It was raining. Hard. Sunset huddled close to a small fire wrapped in her robes along with Seluthon and a few other officers, some from the Republic forces that had arrived earlier.
It had been a week since they had gotten to Therrien, and the next day, Sunset and Macedon had to go to their respective outposts to help lead the counter-offensive. But not before he had pulled her aside, and given her a small bundle.
The first thing inside, was a small firearm, and while Macedon explained a Jedi doesn't use blasters often, you could never be too careful. The second thing in the bundle was another canister of soup.
Sunset was currently eating some in an attempt to negate the dreary feel of the rain, and listening in on Seluthon argue with a few officers over the whole plan.
A comm unit gave out a loud, shrill beep, which startled everyone.
"Seluthon, Sir! The enemy are marching up on our defenses, and some new guy is leading them. Never seen 'im before. Hooded, confident. But we could use some help up here." No one moved for a second, before everyone jumped to action, except Sunset. Officers began moving out into the rain, shouting for everyone to gear up. Seluthon all but teleported to the comm, and pressed a few buttons.
"Thank you, sergeant, we are mobilizing out to you now. I will come ahead with our Jedi friend, and we will see this new guy for ourselves." Sunset groaned. She didn't want to leave the fire, or the soup… but war is hell, as they say.
Within minutes, the two and a few other nervous looking soldiers were on a small transport out to the forward most outpost. No one spoke.
The shuttle came to a rough stop, and everyone jumped to move out, Seluthon in the lead, with Sunset close behind.
In a few short minutes, they were on the top floor of the walls that separated Tyranny and Freedom. Seluthon, Sunset, and the sergeant were the only ones visible to the enemy as they stood silently, waiting, taking in the rain.
The opposing force stood in neat battle lines, each in a matching armor set, and identical blasters. The sheer number surprised all watching from within the walls. If this turned south, it was going to be bloody.
Pacing in front of the mass of troops, was a dark clad man. Dark armor, a dark cape, all brought together by an helmet with complex designs along the sides. Sunset felt a strong falter in the Force around her, this man was definitely Sith. He paused in his pacing, looking to where the three fighters stood.
"Ah, Seluthon, I heard you would be here. Care to come and start working out your surrender? There are lots of…technicalities that need to be addressed. My master sent me here to get rid of you at any means, why not talk first, and point the weapons later?" he shouted up to the trio. Seluthon snorted.
"Your words have some merit, but sadly, I must decline. We do not surrender to the play-toys of our enemies. Be gone, and spare the lives of your own men." Seluthon's reply was echoed by the defenders, who shouted as one in their own reply. The Sith laughed.
"Your courage is turning into foolishness. But so be it. I will give you one last chance to end this with little bloodshed. Send out a champion from among your men! Let us see who is of greater skill." The Sith crossed his arms, and waited. Seluthon narrowed his eyes, and walked away from the open area. The walls were silent as he passed, and Sunset raced to catch up with him.
"You know how this will end, we either engage them or run." Sunset commented quietly once she caught up with the long-striding commander. He turned to face her, but sighed.
"I know. That is why I am going to forbid anyone from going out there and getting themselves killed. That captain has a strange air about him. I have a feeling he fights dirty." Sunset decided not to comment.
After barely twenty minutes of waiting, the rain was beginning to lighten up, as was the Sith Captains patience. He called out once more, in a bit louder voice.
"What is your reply? If you do not respond within the hour, I will have no choice but to begin an assault. Wh-" the Sith was interrupted by an enraged Seluthon.
"Silence! I have had enough of you sugar coating. I will come down and kill you myself if you don't stop talking." The sudden outburst was met with silence. Complete and utter silence. It was then Sunset realized it had stopped raining, she had been to focused on the situation to notice it slowly die down to a drizzle before completely leaving.
The silence was broken by laughter, and everyone's new favorite Sith Warrior was the culprit.
"Ha, you? You have no idea just what I am capable of. What are you going to do, shoot at me?" the Sith kept up his mockery, but Sunset tuned it out. Instead, she followed the once more hastily moving Seluthon to the ground floor, and stopped him in front of the small gate leading outwards.
"Seluthon, wait! You can't go out there!" Seluthon spun around, an odd splash of anger overcoming his normally go-happy face.
"And why not? Do you underestimate me?" he asked defensively. Who was a padawan, to tell him what to do? Sunset shook her head, however.
"No, because I overestimate his. That captain is Sith. He would kill you before you drew any sort of weapon. And who would take your place if you died? Besides, him being a Sith makes this Jedi business. So let me handle this." The anger suddenly fell away from Seluthon, replaced by a stressful and weary look. But it was his turn to shake his head.
