The Beginning of the End
Somewhere, long ago, in a galaxy, far far away…
There is a massive storm brewing. Any nearby planets and civilizations are up in arms, tensions rising with every new development that came to fruition. Two amassing powers vying for control over the other, between two deadly militias with mystical powers of connecting with a mysterious energy called the Force. War had been raging for many years, leaving many planets and civilizations to doom and or utter extinction in the pursuit of power. Yet for every single step forward, the other side would quickly settle the score, only taking more lives with each advancement. The planets and people waged in this deadly gamble were growing displeased, as no end of the war seemed to ever come despite many wasted years, effort, goods and lives. Many allies on both sides were losing faith in their sworn protectors, whose promises of safety and peace only kept leading to more and more death. But, by an unknown shift of power and the Force, could change the future for both sides as they know it. Will both sides of good and evil, and all those caught in the middle manage to survive the drastic forces about to come into play? Only time would tell, as the lives of two young boys unfold before them, their lives unknowingly already deeply intertwined with the Force, and with each other.
The sounds of sleepy yawns, murmured voices and giggles filled his ears. Pretending to be asleep was easy. ACTUALLY SLEEPING, was a whole different story. It meant it was time to wake up. Blast. Not another day… Slowly, he rolled over on his cot, doing his best to look like he’s still deeply locked in the depths of slumber. In reality any time he did sleep, he doesn’t think he dreamed. HE FELT. The strong connection of life, how he could feel the entire room around him. Every single padawan, their hearts (or similar organs) beating, and if he focused hard enough, he sometimes could get glimpses into their dreams. None of the other younglings ever spoke about being able to do such a thing. Perhaps it was all just a dream. A crippled human like him, having a stronger connection to the Force out of a group of padawans as large as 100? What utter nonsense.
As expected, and like clockwork, he heard the very slow but methodical footsteps, though quieter than a scurrier, Viktor knew those footsteps ANYWHERE. Master Heimerdinger would be proud of his improvement in stealth, but like always he could never resist giving himself away right before he pounced with a playful “RAWR!” A loud yelp escaped Viktor’s lips, as he felt a small boy gently hug him from behind, before laughing as the two quickly devolved into play fighting. Very short messy black hair was all he could see, before he poked the kid in question in the ribs gently with his finger.
“Jaaaaayce! You’re squishing me!” Viktor teased, when in reality he was at least 2 inches taller than Jayce. For whatever reason, a faint whisper in the back of his mind seemed to sense that… LATER… the tables would drastically turn. It was ridiculous, Jayce was a pretty small kid from Ferrix. Even for a typical human, he was small for his age. Then again, so was he. Two scrawny lil humans desperately trying to make things work among a large group of kids who are predominately NON human species. There was another young padawan, a pretty girl named Sky, but she was pretty shy and tended to stay close with the other females in their padawan group. So, most of the time it was just the two of them, which personally Viktor never minded.
Jayce slowly rolls over, laying besides Viktor on simple cot, with the starry night blue blanket with a golden under side, with embroidered white stars with some light dusty blue and yellow ones. It was a very small but important memento of Jayce’s past. To both Viktor and Jayce, it was the most important memory they shared over 4 years ago when they met. And how by one single small act of kindness, it had tied Jayce and Viktor together for many years. And how it held so many happy memories, all of them woven so tightly with the though and presence of Jayce. Yet, when he first met him, things were not nearly as peaceful as he felt laying by the most important person in his life.
A small frown formed on Viktor’s face, as a long-forgotten memory slowly drifted through his mind. When he first met him… How small, thin, and frail he was when he was brought from his home planet, Zaun. Jayce’s master, Grand Master Heimerdinger, a strange looking bipedal gerbil looking creature with electric yellow fur and a large bushy white mustache and piercing evening blue eyes, asked Jayce to go fetch Viktor a blanket. A kid, just a few years shy of his age, with beautiful sandy tan skin, a bright smile with a small gap between his two front teeth, jet black hair and his eyes. Almost a golden yellow, brimming with curiosity and full of life. And warmth. The way just from just SEEING each other for the first time, Jayce smiled and waved, before zipping off after Heimerdinger had to remind Jayce a SECOND TIME about the blanket with a soft chuckle.
