"All too easy," Vic laughed, coughing up blood as he collapsed. "Now can someone please heal me?"

Kobak quickly moved to him and sat beside him while Anoxa moved as well, the two of them working together to heal their friend. Seraphina and Luca looked around their destroyed ship.

"This wasn't where he was supposed to end up," she sighed and eyed the key to his cell.

"No, it wasn't, but I think this is a good place for now. The Secret Runner's final mission." Luca picked up the orb and stared at.

"What should we do with it?"

"I've got an idea." Luca closed her eyes and pushed her mind outward. Are you god's listening? I know you say you won't interfere, but can you keep the key safe for us? If left here, someone might release him again. Where as if it's with you, no one will ever get to it.

For a moment Luca didn't get a response and she thought she might be crazy to think of this, but then she received a single response. Yes.

"Right then. We can leave the key with the gods on their planet. That way no one can get to it."

They all seemed to nod in agreement. "We aren't getting anywhere on this ship now," Vic sighed. "We had better contact the masters to let them know." He stopped and then smiled at them. "We defeated Infernis."

Everyone was so full of adrenaline that it hadn't really hit them yet, but with those words they all looked to the sphere and one by one they began to smile. "I avenged you master," Kobak said with a large smile.

"We righted what we did." Luca hugged Seraphina who was smiling now as well.

"We actually did it!" Anoxa said as she slumped down and laughed. "We were awesome!"

"Hell yeah we were! We're the First! No one can beat us." Luca laughed with her and soon everyone was laughing as they felt a tremendous weight had been lifted off of them and for the first time in a long time the future seemed just a bit brighter.

For a moment they rested and recovered before contacting the Jedi and explaining that they had managed to do the impossible. "He is really sealed?" Grand Master Skywalker asked in shock.

"He is," Seraphina confirmed with a smile.

"We will be there shortly to get you, that way you can accompany us on our final assault of the dreadnaught."

Once communications were cut, they were all left with a big decision. "The sabers," Vic said as he stared at them. "What do we do with them?"

"They're too powerful to leave here, to trust with anyone," Anoxa confirmed.

"And then there's the seal to Infernis," Seraphina chimed in. "There's no where in the galaxy that we can keep it completely safe."

"There might be one place that's safe," Luca said and closed her eyes. "Hey, Gods, can you hear me?" Of course they could, she didn't know why she always called to them like that, but it worked out well as she could feel the answer echo in her head.

Yes.

"We want to return the sabers to you when we're through with them."

There was a long silence before the answer came to her once more.

Luca opened her eyes. "The force gods say that they will take back their sabers."

"Then we'll leave the blades with them," Vic nodded. "After this final battle."

"But do we think it's wise to leave all the blades with them? What if this happens again and we need to seal him away?" Anoxa got up from her spot and examined the blade that she held. "I mean, the last time a Jedi actually got there and got these…."

"But we can't trust anyone with this kind of power, not even ourselves. This kind of power can still corrupt. It's not a good idea to leave any of them here really. All of them give extraordinary power, except for one." Seraphina looked down at the blade that she held.

"The force negation saber," Luca said. "No Jedi or Sith would want a blade that weakens them and steals their connection to the force."

"Then that's what we'll do. When this is over, we'll return all the blades to them except the force negation saber. That one we'll keep here." Anoxa nodded.

"Now the question is, where do we put the key until the battle is over?" Luca asked out loud as she stared at it.

"Actually, I thought about that. There's one place that only one of knows the location to and neither Sith nor Jedi would have any reason to go to," Vic said and looked to Luca. "We could put it with Shepard, in his grave, at least until we can retrieve it."

Luca took a deep breath and nodded solemnly. "Yeah, I think you're right. That's the best place, but I also don't think we should carry these sabers with us into battle."

"What?" Kobak asked with a shock. "But they're so powerful, they could turn the tide."

"And perhaps they can unseal Infernis. If we take them into battle, we risk losing them to the enemy."

Everyone looked at their blades and there was a brief moment of wistful thinking as they each desired the blades; but at the same time they knew that desire was the problem. They had them briefly and yet already the blades called to them. One by one they sat their blades by the orb.

