Part 7
Half of a mile away, the Singing Mountain Clan had started to retreat. Han and Leia worked together to help get the wounded back to safey, fighting off any Nightsisters that came after them.
Leia bent down to check the pulse of a fallen clansister. Nothing. Leia glanced at the woman. She looked a little younger then Leia. Tied to the woman's wrist was a crude grass bracelet. Leia knew at once that the sister had been a mother, Leia's own children had made her bracelets out of grass and tall weeds when they were little.
The sound of blaster fire made Leia look up. Han was fireing into the bushes near by. Leia ignited her lightsaber, but it was only a small forest critter running scared from the battle. Leia shut off her blade.
As she did so a feeling of intence danger slamed into her mind. She spun around, looking for the threat, but it was just her and Han in the clearing.
Leia went deep inside herself, searching for the danger. It was not for herself but for...
"LUKE!!!" Leia screamed. Her hand flew to her chest and she gasped for breath. Her chest hurt, a tight searing pain that made her head spin.
Leia stumbled, fell.
"Leia! Leia what is it?! What's wrong?"
Han was beside her, shaking her.
"It's Luke! He's hurt!" Leia strugled to get to her feet. "I've got to get to him!" She could feel Luke's pain, feel his aurra in the Force dissolving.
Han grabed her, ready to stop her from going. "Leia you can't just run off! Not when there are still Nightsisters around."
"Please Han. Please." Leia's eyes pleeded with his. "I need to get to him before..." Her voice broke. "Before it's too late."
Han looked at his wife. He'd never seen Leia like this before. She was sobbing in his arms, her tears soaking his shirt.
"Where is he? Can you find him?" Han asked.
Leia grabed his hand, "This way. Hurry."
Together they ran back into the battle.
The entire world stopped dead in Callista's eyes. The noises of battle abruplty stopped, leaving a deafening silence behind
Luke didn't move, didn't scream, didn't even blink. The arrow remained lodged through his ribs, long runnels of blood pouring down his shirt. His blue pain-filled eyes met Callista's, his look of pure shock and horror echoing hers. One hand went to his wound, trying without success to stop the flow of blood.
Callista staggered back a step, unable to make a sound, no matter how hard she tried. No, her mind whispered, still barely able to register what had happened. Luke...
Everything still moved in slow-motion. She reached out toward her husband, who seemed to be light-years away from her. So far, so very far.
And watched as he began to fall.
It took eternity for Luke to hit the snow, his face impacting first. The arrow was pushed even further into his chest, coming out through his back with a sickening wet rip. A puddle of blood formed under him, staining the white ground in a sea of red.
He did not rise again.
A figure rose behind him. Callista's eyes moved upward. A Nightsister, bringing a knife down upon his neck--
"No!" Her scream shattered the silence, brought the world back to speed. She had probably scraped her vocal cords raw, but she didn't care.
She had to get to Luke.
Her husband's lightsaber was suddenly levitating in the air, controlled by Callista's mind. She sent it propelling through the air, and speared the Nightsister in the chest before she could move in for the kill. The woman gasped in unexpected pain and fell back, the blue-white blade burning through her heart.
Overcome by a fury she had never felt before--ignoring everything Djinn had taught her, everything she had learned as a Jedi, focusing only on saving herself and Luke--Callista retrieved her lightsaber and proceeded to slaughter the mass of Nightsisters.
She fell upon an unsuspecting opponent, ripping her across her gut with such ferocity that she nearly sliced the Nightsister in half. Blood spilled all over the snow, covering Callista's war-painted face. Ignoring the dead woman, she continued on, slashing another Nightsister in the ribs.
Luke remained on the ground, unmoving.
Callista barely evaded a club that would have dislocated her shoulder, and jammed her lightsaber through the attacking Nightsister's gut. The woman gurgled, still alive. Callista pushed forth, knocking the woman down, and brought the lightsaber through her stomach a second time, and again a third time.
The dark side... Djinn's voice echoed in her mind, warning her of what was happening to her. Callista merely ignored it. Dark side or not, she would not let the man she loved die.
She bared her teeth as another Nightsister challenged her, swinging a powerful scythe toward her head. Callista ducked the attack and sliced off the woman's left leg, sending her falling to her remaining knee. Callista stood, driving the sun-yellow blade deep into the woman's throat, neatly ripping off her head with a spray of blood as the wound cauterized. By now, she was practically bathing in the blood of the Nightsisters she had killed.
And she was reveling in it.
She struck again, impaling another Nightsister through the chest. Still holding a grip on her, Callista grabbed a handful of the woman's hair and pulled, yanking her head to one side. She placed the blade against the Nightsister's throat and sliced through it. She let go and let the dead woman fall.
A shadow suddenly towered over her from behind. Callista whirled around in a blur, finally finding the person she was looking for.
Anya.
She stepped closer to Callista, and Callista gripped the hilt of her lightsaber. She dared a glance at Luke, lying at her feet. I'm right here, Luke. Right here...
She looked back at Anya. "We end this now." The venom dripped from her voice, making it clear that she wasn't going to stand for anything less than the death of this woman.
Anya nodded. "I heartily agree, Callista."
Callista, It was Luke's voice. Callista, don't give in to your anger.
Distracted, Callista didn't have a chance to dodge before Anya's club descended over her temple.
When Callista woke up, she was shivering in a snowbank. Torrid winds whipped over her body, cutting her skin and chapping her face.
Her armor was gone. She was in the thin homespuns she had been wearing under the reptile skins. It explained why she was so cold.
Her head was throbbing, pounding from where Anya had clubbed her. She turned her head, and felt torn muscles scream with the motions.
Luke lay beside her.
The arrow had not been removed from his chest. His eyes were closed, his eyelashes and eyebrows dusted with sprinkles of snow, his skin as pale and matte as wax.
