Darkness is coming. There is no doubt of that. If you think that we are finally safe from evil, you're wrong. After the revival of Malachor a new danger has arisen; something is stirring in the unknown regions, a fertile place in which evil could develop into something unstoppable. From the ashes of this hellscape a fire will rage and the galaxy will burn. One chapter in this infinite saga is over but another begins.

The priests of silver shores

The guardians of sand and stone

The Jedi of the force

Shall return to their hold

And the bells will ring as a new hope returns

But all the joys will turn silent

And the galaxy will drown and burn

It was dark and silent, both in spirit and in reality. There are dark places in the galaxy where few tread, ancient places of learning, of knowledge, places which slip under the gaze of the Jedi, domains in which the dark side grows in strength. If there was one place which the Jedi feared to walk, a place which holds nothing but regret and remorse in its very core, a reminder to the republics' failures and a message to the Jedi never to interfere with war again. Malachor was that place. A graveyard to Jedi, Sith and Mandolorians alike; no matter who you were, no matter what doctrine you follow, light or dark, Ashla or Bogan. Malachor is a forbidden planet: and for good reason. But as time unwinds truth turns into myth and by the time of the Galactic Empire all knowledge of that ancient war was lost. Whether it was the will of the force or just by fate, what should have never been forgotten was lost. Now, (due to the loss of the Jedi archive) only a select few know of what transpired on this planet millennia ago, only a select few know of the scourge of Malachor...

It was dark and silent, even when the sun rose over the fifth planet in the system it was still terribly dark. The lack of light was a testament to the force energy that radiated from the planet, it would have been the perfect location for the Empire to build a temple to the dark side but it never happened. The planet was beyond the outer rim in the unknown regions of the galaxy, too far away from the emperors reach. But the main reason Palpatine chose to ignore this place was because not even he would dare walk upon its forsaken soil. Darkness resides within Malachor, a force that sickens even the darkest of Sith Lords. This place was perhaps worse than Korriban and Ziost combined, because this energy had the stench of death upon it. Many a Jedi have fallen here, some more recent than others...

That was where she was. She was trapped in the one place where all beings feared to be. She was thought to have been killed, cut down by her former master. But now she faces something worse. No-one knows why Vader spared her life; was it out of kindness, was there still a bit of Anakin left within that armor or was it because death would be merciful. Here on Malachor, death would be kind. The planet is like a disease; the more you are exposed to it the more likely you are to fall. The Planet is the dark side, and Ahsoka is stranded there with no means of escape...

She wakes up from a nightmare. Having envisioned those last few moments when she said goodbye to her friend Anakin, and walked away from the Jedi temple she heard those same few lines from the temple at Lothal, words that piece her soul with sorrow and regret. Ahsoka, why did you leave? Do you know what I've become? And she awoke, still hearing that cybernetic breathing in her head she soon realised what had happened, and where she was. "Malachor" she remembered, and with that name it all came back to her; Maul, the inquisitors' deaths, the Holocron Ezra found in the temple and of course that memorable duel with the one who killed her master, Vader. With her memory returning she looked around at her surroundings to see where she was, she knew it was Malachor but everything about the planet was a mystery. As a youngling she only heard myths and rumours about this ancient world, to say its name was to swear. Only through meditation could she find the planet which led her to believe that it was the will of the force that led her, Kanan and Ezra here. At least they got what they came for she thought to herself as she was manoeuvring through the ruined caverns, but as her journey continued she began to doubt whether the Holocron was what they came for, Master Yoda told them to find Malachor but what about the planet is so important that they need to go there, what knowledge do we need in order to stop the sith. The sickness of the dark side was already infecting her, already doubt had entered her head, the same doubt she had in herself when she faced Vader. She knew that she needed to leave, find Kanan and Ezra and learn what secrets that Holocron carries. But before all that, she has to get of the planet.

One thing that annoyed her most however was the lack of her Lightsabers. "Not again!" she complained, if there were someone else within a mile of her they would now be alerted to her presence. Her white blades were with her when she faced Vader in the uppermost part of the temple where the Holocron was, But Ahsoka was not in the Holocron chamber, she was in some dank, dark and dismal stone corridor some way beneath the temple, the corridor was a void. Because she had no Lightsabers she couldn't see where she was going, "looks like the force must guide me" she reassured herself questionably as that doubt which had previously entered her head was now clouding her judgement making her blind to see where she was going. And blind to an attack.

