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  XZARA FOUND HERSELF STUDYING in the private section of the library one evening. It was late into the night and she couldn't bring herself to sleep. As much as she loved training, she was far too tired to do so. Studying was a nice alternative — it was calming and relaxed, and she wouldn't have to worry about her brothers bothering her. She once again found herself drawn to the book that she had shown Obi-Wan many weeks ago. She flipped through its old pages, clinging to every word as she once did when she was small.

With the looming fact that she would be going to war in a few days, she needed something else to focus on and without Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, or Anakin to do so, she figured reading would do the trick. She reached the section that Obi-Wan had excitedly shown her. "Xzara...your family...they were the first Jedi." His words echoed in her mind. She still couldn't comprehend that it was her ancestors that formed the first Jedi Order, bringing people of the light together for the first time in the Galaxies history. What could have happened that caused them now to be so cut off from that lineage?

The need for that question to be answered grew larger with each paragraph she read, with each picture she saw. In her thirty years of life, she had never been taught this history, yet it was right here in the castle walls. They were only taught the history of the royal family, of the people who brought the planet and its people together. She never liked those people — they seemed prude and prideful — their pictures loomed over her in the hallways, their judgmental stares telling her she was not good enough to be an Ardmore.

Where were the pictures of the people on these pages? The people who created the peacekeepers of the Galaxy? It was almost laughable that the fat and lazy Kings and Queens were praised for being terrible in politics while these people were erased from history. As she read further, a glint of gold in the pages caught her eye. The picture was of the most beautiful lightsaber she had ever seen. A man with bright blue eyes and curly hair held it proudly, its yellow colour casting a golden hue on his smiling face. The hilt was almost completely gold, with hints of silver-blue throughout creating a floral design that resembled the family crest.

Underneath the image was small text printed in Aquilin, the only printed form of the language in the book besides the cover. Curious, Xzara leaned in closer, squinting to read the small words. Xavier Ardmore wielding the Saber of Light. "Wow," Xzara breathed out. The Saber of Light. It sounded like a myth you would read in a children's book. She wondered where that lightsaber had gone. Was it destroyed? Or simply lost. Obi-Wan had trained her in basic saber techniques and with her extensive bo-staff training, she was sure she could wield one easily. If she could find the Saber of Light, it could help her defeat Vala once and for all. Analyzing the pages closer, she hoped to find a hint of what happened to it or where it could have been hidden.

There was a small knock at the door, followed by it creaking slowly open and two pairs of footsteps. Xzara looked up to find Seth and Magnus, each holding a tray with food and drink on it. "Mind if we join you?" Magnus asked with a sheepish smile.

"Not at all," Xzara beckoned them to take the seats next to her as she returned to the pages of her book. Her finger followed along the words with eagerness.

"Anything interesting?" Seth peeked over her shoulder, mouth filled with biscuits. A few crumbs fell onto the old parchment.

Xzara's eyes widened. She smacked him away and dusted away the crumbs. "Be careful! This book is a relic!" She scolded. Seth merely chuckled and leaned back on his chair, mouthing a sarcastic sorry. "And I'll have you know this book is all about our family's history. See?" She pushed the book towards him.

Seth read a few words and nodded slowly, clearly finding it boring. "Interesting..."

Rolling her eyes, Xzara pulled it back towards her. On her other side was Magnus, eagerly leaning towards it. "What does it say?" He asked excitedly. Magnus was the history buff of the family. Smiling softly, Xzara pushed the book to him. Excited yet delicate, Magnus took it and flipped back a few pages. His jaw dropped. "No way..." He breathed.

At the sound of his brothers' shock, Seth looked over. "What?" He asked impatiently. "What is it?"

Xzara held back her chuckle. Magnus looked up, eyes wide with joy and a smile to match. "We were the first Jedi!"

"What?" Seth choked.

"You heard him," Xzara smirked. "Our ancestors created the first working Jedi Order," Seth's jaw dropped, eyes wide and frozen. Xzara chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Close your mouth, you'll catch flies."

Seth quickly shut it, his eyes still wide as ever. "That can't be true...can it?"

"See for yourself," She slid him the book.

Apprehensive, Seth accepted it, scanning the pages for only a few minutes before sliding back to Xzara. "This is crazy," He breathed out, grabbing another biscuit and stuffing it in his mouth. "How come you're the only one who got cool Jedi powers? Where's ours?" He huffed.

Xzara chuckled quietly. "I...I don't know. But I have them, and I'm going to use them," She looked to Magnus, who was eagerly watching her. "There's something in here call The Saber of Light. Do you think you could find any clues of where it could be? The pages on it are written in Aquilin and you're much better at reading it than I am."

"Of course!" Magus nodded quickly, snatching the book as he began his research.

Smiling softly, Xzara stood from her seat and stretched. She let out a satisfied groan as her back cracked. "I'm going to take a walk in the gardens to clear my head and stretch my legs. Come find me when you find something?"

