Disclaimer: I don't own anything pertaining to the Star Wars franchise; all rightsare acquired to Disney. The only things I own are my OC's Ralem Solstice.
"Speaking"
'Thoughts'
'Telepathic'
Ralem's Collective:
Ahsoka Tano
Asajj Ventress
Padme Amidala
Riyo Chuchi
Sabren Wren
Satele Shan
Shae Vizla
Adi Gallia
Shaak Ti
Aayla Secura
Luminara Unduli
Barriss Offee
Tiplee
Tiplar
Bo-Katan Kryze
Duchess Satine
Miraj Scintel
Darth Talon
Lanoree Brock
Steele Gerrea
Marasiah Fel
The Daughter
Mina Bonteri
Hera
Jarael
Deliah Blue
Jaina Solo
Mara Jade
Savan
Vaylin
Senya Tirall
Queen Julia
Sola Naberrie
Breha Organa
Fem Revan
Meetra Surik
Trill
Sylvar
Celeste Mourne
Githany
Keelyvine Reus
Nadia Grell
Akaavi Spar
Jaesa Willsaam
Ashara Zavros
Kaliyo Djannis
Raina Temple
Darth Zannah
Visas Marr
Brianna
Raskta Lsu
Elke Vetter
Azlyn Rae
Sigel Dare
Leia Organa
Seventh Sister
Rey
Captain Phasma
Rook Kast
Siri Tachi
Krovos
Mirax Terrick
Syal Antilles
Callista Ming
Kerra Holt
Candra Tymon
Rig Nema
Lolo Purs
Mon Mothma
Ketsu Onyo
Atris
Sev'rance Tann
Komari Vosa
Guest Reviews:
Naroku (Chapter 9): Thank you, and thank you for sticking around for so long lol. Hopefully this chapter will meet your expectations.
Zer0the0mega108 (Chapter 9): Glad you love it! Much appreciated man, lol.
Silver Crow (Chapter 9): Thank you, I hope you continue to enjoy this story and the others too. I did upload the new chapter for Awaken of a New Hope yesterday, if you're interested.
xXCoopyXx (Chapter 9): Thank you. Well to be fair Ralem's era is set 25,000 years ago before the Clone Wars which is during the time where the Force was first introduced. Plus the only people that have presented a challenge and overpowered Ralem are- the Son, his dead brother Kyo, and the World Razer. The normal Je'daii or Rakatans aren't going to be a huge threat to Ralem. Then again your knowledge of Star Wars lore has been up and down this entire time, so I honestly don't know what you're expecting at this point.
xXCoopyXx (Chapter 10): Thanks, I guess. Hopefully you'll enjoy the Darth Idoneus story once I begin.
JOKR4 (Chapter 10): Thank you, hope you continue to enjoy the story. I do have some other Star Wars stories if you're interested- Awaken of a New Hope and Shadows of the Sun.
-Rise of the Je'daii Empire-
32 BBY; Coruscant...
Plagueis had given the Sun Guards the night off, and the only other intelligence in the sprawling apartment was the droid 11-4D, their servant for the evening, pouring wine into expensive glassware as they removed their cloaks.
"Sullustan," Plageuis said, holding the glass up to the light and swirled its claret contents. "More than half a century hold."
"A toast then," Sidious said . "To the culmination of decades of brilliant planning and execution."
"And to the new meaning we will tomorrow impart to the Rule of Two."
They drained their glasses and 11-4D immediately refilled them.
"Only you could have brought this to fruition, Darth Plageuis," praised Sidious, settling into a chair. "I will endeavor to live up to your expectations and fulfill my responsibilities."
Plagueis took the compliment in stride, neither haughty nor embarrassed. "With my guidance and your charisma, we will soon be in a position to initiate the final act of the Grand Plan." Making himself more comfortable on the couch, he signaled 11-4D to open a second bottle of the vintage. "Have you given thought to what you will say tomorrow?"
"I have prepared some remarks," Sidious commented. "Shall I spoil the surprise?"
"Why not?"
Sidious took a moment to compose himself. "To begin, I thought I would say that... While we in the Senate have managed to keep the Republic intact for a thousand years, we would never have been able to do so without the assistance of a few beings, largely invisible to the public eye, whose accomplishments now need to be brought into the light of day."
Plageuis smiled. "I'm pleased. Go on."