She reached out her hand to touch his cheek, then drew back, horror overtaking her.
The dream.
It had come true.
Luke turned his head and opened his eyes. The blue was blanketed in redness, but they shone with love and an absence of fear.
Anya knelt in the snow between them. "Well, I see you are awake then. We can begin. Ashka!"
A tall woman, her face a gross array of veins and bruises, came closer, holding a handful of wooden stakes.
Luke stroked Callista's palm. Almost numb, she almost didn't feel it. "We will be together, my love. Always."
And Callista, almost choking on tears, knew what she was going to say. "Always."
Then Ashka knelt beside Callista and touched the point of a wooden spike to her palm, brutishly throwing Luke's hand out of her way. She held the mallet high overhead, then brought it down, sending the spike through her hand and wedging it into the ice.
The pain was excrutiating, and it was all Callista could do not to scream in agony. She would not scream. She didn't want to give the Nighstisters that satisfaction, nor did she want Luke to hear her pain as well as feel it.
Then they moved on to Luke. He didn't scream either, but Callista did. "Leave him alone, you bitch! Get your hands off him!" She struggled against her pierced hands, trying to free them from the ice that held them. Ligaments tore and muscles ripped, bones cracked and crumpled, but they did not budge. Tears rolled down her cheeks, freezing to her skin before they could drip off.
Then Ashka was gone.
And Luke, Callista, and a dozen Singing Mountain warriors were left in the snow, left to die.
Callista reached out to the Force with the last of her strength, touched Luke's presence, and Hope's.
Hope, my little darling, she said. I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..
*
The sisters returned a bloody and exhausted mass to Singing Mountain. Anxiously, Kyp searched the returning warriors for Luke and Callista. He saw Han, he saw Leia...
But Luke and Callista were not among them.
he whispered, and ran to the room where Hope and Anakin slept. He picked up the sleeping baby and cradled her against his chest.
I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...
Kyp held Luke and Callista's daughter in his arms, and heard the voice as Callista said good-bye to her daughter, for the last time.
"Nooooooooo!" He cried to the stars, then bent his head over Hope's sobbing face, and wept himself.
It was over.
Leia screamed.
Reacting out of suprise and fear, Han jumped to catch her as she crumbled to the floor. "What is it, Leia? What happened?"
Leia couldn't respond. Instead, she looked at her hands, clasping tightly to the skirt of her gown. Blood seeped through the white fingers, trickled over her knuckles, and down her hand. "Luke..." she whispered, and fainted.
Anakin sat shell-shocked beside Kyp, the dreadful news not even beginning to sink in. No. No, it can't be. They can't be...
But Kyp was speaking the truth. Uncle Luke and Aunt Callista were dead. Anakin could no longer feel them. He could still feel his mother, and his father--they were still alive, thank the Force!--and even the witches in the blood-soaked battlefield.
But when he tried to find his aunt and uncle, he felt only...emptiness.
It was a horrible feeling. As if a very part of his soul had been brutally ripped from him, leaving him numb and empty. It was pain far worse than any physical kind. It was the pain of knowing that he had lost two of the most important people in his life.
He couldn't move. He couldn't breathe, or think clearly. He couldn't even cry. That would come later, though.
Don't give up hope, Annie, Hope said to him, still in Kyp's arms. We can still save them.
How? Anakin demanded. I can't feel them anymore. They left us. The tears were coming now. And he didn't try to stop it.
Hope wriggled a little in Kyp's arms. Have faith, Annie. We can save Mommy and Daddy. There's still time. But I can't do it alone. I need your help.
Anakin's crystal-blue eyes looked up at the infant, and a new sense of hope surfaced, washing away the shock and grief. He suddenly knew. He knew that there was still a chance. He knew that Hope was speaking the truth.
He knew that Uncle Luke and Aunt Callista would come back.
Tell me what to do, he said.
A light...
A voice whispered in Callista's ear, peaceful and soothing. More beautiful than anything she had ever heard in her life. It was as if the songs of the dead were ringing in her ears, quelling her fears. The snowy landscape disappeared, as did her husband, the Nightsisters and the dying members of the Singing Mountain Clan. Leaving Callista alone in the darkness. The voice continued whispering, and Callista recognized it.
"Mother?" she gasped, her eyes snapping open.
A ray of light surrounded her crippled body, a dark figure standing over her. The light blocked out the person's features, and yet Callista recognized her.
"Callista," her mother said, stroking her daughter's hair with one pale hand. "I have missed you."
"A-Am I dead?" Callista said, already knowing the answer.
Her mother sadly nodded. "You are with us now, my daughter. After all these years, we are together again...for all eternity. Your father is here as well, as are your brothers and sisters, your relatives, everyone you had ever loved in your life. They are waiting for you.
Tears brimmed at the corner of Callista's eyes. "It is time then, isn't it?"
"Yes," her mother said, offering Callista her hand.
Callista reached out to take it, but hesitated. "But, Mother, what about Luke? Will he be there too?"
"Of course," the apparition said, her voice as lovely as smooth silk. "Luke will always be by your side. It is time for you both to go."
"But I can't," Callista protested. "Leia, the Singing Mountain Clan, Hope--the Nightsisters will kill them all!"
"If it is their destiny to die," her mother said, "then it cannot be avoided."
"Please!" Callista begged. The light was growing brighter. "I'm not ready to go! Please send me back. I cannot let my friends and family share my fate!"
"Hush, my child." Callista felt her mother's cool hand caress her cheek, filling her with a calm sense of peace. She tried to fight it--she wasn't ready to die--but the power on her was too strong. . "You have to go."
