Chapter 20

Illusions Become Reality

3957BBY

Space…

Space…

The buildings of ice around him reflected and refracted light of many colors. The planet Fayt had settled on nearly a year ago now was his only safe haven. Revan wasn't interested in this place and since he was nearly killed in that fall no seekers had come for him. Perhaps they thought he was dead, or perhaps his Master had killed them and he was now no longer being chased.

Either way he was living a relatively happy life on this planet he didn't care to know the name for. He recalled a time where he'd been ravenous to know everything he could find about the universe he inhabited. Now… thinking on such things merely made him remember times he'd been with his Master, times he'd been with Revan, Malak, and Mee.

"Hey there Fayt," came the voice of his only friend on this harsh icy world.

"Yeah what is it Krim?" Fayt asked as he watched a man heft another box into the small craft that would carry them out of the warehouse. Quite ironic, he'd started this journey being a guardsman as a guardsman, and now he was one once again. Well, he still had a few years until he'd catch up to his onetime age of 28. Seven wasn't exactly a few… but he was technically nearly fifty now… did that make him over the hill? Or was it one foot in the grave? He had actually forgotten by now most sayings from earth that he didn't use regularly.

"You hear the latest rumors about the war?"

"Let me guess, it's going badly for the Republic?" He stated as he watched a man nearly slip and drop a container. Guard duty here was relatively the same as his last job, but you had to watch the people loading supplies. Thieves were rampant during these harsh times. Getting supplies on this backwater world was difficult enough as it was before the war. Now it was nigh on impossible and people were starving all over the place.

Feeling sorry for them wouldn't get him anywhere, and as such he stuck to his job of keeping people with sob stories and sticky fingers out of the compound. Krim on the other hand handed out some of his own food and money each week to the needy. Should he call the man admirable or stupid… no there was once a time he would be doing much the same. His friend though physically older was merely generous and hadn't seen or experienced what Fayt had.

"Wow, you must be psychic." The man replied sarcastically. "And no, I heard the republic's been putting up a good front lately with that Jedi Bastilla Shan and her battle something."

'Her battle meditation's all that's keeping Revan at bay for now. Give it a bit longer and Revan'll be captured. Not that the Republic holds up much better under Malak until he's defeated.' Fayt thought recalling both things from his past, and those the force had revealed to him.

No one here knew what he was at one time. He was merely a stray and stowaway from Nar Shadaa that showed up nearly a year ago. With the way Jedi were looked at right now he wasn't sure if it was exactly the best of times to be walking around as a former one. War Vet's from the Mandalorian wars weren't even looked upon as great if they weren't fighting Revan now.

The old man and little girl that had saved his life had… been killed during some gang violence in their neighborhood. After doing what he could for their bodies he'd left. It wasn't right to leave those that had helped him to merely rot away on the streets or be used to feed someone's pets. Cremation had been the best and cheapest way to go in that respect. He'd been away from home when they were killed. If he'd been there… then he could have done something. They were just more faces he'd been forced to put up in his log of lost people he cared for. How much longer would the list grow before this all ended.

Fayt looked left over his shoulder to see Krim staring at him. "What?"

"You always get lost in thought don't you? They're done, let's sign them out and get back to where Sall is. The guard post must be so boring without us there to keep him company." The man said as he stepped away from the wall he'd been leaning on and took the small datapad from the driver. Krim's script was far to flourished to actually be copied, and was probably one of the reason's he'd been hired on.

Fayt followed his suit as they watched the truck move through the gate out of the compound he sighed. "Glad that's over with its freezing out here." A quick draw of his blaster pistol told him the thing hadn't frozen in its holster and he nodded. It was cheap and shot at a n odd angle, but the company provided SOMETHING to help them do their duties at least. Krim had spent his money on getting a real one imported in. Said something like 'You can't put a real price on a Mandalorian blaster pistol. Whoever owned this one was stupid enough to actually do so.'

"Yeah, that's because you got no meat on your bones to help with insulation." Krim stated as they trudged through the snow.

"Yeah, I'm sorry not all of us are built and smell like a rancor." Fayt replied jokingly.

"Hey, I took a bath two days ago!" the man shouted back as he turned away.

"Look, we got another ship's pulling up to the gate. " Fayt said and pointed.

"Hmmm, we aren't supposed to have another till later tonight." Krim said as he turned around and peered at the thing. "Don't recognize the craft, I'll see what Sall's got to say about them."

A dark feeling spread slowly throughout his body as they drew closer to the gate and farther from the warehouses. "Wait… Krim don't."

"What?" The man paused and turned to look at him.