"Then it's settled. Luca, clear your mind and focus on his grave. I'll put them there." Vic took her hand and focused on the image in her mind. The air around the items rippled and then just like that they were gone. "At least for now they will be safe."

"Yeah, from all of us," Anoxa smirked and all eyes turned to Seraphina who groaned.

Hours later they were aboard the flagship of the Jedi Order, standing before the masters in the war room as they explained what happened and were briefed on the attack plans against the dreadnaught. "In the midst of all of this, we can talk solace in one thing," Skywalker said with a small nod to the children. "For all our mistakes, we have raised fine young masters."

The group said nothing, they were stretched too thin as it was but they smiled warmly, realizing what praise it was that they were being given. "You are the very best of us," Master Solan told them. "Of that I have no doubt." They were just in the middle of their praise when alarms began to go off all among the fleet. All eyes went to the screens which showed a hole ripped through space as the dreadnaught appeared along with its own armada.

"We've been betrayed," Skywalker yelled and immediately issued commands to get into a battle formation.

They didn't have time to plan. Any plan they could muster would fall apart amongst the onslaught of ships and lasers which seemed to ignite the darkness of space with light. "The dreadnaught will tear us apart," Luca said as she ran to the viewing screen. "It has massive laser cannons that can pick our fleet apart."

"Then we have to get inside it. We have to-" Anoxa was cut short as the realization hit her. The Secret Runner was destroyed. What few fighters the fleet had were already in use and those that weren't were already being boarded by pilots.

"Luca, how clear is your memory of the ship?" Vic asked.

Luca froze, trying to recall it. "The parts that I was allowed on…pretty good, I think."

Vic nodded and took a deep breath. "Ready for one last fight?"

"You're going to teleport us there aren't you?" Seraphina asked him. "Can you do that? We haven't had much time to recover from the battle with Infernis. Wouldn't that put too much strain on you?"

"All too easy," he whispered and kissed her forehead. "Everyone gather around."

They gathered together and held hands, their minds clearing and their breathing slowed as Luca's memories began to enter their minds. Luca shared what she could remember of the control deck, the power core, and the resurrection chamber. "Those are the three places we have to hit," she whispered, not daring to speak too loudly to break their connection.

"Then…let's do this." There was a cold rush which washed over them, an uneasy feeling as if their stomachs were being folded into. For a second nothing seemed real to them as they had no sensation of touch, sight, sound, or anything else. They simply existed within nothingness. It was a terrifying feeling, reminiscent of death. But before the sensation could overcome them they were brought back to reality as all around them they heard shouting.

Seraphina opened her eyes and quickly drew her blades. They stood in a wide chamber which Luca quickly recognized was the training area. "Follow me!" Luca lead them, guiding them down hallways, the group of Jedi Padawans turned Knights and now Masters were a uniformed force to be reckoned with. Any enemy they encountered was struck down with brutal efficiency that even the Dark Lord himself would have been pleased to see.

"Control first?" Anoxa asked.

Luca shook her head. "We need to split up."

"Split up? That doesn't sound like a good idea," Seraphina said, dodging a blaster bolt and stabbing her blade through a guard's chest.

"It's a terrible idea, but if we go to each place individually then armada could be wiped out by the time we're through. Anoxa and I will take out the bridge, the three of you go to the power core. It's down these stairs to the left and past a couple of hallways; but before you get there you will see the weapons room. Grab some detonators and place them all over the core. Before we detonate it, I want us to meet back at the resurrection chamber. You guys remember where that is from my mental images?"

"Yeah, we couldn't forget it," Kobak assured her.

No, we couldn't, could we? Such dark energy haunts that place. It makes me excited just to think about it.

Luca nodded. "May the force be with you."

"And also with you," Vic whispered. The two warriors nodded to each other as they went their separate ways.

Luca and Anoxa moved quickly and quietly now, knowing that the worst of the guards would be up ahead. As they neared the bridge Luca stopped and glanced over her shoulder to Anoxa and explained the plan to her on how they were going to take out the control room. "A kiss for good-?" Anoxa grabbed Luca and pinned her against the wall, lifting her up just a bit as she kissed her deeply and tenderly.