Any doubts Callista had a second ago was now gone. This was what she truly wanted. Eternal happiness for her and her husband. And she could at last be with her mother again! Something she had always wanted. She briefly thought about Hope, about Leia, about Han, about the people she was leaving behind. She hoped they would make it, that Hope would live to become a great Jedi Knight. She regretted not being able to raise her daughter, but it was all for the best.
A hand touched her shoulder, and Callista turned to see Luke, a smile brightening on his face. The blood was gone from his face, as was the wound the arrow had given him. He looked more handsome than Callista had ever seen him before.
"Everything will be all right, my love," Luke assured her, his voice easing away the remaining shred of fear Callista felt. The two grasped hands, not speaking, their faces conveying more words than could ever be spoken.
Callista nodded. It was now time.
She turned to her mother and smiled. "We are ready to go, Mother."
She felt her spirit leaving her battered body, just as it had thirty years before, heading closer and closer to the light, its warmth touching her skin, promising to end the suffering and the pain, to make sure she never would have to experience those ever again.
"I love you, Luke," she said.
Luke's grip on her hand tightened.
Callista said a final prayer for Hope, and the world she once knew vanished...
Mommy... Hope's tiny voice filled Callista's mind. It wasn't words, but feelings, as all her communications with her newborn daughter had been.
Hope?
Mommy, Daddy, don't go...please...
Uncle Luke, Aunt Callista!
Luke turned to face Callista as the voices reached him as well. Callista looked at her mother, bright and shining and beautiful. She looked at her family, the family she'd missed for almost fifty years now. They all watched her with expectantcy in their eyes, prompting her to join them and become one with the Force, once and for all.
Hope! She cried out in her mind, her voice joined and strengthened by Luke's. Hope!
Mommy, don't go! Come back to us, please!
Uncle Luke! Aunt Callista! Come back! Anakin was shaking with the power of his thoughts, reaching beyond the clutches of death, far over to the other side where his aunt and uncle were about to cross.
Where they could not let them cross.
I think it's working, Annie. Hope thought.
I hope so...
Luke looked at Callista, and she at him, and in the same instant they knew the same thing.
It was not their time to cross over.
We have to go back, love. Luke's thoughts whispered in her mind.
Callista looked back at her family, and tears began to trickle down her cheeks. Momma, Papa, I'm so sorry, but...I can't.
Her mother's eyes widened in shock. But...
Momma, you died for me when you didn't have to. Please...don't let me make the same mistake. I have a daughter, and I can't leave her alone, so vulnerable to all the evil that plague the Jedi.
Slowly, her mother nodded. Very well, my child. Live for us both. I love you.
Callista, her father said, his eyes shining with celestial benevolence. I'm very proud of you.
I love you all, she said, and surrendered to Luke's touch on her hand. She didn't turn her back on them, but backed away very slowly, until fountains of light and power drowned them out and plunged Callista back into her terrestrial existence in pain.
She came to with a scream that racked her body, and she arched her back to free it from her soul. She opened her eyes.
Kara stood over her. How dare you, she said. How dare you leave me and refuse to leave her. Her eyes were blazing with fury and jealously.
Cross over, Kara. You have no power here. There was no animosity in Callista's voice.
Kara did not move. You will NEVER be rid of me, mother. She spat, then disappeared into the blinding snows.
Callista laid her head back, and allowed herself a deep breath. She weakly turned her head and saw Luke, still asleep beside her.
Her hands were numb and frostbitten, her fingertips were taking on a bluish hue. They were still impaled with splintering stakes.
But she was alive, and she would be for quite some time.
It was then that she felt Hope's presence around hers. Thank you, my little darling. I'm home now. Your mommy and daddy are back.
She heard the sound of blaster fire and the screams of the nightsisters. Luke stirred beside her with a scream, and his eyes snapped open. He took several deep breaths. "We're...we're safe?"
Callista nodded. "We are, my love."
Heless wailed as another contraction tore her body apart. Kirana Ti tightened her grip on the Ssekhmet's paws. "It's going to be okay, Heless."
"No..." the creature managed weakly. "Only I or the child will live through thisssss." Her yellow gaze fixed far away. "Be gone from my pressssencccce, abomination!" She hissed. Kirana Ti followed Heless' line of sight, but saw nothing.
"Heless, there's nothing there."
"But there isssss. Katharsssss, the abomination of our people! Here for our child!"
Kirana Ti felt through the Force. This time, she felt the evil presence.
"We must protect the child from him!" Heless was frantic, and it was not helping her condition. She struggled to get to her feet, but Kirana Ti forced her down.
"How?"
"The infant isssss vulnerable to him until born! You must take him from me!" Heless wheezed.
Kirana Ti looked down at the creature writhing before her. :No, Heless. You'll die."
"But the child will live. Pleassssse, my friend. Do thissss lassssst for me." Her breaths were growing shallow, her eyes were losing focus. With every jolt of pain, she convulsed. "He isssss coming! Pleasssssse! Quickly! If he takessssss thisssss child, you are all losssst! Think of your own child! If you don't do thisssss for yourssssself, do it for your daughter!"
At that, Kirana Ti knew Heless was right. It was better for one to die than for an entire nation to dwindle at the hands of evil. With her decision firmly set in her mind, Kirana Ti took up her lightsaber and cut into Heless' swollen belly. As she did it, Heless screamed and lunged at her. But it was not Heless at all. Katharss had taken her body and was trying to kill Kirana Ti. But the Jedi was faster. She cut down with a desicive slash, and dug her hands into the wet, warm innards of the dying Ssekhmet.
And a moment later, pulled free a wriggling cub, small as a pittin. In the other hand, she pulled out another.
Twins. Heless had given birth to two cubs. She shuddered to think that there had almost been two new bodies for Katharss to possess.
Katharss howled to the stars at his final defeat. He vacated his mate's body, and left her to die
And she did. On her last breath, she whispered. "It isssss done. Take care of them, my friend."
