Entry One
It has been little more than an hour since I found the Collection of Jedi Lore and Prophecy, which Master Jaga Vexani recorded seven thousand years ago. Being
somewhat of a part time scholar, I am so excited and inspired by his work that
I have decided to record my own thoughts on these ancient writings. Master Rook
should be pleased to see what I have discovered - she is also interested in
our history.
I was supposed to go with Anakin to the practice rooms today. Force knows I
could improve my lightsaber technique. But the library beckoned to me, and I
could not refuse its call. Anakin might call me a scholar, but I prefer to think
of myself merely as a student with a thirst for knowledge concerning the past.
There really is a lot to be learned from those who came before us! The ancient
Jedi were in many ways similar to us, but at the same time so very different.
By studying the texts of our ancestors, we can see how things changed and what
mistakes were made along the way. We Padawans are familiar with the stories
of such Jedi as Nomi Sunrider, Ulic Qel-Droma, and even Exar Kun. These are
more recent legends, having only been dead for approximately four thousand years.
But this book of lore goes back further, to a time when today's legends were
not even close to existence.
I find this discovery to be fascinating. It presents Jedi history in a different
light, albeit one that the Masters might not fully approve of. We all know that
there are instances when ancient prophecies have come true and that there have
been prophets in the past. Still, most of the Masters insist that our focus
should be not on the details of every past record but on our present actions
and their future ramifications.
But I have dwelled too long on my own thoughts for now. I feel compelled to
record excerpts from Master Vexani's work, so that I might better compare notes
and study the texts while drawing my own conclusions. Back to my reading!
Entry Two
"In my pursuit of days long past, I have in fact found the secrets
of future generations. Our scions have yet to understand the messages of
the wise sages, the great Masters of the venerable Order of Jedi. Prophets
they were, and storytellers too. I would not so readily discard the words
laid down by their hands. In them are the keys to the hope of the hereafter."
- Jedi Master Jaga Vexani, in the Prologue of his Collection
From Master Vexani's Collection of Jedi Lore and Prophecy,
Vol. 2
Book XVII
4:15-24
And he watched the last rays of the sun shining outward from the mountain,
and in the twilight the dew descended tenderly upon the grass. Wherever
he treads there is silence, like the stillness following the horn's last
call. None who let their eyes rest on him are comforted, for he is shadow
and despair. A ruin, they call him. He is less than a man. In him breathes
the life of a night creature, forever hunting by moonlight. Just as he found
affection among the angels, he now finds refuge in the company of demons.
They torture him and tear at his soul, but he knows not how to escape -
nor does he wish to. This is his curse, his torment. Their rage is his peace.
His peace is war.
And the light vanished from the sky, so that only darkness
remained. He knew not how to find his way home; in the damp fields he dwelled,
until the morning found him chilled and hollow. It is spoken among the cities
that he once melted the hearts of kings with his gaze, till they fought
no longer and let peace reign. Gone are the days of the Suns, who once promised
hope. Their son has made darkness his master...
I have decided to start each entry with at least one quote or excerpt.
As I go along I hope to copy more passages and record my thoughts on them.
As for this particular passage, I find it to be painful and beautiful, strange
as that may seem. (Anakin and Tek would certainly think it odd.) They ask
why I would rather spend time writing a journal when I could be swimming
in the cerulean pools, relaxing in the common rooms, or playing with the
younglings. I tell them those things are all enjoyable, but a Jedi should
also have a knowledge of the past. I insisted that it aids us in avoiding
the mistakes of the past. At this statement, Anakin laughed, though not
in mockery. He has a young spirit - in many ways I think he missed out on
something in his childhood, and he has been making up for it ever since
he came to the Temple. Still, there are times when I see his wiser, more
mature side. He is an incredibly deep thinker, to be honest. Perhaps more
than me. He just doesn't have the patience to sit at a computer for hours,
that's all.
Here I am getting completely off topic. About the passage: I am not sure yet
who or what this refers to, though I think that a little more reading might
shed some light on the subject. I am very interested in this prophecy, if it
is indeed a prophecy. It may not have been completely valid, but it still shows
what the Jedi of the past were like and what kinds of things they thought about.
This son that is referred to in the passage... I wonder if he is truly of
any importance? Perhaps this is more of a folktale, a story passed on by the
Jedi for years and years. I will have to research this more thoroughly.
I cannot help but feel both fear and sorrow when I read this entire chapter.
