A Lost Cause
Hoth
The crisp snow had been undisturbed for millennia…
The last men to walk on these plains were those on the path of war. Those on the path to darkness.
A thousand years had passed since then.
And the crisp snow was about to be disturbed.
The sky turned ebony as the endless horde approached, an obsidian sea stretching for mile after mile.
It seemed endless, solid; one entity.
Well, it would if it were not the one speck trekking before the rest.
An obsidian cloak covered him from head to toe, robes of an evil culture.
One that was about to return.
He had travelled from the farthest reaches of the Empire to lead his troops here.
A journey that would be well worth the time spent.
Crimson skin was just visible from a slit in his robes, sinister yellow eyes scouring the landscape.
Dark lines were tattooed to his face, forming an evil pattern to show his religion.
His race.
He reached a spot in the snow, then stopped suddenly.
His left arm was out to one side, stopping the troops behind him in an instant.
The Sith's eyes scanned a large icy ridge up ahead.
He sensed something.
"Wait here Commander. I shall be but a moment."
A soldier behind him saluted, armour like bedrock as he took position, still as the statues of Korriban.
The Lord strode forwards, gliding over the shadows he cast before him.
The ice rose up before him, forcing the man to strain to reach the top.
A flash of red, and a Republic soldier fell to the floor a few metres away, searing hole in his armour.
Another flash, and another trooper fell to his death.
Satisfied no more were hiding, the Lord sheathed his saber.
He looked upon the land.
There were more.
"You stand little chance Jedi. Give up your men now, or feel the wrath of the Sith."
His voice boomed across the seemingly empty landscape.
Then they showed their faces.
In all, five of them appeared, clad in ivory robes, legs splayed slightly, ready for an attack.
The Sith smiled.
"You shall regret coming here Surrel! We are ready to take you right here, right now. Please, end this madness before it begins! Before you regret coming here."
Darth Vonar Surrel. Lord of Darkness, Prince of Evil.
Surrel reached to his head, pulling the hood from his face.
A bald red head embraced the cold, a grim face following suite. His scarlet skin was matte, obsidian paintings etched into his face, his tentacle like moustache hanging loosely in the wind.
"You under-estimate my power Kaal. It will be you who will regret this encounter."
Jedi Master Phex Kaal stood in the centre of the other Jedi, legs parted.
Unlike the others, he was Zabrak, thorns sticking out of his patchwork skin.
Some say he is the descendant of the great Kao Cen Darach, who managed to slay the mighty Darth Malgus' master.
Surrel recognized his apprentice to Kaal's right, Banol Sadow.
"I hope you have had the time to say your farewell to your padawans."
Kaal drew his sabers, two strips of green searing the cold air. His Padawans did the same, a various array of blue, yellow and green lighting up the blank land.
Surrel drew his own, a long, stocky hilt.
A flash of red, and his saber was ready to take its next life.
Silence inched its way into the duel, all but the slight humming of Lightsabers.
One of the Jedi couldn't wait any longer.
One to Surrel's right came at him, a Twi'lek.
This one was armed with a single saber, yellow blade swinging quickly at Vonar's head.
Surrel blocked, the Twi'lek swinging low to catch him off guard. But he was ready.
With a slight movement, the second part to his saber extended, blocking the yellow blades path to his leg.
Surrel was a blur, swinging with lightning speed at the Twi'lek's head. He blocked, forcing the Lord to swing from the right, down on the Jedi's shoulder. He wasn't prepared for that. The Twi'lek howled in agony as his left arm flopped to the floor, clasping desperately at the wound. He fell backwards, dying in a matter of seconds.
Surrel span, blocking a powerful blow from a large Dathomirian, yellow skinned and snarling.
He too was armed with a double-lightsaber, making this one a little more challenging.
Not much more, of course.
The two danced a violent tango across the ice, blue and red flashing around.
The Dathomirian was a tough opponent, matching every move with a saber that Vonar could pull off.
Time to see if he was one with the force.
Surrel swung his saber at the Dathomirian, locking in a deafening duel. The Jedi snarled, pushing home his advantage. Strength.
Surrel was being pushed back, leaning further and further over, trying to keep away from the searing blades.
He pushed suddenly, giving him time to splay his left palm. The Dathomirian went sliding across the ice, keeping his footing.
Admittedly, Vonar was impressed.