Then Heless laid her head back; her breath escaped her jaws, and she moved no more.
Leia shuddered on the cot Han had laid her on. Luke....
What had happened to him? One moment his presence had been blazing with pain, then it had disappeared completely.
She looked at her hands. The wounds in her palms remained, seeping blood through the cracked skin. She feared the worst for her brother.
"Leia!" Han burst into the dark room, and Leia sat upright.
"What is it?" Han jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Anakin and Hope. Something's happening."
Leia leapt to her feet and followed him to Luke and Callista's room--
--and was met with blinding light.
She raised her hands to shield her eyes, then peered into the center of the glow.
Anakin and little Hope were huddled together, eyes closed. Kyp sat beside them, staring in awe. The Force was so full in its presence that she felt she could reach out and touch it. She reached out to them, and felt the healing power radiating from them.
All at once, she understood.
"What is it?" Han asked.
"Luke and Callista. They're reaching for them."
Then the light disappeared, and Anakin slumped back, clutching Hope in his tiny arms. Leia bolted for him and caught his head before he landed on the stone floor.
"Anakin," she whispered. "What--"
"They're safe." Anakin whispered weakly. "They will survive."
Hope had fallen into a deep sleep, and Anakin did the same. Leia lifted the baby from Anakin's arms, and replaced her in her bassinet. Han picked up his son and laid him on the bed.
Luke's presence came flooding back to her like a shockwave. She gasped, and tears sprung to her eyes. "It's Luke!" She cried. "They're okay!" Then, instantly, she sat up, determination wild in her eyes. Back to the battlefield!
Very gently, Kirana Ti held Heless' cubs to her chest. She looked out at the battle raging outside, and her eyes flashed dangerously. "It is time to end this," she whispered.
The bars around the prisoners exploded outward, freeing them. Kirana Ti handed the Ssekhmet cubs to Arian. "Run, my child!" She cried. "Get to the safety of the Clan!" She pointed in the direction of their clan sisters advancing.
"Where are you going?" Arian asked, wide-eyed.
To fight." She called one of the sharp-pointed bars to her hand and leapt from the platform of the cart.
"Go, now!
Arian ran, and Kirana Ti forged her way into battle....
Callista grunted in pain as she twisted her wrists, trying to free herself from the spikes pinning her to the ground. Amazingly, they easily snapped free, releasing her from her bondage. She sat up, pain burning through her arms like fire. She was still bleeding badly, and needed treatment, but she could still fight.
Callista turned to see Luke freeing himself from the spikes as well. She ran over to her husband and gathered him in a powerful embrace. "Luke," she gasped, barely able to form a single coherent thought. "In the name of the Force, we're alive..."
Luke returned the hug with equal strength. "I am freezing," he said with a shaky laugh.
Callista went over to a downed Nightsister and stripped her of her clothes. Luke likewise went to another fallen warrior, putting on the dark robe and boots. Within moments, both Jedi were fully clothed, and armed with their lightsabers.
"Time to finish off what was started," Luke said, switching on his weapon.
The battle was still raging around them. It did not look good for the Singing Mountain Clan. Many of them were staked to the ground, like Luke and Callista had been, and most were frozen to death. The remaining fighting warriors seemed nearly ready to drop, while the Nightsisters seemed stronger and more brutal than ever.
That was all about to change.
"Let's even the odds," Callista said.
Luke nodded, and the two charged into the battle.
Likewise, Kirana Ti was in the thick of the battle, barking orders to her remaining warriors and cutting down a path of Nightsisters in her wake. Over a dozen wounds covered her body, and her arms and legs were nearly frozen from the cold. If Kirana Ti was lucky enough to survive the battle, she would end up with a very bad case of frosbite.
But that didn't matter to her. All that mattered was defeating the Nightsisters and making sure that Arian was safe.
Kirana Ti sliced with her lightsaber, cutting a Nightsister's mace in half. With a second blow, she cut a wide gash into the woman's belly, taking the Nightsister out of the fight.
Another came on a sopfha, swinging a powerful whip at Kirana Ti's head. The warrior woman leaped high into the air, sailing over the head of the mounted Nightsister, and executed a flip that brought her behind the sopfha. With a spin, she cleaved off the sopfha's left rear leg, causing the animal to tumble, knocking its rider to the ground.
"Pathetic," Kirana Ti growled, and began looking for more opponents.
More came; two attacked Kirana Ti from behind, one with a short sword, the other with a sledgehammer. Kirana Ti saw the attack in her mind, and performed a backflip, the weapons swinging below her feet. She landed right behind the two women, taking them by surprise.
She took down both Nightsisters before they could even turn around. The two bodies slumped to the ground, blood already covering the snow under them.
Kirana Ti spat upon the corpses. She felt no sympathy whatsoever with them. They had chosen to follow the dark side, had betrayed the most sacred law of the Singing Mountain Clan ("Never concede to evil.") and killed many of their Sisters in the process. Therefore, they had to suffer the consequences.
As Kirana Ti looked around, she saw her fellow Sisters slowly but steadily gaining the upper hand. The Nightsisters still greatly outnumbered them, but the tide seemed to be turning.
A scream cut through the air--high-pitched and frightened--and Kirana Ti spun around, instantly recognizing it.
A Nightsister mounted on a sopfha rode over the snowy countryside-- dragging Arian behind her.
"ARIAN!" Kirana Ti screamed, horrified.
Her focus now changed, Kirana Ti began running. She shoved a Nightsister out of her way and headed to the nearest sopfha. Its rider was slumped over, her back pierced by an arrow.
Kirana Ti grabbed the Nightsister and unceremoniously dumped her to the gronund. She quickly mounted the sopfha and rode after the fleeing Nightsister, determined to save her daughter.