It is very similar to the excerpt. Some kind of demon or destroyer comes and
conquers all, only to spend his life in grief and exile. There are hints of
a past that may have been glorious, but they are barely a whisper. Very interesting
indeed.
Entry Three
"The entire collection is a compilation of works
by ancient Jedi prophets, scholars, and storytellers. My place in this work
is to pass on the messages in an ordered fashion, so that they might be
studied by future generations. Many of the older writings are done anonymously,
however there are a few exceptions. One Jedi prophet in particular caught
my attention. Her name was Shartasi Mastiff. Most of her recorded prophesies
I have grouped together in Books XVI-XIX." - Jedi Master Jaga Vexani,
in the Prologue of his Collection
Book XVII
9:28-34
Through ice and flame, all was known and quickly forgotten. Those who
once laid low the worlds felt the son's wretched grip. He and his master
snatched up power from the old rulers and made a new reign. All who look
upon the son fail to recognize him; he has left the realm of life. What
was once a promise is now a vile curse upon the lips of the dead.
Oh great hero! What madness has driven you so astray? What bitter seduction
has brought you so low? You tasted the splendor and blindly followed the
tempter. Who can speak of your glory? For you have fallen in the pit, as
filth among filth. You have fallen as a bright star blazes from the heavens,
burning away against the darkness.
And the ground did shake, and he who once lived in light stepped forward
and spat fire upon the worlds, lest they remember what had once been...
I cannot help shuddering at the images that swell in my mind as I read
this. One that stands out in particular is a dark, ghostly image running
away from a monstrous black hole. The hole pulls everything toward it, causing
destruction as it swells and grows larger; but the ghost-man keeps running.
Snow pours onto his body, frosting his hair like icicles on a grizzled old
tree; meanwhile flames lick at his ever-quickening heels. He stops for a
moment and the fire crawls up his body, and he begins to spit this same
fire out of his mouth, burning everything in his path. A truly grotesque
image, and it frightens me to think that this passage could so move me to
have such thoughts.
I have read more than just these passages, but I find myself constantly deferring
back to them. Almost as though they were a familiar tale with which I could
relate. It sounds silly, I know. But there's a feeling I get when I read these
words that I cannot explain. I wonder if Master Shartasi Mastiff felt the same
as I do now. In the inner workings of my soul I must admit that I hope she did.
Anakin just popped into the room unexpectedly. He says that he and Master Kenobi
are heading for a place called Ansion. I honestly have little knowledge of the
place or why he and his master would be called there. Just shows how much I
have been paying attention lately. I must really make an effort to keep up with
galactic affairs - as well as my saber practice. It's just that this collection
is so intriguing. It's very hard to resist the temptation to pour myself into
it for hours on end. No doubt Master Rook is worried about my level of commitment
to these ancient texts. She is interested in history, but she also values good
defense training. I should go to the practice room with Tek. He loves to spar.
Yes, that's what I'll do. I'll go spar with Tek. Maybe I'll be able to think
clearly about this particular set of prophecies while I'm gone.
Entry Four
"Three thousand years ago, Master Shartasi Mastiff
began recording the visions she experienced. The High Council recognized
her rare sensitivity to these prophetic visions after one of the events
she predicted came to pass, and from then on she was known as a Jedi prophet.
I believe that the Force worked through Master Shartasi for a purpose, though
that purpose is still unclear to me. She was a revered Jedi, and the Council
seemed to regard her with favor. However, her later prophecies are so drastically
different from the others I have come across that I believe more study is
needed before anyone can conclude what the meanings are. I fear that the
job of deciphering these texts must be left to a future generation, when
similar visions appear to another trusted Jedi." - Jedi Master Jaga
Vexani, in the Prologue of his Collection
Book XVII
10:1-6
There was a time when he knew laughter, before the darkness whispered
in his ear and drew him away. The sunlight came to him when called, and
it sparkled in his eyes. He knew laughter, and he knew warmth.
But there were those who could not allow these memories to endure. Gentleness
was crushed by oppression. Love was swallowed by hate. He stood by and did
nothing. He watched the old world vanish in flame and chaos, and he felt
not even the faintest glimmer of remorse.
Cries rang out from the shadows, but he turned away, ignoring their
plight. He refused to recognize their faces, even though they surely recognized
his. And he bowed before the oppressor of their time...
I am in awe. There are no words to describe the heartbreak in this passage,
so I thought I would let it speak for itself. It hurts to read it, but I
find that I cannot tear myself away. Why are the writings of a ten thousand-year-old
Jedi Master haunting me so? I confess that I have no answers. Is it because
the emotions are so unlike anything I have experienced in my twenty-one
years? I do not know.
