Disclaimer: I am not Rick Riordan or George Lucas.

Enter Mara, traveling through an underground tunnel, guided by the glowing griffin the Mark of Ashla.

Arriving at a broken section of construction, Mara draws her vibroblade and peers into the opening. Sticking her head inside, she discovers an altar belonging to the Prophets of the Dark Side.

Mara. [aside] Hmm. This has to be the way. Ravelin said to "find the altar of the foreign god." There doesn't seem to be any exits from the altar room. But it is a short drop onto the bench below. I should be able to climb out again with no problem.

Mara lowers herself into the altar. Taking in the place, she notices that the floor is a long narrow mosaic with seven drawings in a row: a raven, a vine cat, a reek, Imperial soldiers, et cetera. In addition to the images, there is a statue of a three-eyed mutant with dark hair and silver beard — Darth Millennial.

I'm not sure what these images represent. They don't remind me of any Old Republic legends I know.

As Mara steps forward, her foot crunches through a human rib cage, alerting her to the fact that the chamber is filled with the skeletal remains of her fallen siblings.

Wonderful. [to the altar] I will not be another skeleton on your floor.

Enter the Prophets of the Dark Side: the ghosts of Kadann, Jedgar, Merili, and Argor.

Kadann. A female. Females are not allowed.

Jedgar. A female demigod. Inexcusable.

Mara. I'm a child of Ashla.

Argor. A Jedi. That is even worse.

Kadann. This is the cavern of Darth Millennial. You have disturbed our sacred rituals. You cannot look upon our mysteries and live.

Mara. I don't want to look upon your mysteries. I'm following the Mark of Ashla. Show me the exit, and I'll be on my way.

The Prophets murmur to each other in Mando'a.

Kadann calls for attention.

Kadann. Your Old Republic goddess is powerless here. Lord Millennial is the god of Imperial warriors. He is the god of the fleet, the god of the Empire.

Mara. He wasn't even Imperial. Wasn't he, like, Tapani or something?

Kadann. Sacrilege. Lord Millennial protects us. I am the Supreme Prophet of the Dark Force . . .

Mara. The leader.

Kadann. Do not interrupt. As the Supreme Prophet, I must protect our mysteries.

Mara. What mysteries? A dozen dead guys in togas sitting around in a cave?

The Prophets mutters amongst themselves until Kadann once more calls order.

Kadann. You are clearly an infidel. Like the others, you must die.

Despite knowing very little about Millennial, Mara uses the images before her to glean a few details.

Mara. You have rites of passage. Seven levels of membership. And the top level is the Supreme Prophet.

The Prophets gasp.

Argor. How does she know this?

Jedgar. The female has gleaned our secrets.

Kadann. Silence.

Merili. But she might know about the ordeals.

Mara. The ordeals. I know about them.

The Prophets gasp.

Kadann. Ridiculous. The female lies. Daughter of Ashla, choose your way of death. If you do not choose, the god will choose for you.

Mara. Fire or dagger.

Apparently unaware of the evidence of previous deaths on the floor, even Kadann appears stunned by this.

Kadann. How . . . how did you . . . ? Who are you?

Mara. A child of Ashla. But not just any child. I am . . . er, the clan mother in my sisterhood. The High Prophet, in fact. There are no mysteries to me. Millennial cannot hide anything from my sight.

Argor. The High Prophet!

Jedgar. Kill her.

Jedgar makes a fruitless attempt to strangle her.

Mara. You're dead. Sit down.

Jedgar returns to his seat.

Kadann. We do not need to kill you ourselves. Lord Millennial shall do that for us.

As the statue of Millennial begins to glow, Mara searches around frantically for an exit.

Mara. It is no good. I know all. You test your initiates with fire because the torch is the symbol of Millennial. His other symbol is the dagger, which is why you can also be tested with the blade. You want to kill me, just as . . . er, as Millennial killed the sacred reek.

The Prophets wail in despair.

Argor. The High Prophet knows. It is impossible.

Mara. [aside] Unless you look around the room. [to Argor] You are just a Lesser Prophet. That is the lowest rank. Be silent and let me speak to your Supreme Prophet.

Argor cringes.

Argor. Mercy! Mercy!

Kadann begins to tremble.

Kadann. Truly, you know much, clan mother. Your wisdom is great. But that is all the more reason why you cannot leave. The Unseen Queen warned us you would come.

Mara. The Unseen Queen . . . The Unseen Queen fears me. She doesn't want me to follow the Mark of Ashla. But you will let me pass.

Kadann. You must choose an ordeal — fire or dagger. Survive one, and then, perhaps.

Mara looks around at her deceased siblings.

Mara. [aside] They all chose one or the other: fire or dagger. Maybe they thought they could beat the ordeal. But they all died. I need a third choice.

Glancing at steadily glowing statue of Millennial, Mara notes that it appears to emerging from the rock.

[to the Prophets] Neither torch nor dagger. There is a third test, which I will pass.

Kadann. A third test?

Mara. Millennial was born from rock. He emerged fully grown from the stone, holding his dagger and torch.

The Prophets cry out in horror.

Jedgar. The clan mother knows all. That is our most closely guarded secret.

Mara gesture dramatically to way she had come.

Mara. I was born from stone, just as Millennial was. Therefore, I have already passed your ordeal.

Kadann. [scoffs] You came from a hole in the wall. That is not the same thing.

Mara. I have control over the very stones. I will prove my power is greater than Millennial. With a single strike, I will bring down this chamber.

Using her knowledge of architecture, Mara has located the shatterpoint of the chamber.

Kadann. Impossible. The Unseen Queen has paid us much tribute to destroy any children of Ashla who would dare enter our shrine. We have never let her down. We cannot let you pass.

Mara. Then you fear my power. You admit that I could destroy your sacred chamber.

Kadann. [scowls] Do your worst, child of Ashla. No one can bring down the cavern of Millennial, especially with one strike . . . especially not a female.

Mara raises her vibroblade.

Mara. Well, boys. Looks like you chose the wrong war god.

Mara strikes the shatterpoint. At first nothing happens.

Kadann. O! You see? Ashla has no power here.

The chamber shakes as a fissure runs across the length of the ceiling, and the cavern begins to collapse. The Prophets try to flee in terror, but they are confined to this chamber even in death.

Turning, Mara slams into the blocked entrance with all her might, escaping just in time as the altar of Millennial implodes around her. She descenda down into unknown darkness.

Exit all.