Daylight

47. Old Lectures

Malakai called for an emergency meeting late in the night as Kylo, and I had been there first in the throne room. He had pulled his gloves back on that I didn't know been placed in his pocket as everyone, including Sara and Stefan, had entered as well and joined the meeting, though it wasn't likely for them to show. Not after what had happened to Sara. I was more than tired as my exhaustion kept me half awake against Aidyn's shoulder that he let me lean on as everyone stayed in different areas of the room. A comment came from one of Marcel's guards about my falling asleep position as I lectured him I was awake by calling him a dick. Very few laughed at my comment, but my head and body made it nearly impossible to stay awake as the heavy feeling of sleep weighed me down more.

"We'll send in troops from the First Order." General Hux suggested as he explained how capable his Stormtroopers were against reckless bounty hunters who disobey even them.

"And have half of the Kingdom of Sylas terrified to leave their homes the second more of you show up!? Hell no, it's bad enough now." Stefan instantly lashed out as Sara tried to calm her husband down as Kylo scoffed at his comment.

"If anything, we should send in our troops. They know the area, they've trained in those fields-" Aidyn tried to say as Monroe was next to shoot down his idea but speaking about how they've lost too many men already from wars years past.

"Plus, Sylas doesn't have the workforce to take down; however, many hunters there are left. We don't know their numbers yet, and so far, there've been two killed thanks to Amara." Monroe added onto his comment as he eyed me. I felt my body be weighed down even more as Monroe shouted for me to stay awake from the opposite side of the room.

"My eyes may be closed, but I'm not asleep yet, dick number two," I said with my eyes closed and a smile on my face.

"Why not send in the Jedi then?" My eyes flew open to stare at Kylo Ren as everyone turned their heads to him, pacing around the room.

"Yeah, that doesn't sound dangerous," Monroe spoke low enough for everyone to hear as he moved in his chair uncomfortably.

"From my perspective, I've seen her in action, as well as all of you have. She's strong, powerful, knows how to deliver a good punch, and is quite skilled at fighting. She's your perfect fighter to send."

"She's not going, not without some help," Malakai exclaimed, his worry as Aidyn and I looked up to him from our seated positions on the steps leading up to his throne. And honestly, I agreed with him, and so did his youngest.

"She won't be. I'll be going with her. They want the Jedi, they'll have their bait, and before they can do much harm to Amara, I'll force them out with my powers within the force, and we'll both be safe." He explained it in such a calm state; it almost sounded too good to be true, like there was definitely something he was hiding or something missing.

"You're not baiting Amara. What if something happens to the both of you down there and one or the other gets trapped? That temple was sunk under the ground because it couldn't withstand the nature around it decades ago! One wrong move using the force, and you'll be trapped down there with those hunters." Sara was the one to speak as well as stand as she put her two cents in. She sounded terrified of Ren's idea, and honestly, I also agreed with her.

"We're running out of ideas that'll work then." Aidyn quietly whispered as I angled my head to look up into his eyes as I saw the worry and fear.

"No, we're running low on good ideas that won't get people killed. Help me stand, Aidyn." As I asked him to help me, many people in the room watched with curiosity as I balanced myself from the tip of exhaustion, straightened out my tank top, and walked off the throne's stairs. Luckily with everyone bickering about different things, I thought of something that would help us.

"Stefan, Monroe, and I are the only skilled and titled Jedi in Sylas. Maybe we should go." I suggested as it was silent for only a second before Kylo Ren laughed, and Hux just smiled wide.

"That's your big plan, Djinn?" The way Kylo spoke these words made me want to feel threatened as he kept his dark back to me, but like everyone else who couldn't see his face, it was more than just a taunt.

"Well, it's one of them," I said as innocently as I could while pulling my hands behind my chest as that did force Kylo around and everyone's eyes on me.

"And the other, my dear?" Malakai spoke with a weary tone, as if not liking what I was putting out already. I only had two ideas. One would work more than the other, which was consequential to only me, sadly.

"You send me down there. No one else." The entire room went ballistic, which I foresaw as comments overlapped each other, fighting ensued, and the only person I wanted to let in was Monroe. Because he would know what I wanted to do. We had done it before, and it did work. Looking over at Monroe, his eyes shot up the moment they met mine as I pointed a finger to my temple, releasing a wall within my mind for us to connect.

Force Projection. I thought to Monroe as our conversation cycle put everyone on edge because no one could hear us.

Mara, that's just as worse as the first plan.

Not just any projection. The one my parent's used all the time.

It could go south fast. You know that. I've never heard him be so negative about something we've done before.

Not if I can anchor myself to an object of the Jedi and use that.

It's not a place that's good for that. Amara, it's a Jedi Temple.

Yeah, I know that. The force lingers around that place. It's perfect.

You'll lose control.

We've done this before, and it worked.

You almost died.