Speaking in a low monotone, Sidious continued. "Hego Damask is one of those beings. It was Hego Damask who was responsible for overseeing development of the Republic Reserve Administration and for providing financial support for the Resettlement Act that enabled beings to blaze new hyperspace routes to the outlying systems and colonize distance worlds."
"That will come to as a revelation to some."
"In a similar fashion, it was Hego Damask who transformed the Trade Federation-"
"No, no," Plageuis interrupted quickly. "Now is not the time to mention the Trade Federation."
"I thought-"
"I don't see any problem with calling attention to the arrangements I facilitated between the Republic and the Corporate Alliance and the Techno Union. But we must take care to avoid areas of controversy."
"Of course," Sidious said, as if chastised. "I was speaking off the top of my head."
"Try a different approach."
So Sidious did.
And as the night wore on, he continued to amend and improvise, touching upon Damask's childhood on Mygeeto and on the elder Damask's contributions to the InterGalactic Banking Clan during his time as co-chair. Wineglass in hand, Sidious paced the richly carpeted floor, often vacillating between confidence and misgiving. More than once, Plageuis voiced satisfaction with everything he heard, but he urged Sidious to save his energy for the morning. By then, though, Sidious was too wound up to heed the advice and kept reworking the order of remarks and the emphasis he gave to certain spots.
The droid brought out a third, then a fourth bottle of the Sullustan wine.
Pleasantly intoxicated, Plageuis, who had wanted noting more than to revel in the sweet taste of victory, was beginning to find his collaborator's performance exhausting, and wanted nothing more than to close his eyes and drift into the imaginings of his march into the Senate Rotunda; the looks of surprise, astonishment, and trepidation on the faces of the gathered Senators; his long-anticipated emergence from the shadows, his ascension to galactic power...
Unfortunately, Sidious wouldn't let him.
"That's enough for now," Plageuis tried one final time. "You should probably return home and get at least a few hours rest before-"
"Just one more time- from the beginning."
"The beginning?"
"Lord Plageuis, you said you wouldn't rest until our win was a matter of fact."
"So it ism and so I shall, Darth Sidious."
"Then let us celebrate that, as well," Sidious beckoned for 11-4D. "Fill our glasses, droid."
With dreamy weariness beginning to get the better of him, it was all Plagueis could do to lift the glass to his nose. No sooner did he set the drink down than it tipped over, saturating the tablecloth. His eyelids began to flicker and close, and his breathing slowed. In twenty years of never having to contend with Plageuis in a state of sleep, the transpirator clicked repeatedly in adjustment, almost as if in panic.
A few meters distant, Sidious came to a halt, gazing at Plageuis for a long moment, as though making up his mind about something. Then, blowing out his breath, he set his own glass and reached for the cloak he had draped over a chair. Swirling it around himself, he started for the door, only to stop shortly before he reached it. Turning and stretching out with the Force, he glanced around the room, as one might to fix a memory in the mind. Briefly, his gaze fell to the droid, its glowing photoreceptors whirring to regard him in evident curiosity.
Again, his eyes darted around the room, and the Dark Side whispered seductively to him.
Your election is assured. The Sun Guards absent. Plageuis unsuspecting and asleep. Take Annika Skywalker as your apprentice and rule the Galaxy with her by your side.
He turned back into the room intent on murder, building a storm of lighting inside himself with enough power to turn those he wanted into ash. But before he had a chance to loose the storm upon the old Muun, a feeling of dread and loss suddenly welled inside him. Immediately an overwhelming light and power flooded both Sith. Plageuis' eyes flashed open and in an instant he was alert. Unfortunately he and Sidious were sent flying to the opposite end of the room, by the door Sidious was tempted to leave from earlier.
"You felt it?" Plageuis asked, his voice hoarse behind the metallic rasping of the breathing mask.
"Yes," answered Sidious, a trickle of fear in his eyes. "Though I cannot understand what it is."
Plageuis regarded him with glowing yellow eyes.
"Look deep within, Darth Sidious. I believe that you felt the earlier pull of the Force more strongly than I."
Sidious looked inward and the answer came to him.
"Maul. Maul is dead."
A silence fell between the Sith Lords, a silence broken by two sounds of roaring that were at their doorstep. Plageuis and Sidious scampered to their feet and ran to the open balcony of Plageuis' apartment; a godly sight awaiting them.
