the first time, but you failed because you weren’t ready yet. That is not a failure on anyone’s part but my own. But it called to you, didn’t it?”    Tobias was starting to figure out where this was going, and was getting a knotted feeling in his stomach because of it. This time, he only managed a slow nod, unable to lie at this point despite knowing what it probably meant to tell the truth.    Master Ral returned the nod and sat up straight again, “That Temple was built thousands of years ago by a powerful Sith Lord. His essence remained there long after his body was destroyed, tied to the very stones until not long ago. He was defeated by Master Skywalker first students, but the taint of the Dark Side was so strong that even though he is gone forever, that Temple will always carry a weight of Darkness. What called to you was the Dark Side, Tobias...and it spoke to you in exactly what you needed to hear, what you wanted to hear.”    “But I didn’t fail this time! I didn’t even take my lightsaber!” Tobias protested as best he could manage, feeling like he was cornered for doing what he thought was right.    The Jedi Master shook his head, though, “By answering that calling, you gave in to it. You opened yourself to the influence of that Darkness and you walked right into it. You didn’t even give yourself time to learn what your own mistakes were.”    “But I did, Master!” Tobias tried to fight it again. Now, though, Master Ral went quiet and gave Tobias a very careful look. Knowing what that meant already, Toby managed to look at least slightly sheepish before going on, “I had a dream. I saw my...my father. It was years ago and...and I’d asked him about why he was never afraid despite all the things that happened to him. And he explained to me that he was...that...that we couldn’t let our fears consume us. We had to face them, not run from them. And then...” Tobias closed his eyes a moment and said more quietly, “And the next thing I knew I was awake...and I knew what I had to do. I’d run...and...and my fear of what I found in that Temple was still there. I had to go back and face it.”    “Tobias...your father...” he stopped a moment there, obviously hesitating and unsure of whether he should go on. But then, after another moment from an uncertainty that Tobias had never seen in the Jedi Master, he said, “Your father gave you very dangerous advice. Sometimes facing our fears when we aren’t ready is the very way they can consume us.”    “But he was right, Master,” Tobias was doing his best to ignore the fact that his Jedi Master had just said things about Jyren that normally would have made Toby very angry, “I went back and saw the same things as before but...but I stood up to him. I faced him and...and I wasn’t afraid anymore. I didn’t hate him. I didn’t fight him. He tried to...to kill me but...but I don’t...I’m not even sure what I did. I just stopped being afraid and then he was gone.”    The words hung in the air for a few minutes, and Tobias carefully watched the Jedi Master, who’s face showed no hint of emotion. It was obvious the Omwati was thinking, but part of Tobias wondered if he was pausing just to make Toby think, too. It would fit with other things Master Ral had done...and it was working, too.    But, finally, the Jedi Master stood up and spoke, “Rest here for another few hours, Toby. I want you to understand why you succeeded this time. I apologize for my slight at your father, but I still wish for you to be cautious. Fears are driven by the Dark Side and they can consume you in many ways...they are not all the same. However, I am glad that his advice has done you well today, and you have made me proud. When you’re ready, I will be meditating outside. After that...I believe you are ready for the next step of your training.”</blockquote>

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