Star Wars, a Dark Lord of a different kind Chapter 9, a x-men fanfic

Star Wars

A Dark Lord of a Different Kind

Author's note: So why is Illyana doing this? And a congrats to LordGrise who rewrote the opening paragraph to give it more… umph.

Part9a: Illumination

Darkly crimson fire erupted along the entire circumference of the incantation's titanic outer containment circle, and the scale of the intaglio carved into the floor of the arena sized area began to be revealed. Next the flames arrowed inwards, and then suddenly raced the entire circumference again. An entire massive ring of glyphs lit, one eruption after another, their flames more vermillion as they somehow began physically rotating as they began to orbit the enormous area so circumscribed. From five equidistant points in the course of the glyphs, simultaneous sparks lit the next set of channels, and a more brilliant incarnadine wave of flame flashed along the lines of the gigantic outermost pentagram. As the central space was shown, five smaller pentads defined by the angular lengths of their orbiting sigils blazed into existence. The four living Force practitioners were physically propelled into the air, invisible crucifixes binding them within these pentads to be involuntary witnesses even as they all realized they had, in fact, made themselves willing participants for they had all stayed, and fought, and bled, and sought to kill when they could have left, even when it should have became plain their activities were empowering the ritual they were now a component of. Unseen, the spirit of their fallen Sith co-conflictor, hopelessly struggling against a horde of shadowy servants of the site, was likewise pinioned in reverse, deep within the now transparent floor they had empower. And even as their situations came to them, at the center point of the space between the five, another free-standing pentacle blazed forth. The fires of Chaos itself defined this, for in its center, still bleeding, the Hell Lord Illyana Rasputin the Darkchilde brought the full dark majesty of her will to bear upon the working she had created in this place, backed by the full force and puissance of Limbo itself.

And reality of time was rent.

The nature of the spell meant that the greater the sacrifice, the greater the power raised. And hell lords rank very high on the sacrifice scale.

A shaking of the earth as Illyana's crown of Kyber lit up with a many hued blaze of light, casting strange and shifting shadows upon the chamber's walls as the injured Illyana somehow struggled to her knees, then a burning white sword manifested in her hand as she summoned her soul sword, then thrust it into the floor, stabbing the very center of the spell. Impaling stone, impaling the magics, and it turns out, impaling the very Force itself.

Another earth shaking jar as the stone floor beneath her began to glow with a red heat that was slowly pulsating, and with each heart beat like pulse, the glow grows in intensity and heat and there is another tremor with each pulse. Which brings us to the question as to why?

Why was this being done?

The simple answer is, Illyana wished to know the future. The piercing of time, although in this case the ripping of time might be a more correct description, was what she was doing. The more complex answer was Illyana wished to learn how to recover her soul and to know how to kill the Elder gods.

Everything she was doing was the result of the answer the Ladies had reluctantly told her. The entirety of the Force was being bent to the will of one person, forced to do her biding as the future was played out for her. Not with hint like most Force visions, no… the future was in full detail.

Her Future.

How to describe repeated traversal in time as one examines different outcomes and pathways? Some might describe it as a vast library where each book is a possible story, and the reader reads volume after volume. But that's… dry. Dull. Does not communicate the true depth of impact that such an experience should, would be. The same for reviewing a film where you play it forward, then rewind back to a point and play it forward with a decision changed. No… the impact is lacking. Instead think of it as living, experiencing a life.

A path chosen.

Decisions made.

Outcomes experienced.

Failure.

Many and/all those she knew dead.

No soul recovered and the Elder gods survive.

So… rewind, change something. Repeat…

One of the Force mirrors in the passageways leading to the center chamber crazed with cracks, and then exploded in burst of black shards exposing grey stone.

A path chosen.

Decisions made.

Outcomes experienced.

Failure.

Many and/all those she knew dead.

No soul recovered and the Elder gods survive.

No… try it again. Repeat…

Another mirror cracks and then explodes.

The crown of Kyber continues to glow, but the hue is fading to one color as more and more crystals bleed into scarlet as the floor beneath her glows ever brighter and bubbles as it starts to melt.

A path chosen.

Decisions made.

Outcomes experienced.

Failure.

Many and/all those she knew dead.

No soul recovered and the Elder gods survive.

No! Try it again!

More burst mirrors and the grey stone behind the mirrors was beginning to facture as the earth tremors continued. The spell needed fuel, the blood, the violence, the sacrifices, those were the initiators, but the temple itself was being consumed by Illyana's spell to bind the Force, to do what had never been done before as the Force itself was enslaved.