There was no stopping him when he set his mind to it. Watching Jayce zip between legs slide under other Jedi masters’ legs to get that blanket and getting scolded. Every Jedi he nearly toppled was met with a loud “SORRY!” closely following each angry “JAYCE TALIS!!!!!”. The way Master Heimerdinger rolled his eyes and shook his head with a “So full of energy. And mischief.” Eager and as chipper as ever, Jayce zipped off with a speed and determination that most kids did not have. Viktor had learned later, that Jayce thrives off helping others, and right off the bat was immediately intrigued by the new potential HUMAN friend. No… It was very different than a friendship. Somehow, Viktor could not find the words for it, but Jayce certainly felt it too. That feeling, a connection. Plus, something about Jayce… Just made him feel instantly safe. Something about his eyes...
There was just… such a calming but protective aura emanating off him, like the Force was telling him that HE was loyal. A protector. And the Force just whispered softly in his mind, his very being, that he was truly something special. And somehow, he would be always by his side, in body mind and spirit, no matter the distances apart. The gleam in Jayce’s eyes when he came back carrying the blanket seemed to say the exact same thing, like for a brief moment their souls had connected on a different level unknown to most Jedi. The potency of the Force that was created from that single second made Viktor’s entire body buzz with a warm fuzzy sensation, before a sudden shift in the atmosphere caused him to flinch… And Jayce immediately picked up on his discomfort before turning and casting a withering glare in the direction Viktor seemed to by shying away from. Perhaps Jayce had felt it too… The way the Force warped, twisted… It was so prominent. Darker. Angrier.
A much more dominating aura floated just out of earshot of the large grizzled human man who found him on Zaun and Master Heimerdinger. Unfortunately, he never caught the man’s name as he preferred to remain anonymous. The two adults were too locked in their conversation about Viktor’s condition and immediately having him fed and medically evaluated to notice it. The JUDGEMENTAL glances from the Jedi Council members lurking just far enough away to pretend to not be involved. A human child who was exceedingly older than most being brought into the Academy. The mocking scoffs and dismissive eye rolls, the snide glances and disapproving glares. The sheer HATRED coming off the group of Jedi, was SUFFOCATING.
It made Viktor’s skin CRAWL, causing a long shiver to wrack his whole body. He felt instantly sick. Viktor didn’t even need to hear what they were saying. He could FEEL IT, his bad leg. His frail body. How it almost seemed CRUEL to send a fragile crippled human child into the Academy, when he would be VERY behind all of his peers his age. And how physically stunted he was. Small. Weak. A WASTE OF TIME AND EFFORT. FILTHY ZAUNIAN. STREET URCHIN. A CHARITY CASE.
All the delicate warmth he felt funneling through his body with Jayce’s bright gaze immediately shifted, making his heart race. The tension in the air, the way their words, their voices, their SPITE OF HIM made him shrivel internally. But there was a soft, alluring voice, just lurking out of sight telling him one day HE would prove them all wrong. Strong… Dominating. Without a doubt a woman’s voice, how easily it wormed it’s way through his mind. And there was nothing he could do to make it go away. It felt… WRONG. Bitter and toxic, like his insides were being rotted out from the sheer hatred alone. Angry, hateful, all-consuming and corrupting. And yet… So TEMPTING.