At last some light! The occasional glimmer through the ceiling cracks told her that it must be mid-day on Malachor. This allowed her finally to see where she was going and to no surprise the reason the corridor seemed endless was because she was going in circles which just aggravated her further, thinking aloud now she said frustratingly "c'mon Fulcrum your better than this! If you can fend off a Sith Lord then you can find a way out of this temple". Ahsoka always felt more relaxed when she was alone, when she was with the Ghost crew she always acted as a sainted mentor, the truth was she was no different than the young girl who left the Jedi all those years ago. But no matter how much she tried to remain calm she thinks of Anakin and what he did, the thought of that made her angry and more determined to leave this planet. The sickness was growing.

Ahsoka picked up the pace and found a way out into a large open cavern with surprisingly flowing water. She took this as an opportunity to replenish her strength, she ran down the stairs to an old fountain that had been ruined for quite some time. Its disrepair made the water flow out from the fountain through cracks and openings into a courtyard, what was once perhaps a training ground for force users is now nothing but a shallow lake with boulders and statues as islands separating the shallow ocean. Ahsoka went to the shore line and without hesitating drank from the pool...

The taste was nothing like she had expected, it was sweet and hydrating, cold but reviving. The more she drank the more energetic she felt. Malachor was a barren wasteland, from pole to pole everything is dead but this spring that Ahsoka is now drinking from made her feel, alive. The after taste however was bitter as she noticed much rock and soil had diluted into the liquid but she overlooked this issue as water with a horrid after taste was better than no water at all. The sun was now directly above the temple, this mid-day light shone through the ceiling cracks; these miniature holes directed the light into the cavern which Ahsoka was now recuperating. She spared enough time from re-hydrating to see that the ceiling light seemed as though the stars were shining down upon the fountain courtyard, the water shone silver and the gushing waterfalls were now pouring diamond liquid into the pool.

Ahsoka looked into the water, as she looked into the lake she could see how things were supposed to be, she saw what things would have been like if she accepted the Jedi's offer to return to the order. She saw the end of the clone wars, she saw herself and Anakin enjoying their adventures together and she saw a person with them, it was her Padawan. As she became more enticed by the lake's vision she forgot where she was and with her wanting to go back to the way things were she fell into the water. As the water entered her lungs she woke from her dream and quickly leapt out of the water! She gasped for air as she crawled back to the shore line, "what's happening to me?" she finally realised that something was not right. She has been alone before but never has she experienced something like this place, not even Mortis has had an effect on her like Malachor. "I have to get out!" she ordered herself as she stood up and headed towards the stairway. Suddenly the lake became dark again, the sun had moved on and the silver pool was no more. Ahsoka sighed as her visible light was now significantly less but there was still one speck of blue light from within the lake, she knelt down to the shore line to get a closer look.

The blue light appeared to be concentrated to a single point, not a reflection in the water but something within the lake slightly peeking through the ash bed. After observing the almost hypnotic light Ahsoka reached in and grasped the light. The rummaging caused the ash to swish around the area so all Ahsoka could go on was her sense of touch; she felt what seemed like metal, a cylindrical shaped metal. As the dust settled the blue light pierced back through the water "what is it" she asked herself as she picked up the source of the light. As she grasped the object and raised it to her face her questions were answered. She was holding a Lightsaber...

The blue light was the still active Kyber Crystal within the shattered weapon, peeking through the cracks of the Sabre. The hilt was of similar design to the green Lightsaber Ezra discovered previously, but this one was blue. The hilt was barely holding together; the sabres' once sleek body work is now little more than an endoskeleton of the ancient sabre. The design was prehistoric. It has been millennia since the cross guard Lightsabers were used by the Jedi and yet dozens were here on Malachor: the graveyard of the Force. "Why are there so many cross guard Lightsabers here?" she queried, "the cross guard Lightsabers were rarely used even thousands of years ago, the counsel cancelled the production of these Lightsabers, though no-one knew why..." she became so enticed in the mystery that this planet presented that she let her guard down a little too much.