"Can someone please share their thoughts on what you're thinking about and let the rest of us know what's going on!?" Sara screamed at Monroe and me as we turned to look at a very livid Sara. Not to mention, I felt a pair of hazel eyes on me but ignored them.

"I'm sure whatever they're conversing about isn't good. They always do this when it's too dangerous for others, so they try to do it themselves." Aidyn spoke to interfere with everyone talking over the other as Kylo's eyes caught mine now. His body was facing towards me as something lingered in his eyes.

"Why him?" Kylo asked as he stayed where he was but kept his eyes on me when I answered.

"Because he can...do things, not many people can with me. So to speak."

"He's not the only force sensitive being in this room, Amara. You could try to give everyone a chance, you know." Aidyn spoke again as I hushed him by pointing a finger his way.

"First of all, you're too young to go through with what I want to plan, so you're not going anywhere. Second, yes, I see that there are others in this room, but, again, with what I want to try and do, Monroe's the only one who's done it with me and succeeded. Third, I don't want to try this with anyone else." I couldn't help but let out the third as Kylo definitely got angry with that as he strutted towards me and towered over me, as usual, anger just at a simmer around him.

"And why is that, Amara? Does it have to deal with trusting your partner? Because last I check, you and I are partners on this little mission." When his voice dropped, I knew I was close to telling him what he wanted to hear, but the moment that thought left my own brain, I felt Monroe stand up from his seat behind me. And now I feel like a dick sandwich.

"Because I'm the only one capable of releasing the power she needs to use the Jedi technique to kill them. She wants to use a special kind of Force Projection to use against them, one only her parents knew how to use, one I was taught how to use with her when we all lived here several years ago. I don't know about you, Kylo Ren. Still, it takes a lot of trust and patience. Power to keep her alive during that projection, even if she anchors herself to an object, like she was taught, to keep the connection stronger-" Monroe was interfered by Ren as he pointed a gloved finger just above my head as Ren looked away from me.

"What makes you think she'll trust you now, Clarke? It seems to me she hates you just as much as-.

"I hate the First Order and the Dark Side for destroying everything I hold dear and loved?" I question Kylo while angling my head to see his reaction as he dropped his head down to look at me from Monroe.

"No, nothing can beat that kind of hate. Besides, Monroe's the only one who can do it with me because it's just as he said. My parents taught him how to do it with me, and I don't trust anyone else. Even the Sylas brothers were never taught, and they're like brothers to me." I truthfully spoke as I turned my head at an angle to look back at Monroe.

"Head to my father's vault. I'll meet you there in two." Monroe left the throne room in silence without a single word as my plan angered various people, but mainly Ren hated it, and I knew for one reason.

"Amara"

"Protection is not your strong suit, Ren. Not anymore, at least. Let the real Jedi do their job for Sylas. Please." And with my final words of defeat against Ren, I walked silently out of the room, too, not once looking back.

***********************

After heading down confusing hallways and circling tunnels that overlapped one another, Monroe held my hand all the way up to the steel vault that hid generations of Jedi treasures behind it as an unsettling feeling came over me. I knew Monroe could feel it as he felt it too. We both hadn't been down here since my parents' death and the change I went through because of Skywalker's temple being destroyed. It wasn't heartbreak that I felt, just sorrow and an ache in my heart for not having the chance to save them, let alone the power to do so. Letting him sense my emotions and hear my thoughts, Monroe intertwined our hands out of reassurance as we used the key from the library to open the steel vault. Opening the heaviest door I've ever opened in my life, Monroe and I walked in and instantly started to find the cluster of crystals I needed to complete my little collection.

"How do you know it's still down here? How do you know they didn't move it to your mom's vault in Pasaana?"

"Well, we don't, but everything here has been cataloged, so I know it has to be here, but it was here a few years ago. Okay, it's not like anyone can break into this place without being either related to me or force sensitive."

"Stefan's force-sensitive, Aidyn is, Kylo Ren is, the padawans you're hiding here are force-sensitive-"

"Okay, I get the big picture! Just don't mention them when Ren's still somewhere in the castle. I don't want him going off and becoming like his grandfather to destroy them out of hatred for a bad experience." I said while shuffling through old and updated books on Resistance ships and computer systems, wondering why those were down here as he looked around statues and bookshelves.

"You can't hide them from him forever." Taking a deep breath of air in as he said this, I knew he was right. Placing a book down on the table, I looked around at everything covered in layers of dust and cobwebs.

"I know. It's only a matter of time, and sadly, time is never on my side. Yeah, I know, but with him and me and you all here for at least one more day, they should be fine."

"Keywords should be. Hey, what is the object we're looking for again? Crystals?"

"A cluster of crystals gathered together on one base to represent the life force of Light, Dark, and the Gray Area. I have the Light and Gray; I need the-" I stopped talking long enough to see the cluster sitting on a bookshelf all alone in the far corner of the room as Monroe crossed over to me when something felt off. We both could feel it as something made me turn around but saw nothing.

