Star Wars: Legacy of the Great Armageddon
Chapter 6
The walk to the Jedi Temple on a clear night was the most breathtaking experience that Giovanni ever had. He was wearing the black robes of the Sith and a thick black cloak to hide his identity. His lightsaber shined in the moonlight as he made his way to the temple. At the entrance, he spotted the Jedi Gatemaster. Knowing that any detection from the Jedi would only cause complications, Giovanni strangled the Jedi to death using the Force. There was no turning back now. As Giovanni entered the temple, he noticed the security cameras that were all over the temple ceiling. Using the Force, Giovanni destroyed each and every one of the cameras. They're all there. I can feel it. Giovanni sensed the presence of every youngling that took away all of his hopes and dreams of becoming a Jedi. However, there was no sign of Serena anywhere in the room. Good, she's not there. I can take care of them with ease. Giovanni reached the training room and overheard the loud chatter of the younglings in their celebration. He opened the door and brought silence to everyone that was in the room. Fortunately for Giovanni, there were no security cameras in the training room so he was able to make this room a tomb for numerous souls without any witnesses. Orion was the first to spot Giovanni, but he did not recognize him through his hood.
"Who are you, stranger?" asked Orion with fear in his eyes.
Exactly how I like it. This is what he will look like when he dies. Giovanni didn't say a word. Instead, he locked all the doors in the training room shut, so nobody would escape their awaited doom. Realizing that there would be no escape, all of the younglings ignited their lightsabers. The blue, green, and yellow blades illuminated the entire room.
"I don't know who you are, but you have trespassed the wrong room!" Orion stated. "You can't take all of us down. We will present you to the Jedi Council in chains."
We'll see about that, fool. Giovanni thought as he activated his own red blade. You underestimate the power that I now wield. It's about time we resume our duel and finish you once and for all!
Orion started the duel with a head-on charge at Giovanni. Unfortunately for him, Giovanni had already anticipated that attack and used the Force to blast him against a wall. Orion was knocked out cold within a second of impact. Immediately following that scene, the younglings instantly charged into Giovanni believing that strength in numbers could win this battle. Giovanni didn't look surprised at all. He withstood the grand assault and delivered his own. With great power, Giovanni struck down two of them without effort. He then moved forward, sent a blast of air at another child, and have it impale against a blade of one of their own. Another two attempted to subdue Giovanni from behind but was quickly cut down without a fight. The numbers began to drop fast as more and more younglings started to fall before Giovanni's deadly red blade. The surviving younglings, realizing that their death was inevitable, desperately attempted to escape their fate by slicing through the walls using their lightsabers. Unfortunately for them, Giovanni had caught on to their plan and hurled waves of blue lightning onto those pitiful escapees. There was now no hope for the young ones now. Nearly all of them were dead. Giovanni had just cut down the last survivors that raised their lightsabers against him when Orion recovered from the blast and woke up to find all of the his comrades' bodies lying on the floor dead. No! They're gone. Orion thought. All of my friends. Gone, just like that. He called for one of his friend's lightsaber with the Force and glared at the Sith figure.
"You… killed… my friends!" Orion stuttered. His eyes narrowed towards him. "You're gonna pay dearly for this you Sith scum!"
Orion activated his lightsabers and stared directly in Giovanni's direction. "Anger is not the Jedi way. Isn't that what your Jedi Masters have taught you?" Giovanni taunted. He saw Orion's teeth clench. That's right! Give in to your anger. It's time for you to see how it feels to be completely humiliated! Orion charged into Giovanni with intense rage and delivered a barrage of attacks. Giovanni was basically toying with Orion's every move. He parried each attack with stunning precision. Orion's face twisted even more as his movement became more rigid and unfocused. Giovanni used that to his advantage and easily tore through his attacks as if he was moving very slowly. Orion was caught off-guard as he slipped and fell to the floor. His lightsabers were still angled directly at Giovanni. I have to focus. If I don't, my life will be over. Orion stood back up and faced Giovanni. With great concentration, he discharged his attacks with better form. Giovanni recognized this and quickly rethought his strategy. He called upon the dark side to give him strength. The duel went on longer than he anticipated. Finally, Giovanni hurled a burst of blue lightning directly into a startled Orion's face. He was hurled against the wall completely stunned. Now was Giovanni's chance to end this struggle. He wrapped his fingers around Orion's throat using the Force and gripped it firmly. Orion was caught in a death grip as he was struggling to suck in air. He started to choke and cough as Giovanni brought him closer.