Two mountainous dragons bloodied and beaten, growling at each other. A midnight black and snow white one. Perfect contradictions laid before the Sith's eyes. They watched in awe as the midnight black dragon limped one step, followed by an immediate lunge towards the snow white dragon's neck; biting it with deadly force. The snow white dragon screeched in agony and tried to wiggled and pry itself away from its attacker; as it tried so, the momentum and weight of the mountainous dragons crashed and shook the ground, and destroyed parts of the mile high buildings around them.
The snow white beast raised a clawed weapon and slashed it against the other's neck, the midnight beast growling in pain. Which was enough to release its deadly grip on its foe.
A strange golden energy began to swirl around the monstrous beasts, the wind quickly gushing to hurricane force and beyond. Debris and dirt and various objects of size were uprooted from their stationary places, all the while Sidious and his master observed the sight and used the Force to anchor themselves in their spot.
The golden energy soon formed into a sphere and engulfed the two dragons in a heavenly flash, brighter than any known star and nearly blinding the two Sith. With their vision soon returning, smoke and craters loomed over the horizon. Plageuis and Sidious said nothing as they observed the carnage that they witnessed. Far more powerful than either of them- where did it come from.
"Sidious," Plageuis called to his apprentice. Sidious heard his name but continued to stare into the city. "You should get some rest, and once we are secured in our victory, begin training on the Skywalker girl. Immediately."
"Yes, Lord Plageuis," Sidious answered hollowly, his incentive mind now drawing a blank as he repeated the sight they just watched.
Nothing any Sith or Jedi, possibly any living Force user in the last thousand or so years, had seen such a sight.
-Rise of the Je'daii Empire-
Tython; 22.5 BBY
The downpour of heavy rain awoke the Je'daii Kage, stinging pain and misery of his wounds were his first reactions. Grunting at the severity of his wounds, from the corner of his eye he saw droplets of his blood leaking onto the soaked grass. Ralem's eyes blurred as faint images of a white dragon mentally roared in his head. His heartbeat quickened at the faint memories clouding his head, his anger and humility rising with a passing second.
A set of barefeet placed themselves in front of the distraught Je'daii, soft arms gently picking him up as the person tried to ease his pain. His eyes clearing to see a Human female with short obsidian hair and familiar eyes.
Her gentle lips pressed against his and Ralem immediately recognized it.
"Cortana?" Ralem asked softly, confused on her appearance. She looked... Human. That... wasn't right, it couldn't be. "What happened?"
The female nodded, her mournful eyes watching over her long-lost partner and lover. "A long time has past since you were... gone. I'll explain as much as I can once you're healed. You like hell."
"Feels worse," grimaced Ralem and he grunting as he felt more blood leaked down his body.
-Rise of the Je'daii Empire-
Ralem watched Cortana as she took care of him in the medical bay at one of the Je'daii Temples. His upper chest and arms were covered in crimson bandages, once clean before. His golden eyes holding confusion at the ruined state of Tython and the Je'daii Temples; he saw ruined buildings and cities that he saw only yesterday with his own eyes. But now, it was, somehow 25,000 years since.
"There were witnesses and reports of two monsters destroying parts of Coruscant roughly ten years ago. Figured it had to be you," Cortana said, keeping her back to him as she worked. "When I got there, you were gone."
"I remembered that part faintly," Ralem said, rubbing the side of his head. "A bit blurry." He paused and continued to watch Cortana for minute. "What happened to Lanoree and Trill, and Ky- my son?"
Cortana remained silent for a time, trying to figure the right words to explain all of what has happened since he was gone. "When you... disappeared, the Je'daii Order started to fall apart. Internal struggle and betrayal started to grow along the years until one day- everything became war. Two factions broke out- one side following the beliefs of Ashla, the other Bogan. Once the war was over, which became known as the Force Wars, the factions gave themselves the proper names of Jedi and Sith respectively."
"Jedi," repeated Ralem, his eyes narrowing at the mockery that sounded of Je'daii. "What happened then?"
"There, everything became the typical battle that recycled every or so thousand years- Jedi vs Sith, constant state of war across the galaxy," explained Cortana.
"Is there any regents of the Je'daii left?" inquired Ralem.
