SW System 10: Rise a Knight! (Patreon)

Iggios wasn’t really in the mood to sleep. More precisely, he couldn't sleep no matter how hard he tried.

The System's vague rules were more than just a little troubling. There had to be a good reason why those rules existed. Just who in all the fuck were the past reincarnators? Some sort of interdimensional murderhobos?

"I can make changes… but what would even count as 'usurping the story'?" he mused silently, spinning the lightsaber hilt in his palm.

Did it mean that some events were simply meant to happen? The war was likely one of those events, but could he potentially end it faster by inflicting enough damage on the CIS? And what about Order 66 and the rise of the Empire? Did those events have to happen as well?

He huffed and fell back onto his bed, sprawled out over the covers.

"It would have been so much easier if the System hadn’t warned me at all..." he sighed. Deep down, however, he was glad to know that there were rules governing this second life of his. Being smited by some death god for being a little shit was definitely not on his bucket list.

At least he was on his way back to the Jedi Temple; he would certainly not miss this Force-forsaken planet.

Unfortunately, more reports of confirmed deaths were still coming in. Iggios had been working with his vague knowledge of Jedi numbers before, but now he had actual figures staring him in the face. Out of almost 250 Jedi, only 37 had survived.

He had hoped that warning Master Trebor would change his fate, and to some extent, it did. This time, Coleman Trebor died in an explosion caused by one of the large Geonosian sonic cannons. According to other survivors, Master Trebor took the brunt of the explosion to protect others; it sounded just like him.

"If there is a fight, I would prefer having you by my side," the voice of his late Master echoed in his mind again, much to Iggios's discomfort.

The sound of an empty can being crushed startled him, sending his thoughts spiraling back to a darker place. He looked intently at the crushed object; at least it wasn't someone's throat this time. He shook his head, trying to focus on literally anything else.

"And yet… I couldn’t even manage to stay close to him," Iggios sighed, finally banishing the thoughts of his own failure.

———

The following days were a blur for Iggios. Even though he was mostly out of the loop, he tried to keep up with the confusing and sometimes contradictory news coming from the Senate.

From what he had gathered so far, the decisive victory on Geonosis had "proven" that the Jedi were indeed capable generals. Whether this information was pushed by the Jedi High Council or was one of Palpatine's schemes didn't matter. By the end of the week, the first Task Groups and Armadas were being organized under the leadership of the Jedi Council.

The events unfolded closely to Iggios's expectations, no matter how much he didn’t like it. Perhaps his performance was one of the reasons the pushback against Jedi leading armies was minimal, even within the Order itself.

At least he had enough time to rest; even his burned hand had fully healed, although a few faint scars remained etched in his palm.

It was finally time. Iggios had anticipated being summoned by the Council, and he was actually surprised it had taken them so long to request his presence.

He entered the Council chambers and noted that some seats were empty, including the one for his late Master. Two other seats were also unoccupied, leaving Iggios uncertain whether those Jedi were unfortunate casualties like his Master or if they were already leading Clone Armadas.

Coming to a stop in the center of the room, Iggios met the gaze of Master Yoda, who sat at the center of the semi-circle of Jedi Masters.

"What is it you need me for, Masters?" Iggios asked, bowing slightly to the assembled Jedi.

"Deliberate, we shall," Yoda replied, glancing to his right at Master Windu.

"As you may know, the Jedi Order has suffered unprecedented casualties," Windu explained, giving Iggios a big clue, especially since the lightsaber Iggios had procured from his defeated opponent rested on the armrest of Windu's seat.

"You are deliberating whether to make me a knight," Iggios surmised, hoping to skip a lengthy explanation.

"Indeed. But understand that under normal circumstances, we would not have even considered this," spoke another Council member. Iggios nodded to Master Mundi. It was understandable that fifteen-year-olds were rarely knighted.

"Even if we adhere to the traditional trials, he might have grounds for promotion," Plo Koon commented, his hand on his chin.

Iggios raised an eyebrow at this comment. It was a possibility, but whether he had qualified for all the trials was another question.

