It was odd. The Republic had received a distress signal a few days ago, the signal and code, however, had not been used in over 3500 years. With the concern of the Separatists having sent the signal as a trap, the 501st had been sent to where the signal originated with a small fleet. Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka and Vex were heading to the location in a small Jedi shuttle, having been sent after returning from a reconnaissance mission, separate from the rest of the 501st.

"Rex? Rex, do you read me? We are at the rendezvous point. Where are you?" Anakin asks, a hologram of the Captain manifesting atop the console.

"Sir, we are at the rendezvous point, but there's no sign of you on our scanners." Rex reports in confusion. As he spoke, a soft voice began to sing, the faint melody soothing, yet also foreboding.

"Oh, come on." Anakin groans in frustration. He had hoped this would be a simple mission so that the four could at least take a slight rest from the war, the previous battles having had a rather heavy effect on their psyche.

"That's impossible." Ahsoka states, her face contorting in thought.

"Something's wrong." Obi-Wan notes ominously.

"We... -ble... -find-y…" The connection fizzles out and dies, with every other electronic system following shortly after, sending the four into darkness.

"You know, I am starting to think the Galaxy has a vendetta against us." Vex sighs. After every situation the four had been through, such a thing was seeming to be more of a reality than a joke. After a few moments, power returns throughout the shuttle, the darkness receding from the light.

"There, see? Nothing to be concerned about at all." Anakin assures, his voice seemingly devoid of concern.

"If that were true, Anakin. We wouldn't be moving towards that." Vex states in warning, gesturing to the planet sized monolith standing in front of them, growing closer as the ship drifts toward it. The console beeps for a moment, the warning of engine failure appearing on screen.

"Everyone strap in. We seem to be going for a ride." Anakin warns. At his word, they ensure they are secured in their seats, bracing in anticipation of a crash landing that would normally follow.

The monolith splits in half along the horizontal axis, both parts spinning in tandem as pure light emits from the gap. As the ship continues to move closer and closer, the light continues to spread. Before long, the light fades, with darkness replacing it, as each of them fall unconscious, both Vex and Anakin the last to fall under the spell, sending them to slumber with the others.


As his senses return, Vex opens his eyes, blinking away at the blinding light of day. Around him, Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka begin to stir and awake as well.

"I must have blacked out." Anakin groans, rubbing his forehead gently.

"We all did." Vex admits, standing from the chair and stretching his limbs, joints cracking in satisfaction.

"Where are we?" Ahsoka asks, still audibly and visibly groggy.

"I don't know. But the atmosphere is breathable." Vex answers after a quick check of the ship scans. Taking the initiative, he lowers the ramp and walks outside, eyeing the surrounding area and taking note of a small cave just beyond the ships position. The others soon join him outside, each of them taking their own time to admire the place.

"Are you the one?" A feminine voice calls out, her soft voice almost a melody.

"What the…" Anakin wonders aloud, turning around suddenly in an attempt to find the source of the voice. Vex, though having heard it, doesn't react. He can feel the being, he does not need to see her.

"What?" Ahsoka questions.

"Did you hear that?" Anakin asks in return, his own question having Ahsoka and Obi-Wan look around, but they had the same answer.

"I didn't hear anything." Obi-Wan answers, with Ahsoka simply shaking her head.

"Are you the one?" The voice asks again, but this time, a feminine figure stood nearby, with all of them turning to face her. A faint tug in Vex's mind notices a familiarity to the figure, her pale green and cream robes billowing in a non-existent breeze. The thought is piled in the back of Vex's mind, as he holds it for later.

"Hello…" Obi-Wan trails off, his curiosity piqued as he rubs his beard in thought.

"Who are you?" Anakin asks heatedly, his emotions flaring.

"I am the Daughter. Are you the One?" She answers, only to repeat her question once more.

"Uh, the One what?" Anakin asks in sudden confusion.

"I will take you to him." She states, ignoring the question.

"Him who?" Anakin then asks, yet his question is ignored.

"Did you bring us here?" Obi-Wan asks his own question, yet with the same result of being ignored.

"Only He can help you. There is little time. Follow me." The Daughter continues. "We must have shelter by nightfall." As she begins to walk ahead, Anakin turns to face us.

"And we thought the planet was strange." He murmurs just loud enough for us to hear, before the others begin to follow. As they walk behind the Daughter, the plant life around them ages through the seasons, with Anakin and Obi-Wan making a conversation of the fact. Around the area, Vex notices roots of darkness seeping along, following him, their movements twitchy, almost concerned.

As they continue along the surface ravine, a faint tremor has both Anakin and Vex glancing above, their instincts and senses honed beyond the others, before both dive to keep the others out of harms way, with Anakin pushing the Daughter forward, as Vex forced Ahsoka and Obi-Wan backwards, as rubble crashes down upon the very position they had all been standing.

