𝔸𝕞𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 » 𝕆𝕓𝕚-𝕎𝕒𝕟 𝕂𝕖𝕟𝕠𝕓𝕚

Chapter 18

Then (12 BBY)

There's something to be said about pain. It teaches the body to endure the stressors around it, whether it be physical, mental or emotional. It teaches endurance and strength.

At least, that's what her previous owner Daaviks told her when she was sixteen.

Azel believed it for the longest time. The pain is a teacher, and you're the student expected to take what is given to you and twist it into something useful. Pain doesn't have to be pain—that was never acceptable working as a slave—pain was a weapon. Pain was a power. Pain would never be a weakness.

That is one of the reasons why Azel pushed to find her mother. The pain was drowning her, but Daaviks gave her a new perspective and she found a way to channel that helpless feeling into something else: determination. Change the feeling, change the focus, and the situation will change.

She set her sights on finding her mother and centered herself on that ever since.

Not once did she think about what would happen after.

Not once did she think about the consequences of her actions.

Not once did she expect her world to fall apart all around her.

The flaw in Daaviks strategy is when the pain becomes too much. When bad things happen consecutively and everything is clouded by suffering. Because the truth is sometimes pain, suffering, guilt and heartbreak are just as they seem. None of it makes you stronger, they don't build character; they only hurt.

How, she wonders desperately with tears streaming down her face, how can you utilize this much pain? What would you have to say to me now?

Her mother is dead and has been for a long time. The person she relied on to teach her and protect her has betrayed her; the very same person she has fallen in love with and equally betrayed, is gone. Not dead but worse; frozen in carbonite and held captive by the Emperor himself. The Emperor that wants her to join his and her brothers side.

How is it things could change so drastically in such a short amount of time?

"Azelynn! We need to go!"

A voice in the bubble of misery. Azel watched as Vader pulled the block of carbonite containing Obi-Wan from the mechanism and check his status. Alive. She stared on feeling numb except for the guilt slowly bleeding through. She could have prevented it, she could have saved him. But she didn't, she let Vader do his deeds and didn't so much as lift a finger to stop him. Even if she failed in doing so, she let this happen. The alarms blared, the ground shifted below her feet and still, she let Vader and his troops escort Obi-Wan from the room. She looked Vader in the eye as he passed and watched them leave. They didn't even bother to take her too.

Now she is standing—no kneeling (when did she fall to her knees?) and staring down at Obi-Wans lightsaber in her hand. The only piece of him she has left, and she doesn't even deserve to hold it.

"Azelynn!"

The compound shakes again and her with it, but this time there are hands on her shoulders trying to get her attention by jostling her. Arrin is in front of her and dragging her to her feet.

It's my fault, she thinks. He should just leave her to die.

"I'm not leaving you."

Did she say that out loud? Does it matter?

"I bypassed their mainframe and placed a bug in the system so the facility is self-destructing..." Arrin goes on explaining in detail what he did, but she's not listening.