"I can see a Trial of Skill," conceded Depa Billaba.

"A Trial of Flesh, too. He was wounded during the Arena battle yet kept fighting," added Kit Fisto.

"Trial of Courage—the battle also covers, hrmm," Yoda mused to himself.

That was three out of five trials covered, but Iggios doubted he had overcome the last two. The Trial of Spirit in particular was something he was unsure about. The Trial of Insight could be tested against the Masters in the room, but the Trial of Spirit was usually much more esoteric.

"Test him myself, I will," Yoda declared, surprising the other Masters. "Promise to Master Trebor, I made, hrmm. Keep it, I intend," he clarified.

Iggios froze for a moment; he had no idea that Master Yoda had made any promise, much less one like this. But before he could ask anything, Yoda ushered him out of the Council room and toward one of the many sparring rooms.

———

The sparring room was quiet and empty. Yoda had clearly arranged for this ahead of time.

"Powerful, you have become, hrmm. But much to learn, you still have," Yoda said as he came to a stop in the center of the empty room. Iggios quickly activated his scouter, and a dark crimson ‘S+’ appeared above the ancient Grandmaster's head, floating ominously.

"I'm... aware," Iggios replied slowly, sitting down in front of Yoda and blinking a few times as he deactivated the ability. Whatever the test may be, those letters were a bit too distracting.

"A unique way of using the Force you have. Asked me for advice, Master Trebor did," Yoda said calmly. "See it for myself, I wish."

"Is this about my occasional use of the Dark Side?" Iggios asked bluntly.

"Hrmm. Staying in the light, difficult it is. Yet somehow…"

"Is it?" Iggios interjected. "All I feel when I use it is that my emotions become more intense, whatever I’m feeling at the moment," he explained.

"Normal, that is. Good, does it feel, hrmm?" Iggios paused, unsure how to respond. "Sometimes... sometimes it's scary. It's all about balance, I believe," he eventually said.

"The emotion matters. When I was irrationally angry, I snapped a man's neck in an instant, but when I'm having a lot of fun..." He fell silent for a moment, trying to organize his thoughts. "When I'm having fun, it simply empowers me and makes me feel even better."

"During your spars, it happened," Yoda noted, his voice steady as if he weren’t guessing. Master Drallig must have noticed it too. Maybe he had informed Yoda?

Yoda chuckled and stood back up. "A good way to test it, we have," he said as he reached out with the Force.

For a brief moment, the entire room shook from the old grandmaster's power. Iggios instinctively rolled away, narrowly avoiding a loose pipe that landed exactly where he had been sitting just a moment before.

"Is trying to kill a Padawan your idea of a test?" Iggios asked with a grin. He would have expected something like this from Master Windu or Master Mundi, certainly not from the usually serene grandmaster.

There was no ill intent radiating from Yoda; in fact, the only response Iggios received was a barrage of more loose objects flying his way.

Iggios reached out with the Force, attempting to stop the incoming projectiles, but there were too many for him to successfully deflect. He jumped out of the way, letting some of the objects crash around him, while the few he managed to divert were sent back toward Yoda.

The small Master stood calmly in the center of the room, as if a steel pipe hadn't just been hurled at him. Instead of colliding with Yoda, the pipe simply bounced off him. His presence in the Force protected him from such an attack, even as he remained stationary.

Iggios frowned as he continued to dodge; was Yoda trying to provoke him? Perhaps he intended to test his control. If that were the case, holding back would only undermine the test.

In a fluid motion, Iggios activated a silver blade, cutting through the debris that flew towards him. He lunged forward, enhancing himself with the Force to the limit, but Yoda merely stepped aside, dodging the assault.

"Long enough, it took you," Yoda remarked, a knowing grin on his face.

"I usually don't do this in a spar." Iggios sighed, but given the significant difference in their skill levels, he felt he could let loose without risking injury to his opponent.