Cortana turned towards Ralem for the first step, her face solemn and depressed. "No, they died off. There was a small faction that tried to unite the Jedi and Sith under the Je'daii banner but they failed. You're the only one left. And the history of the Je'daii is all but forgotten. The Jedi Order currently resides at the temple on Coruscant."
Ralem stifled a groan as he stood up from the medical bed and softly grabbed Cortana by her cheeks, his thumb gently caressing them. An up-heave of emotion sparked between the two as they embraced into a soft kiss. Feelings of shame, guilt, and lust forged stronger as they continued to makeout, until they broke away.
"I've missed you," Cortana breathed heavily against Ralem's mouth, her voice laced with want and loneliness. "I've waited too long, all alone."
"I'm so so sorry," Ralem apologized, his golden eyes glossing over. "I don't know what else to do now. I failed you. Lanoree. Trill. My family and Father. All because of me."
The Je'daii Kage fell to his knees, placing his head onto her stomach and wrapped his arms around her legs; silently begging for forgiveness. He was destined for greatness, to save the galaxy. He had squandered that chance. Pathetic.
He refused to cry this time, shedding tears had gotten him nowhere in the past before, he wouldn't bother to doing something that was a waste.
Cortana's hand softly caressed Ralem's hair soothingly, smiling sadly at him. "The last 25,000 years since you were gone... Maybe all those things that you did in the past, was to set you up for now."
Ralem gave no response to her sentence, so she continued. "Makes sense if you think about it. In a rather weird way."
"I can't," Ralem finally said. "I just can't. I can't put myself through that anymore." He finally stood up and looked at Cortana closely, swallowing his throat to keep his nerves calm. "I'm kinda surprised you've lived this long."
Cortana's smile strained. "Actually I'm.. dying. I've pushed myself as far as I was allowed to, but now, I'm at my limit."
He almost laughed. Fortunately he didn't, but he was so close. The first person he met on his journey, now the last. How many funny fate could be.
"How long do you have?" asked Ralem calmly, caressing her cheeks with his finger.
"Do you really want to know?" Cortana nervously replied. Offering a crooked smile Ralem embraced her into a tight hug, his nose brushing against her soft hair.
"I suppose not. But I think I know how to make it special, at least I hope so," offered Ralem.
-Rise of the Je'daii Empire-
Leaping quickly up the frozen mountain side, Ralem tighten his hold on Cortana; who was being held bridal style. He finally made it to the top of the Tho Yor ship where he first met Cortana six years ago, or 25,006 years ago; if he wanted to be cute about it.
The view was breathtaking- the clouds reaching high above the sky were now their equals, the thin wisps of the clouds slowly crawling around the two. And if his timing was accurate...
"There you go, a bit cliche but a classic," Ralem jokingly teased. The rays of the distant rising sun continued to brighten until the red, violet, and orange lights bathed over their bodies. Cortana tightened her grip around Ralem's neck as she silently took in the view. Ralem stared out to the view down below, seeing more ruined and demolished cities and temples in the distance.
Cortana's grip weakened and it went limp soon after.
The Je'daii flinched and blinked away the tears that threatened to burn his eyes.
He was alone now. Or rather, he was always alone and he fooled himself.
With a wave of his fingers, a small Force blast exploded to his side and Ralem gently placed Cortana inside the makeshift grave. The Je'daii Kage pushed a large bank of snow on top her, pausing just at her neck and face. He looked one final time and leaned over and kissed her on the forehead; before burying his last link to his previous life.
-Rise of the Je'daii Empire-
A few days later...
"Revan... Malgus... Nihilus... Eternal Throne... Valkorion... Rule of Two and Darth Bane... Yoda," droned Ralem tiredly. He rubbed the bags that formed under his eyes, not having slept since Cortana's passing. The Je'daii Kage learned nearly of the recorded data on the Jedi and Sith, broken fragments of his own Order. His own beliefs.
Light Side, Dark Side...
There is no emotion, there is peace
Peace is a lie, there is only passion
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge
Through passion, I gain strength
There is no passion, there is serenity
Through strength, I gain power
There is no chaos, there is harmony
Through power, I gain victory
There is no death, there is the Force
Through victory, my chains are broken the Force shall free me
Ralem read both Jedi and Sith Codes side by side, from left to right. He realized halfway through their Codes, they started to waver in their ideals. But the first half went hand in hand.
