Authors note: Hello once more, and sorry this chapter came in so late. I had to replay the scenario in my head about this duel over and over to find a way to make it transition to paper properly. I swear if I could draw or had someone to draw for me, I would make this into a comic series instead. But hey, I did my best here.

I wanted to put both duels here, but writers block and other life things distract me, so I hope to get the next chapter out soon. Hope you enjoy this regardless, despite how short it is.

Chapter 8: Shadowed Predictions

O-O-O

Hett struck first, leaping towards Vosh'rava with the force and slashed his lightsabers downward. The Mad Sith easily blocked the sabers with his own saber staff, green and red light grinding against each other and flashed from contact.

"It has been so long since I fought a Jedi, let alone one who strikes first." Vosh'rava commented, pushing back Hett's sabers towards him.

"Times have changed." Hett replied back, breaking off from the struggle to flip back.

Vosh'rava let out a streak of lightning from one of his hands, the Jedi easily rolling out of the way to dodge, doing so with each burst of lighting his way. Seeing Hett could dodge his strikes well, Vosh'rava decided to close in for the kill, jumping towards Hett with more aggression and began rapidly striking.

The cold rage could be felt with each impact made, every strike slightly lessened Hett's grip while parries became increasingly difficult to accomplish even with two lightsabers. Vosh'rava may have been more skilled with force powers, but his lightsaber combat skills were one reminiscent of the now fallen Darth Maul, with constant strikes and never tiring for a second. Hett was lucky to have quick reflexes against such an opponent, but it would have helped to have his apprentice aid him.

Both of the combatants kept a steady pace, Vosh'rava always moving forward as he kept up his aggressive strikes, and Hett walking back while being pushed more towards the doors. Vosh'rava's style of combat had its flaws; powerful but reckless and when an opportunity to counter back was available, it could easily turn the tide of a duel. One such opportunity was presented when the mad Sith left one swing too wide an arc, followed by Hett with a parry that knocked the saber staff out of Vosh'rava's hands.

The mad Sith did not yield easily, releasing a force push that sent the Jedi flying across the room to the floor and slid across the red rug. Hett got up only to be greeted with one of the standing torches to hit him by the side, slightly scorching his robe as he sliced the torch in half and extinguished the flame. Soon, more of the torches were lifted from the ground, with Vosh'rava lifting his hands upward to levitate the flaming objects and pointed the top of the flames towards him like spears.

Hett prepared to charge towards the Sith, wanting to end this fight quickly as Vosh'rava threw the torches at the Jedi. Hett dodged and weaved the flaming objects, slashing a few apart as the flames died out when they landed on the stone ground, excluding one that landed on the rug.

"Such energy to spare, I can taste its power as if it were in my grasp." Vosh'rava noted, impressed with the fluid movements of the Jedi. "But I sense the fuel behind it, much darker than you care to see."

Hett ignored the comments, throwing one of his sabers at the Sith to silence him. Vosh'rava chuckled and easily directed the blade away to miss him, while he used to force to return his saber staff back to him from the ground across. The Sith grabbed his weapon in the nick of time, activating it once more to block Hett's strike and his other lightsaber that boomeranged behind simultaneously.

The green light saber from behind deactivated and fell to the ground, with Hett concentrating the force on holding back Vosh'rava's blades from piercing through him, focusing his strength in another struggle.

For some odd reason, he felt his strength falter in this fight. Hett could not determine what exactly was causing this, but he felt himself wither slowly throughout this fight. Every strike Vosh'rava made was harder to counter, every struggle felt like Hett's hands would slip from his hilt, and he even started to fell slightly dizzy.

"You try so hard to fight, dedicated to a meaningless cause that will wither and die with time." Vosh'rava taunted, though Hett listened this time. "Why bother with fools who believe there will be peace?"

"Because it is our duty as Jedi to uphold our code and protect those from evil like you." Hett talked back. "I will not allow you to take any more lives than the countless others you have before."

"Spoken like a true slave." Vosh'rava commented back, grinning behind his dark hood.

Vosh'rava broke off contact from the green saber once more, spinning his blade in a fluid motion at the front of his body to ward off his attacker who had gotten his other saber back into his hands with the force. The Sith struck in wider arcs, the long red blades streaking across the air that could slice Hett in half if he made one wrong move. The last thing Hett wanted was to share the fate of his fellow Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn, a death he did not let go lightly when first heard.

"I know what I say. Peace and order will one day reign in this galaxy, and the Sith will not be around to see it." Hett spoke back, his voice raised as he blocked the wide arcs.

"Then you are a fool."