As she was investigating the hilt further a dark figure crept down the flight of stairs towards Ahsoka, unfortunately for this shadowy individual the entire planet was in disrepair and his shady movement cause some sound as he crept across some ashes. Ahsoka heard this and quickly turned, raised the Lightsaber for defence and without hesitating ignited the weapon! The figure leapt at the former Jedi and it too had a weapon it ignited for attack, a red Lightsaber: the weapon of the dark side.

When the two Lightsabers clashed the light emitted from them revealed that the attacker was in fact an inquisitor! It was the same inquisitor that she and Kanan captured previously and thought dead. "You, you were supposed to be dead!" Ahsoka was confused as to how he escaped the fall but all her queries were pushed aside due to her current predicament, "Because of you, I already am!" His voice was reeking with hate and his physical prowess was fuelled by anger, "which is bad for you Jedi, because now I've got nothing more to lose!" The two unlocked blades, Ahsoka crouched and jumped to avoid the various heavy lashes produced by her assailant, his sparring skills were profound but Ahsoka used all her abilities to doge the attacks. Although she preferred using two Lightsabers she was in dire need and so she quickly associated herself with the blue Lightsaber and how that fighting style worked. The inquisitor managed to cut Ahsokas' leg causing her to fall to her knees, in response she raised the blue blade above her head to halt the inquisitors attempted hit at her. However something was happening to Ahsokas Lightsaber, it was ancient and broken, the red blade that the inquisitor was using was also broken; the blade was sparking, cackling and uncertain but it was still holding on to life after Kanan hit it back at the Holocron chamber. Ahsokas blade was fading away, one final spark from the hilt and the light was gone. With her primary weapon dead there was nothing now but her wits to protect her...

She jumped out of the way before her opponent managed to land his Lightsaber onto her; she managed to regain her stamina, rolled behind the inquisitor and made a series of flamboyant kicks and punches at his back and legs. He quickly twirled around to face her again using his Lightsaber for defence as he did, in an effort to confuse him she somersaulted over him back to the shoreline and likewise he flipped and turned showing an array of acrobatic skills in hopes to create fear in her. But it was just a rouse, thinking that he will come to her Ahsoka stood in a defensive position forgetting that like her he too had the force, and he was about to use it. He suddenly stopped his balletic performance and thrust his arm forward propelling Ahsoka out into the lake! As she was flying through the air her heels skimmed the water line and a massive thump occurred when she collided with one of the fallen pillars of the chamber. The collision made her fall into the water with the attacker leaping at her; he grabbed her by the shoulders keeping her head below the water line, she was struggling for breath, her lungs slowly filling with the mystical water, she was alone and soon she would become what all her comrades thought she was, dead.

With her last ounce of strength she used all her energy to force push the inquisitor into the ceiling making him drop his double-bladed Lightsaber. She resurfaced still holding him in place, as she was regaining air she became distracted and the inquisitor had a chance of escape. He raised his arm to his sabre and utilized the force so that it would be propelled directly into his hand. As it landed the Lightsaber ignited sending a level of shock into Ahsoka making her lose concentration and then losing him. He landed back onto the ground making a loud splash as he hit the water, sparks and steam rose when the blade reacted with the liquid, Ahsoka was exhausted and there was no sign of anyone winning this duel. There was no-way out, only one was going to get out of this chamber alive.

A long wait ensued with the two staring sharply into each other's eyes, they both were anticipating the others move and plotting in their heads how to respond, time passed; a few seconds, a minute, two? No-one can tell because time was nothing here, only what to do in that time. But longevity got the better of the inquisitor and he broke the annoying silence by launching his double-bladed into air with Ahsoka as its destination. In response Ahsoka leaped out of the way and landed on the shore line, the doorway at the top of the stairs were free for her to escape, finally a chance to get out she thought, she could have continued to fight but she needed her strength and her knee scar had endangered her enough. She turned and ran up the stairs "FACE ME COWARD!" the inquisitor projected "Join the Jedi in extinction!", as she reached half way she felt a great pull on her and before she could respond she fell back to the shore line and was paralyzed to the spot, frozen to the ground. She could see the inquisitor slowly approaching her with his right arm raised towards her and his left grasping the Lightsaber.