He moved the Jedi and Sith Code holograms to the side and he pulled the Je'daii Code for comparison-
There is no ignorance; there is knowledge
There is no fear, there is power
I am the heart of the Force
I am the revealing fire of light
I am the mystery of darkness
In balance with chaos and harmony
Immortal in the Force
"Immortal in the Force," mused Ralem half-humorlessly. He smirked at the apparent irony of the last phrase of the Je'daii Code. However the burning sensation in his eyes begged for a rest, and his body soon demanded the same. Stretching his limbs Ralem pried himself from his studies, linger doubt filling his mind.
Thoughts back to what Cortana said before she passed, about his destiny not being in the past. But in the present.
Funny things about destiny and fate, mused Ralem. They were always vague about the details- the means of the journey was never talk about. Just the destination.
Maybe Cortana was right. Perhaps his destiny laid in this time.
But would his purpose, his reason, be the same?
"Probably," said Ralem aloud to himself. He wondered if his Father knew what happened to him. Ralem glanced towards the ceiling, silently wondering if he should talk to him.
No, Ralem reasoned. Not that he didn't want to, he needed to do this on his own. Again. To prove his worth.
He would sleep on these thoughts later. Even if he was planning on going through with all of this again, he didn't have an army, weapons, alliances, and most importantly any followers. And given the growing tensions between the Republic and the Separatists, from what he read and researched, there might be some people on the Separatists that he could possibly persuade; but the problems still stemmed from the lack of resources.
But he did have the Star Forge... Rather he had the last known coordinates of the Star Forge, apparently the redeemed Jedi/Sith that called herself Revan was rumored to have found and battled the Star Forge in the Lehon System, which was in Rakatan territory. But since the Rakatans seemed to be extinct, or damn near it, perhaps Ralem could venture a look.
Once he returned to his bed chambers the sixteen year old Je'daii walked over to the broken golden armor floating in mid-air surrounded by dim-lights from the bottom up. The golden armor was heavily cracked, nearly broken. He would have to repair it soon, he had fond memories of that armor. It was like a second skin to him.
However he would repair it tomorrow when his mind was clear and his body well rested.
-Rise of the Je'daii Empire-
22.4 BBY- One month later...
Ralem placed the final garments of his armor back on. The golden chest plate was properly fixed and shined, the shining reflection in the mirror nearly blinding him. His black cape with gold trim looked proper and regal as always- as the old expression went 'The clothes made the man.'
He was feeling like his old self again. That brought a smile to him, feeling a tiny bit better. Suddenly he felt a powerful surge in the Force, it must've came from the other side of the galaxy... In the Outer Rim territory.
He frowned deeply at this realization, what kind of person could have that kind of potential? Just as quickly it flared, it disappeared into the vastness of the cosmos.
Maybe that was his first step in his redemption.
Placing the black hood from his cape over his head, Ralem departed towards any surviving ship on Tython and hoped that the Force would guide him to whatever that anomaly was.
-Rise of the Je'daii Empire-
Lotho Minor
Piles of trash as high as skyscrapers mocked the Je'daii as he walked through the sand storm. Pulling his hood closer to his head, Ralem continued his search to find this Force signature. He had been walking around for an hour and no sign or pulse of the Force anywhere.
Ralem frowned in frustration and he kicked several snake-like creatures away from him. When they kept drawing closer and closer, Ralem finally grabbed his golden lightsaber and its golden blade frightened the creatures, leaving the Je'daii to continued his search in peace.
A hut-like structure came into view and Ralem sensed another surge in the Force. He quickly ran inside the structure, only to find it abandoned, deteriorated from old age. Ralem's keen eyes noticed an odd placement on the middle of the floor, as if blocking something.
Gently moving the objects away Ralem discovered a makeshift trap. Its design looked to be of a ritual sacrifice for whatever was done there. Ralem jumped down the hole and landed in a small puddle of water, the splashes echoing the empty cave connections. He activated his lightsaber for light, only for a shadowed being to attack him. The Je'daii backflipped away from the creature and used a feign attack to scare it.
Yelling in anger the creature ran deeper into the cave, its metallic spider-legs littering tiny amounts of metal in its wake. Ralem narrowed his eyes cautiously but he followed the creature. It looked... sentient.
