Memories of Shadow Chapter 1: Prologue, a star wars fanfic

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This chapter has been edited from the original.

In this place of darkness and cold and fog, it was almost impossible to tell where one was. The pale skinned exile looked about, her pale blue eyes trying to find something, anything to give her a clue where she was. She had a strange feeling that this was nothing but a dream, but she couldn't be sure. It certainly didn't feel like a dream; that was for sure. As much as she hated to admit it, it felt more like…a vision. Something akin to what she had experienced back on that hidden tomb on Korriban, but there was another presence here that she just couldn't put her finger on.

"Hello little Rhai'liah. I didn't think you were ready for me yet," A disturbingly familiar voice whispered quietly in the exile's ear, making her jump in surprise. She spun around with deadly grace, her hands automatically falling to the twin lightsabers she kept on her belt. The face that greeted her was one that could not be more familiar to her than her own face simply because it was her own face. This close to herself, she could see every tiny detail of herself that escaped most people's notice.

Her own pale white hair was falling into the twin's eyes just as hers did on a daily basis. Her white skin was clear for the most part except for the vicious scar that ran down the left side of her face. It started at her hairline and ran all the way down through her deep blue eye. The only reason she wasn't blind was because she had managed to Force heal it before it had gotten bad. It continued down in a jagged line until it split her lip, but she had grown used to the wound she had acquired back in the Mandalorian Wars. Seeing it on another face that was hers but wasn't hers at the same time was disturbing to say the least though. However, the one thing that stood out to the exile the most was the twin's eyes. Gone were the beautiful pale blue eyes that she herself had had since birth. In their place was sickeningly yellow eyes, showing just how far this version of her had fallen. They burned with rage and vengeance, causing a shiver to run up the exile's spine.

"Get away from me Shade," The exile hissed, using the name she had foreseen back on Korriban. She knew exactly who this woman was. This woman was herself if she had fallen. She was Darth Shade, a Sith Lord of extreme power fueled on by her anger at Kavar, Aurali, and Revan. She was what she would become if she did not manage to control her own self.

"Now you're willing to acknowledge my existence. I see I have made progress since when you last saw me," She smiled viciously, activating the weapons in her hands. Everything about them was the same as the exile's own weapons. She held them with a reverse grip and they had the same nicks on the same hilts. However, the glowing blade of energy that sprung from the crystals inside said hilts was blood red, coloring the air in an ominous way.

"I would be stupid to not acknowledge you. You are a part of me, for the light and dark exists in everyone. I am not fool enough to believe that I am immune to that fact," The exile replied calmly, letting her weapons activate with the ever-familiar snap-hiss that lightsabers made. The blue and purple blades glowed with a strong inner light that came from the twin crystals she had found on Dantooine that were attuned to her. The purple and blue light clashed with Shade's red light, foreshadowing the confrontation to come.

"Are you willing to fight me once more to see which one of us will win out?" Shade questioned, venom dripping from her every word. Shade charged at her before she could respond, but the exile was prepared this time. She had fought Shade back in the tomb on Korriban, and this time she was prepared for her dirty tricks. The exile easily sidestepped Shade's powerful attack, spinning around the Sith. Shade spun around with practiced ease and swung her weapons again. This time the exile could not simply step out of the way and she was forced to bring her weapons up in a defensive position. She barely caught the thrumming blades of red and sparks flew as she did so. The gentle humming of their lightsabers became more violent the longer they pushed against each other, both fighting for dominance.

"Give up Shade. I'm stronger than you. I have more to fight for you than you do," The exile stated coolly although that wasn't exactly the truth. She had lost almost everything she cared about. She pretty much had nothing left after Dantooine. Shade smirked at her, seemingly knowing that the exile was lying.

"Really now? Revan is probably dead, Aurali abandoned you, your crew doesn't need you anymore, and your lover is dead. Killed by one you once called mentor," Shade hissed, taking cruel pleasure in reminding the exile of her failures. Deeply seeded anger began to bubble to the surface but the exile pushed it down, knowing that if she allowed her anger to take over her, Shade would win. She might lose the physical fight, but she would achieve what she wanted.

Corrupting the exile and turning her into Shade herself.

"I refuse to believe she is dead, Aurali had her reasons, my crew needs guidance, and I will always hold his memory close to my heart," The exile responded with forced calm. Shade merely grinned at her and broke their lightsaber lock, backing away a few paces.

