C15 The Sith & Balance?

C15 The Sith & Balance?

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On his first day of training with his Sith Master, Peter found himself in a frenzied escape, circling the shrine like a mad man, running for his life. Behind him, Darth Revan, his ghostly master in the dark and twisted ways of the Sith, pursued with relentless determination, his lightsaber casting a sinister glow that painted the ground in hues of red and orange.

Peter's heart pounded in his chest, each beat a loud drum echoing the rhythm of his force empowered sprint. His breaths were sharp, curing through the silence of the underground. "This is insane!" he shouted to no one in particular, half-laughing, half-crying at the absurdity of his situation.

Revan seemed to savor the chase. "Faster!" he called out, the malicious amusement clear in his voice. "Your life quite literally depends on it!"

The chase went on, minutes stretching into what felt like hours, the relentless pace a brutal reminder of Peter's weak body.

His limbs felt heavy, each movement a testament to his determination and will to survive, his earlier laughter long gone, replaced by a very real need to survive.

At first, it was kind of fun to run around with the force propelling his body forward, but as the minutes turned into hours, and the personification of death hot on his tail, swinging his lightsaber like a maniac, Peter began to lose all hope.

"Okay... You can stop now!" Peter shouted behind him, but Revan didn't seem to be listening.

Instead, he swung his sword at Peter's leg, chuckling as his apprentice leaped away.

Finally, after spending a majority of the night struggling to survive, Revan relented, "Alright, that's enough." He said, not winded whatsoever.

After all, he's a ghost.

Instantly, Peter collapsed, his body screaming in protest, his lungs begging for air. His whole being ached, the after affects of overusing the force straining his body.

Exhausted, he lay sprawled on the cold, stone floor before the imposing steps of the Sith shrine. His breath came in heavy, labored gasps, each one a testament to the grueling ordeal he had just endured under the watchful eye of his sadistic master.

The latter sat perched on the steps, his lightsaber extinguished, a small, satisfied smile playing on his lips as he observed his pupil's struggle to regain composure.

"What did you learn?" Revan's voice cut through the heavy silence of the chamber, imposing with a hint of amusement.

Peter's reply came between breaths, laced with a mix of exhaustion and defiance. "That you're a sadistic psychopath that preys on children?"

Revan's response was a snort, his hand instinctively reaching for his lightsaber. But before his fingers could graze its hilt, Peter hastily added to his answer, a sense of urgency in his voice, driven by a genuine fear of enduring more 'training.'

"I learned... to run for my life," he managed to say, his tone serious yet hinting at the underlying humor he found in the absurdity of his situation.

And lastly, in the Trial of Spirit, Peter would have to face himself in a mirror-like lightsaber duel. Those who come out victorious have the will and determination needed to overcome their own shortcomings and rise above the rest.

"Is there a trial for handsomeness and charm?" Peter finally managed to quip, breaking the heavy silence.

Revan's response was a rare, genuine laugh. "Sadly, no. The Sith can be charming in many ways, but its power that ranks the highest in the hierarchy. You can be an ugly mute, but if you're powerful in the force, the Sith will respect you..."

"Huh, makes sense, I guess..." Peter muttered, "For psychopathic Sith's, I mean..."

Ignoring Peter's backhanded comment, Revan stood tall and imposing as he fixed Peter with a gaze that commanded attention. "Now, sit up. It's time to meditate on the Code of the Sith." His voice was stern, allowing no room for protest. He recited the code once more, emphasizing each line with a solemnity that filled the chamber, "Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken."

Peter, still on the floor but now propped up on his elbows, grimaced. "Yeah, about that... If I meditate on that, I'm pretty sure I'll end up a psychopath like you. No offense." He wasn't ready to surrender his sense of self to a creed that would no doubt turn him into a monster.

Revan's expression darkened at the comment, but he held back any retort. Instead, he simply nodded, acknowledging Peter's resistance.

Peter, sensing an opening, pressed on. "What's wrong with the Jedi code, anyway? Isn't there some kind of middle ground?"

Of course, Peter had his problems with the restrictiveness of the Jedi code, but at the end of the day, he'd rather be a sane Jedi, than an insane Sith...

With a sigh, Revan recited the Jedi Code, his tone dripping with disdain for its teachings. "There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force." He shook his head. "It denies the very nature of life, Peter. Life is emotion, chaos, and, yes, death. The Jedi seek to deny reality itself."

Peter rubbed his chin, thoughtful. "Okay, I see your point. The Jedi code is a bit... unrealistic. But turning into an emotion-fueled powerhouse doesn't sound too appealing either. Isn't there something else? Another way?"

Revan smiled, as if expecting his student to ask this, he spoke. "There might be. It's called the Grey Jedi Code."

He then recited the code: 'Flowing through all, there is balance. There is no peace without a passion to create. There is no passion without peace to guide. Knowledge fades without the strength to act. Power blinds without the serenity to see. There is freedom in life. There is purpose in death. The Force is all things and I am the Force'

"It recognizes the complexity of the Force and of life-"

As Revan's voice trailed off, Peter felt a strange calm descend upon him. The words seemed to echo in the vast emptiness of his soul, weaving through the shadows and illuminating a path Peter had never imagined.

Without realizing it, he had closed his eyes, his breaths deepening, each inhale drawing in the Force around him, and each exhale releasing a built up stress, which he didn't even notice until now.

'Was the Jedi code harming me in some way?' He wondered as he continued to recite the grey Jedi code in his head.

In this state of deep meditation, the lines between the light and dark blurred. Peter could sense the Force as a whole, not divided by ideology but as a spectrum of endless possibilities. It was as if the very essence of the universe was speaking to him, whispering secrets long kept from those who chose only to see in absolutes.

"?" Revan's eyes widened as he watched Peter lift off the ground, his body radiating pure force energy.

To be continued...

A/N: 2027 words :) BTW, Revans situation is complicated, which is why he doesn't recall his own grey code. All will be explained in time. Ps- I'm writing 4 chapters on patréon today, if anyone's interested