Soon the Je'daii Kage heard the crackles of a fire as he drew closer. Squatting near the corner, Ralem peaked his head over to see the creature- a red-skinned male with black tribal markings and overgrown horns muttering insanely to himself; quick mumbles, like a chant.
"No! NO!" yelled the man desperately, clutching his head as if in pain. To ignore the voices that taunted him. Walking closer to the man, Ralem observed the dire state of the being- the lower half of his body was held together in the shape of a spider, which was barely managing to hold together, small pieces of it falling off. Seeing the stranger getting closer to him, the man yelled in anger and flare his arms in an attempt to scare him off.
"Calm down," Ralem stated, placing his lightsaber back onto his belt. "So you're the one I sensed. You are strong in the Force, how long have you been wasting away out here?"
To the surprise of the Je'daii, the red-skinned man answered. "Years and years and years. The Force shall break my chains... The chains are the easy part, it's what goes on in here."
Ralem watched the manifestation of fear flush over the broken. The Je'daii feel pity for him. The Force shall break my chains, he is... was Sith.
The Je'daii racked his brain around the possible use of him. He could prove himself worthy, and the Je'daii knew what the Sith's price would be to sway his allegiance to him.
"Who cut off your legs?" asked Ralem bluntly, knowing that would trigger the Sith.
"SCUM! He took them from me!" roared the broken man, lashing violently in the open air. "Jedi! Jedi!"
"You remember," said Ralem. "Do you remember who you are? Where you came from?"
The man immediately hunched over in fear, coddling himself from the voices. "Always remember I am FEAR, always remember I am PAIN, always remember I am FLITH, always remember I am nothing."
The Je'daii's pity towards the man started to grow at the internal despair he was suffering in- much like himself in a lot ways. Perhaps too much like himself.
"Your legs," commented Ralem, his eyes observing the rusted state of them. "I can give you your legs back. You only have to do two things for me- your name and your allegiance."
The man glared at the calm state of this stranger, and suddenly he launched himself towards the Je'daii. But before the broken man could even past the fire pit, he was pinned strongly onto the cave wall; several cracks forming from the immense power of this stranger in cladded gold and black armor.
The Je'daii was ready to reprimand when the man spoke calmly, somehow regaining sentience instead of the animal he became. "Revenge, I must have revenge."
"You will not," Ralem countered, his Force grip on the man remaining strong and unbroken. "It seems you've returned to a somewhat civilized manner, so I'll repeat myself: you will get your legs back if, and only if, you follow my two requests. Your name."
"Maul, Darth Maul," the man spoke angrily. Ralem smirked darkly at the man calling himself Maul.
"Seems the 'Darth' title will no longer be required, considering you're current state," Ralem noted with his eyes towards Maul's robotic appendages. "And as for the second request?"
Maul narrowed his eyes but said nothing. Ralem waited patiently. "You're not a Jedi."
Ralem released his grip on Maul. "You think I'm Sith then?"
Maul cautiously etched his way closer to the stranger; young, vastly powerful. Almost as strong as his master... Former master.
"No," Maul simply said, his yellow eyes studying the boy. "Who are you?"
Ralem softly snorted and took a seat near the fire. "That, my dear, is another story in and of itself. To half answer you're question: my name is Ralem Solstice. I come from an Order that is long dead, broken into two factions I believe your familiar with."
Maul remained silent, digesting this new information. He crawled closer to the fire but kept a distance from Ralem. "This Order... What was the name?"
"Je'daii," Ralem answered. "Sounds similar to Jedi doesn't it?"
"Yes," muttered Maul, eyeing the boy as he looked for any sign of lying. "I have never heard of this "Je'daii" you speak of, but you say the Jedi and Sith are the broken fragments of your Order."
"At least that's what the data, recordings and Holocrons keep telling me that's what 's been going for the last twenty-five thousand years," mumbled Ralem, staring deeply into the fire. "Chaos and war, not what I wanted. A unity through the Force, that was my dream."
Maul narrowed his eyes at the phrase 'twenty-five thousand years'. He must've been lying, he was just extremely good at it. None of this made any sense; the Jedi and Sith stemming from one Order that predated both of them...
He paused at the implication that would mean...
"Are there other Je'daii like you?" questioned Maul.
