The void of space stretched infinite and quiet, a canvas of glittering stars and drifting worlds. Kael Arvann moved through it as though it were an ocean, his body gliding effortlessly among the currents of starlight. There was no air, no sound, no time—only the thrum of the Force within him, anchoring his spirit to existence. He had long since abandoned the cold confines of ships and vessels. To drift in the vastness, to feel the currents of the galaxy flow through him, was a freedom he would not surrender.
But today, the currents were heavy.
A shadow lurked in the Force, oppressive and cruel. It pulsed like a slow heartbeat, faint yet undeniable. Kael felt it pulling at him, a whisper threading through the stillness of space. Around it, he sensed three presences, bright yet veiled, as if shielding the darkness from prying eyes.
"Not from me, you will," Kael muttered, his voice carried only in his mind. "To the source, I must go."
He reached out with the Force, letting it weave through his muscles and bones. Strength coursed through him, every fiber of his being energized by the primal connection. With a powerful thrust, he propelled himself toward the disturbance. Stars blurred past like streaks of light, but Kael did not fold space to reach his destination. Time was no adversary to him. Centuries had passed since his curse was wrought upon him, and yet he was as ageless as the stars themselves.
He had learned to savor the journey.
The light of a distant sun bathed Kael in hues of gold and crimson as he approached the source of the shadow. A planet loomed ahead, shrouded in swirling mists of dark energy. Its presence in the Force was faint, carefully cloaked by the three presences he now recognized. They burned bright and steady, like watchful sentinels standing guard over a terrible secret.
Kael descended toward the planet's atmosphere, the weight of the dark presence growing heavier with every passing moment. It wasn't fear he felt—fear had long since abandoned him—but a deep unease, like the quiet before a storm.
On the surface, the air was still. Jagged rocks and shadowed valleys stretched out before him, an empty wasteland echoing with silence. He closed his eyes, letting the Force guide him.
"You feel it," a voice called out, soft and steady.
Kael opened his eyes to see three figures standing atop a ridge, their forms shimmering with light. They were unlike any Force users he had met before, their presence both familiar and alien. Each radiated a unique aura—one of tranquility, one of strength, and one of wisdom.
"The Ones," Kael murmured.
"You know us," the tallest of the three said, his voice deep and resonant.
"A tale, long forgotten. Whispers in the wind," Kael replied, his tone thoughtful. "Guardians of balance, are you not? Why cloak this shadow?"
The woman among them stepped forward, her gaze piercing but kind. "Not all truths are ready to be known. Not even to one such as you."
Kael frowned, his hand resting on the hilt of his saber—not to draw, but to feel the familiar comfort of its weight. "A shadow, I feel. Oppressive, it is. Why hide it?"
The third figure, an elder with a voice that carried an edge of sorrow, spoke at last. "Because the shadow would consume you if you knew its name. You are strong, Kael Arvann, but even the strong may falter when faced with the unknown."
Kael tilted his head, studying the three. "Test me, do you? Or afraid, you are, of what I might do?"
"It is not you we fear," the woman said, her voice almost a whisper. "But the shadow itself. It grows, feeding on despair, hidden from the galaxy by our will. We need you to stand with us—not to flee, not to fight blindly, but to help restore what balance we can."
Kael's gaze turned toward the horizon, where the dark presence pulsed faintly, like a predator lying in wait. "Aid you, I will. But tell me, you must—this shadow, a name it has?"
The elder hesitated, his eyes darkening. "In time, perhaps. For now, trust that your strength is needed, and your path will reveal itself."
Kael nodded slowly, though unease coiled in his chest. The Ones were keeping secrets, of that he was certain. But the shadow called to him, louder now, its whisper a faint echo in his mind.
"To the heart of it, I go," he said, turning toward the darkness. "Stay silent, you should not. The truth finds me, always."
The three watched as Kael strode forward, his steps steady and deliberate. The Force swirled around him like a protective shroud, its energy amplifying his every movement. The shadow loomed ahead, a mystery yet to be unraveled.
And Kael, the Eternal Guardian, walked willingly into its depths.