Prompt:
(Y/N) is relentlessly training to impress Merrin and join the cause against the Empire.

Not a Request ♥︎

Part 2! Revival

He/Him❥

1st POV
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Days of training transformed into weeks, and then into months. Vigorous exercises and endless techniques just so I can see Merrin once again and help with the fight against the Empire. Merrin's face constantly echoed in my mind. I won't ever let her down. In the past months, I had obtained quite an arsenal to train with. It was mainly so I could equip Cal and his friends up with more ways to defeat Lord Vader.
Lord Vader... that name brings chills down my spine. Even his name can have a great affect on a person.

How do I know when I'm ready? This was a constant question in my mind. I couldn't even make Master Cere Junda break a sweat in our sparring match. She wasn't even using a pinch of her true abilities against me. What was considered ready? I definitely have improved with both lightsaber combat and with my knowledge in the force, yet I still feel like that's not enough. I still feel like the fearful Padawan I once was.

In front of me laid a dummy made of straw, which already had numerous holes from my lightsaber getting drove into it. I had also had many real targets, such as Stormtroopers who had happened to wander upon Kahsyyyk, expecting only the Wookiees to keep them company. Their mistake.
I have noticed my anger towards the Empire was increasing steadily as the days went by. Younglings like myself and Cal... our Masters taken from us. It never really clicked until Cere spoke to me all those moons ago. The Jedi Order is dead. My home is gone. Cal is the only one who made it. Anakin Skywalker betrayed us all.

I shout angrily, and send my lightsaber into the straw dummy once more, "I will kill you myself, Skywalker!" I shout, pulling the thrown lightsaber back into my outstretched hand thanks to the force, "I will gut you, and scatter your remains all across the galaxy. I will destroy you!"
It was obvious that Vader couldn't hear my threats, and honestly, they were said through anger. There's no way I could kill the chosen one, but it's my responsibility to try at least.

Sweat beaded down my forehead and soaked my training robes. Kashyyyk was humid to say the least. While Tatooine was just plain-old hot with little to no humidity, the jungle planet of Kashyyyk was the complete opposite. It had a nice breeze rippling through the trees, but the humidity made you feel as if you're walking with a Gundark on your shoulders.
Breathing in, I begin to settle my anger down. My heart beat begins to settle, and I can finally concentrate. Not on Skywalker. Not on Merrin. Just getting better at sword combat and force focus.

I could sense Merrin, though. Her heartbeat, her breath. Her everything. She hadn't felt this close since the moment she left me alone on Kashyyyk,
"Wait," I murmured, sheathing my lightsaber and glancing up towards the brightened sky; shielding my eyes with my arm, "I can feel her?"

Right as those words left my lips, a familiar ship zoomed across the sky. A smile rose to my face, and I immediately abandoned training to race to meet the newcomers. They weren't newcomers, not really. Cal is there, as is Cere and that odd alien pilot named Greez. Most importantly, I can feel Merrin.
The ship docked very sloppily on the surface of a tree. The Wookiees made it that way on purpose so the Empire would have a harder time docking without being seen,

"It's been a while," I commented as the bay doors opened; Cal Kestis exiting, followed by the others, "I was beginning to think Vader took care of you before I could join the fight."

"You could never be that lucky," the voice of Merrin spoke up; my heart jumping into my throat, "And neither could we. I think we'd consider ourselves lucky if we died before having to see you again." She was smirking, so I know she doesn't mean it. I smirk back.

Cere cleared her throat and locked eyes, "Reunite later. This is important."

I lead the small group, minus Greez, to my little home. It was a wooden structure that the Wookiees made for me when the Jedi Order originally fell. They were still allied to the Republic, and had no reason to not believe my story. Now, they all seem to disappear... no one visits anymore,

"It's not much," I begin, swinging open the door, "But it's safe. No one from the Empire can hear what we say."

They all sat down; their faces illuminated by my small fire in the centre of the hut, "Vader is kidnapping Jedi," Cere began, "Which isn't new news. The Inquisitors are the result of this terrible torture. But, Cal has located where they're being kept, and we are going to destroy it and rescue as many Jedi as we can."

I don't know what I was expecting, but this wasn't it. I was expecting 'Oh, (Y/N), we would like to test your abilities as a Jedi once more. It's been months and we expect improvement.' Not just throwing me into combat without even analyzing if I'm ready or not.
I swallowed hard and nodded, "Okay. I'm in. What can I do to help?"

"We have a plan. It's risky but it's the best option we have against the Empire," Merrin commented, glancing over at me, "And it lies on yours, Cere's and Cal's shoulders: as Jedi at least."

The group quickly explained the plan: Greez would fly us out to a desolate and otherwise abandoned planet by the name of Nur. Vader would likely be there, as would a handful of Inquisitors that hadn't been given a mission yet, which is why it's important for us Jedi to perform flawlessly. We would be in groups— Cere and Cal in one, and Merrin and myself in the other. Cere and Cal would look for the Inquisitors, and attempt to assassinate Vader, while myself and Merrin would hunt out any Jedi who was trapped there. Yeah, easy enough. Sarcasm... yeah that's sarcasm.

Greez was more than unenthusiastic about seeing me again. I don't care, though. He still looks like an underdone potato, and I don't, so who's winning here? Exactly.
I will give credit where it's due, and Greez deserves it. He's a very talented pilot; could even rival Anakin Skywalker himself. Greez quickly sped us away from Kashyyyk, and within half an hour, we were looking at the surface of Nur. My heart leapt into my throat. It was as if the force was begging me to stay away from this evil planet. The Dark Side was so prevalent on this planet.