"Like me? No. Other surviving Je'daii? Also no," Ralem commented hollowly. He shifted his gaze from the fire to the hellish state of the Zabrak. "I know you are, or were, Sith. And look where you are now, tossed in the literal trash pile. I can sense your potential, your strength. Such waste. Swear yourself to me and I can promise you what your want; not revenge, but purpose. If not, I can leave you here to rot. I gain nothing, but I lose nothing. Your choice."
Ralem stood from his seat and proceeded to walk towards the entrance of the den, hopefully the makeshift hole he entered was not too far away.
"Wait!" called out Maul. Ralem halted mid-stride. The Je'daii heard the metallic clanking growing louder until he saw the Zabrak from the corner of his eye. "Fine, you have a deal."
-Rise of the Je'daii Empire-
Hours later... Tython
Laying on his back on top of a stone table, Maul awaited whatever procedure the Je'daii was going to concoct. If the boy could restore his legs as promised... He had no idea what he would do.
Ralem finished drawing the alchemy circle and lowered the stone table that held Maul gently back on to it with the Force. The Je'daii Kage handed Maul a tiny steel bar. "Put it in your mouth. Trust me, you'll need it."
Maul inspected the steel bar in his hand and complied with the boy's command, placing it between his teeth. Ralem placed himself behind the head of the Zabrak and proceeded with the ritual.
The Je'daii spun his right index above Maul's head in a circle, seconds passing when a greenish portal appeared. Reaching carefully within the former Sith's mind, Ralem pulled black wisps of smoke out; cleansing Maul's mind. Not of brainwashing, that would break the code of the Je'daii.
Maul's muffled yelled grew louder and his body violently twitched, secretly grateful for the steel bar. But even at the dismal sight of the Zabrak, Ralem continued. Stage one was near completion.
The green portal soon expanded and enveloped the Zabrak, lifting him a foot or two above the table. Yelling in agony, Maul's metallic lower half disappeared; replaced with legs of blood, muscle and bone. Gyrating madly Maul gave a powerful yell when he dropped onto the table.
Panting harshly for a while, Maul soon propped himself onto his elbows and looked towards the lower half where his...
Legs...
His legs...
Looking on in disbelief Maul dared to dream and tried to move his feet- his feet flexing. He shifted into a sitting position, his feet dangling above the ground when he slowly placed them onto the cool wet grass.
He could feel it.
Maul gave a gasp of relief. The first time besides pain and misery, and torment; he felt gratitude and relief. Happiness even.
Ralem smiled at the sight of the former Sith. He remembered the dew days where he would go from planet to planet and help the locals. Though they were few and rare in-between given the war against the Infinite Empire. He felt good.
"You're free to go," Ralem said.
Maul turned towards the Je'daii, standing in the process and nearly stumbled before catching himself. "What about the deal?"
"Just a little test," explained Ralem. "That's the belief of the Je'daii- choice. Can't exactly make a choice if it's forced upon you. One of many teachings I can show you, but it's up to you. You can go after the Jedi that cut you in half and you can go after your master, or you can stay with me and help me finish what I started twenty-five thousand years ago. In return I will finish your training and make you more powerful than your master ever dared to dream. But I need your help, your master must have told you something that he was planning. Part of the Grand Plan that Darth Bane created a thousand years ago. And I'm guessing it involves the Republic and the Separatists."
"The Clone Wars," muttered Maul aloud. Enough for Ralem to catch it.
"Clone Wars?" Ralem repeated.
"My master devised a plan that would set up the entire galaxy for the largest war in history. And over the course of the war, my master would be elected Supreme Chancellor and as the war progressed he would manipulate both sides that would further increase his power until he became the Senate itself," Maul explained in detail.
Ralem took the information in stride. "I haven't heard of any war yet since I've been here. Then again I've been here a few days, but I'm guessing this Clone War is drawing near. We will have to act fast."
"You can't possibly build an entire Empire with the amount of time we have. It would take years, decades at most," countered Maul.
Ralem smirked at the Zabrak. "Seems you've accepted my offer. But fortunately I know of a device that can give us unlimited weapons, supplies, ships, anything we desire to build what we need. And it's not the first time I've build a government from scratch- I did create the Republic and Je'daii Order after all."
The Zabrak stood in silence and in awe at the bold declaration of the teen. At his point he knew the boy wasn't lying.