Yoda also ignited his lightsaber, but unlike Iggios, his posture remained relaxed. The younger Jedi charged again, this time enhancing his lightsaber with the Force. They clashed, and Yoda was propelled a few meters backward, his eyes widening slightly. However, the ancient Grandmaster quickly regained his composure.

Raising his free hand, Yoda pushed with the Force, prompting Iggios to do the same. The ground between them cracked and tore, unable to withstand the intensity of their sparring session.

Unfortunately for Iggios, he was not strong enough to withstand Yoda’s Force Push for more than a second. He was flung backward, hitting the wall with a loud thud. The pressure remained as he struggled to get himself out of the small crater his body had created in the thick wall. The Force swirled around him erratically as he pushed harder, finally regaining the ability to move.

Iggios jumped towards Yoda again, but this time, his attack was a feint. Instead of slashing at the Grandmaster, he stomped the ground as he landed.

The ground below exploded, sending shrapnel flying and creating a powerful shockwave. Yoda, however, simply stood there, raising his free arm and remaining completely unharmed.

“Do this all day, I can,” Yoda chuckled, his eyes fixed on Iggios, still looking for more.

"That's my line, Master," the young human laughed, then launched another attack.

Their lightsabers met, and finally, Yoda decided to engage in a proper duel. The smaller Jedi jumped and twirled, enhancing himself with the Force in ways Iggios hadn’t even imagined possible.

No matter how Iggios attempted to strike, Yoda’s lightsaber seemed to be there before the attack even began. He wasn't just testing Iggios; to the young Jedi, it appeared as though Yoda was demonstrating the level he would need to reach.

In other words, this felt like the post-tutorial unwinnable boss fight.

Yoda took advantage of the destroyed floor, launching small debris at his younger opponent. This time, Iggios was just as prepared as Yoda had been earlier.

The Force swirled violently around him, creating a shield of sorts that redirected the small objects with ease.

Yoda's grin widened, if that was even possible. It looked quite out of place on the usually calm face of the ancient Master.

But he pressed forward, using his Force-enhanced speed and agility to push Iggios to his limits. Iggios had to block high, immediately jump back, only to defend from the side the moment he landed. The Force kept warning him of the incoming attacks, but the warnings barely arrived in time.

Yoda, on the other hand, attacked with ease, recognizing that Iggios was too overwhelmed to properly counterattack.

"Feel the Force. Let go, you must," Yoda advised amid the relentless assault. But saying it was much easier than actually doing it. Let go of what exactly?

Damn old Jedi and their cryptic clues.

Iggios felt the Force; he was currently using it to barely maintain his defense, after all. But was there perhaps more? Something he was overthinking?

"Thinking too much, you are," Yoda's voice snapped Iggios out of his thoughts. Or was it the feeling of being launched by a Force Push once again?

"Do not think, do not try. Do." The old Jedi paused the onslaught for a moment and observed Iggios as he picked himself up from the ground.

Iggios breathed heavily, trying to steady his heartbeat. He was already getting tired. After all, one can be launched into a wall only so many times before it becomes exhausting.

Yoda's advice seemed unhelpful, though. How could he not think? He wasn’t exactly thinking, not about the fight, at least. It was impossible to think while trying not to get hit by the grandmaster.

"Let go... Don't think..." he muttered under his breath as he stood up again. But let go of what?

Another wave of Force rush approached Iggios, but he managed to respond with his own Force Push, canceling Yoda's out. If trying to suppress all his thoughts didn’t work, then his current approach was clearly wrong. Yet as he attempted to let go in the way Yoda suggested, all those pesky emotions got in the way.

It wasn't that he couldn't accept that his Master had died—no, death was merely a part of life. It was the misplaced trust that Master Trebor had in him that gnawed at Iggios. He could handle death, but failing someone so much that they died? That was unacceptable.

Fueled by anger and self-directed rage, Iggios poured his emotions into the Force, enhancing his lightsaber as he lunged toward Yoda. The silver blade momentarily transformed; purple sparks danced along its edge as it swung toward his ever-elusive opponent.