Vosh'rava grinned while taunting, using his force push against Hett who used the same ability to counter back, the two now engaged in a struggle between who was more in tuned with their force abilities. The impacts of the struggling powers blew back the two, revealing his hood for Hett's surprise to see the face of a scarred Pureblood Sith, a species that died out thousands of years ago still alive was a shock to behold.

The two kept their struggle up and stood their ground, while Vosh'rava continued to converse.

"I see a seed of darkness within you, Jedi."

Hett scowled when he heard the mad Sith speak, his hand shacking while he used all his strength to hold his ground. The two still stood over the rug, which had been slowly consumed by blue flames that raged around them, the force keeping them from being scorched.

"You know nothing."

"As a Sith lord once before, I have seen many Jedi fall to the dark side." Vosh'rava spoke, almost in a matter of factly tone. "You are no different; simply late to fall."

Hett did not respond, his rage inside building up as the madman in front continued to speak.

"Let me strike you down, end your suffering before more is followed. The breath of your life is all but pain." Vosh'rava raved once more, more silently and colder. "Call me mad all you want, but is this cycle worth protecting? Jedi and Sith have fought for eons, both sides in an eternal conflict that makes all suffer. I can stop it all, and I will start with your death and prevent your fall before it comes to full fruition."

Hett's anger only rose as he pushed back, surprising Vosh'rava who sensed such anger.

"I will never let the Sith claim me." Hett replied with rising anger and rage, trying his best to block it from his mind. "You are a being past your era, old and senile, deluded by your own thoughts of madness that tell to do what; destroy all life in the galaxy? It would be a mercy to end your suffering, then you won't have to continue in a quest so futile and pathetic."

Vosh'rava chuckled at the harsh statement, as if he were amused.

"You could make a fine Sith indeed… If only I didn't hate them."

The Jedi would have unleashed his rage here and now, the dragon inside him begging to be released. But he never got the chance when Vosh'rava unleashed a sudden outward burst of force energy to Hett, sending the Jedi flying so far that he landed outside the throne room and went through the flames without a single burn.

Hett tried to get up, but was lifted up and felt his throat being crushed. Vosh'rava lifted his opponent with the force, gripping Hett in a force choke and squeezed the life out of him while being levitated forward. Vosh'rava walked through the flames, his force energy parting the blue fire and had his hand in a grip-like gesture to Hett, who was now feeling the same lung crushing force he had committed on the Dug from earlier.

"You have the heart of a Krayt Dragon; ferocious and wild when unleased." Vosh'rava commented, impressed with the potential Hett hid as he put away his saber staff back into his long sleeve. "But when that beast is caught off guard, it only takes one strike to slay it."

Hett was set down before Vosh'rava on his knees, now released from his grip. He was then struck by force lighting, now hitting him and electrocuting his entire body, the anger from both him and his attacker flowed through the Jedi and overwhelmed him. All he could do is scream out in pain, dropping his lightsabers to the ground while the flames behind Vosh'rava grew larger and more out of control.

Weakened and wounded, he soon found himself in a direr situation, seeing a mottled hand of a pale crimson extend its palm just in front of his face, the fingertips starting to slightly bend. That moment is when Hett could feel whatever energy he had left leave from him, as orange mist started to pour out from his face, similar to the ritual the Bando Gora high priest was performing on Star.

"I will not waste your power, so it will be put to good use when I strike down your friends." Vosh'rava replied coldly. "When we were fighting, your energy was slowly being drained by me, adding in your defeat. Now I will drain you completely until you are but a husk, your friends will have the same fate. And then… the galaxy will die, and the story will end there."

"You… will never…" Hett struggled to speak, trying his best to resist. "Marco… No."

Vosh'rava lifted his head up to see the horrified faces of Marco, Star and Janna, who were seeing Hett suffer the same fate Star would have had before. They had just ran up the stairs after dealing with the situation below, and while they were now intact and hoped Star's plan would work, Hett dying in front of their eyes would not aid in said plan.

"That is your name, padawan? Marco? Good to know the name of my next victim." Vosh'rava eyed the other two humans as well. "I already know who you are, princess Star Butterfly; you will have your turn. And you Mandalorian, tortured but spirited, you are here without reason and not worth knowing."

Janna pulled out her blasters and shot at the Sith Pureblood, who took out his saber staff and activated one blade, wielding it like a normal lightsaber to deflect the blaster bolts away without even flinching.

"Amusing display, but futile." Vosh'rava insulted, deflecting a bolt to Janna's left shoulder to stop her from shooting and got a cry of pain in response, making the girl stumble to the wall as she clutched her wound and felt a warm liquid on the hand that grasped her wound.

Marco had enough of this, he was going to end this here and now. He unsheathed his lightsaber, running towards Vosh'rava while he was still draining his master's life away.

"Marco, wait!" Star called out, but even she couldn't stop the boy from making his choice.