Repeat… A path chosen. Decisions made. Outcomes experienced. Failure. Many and/all those she knew dead. No soul recovered and the Elder gods survive.

Again!

Repeat… A path chosen. Decisions made. Outcomes experienced. Failure. Many and/all those she knew dead. No soul recovered and the Elder gods survive.

AGAIN!

The very structure of the temple was weakening as most and more of the Force mirrors were consumed in the raging incantation that was the spell.

Repeat… A path chosen. Decisions made. Outcomes experienced. Failure. Many and/all those she knew dead. No soul recovered and the Elder gods survive.

AGAIN!

On the service, cracks began propagating across the ground as the large statue that marked the entrance of the secret temple collapsed.

Repeat… A path chosen. Decisions made. Outcomes experienced. Failure. Many and/all those she knew dead. No soul recovered and the Elder gods survive. Repeat… A path chosen. Decisions made. Outcomes experienced. Failure. Many and/all those she knew dead. No soul recovered and the Elder gods survive. Repeat… A path chosen. Decisions made. Outcomes experienced. Failure. Many and/all those she knew dead. No soul recovered and the Elder gods survive. Repeat… A path chosen. Decisions made. Outcomes experienced. Failure. Many and/all those she knew dead. No soul recovered and the Elder gods survive. Repeat… A path chosen. Decisions made. Outcomes experienced. Failure. Many and/all those she knew dead. No soul recovered and the Elder gods survive. Repeat… A path chosen. Decisions made. Outcomes experienced. Failure. Many and/all those she knew dead. No soul recovered and the Elder gods survive.

AGAIN! FIND A WAY!

Repeat…

AGAIN!

Repeat…

AGAIN! AGAIN! AGAIN! AGAIN! AGAIN! …

The temple passed some threshold as all the remaining mirrors crumbled. Cracks grew and propagated across the ceiling as bits of stone began to fall. And in that passing, other things bent, stretched, and were torn asunder.

Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… Repeat… REPEAT… REPEAT … REPEAT … REPEAT … REPEAT … REPEAT … REPEAT … REPEAT … REPEAT … REP… !

To do such is dangerous.

To traverse and experience the variations of one's possible decisions over and over, when the outcomes lead to the death of those one loves is traumatic. And ultimately desensitizing.

Was it making her go insane?

No.

Illyana was already insane.

This…

This, was making her worse.

On and on and on and on…

Every cycle just reinforcing the overwhelming obsession to regain her soul, and end the pain.

A blazing crown of colors as Illyana screams… as the one living Sith and the three Jedi likewise scream, but they are screaming about something very different.

Part9b: The Fall Of The Jedi

Illyana was not a Force user, which meant her… methods was flawed. There was unintended spillover. While she explored and lived endless possible futures over and over, the others got to experience just one, and only one future. The future that had been meant for them. All experienced it from their personal perspective.

What was to happen…

Who was to do what…

What was to be done to who…

And by whom…

Dooku experienced his betrayal by Palpatine and his death at the hands of Anakin. All his plans, his hopes for the future, dashed. Crushed. Destroyed, as all he wished to do, to save, to accomplish, burned in the fires of the Empire and Palpatine's cackling glee.

Ahsoka experienced her betrayal by the Jedi as she was framed for bombing the Jedi Temple and the Jedi Council's decision reject her statements of innocence despite all that she had done and sacrificed for the Jedi. Rejected her despite her complete innocence. Even Yoda, even Ob-Wan, had rejected her. Only her master, Anakin, had believed her statements of innocence. She was eventual proven to be innocent by Anakin as he finally uncovered the true culprit, her fellow Padawan and supposed friend Barriss Offee (being framed and setup to be executed tends to kill off a friendship). Then, Ahsoka leaving of the Jedi after she was proven innocent, Order 66, the rise of the Empire, the death of the Jedi and… just who killed the Jedi.

Obi-wan experienced Order 66, the horror of the destruction of the Jedi, the fight with Anakin, and what befell Anakin as Obi-Wan cut off Anakin's limbs and left Anakin to burn by the river of lava as he was unable to finish killing Anakin but instead left him to die. Left one whom he loved, felt that he was his brother. Left him to burn… Then the rise of the Empire and the Vader, created in part by Obi-Wan because he had not finished off Anakin. All that the Empire did and his eventual death at the hands of Vader.