I suppose that these ancient texts are affecting me. Last night I had a strange
dream, no doubt caused by reading these passages. In the dream, I was running
across a vast desert with the sun hitting me relentlessly. I fell down, my throat
tight and dry. When I looked up, I saw fire on the horizon. Smoke rose for miles
in the air, and someone was laughing coldly in the distance. They kept laughing
and laughing, and then another voice was calling my name, and I was falling
through the sand. It forced its way into my mouth, and I couldn't see anything.
And I knew no one was coming to help me because I could not open my mouth to
scream. Then I awoke.
If that doesn't show I am spending too much time amongst these old texts, then
I don't know what does. After I finish writing this, I am going to find Tek
and persuade him to spar with me. I need the practice. I need to get my mind
off of the prophecies for a little while, at least. Perhaps I should talk to
Master Rook about my dream. No, she would just tell me that dreams don't always
mean something and that my mind is too cluttered. Now I'm rambling. I have to
find Tek.
Entry Five
"In all my years as Keeper of the Archives, I have
never come across a set of recorded prophecies as revolutionary as those
given by Master Shartasi. Most prophets have visions concerning events in
the very near future; but it has been three millennia since Shartasi lived,
and nothing even resembling these prophecies has occurred. It is possible
that they are only a metaphor - a complex figure of speech. But what if
they are not?" - Jedi Master Jaga Vexani, in the Prologue of his Collection
Book XVIII
2:21-27
There remain those who have hope in this dismal time. They cling to
the promises of old, waiting for their savior to come. They are told again
and again that he is not coming, and so the faithless run while the hopeful
stay and die. It is not their savior who comes to them, but their destroyer.
He crushes their heads in, showing no mercy, even to the ones who plead
on their knees. "Renounce your leaders," he roars, "and I
will spare you." Only the scum of the world will betray their allegiances
to lick his boots.
The search seems unending, and he never tires in his quest to purge
them from all existence. Dusk comes earlier with each passing day, bringing
with it darkness and despair unmatched by any save that which announces
the son's arrival. Even the most hopeful lose faith. Twilight is upon them,
and now night must fall...
Chilling. Absolutely chilling. I have read some of the tales in this volume
that were written by other Jedi, and none of them come close to matching
the complexity I have observed in Master Shartasi's prophecies. Either she
was a brilliant spinner of fiction, or this is the will of the Force working
through a mortal being. I hesitate to believe that she would record such
a massive amount of falsehoods, especially since she was a Jedi Master.
But what of Master Vexani's words? He said that most of the prophets predicted
things that happened soon after the visions were received. If that is true
- and I believe it to be so - then what about Books XVI-XIX? How are they
important? How are they prophecies? What was Master Shartasi Mastiff trying
to say, and why didn't she just say it outright? Did she even know?
I tried to take a break from this after my last entry, but the pull of my curiosity
was too strong. I did practice with Tek and also with Master Rook. She commended
me on dividing my time between my studies and my physical training. I wonder
if she knew I had neglected the physical aspect until this afternoon. She is
a clever person, my master. Always picking up on the little things that I often
miss. Not unlike Anakin. (Who is still on Ansion with Master Kenobi, as far
as I know.)
I suppose I should record my master's full name, so as not to confuse anyone
should my journal someday become part of the archives... a secret and selfish
wish of mine. Her name is Rookaja Sivren, but she prefers to be called Rook.
She is the closest thing I have to a mother, and she is in my opinion one of
the brightest Knights in the Order.
Now I think I will continue to peruse this section of prophecies. I can handle
it. I won't let it affect me more than it already has.
Entry Six
I had another dream last night. Only this time it wasn't a dream - it was a
nightmare.
I was sitting in the archives, just as I have been these past several days,
when suddenly the room began to shake violently. I narrowly avoided being struck
by large stones falling from the ceiling. I fled the room, only to be met by
a wall of fire rising up to engulf the tallest temple spire. Off to my right
I spotted a group of younglings cowering behind a statue of the long-dead Master
Cavrus Isren. They watched in terror as the temple collapsed around them. I
ran to them, thinking that maybe I could somehow help. I didn't even sense the
attacker until he was inches away.
He flew down on me like a crazed mynock, and I only barely blocked his lightsaber
with my own blade. I stumbled backward from the force of his attack, and I briefly
wondered why I hadn't spent more time training and practicing lightsaber technique.