Fayt's eyes narrowed then closed as he reached out through the force to feel at the life signs present. His eyes flashed open as anger and fear spread throughout his body. What were Dark Jedi doing here? His feet froze in their tracks as he reached under his over sized coat to the reassuring metallic objects housed within. He'd spent nearly a month tracking his twin lightsaber's down y their feeling alone. In the end two different people had them. One was apparently pawned off and in a collector's secluded stash. He'd stolen that one and killed the gangster using his other for prestige. The stupid man had claimed to have killed the weapons owner.

"It's trouble." Fayt finally replied.

"You know I haven't doubted your creepy danger sense since that time we were attacked at night, but really it's a delivery truck." The man said and pointed at the sign on the side of the ship. Indeed it was on of the trucks that regularly made deliveries and pickups at their compound.

"Then don't doubt me now, and let's get back to the safety of the buildings." Fayt said as he stepped away.

"Damn it Fayt." The man said as he glanced back one last time to the guard post then followed. "We need to radio Sall."

"He's already dead." Fayt said as he started to walk faster while trying to use his white coat and blend in. If luck was actually on their side

"The hell you mean he's already dead?" Krim said as he grabbed Fayt's shoulder and spun him around.

"I MEAN HE'S ALREADY DEAD KRIM!" Fayt shouted and moved to turn away. "They've killed him… I don't sense him."

"Sense him? You aren't making and any sense Fayt!" The man exclaimed as he followed the now jogging Fayt. The alarm coming from behind them said the gate was opening to allow whoever it was into the compound without alerting the authorities.

Just as they arrived at the warehouse Fayt turned around to get one last look at their soon to be assailants. Black robes were filing through the gates, and he pointed them out to his friend. "Dark Jedi."

As the man looked on then turned and walked first into the largest of the warehouses he spoke. "I think it's time I heard about your past a bit."

Fayt followed and closed the door behind him. "Very well, but it's going to be the short version."

"I'm listening," the man said as they rounded a corner and headed farther in.

"It's better to just show you." Fayt said as he reached back under his coat to the twin feelings of warmth nestled near his chest. It was simple, and quick as he pulled them out and activated the low hum he hadn't heard in months.

His friend's eyes narrowed as he looked on and reached slowly for his blaster. "Jedi huh." The man's face contorted with anger.

"If I'm right those guys are here for me… though I haven't a clue how they found me." Fayt stated as he deactivated the 'sabers.

"Why the hell would they be looking for you?" Krim demanded

"Because I wouldn't bow down to their new Master after Malachor V." Fayt bit back.

"So you're one of those that followed the bastard leading the war against the Republic; the one who's causing all of this suffering!" The man ground out angry though at what or who Fayt couldn't tell.

"Like I said, me and Revan split ways after Malachor V. Call it irreparable differences in the way things were happening. You see she wanted to kill and ravage, and I didn't." Fayt spit back. "We don't have time for a pissing contest. They'll sense us in here, and we need to-" he said then stopped as the door behind them opened.

"They are here." Krim said as he ducked behind a low crate and pulled his blaster from its holster. "We'll finish this conversation later." The man said in a hushed, but still angry tone.

"Fine," Fayt said as he deactivated the black and blue 'sabers in each hand. No need to give the bastards a beacon to follow. If the six that had stepped through the gate were all there were then they actually stood some sort of chance. If there were more in that ship then it was all over. Well… Dark Jedi Masters were another story all together.

"Krim, Watch for the bounce back, and don't mistake me for a red." Fayt's last warning before moving away to get to a better location. He wanted to get the drop on at least one of them. So far only three had entered the warehouse, but there were two entrances, and he couldn't keep his eyes everywhere. He'd have to keep his mind open and reaching out for other bodies moving about. With any luck he could know when or where the other three would attack from.

Standing easily behind a set of shelves he shrugged the heavy coat off of his shoulders and let it slip silently to the floor. Fayt readied his lightsabers, took a slow deep breath, then force leapt over the top of the shelves coming down in between two of the Dark Jedi.

His 'sabers activated immediately and while one cut down the first his second blocked the others incoming blow. While holding back the Dark's attack he spun his second blade in a wide arc causing the man to shift to defend that side rather than his first. Not backing down, was the man's mistake. When the first saber went unguarded he slipped it under the man's defenses and through his chest.

With that two were down already. The question was where did the third go? Blaster fire reached his ears and he took off in that direction at full force aided sprint. 'Krim!' was the only thought that passed through his mind as he rounded the corner and ran into a second group of Dark Jedi. They must have come in the back entrance.

He skidded to a halt and went on the defense as the two rained heavy blows down upon him. With each attack he was slowly pushed back the way he had come and away from his friend. Damn it! He didn't have time for this! 'Keep your mind calm Fayt. If you rush or get agitated you will lose.' His masters sagely advice rang through his head.