Yet, the long shadowy traces of that Force lingered in his mind, and locked around his heart. The way the Force, the voice started to speak louder, more demanding. How easily he could tear them down, make them BEG for their lives. Before snuffing out the light, the waste of FORCE they so shamefully abused. What they took for granted. Their inability to accept those who were different… STRONGER. The ones who claim to bring justice and order, yet before him he gets nothing but SCORN AND HATRED? For things out of his control? The Force flickered dangerously for just a split second, as for the briefest of moments, his amber eyes gleamed bright yellow, as that dominating voice, that presence, encouraged him to smite those Jedi worms where they stood. A jedi master being done in by an untrained CHILD? The thought was unthinkable, impossible. Until he proved them WRONG. There was a single moment he nearly thought the voice had gained control over him. his right hand faintly twitched, the Force willingly following his command-
A sudden shadow blocked his vision for a split second, as he felt himself snap back into reality. The young boy, Jayce, had draped a beautiful starry night blanket over his shoulders and head, before popping down cross legged next to him on the ground. The way those emotions so greatly swallowed him whole he didn’t even notice when Jayce had come back, before noticing the pained expression written plainly across Viktor’s face. The way Jayce’s eyes gleamed with such kindness and passion nearly made him tear up. All those dark feelings, horrible tempting words of violence slowly ebbed away, like the sun breaking through the clouds just after a massive storm. For when his heart and mind went astray… That light would bring him back. Jayce’s light, his presence. The Force whispered it gently in his head, his heart... The way Jayce’s smile seemed to chase all those awful feelings away without even trying. Viktor hadn’t even noticed the voice hiss in rage as it slowly lost its grip on his mind, chased off by Jayce’s illuminating presence.
“Hey! Don’t let those stuffy Sith sniffers make you sad! They can go kiss some clanker butts for all I care!” Jayce declared, offering his hand to help Viktor sit down on the ground besides him. With a weak but determined smile, Viktor shakily sat beside him, giggling a bit. When he finally sat next to Jayce, the two had locked eyes. Neither Viktor nor Jayce noticed, as their eyes were transfixed on the others. And the way the adults gazes rested so much heavier on him the moment he and Jayce locked eyes, that odd burst of pure unmistakable POWER from a 7-year-old human, made the entire courtyard go silent and still.
The sound of a fancy Piltover champagne glass hitting the ground and shattering off in the distance finally snapped Viktor’s attention from Jayce’s eyes. It has taken him a couple of seconds to realize the ENTIRE courtyard was silent and rigid. Staring. ALL STARING AT HIM. Even Jayce’s eyes were wide, staring intently at him, for only a second of shock before turning into nothing but awe. The only person that had spoken after that incident was Heimerdinger, who stared at him in disbelief and understanding after uttering a very soft “… Absolutely incredible…” Before smiling at the two, a gentle but warm expression of a mentor watching his pupils spread their wings and fly.
Judging from that glint in his eyes, he knew something they did not, and he could feel it in the way he studied him closely. Almost with a scrutiny, and the way his mustache shifted downward into a concerned frown barely a moment later. The emotion that radiated off him was right on the border of fear, but not quite. It unsettled Viktor DEEPLY. Thankfully, as if on cue, Jayce jumped to his feet, fist clenched and eyes wide. Excited did not even begin to scrape the surface to express Jayce’s reaction.
“WHOA… HOW did you do that?! You’re so strong with the Force and you’re barely older than me- I think! How cool! You’re so… so amazing… You could be stronger than Grand Master Heimerdinger someday!!” Jayce exclaimed, completely oblivious to the stunned tension of the courtyard around them. Clearly, reading the room was NOT one of Jayce’s strong points. But, to Viktor, just to hear such kind words of support made him sniffle a little, before he wrapped his arms around Jayce’s shoulders. Without a moment’s hesitation Jayce instantly returned the gesture, with a gentle smile on his face telling him he’s safe now and it’ll be okay. That he didn’t need to be scared anymore, he was there for him.
After a couple moments, Jayce gently let go with one arm and grabbed the blanket that was knocked off their shoulders. Carefully as he could manage, he draped it over both of them, using it like a shield to block out the rest of the galaxy, even if it was just for a couple minutes. For him, it meant EVERYTHING. Though they had just met, something about that moment stuck with Viktor ever since. Just such a small act of kindness, to a complete stranger, was something he would never forget. And Jayce had given Viktor something so important that day, hope. Since that moment, that blanket had become such an important part of Viktor’s life. Just like Jayce had.
