8 years before the events of Attack of the Clones…
Dark Night, Elza Laur, and Malik Ryon are on their way to Daxan-Beta with the help of Darien Bade's piloting skills. They are on their way to visit Queen Azara Laur, by her request, to discuss Elza's Future as a Jedi and the next Queen of Daxan-Beta. This to Dark Night seems very odd because Elza was accepted into the Jedi order to her knowledge, or is there something else that she doesn't know? What does Queen Azara know about Dark Night that she doesn't?
"I do apologize for not formally introducing myself." Dark Night said to Malik.
"I don't need you to introduce yourself. I know who you are. Ever youngling and padawan knows who you are." Malik said.
"So who's the kid?" Darien asked walking into the main part of his ship from the cockpit. Elza just smiles as she looks back and forth between Dark Night and Darien.
"This is my new padawan, Malik Ryon." Dark Night responded.
"So that means he is of no competition to me." Darien said leaning his left arm, which has black tattoos on the shoulder and forearm, against the wall. Dark Night just rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Malik.
"What are your strong suits?" Dark Night asked.
"I've been told I'm good with a saber and that I'm not the most patient." Malik said.
"Well that's just great." Dark Night said sarcastically.
"But I am ready to learn whatever you are going to teach me." Malik said.
"How old is this kid?" Darien asked.
"I'm thirteen! How old are you?!" Malik stated.
"I'm eighteen. Much older than you and more qualified for this type of job then you." Darien shot back.
"If you two are done, I believe we have arrived at my home." Elza interjected. Darien glares at Malik and walks back into the cockpit to land the ship. Dark Night looked towards her padawan, Malik Ryon, who had on the typical Jedi garments and had short, sleek, black hair that was matched almost perfectly with is cool green eyes. He seemed to have this dislike of Darien in just the little time they had spoken in. "Is it possible he knows that I have affection for Darien?" Dark Night asked herself. "Or does he just not like the sweet talking pilot type?" Dark Night was lost in thought as the ship landed and Darien came back into the main part of the ship. Elza stood up and began to leave with Malik following, Dark Night was just about to start after them when Darien grabbed her arm to stop her. He waited for those two to leave then turned Dark Night to face him.
"Darien what do you…." Dark Night wasn't able to finish her sentence because Darien pulled her into a kiss. Dark Night would have pushed it away but she pulled him closer and embraced the kiss for a few moments. Then she got a hold of herself and pushed him slightly away.
"I shouldn't have done that." Dark Night said quietly.
"Why not?" Darien asked.
"I'm a Jedi. I'm not supposed to have romantic ties." Dark Night said moving her eyes down to the floor between them.
"They don't have to know." Darien replied sympathetically.
"It'll never work out." Dark Night stated.
"We can make it work… at least for a little while." Darien said.
Dark Night only smiled slightly then turned away and walked down the ramp. Darien followed knowing that somehow he and Dark Night would never be able to make it work forever unless she left the Jedi order, something he would never ask her to do.
When they got to the bottom of the ramp they found Malik glaring at Darien as if he knew something and Elza speaking with some of the guards on the landing pad.
Elza turns around to speak with Dark Night noticing that she had come out of the ship.
"My mother is on her way here. She is very thrilled to finally meet you in person Dark Night." Elza said. Dark Night only responded with a nod. Dark Night turned her attention back to her apprentice and Darien to see that Malik was glaring at Darien and Darien was playing it cool.
In a few minutes Queen Azara Laur walked out onto the landpad to greet her guests. As she approached Elza curtsyed to her mother while Darien bowed. Dark Night bowed also and pulled her padawan into a bow, since he clearly didn't realize he was supposed to. As Azara approached she spoke in a regal voice. "There is no need for the Dark Night to bow to me."
Elza threw a confused glance towards her mother then looked at Dark Night who was coming up from her bow like her padawan.
"And why is that might I ask?" Dark Night asked.
"Because your kind is very much above royalty." Azara explained. "Now come follow me we have much to discuss." With that being said Dark Night, Elza, Malik, and Darien follow Queen Azara as she walks into the palace.
"You will be my honored guest for the celebration of the first protection of our kind." Azara said.
