A Dark Beast, And A Darker Memory.

Dathomir, a remote planet, drenched in blood-red light from its central star. The planet has continents overrun by twisted vegetation, with forests of bent trees burdened by large, cocoon-like fruit. Bordering dense swamplands is the massive stone fortresses of the Nightsisters, a witch clan. The Nightsisters kept to themselves, but had on occasion been known to offer their services to those who piqued their interests. Far from the Nightsisters lived the Nightbrothers, a tattooed clan of Zabrak warriors were subservient to their female counterparts. And this was the planet our heroes was forced to land on after escaping the Empire. And it was made clear they shouldn't stay longer than they had to... but, complications always finds a way to mess with them.

Lucina had suddenly disappeared in the middle of the night, and hadn't returned by the time her friends woke up. Severa wasted no time and headed out to search for her, telling the rest to stay and guard the ship. Severa was worried about her girlfriend. When she finds Lucina, she is going to punch her, hug her, punch her again and then kiss her, specifically in that order.

"Man Lucina, is there any limit to how stupid you are?" Severa said in an annoyed tone "I swear if I die out here because of her stupidity, I am going to come back as a ghost and haunt her forever... and if she is already dead I will beat her up in the after life".

Severa shook her head, the mere thought of Lucina being dead was horrifying. But she held on to her hope. Lucina may be stupid, but she is not helpless, so Severa was confident that Lucina could handle whatever this planet throws at her. But she still needed to find her. But Severa suddenly heard something and ducked as a Nightbrother charged out and took a swing at her with his weapon. Severa eyed him through her helmet, ready for what ever he might try.

The Nightbrother growls as he spun his weapon in his hand. He switched stances several times, while using several intimidation tactics. But a Mandalorian is not that easy to scare. And Severa did not have time to play games with this guy... so she just whipped out her blaster and shot him in the knees, making him roar in pain as he knelt down, only for Severa's boot to connect to his face, sending him on to his back. Severa then stomped on his chest and aimed her blast at his head.

"You... are strong..." The Nightbrother said.

"I'm a Mandalorian, it's kind of an requirement" Severa said before pressing her blaster to his forehead "Now, since I bested you in combat, you will answer my question. Have you seen a blue haired human girl around?".

The nightbrother thought for a moment before he answered "Yes... I saw her last night from a distance".

"Where is she?" Severa demanded.

"She was with one of the Nightsisters. But she don't like company, so no one knows where she lives" The Nightbrother answered "After nearly all the Nightsisters were wiped out by a mechanical terror, the few that still lives rarely shows themselves. The one who has your friend is one of the last".

"Then tell me where you last saw them" Severa demanded. She was not to thrilled about Lucina being with a Witch, and one way or the other, she would save her.

Meanwhile with Lucina, she was with Tharja who was cooking something... Lucina wasn't sure if that was food or just a part of her Witchcraft. Regardless, she was about as safe as she could be on such a hostile planet. But there were still questions she wanted answers to.

"Say Tharja. What is that great beast you mentioned?" She asked.

"Ah yes, him. He has many titles, Great Beast, Death Beast, Black Beast, and my personal favorite: Demonic Beast" Tharja began and she prepared a bowl for the food "He is quite the legend on this planet, few has ever survived an encounter with him".

"Can you tell me about him?" Lucina asked before accepting the bowl, she was starving so she ignored how it looked and just ate.

"He is a monstrosity, that has ravaged this planet for well over a hundred years now. No one really knows where he comes from, but legends claim his existence is the cause of a mutation, as a result of being exposed by the most powerful and deadly magic on the planet. Or mostly of what you would call, the Dark Side of the Force" Tharja explained before eating a little of her food.

"You mean... the force can cause someone's physical appearance to change?" Lucina asked in surprise.

"Indeed, force magic is very powerful. And what ever created the Demonic Beast, must've been the absolute strongest. Many have lost their lives to him due to his immense power and ability to cause widespread destruction with magic and otherwise powerful physical blows" Tharja answered.

Lucina got wide eyes "You mean... this beast can use the force?".

"Well at least the magic of the planet. I saw him. He once destroyed an entire Nightbrother village in less than a minute. Seasoned warriors, all slaughtered like they were cattle" Tharja said before she chuckled a little "I've never been so scared in my life. And that says a lot. I am not easy to scare. So everyone on this planet knows to give him a wide berth".

"Noted... well now I know there is a dangerous monster walking around out there. But is there anything else here that could be useful to me?" Lucina asked. If she was going to be stuck here for a while, she might as well try to make her experience a little more worth while.

"If you mean anything that can help you on your jedi stuff. Well, there is some places that can help... but I like you enough to give you a warning. There is a reason why Dathomir has been of limits for Jedi for so many years. If you are not prepared to face you inner darkness. Well, maybe you will become another one of the rabid beasts of this planet" Tharja explained.

"I am aware... I faced my darkness before and it nearly broke me. But maybe this time, I will be more prepared" Lucina said "So... will you help me? Please?".

Tharja looked at her before chuckled "You are one foolish girl. Very well, I will show you a place and how to use it. But be warned. Whatever horror you think you've been through in your life, it's nothing compared to what you are about to experience here".

"I will remember that. Now show me the way" Lucina said.

"Stupid stupid stupid. But alright, follow me" Tharja said as she stood up and walked away, with Lucina following her. Hoping she wouldn't regret this.

