Chapter 14

The smell of burning metal filled the air as the Zygerrian boarding party cut through the hull of the Jedi transport. Kaedan Dorn stood at the ready, his twin lightsabers humming with energy, casting an eerie glow over the terrified faces of his fellow younglings. The ship shuddered and groaned around them, a symphony of impending doom.

With a final, ear-splitting screech, a section of the hull gave way. Through the breach poured a wave of Zygerrian warriors, their faces twisted in cruel grins, shock whips crackling with lethal energy.

"Defend yourselves, you must!" Master Yoda's voice cut through the chaos, his small form a blur of green as he leaped into action. "But remember, young ones – a Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack."

Kaedan's mind raced, his adult consciousness grappling with the surreal nature of the situation. This was no longer the realm of fiction or distant galactic history. This was real, immediate, and deadly. Not a fucking video game.

As the first Zygerrian charged towards him, Kaedan's body moved on instinct. He sidestepped the crackling whip, his green saber slicing through the weapon while the purple blade found its mark on the warrior's shoulder. The Zygerrian fell with a howl of pain, but Kaedan had no time to dwell on it and sliced through his skull. Two more took his place, their eyes widening at the sight of a youngling wielding dual sabers with such brutality.

Around him, the other younglings fought with varying degrees of success. Raz, the young Zabrak, managed to disarm one attacker but hesitated at the crucial moment, nearly costing him his life. Teela, the Rodian girl, was using her natural agility to good effect, but the fear in her eyes was palpable.

And then there was Zara. Kaedan's heart clenched as he saw his Twi'lek friend struggling against a particularly large Zygerrian. Her saber moves were textbook perfect, but lacked the conviction needed in real combat.

"Zara!" Kaedan called out, trying to fight his way towards her. "Don't think, just feel! Trust in the Force!"

For a moment, it seemed like his words had an effect. Zara's movements became more fluid, more instinctive. She managed to push back her attacker, a look of surprised triumph crossing her face.

But the triumph was short-lived.

In her focus on the immediate threat, Zara had left herself open. Two more Zygerrians flanked her, exploiting her blind spots. Kaedan saw it happening as if in slow motion, his mouth opening to shout a warning that came too late.

No....

They shoved blades into her at once, while the flash of blaster fire erupted simultaneously. The look of shock and agony on Zara's face. The sickening thud as her small body hit the deck.

"NO!" The scream tore from Kaedan's throat, raw and primal. This wasn't supposed to happen. Zara was innocent, kind, full of life and potential. And now she was gone, her light snuffed out in an instant of senseless violence.

Something broke inside Kaedan at that moment. All his adult rationality, all his Jedi training, all his carefully laid plans for changing the future – they all crumbled in the face of this brutal reality. In their place rose a tidal wave of emotions he had been suppressing since arriving in this world: anger, fear, hatred, and an overwhelming desire for vengeance.

The Force responded to his turmoil, darkness coalescing around him like a mother caring for her child. The temperature in the ship seemed to drop, the very air growing heavy with malevolent energy.

Kaedan's eyes, normally a warm brown, now blazed back and forth between an unnatural amber and brown. His lightsabers, once symbols of justice and protection, became instruments of retribution. He moved through the Zygerrian ranks like a wraith, each strike fueled by rage and grief.

With a twirl of his sabers, he screamed in anger. "DIE!", and that's exactly what they did.

Zygerrians fell before him, their cries of pain and terror barely registering in Kaedan's consciousness. Slicing and dicing them, not chaining his fury whatsoever.

Other younglings, while shaken up at Zara's death, took advantage of the situation and went on the offensive. Shifting the momentum in their favor.

Some even begged for mercy, "Pleazzze, don't kill me! Waa-!!" The Zygerrian was cut off by two sabers lodged in his chest, his skin left sizzling. There was NO MERCY.

Then came another....

In a sudden, fluid motion, the Kaedon spun, his lightsabers slicing through the air with a deadly hum. Kaedan's form was lacking, but his rage had made up for it. The female Zygerrian had no time to react. The blade cleaved through her legs just above the knees, the cauterizing heat instantly severing flesh and bone.

