Part 3:
Nolaa watched with apprehension. Trocaan was locked in combat with the dangerous Dark Jedi. And it seemed to be an even match. Talisin had great agility and dexterity plus an astonishing amount of sheer power, fueled by evil. Trocaan was adept as well, spinning, leaping and somersaulting with ease. Nolaa was amazed at the intensity of the duel. Never had she witnessed such a battle. Both combatants moved at speeds that made their lightsabers smears of light in the air.
Talisin grinned manically at Trocaan. "I'm going to kill you." she said as she thrust her lightsaber at Trocaan's heart. "Then your friends will die a slow, painful death at my hands."
Trocaan remained calm as her parried Talisin's thrust. "Don't try to get me angry. Your plot to lure me to the dark side is a waste of time."
Talisin's face became a grotesque mask of hatred. "Prepare to be destroyed, worthless Jedi!"
But Trocaan managed to elude each of her vicious attacks. Nolaa was impressed. He was using every skill he had acquired over the past few years. And still, neither Trocaan or Talisin seemed inferior to the other.
This would be a long battle.
Trocaan had never expected to battle a Dark Jedi this powerful. But he also never expected that he would be powerful and experienced enough to hold his own against a warrior of this calibre. That was an uplifting thought.
But there was a problem. Slowly but surely, Talisin was gaining the upper hand. Quick and supple, she whipped her lightsaber around with psychotic confidence. Sooner or later Trocaan would make a mistake. An when he did...
I can't defeat her! Trocaan thought. She's too powerful for me.
Mo sooner had the thought entered his mind, he felt a sudden surge of energy. His mind became crystal clear and he was almost overwhelmed with a sense of serenity. He wrapped himself with the Force, letting it saturate his entire body.
It was Nolaa and Endurai. Sensing his despair they were giving him their own ebergy, their own Force powers.
Talisin backed away with a look of horror.How did he suddenly get so powerful?! she wondered angrily. I'd better finish him off before it's too late.
Trocaan felt so empowered. Imbued with this new energy he realized he could win. Not only for himself and his friends, but for Talisin as well.
Closing his eyes he drew upon all the light side energy surrounding him and concentrated, pulling it into a tight ball within himself.
Talisin was wary. "What are you doing?! Don't bother. All your efforts will go to waste once I destroy you."
Trocaan ignored the threat. But he answered her question. "I'm going to save myself and I'm going to save you."
"Save ME?!" Talisin mocked. "Don't delude yourself, being all righteous and idealistic. You can't save me... and you cannot save yourself either. Prepare to die, Jedi!"
With a savage cry she lauched herself at Trocaan, who stood with his eyes shut. Defenseless and calm.
His eyes snapped open and a great light surrounded his body. Talisin abruptly stopped, not comprehending what was happening.
A massive wave of light energy shot out of Trocaan and illuminated the entire area. until Talisin was completely enveloped by the light.
Trocaan smiled. The light was pure light side energy. It would cleanse any evil from Talisin and restore her fully to the light side of the Force. She would become and ally. A friend.
The light evaporated in a shower of rainbow colours. Trocaan was amazed by the display; Nolaa and Endurai watched in awe as well.
The light faded and Trocaan saw what remained.
Nothing.
No one.
Talisin was gone.
What happened? Trocaan wondered. He looked around but the woman was nowhere in sight.
Then he realized what happened. The nergy was supposed to obliterate any evil. Trocaan had assumed that Talisin's eviltendencies would be erased by the light. He hadn't considered what might have happened if Talisin was so corrupted that there was no goodness in her.
The energy destroyed evil. So Talisin had been destroyed.
Trocaan was saddened. He tried to help the Dark Jedi but failed.
"It's not your fault, Trocaan." Nolaa said, sensing his sadness.
"What she says is true." Endurai added with a laboured whisper. "You gave her a chance to secure her redemption and renounce the dark side of the Force, but she never accepted your offer."
Trocaan walked over to his friends and knelt at Endurai's side. He knew what they said was true. It wasn't his fault that she had rejected the light side.
"Trocaan. You were suberb." Endurai croaked, using the word he reserved for especially amazing events. "Not only did you avoid falling to the dark side, you tried to forgive and accept a Dark Jedi as an ally."
Nolaa looked from Endurai up to Trocaan. Her face was weary and her eyes weren't very focused. But her spirit glowed with pride and joy. "You should be proud of what you accomplished, Trocaan."
"Right now I'm more worried about the two of you." Trocaan replied. Nolaa had bandaged her leg with a scrap of her cloak and was drfiting in and out of a Jedi healing trance. Trocaan knew she was in a fairly stable condition. Endurai on the other hand...
Endurai grasped both Trocaan and Nolaa's hands. "I will soon be one witht the Force."
"No! Endurai, I won't let you die." Trocaan wiped away a tear.
The Rodian smiled slightly. "There is no death. Only the Force. Remeber that."
Trocaan nodded.
"I will not be dying in vain..." Endurai continued slowly, "in my last moments I aided you in a feat never before seen. Have you..." Endurai paused to take a breath, "... have you ever heard of Master Skywalker doing what you just did?"
"No."
"Well then. I die but I have done a great service... I helped you in battle. And by doind so, you can now live on and continue to serve the Force. I helped save you and make you stronger... I wouldn't change anything..."
Endurai's voice faded. He gave Trocaan and Nolaa's hands a weak squeeze and closed his eyes.
"Good-bye, Endurai." Nolaa whispered.
Together the two humans watched their friend fade away, now one with the Force.