Chương 44: Bonus Story : Star Wars : Part 8 : The Fan

The end credits rolled as the lights in the theater gradually came back on. Around them, moviegoers stretched, exchanged their first impressions of the films, or quietly left their seats to enjoy the intermission. Aldric remained seated for a few more seconds, as though absorbed by everything he had just discovered. He felt as though he had been granted access to the earliest records of an immense war of which he still knew only a tiny fraction.

His notebook still rested on his lap, far more heavily annotated than it had been at the beginning of the screening. Emma gave him a light tap on the shoulder.

"Come on, let's get moving."

"The council is over?"

"For now. We've got a break before the next movie." They left their row with the rest of the audience and made their way into the theater's spacious lobby. It was far livelier than it had been just a few minutes earlier. Groups enthusiastically discussed the scenes they had just watched, some were already quoting their favorite lines, while others stood in line at the concession stand to replenish their popcorn supplies. Several people wore T-shirts featuring Darth Vader's helmet or the Rebel Alliance emblem.

Others sported jackets covered in patches of various characters. Farther away, a man carried a Stormtrooper helmet under his arm while a group of children chased one another around, waving plastic lightsabers that emitted strange electronic humming sounds.

"They still honor the heroes of this war..." They were crossing the lobby when the hero suddenly came to a stop. His eyes had locked onto a man standing on the other side of the room. The stranger appeared to be in his thirties. A long beige robe reached down to his leather boots, held in place by a wide belt from which hung a lightsaber with an astonishingly realistic metal hilt. His neatly trimmed beard completed the appearance of a true Jedi. The cosplay was exceptional.

Aldric stood perfectly still for several seconds, unable to look away. In his mind, there could only be one explanation.

"A survivor of the Jedi Order..." At that very moment, the costumed young man noticed Aldric. He stopped in his tracks as well, taking in the gleaming armor, the enormous sword, the cape, and the posture of a true knight. The two men studied each other from a distance before beginning to walk toward one another. Emma followed their gazes, spotted the Jedi, then looked at Aldric, and immediately realized what was about to happen. She ran a hand down her face.

"Oh no..." A few seconds later, the two men stood face to face.

"Magnificent armor!" Aldric inclined his head.

"Your Jedi attire is equally remarkable." The young man burst out laughing.

"You're staying completely in character!"

"I could say exactly the same about you." The young man continued admiring Aldric's armor. He circled around him, examining every metal plate, every engraving, and every piece of equipment. The more he studied the details of the armor, the more convinced he became that he was standing before one of the greatest cosplayers he had ever met.

"Tell me... is your armor made from EVA foam, or is it 3D-printed?" This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. The two terms meant absolutely nothing to him. He assumed they were words the Jedi used to describe different forging techniques or various metal alloys. After a brief moment of thought, he replied with complete seriousness,"It was forged by the master smiths of Valdor from a sacred silver alloy."

"That's incredible... You never break character." Aldric simply inclined his head, convinced that the man was praising the craftsmanship of his kingdom's blacksmiths.

"And your sword?"

"A divine artifact." The fan gave him a thumbs-up.

"Awesome." He unclipped the lightsaber from his belt.

"Mine's custom-made." Aldric's eyes immediately lit up. Ever since the movie had begun, this weapon had fascinated him more than anything else. He held out both hands.

"May I examine your weapon?"

"Of course." The young man immediately handed him his lightsaber. Aldric accepted it with great care. He examined it from every angle. His fingers ran over the metal, instinctively searching for runic inscriptions, protective seals, or the crystal that powered the blade. Yet he found none of those things. No magic circles. No mana channels. No visible mechanism that could explain how such extraordinary technology functioned.

"You've hidden your technology remarkably well." The fan burst out laughing.

"Thanks!" The fan clipped the lightsaber back onto his belt before continuing.

"I'm playing a Jedi who survived Order 66. After that, he went into hiding for several years before taking up the fight against the Empire again."

"Your journey is truly remarkable."

"And you?"

"I served as a knight of the Kingdom of Valdor during the war against the Demon King. I fought in the northern campaigns, the Siege of Fort Ebony, and the reconquest of the Plains of Arkan before joining the final expedition against the Demon King himself." When Aldric finally finished his account, the young man applauded.

"Respect! You're taking your character way too seriously!"

"I am simply recounting the facts."

"And you can even say that without ever breaking character..."

"So who's your favorite character?" the man asked. Aldric answered without the slightest hesitation.

"Obi-Wan."

"Excellent choice."

"He remains calm under all circumstances. His experience is evident in every movement he makes. He never wastes motion and maintains impeccable discipline, even when the situation turns against him. Above all, he is willing to sacrifice himself to ensure his allies' victory. That is the mark of a true master."

"And Darth Vader?" A few steps away, Emma closed her eyes. She already knew the answer.

"An excellent commander." The fan burst into laughter.

"Exactly!" Emma let out a sigh. Here they went again. The two men completely forgot about the rest of the lobby. They were now comparing their analyses. Aldric explained why Darth Vader controlled the pace of every battle so perfectly, why Luke still lacked experience, and why Obi-Wan embodied the ideal knight in his eyes. The fan eagerly built on every point he made, bringing up the other films, the Jedi, the Sith, and the saga's greatest battles. Before long, several people slowed down as they walked past them.

"I think Luke's biggest problem is that he lets his emotions control him."

"I share that opinion," Aldric replied. That simple response seemed to open the floodgates. A second fan joined the conversation, then a third, soon followed by several more. Within just a few minutes, a genuine circle had formed around Aldric. Everyone shared their opinions on the Jedi, the Sith, or the decisions made by the various characters, while the hero answered each of them. Emma, meanwhile, found herself standing alone a few yards away, holding both drinks and the bucket of popcorn.

She watched the growing crowd. Aldric had just explained why he found some of Luke's tactical decisions questionable, immediately sparking another debate among the fans. At that moment, an announcement echoed throughout the lobby.

"The next screening is about to begin." The group gradually broke apart. Everyone headed back toward their theater, some continuing their discussion with the person beside them. The young man dressed as a Jedi approached Aldric one last time and held out his hand.

"Seriously, you had the best cosplay here today." Aldric shook his hand.

"It was an honor to meet a true Jedi." The fan grinned from ear to ear.

"You too... Whatever you do, don't ever change." They finally went their separate ways, each walking off in a different direction through the lobby. Emma watched them for a few seconds before letting out a quiet laugh.

"They're probably going to tell all their friends about this, and no one's going to believe them." She then rejoined Aldric, who was waiting by the entrance to the theater.

"Ready to go back?"

"Yes. I hope we'll see that Jedi again. I still have many questions I'd like to ask him." Emma burst out laughing as she handed him his drink.

"Come on... the movie's about to start."