"Sure, sister," Seth smiled. "I'll make sure this one doesn't get into trouble," He nudged Magnus, who sent him an annoyed glare.

Laughing, Xzara headed to the door. "Have fun, boys!" She breathed in deeply as she was once again alone in the large library. No one was around to bother her and it was glorious. She walked slowly through the shelves, fingers skimming the spines of books as she moved. As she walked, something pulled at her chest, a strange feeling beckoning her forward. Xzara knew she had to follow it. The feeling had a familiarity to it that she couldn't quite place. She followed the feeling through the library and out into the gardens.

Now she knew what was calling her. The gardens were her mother's favourite spot in the whole palace. Her father once told her that while she was pregnant with Xzara, her mother would spend hours out amongst the flora, naming every single flower and plant that were housed there. Of course, Xzara never got to experience that after she was born. But every time she went out to the gardens, she could feel her mother's essence flowing through the greenery. When Obi-Wan helped her connect to the Force and meditate, she saw her mother, clear as day. She told her she was destined for greatness but, Xzara couldn't believe that.

At the time, she did. But now that Obi-Wan had left, there was no one to train her in the ways of the Force. "Why am I here?" She called to no one. She was frustrated as the pulling feeling disappeared. She was standing in the exact middle of the garden, where a tree was planted, where her mother lay buried underneath. Xzara looked down at it with a frown. She sat, crossed-legged in front of it and softly touched the cool stone. Otta Ardmore. Loving mother. Queen.

She sighed, looking away. "What do you want from me, mother?" She shook her head. "I know it was you who called me here, but why?" Obviously, no one answered. Xzara felt silly. She rolled her eyes, her mind coming to a conclusion. "You want me to meditate, don't you?" Though no one answered, the pulling feeling returned, answering her question. "Fine," Xzara slowly shut her eyes, fixing her posture, remembering what Obi-Wan taught her. She listened to the world around her, each living thing in harmony. She breathed once again and tuned out those sounds, listening to only herself — her breathing, her heartbeat.

The brightness was sudden, but it didn't scare Xzara. She stayed calm and in her meditative state. Her eyes opened, yet they were still closed. She could see a garden similar to the one she was currently in, but instead of green, the leaves of the plants were white and pale blue — it was beautiful. Xzara looked around, her eyes landing on a woman dawned in a flowing white and golden gown, bent over a bush of berries. As Xzara's eyes trailed up the woman, her head snapped to make eye contact. Her mother smiled brightly at her. "I'm so proud of you, my dear!" She walked over slowly, dropping the berries she had held in her hand.

"Mother," Xzara breathed. Seeing her mother look very much alive, practically glowing was a fantastic sight.

"I see you have learned our family's history," Otta smiled softly. "And now you search for the Saber of Light, is that correct?" She leaned down. Her mother was insanely tall.

Xzara gulped and nodded. "Yes. Magnus is translating the book to see if we can find its location."

Otta laughed gleefully. "Oh, that boy! He loves his books," She shook her head with a smile. "But there's no need for that. I know where it is."

"You do?" Xzara was shocked.

"Of course I do, my love," She shook her head. "It was mine. And before that, my fathers, and before him, his mother's. The saber is passed down through generations to the child who possesses the gift."

Xzara's jaw dropped. "And do I...possess the gift?"

Again, Otta laughed loudly. "My dear, look at you! You are speaking to me from beyond the grave, using the Force! Of course, you have it!" She shook her head. "Why do you think I had so many children?"

Xzara's eyebrows knitted together. "Because none of my brothers have it?"

"Exactly," Otta clapped her hands once together. "The gift did not appear in your brothers. After having Seth, I became weaker. Davenrue wanted to stop, but I needed a child to pass the gift to. So, we had Magnus and yet still no luck. I had one last chance and I was willing to die for it."

"Mother..." Xzara's eyes watered. She shook her head, wiping the oncoming tears. "You...you shouldn't have done that. You left the boys without a mother, most of my brothers blame me for your death and whether father wants to admit it or not, so does he."

Otta frowned. "If they had any sense they would know that is a silly thing to do. You are the strongest of them all and will save our planet from destruction."

"Where can I find the Saber of Light, mother?" Xzara pressed. She could feel her mother slipping away.

Otta sighed wistfully. "My private study. Hidden in my father's old chest. That is where you will find it," She reached out to Xzara. "Go my love. Bring our people to salvation."

And she was gone. The white light disappeared and Xzara was back in the gardens. This time, instead of falling onto the ground, she floated softly to her feet. She heard a gasp and turned to see Magnus and Seth, jaws dropped. She rolled her eyes as she walked towards them. "Don't just stand there. I know where to find the lightsaber."

AUTHORS NOTE
man, the inspiration for this chapter boomed. After I recasted Xzara I just had the urge to write so...ya.