For once Luca was breathless and speechless as Anoxa stared at her with a smile. There was a tenderness that Luca hadn't seen before and Anoxa cupped her face leaving hardly any space between their faces. She had been thinking about it so much, and now among the ruins of their lives she knew that she couldn't let it go for another moment. She didn't know if she loved Luca the way that Luca loved her, but she knew that she wasn't going to live in a world without her either. No one could hold a candle to her Luca."Let's go save the world and when this all over, I'm going to marry you Luca Atari."

"O-okay," Luca mumbled with cheeks that made her entire flesh look ten shades more red. Jumping up onto the air ducts above, she all but disappeared. She had used these ducts to spy on the bridge before, but now she would use them for what she was trained for. Crawling about in the darkness, she counted her paces until she came to an exit duct. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the duct open and jumped from it, and landed upon the captain, slicing him clean in two with her blade. For a brief moment there was silence as no one was expecting a jedi to suddenly show up. Someone reached for the alarm but from behind them a light whip grabbed them and pulled them back into the shadows.

"Let's play," Anoxa whispered to the Sith's ear before she tightened her whip and sliced through him. From that point on it was nothing but chaos. The two Zeltrons seemed to dance among the bridge, working together in perfect unison as their blades slashed through opponents and their combined might in the force devastated any who tried to run. When the last member of the bridge collapsed, all that was left was destruction. Anoxa walked over to the captain's control panel and slammed her lightsaber through it. "The core weapons will be down from here, but we still need to blow this thing to kingdom come."

"Then let's get to the resurrection chamber and end this."

Luca nodded and upon taking Anoxa's hand they hurried out of the bridge.

Vic's vision allowed him to easily bypass guards and security, at least enough to allow Seraphina and Kobak a chance to take them out. Despite what he might have said, transporting them here like this was rather draining on him, but he was going to push through it. When they finally got to the weapon chamber he ran his hands over the equipment. "I have no idea what I'm looking for."

"Thermal detonators," Seraphina said as she opened up a box. "Just like these. We can set them to the generator which will hopefully start a chain explosion that will rip the dreadnaught apart from the inside out."

Kobak reached down and grabbed an armful. "We'll put some on the walls as we go to ensure destruction."

With armfuls of bombs and Vic holding tight to the actual detonator, Seraphina and Kobak began to litter the walls with explosives. As they reached the power core, Vic opened the door just in time to block a lightsaber with his own. The Sith started to shout but Vic lifted him with the force and all but crushed him like a ball as he tossed him away from the others. He was the first one into the power core and all his blades lifted up into the air around him and then quickly flew outward, stabbing into bodies of the Sith lying in wait for them. Pulling his blades back he motioned for Kobak and Seraphina to come in.

Quickly the two of them began to put the bombs on the power core. "Looks like Luca did her homework. By glancing at the computer, this dreadnaught's lines should run throughout the ship, meaning the explosion will funnel through its weakest points. The pressure should be enough to break the ship in half." Seraphina clicked on a few more details before nodding in satisfaction. "This is actually going to work."

"Good. I rather like the idea of something easy for a chance," Vic smiled. When the last one was set the group hurried back from whence they came and then followed Luca's memories to the resurrection chamber. As soon as they arrived they were greeted by the two Zeltrons.

Luca stopped them all and motioned toward the armored doors. "I can get up through the vents and open it from the inside. But once I do be prepared to go for a fight. The priests who guard it are supposed to be pretty powerful. I don't know if they're needed to bring someone back or if the sarcophagus can do it by itself, but I don't want to leave it to chance."

"Then we'll do what we can to ensure no one ever uses it again," Kobak said with a nod. "Even though it might could totally reverse my need for this." He motioned to the symbiote covering him.

Oh, I see how it is. Here I thought that we had become friends.

"I don't think it's worth the risk," Anoxa said with worried eyes, afraid the young Jedi might just be tempted to do it.

Kobak met her gaze and smiled. "I won't. I promise. Life isn't perfect, but at least I'm still me. Figuratively at least."