She collapsed to the cold, metallic floor, "ARGHHHHHH!" a guttural scream of agony escaped her lips. The scent of burnt fur and flesh filled the air, mingling with the acrid odor of fear. Her eyes widened in shock and pain as she looked down at the smoldering stumps where her legs had been.

"Zztop! Help me! I beg you, don't leave me like this! Pleazzze, I have childr-!" she cried out, her voice breaking, a mix of desperation and terror. Not even acknowledging her cries, Kadean sliced her head clean off. She clawed at the floor before her death, leaving a trail of blood in her wake. 

All he could see was Zara's lifeless form, all he could hear was the echo of that fatal blaster shot.

Across the small battlefield, Master Yoda himself was cutting down enemies himself. he was like a blur, and they stood zero chance against him. However, during the fight, he felt the shift in the Force like a physical blow. The ancient Jedi's eyes widened in shock and sorrow as he sensed the darkness emanating from young Kaedan. This was more than just the heat of battle or the fear of a child. This was the Dark Side, raw and potent, being channeled by someone with knowledge and power far beyond their years.

The utter brutality....this was not good.

"Kaedan!" Yoda called out while flipping off the wall into another attack, his gravelly voice cutting through the din of combat. "Stop, you must! To the Dark Side, this path leads!"

But Kaedan was beyond hearing. The rational part of his mind, the part that knew the dangers of the Dark Side, had been subsumed by grief and rage. He continued his relentless assault, leaving a trail of broken bodies in his wake. It was simply intoxicating.

The other younglings who had earlier taken advantage of Kaedan's onslaught watched in a mixture of awe and horror. Some even threw up. This was not the Kaedan they knew – the kind, patient friend who had helped them build their lightsabers just hours ago. This was something else entirely, something terrifying and yet darkly compelling. The darkness made them all feel nauseous.

The feeling of sadness clashed with his feeling of hatred.

As the last of the Zygerrian boarding party fell, Kaedan stood amidst the carnage, his chest heaving, lightsabers still humming with deadly intent. 

Master Yoda approached cautiously, his own lightsaber at the ready. "Kaedan," he said softly, his voice filled with compassion and concern. "Over, the battle is. Let go of your anger, you must."

Slowly, as if waking from a trance, Kaedan turned to face the Jedi Master. For a moment, his eyes still burned with an unnaturally pale amber light. Then, as the reality of what he had done crashed over him, the glow faded, replaced by a look of horror and shame.

The lightsabers slipped from Kaedan's grasp, clattering to the deck. He fell to his knees, his body wracked with sobs. "I... I couldn't save her," he choked out. "Zara... she's gone. And I... what have I done?"

How was he going to save the galaxy when he couldn't even save his friend?

Yoda deactivated his own saber, moving to place a comforting hand on Kaedan's shoulder. "Grieve, we all do," he said gently. "But allow the Dark Side to consume us, we must not. Honor Zara's memory, we will, by living as she would have wanted – with compassion and light."

As the adrenaline of battle faded, the full weight of the day's events settled over the survivors. The younglings gathered around Zara's body, their faces streaked with tears. Kaedan remained where he had fallen, the enormity of his actions slowly sinking in.

He had tapped into the Dark Side, and had given in to his anger and fear. In doing so, he had not only put himself at risk but had potentially altered the course of events in ways he couldn't begin to predict. The carefully laid plans, the hopes of changing the future for the better – all of it now hung in the balance.

As the damaged ship limped its way back to Coruscant, Kaedan Dorn faced the greatest challenge of his dual lives. He had experienced firsthand the seductive power of the Dark Side, had felt its strength coursing through him. And a small, terrifying part of him had reveled in it.

The path ahead was now more uncertain than ever. Kaedan knew he would have to face the consequences of his actions, both from the Jedi Council and from within himself. The loss of Zara, the trauma of the battle, the taste of darkness – all of it would shape his future in ways he was only beginning to understand.

As Coruscant grew larger in the viewscreen, his friends took glances at him. But were afraid to approach. Kaedan watched on through the glass, frustration with himself evident on his face.

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A/N: Since this chapter was kind of wild, I'd just like to let everyone know that this was simply a traumatic event for Kaedan and his peers. Don't mistake the sudden change of style as this being a hyper-edgy Star Wars story.