'The force called out to warn us of great danger, or great change.'
'Since master was here, and he seemed calm. I could only think that in this case the latter happened or will happen soon. This, however, only raised more questions. I tried to ask my master, but he raised his right hand pre-emptively, stopping the incoming storm of questions. Holding back my tongue. I chewed on the inside of my lips anxiously; sometimes it was frustrating that he knew me so well…'
'He pointedly looked at my shoes, which were randomly kicked off somewhere beside my bed. Then turned around, and slowly but surely walked out of the room.'
'I panicked a bit, then jumped out of my bed, trying to pull on my shoes as fast as possible. I grabbed the outer part of my robes as well, from the chair, where I had thrown it before I ended up falling asleep. With that done, I ran out of the room, leks flailing in the air behind me, as I closed the distance between me and my master.'
'He had much longer legs, since he was an adult while I was a thirteen-year-old girl. A few years ago, I would instantly start to whine after getting to my master's side following such a rude awakening, but now I knew that it would only lead to some infuriatingly boring punishment, which I had no desire to experience. Not again, anyway.'
'I also realized that my stamina got much better. Not only because I was no longer malnourished. It was just as much thanks to the thin layer of muscles which grew on me because of the training master made me do every single day.'
'We walked through the corridors in comfortable silence, reaching the turbo lift and getting into it. The doors closed with another hiss, and the lift started its descent.'
'Simultaneously, I also descended into my thoughts. The only place I was comfortable enough to completely let my guards down was in the presence of my master. Soon, I felt a touch on my right shoulder. I looked up, realizing that the door was open, and master was looking down at me with a knowing look in his brown eyes.'
'I walked out of the lift in my embarrassment, taking up the lead for a few seconds, only to realize that I did not know where we were heading. With a slightly reddening cheek, I stopped. Looking at the floor wordlessly, while master took back the lead with an amused smirk. I followed him without a squeak.'
'We reached the door of master's private meditating room.'
'My eyebrows rose a bit from surprise; I was never allowed to enter this room. Yet now, the mysterious doors slid apart and master walked into the room, urging me to follow him. I hesitated for a few seconds, then stepped inside the room. The door closed behind us and a strange feeling immediately made me stop in my tracks. My body suddenly felt heavy. I looked around skeptically. It was a hazy and empty room.'
"Empty?" — 'I voiced my concern, surprised by my own observation. I looked around one more time; I couldn't see master at all.'
"Master?" — 'I called out to him again.'
"Your master is dead." — 'A cold, terrifying voice appeared behind me. I spun on my heels, my blue lightsaber activating in mid-motion, scattering the crawling shadows around me.'
"No need to be scared." — 'Sounded the voice again. This time, it seemed to come from everywhere. I could not pin down the source of it. The shadows on the edges of the room started to move slowly, encircling me.'
"You will join him soon." — 'The voice appeared behind me once again. I turned to face it and froze.'
"Ma-master?"
"I see you recognize me. Now kneel, and join by my side as my one and only apprentice… or die." — 'Those words were spoken with deceptive ease, yet they contained so much terror within. There was no doubt inside me that he meant what he said and that realization terrified me even more.'
'I felt an urge, a hunger to submit, to kneel and be on my master's side forever.'
'My resolve weakened, and my knees started to buckle on their own. Faced with the terrible threat… The sense of fear began to numb my limbs and thoughts.'
'Before my knees could give out completely, our eyes met, and I froze again. The warm brown eyes of my master were nowhere to be seen. Instead, I saw a golden gleam and a wide grin on his usually solemn face. It was repulsive. Endless greed and blood-thirst contorted his tender yet strict features. However, behind the prideful facade, I could only sense pain, sorrow, and regret too.'
'My whole body shuddered as the multitude of emotions resonated through me. Their source was my loved master, no he… it was no longer my master, but something else.'
'I couldn't let that creature possess my dear master's body any longer.'
'My resolve steeled, I stood tall again. Vision blurred from the slowly forming tears appearing in my eyes. I finally understood what had happened, and what I would have to do next.'
'I stood in a fighting style I learned from master, form seven Juyo, the most aggressive form I knew of, while simultaneously beginning to feed on the emotions that master projected, gathering and enforcing my will and strength with them.'
'I knew that I had no chance to win without doing my utmost and even then; it was hopeless. I decided to use this dangerous fighting style that fed on negative emotions because I hoped to surprise mas-... no, this creature and kill it with a suicide attack. Throwing my defense aside, I was about to jump when a familiar voice stopped me.'
"Enough!" — 'I blinked, looking around, confused. The shadows disappeared, the cold and pressuring presence receded. The room seemed perfectly normal, only oh.'