Luke and Callista ran over to join with Corran. "Corran!" Luke shouted.
"Master Skywalker?" Corran turned to them, his face paling as if he had just seen a ghost. It was soon replaced with relief, relief that his friends had not died after all. "Callista? You're alive? But how--"
"We'll explain later," Luke said. "But for now--it's time to fight."
Callista ran over to assist the Singing Mountain warriors, while Luke and Corran fought back-to-back, killing Nightsisters left and right.
One of the evil women swung her halberd toward Luke's head; had it connected, it would have neatly struck his head off. Luke deflected the blow with his lightsaber, slicing the weapon into two pieces, and plunged the yellow-green blade into the Nightsister's gut. The old woman grunted in pain, dropping to her knees, and Luke brought her down with a kick to the side.
Another Nightsister came forth, shrieking like a wild animal. She was not armed; she was determined to tear Luke apart with her bare hands.
Luke waited until just the right moment, then bent over and tossed the Nightsister over his back as she lunged in. She landed on her back right behind him, the air knocked out of her. Luke spun, and a single blow with his lightsaber put the Nightsister down permanently.
"Master Skywalker, there's too many of them! Corran shouted, as he knocked a passing Nightsister off her sopfha with a well-directed Force blow. "Should we retreat?"
"Jedi never retreat!" Luke shouted back, driving his lightsaber into another Nightsister.
Suddenly, a huge explosion erupted in the thick of the battle, knocking Luke, Corran, and most of the other fighters off their feet. Luke's vision blurred as he plowed back through the air and hit the ground, his ears ringing from the deafening noise.
"What the hell was that?" Corran said as he staggered weakly to his feet.
"Blaster cannon," the Jedi Master replied, following after his student. From the Falcon!
As the smoke from the blast started to clear, he could make out the bodies of several Nightsisters and Singing Mountain warriors scattered all over the battlefield.
Someone over to Luke's left screamed, and he turned to see Anya standing over the body of a wounded Clan sister, ready to strike her down with her lightsaber.
"No!" Luke shouted, and ran over to the two combatants at full speed.
Anya brought her saber down upon the girl's head, but it was intercepted by Luke's weapon. The two blades locked together, sizzling and sparking.
Anya looked into Luke's eyes, the horror and shock evident in her face. "Skywalker!" she gasped.
Luke smiled. "Good memory." He pushed with his lightsaber, knocking the Nightsister leader to the ground.
Corran ran over to help the wounded girl, while Luke faced Anya.
The Nightsister recovered from her surprise, and knocked Luke down with a Force blow to the chest. Leaping to her feet, she charged toward Corran, who was trying to help the Sister to her feet.
Before he even had time to defend himself, Anya snapped a powerful kick to Corran's gut. The Jedi gasped in pain as the air left his body. She brought her knee straight into his face, snapping Corran's head back, his nose shattering, and a Force shove knocked him off his feet.
"Anya!" Luke yelled. "Leave him out of this! You deal with me!" He got up, ready to defend himself.
Anya smiled. "With pleasure."
And she did.
Kirana Ti tugged on the reins of her sopfha, urging the green-scaled beast to move faster. The Nightsister was not far away now, still dragging Arian behind her. Kirana Ti could still hear her daughter screaming in terror as she and the Nightsister headed for a cliff. The black-cloaked woman was obviously planning to plunge them both to their deaths.
Not if I can help it, Kirana Ti said to herself with grim determination. She tried not to allow any emotions detract her from her mission. All that mattered was saving her daughter.
The cliff was getting closer by the second. Kirana Ti was fully aware of what she was doing. If she failed, both riders would fall off the cliff and hit the rocks below. And Arian would be one of the victims.
Despite all this, Kirana Ti continued the pursuit.
Arian's head struck a large boulder growing out of the ground, silencing the girl's screams. Kirana Ti froze, horrified for a brief second that the impact had killed her. She reached out with her senses, and heaved a relieved sigh when she saw that Arian was still alive. She was gravely injured, but she would still live--if Kirana Ti got to her in time.
Kirana Ti gnashed her teeth, trying to fight the frustration that threatened to overcome her at any moment. Panic would not help at a time like this. She had to be clear-headed and focused.
Hold on, Arian, Kirana Ti sent out, hoping her daughter would hear. I'm coming.
Moments later, she was finally side-by-side with the Nightsister. With one hand still grasping the reins, making sure that she wouldn't fall off, Kirana Ti turned to face the old woman, who stared back with a look of derision. She smiled, baring her black, rotted teeth.
"Foolish woman!" she cackled. "Say goodbye to your daughter, Kirana Ti. It's the last time you'll ever--"
"Shut up!" Without waiting for her to finish, Kirana Ti backhanded the Nightsister with a closed fist, knocking the woman off her sopfha. The Nightsister smacked into the snow and continued rolling.
Ignoring her, Kirana Ti used her free arm to snatch the reins of the other sopfha. Even without its rider, the animal continued its collision course towards the cliff.
"WHOA!" Kirana Ti bellowed, yanking at the reins with all her strength.
In a matter of seconds, the sopfha slowed its run and eventually skidded to a halt. Kirana Ti halted her own ride, and leaped off the sopfha. Without wasting any time, she rushed to her daughter's side.
"Arian," she whispered, freeing her daughter's ankles of the whuffa rope that bound her to the sopfha. She gathered her daughter in a tight embrace, surveying her head wound. "My baby, are you all right?"
Arian's eyes fluttered open, and she groaned in pain. She looked at her mother and managed a weak smile. "I'm just a bowl of cherries, Mother,"
Luke swung yet another blow for Anya's head, which the Nightsister expertly dodged. Anya retaliated, and their lightsabers clashed once more.
