A Look to the Past
AN: Well this took a bit longer to come out but I hope it was worth the wait. After that battle, I think we all deserve a breather for a little while before any new fights come around, don't you agree?
Now to reviews.
keybladelight: No, for several reasons. One, it would be pointless filler. Two, the Old Republic is within Legends continuity and The Rise of Skywalker is Disney canon. Three, the Disney movies suck and tarnish the Star Wars name.
Glad you liked the battle.
Well, you'll find out what he does in this chapter.
Dracus6: You'll just have to wait and see.
Pedroxmv97: I hope it's in a good way
NOT Revan The Edgelord: Glad that you do.
11 Save Your Love
Danek just stared curiously at Run, who right now proclaimed his surrender. So it appeared that there was a chance he didn't need to continue fighting. For now at least.
"So, you're surrendering?" Danek asked somewhat skeptically.
"I know that you don't have a reason to trust me, but I am surrendering," Run said in a calm tone.
"Well, there is a way I can confirm what you're saying," Danek said as he deactivated his lightsaber and putting his hand up. "If you'll let me, that is."
Run only looked curiously, wondering what the Jedi had in mind but still gave a nod for him to proceed. From what he saw, he knew Danek didn't mean anything malicious. Danek then put his palm on Run's forehead before he closed his eyes in concentration.
Images of the past, Run's past, began forming into his mind. He saw Run in a classroom, teaching a group of children. All of the children had happy smiles on their faces and Run was also very happy as he taught them. However, one day Run found all his students slaughtered and the town decided to cover up the incident to save face instead of investigating, making Run take things into his own hands which lead him to Esdeath and the Jaegers.
Danek broke the connection and let go of Run's forehead. "I'm sorry," was all he was able to say at that moment. "But I understand now. You are definitely trustworthy."
"I'm relieved to hear that," Run said with a smile. "However, what are you planning on doing about them?" The question came as Run looked behind Danek.
Danek understood what he was talking about. Behind him were located all of Esdeath's soldiers, and most of them were on their knees and bowing in newfound reverence.
"You have proven your might in battle, lord Danek," one of the commanders spoke. "You have the power to topple the Empire, a power that is foolish to go against. We pledge our lives to you."
Danek was honestly stunned to hear that. He was hoping for a surrender, but not for them to devote their lives to him. He wasn't sure what to do in this situation. He was honestly more concerned about his sister and the Sith.
Then his eyes widened for a moment as he came to realize something. If that Sith was here then what about the rest of the Sith Empire? This planet was unoccupied by neither the Republic or the Empire and the Sith surely wasn't going to let it be the case for long. He needed to contact the Republic, and quickly.
"Run!" Danek spoke in an orderly manner. "I need you to take command of these troops. I'm going to be busy for some time. Will you be able to do that?"
"Yes, I'm capable," Run answered. "But what should I do with them?"
"The North needs to regain much of its military back. These soldiers should do nicely. You should take them to the Northern Capital, it should serve as a temporary outpost. Have some of the citizens help you, tell them that you were sent by Danek Partas."
Run's expression turned serious. "Very well, then. I'll make sure it's done."
Danek smiled at him before turning to the officers. "Does any of you know the way to the Northern Capital?"
One of them called out. "I was on a campaign to the Capital before, I can navigate our way there."
"Good, I'll leave this in your capable hands," Danek said before taking out a remote and pushing a few buttons. "I'll need to get back to Revolutionary Army HQ quickly. You can expect me to come in perhaps a week, maybe less."
"Understood," Run said.
Danek gave him a nod before using his Force Speed to depart towards a spot where he ordered his shuttle to land.
Loten landed his ship away from the Imperial Capital since there was no place within the city to properly park it. When they got out of the ship they immediately departed for the palace. The reactions they got on the way were… expected in Loten's mind.
Many soldiers were shocked to see the Jaegers were a little worse for wear, but the most shocking thing to them was the beaten and bruised Esdeath, her unconscious body being carried by Bols who felt pretty nervous with all the stares directed at him. To say that the sight was discouraging was an understatement.
Loten and the Jaegers hurriedly moved through the streets, Loten wanting to reach the capital as quickly as they can.
The moment they got to the palace door they were met by Xalek and Ashara.
"Master, what happened?" Ashara asked after she saw the state Esdeath was in.
"There was an unexpected turn of events. A certain Jedi got involved and I need to report it," Loten explained.
"Master," Xalek spoke next. He presented Leone that was still in his arms and unconscious. "I retrieved the woman."
