Do your duty to Odan-Urr…
You will walk the other way…
Gather the artifact
You will walk away
Accomplish your goals!
<Interesting> Areticus’ voice spoke into Creon’s head. <Would you like assistance?>
Creon shook his head. He wanted to see if Aiden would look into reason. Creon kept on the defensive, waiting for his opponent, watching to redirect attacks through a winding motion that was art of Soresu. He limited his focus on just the pure defensive basics of blocking and redirecting rather than looking for opportunities to retaliate.
<There are quite a few easy opportunities to end him that you’re missing, Creon.> Areticus voiced again.
“It’s not about that,” Creon hissed under his teeth. Aiden was actually taking control of the saber duel. Creon considered heeding Areticus' advice if he couldn't find a way for Aiden to listen. “Aiden, that artifact can’t leave here for a reason!” He cried out during a prolonged clash of blades and sparks.
Creon and Areticus were both sensing a sliver of who Aiden was as the dance continued. He fought as a refined duelist. It reminded Areticus in a time when he too used a lightsaber; back when he once could see the glow of his old crimson blade:
It was a curved hilt, after the Sith Makashi adherent Count Dooku; a Sith Lord that Areticus admired as well as a teacher to Qui-Gon Jinn. After hearing of this artifact, Areticus gave Creon the time of day and heard his words. Creon even claimed to know the actual ghost of Qui-Gon Jinn. Of course Areticus couldn’t resist the opportunity.
In truth, Creon had only met the maker of Qui-Gon’s holocron, not the Jedi himself. He knew him simply as "Mr. George", and he told Creon of the necessity of the Light Side of the Force. It needed to rise as equals for there to be a balance with the Dark. He wasn’t the smartest scientifically, sure, but he had a genuine empathy that Areticus would recognize. The mind of a Jedi was unrealistically pure, like a child that believed in hope for the galaxy they dwelled in.
<Twin children born under the same star in a sea of wars.>
Creon took a large jump back and activated his boots thrusters to give him a larger distance from his opponent in the direction between Aiden and his retreat. Aiden had considered dashing at the hothian ronin as he leaped, but was curious as to why his opponent wanted to create such a large distance. He got his answer when Creon traded his saber for the WESTAR-M5 on his back.
Oh no you don’t.
Aiden lashed out to Creon’s mind with an quick extension of his hand. Almost immediately after, Creon’s face showed anguish. He stared into space as if defeated from a prolonged logical debate that left him dumbfounded. He was mentally tired. He didn’t understand the complex psychological techniques that the Force could do. Using the Force for mental tricks in order to manipulate or prove one’s intellectual superiority? It was heartbreaking and immature in the eyes of the Jedi. Creon took a knee, but he did so as a soldier. He took a deep breath and honed his mind into the Force, focusing simply on the subconscious mechanical commands to move his body. His obliques turned slowly across his transverse plane while Aiden approached. There was with a thirst to continue the duel with the forsaken peacekeeper, Creon could sense it in Aiden’s emotions. Creon did his best to ignore the shadow steps of his "balanced" opponent. He took up arms and aim, just as he could hear the sound of a nearby ship approaching.
<Just 45 degrees more to your right, Creon. It should come into range soon.>
Creon trusted Areticus’ mind and put faith in that the Force was watching over him. He simply just had to keep giving hope in people, even those who turn their backs on him. The ship was coming in just in time, piloted by some droid Creon could barely see. He felt confident he could make the shot if timed correctly. However, that doesn’t mean he was ready to pull the trigger.
The hum of Aiden’s saber made the hairs on the back of Creon’s neck stirr with alertness. The Seeker stood behind the Guardian, ready to clean off the head off just another fool trying to play hero.
“It won’t work if you take it out of the lake…” Creon said with a soft tone. His pitch in voice revealed a respected fear for his life, but also the courage to take Aiden’s ship with the speed of a simple trigger squeeze on his grenade launcher. He would then be left with Areticus, and whatever angry “gods” of the Gungan’s that may be stirred.
“Pardon?” Aiden asked.
“The Holocron only works in that lake. It has to be submerged, under a particular moon hour. Only then will you speak with him... in a sort of mirror within the waterfall. It’s weird, I know. But please believe me when I say; stuffing it in a library shelf will bear no wisdom.”
<Hello Aiden.> Areticus’ thoughts echoed into the Arconan’s mind.
Aiden burrowed his frow at Creon for speaking into his mind, “What nerve you have!” He then drowned Creon in a wave of suppression to end his attempts.