As they fought, the sky began to slowly darken. A snowstorm was threatening to approach, which would make the battle even worse. As it was, Luke was having a difficult time with his opponent. He still hadn't fully recovered from his near-death, while Anya seemed to be growing stronger with each blow she threw.
They fought on like this for minutes, until Luke started to lower his guard. Then Anya caught him with an uppercut to the jaw, causing his teeth to clack together and bite his tongue and stagger back. Anya followed the punch with a sidekick to the gut, which propelled the Jedi Master to the ground on his back.
Anya then moved on to Corran, who was just starting to get to his feet. Standing over him, she brought her elbow upon his spine, driving the young man back down.
Determined not to give up, Corran got back up with his lightsaber and threw a weak blow for Anya's head. The Nightsister ducked, and parried a slash to the right elbow. As the two blades interlocked, she sent her fist into Corran's mouth, shatterin his lips and knocking several teeth out. A second punch gave him a nasty black eye, and Anya topped that with a Force shove that tore Corran off his feet and smashed him into Luke, knocking them both down.
"Anya!" Callista ran forth to challenge the Nightsister. Her lightsaber was held out in front of her, eyes meeting the other's. "You tried to kill us!"
Anya flashed Callista a wicked grin. "Well, if it isn't Skywalker's bitch." She waved her lightsaber teasingly for Callista to see. "This time, I'll make sure you'll stay dead."
Callista grinned. "We'll see who dies." With that, she charged toward the Nightsister with the speed of a mynock.
She knocked Callista down with a punch to the face.
Kirana Ti and Arian headed back into the battlfield, dodging the red- hot laser bolts that lanced from the blaster cannons and the blue-white lightning from the Nightsisters. Kirana Ti shielded her daughter from the onslaught, looking frantically for a hiding place.
Her eyes rested on a burned-up wagon, nearly torn apart by the cannons. She could distinctly hear the wailing of Heless's pups; Arian had hidden them inside the wagon before she had been taken away from the Nightsister. Kirana Ti and her daughter headed over there, avoiding the combating warriors.
"Stay here, Arian," Kirana Ti said softly as she put her wounded daughter inside the wagon. She grasped Arian's hand, giving her a reassuring smile. "Wait here until the battle's over. Then we can go home...together."
Arian nodded. "I'm scared, Momma," she said. "What if you don't come back?"
"I will come back," Kirana Ti whispered, kissing her daughter on the forehead. "Nothing on this planet will keep me from coming back to you."
With that, she placed a cover over Arian to hide her and the pups from the Nightsisters and headed back to the battle.
Arian had grown up hearing the stories of war. Her grandmother had described war as "the most frightening, horrific event a warrior would ever have to face; not even the tortures of hell can compare to losing your friends and loved ones in battle." Her mother had told Arian time and time again that there was nothing heroic about war; it only served to waste the lives of innocent people.
You will soon become a warrior, Arian, her mother had said. And you will have to fight to protect the people you love. And you will then see the true horrors of war...and its consequences.
And now here she was; tired, battered, hungry, cold. Hiding in a half- destroyed wagon, with two crying children, in the midst of a war she had never asked for, a war that had killed her father and grandmother.
It was and would forever be the most frightening moment in her life.
Even worse, she couldn't do anything about it. She couldn't fight, for she was still young and inexperienced. She couldn't help her mother in the battle, just sit here and do nothing while dozens of people died around her. She was totally, utterly helpless.
And it was a horrible feeling.
Arian shivered; she was wearing only her lizard armor, and it did little to protect her from the freezing cold. The wagon certainly didn't help, for the cold wind burst through the numerous holes made from the blaster cannons. Her hands were numb; she could barely move them. She had lost all feeling in her ears, face, and legs. She couldn't even feel her wounds anymore. How she longed to be home, sitting near the warm fireplace, laughing with her father about the adventures she had today, and listen to her grandmother's stories...
But her home was now gone. Destroyed by the wrath of the Nightsisters. Her family--save for her mother--was dead. Those days she longed for would never happen again.
They were now only memories.
Arian glanced over at the crying pups, her heart going out to them. They must have been cold and hungry as well, but she could do nothing for them. And their mother was dead, unable to care for them.
Arian risked a peek from under the blanket that shielded them to view the battle.
She shrieked when something fell on top of her, blocking her vision. Arian fell back, horrified that a Nightsister had caught her.
Instead, it was a corpse of a Clan Sister. Her throat had been slit, the blood now frozen from the sheer cold. Her eyes were wide open, and Arian could tell that she had not even seen the killing blow coming. Her lifeless face locked with Arian's, empty and haunting.
Arian barely supressed a scream. Her grandmother's words echoed in her mind, reminding her of the horrors of war.
There was indeed nothing heroic about it.
Callista grunted as a Force shove to the ribs knocked her back to the ground. She laid on her side, gasping for air. Her ribs hurt from the invisible impact, her lightsaber just out of her reach. Emitting a groan of pain, she reached over to grab it.
Anya sauntered toward the downed woman, a ferocious grin spreading across her face. Callista looked up to meet the Nightsister's eyes, tempted to spit in her horrid face.
Anya continued smiling as she raised her lightsaber high into the air- -
--and brought her elbow back, striking Luke squarely in the gut. The Jedi Master had tried to attack her from behind, but Anya had sensed him coming. Luke bent over, a groan escaping from his lips. Anya brought her elbow back again, smashing Luke in the face.
Callista tried to get up to help her husband, but she couldn't muster the energy. Her beating from Anya and the wounds she sustained from the crucifixion were starting to take their toll. Not even the Force could help her.
But the dark side can...
Luke and Anya exchanged blows with their lightsabers, but it was clearly no contest. The Nightsister had Luke outmatched. And Callista could only look on, helpless.