Despite the situation, Loten smiled after seeing Leone. "Put her in the dungeon. Make sure she doesn't have a cell that's too uncomfortable." Loten ordered to which the Kaleesh nodded and walked away. Turning to Bols, he ordered. "You bring her to the infirmary. Tell them to patch her up and leave her alone. Trust me, they don't want to be there when she wakes up."
"Oh, alright," Bols said before he went inside to get Esdeath to the infirmary.
"The rest of you," he told the remaining Jaegers which were Wave, Kurome and an unconscious Seryu. "Go and rest. You had enough fighting for today."
Kurome, who was still clinging to her sword, gave a nod and quickly went inside. Wave went inside also but not in as much of a hurry.
"Leave me alone, Ashara. I need to contact Darth Marr." The female Togruta obeyed and walked away. Loten took out his holocommunicator and pushed a series of buttons. The device beeped and began glowing blue but no hologram appeared yet. "Come on, pick up you idiot," Loten muttered under his breath. The connection on this planet was somewhat limited due to it being so far away.
Finally, the figure of Marr appeared on the holo. "What is the reason for this call, Lord Nox?"
"I ran into a problem."
"A problem? Just what exactly on that planet could give you a problem?"
"A Jedi problem. More specifically, The Hero of Tython."
"WHAT?!" Darth Marr screamed, actually making the device shake. "What's he doing there?!"
"It would appear that this planet was also his home. He was here on personal business but now it seems we got his attention."
Marr only rubbed his helmeted head. "Of all the people in the galaxy it had to be him," he muttered a complaint before regaining his composure. "We'll begin sending our ships to that planet immediately. You'll need assistance if you want to defeat the Hero of Tython."
"Then you better hurry. This planet is closer to the Republic borders then to the Empire's," Loten said before ending the call. He gave out a deep sigh. This became way harder way too fast. The presence of Danek Partas made him unsure if he could actually succeed in his endeavor.
He needed to think of something, and fast.
Danek parked the shuttle at another mountain range, this one closer to the Revolutionary HQ. He was inside, clicking on the holo terminal console.
"Come on, come on," Danek muttered as the holo on the blinked. Soon the projection of Grand Master Satele Shan was projected. Satele Shan was a woman nearing her sixties but didn't look as old, only appearing to have around forty, black hair and blue eyes. She wore a sleeveless bodysuit with golden highlights which also complimented her figure, black fingerless gloves with silver gauntlets in a similar fashion to Akame, black pants, and thigh-high armored boots.
"Ah, Danek. Is there a special reason for this call or is this a friendly chat?" she asked with a smile on her face.
"I wish it was a friendly call, Master Satele, but unfortunately the matter is serious," Danek explained. "I went on a personal mission which ended up a lot more complicated than I thought it'd be. The Sith are on this planet."
That immediately got her serious. "The Sith? What planet are you on? What do the Sith want there?"
"This planet isn't within the Empire or the Republic. This is my home planet, the one from where Master Orgus retrieved me. As for what they want, this planet has special weapons that are imbued with the Dark Side. They aren't technologically advanced but they can give someone abilities and physically enhance them. Darth Nox of the Dark Council himself came to retrieve them."
"If the Dark Council is involved then this matter is extremely serious," Satele said. "Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Could you give us the coordinates?" Danek nodded and typed in the coordinates. "Thank you, Danek. We'll be there as soon as possible. May the Force be with you."
"With you as well, Master Satele," Danek said before the transmission ended.
Danek sighed, opened the door of the shuttle and headed back to the Revolutionary Army HQ. He wasn't expecting things to turn out like this and he didn't know how it will all turn out, and that worried him.
"I have a bad feeling about this."
Leone groaned as her eyes fluttered open. She felt herself lying on something hard and cold. When her sight adjusted she was met with a stone ceiling that was pretty close to her. She sat up and began rubbing her head.
"God, what hit me?" she asked she tried to get rid of the pain at the back of her skull. Her memories then started returning, the invasion, the fighting, the two lightsaber wielders, Lubbock's death. It all came to her.
She got a better look at the place she was in, seeing that other than the stone walls one of them consisted of metal bars. It didn't take long for her to connect the dots. "Oh, I'm in deep shit," she groaned out. She then checked her belt buckle and confirmed another suspicion. "Yeah, they took Lionel."
She also noticed that there was a wooden bed held by chains on the right wall, with a blanket that fell down. Perhaps she fell from it before she woke up.
"Well, no getting out of this one easily, Leone," she told herself.