Right… he had to concentrate on what lay before him now. Krim could take care of himself for the moment. With a quick backward force leap he called upon the force and pulled a set of shelves down atop the two Dark Jedi. They seemed to be expecting that and one of them pushed it back the way it came setting off a domino chain reaction throughout the warehouse.

Boxes, shelves, and other contents crashed down sending a piercing ring through the air. Fayt hurled one of his twin 'sabers with the force and charged after it. The blade was knocked aside and forgotten by the dark Jedi, but Fayt pulled it back as he ducked under the man's blow grasped it and plunged the thing into his or her stomach.

Pulling away he spun around and brought both blades up in an X to block the incoming blow from the fourth. He was already out of breath from… exertion, or any number of things. He wasn't exactly in the best shape of his life… either of them.

Slowly Fayt forced his way to his feet and deactivated a blade suddenly. The Dark Jedi's red lightsaber cascaded down the side of his own and then he reactivated the first directly into the black clad figures head. He or She slumped to the floor the red blade fading deactivating to leave only a black and blue gloom surrounding him.

A small clapping session could be heard approaching him. It was followed by a deep rasping voice, "Very well done boy. You will make an excellent Dark Jedi." The clapping stopped and the Black robed figure reached under to pull out a double bladed deep red lightsaber. "Your ally with the blaster is also doing surprisingly well."

The sound of blaster fire continued in the distance as he watched his attacker. This one was different… stronger than the rest… darker was probably a good word as well. A Master perhaps. This… was not good. Every time he'd come across one or more of these his Master had been there.

"Come boy, and Show me your skill." The dark raspy voice said as a gloved hand beckoned then re-grasped the double bladed 'saber.

Without hesitation Fayt leapt in resolve holding his grip tightly to his twin black and blue lightabers. They rang against the dark red blade time after time as the Dark Jedi baited him forwards almost taunting him. Every time he saw an opening it was merely a trap which he barely avoided. By the time he realized what was happening he was far out of breath, tired, and had multiple sing and burn marks adorning his skin.

"Damn… It." He said as he backed away. The Dark Jedi allowed him the moments reprieve and spoke one more.

"Hahahaha, You are far too head strong. Perhaps your Master didn't teach you very well." Anger sprang up at the insult, but he fought it back down with the training he'd received.

"Come on, We aren't finished yet." Fayt said leaping back in. The Dark Jedi merely laughed as he did so and met his blades one more. This time the black clad figure went on the offensive forcing him back after a mere three blows. He was struggling to keep in the fight as the Dark Master rained hard blow after hard blow down… yes this skill was beyond a normal Dark Jedi's.

In a matter of moments he felt his grip loosen and one of his saber's flew from his hand. Fayt had long since activated his focus, but even with it this Master was giving him more than a hard time. It was like the bastard knew his attack patterns. Must have been someone he fought with during the Mandalorian Wars.

He pushed his 'focus' to its limits in the fight as the world slowed to a complete crawl around him. His mind analyzed everything and anything. He could see the smallest flecks of dirt falling from where the upturned shelves had scattered so much into the air.

With only a single 'saber he still managed to stay on the defensive until a chance finally arose for offence and he took it. A quick flourish of his blade and then he threw it. The Dark Master easily knocked it away, but the thrown light saber was the ploy it was followed by a single hard force push which was weathered. That push and the subsequent four were all more ruses, as he pulled the saber that had been knocked from his hands back slipped into the Dark Jedi master's guard and swung upwards severing the double bladed saber and then thrusting it deep into the black robed figures chest.

He stood there panting as the body slowly started to sag. The raspy voice echoed down to him from above. "Seems... you've improved very much… Fayt."

The voice this close up was like a blow to the chest. Fear… no terror spread through his chest and his whole body as tears came to his eyes. He didn't want to look up… so why was his head moving? The face smiling down at him was familiar… too familiar. "M… Master," he choked out as his hands let slip the saber and he backed away allowing the woman to collapse onto the ground.

What… had he done? His hands… he stared at them and then back at the woman laying on the floor at his feet and he collapsed to his knees before her. "Wait… I'll… I'll heal you." He said flipping the woman onto her back. He had to save her. He could do it. He'd practiced his force heal for such an occasion as the woman got hurt badly.

His hands spread across the woman's chest where his blade had sunk in to the hilt. The slow and fading breaths were halted as the force healing took hold and her body jerked into the air as her back arched. It… It wasn't closing. The wound wasn't healing fast enough. "Hold on!" He said as he did it again… and again… and again… and again. He didn't know when it happened… somewhere around his fifth or sixth try the woman's breathing stopped… but he didn't he kept going. He had to heal her… He could do it. he could save her.