The dark side...
No! Callista would not be swayed by evil. It is not the way!
But it is...
Kara's voice. Urging her to give in to her darkness. As she had done when Luke had been injured. She could easily beat Anya if she just tapped in--
Anya knocked Luke's lightsaber out of his hands. She then struck with the Force, knocking Luke several feet into the air and smacking him into the corpse of a rancor. Luke slid to the ground seconds later, out like a light.
The dark side...
Anya laughed. "I wonder how a weakling like you were able to beat Gethzerion, Skywalker," she taunted, then turned to Callista.
Callista glared daggers at the other woman. "You're gonna regret that," she snapped, but there was no strength behind her words.
Anya reached over and grabbed Callista by the arm. She twisted it hard enough to nearly break bone, and Callista cried out in pain. "You may be a Jedi, Callista," the Nightsister whispered in her ear, her breath hot on Callista's skin, "but you are still just a weak little human." She twisted her arm even further. "I have always wanted to kill a Jedi Knight."
The dark side...
Give in to it...
It has powers you cannot even imagine!
Give in! Give in! Give IN!!!
Callista turned and gave Anya a wicked grin. "Enjoy it while it lasts."
Her fist came up so fast that Anya couldn't even react. The Nightsister twisted to the ground, losing her grip on the Jedi.
Callista rolled to her feet, drawing her strength from the dark side. It was like an unending well, giving her unlimited power. Power to defeat the Nightsisters.
And she would start with Anya.
Her entire body singing with anticipation, Callista threw a roundkick across Anya's face, knocking the Nightsister into the caged wagon that once held her prisoners. She leaped after her, her movement fluid, grabbed Anya by the back of her robe, and flipped her through the wooden wall. The Nightsister crashed through the wagon and hit the snow.
Kill her, Callista! Kill her before she recovers!
"With pleasure," Callista snarled as she jumped off the wagon. Anya was starting to get to her feet.
"Going somewhere?" Callista quipped, bringing her foot up into the Nightsister's jaw, throwing her back into the snow.
Luke was now on his feet. "Callista!" he called.
Callista turned to him. "Go help Corran and the others!" she shouted. "I'll take care of Anya!"
Luke nodded and ran over to help Corran up.
Callista turned to Anya, who was now standing on her feet, her knees slightly wobbling.
"Losing your touch, Anya?" Callista teased, bringing the Nightsister down with another kick to the face. "What's the matter, I thought you Nightsisters were supposed to be tough."
Anya got up, wiping blood from her mouth. "That was good. But I can do better!"
Lightning danced from her fingertips, heading for Callista. The Jedi leaped to her right and rolled, taking refuge behind the prison wagon. Anya launched another salvo, the lightning large enough to destroy the entire wagon.
Callista cursed and leaped away. The wagon exploded into a ball of fire, narrowly missing Callista. She rolled to her feet, and ducked to avoid another blast.
Anya finally gave up with the lightning and dashed full-force toward Callista. She smashed into the Jedi, tackling her to the ground.
The two women were on their feet within seconds, and Anya drew out her lightsaber. Callista threw a kick to the Nightsister's chest, knocking her back several steps, followed by a roundhouse kick across her face.
Anya reeled, even as Callista threw a third kick. The Nightsister ducked the blow, and swung her lightsaber in an arc toward Callista's knees.
Callista called upon the Force and leaped over the blade. At the same time, she reached out with her mind and snatched the lightsaber from Anya's grip. She landed on her feet, with Anya's saber in her hand. She held the blade inches from the Nightsister's neck.
"Looks like I win," Callista smiled.
Without bothering to reply, Anya struck out with her foot, knocking the lightsaber from Callista. She caught it mid-air and prepared to attack. Callista likewise retrieved her own lightsaber, determined more than ever to take this woman down.
Even if it meant succumbing to the dark side.
Callista struck. She moved with incredible speed, her lightsaber a blur of yellow as it aimed for Anya's head. The Nightsister counterattacked with equal speed and strength, drawing strength from Callista's anger. The two women fought, each using their skills to the fullest. Neither would stop until the other was down.
Callista struck blow after blow, her mind sinking deeper and deeper into the darkness she had once tried to avoid. Her blows became sloppier, more animal-like. With each blow, it seemed as if she lost a part of her humanity, and her soul grew more tainted with the dark side. But she didn't care. Not at all.
Callista finally saw an opening, and she elbowed Anya sharply in the face. Something on her face cracked--most likely her nose--and Callista kicked her lightsaber out of her hands. Anya now stood there, unarmed. An easy target.
"You know, Anya," Callista said as she prepared to deliver the killing blow, "the reason why Luke beat Gethzerion was because she was too soft...which is what you're slowly becoming!"
Anya dodged the slash, and her hand came out, grabbing Callista by the arm. She twisted it with amazing strength, almost snapping the bone. Callista gasped, dropping her lightsaber to the ground.
Anya smiled. "You were saying?" she said, her face only an inch away from Callista's. "Haven't you learned by now, nothing can stop the Nightsisters!"
Callista merely snorted. "Did you know you got this huge pimple on your face?"
Anya stepped back in surprise, taken aback, giving Callista the perfect opportunity. She brought her head back and rammed her forehead into Anya's face. The Nightsister cried out and staggered back, disoriented, her nose smashed by the blow.
Callista shrugged.
"Looks like I popped it for you," she said, and delivered a powerful punch that knocked the Nightsister off her feet, throwing her to the ground several feet away.
As she clambered to her feet, Callista went over to her, tsking in mock disappointment. "You know, I'm kinda disappointed. I thought you'd be better than this. So much for the all-mighty Nightsisters."
Anya screeched, furiously swinging a punch for Callista's face. Callista dodged, and head-butted the Nightsister once again, bringing the woman to her knees.