"Then…let's do this." Luca disappeared from sight before anyone could say anything. She crept along the hidden paths until she was above the resurrection chamber. She saw the eight priests knelt beside the sarcophagus praying. Even now she almost shuddered from the feeling of darkness that seemed to lick at like tentacles across her body. Slinking down from her position, she did her best to be absolutely quiet as she moved to the door. Going for the first lock, she undid it and the door hisses. Before she could undo the other locks she felt the hot blade of lightsaber pass by her as she instinctively dodged the attack. Luca twistd back to see the eight priests each with glowing blades advancing toward her. Drawing her tonfa, she twisted it around and dashed through them, trying to separate them so she could fight them.

Anoxa waited impatiently, counting down the seconds. "It's been almost four minutes. She should have the door open by now. I could have sworn I heard it unlock." She pushed at the door but it wouldn't budge. "I'm not waiting anymore." Drawing her light tanto she slammed it into the door, but it immediately shorted out. "Cortosis lined doors? The bastards!" Now she was a bit frantic as she tried to push it open with the force, but once more it barely budged. She banged on it and called out. "Luca!"

"Altogether," Vic said. Each Jedi took a stance and held their hands toward the door. They didn't need patience this time, this time their emotions allowed them the edge they needed. The four jedis using all their mastery of the force pushed at it with such strength that the hinges shattered and the door went flying backward.

A distracted priest didn't move in time as the solid metal door slammed into it, crushing it against the far wall. The Jedi moved into the room, seeing Luca battling the six remaining priests. One laid dead from a light saber wound but the others were encircling her. Luca had a long gash on her side, but she was managing to stay one step ahead of them. Luca dodged and seemed to vanish, flipping over one of the priests to put more room between them and herself. "Took you guys long enough!" She said with a light laugh, but there was obvious relief in her eyes. "These guys are tougher than they look!"

"Leave my girlfriend alone!" Anoxa shouted. Pure light radiated from her once more, bathing the Sith in searing energy which caused them to take a step bath. Anoxa walked toward them, light whip lashing out at the first one and drawing it in close. It lashed at her, breaking free of the lightwhip and lunging at her with its blade. Anoxa was quicker than it though, using her tanto she deflected the Sith saber and managed to gash it across its chest. Anoxa smirked as they clashed again, the Sith moving about and striking at her with quick, precise thrusts aiming for her limbs and vital organs. The quick trusts made it hard for her to use her light whip, and the she couldn't drop her tanto to grab her blaster or risk giving the Sith an opening to hit something important. She had gotten the first hit, but it seemed like the Sith quickly adapted to her technique and found a good counter for her.

Seraphina dove into the fray, pushing forward to a priest who was trying to assault Luca. With a charge of force, she knocked the priest back into the wall as she lunged at him. The two began to enter into a flurry of blows back and forth. Despite the priest using one blade, it seemed to be quick enough to react to Seraphina's attacks which came from every angle. Every move the Seraphina made the priest countered, every time she tried to go for an opening his blade managed to move and deflect it. It was infuriating that she couldn't land a blow on it, that being said, the priest couldn't land one on her either. Their offense and defense were too perfect for them to find a weakness in.

Vic took to the others, grabbing one with the force and ripping its lightsaber out of its hands. He held his hand out and let the light side fuel his lightning which slammed into the chest of the unarmed Sith. The Sith caught the lightning even as it seemed to burn him. "Such power," it whispered and channeled the energy within himself to push it back toward Vic. Soon the two were engaged in a battle of the force as their powers collided in a spectacular fashion. "With the right guidance, you could be great."

"You don't know my power!" Vic shouted and stepped toward the priest. "I am already great!" As much power as he used against the priest, that much was pushed back against him. Vic took another step forward, bringing them closer together as the air between them crackled with their might.

Kobak's tactic was simple; have them strike him and when their lightsaber went out end them. The only problem was that moving was incredibly hard. The symbiote struggled and writhed over his flesh, his body kept twisting toward the sarcophagus as if it was drawing the symbiote to it.

"Focus!" Kobak shouted as he just barely avoided a lightsaber going straight for his face.

