Synopsis: The galaxy is in turmoil as a brutal war rages between the First Order and the New Republic. A former mercenary soldier, Jack, and a young hunter from an insignificant village, Thomas, want to make full use of the chaos to get rich. The duo enter the dangerous criminal underworld and face gangsters, Hutts, pirates, Jedi and the First Order in their attempt to become the bosses of crime.

Notes: Firstly, while characters from the movies will play an important part in the story, the main protagonists are original characters. Secondly, this story was written before Episode VIII came out, so it will most likely not reflect the developments in that movie. Last but not least, hope you enjoy the story.

STAR WARS

LEGENDS OF JEDI : DARKNESS AWAKENED

The galaxy is in turmoil. It's been one year since the destruction of the Starkiller Base, and it is a dark time for the Resistance. The evil First Order has been waging a brutal war of reconquest against the New Republic and the Resistance. Many ferocious battles have been fought, leaving hundred of thousands of dead civilians and ruined cities behind them. The fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance...

Prologue - The Ancient Scrolls

Outer Rim

Space was like a dark curtain, contrasting with blacks and yellows, and the occasional white, which was shaped as a circle and sometimes a crescent. Thousands of bright stars and planets dotted that curtain in a intricate pattern. Suddenly, a menacing shadow overshadowed one of the smaller planets. It was the shadow of a Star Destroyer traveling in space. Its engines emitted a sound like the singing of whales. It was the only sound that could be heard in the silent and empty coldness of space. A Lambda-class T-4a shuttle emerged from the Star Destroyer and headed towards one of the planets. It had three wings: one tall, dorsal stabilizer that remained stationary, and two lower wings that would extend during flight and fold upward for landing. The shuttle was mounted with two forward-facing double laser cannons. The shuttle entered into the planet's atmosphere and landed on the grassland.

Shayang

The horse was galloping forward on the grassland. The grass flattened under the wind in beautiful shimmering waves. Flowers lay scattered on the grass like frozen flames. Their petals were delicate works of art. The air was perfumed by their heavy scent; it was exquisite, fragrant. The white stallion was alert, slender-limbed and muscled. Its rider was an old man. His wrinkled face and long white hair and beard revealed his age. He was wearing a long black robe and hood. His heart beat fast. There was cold sweat on his forehead. He breathed heavily. "Faster!", he shouted and the horse sped up as if it had somehow understood his words.

'There is no time to waste!', the old man thought. 'If the scrolls are true, it will happen soon.'

Suddenly an invincible wave hit him and his horse. The horse toppled to the ground, bringing down its rider. As the old man got up, he saw the attacker. It was a lone figure clad in dark. His robe had become singed from many battles. His face was covered by a mask which projected and amplified his voice in a deeper way. "Darcayd, we meet at last! Would you be kind enough to give me the scrolls?"

"Kylo Ren!", the old man shouted as he grabbed his lightsaber from his belt. "I am not defenseless. I am more powerful than you can imagine."

Darcayd ignited his lightsaber. Its bright blue color glimmered. Ren too ignited his lightsaber, a bright and unstable red one, and struck at the old man. Their two sabers clashed violently.

"You are getting weaker, old man!", Ren said.

Instead of replying, Darcayd lunged forwards and slashed Ren's chest. With another swift attack, he slashed across Ren's mask. Ren leaped backward and sent a Force wave at Darcayd. The old man easily withstood the wave and remained steady. Ren angrily charged forward and violently swinged his lightsaber at the old man. Darcayd was forced on the defensive. Sensing the old man's weakness, Ren struck harder. He allowed himself to become immersed in his anger and frustration and feed off those emotions to become stronger. He struck again, again, again. Each time with more prowess, more emotion, more anger.

"Die!", he shouted as with a swift move he decapitated the old man. Darcayd's bloodied head rolled on the ground.

Ren let out a breath. He approached the decapitated body of Darcayd and searched it for the scrolls. They were nowhere to be found. "Damn you, old bastard!", he barked. In his anger, he took off his mask and threw it on the ground, revealing his true face; that of a young man whose only sign of battle was a scar across his face. While Ren's mask inspired terror, his true face did not have that effect. That was the reason Ren chose to wear the mask.

"I need the scrolls...", Ren said and sighed. He sat on the ground, contemplating his next move. It was then when he saw a white horse riding to his direction. Ren got up and, holding his lightsaber in his hands, walked forward to see who the rider was. He was a tall man wearing a long purple silk gown. His long hair was white but despite his age, his face was delicate and showed no signs of old age. The man jumped off his horse and walked towards Ren.

"You are...?", Ren asked.

"My name is Rong", the old man replied. "I am just an old man who happens to have been a friend of Darcayd. I hoped to join him but it seems I was too late."

Without waiting for the man to continue, Ren struck at him with his lightsaber. Rong used the Force to push back Ren, sending him rolling on the ground.

Rong humphed. "I expected you to be stronger. Then again, you are just a child pretending to be a warrior."

Ren was angry but also terrified. He could sense the old man's prowess in the Force. Not even his old Master, the renowned Luke Skywalker, had such a powerful presence in the Force. Before he could react, he felt as if his whole body was burning. He trembled and every part of his body ached. His face became ashen white and he vomited blood. He screamed in pain and cried out. Ren had no idea that such a Force technique existed. The pain was so severe that he lost his consciousness and collapsed on the grassy ground.