This man - somehow I knew he was a man even though his face was shrouded - was
much faster than anyone I had ever faced, even my own master. He pressed his
obvious advantage, unleashing a fury of powerful offensive strikes. With one
liquid motion he disarmed me and kicked me in the chest, sending me flying into
a wall.
He stood over me, laughing insanely. My skin prickled at the sound of his icy
voice. "Just like old times, friend," he leered. He pulled
back the mask that covered his face, and... this is the worst part... it
was Anakin staring back at me. I watched in horror as he reached out his
hand and yanked me up by the front of my tunic. Beyond him I could see Rook's
body lying limp on the ground. From the cauterized hole in her abdomen I
could see that she had been impaled with a lightsaber. I struggled to break
myself from his grip, but he only smiled and held on tighter. Above me the
sky turned crimson, like the blood trickling down the back of my head where
I had struck the wall. Around me the children screamed, and I could do nothing.
Anakin put the mask back on and held his red saber over me, preparing to
strike. I woke up.
I know now that it is this nonsense with the prophecies that has caused my
subconscious to conjure up such horrendous images while I sleep. I had thought
myself to be in control, but clearly I was wrong. I will never immerse myself
in the old texts again. Such obsession brings only disorder, a condition unfit
for a Jedi. I don't want to dream of my friends as murderers.
Entry Seven
"It is possible that these texts will be forgotten once more after
I am dead. Perhaps our scions will never have a chance to put the pieces
together and discover the missing links. I pray that this will not be the
case, but I recognize the inevitability of that loss. Still, it remains
my greatest hope that someday another prophet will confirm the more revolutionary
prophecies and shed some new light on their meanings." - Jedi Master
Jaga Vexani, in the Epilogue of his Collection
I had not been in the archives for many weeks until today. This morning
I experienced a strong sensation through the Force which I could not ignore.
It directed me to return to my fledgling work with the prophecies. The following
passage I discovered only fifteen minutes ago:
Book XIX
1:10-17
And I stared up at the sky, and its color did deepen until it seemed
the clouds were soaked in blood. Smoke billowed up toward the heavens, circling
the stained sky. The cries of horror pierced my soul, but there was nothing
to be done. The flames swelled, and the children screamed. Everywhere chaos
overtook us; the great temple crumbled around us, the stones crashing with
such force as to shake the planet.
Oh Force! Why have you abandoned us? Why have you left us to die? What
sin have we committed to have the balance so viciously tipped in evil's
favor? I see our destroyer swathed in the robes of a demon, a raven god
who has sold his soul. He stands above us, dealing out death to all. Who
can save us now? The galaxy will fall...
I had thought my dreams to be delusions of an overloaded mind, but now
the truth is made shockingly clear. I saw these images in my nightmares
before I ever read them in this record. The prophecies of Shartasi Mastiff
are genuine, and - though I find it difficult to grasp - apparently I
am the future prophet that Jaga Vexani hoped for. If my dream doesn't
confirm the validity of these specific texts, then I don't know what will.
But what does this mean for our future? If my dream is prophetic, does that
mean these events are coming soon? In light of recent events, namely the eruption
of a civil war between the Republic and the Separatists - which many are dubbing
the Clone Wars - I would not be surprised if the events foretold in these texts
were to come to pass.
And yet what of Anakin? Why was he in my dream? In the place of the destroyer,
no less. Now that I refuse to believe. Surely he cannot be an enemy of the Jedi
- he's one of us! It is not true... somehow the visions have become tangled
in my head. Anakin may be brash and a bit arrogant at times, but so are many
other Jedi. That does not make him a traitor. Besides, what harm could he do
anyway? Even the Chosen One cannot be all-powerful. No one man could possibly
wield the power of life and death over a galaxy. I don't even know why I am
defending him, there's no reason to! That part of the dream must have been conjured
up by my own mind.
I still can't get the screams of the younglings out of my head. Over and over
I see them huddling in the corners of the temple, waiting for their turn to
die. How can I stop this when I don't even know when it will happen? It's been
ten thousand years since Shartasi foretold these events. How can anyone begin
to guess the time, especially after so long? Should I tell someone? Would they
believe me?
I don't know what to do anymore. I suspect that soon Master Rook and I may
be shipped off to battle, leading platoons in the Republic's clone army. I should
get some rest so that tomorrow I can get in as much saber practice as possible.
I only hope the answers will be revealed to me before it is too late.