Before the Jedi could recover, Surrel fired a bolt of lightning at him, but it was deflected with apparent ease.
He fired another, and another, until there was a continuous stream of plasma arcing towards the Jedi.
Without warning, Surrel sheathed his blade, hands held in the air, wind whipping around his black clad arms.
Vonar grunted, bringing his arms to his stomach, before snapping them forwards in a single, powerful motion.
Kaal could feel the ground shake as the force push surged forwards, hitting the Jedi head on.
Behind the Jedi, a gigantic chasm opening up behind him, the snow that had been concealing it dropping into the abyss.
The Dathomirian hadn't enough time to react, falling into the open mouth of the crevasse.
Surrel turned, Phex now taking the limelight.
He turned to his apprentice and the other Jedi first.
"Banol, Dalen, get back to base, now! Dalen, you must help the garrison there whilst Banol and Orion escape! Go, now!"
Kaal went on the offensive from the get go, swinging quickly, fearlessly with his two blades.
Surrel evidently had his hands full, unable to go after the two others. This made him angry.
Anger, if you were unaware, is a Sith's greatest asset.
"You have another padawan, Phex?" Surrel managed, keeping his attention on the fight at hand.
Kaal snarled, "You shall not find him Surrel, never in a thousand years!"
Kaal launched his knee at Vonar's groin, but the Lord managed to dodge backwards to avoid serious pain.
Surrel went back on his offensive, swinging from left to right, sometimes throwing in a few uppercuts to try cripple his opponent.
"If I don't, my apprentice shall, believe me."
Kaal slashed again, failing to get through Vonar's defense.
Phex pushed the air, but Surrel was prepared, back flipping over the rippling surge.
He landed swiftly, blocking a savage strike for the Jedi Master. Surrel was nearly kneeling, but managed to get his hilt to make contact with Phex's head, giving him some room.
Surrel whirled, red hacking away at the Jedi's defense.
The two were moving closer and closer to the newly discovered ridge, now using half their attention to ensure they didn't follow the unfortunate Dathomirian to their death.
Phex attacked from the left, both sabers crashing down upon the Sith's weapon.
Surrel staggered, managing to move away from the crevasse. That left Kaal terribly exposed.
Surrel pushed with all his might, sending the Jedi hurtling.
He cursed though, seeing his enemy land on the far side of the crevasse. Phex shot daggers at Surrel, who was now trying to regain his footing on the ice.
"This is pointless Surrel! You are not going to win this at the rate you're going at."
Surrel appeared to wipe his face with his sleeve, but in fact spoke into a small communications device on his wrist.
"Commander… Now would be a good time to send some men to assist me."
"Roger that my lord."
Surrel stood, soon ducking to avoid a spinning saber that was destined for his head.
He dodged the weapon as it boomeranged back to Phex.
On queue, Phex deflected a burst of plasma fire from the ridge above the two, a squad of Obsidian men appearing over the ice hill.
Phex deflected another, directing the blaster fire back at its owner, searing a hole through the trooper's neck.
Phex was occupied.
Surrel stalked back and forth, calculating how he would win this encounter.
The ice beneath the Jedi was weak, the odd blaster fire hitting the ancient ground.
Surrel splayed his palm, force surging towards the ridge below the Jedi.
Fortunately for the Sith Lord, the ice moved.
Phex stumbled, trying to block the incoming fire, whilst trying to keep his footing on the loose ground.
Surrel smiled ever so slightly, seeing his rival moving slowly towards the never-ending abyss –
He leaped, landing beside Surrel.
He had barely enough time to react, only just managing to draw his saber as green made for his head.
A load buzz rang into the air, the two sabers clashing.
Phex was growling, throwing all his might into his saber.
"That's right Phex… use your anger."
Kaal smirked.
He attacked from the right with both sabers, then the left, then the right, forcing the Sith back.
More troopers were on the ledge now, trying to get a clear shot to Phex.
He was outnumbered. And out gunned.
With one last grimace, the Jedi pushed away in a sonic boom, leaving the Sith stood in the ice.
Surrel wiped his eyes, snarling after the Jedi who was now disappearing into the distance.
The Sith cursed, turning back towards the ice ridge.
He spoke into the comms link on his wrist.
"Commander, order the Legion to continue the march to the base, you need to secure the base."
A few moments passed before the commander replied.
"Copy that… what about you, my Lord?"
Surrel snarled.
"I've got business to attend to."