In the stillness of the Padawan sleeping quarters, Jayce and Viktor seemed to drift through that memory like they were reliving it all over again. Even though it had been 4 years since their first meeting, it still felt timeless to them both. Especially when the blanket was laying between them, acting like a shield to the many bad days Viktor endured during his trainings. And his master… The memory slowly faded as Jayce yawned loudly and stretched, shaking Viktor out of his daydream like state. Somehow, Viktor swore Jayce was right beside him the entire time in that memory. It was comforting, and he hated to feel it fade away from him, like a sunset slowly fading into a cool calm nightfall. Deep down Viktor hoped this moment wouldn’t end. The tranquility and peace this moment was just too perfect. Just any moment he could spare to be with him… Plus Jayce looked so comfortable and relaxed nestled next to him… It felt like a dream, like it couldn’t be real-
The sudden and abrupt shift of tension within the room nearly sent Jayce flying off the bed, eyes wide with unspoken terror. The two boys had jumped, and Viktor came dangerously close to bashing his forehead on the bunk above his, as he lost at least two shades of color in his face. That voice- oh no- HE WAS LATE. And major trouble. Blast it all… This day was going to suck…
“Jayce. Aren’t you supposed to be training with Master Heimerdinger right now? And NOT distracting ... my padawan?” The man asked, his hands resting behind his back. The way he practically sneered the words ‘my padawan’ made Viktor’s heart sink again. All he could do was avert his gaze, desperately hoping he wouldn’t end up on light saber polishing duty, AGAIN.
That was what happened when Jayce had mouthed off to him every single time, and the punishments and trainings only got worse with every passing spat between the two. Not to mention how his master took his wrath out on him every time Jayce or a concerned Jedi master would mention… his master’s treatment towards him. Viktor has learned very quickly, the less attention he got from his master, the MUCH BETTER his life would be. One could only take so much… verbal berating and passive aggressive gestures.
“His NAME is VIKTOR… Not that you ever use it.” Jayce snapped viciously at the man; golden eyes gleaming with such a fury Viktor rarely saw flicker in Jayce’s fiery gaze. The snappy remark quickly got a gentle elbowing from Viktor, who cast a pleading glance at Jayce, who very subtly shook his head at him. Viktor’s eyes were BEGGING him not to do this today. Just the way the Force was radiating off about his master was making Viktor’s panic rise. This was never such a deep seeded loathing before, but this time…
Something about the rather ominous expression on his master’s gaze told him this was VERY different from any of their other training sessions. He couldn’t explain it but… Something deep down in Viktor’s gut said… something was going to happen. Something drastic. Something…. Very bad. As expected, Jayce glanced at Viktor with a renewed resilience, chin raised defiantly at the man looming in the doorway of the padawan sleeping barracks.
The man was decently tall, a sour expression on his face and very dark almost empty eyes. Jayce had once joke Viktor’s master had a permanent face expression of sucking on a lemon… A faint but not very full mustache rested on the man’s upper lip, along with faint lines from the constant scowl the man wore. Dark black hair that was slicked back with just a couple streaks of grey peeking through the jet-black hair. It appeared to be silver streaks like shooting stars left behind in the inky black of the night sky. If it were on ANYONE else other than his master, he’d say it was pretty.
The glare that pierced through him to hit Jayce was enough to make him sigh and slowly rise to his feet, grabbing his metal crutch which was tucked snugly between his mattress and the bed frame. That of course did not phase Jayce at all. It was solely encouragement to keep going. The final knife in Viktor’s back. Sometimes he wished Jayce would just leave it be-
“That is JEDI MASTER, to YOU, young padawan. I think I need to have a word with your Master after I train my own student.” Marcus snapped bitterly, and the words that slipped out of Jayce’s mouth made Viktor’s blood freeze solid. BLAST IT ALL JAYCE, Viktor swore inwardly as all he could do was let his shoulders slump in silent defeat. His day was going to be SO MUCH WORSE NOW.