Vosh'rava let go of Hett, already managing to drain most of his energy and let the exhausted Jedi fall to the ground before his red saber met the blue, a brief struggle with Marco that ensued. With renewed strength, Vosh'rava force pushed Marco away and knocked him all the way back towards Janna, who were both slammed to the wall the Mandalorian was leaning against.

"As your queen, I order you to beat this guy to a pulp!" Star shouted, seemingly at nothing which Vosh'rava raised his brow at before deciding to force choke the girl to silence her.

"You always did scream too much." Vosh'rava commented. "Are you turning as mad as me?"

"I… think … someone else is… mad."

The sentence Star strained out was met with a furious answer by dark figures that dropped from the ceiling, descending upon Vosh'rava who let go of the girl and dodged the plummeting figures. It was the Bando Gora cultists, who were now glaring and hissing at their High Priest, anger in the eyes of lowly cultists and captains alike.

"You dare attack your prophet?!" Vosh'rava ranted before, bringing back his charade of a zealot of their beliefs. "Heretics! All of you forsaken!"

"No! You lie!" A captain cried out. "Our queen had called for us to accompany her, to escort her to you, accusing you of being a traitor! You used your powers to harm her and her allies, not some kidnappers you led us to believe! No more shall we listen to your lies, no more shall you live!"

The cries of Bando Gora captains that could speak called Vosh'rava strong names, words that resonated with the Bando Gora cultists that had dropped down and were still above the ceilings, hearing the captains shout while others growled and hissed.

"Traitor!"

"Blasphemer!"

"False Prophet!"

Vosh'rava let out a massive torrent of force lighting across the room, his rage and anger of losing the cult's favor and loyalty, all because of some children. More cultists started to swarm the Mad Sith, who simply kept using his dark powers to destroy his attackers while Star ran to Marco and Janna.

"Guys! Are you okay?" Star asked, helping up Marco while Janna helped herself up, wincing as she did so.

"Just got a bolt to the shoulder, but I'll live." Janna assured.

"Where's Hett?" Marco asked.

As if on cue, a Bando Gora captain was dragging an unconscious Hett to the trio.

"Your friend lives, but barely." The captain said, leaning Hett against the wall. "We cannot hold the false prophet any longer. He is too strong, his powers will kill us all. We must flee."

"No." Marco said grimly. "We have to defeat him."

"Uh… can't do that." Janna remarked. "Your master is knocked out cold, I can't even aim straight, and that guy… he's a damn Sith lord. I may hate this guy and all these Bando freaks, but he actually has a point."

The group looked at Vosh'rava, who was just about done with most of his attackers, striking down the few left with red streaks of light slicing off heads.

"He won't let us leave alive." Star said, turning to face the Mad Sith ahead and wiped the white powder from her face. "Marco is right, but I don't know if Voah'rava can be defeated. I can sense how powerful he is, and he only gets stronger."

"Let me fight him." Marco said, standing by Star with sadness in his voice. "I can hold him off long enough for you guys to get away."

"That won't happen! It can't!" Star argued, raising her voice of concern at the padawan before softly speaking. "Not after everything that's happened! You'll die, Marco. I can't let you die!"

Marco sighed sadly while Star gave him her pleading look, knowing that he had to accept his fate to save her.

"I know."

One of Hett's lightsabers started to move to the group, and it flew towards them much to their surprise. But what made this more surprising was that it was not going to Hett, still unconscious after his nearly fatal.

The lightsaber, much to the surprise of everyone, flew into Star's hands.

"Then I'm dying with you."

The lightsaber activated, a green streak of light flowing beside her, as if it were natural. Star wielded the blade well in her hands, surprising for Marco as how well she managed to hold it without cutting herself.

"The princess and her knight."

The group turned to Vosh'rava, who had just finished off the crowd of cultists whose bodies littered the floor around him. Marco got his lightsaber out alongside Star, both determined to fight the Sith despite their disagreements, while Janna and the Bando Gora captain stared at the scene, knowing there was nothing they could do to prevent it.

"I sense great power between the both of you, power that you cannot harness properly… but I can." Vosh'rava spun his saber staff, reading himself in a defensive battle stance for the first strike.

Marco looked at Star, and all he needed to see was her look of bravery to stand alongside her friend against an ancient Sith Lord. Star meant what she said moments ago, she was going to die here with Marco, and as much as he wanted to protest it he complied with her wish, once more against his better judgement, and the pair of friends readied themselves against the Mad Sith.

Marco and Star sealed their fates in spoken silence, and the true duel was about to begin.

"Now, come to me children. Leave behind the hope you cherish and relinquish your strength to the inevitable."

O-O-O

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or Star vs. The Forces of Evil