Merrin gripped my shoulder and shot a small smile on my direction, "I'm no Jedi, but I can feel it too. That dark feeling. It's the Dark Side, isn't it?"
I silently nod, secretly appreciating her touch despite it being against the Jedi Code. The Jedi are dead, so it matters not,
"It is," I reply, my eyes not leaving Nur's surface, "I will never understand how anyone can consistently live with that amount of dread and despair everyday of their lives. The Sith must live in endless suffering."

Cere nodded from across the room, "Dread and despair brings strength, but strength in the Dark Side leads to suffering. No matter what Nur offers, I need all of you to remember that. We are Jedi."

Cal's lightsaber was already in his lap; his BD droid clicking anxiously while sitting on his shoulder. I hadn't even noticed the little droid before. It was so quiet... as if it was nervous for this trip. Must be a special droid to understand human emotion like that,
"Ready to take back what was stolen from us?" I asked Cal, feeling a small amount of excitement over the fact that we could avenge our lost masters, but he just shrugged. I left it at that.

I turned back towards Merrin and handed her a blade; my understudy lightsaber that was given to me only a few moons before Master Plo was taken from me, "You're strong in the force," I began; laying the weapon into her palm, "I trust your judgement, and I would feel safer if you were protected too. I can only do so much if we come in contact with Vader."

"I don't want your weapon, Jedi," she responded, pushing it back into my hand, "The force is strong within me, sure, but I'm no sword fighter."

I pushed it back, "Please. You never know unless you fight. Adrenaline and the force work in mysterious ways. If you use it right, you could become a better swordsman than Kestis over there."

Cal exhaled sarcastically, but kept his eyes on the planet. I smirked, but turned serious again as my eyes landed on Merrin once again, "I'm serious."

It was Merrin's turn to sigh. She wrapped her boney white fingers around the hilt and nodded, "Fine. But I hardly like this."

"Wouldn't expect you to, Merrin."

☾☾☾☾☾☾

Sneaking through an Empire-infested planet is nearly impossible. Stormtroopers who are just begging for a fight, Inquisitors, and inevitably Darth Vader walk through the shadows of Nur. We had already split off from Cal and Cere, and I could sense how nervous the Dathomirian was,

"Try to calm your nerves," I begin, spinning around a corner, "Any force user will be able to sense your fear. Try to block it out."

I could sense anger overtaking Merrin's fear. At my comment more than likely, "I'm not afraid, Padawan."

A twinge of annoyance flared up, but I quickly muted it. "I'm not a Padawan anymore, witch. I'm just a rebel, same as yourself. We are equals."

"Well, what do we have here?" a voice bounced off the walls from behind us. I was so busy arguing with Merrin that neither of us had sensed the oncoming threat; an Inquisitor, "Your friends are busy with my siblings, so you're all mine!"

I twisted around, pushing Merrin behind me, using myself as a human shield, "I was trained by Master Plo Koon of the Jedi council! I am beyond ready to accept your challenge, worm."
The boy cackled. He couldn't have been older than 18. His red lightsaber unsheathed itself, and we immediately leapt into combat.

Merrin was contemplating jumping in, I could sense it. Her fingers finally ignited the gifted lightsaber after the moments of hesitation; the blue shining across the battlefield.
The Inquisitor's tactics of combat were shaky. He hadn't been trained well before Order 66, and if he had, he'd forgotten it all. He could barely hold both of us back. Hacking and slashing, he was panicking.

"Surrender, and we will let you live," I commented, pointing my (F/C) lightsaber into his face; the colour illuminating off of his helmet.

Merrin snarled and shook her head, "You heard Cere. We kill anyone who gets in our way of rescuing the Jedi. If we let him go, he could warn Vader, then we would die. This is supposed to be stealth."

"We have no quarrel with him," I shot back, "He obviously can't win, and it's not the Jedi way to kill those weaker than us."

The Inquisitor growled at that comment, "You're cocky, Jedi. Your pathetic master should've taught you to never let your guard down!"

Before I could even blink, yet alone pull my lightsaber back up to my face, the Inquisitor swiftly launched his lightsaber through the air; cutting the side of my face open. If the blade hadn't cauterized the wound on contact, I would be swiftly bleeding out.
Merrin let out a battle cry, and quickly lifted the man into the air, using her neglected force abilities. He sputtered and choked on his own saliva. The Dathomirian witch clenched her fist shut, and the man slumped over, dead.
She dropped the body, and sprinted over to my side; abandoning the gifted lightsaber,

"(Y/N)!" she exclaimed, pulling my head into her lap, "Please still be with me! We can't finish this mission without you."

Darkness was all I could make out. I could feel the witch's touch, but couldn't see,

"I..." I murmured out, holding her hand in mine, "I can't see. That bantha fodder attacked me!"

She chuckled lightly and kissed my forehead. It was laced with sadness, "He hit your eyes. There's not much more you can contribute if you're blinded..."

"No," I mumble, pulling myself up to my feet, "There's been blinded Jedi before. I am one with the force. This is no struggle."

Merrin sighed and pulled herself up to meet me, "I'll contact Cere. You can't continue like this."

Before I even had a second to contemplate my next move, I impulsively pulled the Dathomirian into my side; kissing her lips softly. She struggled out of surprise at first, then slowly melted into my side,
"Although I can't see you, it doesn't mean I don't remember how beautiful you are. The force will forever help me see this. Please, don't call Cere. I need to be here to protect you."

Merrin sighed helplessly, but nodded, "I will keep your lightsaber for now. I will be doing the protecting for now on."

I didn't like that, but I just nodded. Anything to be able to complete this mission. My face stung in an unexplainable manner, but I didn't care. I would prove to Merrin that I'm no liability. I am still a catalyst in this mission. In this war. And Merrin would be apart of this as well.

February 8th, 2022