"What is that?" Malik asked.
"The celebration of the first time people with magic had to be saved." Darien said. Elza threw a glare towards Darien and said defensively, "I want to see you take down someone who greatly outpowers you!"
"So does outsmarting a Jedi count?" Darien asked.
"You do realize Dark Night knew you were tracking her, right?" Elza shot back.
"Yeah yeah, whatever." Darien added while rolling his eyes.
"This is the 1350th year celebration." Azara stated.
"The what?!" Malik blurted out.
"I'm not entirely sure what that number stands for." Dark Night admitted.
"1350 years ago in two days, the very first of your kind was born." Azara told Dark Night.
"That's funny… in two days I turn seventeen." Dark Night said.
"Oh really." Darien said to himself.
"Then this is perfect timing." Azara said.
"You mean I actually get to celebrate your birthday with you!" Elza said as she squeezed Dark Night.
"Elza Anjelica Laur! Release her at once!" Azara stated firmly as she turned to see her daughter doing unlady like things.
"Ah! Anjelica." Darien stated with laughter in his voice as Elza let go of Dark Night.
"I'm sorry Dark Night it seems like Krista's and Scarlet's hugging is rubbing off on me." Elza said.
"It's fine but I'm afraid I still don't understand what this celebration if for." Dark Night said with Malik nodding in agreement.
"This celebration is more for us to remember those who have protected us from… well our great evil. It is in remembrance of your ancestors, the ones who came before you, and your 1350 year old magic." Azara explained.
Azara stopped walking and turned to face everyone walking behind her. She then turned to one of her handmaids walking alongside her and stated, "Alena! Please direct these three to their rooms."
Alena bowed and led Dark Night, Darien, and Malik to their rooms for the week.
"You know this is the first time I've been invited by the Queen to stay in her palace." Darien said. "And I've come here like a million times."
"Maybe she doesn't trust you." Malik stated harshly.
Dark Night could sense the venom that was behind Malik's words, something she had been warned about when she took him on. "He could be more danger then you can handle." Dark Night had thought back to Obi-Wan's warning before she left. Dark Night was known to take risks for the greater good, but something seemed off about Malik. He used to be the top of his class until… until Anakin came along. Anakin was a fast learner, just like Dark Night. Malik had this dark aura around him that made Dark Night a little unsteady and the more she was around him the more of a dark path she saw him beginning to fall down. "I can help him. I can help him find balance. I have to." Before she could realize it they arrived at the guest rooms in the palace. There was one for each of them.
Alena turned around to speak to the group. "My Queen has nice clothing for all of you in your rooms and do please come down for lunch today. The Queen would be very pleased." Alena then left the three to their rooms. Dark Night had looked around the grand room as she entered and found many dresses hung up on the canopy of the bed that was in the center of the room. As she walked over to the dresses she found that every single dress had a hood on it. The dresses reminded her of the ones she saw Padme wear and the ones her handmaids wore. As she went to grab one of the dresses Elza came in.
"So…. Do you like them?" Elza asked. "My mother wanted to make sure that you and the boys had nice things to wear for the celebration. She even asked me for sizes and your favorite colors and what colors you look nice in!" Elza had excitement written all over her face. She acted almost as if she had never had a friend over before. Dark Night looked at the dresses then back at Elza.
"You didn't have to go through all this." Dark Night finally said.
"I'm glad I did because I have never really given you anything before." Elza said with a little regret in her voice. Dark Night had just noticed that Elza was in a regal blue dress, similar to her mother's, instead of her Jedi robes.
"I know this is probably not as exciting for you as it is for me but…." Elza started as she looked to the ground. "I just… We have never… I Have never really been allowed to bring my friends here. Usually I'm lonely and…" Elza was trailing off and seemed really upset about something. Dark Night walked over to her friend and gave her a hug hoping to make her feel better.
"Do you want to know a secret?" Dark Night asked her friend. Elza looked at Dark Night giving a bit of a confused look.
"How many secrets do you have?" Elza asked with a teasing tone.
"Quite a few." Dark Night replied. At this Elza laughed a little. Dark Night let go of Elza and gave her a serious look.