"I am your destiny dearest Rhai'liah. You will become me, whether you want to or not," Shade promised darkly, slowly fading away. The exile went after her once more, but Shade was already gone. Filling her place was a form the exile never expected to see again. The figure was tall and intimidating, but the exile knew that wasn't her true height. The dark armor that had become her signature had made her much taller to make others look up to you. The same red and black mask covered her face, and paired with the pitch black hood that covered her head, it made it impossible to tell any of her features. Of course the exile didn't need to see it. She had Revan's features burned into her memory for eternity.

"Revan?" The exile questioned, her voice shaking. This had to be a vision. The exile never simply dreamed of her own dark self or of Revan during the Mandalorian War. She had refused to let herself.

"What? You don't remember your best friend?" Revan feigned hurt. "I thought you would be happy to see me again. Didn't you miss me?" Revan's voice lashed out like a whip, cold and mocking. However, there was a soft warmness there. She had always spoken like that. She had always sounded cold and calculating, but there had always been a soft under layer of care that could be heard if one listened close enough.

"I refuse to speak to you like this. If you wish to talk, take off that mask and hood. I at least deserve that from you," The exile demanded. She was not just another soldier or plain officer that had served under Revan when she had been commanding the Republic armies. She was her best friend and her best General. Revan sighed, but threw her hood back in a flashy manner. Dark black hair fell down her back gracefully, shining from an unknown light source. Then slowly but surely, Revan removed her ever present mask.

Her skin was as pale as it had always been, but there were scars on her face that the exile had never seen on her before. Her once dark blue eyes that had once radiated brightly with happiness and naivety were gone, now replaced by a hollow death like paleness, leaving her eyes so pale blue they looked like the exile's.

"You have gotten stronger. I thought you would fail against Shade. Your emotions always got the better of you. Have you learned how to control them yet?" Revan questioned, her eyes calculating. The exile kept her head high, staring directly at her.

"I will not become her. I am stronger than that," She replied confidently. She wasn't a fool. She knew that Shade was always going to be a risk. Her darkness was not something that could be banished, but the exile could control it. Failure was not an option for her.

"Then give me your hand," Revan ordered while still not moving. The exile raised an elegant brow at her, the question obvious on her face. Revan did not answer her. Instead she merely held out her hand to her expectantly. Forcing herself to trust her lifelong friend, the exile held out her arm to Revan. Before the exile could even begin to process what was happening, Revan had activated her violet lightsaber and began to draw on the exile's arm with it. The pale woman withheld her scream of pain and surprise, biting her lip hard enough to draw blood. The torture seemed to go on for days, but the exile held on, refusing to show any weakness. Finally Revan let go of her arm and it fell weakly to the exile's side. She didn't want to look at the burns Revan had left. At least not yet.

"Tyla Moore, I am sorry for everything that happened to you. Part of it was my fault and I will never forgive myself for the things that happened to you that I did not intend. You were not supposed to become as involved in this as you have been. But as the wound that you are, I cannot stop your involvement from growing. That which I have left in your arm shall guide you. Trust it and trust me," Revan said cryptically, pointing to the exile's arm.

The exile breathed shakily, looking over Revan. Something was telling her not to speak and just look at the wound, but she couldn't do it. Not quite yet. If this was nothing but a vision, would this same mark show up in reality? Or would she only see it this once? Against her own common sense, the exile chose to trust Revan and her words. She slowly lifted her arm and was amazed by what she saw there.

Instead of burns and a vicious wound, there were innumerable black lines crossing across her pale skin. The intricate design ran the length of her forearm, but for some reason it was hard for her eyes to focus and make out the design. It was almost as if the lines were ever changing. The mixture of curvy lines and swirls truly was beautiful in a disturbing way considering the way it had been made.

"What is this for?" Tyla questioned, prying her eyes away from the mark to look back at Revan. Revan shook her head and smiled at her sadly, touching her shoulder in a sympathetic fashion.

"Champion of the shadows, chosen of the night, journey to the heart of the Unknown. Trust that mark, trust me, and trust others. Let them be anchor in the oncoming storm," Revan chanted before fading completely from sight. Tyla desperately reached out to her, not wanting her to leave her so soon. She still had so many questions for her!

Tyla awoke with a start, sweat trailing down her white skin. Her heart was beating painfully in her chest and her eyes were wide as she came back to what she hoped was reality. She lifted her arm up immediately and the painful feeling in her chest stopped immediately as her heart stopped. The same heavy black mark was still on her, just as hard to focus on as it had been in the dream.

What was happening to her?

Anything familiar belongs to LucasArts/Bioware/Obsidian. Tyla Moore/Rhai'liah belongs to Shadows of the Storm.