No visions for Ventress for she had perished.

And Anakin? He informed the Jedi that Palpatine was a Sith when he found out. Yet he saved Palpatine from the Jedi when they attacked Palpatine because he was convinced that only Palpatine could save Padme as he kept having visions of Padme dying. It… got confusing yet somehow made sense as he… as Anakin… led the clones to the Jedi Temple and killed all those within as Palpatine issued Order 66 and most Jedi died. Then… then… then… after killing the Separatists on the planet Mustarar he… it was he who killed Padme in a fit of jealously over Obi-Wan! Obi-Wan and Anakin fought, Anakin lost, and Obi-Wan, rather the kill him as he could not, left a dismembered Anakin to burn next to a river of lava. Left him to suffer was how Anakin experienced it. Only the Force let him somehow survive, if you could call it survival. But out of that inferno of destruction, only Vader was left of Anakin. All that was left was rage and hate and pain… endless pain. Pain that he shared with all who crossed his path.

And while this all occurred. Shadows danced upon the walls of the temple. Shifting, morphing, fading. Echoes of things that had once been, shadows of what might be. Then the flames flared even higher as Illyana screamed just one word "YES!" as she stoodbefore vanishing in a burning white circle, leaving a shallow pool of molten stone as the flames began to die down while a strong tremor brought down parts of the ceiling as the floor broke and splintered with small chasms. As the flames died down so did the flickering shadows upon the walls, faded away.

The bleeding wounds of the Sith and Jedi suddenly seared shut as any lightsaber wound should as the spell was now completed. But… one shadow lingered, it fed upon the darkness, the pain, the suffering and the residual magics. The darkness grew solid, morphed into a black armored form with a bellowing cloak. A red lightsaber ignited, held by a right hand as labored mechanical breathing could be heard over the clatter of falling stones.

Part 9c: Office of the Supreme Chancellor (part 2)

The two Jedi entered and apologized for the unfortunate interruption but they had grave intelligence for the Supreme Chancellor. Which prompted Padme to start to rise as she made her excuses, only to be waved back into to her seat by Palpatine who expressed complete confidence that the Senator would not reveal anything discussed.

"The Senator's discretion we trust." States Yoda. Mace Windu looks less than in agreement but kept his opinions to himself.

That's when the tea was delivered and both Yoda and Windu exchanged a glance that communicated that yet again Jedi resolve would be tested. A look that was caught by Padme as she shared a hidden grin with Palpatine.

Palpatine inquired after both Jedi took a curtsy sip. "So, what is so critical?"

Mace Windu leans over as it as he puts down his tea cup. "We have learned that a Separatist fleet is on the way to Moraband, where the Jedi Council have dispatched several Jedi on a secret mission."

"Secret mission Master Windu?" Inquires Palpatine. "For what purpose?"

"Jedi business." Answers Windu.

"Of course." Answers Palpatine, verbally backing away as the Jedi were very obstinate about their supposed secrets. He was concerned about how the Jedi had learned about the fleet, a fleet that Palpatine himself had secretly dispatched. This rising Force blindness had to be ended!

"Sent larger fleet to ambush them have we." Revealed Yoda.

"What?" Was the surprised Palpatine's reaction. Then a bit of a recovery. "Such large scale fleet deployments are typically done in concurrence with this office."

"Which we are doing at this moment." Answers Mace Windu.

Palpatine opened his mouth but paused as he grimaced. "Apologies Master Jedi, I suddenly have a frightful headache. Might we…" A powerful grimace as the two Jedi likewise flinched in sudden pain.

"The Force…" Hisses Yoda. "The Force is…."

"Screaming…"Gasps Windu.

Screams from all three as they collapsed as Padme looked on in shock before she rushed to summon medical aid.

The Force visions were not just confined to Moraband. Illyana's enslaving of the Force, the forcing of it to her will, inadvertently meant that all Force users were entrapped in the enchantment, just another component, just more fuel. It was not her intent but… all Force sensitives in the galaxy were likewise entrapped.

Seeing what the future was to have been.

Seeing what was to have become of them.

And if they were a Jedi, how that came to be.

Learning of order 66.

The death of the Jedi.

The fall of the Republic.

The creation of the Empire.

Of the rise of Emperor Palpatine, Sith lord!

And his creature… Vader.

And what Vader did.

And just who Vader truly was behind that mask.