"Ugh… please." Orion gasped. "Have… mercy."
Giovanni slowly looked into Orion's face. Then he slowly lifted the hood off of him and revealed who he really was. Orion's eyes widened.
"No… it… can't be…" Orion coughed. "Giovanni!?"
Giovanni's face was pale. His eyes had turned yellowish-red due to corruption of the dark side. "How does it feel to suffer like this?" Giovanni started. "It feels terrible doesn't it. I bet you never imagined how I felt when you tormented me."
Oh no, what have I done!? This is all my fault. Giovanni was reading his thoughts. "That's right, it is your fault," Giovanni sneered. "And now, you will atone for it with your life just like the rest of your pitiful friends."
Suddenly, Giovanni heard a crackling sound by the door. It was someone trying to cut their way through the door using a lightsaber. Perfect, now I can show the unwary Jedi the true definition of pain. Giovanni turned around to face the door. Orion was still suspended in the air right in front of him. Finally, the door was cut open and the mystery Jedi revealed. It was Serena VonDuri. She had just sliced open the door when Giovanni gutted Orion through. He then tossed the carcass away into the darkness. Serena, confused at what happened, looked around the room and then at the dark figure. Giovanni? It couldn't be him could it? Unfortunately for her, it was, indeed, Giovanni. No! Why sweetheart? Why are you doing this? Serena's heart sank.
"Giovanni? Is that you?" Serena asked.
Serena, what are you doing? You shouldn't be here. Giovanni thought. Unable to say a word. He zoomed right past Serena and exited the temple.
Serena was devastated. It was Giovanni. The one she loved so dearly. She still didn't understand why he had murdered so many of her courageous comrades. Serena went to each of her late friends and bid them farewell. She debated on whether she would reveal the person behind the attack or not, but she remembered what Giovanni had told her just before the day he left. "Whatever happens to me, don't worry. I will always love you. Just promise me that you will never stop loving me too." With those words, she knew what she must do. She was not gonna expose him. After all, she could never betray the one she loved.
Back at the apartment, Giovanni felt satisfied about the death of his nemesis, but that one thing was always on the back of his mind. Antonius knew about it too and understood why he had let it happen. Nevertheless, the deed was done.
"Ah, you're back," Antonius stated happily. "I sense that you have relished the moment."
"Absolutely, Master Antonius," Giovanni replied.
"As a Sith, you will called by another name," said Antonius. "I am known as Darth Trionic. You will, henceforth, be known as Darth Brutus."
"I am most honored my lord," Brutus bowed to the floor.
"With you as my apprentice, we can rule the galaxy," Trionic stated. Trionic's cackle sounded like it could be heard from millions of miles away. The rise of the dark lords was just beginning.
"Your first mission as my apprentice is quite simple," Trionic began. "I want you to go to the planet, Korriban. There you will complete your training to become a Sith."
"Master, Korriban is the home of the Sith Academy," Brutus responded. "Wouldn't it be better if you finished my training?"
Trionic understood his question. "I, alone, cannot fully train you to your maximum potential. The Sith Academy will give you more knowledge and inspiration in order for you to maximize your power."
Oh I see. He's not abandoning me. He's going to make me more powerful. "I understand, Master Trionic," Brutus replied.
Darth Brutus never fully comprehended the reason why his master was sending him away to Korriban. However, knowing his friend well, he knew that it was according to the best judgment of a mentor.