"Before we head over to coordinates of where the Star Forge is," Ralem stated, stopping mid-sentence to draw his gold lightsaber hilt from his belt. He held it out towards Maul. "Use the Force to pull this. I want to see what state you're in first before I finish your training."
Maul observed the lightsaber in Ralem's- regal, gold, engraved design on the hilt. Clear signs of a ruler and leader. Looking towards his hand hesitantly, Maul called to his power through the Force, using his anger to-
Ralem closed his hand over the lightsaber tightly, frowning in distaste. "No, do not use your again. In order for me create you, I'll have to destroy what your master has made you. Again."
Maul eyed the Je'daii before looking towards the golden lightsaber. Not use his anger. Every part of the Sith that swelled within him and roared at him to return to the monster he was.
Like trash.
For the first time in his life, Maul calmed himself. Just enough to wiggle the lightsaber in Ralem's grasp.
"You're a fast learner, there may be some hope for you," complimented Ralem, easing his grip on his lightsaber as it flew out of his hand and into Maul's, and activating the golden blade. "My apprentice."
A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!
And so Ralem learns about the many events that plagued the galaxy during his absence, he buried the last of his past with Cortana and now he was Maul as his apprentice. Now he is ready to build the Empire that he was destined to have.
And he also resurrected Maul's legs back too, rather sweet of Ralem right? XD
If you have any plot elements or ideas to share, don't hesitate to leave it in the comment/review section or PM me.
Ralem's power level:
Power Scaling-
Solar System to Solar System+ level:
Naga Sadow(with Sith Corsaid and Sith relics through Dark Side Magic)
World Razor(Destroyed 100 stars and 1,000 planets as according to the Rakata ruins and the Failsafe; the full power of the Infinite Empire was needed to defeat it)
Star to Star+ level:
Father
Abeloth
Planet to Planet+ level:
Grand Master Luke Skywalker
Ralem Kyo Solstice (potentially higher to Star level)
Son (Large Planet)
Daughter (Large Planet)
Darth Sidious (Small Planet)
Yoda (Small Planet; contained Sidious' lighting for a few seconds)
Valkorion (Small Planet; after the ritual on Ziost)
Darth Nihilus (Potentially if he absorbs enough Force power from said planet, but constant hunger staves off from full use of his power)
Moon to Moon+ level:
Sith Emperor
Multi-Continent to Multi-Continent+ level:
Galen Marek/Starkiller (Comparable to Darth Vader; previously Continent level)
Darth Vader (His training as a Sith Lord has noticeably increased his power from his previous peak as Anakin Skywalker; previously Continent level)
Revan (At his best, he nearly matched the Sith Emperor)
Continent to Continent+ level:
Mace Windu (potentially Small Planet use the continued use of Vaapad against his fight with Sidious in ROTS)
Darth Bane
Darth Nihilus (Razed the surface of Katarr and killed all life on the planet sans Visas Marr)
Darth Malak
Darth Plageuis
Count Dooku (One of the most powerful Jedi the Order had ever produced, even before his powers became enhanced by becoming a Sith Lord; previously Island+ level)
Darth Maul (appears to be comparable to, if not slightly weaker than, Darth Tyranus per Son of Dathomir; previously Island level)
Anakin Skywalker (Surpassed Darth Tyranus at his peak in Revenge of the Sith; previously Island level)
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Telekinetically stalemated a Darth Vader that, while emotionally compromised, was still well above his Padawan self in raw power; previously Island level)
Ki-Adi Mundi (He's a member of the Jedi Council, so he should be comparable to Obi-Wan Kenobi; previously Island level)
Meetra Surik (Managed to defeat Darth Traya)
Shaak Ti (Same as Ki-Adi Mundi)
Aayla Secura (Same as Ki-Adi Mundi)
Plo Koon (Same as Ki-Adi Mundi)
Arcann
Thexan
Country to Country+ level:
Ajunta Pall
Satele Shan (Is a peer of Darth Malgus)
Darth Malgus
Meetra Surik (Killed the Greater Storm Beast on Malachor V; Small Country level)
Darth Sion
Island to Island+ level:
Darth Nihilus (Pulled the Ravager out of Malachor V's orbit and continues to keep it from falling apart through pure force of will; far higher once fed)
City Block to City Block+ level:
Ahsoka Tano
Barriss Offee