"Thanks." Ahsoka hugs him, squeezing for a moment before they separate, while Obi-Wan brushes himself off as he stands up, opening a channel to Anakin.

"Anakin, are you there? Are you alright?" He asks in concern.

"I'm fine. But our friend here has RUN OFF!" Anakin yells, his voice carrying over from beyond the rubble. "Go back to the ship and try sending another distress signal. I'll follow her and try to find a way off this rock." The link is cut, and Obi-Wan is left with irritation and concern about him.

"We need to go. Have faith in Anakin, as he has faith in us." Vex states gently, placing a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. With a sigh, he leads the journey back. The light begins to fall, the day turning to sunset, by the time they reach the clearing, only to find it empty, their ship missing and no marks left to even give the idea it had been there before.

"It was here. No question." Ahsoka states in confusion and irritation.

"Did you lose something?" A voice asks. Ahsoka and Obi-Wan ignite their sabers reflexively, while Vex simply turns to face the figure whom spoke, darkness emanated from him, yet not a threat as of the moment. His form, sparked recognition in Vex, and he sighs quietly, only the Son seeming to notice him. "You didn't do as you were asked."

"Well, that is the least of my concerns. But I do know where we are now." Vex admits, before a grin adorns his face. "Not to mention, we can't keep in contact with your sister when the path to her is blocked, thanks to a prank or scuffle you have with her."

"My sister said to wait!" The Son, one of the three Mortis gods, known in Dathomiri legends as the Fanged God, exclaims in frustration.

"Yes, well, we would like our ship back, if you don't mind." Obi-Wan states, half politely.

"Not, yet." The Son retorts, before looking directly at Obi-Wan. "Is it true he is the Chosen One?" He asks. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka move barely a millimeter, before the Son calls their sabers to his hand, deactivating mid air.

"You are Sith." Ahsoka snarls, earning a dark chuckle in response.

"Yes. And no." He states cryptically.

"No, you aren't a Sith. Just the Darkness. A Shadow. But, even Shadows have their strengths." Vex affirms, garnering a genuine laugh from the Son.

"Someone has done their research." The Son affirms with glee.

"Knowledge is Power. You should know this." He retorts, his grin widening. At this, the Son laughs once more, though more demonically, as his form fades into smoke and disappears.

"I suggest you find shelter. The night's here are quite deadly." His voice echoes as lightning strikes the ground where he once stood. His warning spurns the three to run towards the nearby cave, taking shelter as the lightning seems to follow them. As they enter the safety of the cave. Obi-Wan turns and glares at Vex.

"What were you talking about?" He asks in irritation.

"Which part?" Vex asks with a sigh, gathering Null energy into his fingers.

"All of it!" Obi-Wan exclaims, as he turns away from him, and storms through the cave, pacing in agitation.

"When you aren't so worked up, I will explain. You wouldn't believe, nor truly grasp the situation, as you are now. But know this, I am not one of them, and I never will be." Vex growls slightly. "Besides, I'm more surprised he didn't kill me there and then." Vex murmurs to himself, out of hearing distance from the other two, as a faint wolf howl echoes in the distance. Vex turns to Ahsoka, finding her passed out, and looks for Obi-Wan, to find nothing. The wolf howls again, and Vex finds himself making his way out of the cave. A fork of lightning tries to strike him almost immediately, but a root of darkness shields him, disintegrating from the power. He continues to follow the howling, as roots continue to protect him. The lightning eventually stops, as the Loth Wolf emerges from the grass, his yellow/orange eyes looking through Vex's soul. "Why are you here?" Vex questions.

"You." The Wolf responds, it's voice dry and rough, but carrying the word easily. A faint mist surrounds the two, covering the view of their surroundings, as they stare at each other. The mist begins to fade, as a massive courtyard takes over their surroundings, the grass and dirt they were once within long gone. Beside the Wolf, the Father and Anakin are standing, the confusion evident in Anakin, while the assurance, the confidence, in the Father is paramount. Vex finds his senses somewhat scrambled, unable to really feel Anakin, let alone Ahsoka and Obi-Wan, who were in the grasp of both Daughter and Son, on their way over.

"Welcome." The Father's voice, echoing with millions behind it, greets Vex. He turns his head to the figure of the Father, Anakin by his side.

"I suppose I should have expected this." Vex sighs. The Wolf before him whines, it's ears drooping.

"A simple precaution. I cannot allow the possibility of you interfering in what is about to occur." The Father admits, gesturing to the two beasts that begin to land. The beast of light, holds Obi-Wan in its grasp, while the darkness holds Ahsoka. The revelation angers Vex, as well as Anakin.