"I don't know anything about the ones that came before me except that they gave me this cursed magic." Dark Night said solemnly. Elza looked at Dark Night with a confused face.
"What do you mean cursed?" Elza asked.
"It's more powerful then I can handle sometimes." Dark Night replied.
"You just need to… oh I don't know… use it a little more often." Elza said. "Besides my mother could tell you more then I can about the ones that came before you." Before Dark Night or Elza could say anything else Darien came into the room.
"Wow! You have a nicer place to stay then I do." Darien said as her entered.
"Do you not knock before you enter!" Elza yelled at him.
"I'm sorry Princess I just want to speak with… well my princess." Darien said as Dark Night rolled her eyes. Darien walked further into the room past Dark Night and Elza to inspect the dresses left for Dark Night.
"What are you doing!?" Elza asked.
"Who picked out these? They look nothing like what Dark Night would wear." Darien said.
"Get out and go get ready for lunch." Dark Night told Darien. Then there was a knock at the door. Dark Night answered "enter" and Malik entered the room.
"See at least he is polite!" Elza stated then looked at Malik. "He's even dressed for lunch."
Darien rolled his eyes. "I was actually coming to ask if someone could find a slightly bigger size in for the suit. It's a little to small." Malik said.
"No problem." And with that Elza used magic to make the suit slightly bigger for Malik.
"Thanks." Malik said. "Master are you going to get dressed?" He asked.
"I will as soon as Elza picks a dress for me." Dark Night said looking towards her friend who squealed with glee, went over to the dresses pushing Darien down and pulled down the royal red dress and handed it the Dark Night. The dress was a simple dress that was floor length and had a hood that was connected to the back of the shoulder piece that rapped around the front to the back. Dark Night took the dress and went into the refresher to get changed. Elza looked at Darien and said, "Go get ready, pilot boy."
"Hey! I'm eighteen. That makes me a man." Darien replied.
"Well you're acting like a little boy. Now get out!" Elza stated firmly and Darien left to get changed. In a couple a minutes Dark Night came out in the dress with the hood on. Both Elza and Malik were shocked at how nicely the dress looked on her.
"What?" Dark Night asked.
"It's the dress, Master. You look amazing." Malik said.
"He basically said it all right there." Elza said.
"Oh. Well… Thanks." Dark Night said modestly.
"We should head down to lunch my mother is probably waiting." Elza said as she started out the door. Dark Night looked towards her padawan who nodded and followed after Elza with Dark Night following. When they walked out of the room and met with Darien as he too was leaving. Darien was dressed in a typical black suit, the same as Malik. The four of then headed down the grand staircase. They all had a nice lunch and Queen Azara asked that Dark Night and Elza come with her and her husband after the meal. Darien and Malik were left alone for the time that Elza and Dark Night went with the Queen. The Queen had led Elza and Dark Night to a secret vault, that was small, in the back of the palace.
"This is something that all the Queens before myself held most dear. A place of information and truths." Azara said.
"You've never shown me this place before mom." Elza stated.
"Your mother is very protective of this place." Elza's father, Dados, said while playfully placing an arm around the back of his daughter's neck and shoulders.
"That place holds things that the rest of the galaxy must never get their hands on." Azara said in her defense.
"Of course my love. But I'm sure they would like to know why." Dados said. Azara stopped walking and turned around to face Dark Night and Elza.
"This place holds all the secrets and truths of Dark Night's Ancestors. The secrets that caused the Nightsisters and Nightbrother to create our kind to protect." Azara said.
"Wait! I knew that our kind was created by the Nightbrothers and Nightsisters but we have to do what now?" Elza asked.
"Before the Nightbrothers became, practically non existent, they and the Nightsister created our kind to protect the information they could not." Azara said.
"What your mother means is the war against those of us with magic and those without wiped out the original Nightbrothers. But before that, they saw their end coming so they and the Nightsisters created a new species to protect the vital information." Dados said.
"Oh… that make a little more sense." Elza.
"But, your kind use to hunted by your cousin species. How did you protect this information then?" Dark Night asked.
"It use to be that the youngest child of the tribe would look after it while the older men and women protected the child. This worked for awhile until we were almost wiped out." Azara said.