The sarcophagus, it's too powerful…it's hard to focus. There's too much dark energy, it's overwhelming me!

"If you want to continue to have a host you will find a way to focus!"

I'm trying meatbag! No one will kill my host on my watch!

Kobak moved his blade up, deflecting another blow. The priest was smart, it didn't both with his armor coating, it seemed to just want his head. Even then, Kobak was wary of the priest's other hand as he felt the force began to emanate from it.

Luca was struggling to catch her breath. At first she thought it was because of the wound maybe she had punctured a lung, but no, it was something else. She was forcing herself to move fast this entire fight. She was constantly having to push herself to go faster, this wasn't just to dodge, this was so she could keep up with the priest in front of her. I didn't seem right. They weren't that fast when she killed the first one. No one was as fast as her, not even Infernis could keep up with her.

Infernis.

What was it Infernis had said to her so long ago about the priests? They couldn't be killed the same way? Something like that. They were mirrors they were- Luca's eyes widened and for a second she was slowed as the priest deflected her saber and lunged at her. Luca disappeared from sight for just a second, pushing her speed fast enough to dodge it, but this time the blade moved faster toward her. That was it! She put everything she had into deflecting it with her tonfa, but this time as soon as she did she ignited her left fist with fire and slammed it into the priest's face. There was a scream from the priest as it stopped for just a second, but that was all Luca needed. Stretching her left hand out, she used the force to trip the priest, causing it to fall backward and in that split second she slammed her saber down onto its face. "Switch opponents!" Luca yelled, back flipping out of the way of the other priest that came after her.

The others didn't know what was going on, but they had learned not to ask. Not a word was spoken, they just reacted. Anoxa kicked at the priest with her robotic leg, stumbling it just a bit to free her to use her whip. Her blade passed by the one she was fighting and pulled at the arm of the priest fighting Seraphina. With a quick tug she pulled that priest to her. Seraphina in turn jumped at Anoxa's priest. The priest turned around and thrust its blade at Seraphina, the same way it had Anoxa, but Seraphina back handed the blade away with her first saber and plunged her other saber into its chest.

Anoxa likewise quickly realized that her opponent was no match for her. It went to block her tanto, but its quick movements were too rigid to counter her whip which passed by its defense and with a flick of her wrist managed to sever its head from its body.

Vic grunted as he faced down his priest. He turned to look at Kobak but something was wrong. Kobak wasn't moving now; his head was turned away from his opponent toward something else. Vic followed his gaze toward the sarcophagus which was opening up. Kobak's priest pushed the lid open with the force and the symbiote screeched as waves of pure darkness flooded over it.

The symbiote rippled over Kobak, its screech deafening the young Jedi and its form shooting out around him like tendrils struggling to leave his flesh. "Make it stop!" Kobak yelled.

Anoxa looked back to Kobak who was fighting through the pain and shouted to him. The symbiote had moved off enough of his body to expose an opening and the priest plunged his saber toward it.

"No!" Vic was the closest one, the only one who could react in time. "You will not hurt my friends!" His lightning stopped from his priest and slammed into Kobak's priest, the force of which seemed to vaporize the priest completely. Kobak froze; his eyes slowly traveling over to Vic who smiled at him even as his opponent's lightning began to engulf him.

"Vic!" Seraphina seemed to fly across the room, slashing through the priest, tearing him to pieces with her blades. Its body hit the ground the same time that Vic's did.

Kobak watched in horror as Vic's body crumbled to the ground and Seraphina reached down to pick up his charred frame. Everything seemed so slow to him. He watched as Anoxa stood there unable to move, he watched as Luca battled the last remaining priest. His body moved on its own, fighting through the pain as he came up behind the priest and grabbed its head, smashing it into the wall with all the force of the symbiote he could muster.

Luca stumbled backward, breathing heavily and holding her wounded side. "Thank you," she mouthed, too out of breath to say the words, too afraid to break the silence which had fallen over everyone. All eyes moved to Vic and Seraphina.