"That may as well be the case," she heard a familiar voice speak. Her eyes widened in shock and surprise as she saw who it was standing just outside the dungeon.
"L-Loten?" she then walked up to the bars to get look at him more closely. "Is that… is that really you?"
She could honestly hardly recognize him. He was taller than before and despite the dark robes he wore she could tell he got more built. His eyes were also different, now being of some sinister yellow color and the black veins coming from around his eyes. His demeanor was also different. The straight posture and confident smile made quite a contrast from what she remembered.
Despite that, Loten's expression became a soft one, even a somewhat comforting one despite the sinister features. "Yes, Leone," he said as he brought his hand through the bars and cupped her cheek. "It's me."
A seventeen-year-old Loten lay on the roof of a mansion within the Imperial Capital. Unlike his future self, his eyes were colored green. He was a lot leaner, short of being malnourished, and his clothes were only a step above rags.
He was laying on his back, his hands behind his head as he looked up in the night sky. That was one of the few things that could calm him. Coming to the roof at night and looking at the stars, marveling in their beauty. If his master found out there would probably be a punishment but to him, it was worth the risk, to get himself lost in the great vastness of the starry sky. The times when the sky was cloudy was when he felt the most disappointed.
"Hey there!" a chirpy came next to him which made him jump up in fright. He saw a beautiful girl blond hair and yellow sitting there with a happy smile on her face. She wore a revealing shirt with no sleeves and very short shorts. "What are you doing up here?"
"I… I…" he stammered for a response. "Oh, please don't tell my master about this. I just come here a little, and I-"
The girl quickly put her hands up. "Hey, hey, hey, calm down. It's alright. I don't plan on ratting you out," she said before rubbing her head ashamedly. "Besides, I shouldn't be here either. My boss would definitely flip."
"Oh… I see," Loten said before somewhat regaining his composure. "Why… did you come here?"
"I spotted you coming here and I was curious, so I climbed up to check. Is there any particular reason why you're here?"
"I… well… I like to look at the stars at night. It calms me," Loten answered before once again looking up.
"Are you… a slave?" she asked. Loten stiffened for a moment before simply nodding. The girl then moved closer to him, causing Loten to feel more uneasy. "I'm sorry to hear that. Nobody deserves such fate."
Loten simply closed his eyes, not really having anything to say to that. He then felt something on his shoulder which startled him and he backed away slightly.
"Whoa there, are you alright? I only touched your shoulder," she said as she looked at him curiously.
"I… I'm… I'm sorry, it's just-"
"Don't worry about it, I get it," she said in a soothing tone, one which Loten really liked. "Tell me, what's your name?"
"Loten," he answered.
"Hi, Loten. I'm Leone," she introduced herself before giving her hand for a handshake. Loten stared at it for a few moments before he reluctantly took it and shook. "Man, do I really put you that much on edge?" she asked which caused him to look down in shame. A smile graced her face again. "You know, I work in a massage parlor across the street. Perhaps I could give you one so you aren't so stiff anymore." She then moved behind Loten. "Will that be ok?"
Loten only looked back, weighing options in his mind. No one ever offered anything so nice to him so he wasn't sure. But seeing how this girl acted he was put more at ease. "Alright."
"Trust me, you won't regret it," she said before she moved into a proper position. "Can you remove your shirt?"
Loten blushed when he heard that but obliged. Some of the scars he received due to his punishments were seen but that didn't repel Leone in any way. She then put her soft hands on his shoulders and began working her magic.
Loten gave a small gasp as he felt her hands move, kneading his stiff muscles. She moved slowly but delicately, a feeling of strange warmth spreading through Loten as he experienced this pleasant sensation. His muscles relaxed and he gave a sigh.
"Do you like it?" she asked as she continued.
"Yes," he said in a soft tone.
She continued, going also to his shoulder blades and upper back. Loten felt like he was experiencing nirvana as Leone administered her skills. He never felt so good in his life, and it was a sensation he never wanted to be rid of.
He became so relaxed that he began leaning back, an action that Leone noticed but encouraged as she helped him lean on her shoulder. Feeling his head on her soft skin made him look up at her. "Leone?"
"It's alright, you can stay like that."
"Leone," he said as he smiled and closed his eyes. "Thank you."
They continued to meet like that for the next month, both sneaking out of their respective buildings and meeting on the roof to talk, becoming real friends shortly after their first meeting. It was a shame they couldn't meet during the day as Loten was kept inside during that time.