“WELL, maybe if you ACTED like a JEDI MASTER, I would treat you like one.” Jayce said venomously, before fully glaring at Marcus now. The way his master’s face flashed from untampered rage to a silent seething stare was all he needed to know. Oh, HE WAS SO SCREWED…
“Padawan. Go to the training quarters and get started. I need to speak with Grand Master Heimerdinger first… THEN we shall discuss your 5-month punishment.” Marcus stated simply, arms folded neatly behind his back and his chin high. All color drained from Viktor’s face, as he shot Jayce a rather hurt look, before just nodding once and slowly hobbling towards the large cold steel grey metal door frame. The way he walked with his shoulders slumped and his head down low like a kicked dog said it all. Fear. It radiated off him so easily. He hated it. Feeling WEAK. INSIGNIFIGANT. And especially the way his master practically FED OFF IT. That small twinge of hatred and ire flared in the back of his mind and his heart. Whenever that happened, that voice always came back. With a tired head shake to silence the voice for a bit, he continued heading to the training quarters refusing to look back at Jayce a second time.
There was no need to glance at him; he could feel it. The anger, the sorrow, the utter bitter sting of regret. How sorry he was. Jayce’s emotions were so strong he knew he didn’t mean to make it worse. And he had already forgiven him for it. He always did. Somehow, he just knew. Something was about to change, within the near future. But the idea of what or whether it was good or bad, remained hidden. The idea of it made Viktor’s stomach drop. Not a good thing, then. By the time he made it halfway down the hall he heard Jayce’s footsteps scampering off towards Master Heimerdinger’s office. The slower more methodical steps of his master traced after Jayce, but with a lot less haste. The less time he had to deal with HIM, the better, the Force seemed to whisper faintly.
There was a stark shift, suddenly, in his master’s energy, like an idea or a sense of purpose. Before a slow grin formed on his face before casting a glance back at his young padawan. It was ominous, and deeply unsettling. That sudden bad feeling he was sensing, seemed to be radiating from his master. And this time, the Force kept stating this was the necessary path to take. Do not interfere. That it was all for a reason. That set path he was meant to walk. That path to his eventual happiness, his salvation.
Something in the Force whispered and said his happy ever after with Jayce would happen, just NOT in the way they had hoped. After a long and drawn-out series of events, and so much suffering. So much, death so much blood, of all kinds of beings… So much darkness. Pitch blackness. The way the Force flickered dangerously and darkly in his mind each time that Jayce had brought up that secret little home they’d build when their older and run away. To a beautiful secluded moon far away from the Jedi… And how much it would cost them both to get it. Viktor kept that feeling and… desperately and FOOLISHLY hoped it was not a vision, such as the ones Master Heimerdinger spoke of having.
Yet deep down in his heart, he seemed to know better. That he was simply lying to himself, praying hiding the reality staring him in the face would not become real as long as he simply ignored it. It only made the vision and the Force behind it angrier, and MUCH MORE PERSISTENT. And now, he was slowly starting to see the line forming. And unfortunately, his master was about to be the catalyst for possibly the entire galaxy, no even beyond all known galaxies undoing.
And… He was the reason. He was the main cause for so much of the misery and death. Perhaps… by some sheer luck… The Force could steer him down a different path, a gentler brighter future. But he knew deep down it was not to be. With a heavy heart and broken spirit, he headed towards his damnation. There truly was no escaping it. Then, he may as well embrace it. And so, he did. He paused, only for a moment, before gripping his cane a bit tighter. So be it. If it had to be done, it had to be done, he decided. If he was the damnation of the future, at least he’d do it HIS way. The Force couldn’t take that from him, and he wouldn’t let it. With that grim determination, Viktor trundled towards his fate, with a grim determination, knowing fully well, he’d carry the weight of it alone. Resentment.