"Your master would kill me if I let you go out there. Besides, you are only a padawan!" Seluthon exclaimed, though his persuasion had little sway over Sunsets mind. She smiled with a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Do you underestimate me?" Sunset echoed the earlier comment, and Seluthon groaned, placing a hand over his face. He muttered something, and sighed.
"fine. But if you die, I'll kill you again." He stated, and with a large frown, signaled for the gate to be opened.
"Oh? And what is this? They send a little farm girl to face me?" The Sith commented as Sunset strode up across the muddy field. She narrowed her eyes at him as he removed his helmet.
"Well little girl, I hope you have some fight in you. Wouldn't want this to be too quick of a duel. A shame too. Your pretty, for a rebel." He gave her a wicked and twisted smile, before menacingly igniting the red lightsaber he had at his side. Sunset hardened her resolve, and brought out the saber she kept on her belt, previously hidden to the Sith. His eyes narrowed as well as the purple blade came to life.
"A shame indeed. You're pretty ugly, for a Sith." Sunset taunted. Sunset felt her confidence waver slightly as that twisted smile slowly came back to life. The Force screamed at her to move.
Sunset jumped, leaping over the Sith as he lunged, and landed on her feet. Mud splashed, sizzling on the two lightsabers. The Sith spun around, swinging fast, hoping for a quick hit. With a short flick, Sunset parried, using the momentum of his swing to propel his blade across and wide, exposing his back. As she brought her saber close, the Sith copied her, and jumped, flipping behind her.
Unlike him, however, Sunset didn't swing wildly, but pivoted, and parried again. The Sith growled, and tried once more to get through her guard. He stepped forward, thrusting in a short, but deadly, window. Sunset knocked it aside and stepped forward as well, and shoved the now enraged Sith back, using the Force to push him further. He slid back in the mud, and dropped to one knee, sticking his free hand in the mud to try and control his movement.
He slid to a stop after a few yards, and stood up, studying Sunset.
"What is your name girl?" Sunset paused at his sudden question. Might as well entertain him.
"Sunset Shimmer. And your name, Sith?" Sunset had asked the question out of habit, but didn't regret the precious few seconds it bought for her to catch her breath.
"Darth Korata. You fight well. But I am getting impatient. Let's end this quickly." And with that, Korata flung himself at Sunset, swinging in a hectic combination that Sunset had a little trouble keeping up with. She was lucky enough to not get hit by anything, but she was giving ground, with no sign of stopping.
It was when she was about to bring out her second saber in a last-ditch attempt when she saw the pattern. It was a seemingly random series of swings and cuts, but there was a pattern. Anticipating the next swing, Sunset parried with a flourish, instead of simply blocking the red blade back. She followed the blade, and pressed into Korata with her shoulder, sending him a few steps back, before launching a series of attacks herself.
She could see the sudden panic in Darth Korata's eyes as he found himself on the defensive. He was giving ground a lot slower than Sunset had, but he was losing ground nonetheless. Without any warning, Sunset felt a rushing wave of anger wash over her.
Anger over the deaths in the temple, for Luna being a psychotic teacher, to the fact people thought that she had done the killings, everything Sunset had ever felt angry about, came to mind. Sunset didn't even try to hold back. The rush of adrenaline and power flowed through her, and she found herself literally beating Korata into the ground.
He was on one knee, red saber raised, and fear in his eyes. But he had one last option, which he greedily took. He kicked out his leg, tripping Sunset, and she let out an angry cry as she fell into the mud. It had begun to rain again.
The sizzling of rain hitting the lightsabers was drowned out by Sunset's scream of rage as she flung herself at Darth Korata, second saber appearing in her hand without even a whisper of thought. The fear in his eyes urged her on as she swung.
The next scream to be heard was one of pain and fear. With one swing, Sunset severed his arm at the elbow and pulled the swing down to slice his saber into pieces, and with another subconscious movement, found herself looking into the lifeless eyes of the dead Sith. Sunset pulled her second saber from where it had pierced Darth Korata's heart, and watched as his form fell limp into the mud.
She stood there, frozen. She did not stop because she realized she had lost control, nor because this was the first life she had ever taken, not to the sudden lack of adrenaline or power, but because she was afraid.
She was afraid, because deep down, in the darkest reaches of her being, she enjoyed it.
A/N: chapter seven done. *confetti*
So, with that last line, I was trying to figure out how to end this chapter, and thought of that. As soon as I did, I knew it had to be the way to finish, but at the same time, it sent shivers down my spine just thinking down that train of thought. Fun times…. Anyways. Hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoy writing this.