Meanwhile, Severa had also learned about the Demonic Beast. She was currently hiding behind a rock after seeing it tear a rancor in half. The Beast was massive, it's body slightly resembled reptile, thought it's skin was black as the darkness itself, it had some silver colored armor plating on it's back, along with several spikes, and a large horn on it's snout. Severa had never seen such a horrific creature in her life, and she didn't need the force to feel that this is a monster she should not pick a fight with.

The Beast finished the remains on the dead rancor in record speed. But it was still hungry so it began to smell the air for something else to eat... and it could smell someone nearby. Severa gasped when she realized the beast was walking towards her. She moved to the side of the boulder just as the Beast checked her hiding place. Severa had to move again as it checked the other side. It was so close that Severa could feel the heat of the air coming out of it's nostrils. Once again she moved back to her original spot when the beast moved away.

Severa began to slowly breath in relief, thinking the beast must've moved on by now... only for said beast to appear out of nowhere and roar at her. Severa was jump scared and ended up falling on the ground. She backed away as the beast stalked towards her, hunger glowing in it's blood red eyes. Severa took out her blaster and shot it, but the shots didn't even seem to tickle the beast as it launched it's jaws forward. Severa rolled to the side just enough to avoid ending up in the beast's mouth. She quickly got to her feet and began to run away, with the beast hot on her heels.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" Severa shouted as she quickly turned and ran down a different path.

The Beast turned quickly, slamming it's side against a wall as he was to big and heavy to stop his momentum. But the impact didn't hurt him at all, as he continued to chase Severa down the path. He roars as he gains on Severa. He wasn't to fast, but his large size made up for it, due to being able to take longer steps. Severa saw a opening in a thick wall, and quickly ran through it. The beast was far to big to fit through it so it began to slam it's body against the wall, trying to break it down. But it seemed like it was to thick for the beast to break.

Severa took her chance to catch her breath "Damn... that was close".

But suddenly the wall began to glow... before a massive hole was blasted open. The Beast had used it's power to destroy the wall, after his physical attacks didn't work.

"Are you kidding me!?" Severa asked loudly before she took of running again, with the beast once again chasing her.

She found another opening, and dashed through it. Only this time she ended up sliding down steep path, and vanished deep below the ground. Much to the beast's frustration as it roared in anger from having lost it's prey. Severa was safe for now... but there was no telling what she might encounter down in those caves. Just what hell was wrong with this planet?

Back with Lucina, Tharja had lead her to some kind of pond. She could feel something was different about that water. And she had a stronger feeling it had something to do with what Tharja was going to show her. Tharja mumbled a few words and the pond began to glow. Lucina watched as the water seemed to be alive in someway. The force was very powerful in it. But it also felt different. Not light, not dark, but something else entirely. To be honest, Lucina was a little scared of what it could be.

"Alright, you need to enter the water to feel it's full effects. So take of your clothes. And I mean all your clothes" Tharja said, making no effort to hide her smirk.

Lucina glared at her but undressed anyway. Once she was naked, she quickly made her way towards the water, not wanting to expose herself a second longer than she had to. But Tharja still got a good look at her butt before Lucina entered the water. Once she was neck deep she looked back at Tharja.

"Alright, now what?" She asked.

"You need to be completely submerged under the water. Don't worry about air. The Magic will keep you alive" Tharja explained.

Lucina took a breath before going under the water. Once she did, she could finally feel something happening. She opened her eyes and noticed she wasn't in the water anymore... she was fully dressed and standing in some kind of room. She looked around, wondering what was going on. But then she heard a familiar voice.

"Lucina" She turned around and got wide eyes.

"Father...?" She asked, not believing her eyes.

"It's time for another instruction" Her father, Chrom, said before he activated his lightsaber.

"What are you-" Lucina began but had to quickly take out her own Lightsaber to block a strike from her father.

"Let's see if you are still as weak as you've always been" Chrom said coldly as he strikes against Lucina again, who once again blocked his strike "What is wrong? Fight back! If you are not ready to kill me, you will die!".

"No! I would never kill you, father" Lucina said.

Chrom scoffed "Why not? You already killed me once back on Dagobah".

"No! That wasn't you!" Lucina said before she suddenly realized something "Because... you have already been dead for years".

"Because of you!" Chrom shouts as he raised his saber for another strike.

"No..." Lucina said calmly as she put her lightsaber away "You died to save me and my mother. You died fighting against a deadly foe. You died like a true jedi. Brave, and never once giving in to the darkness. I promise you father, your death will not have been for nothing. I will continue to live, and I will make you proud".

Chrom looked at her before turning of his lightsaber "So you've overcome your guilt. But can you overcome your weakness?".

"Only one way to find out" Lucina declared before everything turned white.

Lucina emerged from the water with a loud gasp before making her way out of the water, with Tharja waiting for her.

"Well? How did it go?" Tharja asked while looking Lucina over.

"Thank you Tharja. You helped me in more ways than you can imagine. I finally feel like I can focus on the future now. One more obstacle, and I will be free" Lucina said, not carring that Tharja could see her naked at the moment.

Tharja smiled "Well, glad I could help. But if you want to reward me then-".

"Don't get to greedy, Tharja. I already have a lover" Lucina said before she sensed something "Oh no!".

Tharja blinked as Lucina hurried to get her clothes back on "Now what?".

"I can sense Severa! She is trapped, I must find her!" Lucina said before running of.

She hoped she would make it in time. If she lost Severa, then everything she did would've been pointless. The only reason she was even able to come this far was because Severa. Severa was the one who saved her when she was at her lowest. She was the one who helped Lucina feel needed. She made Lucina beleive she could keep going and do some good. She can not survive loosing another person she loves.

She will find her... she must find her.

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