"Fayt, what's going on?" The labored breathing of someone came up behind him and pulled on his shoulder turning him around.

He stared up with wide eyes, tear stained cheeks, and pale blood drained features at his friend. "Hah… Haha… I… hahaha I Killed her." His gaze fell down onto his hands as the tears kept flowing. "I… killed my master… with these hands." He wanted to rip them off… he wanted to cut them off. Where was his lightsaber… he had to cut them off. He had to cut the hands off that had killed his Master. His gaze moved around and around until it landed on the object of his desire.

Before he could do anything though his face was ripped back to face the man standing over him and a slap to his face was followed by another. "Keep it together."

"I…" His head… hurt… star exploded behind his eyes as his vision faded. What… was going on? His hand that offending vile hand reached up to his head and everything faded to black.

()()()()()Transition()()()()()

Fayt had no idea where he was. The dark green grass field stretched out into infinity wherever his gaze fell around him. In the midnight sky hung three moons of differing color the first a crimson red, the second a cerulean blue, and the last fresh bread gold. The only thing he found stranger than his hazy memory was the lack of stars. Not a single white gleam could be spotted in this strange place.

He was sad… horrifyingly so, but he did not know why. He was fighting back the need to cry as his heart screamed at him to grieve for… something.

Soft footfalls echoed into his ears from behind, but rather than looking his mouth merely began to speak like he knew who was there though he did not. "You took a while."

"Hmmph, I may take all the time I desire." The male figure said as he sat down beside Fayt.

That's right… he was the Game Master. He'd met the man on more than one occasion now, but that didn't mean he knew why he was here this time. The man seemed to pick random times and places to 'come see him'. "What do you want?"

"She was meant to die you know?" The blonde man stated in a sorrowful tone.

"What?" Fayt asked confused. "Who was meant to die?"

"Her." The man said as he pointed to the figure of a smiling woman walking with a small raven haired boy through the fields. He… recognized both of those people. That was his Master and the boy was him. She seemed to be scolding him for… something though he knew not what.

That's right… she'd died on Nar Shadaa after she pushed him from the building. He'd gone back to the exact spot a few days after he woke up and found her lightsaber discarded to the side. Though the body wasn't there he knew she was dead. He was unconscious when she died, so that's why he hadn't realized it until now.

"Denying it won't stop the pain forever. You'll remember eventually. I may as well push you to it." The blonde said and Fayt found the image of the two walking slowly changing to a cold warehouse with snow falling outside. Some planet he didn't remember ever being too. His lightsaber sat plunged up to the hilt into a dark robed Jedi. As the woman fell onto his back the scene unfolded as horror filled him. No… this didn't happen. It didn't!

A single tear fell down his cheek as he watched until she died the failing force heals. He went to stand, but found he had not the strength to move. "You cannot forget the hard times merely because you do not wish to remember."

"I am warning you for the last time Fayt. Do not use your ability any more. I have discovered what it is that happens with over use." Fayt was hardly listening to the man as he spoke, but somewhere his mind had latched onto the man's voice like some final strand keeping him from insanity.

"If you keep using that ability like you did today your mind will not be able to take the strain and will collapse in on itself. You will become nothing more than a doll."

That wouldn't be so bad… a walking doll didn't think… didn't remember anything. He wouldn't remember…. Anything.

()()()()()Transition()()()()()

"FAYT! DAMN IT! LOOK AT ME!" a slap to his face brought him slowly around. "There you go, there are people here already. You were out for a few hours. Here take these things back." The man said while handing Fayt his lightsabers. "Damn that bastard Revan sent these people here to kill you huh? He must hate you quite a bit."

The man joked… but why was he joking? This wasn't a happy occasion. Now… he needed to do something. Pushing his ability to the max might overload his brain… He could forget everything. Forget his Master… Mee… Revan… Everything.

His eyes narrowed. No… He couldn't do that. Revan… he had to get to Revan. The Bitch would pay… she had been the one that caused all of this. He simply had to kill her before the Jedi and Bastilla got to her. If it wasn't this Revan… she wasn't worth killing. He would kill the Dark Lord of the Sith and have his revenge.

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AN: I hope you all cried... I did when I was writing it. Prologue is next... wonder what's goign to happen o.o...

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DISCLAIMER: I do not own Star Wars… Ewoks would dominate all! *lies*

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REVIEWS: Please note that I am open to ANY FORM of review! Criticism is highly appreciated. Offerings of cake… acceptable.

A: I don't feel like it o.o