The clash resonated far beyond just the training room, and a violent burst of lightning arced through the air as their lightsabers met. Yoda expertly parried the attack, remaining completely safe from the eruption of lightning.

But Iggios wasn’t finished yet.

Seizing the moment and channeling the emotion surging within him, he extended his arm toward Yoda. With his eyes closed in concentration, he aimed using nothing but the Force itself, and lightning shot from his fingers, impacting Yoda's palm.

Iggios opened his eyes after a few short moments to see Yoda completely absorbing the Force Lightning, a satisfied smile on his wrinkled face. He looked at his hand and focused for a moment, lost in thought as he saw sparks of lightning dancing between his fingers.

The overwhelming emotion had faded, yet he still found himself able to wield this clearly Dark Side power. It had to have been 'Force Is One' doing its work.

"I—I think I get it now," Iggios muttered under his breath as his legs gave out, causing him to land on his ass.

"Hrmm. Fascinating, this is. No malice, not anymore..." Yoda hummed as he approached the exhausted Iggios. "Back from the darkness, you came. And on your own, no less," he commented, finally getting Iggios's attention.

"Honestly, I would have preferred if that darkness hadn't been there in the first place," Iggios replied with a heavy sigh. Yoda gently tapped him on the head with his cane.

"Inside all of us, darkness dwells," he said, his voice unusually stern. "Bottling up emotion, as you did, the answer, is not."

"And here I thought you would yell at me for using the Dark Side at all," Iggios chuckled. "Or for feeling any emotions at all."

"Hrmm, many Jedi would, yes," Yoda admitted immediately. "But unprecedented control over the Dark Side, you show. Now rest. To the Jedi Council room, tomorrow you shall return." The small grandmaster said before walking off, leaving Iggios sitting in the middle of the trashed sparring room.

———

The next morning, Iggios found himself back in the Council room, kneeling before the Masters as Yoda cut his Padawan braid with his saber.

"By the right of the Council, by the will of the Force, I dub thee Jedi, Knight of the Republic." The last lines were said, and Iggios tried hard to hold a blank face. Hearing Yoda speak proper Galactic Basic was uncanny. It just felt wrong.

Once the ritual concluded, Iggios rose as a knight. He still had no idea why Yoda chose to promote him, but he wouldn’t complain.

As he walked out of the Council chambers, he felt certain that he would soon be deployed, and he was right. Just a few hours after being knighted, he stood on one of the many balconies of the Senate building, observing a Venator—soon to be his flagship—being loaded.

He barely had time to change into more fitting robes before receiving the news. Funnily enough, the pieces of Clone Armor he took from the supplies fit him perfectly; he suspected the system had a hand in it. The Clones were still taller than him, so it wouldn’t make sense for them to carry armor that didn’t fit.

The sound of footsteps behind him made him tear his gaze away from the impressive ship.

"It's impressive in a strange way, isn't it, Senator?" he asked with a smile.

"I wouldn't go that far," came the reply as Padmé stopped next to him, her eyes scanning his new attire. "You look more like a soldier than a Jedi."

"Or a very paranoid monk," Iggios grinned back, but Padmé didn’t seem to be in the mood for bad jokes.

She produced the blaster Iggios had given her on Geonosis from her sleeve, offering it back.

"It wouldn't feel right to keep a blaster this expensive," she said, noticing the slight confusion on the young Jedi's face.

"Oh, that... Yeah, I kind of stole it from an enemy," he said sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck.

"Keep it," he added after a brief, awkward pause. "Consider it a wedding gift," Iggios said with a casual smile, but Padmé froze for a moment.

"What? I have eyes. Both of them fully functional," His grin returned for a moment before he sighed deeply. "Just... use it to keep yourself safe. Who knows what that hothead would do if anything happened to you?" he said, gently pushing her hand back.

He was confident that a custom-made blaster could easily be smuggled into the Senate building. She would have something for self-defense, and he would get to tease Anakin about his love life instead of pretending he didn’t know.

As far as Iggios was concerned, it was an absolute win.