Loten right now was waiting for Leone to come. But while he waited he looked at his fingers, an occasion crackle and spark of electricity coming from them. It was something he discovered a little while ago, and it seemed to come when he was focused and angry. It's something he definitely kept from his master and from Leone, though he did plant to eventually tell her.
"Hey, Loten," he heard Leone call out and stopped what he was doing before turning to her. "Ready for another massage?"
"From you, always," he said with a smile before letting her work her magic on him. After another session, he felt like he was in heaven. "I wish I could repay you somehow."
"Oh, don't say that. You're in a worse position than I am, so you deserve it," she explained.
Loten just gave a sigh. "I know that, but still I don't like that I'm the only one receiving something."
"Well, there is one thing that you give me," she said somewhat mischievously.
He went to ask her what it was but the moment he turned his head his lips were set upon by her own, causing his eyes to go wide in shock. After properly registering what was going on he gave in and kissed back.
After a while they needed to breathe and separated with a small trail of saliva between them. "Leone, I…" he stammered but smiled and put his hand on her cheek. "I honestly don't know what to say."
She just smiled back at him. "Then don't say anything."
Loten was still holding Leone's cheek as she looked at him shocked, but a smile would never leave his face.
"You've grown even more beautiful than before," he said. His eyes then wandered on her body and choice of attire. "And not afraid to show it."
"Loten," she said quietly before pulling away from his hand, which made him feel disappointed at losing her touch. "What happened to you? I thought you were dead. I thought I'd never see you again."
"Oh, many things happened to me, but I'm sure that you're talking about that incident all those years ago," he said as he positioned his hands behind his back. "You see, our secret didn't last forever."
Loten was now walking to his room to get ready to sleep. Or at least pretend to do it. He was meeting with Leone later this evening, something he waited excitedly, but he tried not to show it outwards.
Just as he was about to enter his room, a female slave called out to him. "What is it?"
"It's the master. He wants to speak with you," she explained.
Loten was now worried. Of all the favors he had to do for his master not once was he called to speak with him. Sweat began forming on his head but he tried to remain calm. "Thank you for informing me. I'll go to him."
Then he went to the dining room of the mansion, a candle-lit place filled with lavish paintings, furniture, and pottery, all acquired through the master's weapons trading business. His master sat on one of the chairs with a few bottles of wine on a nearby table. The man himself was of average height but over average weight. He wore a fancy white suit and had a nicely trimmed beard, a glass of wine in his hand.
"You… needed to see me, master?"
"Tell me, Loten, have I been kind to you?" the man asked, to which Loten didn't reply as he couldn't say anything without it sounding disingenuous. "Of course I have. I give you a place to live, I cloth you and I give you food. All I ask is that you behave." He then took a sip of wine. "But then you decide to go sneak out of the mansion without permission."
Loten's panic was now in full swing, he couldn't stop the sweat from forming. His fears have been realized, he was discovered and now he would suffer the consequences.
"One of my guards saw you sneaking out last night," the master then proceeded to explain. "And with a girl, no less."
Loten had a hard time controlling his breathing. He knew about Leone too. The fear felt for what would happen to her dwarfed whatever fear he felt for himself.
"I remember that girl, she gave me a good massage when I visited that parlor across the street. And quite beautiful too," he said with a grin on his face. "Now, there is one thing you can do to make me forgive you."
That caught Loten off guard. "Huh?"
"You will bring this girl to me, and I might forgive you."
Loten couldn't believe what the man was suggesting. He was willing to forgive him only if he betrayed Leone. Loten's fists clenched, his teeth gnashed. His body began to shake as the rage within him began bubbling. The thought of what this man would do to her loosened any restraint he put on himself.
"No."
His master blinked at that. "I'm sorry, what did you say, boy?"
"I said," Loten growled out, his eyes narrow in anger as he pointed at his master. "You won't have her!"
Then suddenly, lightning shot out of his finger and hit the man square in the chest, causing him to yell in pain and fall on the floor with the wine glass breaking. Loten looked at his finger shock, not expecting that to happen. He knew that he had a strange ability but nothing like this.
Remembering that whatever he was doing wasn't restricted to a single finger, he pointed his hand at the downed man who still looked at him, replicating the emotions he felt before and this time lighting shot out of all his fingers and hit his master, making him once again yell out in pain. Loten's breathing was now heavier as a smile graced his lips. He shot another bolt at him. And another.
"Stop! Stop it!" the master cried out but only got another longer blast shot at him as Loten began chuckling, starting to enjoy the man's pain. "Ahhhh! Guards! GUARDS!"
Loten stopped his assault and quickly turned around, seeing two guards enter the room with spears ready.