"D-did we do it?" Vic asked, wincing in pain. Everything hurt and yet nothing hurt, it was the worst possible sensation he had ever imagined. The lightning had burnt away most of his flesh and left a gaping wound in his chest. He could feel himself weakening with every breath, each one shallower than the one before and each one filled with more pain that he ever thought possible.

"Yes you idiot, they're dead," Seraphina whispered as she bit back tears. "Anoxa, you can heal him right? Right!?"

Anoxa snapped out of her daze and quickly moved toward her friend. She reached own for him and pressed her hand to him, nearly throwing up as his flesh seemed to crumble beneath her touch. "There's so much damage."

"Then fix it!"

"Seraphina, we'd have to get him to a ship. Get him to the masters. Maybe…maybe with a bacta tank we could."

"There's not enough time for that," Vic told them. "I have to send you back. Have to send you back to the masters."

"You're too weak to send us! We have to get a ship!"

Vic shook his head. His hand shook violently as he reached into his burnt robes and pulled out the detonator switch which had gotten activated in the attack. The five minute charge was already counting down.

"The bombs are active. In five minutes this place is going to be nothing but rubble," Kobak said. "We can't make it to the ships in time."

"We find a way! We can't leave without him! There has to be a way there has to-" Seraphina eyed the sarcophagus. "A way to revive him."

Vic's hand came up over hers. "No. Please…no."

"But it could save you!"

"It corrupts whatever is put in there. It corrupted Infernis, it would corrupt me."

"You've returned from the dark side once before."

"I did it for you."

"Then you could do it again!" Seraphina cried. "Please don't leave me!"

Vic tried to smile, but it hurt too much. "I love you. I love all of you. If I have to die, let me die a Jedi. Let me die being the hero."

"I won't leave you! I won't!" Seraphina's heart was breaking and death would be a mercy compared to what she was feeling now. If she could cut out her heart to save herself this pain she would, and yet she knew that she couldn't do it to Vic, she couldn't bring him back as a monster and lose the only man that she ever loved.

"You will, because the world still needs you. The world still needs heroes, and you guys are the best heroes I know. Now please…I don't have much left in me. So please, get close."

Luca and Anoxa held hands, each one of them unable to hold by the tears in their eyes. Kobak stared down at him, his hand clutching his heart. "Take the symbiote, you deserve it. It's because of me that-"

"No. No. No. All of you, just…no. No tears. No sadness. Soon, I will be one with the force and one with all of you. You are the best friends a guy could ever have and you-" He caressed Seraphina's face. "You have made this life worth living." He was too weak to lean up and kiss her, and quite frankly too wounded for it to feel good but he didn't care. He forced himself up for one last kiss. "I will always love you." Before anyone else could react the four of them felt the cold rush wash over them and they were back on the bridge of the ship in the midst of combat.

"Raise the shields!" Luca shouted as she looked back to the masters, her vision stained with tears and her ears deafened by the sound of Seraphina's scream.

Vic laid on the ground of the dreadnaught and used what was left of his connection of the force to bring his lightsaber to him. He ran his hand over its metal frame and across the words he had etched into it. "Focus on what matters to you most. Focus on anger and you will lose what matters to you the most." He closed his eyes and thought of his friends. Of Anoxa, the sweet destroyer of Sith who loved everyone and never let the darkness touch her. Luca, the tiniest and scariest person in the universe, who sacrificed her honor for her friends. Kobak, the wounded warrior, who despite being marked by darkness never lost himself amidst it all. Seraphina, the guardian of his heart, the bookworm who taught him more about life than he ever thought possible. "I protected what matters most to me." His lips cracked a smile as he closed his eyes and the detonator went to zero. "All too easy."

Explosions rocked from the core igniting the vessel from the inside out. From the bridge the Jedi watched as the dreadnaught began to crack and then explode, its massive frame collapsing before them. With the dreadnaught destroyed and their captains loss amidst the chaos, the Jedi and Sith together moved to strike down the remnants of Infernis's army. The fragmented remains were swiftly destroyed, and with that defeat a new era of peace would finally dawn in the galaxy.

It was a peace that was was earned through the sacrifice of the young, the loss of innocence, and the loss of life.