"You son of a bitch." Vex snarls, his emotions flaring, before he takes a breath, calming himself, bringing his emotions in check, lest he do what the Father had tried to stop, much as he loathes to allow it's occurrence. This realm was not his to act in. If he did, he knew he would be killed without hesitation, and fully eliminated, unable to live another life.

"I will not play your games!" Anakin cries out in retaliation.

"Oh, but I think you will. I have ordered my children to kill your friends. The question is: Which one will you save? Your Master, or your Apprentice?" The Father questions. "You must now release the guilt and free yourself by choosing. After you complete this test, I will allow you to leave this place." Anakin's hands clench, his anger and pain radiating off him, yet also his love for both Ahsoka and Obi-Wan. The wolf whines again, stepping away from Anakin, as the Force swirls around him in waves. The Wolf feared it's death, believing Anakin would lash out at him.

"They're too strong for us to break free, Anakin! Save Ahsoka!" Obi-Wan calls to him, trying to save the hope of the future, as Anakin continues to struggle internally, both the Light and the Dark swirling around him.

"Anakin." Vex calls to him. "This planet is a Nexus of Power. Call upon it, use it. Save them." Vex explains. Anakin stiffens in response, before relaxing, the Force swirling around him in anticipation, before he brings it within, both the Light and Dark, his eyes becoming a galaxy of colours and stars. The planet of Mortis begins to vibrate, floating rocks cracking apart with power, plant life dying, and being reborn over and over from the surge energy. It's Anakin's voice, one filled with generations of other Chosen Ones, and even Celestial Beings echoing behind him, that sends shivers down Vex's spine, the pure power that radiates almost sending him to his knees, as though forcing him to kneel to a King.

"YOU WILL LET THEM GO!" He roars, both beasts shaking in retaliation, attempting to ignore his order as he releases the built up power. "DOWN! ON YOUR KNEES!" As much as they tried to fight it, they could not, both following his orders, releasing both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka from their grasps, as they return to their humanoid forms. They bow, bodies shaking in protest. The Loth-Wolf is also bowing, a faint whine in his throat.

"And now you see who you truly are. Only a Chosen One can tame both my children." The Father states knowingly.

"I have taken your test. Now fulfil your promise and let us go." Anakin replies in well placed anger. Two of the closest people in his life had been moments away from death, all because this being wanted proof of his power and status. Vex sighs, looking to both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka, who shakily stand, making their way to Anakin and Vex.

"Ah, but first you must understand the truth. Now all of you, leave us." The Father orders, with the Son and Daughter immediately following his words. Ahsoka, Obi-Wan and Vex, however, defy him, their care and love for Anakin profound. The wolf goes and nuzzles Ahsoka, whining in warning. "I said leave us." The Father orders again. Vex nods to Ahsoka and Obi-Wan, but stays where he is. Once they are gone, he speaks up.

"You put the people both Anakin and I care for in danger for something that could have been proven in a different way that did not endanger the lives of others." Vex states. "You had a Loth-Wolf, sworn to protect their planet, here, to prevent my own intervention. I have every right to be here for this." His demand earns a sigh from the Father.

"I know too well what could go wrong. You existing here is one such thing!" The Father retorts, his voice booming through the air with anger of his own, as a blast of energy sends Vex away, the Loth-Wolf sent alongside him, as the doors to the monastery close in front of him, as Ahsoka and Obi-Wan watch.

"Motherfucker." Vex curses in frustration.

"You should be careful with your emotions." Obi-Wan notes, stroking his beard in thought.

"Don't patronize me, when you had the same issue a short time ago." Vex admonishes. "But this isn't about emotions. It's about the fact you two could have been killed. Anakin, would have been destroyed by such a thing."

"How do you know we would have truly been killed? The Father may have been lying." Obi-Wan retorts.

"Do you even know what they are, Obi-Wan?" His question is answered with a no, which earns a sigh and the shake of his head. "They are Force gods. One to embody the Light, The Winged Goddess, one to embody the Dark, The Fanged God, and one to embody the Balance, known only as the Father. They are beyond us, as far as I know. We could not do anything as we are. And me, being a creature that doesn't belong here, means I am damn well lucky they are merciful. I should be long dead. Killed before I could even meet you." The Loth-Wolf nuzzles against him, as the doors slam open, then closed once more, Anakin storming out in irritation.

"We're leaving. The ship has been returned to where we left it." His words, and how he simply walks past, unable to face the three of them, has everyone concerned.

"I'm afraid that there will be more to come." Vex mutters to himself, Ahsoka managing to hear his voice as she walks to him, bringing her arm around him in a comforting embrace.

"As long as we all stay together, we'll be fine." She assures, as they make their way down the monastery, where their ship awaited them just below.