"Please tell me someone's not trying to force project themselves in here?" Monroe asked as if suspecting what I thought I saw and felt but shook my head.

"Not down here they didn't. Although-"

"I knew you were hiding something. What is it now?" He pushed as the thought of Hope raced through my mind as I knew he caught a glimpse of her.

"Her name is Hope. Force-sensitive, and she's strong. Strong enough to connect with me, which even for Ren, it's not easy. I think...Skywalker's connecting us."

A million things rushed through his head. I could see it and feel it. Lots of negative emotions; one was anger for me, not telling him earlier. But I could see him slowly starting to understand. Hope was already in danger. Letting him hear some of my exchange of words with Hope, he could see the Mir'Ang were after her too, not just me.

"She's like you, isn't she? A siphoner." He looked down from my left side as I nodded once. Sighing out while rubbing his face with both hands, he nodded a few times, signaling me he understood but how much.

"You realize Ren can't know about her, right?" I warned him as he kept nodding his head before walking over to the lone bookshelf to grab the cluster of crystals.

"You don't know where-"

"Hope doesn't even know where she is. So how could I find her? It seems based on the Mir'Ang hunter from yesterday evening, and what I know from Hope, Skywalker knows something about her location, and if I'm meant to help her, it looks like Ren won't be the only one hunting Luke down."

"At least you have a reason to hunt down your old Master."

"Yeah, well, I didn't want to end up like Ren, and now- You know what? Let's get out of here."Before I could even think about taking a step away from him, he grabbed my arm as it made me spin around to look back at him, and I saw it. Fear.

"You and I both know I won't push myself to that side, like ever."

"Not even to be with him?" I thought about Monroe's words for a minute or two. But I knew my answer, and now, he would too.

"Remember the first lesson my father taught you?"

"Barely. Why?"

"Trust your instinct, kid. I believe that's what he said to you a few times, wit or without me in the room." I said with a smile only he could ever see as he returned it.

"He said it more than a few times. But, your point?"

"Daylight, Monroe." Laughing at my words, he looked away for only a moment before looking down at me again, watery eyes looking into mine. Ah, I got him.

"Saving Ben Solo. Got it. Let's go."

*******************************

My father's words repeated in my mind as everyone had their eyes on me. Some filled with fear of losing me, Hux was taunting me for being close to my deathbed, Ren wouldn't even look me in the eye directly, and Marcel kept the room in order and silence as I approached the stone slab I was meant to lay on to project myself. Ren questioned if this would even work though it wasn't something he remembered Luke teaching us. Luckily, Luke couldn't teach them something like this because it was different.

"It'll work." I pointed out to him as Stefan and Monroe helped me onto the slab table.

"We've done this before." Monroe's tone was cold, emotionless but not to me as we saw into each other's minds when he spoke. Both of us were scared for good reasons. Placing the crystals as the slab base in three places, we were almost ready as I had to decide one last thing. Who, other than Monroe, would anchor me here?

Stefan volunteered first. Then Aidyn, but we all knew he was too young to do such a dangerous task. Lecturing Ren about this technique, Malakai warned it had to be someone of great importance to me, and it wasn't just based on trust. It was also highly based on keeping me alive, staying in control of the power I held, and guiding me home when the fight was long over. I turned down Stefan, knowing he wasn't as strong with the force as I was, especially since he stopped practicing and using months ago. Meaning, my last option was the last person I wanted to be linked to.

"Looks like the last person you wanted has been chosen for you already," Kylo spoke as he stepped up to the table and gripped my hand with a force that surely would bruise tomorrow. Yeah, unfortunately. Monroe placed his free hand on my calf, taking a deep breath as I shakily let out the breath of air.

"I know you can do this, Amara. Trust that we'll be here, helping along the way." With an emotional look on his face as I felt it through his hand in mine, I placed my lightsaber in my right boot to remember it was there as I laid back on the cold, hard table.

"Don't let go," I warned both of them as they nodded, but only Monroe understood as he switches hands with mine, making me grip his non-dominant hand, his left hand.

"Trust your instinct, kid," Malakai spoke from across the room as he sat in a chair like every older man would do as I just smirked. Calming my head and my body, I felt myself beginning to slip into the unknown, the Force around me lifting, calling me to it: the light, the Dark, and the in-between. I could feel everything heighten all at once as I closed my eyes, feeling peaceful since coming here.

"If I start bleeding-"

"We won't let go," Monroe said as I felt his grip tighten on my left hand. Following a few seconds later was Ren tightening around my hand.

"If my body starts convulsing-"

"We're not letting go," Kylo spoke up this time, but his voice was soft, pure. He sounded like a very protective Ben Solo. Letting out my last breath that made my lips shake, I felt something on my head, a gloved hand, rubbing strands of my hair along with their fingertips.

"Let go, Mara." Were the last words I heard Kylo say before I opened my eyes to see a group of ugly men that hated the sight of me. It made me smile.

"Baby, let the games begin."