<I respect your path and logic, yet you lack awareness of your surroundings.>
That shouldn’t have happened.
Aiden shouldn’t have heard this voice coming from Creon anymore. He decided to concentrate a step further on suppressing Creon’s connection with the Force. The Jedi should be powerless at this point. To guarantee it, Aiden pried harder into Creon’s mind for psychological dominance. Creon gritted his teeth and gave a small yelp. He still kneeled, but his head was high with eyes washed in tears. He wasn’t resisting the mental attack, but he also wasn’t giving into it. A knight may take a knee, but he will only bow to kings.
<I’ve known him to go through much worse, you know. Fasincating his resiliency, both in the body and mind.>
Creon rose to his feet and turned to stare at Aiden, simply un-afraid and more serious than he has ever looked. His weapon was dropped and both of his arms were open. A sense of tranquility and courage was intentionally projected.
<Would you kill a man unarmed? Such a sport you are.>
Aiden was now able to sense the direction of this alien voice. He turned to the direction to see a blinded man. He looked to be the same age as Aiden, and even Creon for that matter. His hair was black, and his eyes were covered in black cloth. Ironically, this blind man was staring into his reflection in the black waters of Naboo.
“Is he with you?” Aiden asked Creon.
“He’s my twin,” Creon admitted. Aiden released his grip on Creon’s mind. Creon sighed in relief and looked to Aiden with the hope that it finally clicked.
“Like a twin-twin?”
“Like a twin-twin,” Creon confirmed. “Though he is blind, and I see through him. In more ways than one.”
<A proposal, Aiden.> Areticus continued, only focused on the thrill of a creative and intellectual challenge. <Worry not about the “innocence” or “faithfulness” of an empathetic Jedi. Surely they cannot be as analytically tactful as you and I?> The blind seeker then walked slowly in a circle around them. <I am a duelist of the mind. Come! Allow me to be your opponent instead. Creon has already surrendered, as I’m sure you can see better than I.>
Aiden took a long look at Areticus and the Sith blade he held in his hand.
“He’s doing his mind thing, isn’t he?” Creon asked in response to the pause of eerie silence. Aiden turned back to Creon in response just in time to see the ex-odanite roll his eyes at his brother. Atleast now Aiden was starting to catch on, Creon had hoped. It would allow Creon to reach and attempt to empathize with Aiden, now that he’s been exposed to a taste of Areticus’ mind games.
“Focus on what matters, Aiden. The actual work for others that you have to do, especially when you take leadership. Bottom-up, not top-down.” Creon said.
<What will it be then? The Jedi or I? A duel of the mind? Or are you not done swinging your glowsticks at each other?>
“I do my best to keep his genius in check because I’m a bit more down to earth. If he challenges you, please do not fight him. He actually is as smart as he claims. And you do not have to fight me at all, either. I fight only when I have to, and I hate it. Please... let the artifact rest in its rightful place. The Gungans put it there for a reason, it wasn’t abandoned.”
Aiden saw a different side of Creon now, one similar to how Areticus envisioned him. Areticus never saw his twin before he went blind, but had a feeling they looked something alike. Though Areticus imagined Creon more like a leader of lions, or sometimes a shepherd's dog. Rather than a mirrored reflection of himself.
<What’s it going to be?! Mind or matter?!>
Creon looked over to Areticus but whispered to Aiden, “Don’t let him tempt you. He’s smarter than he looks and your conflict with the artifact is with me.”
Creon then took a step back and re-awoke his blade. “I’d rather we talked instead, but…” The unstable crystal core shined brightly along the waters of Jang-wa lake, causing a emerald glow under the starlight sky. He held the grip with both arms overhead, in the iconic stance of Soresu. Light from Naboo’s moon reflected off the waters and to the center crystal, causing a flickering beam of light seen from Aiden’s perspective.
“I will protect what I believe is the right thing to do.”
<A guardian he may be. Yet I always felt that the spirit of a Consular walked with him. Ever since he told me he had met the sage that preserved the Holocron of Qui-Gon Jinn. I didn’t believe him at first, but I’m about to get my chance very soon. I believe that Holocron taught Creon something. I'm quite curious to speak with the Jedi Master myself.>
Aiden considered his options at hand. He could accept Areticus’ challenge, trusting that Creon recognized the spirit of a duel and would not interfere. He could also simply listen to Creon and leave the Holocron where it was meant to reside. It would actually be easy to just tell his employers that someone else got to it first. Or he could finish the job he set out to do, and deal with Creon who stood firm before him.