"What is going on here?!" one of them demanded.
Loten, not wanting to be captured put both of his hands out and shot lightning at the guards. The guards began screaming in pain as well, their metal helmets only making it easier for the lighting to fry their brains before they fell dead on the ground.
Turning back and glaring at his master, who now looked at Loten in complete fear, he put pointed with both of his hands and shot a continuous blast of lightning at him. The man continued to scream, several stray lightning bolts hit the carpet, the drapes, and couches, setting them on fire. One of them even hit the wine bottles making them explode.
Loten shielded his eyes from the wind blast caused by the explosion before looking at the scene before him. His master lay dead, but the many things were set on fire which was spreading fast.
Loten quickly bolted out to avoid getting caught in the fire, running past several panicked servants. Some guards went to stop him but a few smaller lightning blasts incapacitated them. He quickly found himself at the front door and wasted no time before getting out. Several people followed him out the fire inside the mansion began to spread.
Loten then leaned onto the wall of a nearby building, letting out tired breaths as he did and sweating. What happened in there has taken its toll on him. He then looked back and saw that the mansion was now in flames with several people gathered around to witness it.
Knowing that he would most likely be captured again, he ran away from there. However, several tears streamed down his face as he thought that his chances of seeing Leone again were almost nonexistent.
"Sometime after that, a Sith scout found me after sensing my power," Loten continued explaining. "And soon after that, my life turned for the new and I found my true calling. Not a slave, but a master." He then spread his arms slightly. "Now, here I am, a changed man."
Leone only stared at him as he explained what happened. All this time she thought she lost him in that fire, she cried herself to sleep several nights after that. Now she got to see him again, and as a completely different person from before.
"So you became a Sith?" she asked, remembering what Danek explained to her about the Sith.
Loten raised his brow at that. "Oh, so you know what a Sith is? I suppose you already met Danek Partas if that is the case, though it's honestly not that surprising. I'm sure he would want to a part of the Revolutionary Army."
"So this is what you fell down to? Working for the Empire?" she asked in a disappointed tone.
Loten chuckled at the question. "Oh, I wouldn't say working exactly. My position in the Thousand Year Empire is only next to the Emperor, though since he does like to listen to my advice it effectively makes me in charge. So I'm not working for anybody in here."
"You… I don't believe it," she said as she gritted her teeth. "Why? Why are you doing this? You should hate them! You should hate the Empire for what they've done to you! For what they've done to other people! Why are you helping them?!"
"Oh, I did hate them, you can count on that," Loten said before smirking. "But I learned that it's pointless. Fighting corruption doesn't change anything. Power is something that matters the most. And all that suffering turned me into what I am. A man with power, one of the most powerful in this galaxy."
"This… this isn't you," Leone said, her voice cracking as tears welled up in her eyes. "You were never after power. All you wanted was to be free. You wanted to help others."
"I told you, I'm a changed man."
"Well, I don't like that changed man!"
"I don't expect you to immediately, but you'll get used to it eventually," he said before gesturing with his hand. "Now please, come closer."
Instead of complying she began backing away from the bars. "No, Loten, I-" She didn't get to finish as she suddenly stopped against her will before an invisible force pulled her back. Her face was put at the bars where Loten quickly gave her a kiss; she tried to struggle but to no avail.
Loten pulled back and smirked, releasing his telekinetic hold on her. "Trust me, Leone. Once I've finished with this farce we'll go back where we started. But until then I need to hold you as a prisoner. You're still a part of Night Raid after all." He then began walking away. "Don't worry, this is only temporary and I'll make sure things don't get too uncomfortable for you." And with that, he was gone.
Leone then sat on her dungeon bed. She put her hands on her eyes before starting to sob. She lost her friend on the battlefield, and now she lost another to corruption.
AN: And that is all for now. As you probably have guessed already, yes, Leone was the one Loten mentioned from his past. I really hope you liked their interactions.
Now I'm going to go a bit off-topic here, but I feel that I should address this High Republic announcement and what are my thoughts on it. Honestly, I'm not too much of a fan. Having it set 200 years in the past doesn't seem all that special since the Republic and the Jedi have been there for thousands of years even in the Disney canon. And the fact that diversity was mentioned twice on their board of ideas makes me worry since we know how the movies ended up when diversity was prioritized. They also mentioned the Sith Empire despite the fact that the Prequels established that they've been gone for a thousand years. I think I'll check it out, but my hopes aren't high.
But enough about my ramblings. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. And check out my other stories, you won't regret it.
See you next time!