Entry Eight
"...And in the time of greatest despair there shall come a savior,
and he shall be known as: the Son of the Suns." - Journal of the Whills,
3:127
From Master Vexani's Collection of Jedi Lore and Prophecy,
Vol. 2
Book XIX
3:23-26
And so this is the end of all things. Never more shall their voices
be heard. Under the malevolent gaze of their promised savior, their fire
goes out of the universe, taking with it a thought and a hope that was not
supposed to die.
The air in their burial chamber is still and dead, frozen in time like
the lives of those who dwelled there. The temple stands in ruin, a fading
relic of a more civilized age.
We beseech you, oh Son of the Suns, to return to the place of your destruction.
The dead beseech you. Look upon it, and know that you are wretched. The
future you have created is clouded, but I see darkness nonetheless...
Force, can this really be happening? So much all at once. I'd best start
at the beginning.
For many days now, the older Padawans and their masters have been training
relentlessly for battle, along with many individual Knights. Anakin and Master
Kenobi returned to the temple yesterday - they were actually at the Battle of
Geonosis - and now several of us are on a transport heading to the planet Rhen
Var. The Republic has a base there, and we have been called to defend it from
a Separatist attack. Apparently there are already several Jedi there. I hope
we will make it on time.
The nights have not been easy for me. I continue to see the horrific visions
of Jedi being killed off. Last night, before we were shipped out, I found myself
leaving my quarters and heading to the archives once more. Instead of looking
for Vexani's Collection, I took a different route. The questions I had surrounding
Anakin's involvement in my dreams had been plaguing me again, and I think I
went to the archives looking for more information on the Chosen One prophecy.
Perhaps I thought it might prove me wrong.
I went to a section of the archives reserved for temple instructors. I remembered
one of my instructors - an old Mon Calamari Jedi who always favored me for my
attentiveness - had entrusted me with a code that would allow me to bypass normal
protocol and go directly to the information I required. Last night was the first
time I put the code to use.
After entering to code and logging into the system, I searched for the Chosen
One prophecy that had been barely touched upon in my past history classes. The
issue was a delicate one for the Jedi Order; since the discovery that Anakin
was the Chosen One, the Masters were hesitant to allow students to simply read
a passage that described one of their peers. It had always seemed fair. There
was no need to place more pressure on Anakin than necessary. But now I feel
that the thinly disguised secrecy was a mistake. I read that prophecy, and I
quoted it above.
The Journal of the Whills is a strange book indeed, perhaps even stranger than
the collection of prophecies I have been studying. I will not bother with the
details - they are irrelevant at this point. All I will say is that it is much
older than anything in the Collection of Jedi Lore and Prophecy. Perhaps as
old as the Jedi Order itself. It is a philosophical book indeed, and it seems
to vaguely outline the course of the future. Of course, it is so vague that
many parts can be argued with, but there are some instances where passages are
very clear about an event that will take place. One of these places is verse
127 of chapter three.
The prophecy calls the Chosen One, "the Son of the Suns." Never before
had I seen this title in connection with Anakin, but I had certainly seen mention
of it in Master Shartasi's records. And every time it was mentioned, it referred
to the destroyer of the Jedi. The question of who the "Son" is has
been answered.
Anakin Skywalker - my good friend and the man who has been destined with bringing
the Force back into balance - is "the Son of the Suns." I don't know
how this information could have been overlooked or why it was left to me to
discover the truth. All I know is that not more than a month ago I was an apprentice
who couldn't wait to become a Knight, and my companions shared that dream with
me. Last night I learned that my world is about to be ripped from me.
Maybe it is not too late. I asked Anakin many times in the past to read this
journal, that he might help me understand it. This morning I asked him once
more. He promised me that he would. After this battle is over, I will insist
that he read it. If he does not, then I will tell him everything. If telling
him somehow quickens his descent to the Dark Side and leads to my death, then
so be it. At least the truth will be made known, and maybe someone else may
be able to stop the future from following the path laid out by the prophets.
I go into battle soon. May the Force be with us all.
Final Entry
I feel it is my solemn duty to conclude this journal, which is the possession
of my dear friend Zavra Phelar, who fell at the First Battle of Rhen Var. I
regret that I never took the time to read this journal, as I know he wanted
me to. When this war is over, I will read everything he recorded. I swear on
his memory that I will.
Zavra was one of the kindest, humblest, and most generous men I have had the
privilege of knowing - Jedi or no. May he slumber peacefully. His death will
not have been in vain.
- Anakin Skywalker
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