He chuckled to himself silently "how ironic fate can be, Vader spoke highly of you, said you were formidable, powerful, merciless. Believe me Vader rarely compliments anyone let alone a Jedi. And yet here you are, about to fall at the hands of the weakling eighth brother" a sense of remorse built up in his manner "if only my brothers and sisters could see me now, then maybe I would be given a better task than an idiotic man hunt for an old Zabrak!" Ahsoka was stuck but quick to respond "and you couldn't even do that" perhaps getting the eighth brother angry at this moment was not the best move for Ahsoka but by this point; no ship, no weapons, no means of escape and all her companions think that she is dead. So why not finish the deed, better to die swiftly at the hands of an inquisitor than to be consumed by madness on Malachor. The eighth brother felt relieved, now I will do what the great Lord Vader could not his mind was focused on the prospect of him killing the female, the reward of doing so, avenging all the inquisitors that have died before him. He raised his Lightsaber mere centimetres from her forehead, sparks emanate from the blade, the heat burning Ahsokas face, the anticipation of death coming closer and closer. He pulled his blade back and thrust it forward! At the last possible moment his concentration died and Ahsoka leapt out of the path of the swing, she landed on the floor next to him expecting him to retaliate but as she looked up she noticed something completely unexpected. There standing was the inquisitor frozen in his attacking position and the blade held in place by another individual...

This third figure was shrouded in a pitch black cloak; a skeletal hand physically holding back the red blade, behind the overhanging hood lays a sinister grin and a dark aurora surrounding the black mass. The figure simply let go of the blade causing it to short circuit and a sudden burst of energy propelled him to the floor! Ahsoka watched helplessly as the water around them began to shine silver again, it began to swish and swash and from the center of the courtyard a massive whirlpool opened dragging surrounding debris into it. As though something court hold of the eighth brother he too was being dragged towards the opening; his screams echoed through the temple, his cries for help fell on deaf ears and his struggling came to no avail! "Please you do not have to do this!" Ahsoka begged the dark figure to release him but there was no answer, only the continuation of the ordeal. Before she could do anything the inquisitor was swallowed by the shallow ocean and the whirlpool closed shut soon after, the water remained its chrome like appearance but Ahsoka could not enjoy the scenery because she could not even comprehend what had just occurred. She stood and turned to the ghostly apparition "what was that? Who are you!" the figure turned and as if it could not hear her, walked up the stairs away from the pool, "TELL ME!" Ahsoka had never felt angrier than now; even facing Vader had not created such mental turmoil than now.

The full force of her voice made the figure stop in its tracks mid-way up the stairs. It turned deathly back to her, and spoke, "who I am is not the question you should be asking" its voice was deep and broken, as though this person has seen a lot in its lifetime, it had the manner of a mentor, someone who knows and believes what they are saying. Ahsoka played its riddle and responded forcefully "I am Ahsoka Tano, Jedi consular, Jedi knight and rebel to the empire!" she spoke proudly of that fact and even though she said to Vader she was not, she claimed now that she was a Jedi, but her opponent thought differently. "That is what you say, but is that what you believe?" Fulcrum was getting mad of the riddles this figure was spouting "so tell me then, what am I?" there was a moment of silence before the response "perhaps we can find out together" Ahsoka resorted to her Padawan years and shrugged of this things' offer "all I want is to get off this rock" this time the response was almost instantaneous "my dear to escape Malachor is to escape ones fate" the figure walked back down the stairs towards her, Ahsoka felt threatened as it moved towards her "which is?" she asked not truthfully wanting an answer "death. Death is a doorway we all must go through, the final judgement to all beings, it calls to us, and it calls to you. To escape Malachor is to turn down that calling" Ahsoka knew that leaving this planet was going to be difficult but she wasn't going to let these words stop her "I'm not afraid of you and I'm certainly not afraid of death" with one final word of its twisted encouragement "there are far more terrifying things than death child, you will have to face all of them if you are to succeed" the figure raised its crippled hand and pressed it on Ahsokas forehead causing a massive epileptic display occur in Ahsokas eyes and with a flash of light she fell into a deep trance. She thought that escaping Malachor was the challenge; the real challenge however was escaping her inevitable fate, death.