"This is kinda why we left two hundred or so years ago to protect ourselves." Dados said. "So honey…. Are you going to show Dark Night the… you know…. The whole reason you brought her here?" Dados said in a fashion similar to a small child asking for something.
"I see where Elza got her childish manner from." Azara said as Dados gave a face of embarrassment. "Of course I'm going to show her." Azara walked over to a shelf at the end of the vault and grabbed a holobook from the empty grand shelf and handed it to Dark Night. "This the one book that holds every little piece of information of the ones that came before you."
"My dear wife helped finish compiling all the books into one…. Well except for the diary." Dados said as he grabbed the last book from the shelf. "Here."
"These she help you to understand the very importance of your existence." Azara said.
"What are the little closets for?" Elza asked with lots of curiosity.
"Those are full of jewelry that belonged to the ones before Dark Night." Azara said.
"Those and the two books are what you will end up protecting one day Elza." Dados said. "My little girl doing the same things as her mother, how adorable."
"Thank you for the books." Dark Night said. "I will return them as soon as I am done."
"Elza go with your friend and learn a little more about her." Dados said. Elza and Dark Night left the vault and Elza gave the suggestion to do the reading in the room Dark Night was staying in. But as the two were heading up to the room they found Darien and Malik fighting, well more of Darien pinning Malik down.
"What are you two doing!?" Dark Night demanded. Darien and Malik both looked over to her and Malik force pushed Darien off him. "Ow! What the…" Darien had started but stopped.
"I apologize Master. He was trying to prove his… well superiority over me." Malik said.
"I was not!" Darien, now frustrated, said as he stood up.
"You two are unbelievable." Elza said as her father came into the situation.
"I could take care of these two troubled boys while you ladies deal with grown up things." Dados said making fun of Darien and Malik.
"That would be great dad!" Elza said as she gave him a hug then ran up the stairs with Dark Night. Dark Night and Elza had spent the rest of the day reading the first book that explained the history of Dark Night's magic.
"I had know idea that each one wrote their own spell book." Elza stated.
"The question is were are all of them." Dark Night said.
"It is weird that there aren't exactly any directions to them." Elza said.
"I guess I'll just have to find them then." Dark Night stated.
"Are you going to write one as well?"
"No. What I need to do is find them then combine them."
"That is something they should have done ten of them ago."
There was a pause.
"How come you aren't in the book?" Elza asked.
"The information was written by the ones before and family members. My family left me as soon as they found out about my magic." Dark Night stated sadly.
"I want leave you. And I'll help you make sure no great darkness is released." Elza stated encouragely. Dark Night hugged her friend.
"Should we start on the dairy?" Dark Night asked.
"We should save that for tonight...after dinner. That way we can go out into the city as they are putting decorations up for the celebrations." Elza suggested.
"Alright." Dark Night responded and the two headed downstairs to the dinning hall. When they arrived they noticed Darien and Malik were worn out where Dados was a joyful as ever. Azara came in after Elza and Dark Night. Once they all sat down Dados asked if Dark Night and Elza wanted to know what he did with the boys.
"I very much enjoyed our time together today. It made feel ten years younger." Dados said. Both boys just rolled their eyes and ate quietly.
"What did you do to two of our guest?" Azara asked.
"I only challenged them to a fist fight. They continued to want a rematch." Dados said. Azara rolled her eyes and continued to eat.
"I can guess you two were unsuccessful against my father." Elza said.
"You think?" Darien stated irritated.
For the rest of dinner they are in silence. Once dinner was done Dark Night and Elza went back into her room to read the diary of her ancestors. But before they could actually start reading it Elza fell on the bed asleep. Dark Night picked up the book, sat on the floor in a meditation position and opened the book to the first page. She had started to read the writing of the first one, Century Fear. "When I had first fallen ill I thought there was no cure. My father and Mother had searched tirelessly for a cure, until they found one. They did something I would have never asked for and to consequence was the loss of my mother." The dairy opened with the recount of Century's near death experience. "My mother had risked her life for me only to have her lose herself. When the spell was casted Zara was created into a creature of pure darkness, consuming my mother and leaving as the only living being that could stop her. Right after she had been created she fled." That was the end of the first entry. The next time the creature was seen she had nearly killed my little sister Anna. Anna was left with scars from Zara that didn't kill her until after she had given birth to her second child. I was devastated. I promise Anna, I will protect your children, I will never let her lay a finger on them." Century's attitude changed the more Dark Night read, Anna's husband left the children leaving Century and her husband to look after not only their daughter but also their nieces.
"I know what comes next. It's my time. I have to stop Zara from hurting anyone else. I have watched my granddaughter grow up and learn to control the magic, this has taught me that only granddaughters can contain and use the magic. I know that if I fail Tulup will be able to stop her once and for all. I am eighty nine years old, I have lived long enough, this will be the last time I write." Century had confidence she could stop Zara only she didn't. She died at eighty nine to only contain her. As Dark Night was reading she realized that most of them only wrote a little bit. But it wasn't until Dark Night got to Midnight Jewel's entries that she learn the terrible truth about Zara.
"Why and how did no one tell those before me and me who Zara really was. I had seen portraits of her before she turned but never expected that the Zara we have tried to destroy so many times was her. Her pale white skin and her blood red hair do make it hard to recognize her. Zara was Century Fear's mother. She became that way trying to save her daughter only to become her daughter's dark counterpart." Midnight seemed to be irritated at not knowing the truth. This wasn't the worst entry though. When Dark Night had finally reach her grandmother's entries it seemed to bother her because her last two entries only infuriated her.
"They are telling me that I have to chose the next one after me. My son's wife is pregnant with twins. A boy and a girl. I am told to take on the task of choosing the next one. But as I look at how many children my son will have it only hurts me more. He will end up with not just one girl but four. I want to chose one that will take the failures of all of us before her and finally defeat Zara once and for all. Everytime Zara is released or escapes she kills everyone in her path. I've explored the possibility of three of the girls having the magic but each time their sister, the meant to be the third oldest, either finds a way to take the magic from them or joins Zara to defeat them. Everytime I look at what caused this I find that she ends up without magic because before her and her twin sister are born her twin sister takes all of her magic. Without her magic she is outcasted by her twin and her mother leaving her older siblings trying to comfort her, due to my son being always busy. I am frightened by what I've seen but all the ones before me are trying to help me see that this future granddaughter of mine might just be the one." This ended the entry the annoyed Dark Night.
"I've chosen to give the magic to the third oldest in hopes she will be the one. I have seen my two oldest grandchildren grow up to be the age of five. I have spoken with my son and told him and have made a suggestion to name her after the rare flower that grows on Naboo. This I feel this might just be my last entry before it's my time." Elizabeth stopped writing and Dark Night had one more entry to read, but it wasn't from any of the ones before her it was instead from Queen Azara.
"I have pledged to look after all of the information that my mother had protect. At the age of nineteen I will not allow anything to happen to any of the information. I will protect it will my life." Azara had finished and Dark Night was done reading she didn't want to see if there was any more she just wanted to return these as soon as possible. Dark Night looked out the window to see it was dawn and stood up set the book on the table next to the bed, grabbed the royal blue dress that was way easier to move around in and possible fight in if needed. She went into the refresher and changed. When she came out she found Elza sit on the bed meditating.
"So how long have you been awake?" Elza asked opening one eye.
"All night, reading while you slept." Dark Night responded.
Elza giggled, "Well let me go get changed. Then we can go get some food then head out to the city." Elza said then left. The rest of the day went similar to the day before except for the entire day Elza, Dark Night, Darien, and Malik spent the day together. Malik and Dark Night managed to get a lesson in while they were exploring. They had come home from the day's events and that night Dark Night decided to meditate but instead fell asleep. The next morning was the day of the celebration and Dark Night's birthday. All day she was bowed to… by everyone! It annoyed her. The next day the four of them had to leave due to the Jedi council needing Dark Night. So they packed their things and said their goodbyes to Azara and Dados and head on their way back to Coruscant. Dark Night was informed that she, Malik, Obi-Wan, and Anakin would be on their way to help an old friend in the lower levels.
End of Story