Kill her, Callista! Do it! Kill her now!
Callista got her lightsaber ready, prepared to do just that. This would be her only shot. She had to take Anya out now, or else she would be free to continue slaughtering. Killing the leader of the Nightsisters would finally end the war.
Kill her!
Callista brought her lightsaber up, flashing Anya a grin that terrified even the strongest people, ready to kill this horrid monster once and for all--
Kill her!
And Callista stopped. Something suddenly didn't feel right about this. She looked down at Anya, who was cowering in fear. All it would take is one blow--*one* blow--and Anya would be dead.
But she couldn't.
If she killed Anya like this, then the Nightsister would win. Callista would be no better than she was. This went against everything she had learned from Djinn and Luke. Killing in cold blood was not the way of the Jedi.
Taking a deep breath, Callista lowered her weapon.
Anya looked up at her with a glare on her face. "What's wrong, Callista, having second thoughts?" She reached into her robe and drew out a small dagger. Before Callista could move away, Anya slashed the dagger across her thigh, digging deep into her flesh and drawing blood.
Callista gasped in unexpected pain and nearly fell, but she regained her balance at the last minute. Anya stood up, taking advantage of her opponent's weakness, and sent her fist into Callista's jaw, sending her reeling.
"You worthless coward!" Anya spat.
She brought her lightsaber down upon Callista's head. Callista deflected the blow with her own blade, but just barely. She then gasped as Anya kicked her full in the gut, a burning wave of nausea rising in her throat.
Anya struck again, this time disarming Callista. She then finished with a powerful Force blow, tossing Callista to the ground.
With her prey finally down, Anya slowly walked over to Callista. The Jedi got up to her knees, all her strength leeched out. Tapping into the dark side had cost her. She no longer could fight.
Anya stood over the fallen woman with a satisfied sigh. "Time to join your family in the land of the dead."
She brought up her saber and delivered the final blow--
Time seemed to slow as Anya brought her lightsaber down. Callista laid there on her knees, resigned to her fate, waiting for the blade to strike her upon the head. She had no strength left in her, no way to fight back. If she tried to, Anya would only win.
The lightsaber moved closer and closer, slowed by time.
Callista took a deep breath and prepared to close her eyes--when something caught her eye.
Anya's dagger.
It was laying right next to the Nightsister's foot, unattended to. She must have dropped it after slicing Callista in the leg. Anya didn't seem to notice it.
But Callista did.
As the lightsaber bore down on her, Callista reached out, using the last shred of strength she could muster, snatched the blade with both hands, brought it up with an ear-shattering yell--
--and stabbed the Nightsister in the gut.
Time began to speed up. The lightsaber's descent slowed, and Anya's body stiffened from the blow. The Nightsister looked down at the knife shoved hilt-deep into her flesh, and then at Callista, who crumped to the floor, drained dry of adrenaline.
Anya barely managed a squeak, dropping her lightsaber. "You killed me, Callista. You actually did it."
Callista locked eyes with her opponent. "I wished it didn't have to end this way."
The Nightsister gurgled and staggered, both hands going to the dagger, trying to pry it loose, but Callista had buried it in too deep. "Then all hope is lost," she said sadly.
Callista couldn't help but feel sympathy for the woman. "I'm sorry," she said. "But I did what had to be done."
Anya nodded, as if accepting this, and fell on her back. She uttered one last moan of pain and died.
As if one cue, the snowstorm that had been building up throughout the battle finally gave birth. Snow began to fall, and a powerful wind burst from the sky, mercilessly hammering the fighting warriors and corpses. Callista hugged her robe around herself to keep warm, but it did little good.
As the storm raged on, the tattered army of Nightsisters began to retreat. Seeing that their leader was dead, it led the survivors into disarray. They fled from the blood-soaked battlefield, heading back to their camp.
"Callista!"
Callista weakly turned to see Luke run over to her. She sank to her knees as he reached her. Luke cuddled his wife, planting several kisses on her face. "Callista, we've won," Luke said. "We've won! I love you so much, my love!"
Callista somehow found the strength to clasp Luke's hand with her own. "I never thought we'd survive this day," she said.
"Neither did I," he said, tears of relief and joy gathering in his eyes. "But the Force was with us. And we won."
"I love you, Luke," Callista said as she snuggled against her husband's chest. Luke continued to hold her, still kissing her.
All around them, the Clan Sisters cheered in unison, their voices rising above the screaming wind. Teneniel held her staff in the air, emitting a victory war cry. Kirana Ti stood with one arm draped lovingly over Arian, who held Heless's two children, a smile on her face. After one of the bloodiest battles in Dathomir's history, after all the death, destruction, and bloodshed, victory over the Nightsisters had at last been achieved. Anya was dead.
And the Singing Mountain Clan had won.
Several days later, after everyone's wounds had been treated, Luke, Callista, Han, Leia, their children, Chewbacca, Luke's students, and all the warriors of the Singing Mountain Clan gathered in the woods the say farewell to Heless.
The casualties of the battle were grievous. Over sixty warriors had been killed, and even more were wounded. Heless had been one of the many victims, but in her case, it was even worse. She had been an innocent bystander, trapped in a war she had nothing to do with. And even though she had safely given birth to two strong pups, and Katharss was defeated, it had cost Heless her life. She would definitely be missed.
Arian clasped her mother's arm and watched as two warriors placed Heless's body on the funeral pyre. Another lit a torch and set it on fire. Slowly, the flames began to envelop the dead Ssekhmet.
Callista watched on, fighting back tears. She had barely known Heless, but she had been a good, decent person who only wished to save her babies. She didn't deserve this fate. Now she wouls never live to care for her children, would never live to see them grow, would never watch them live their lives.
The very thought that this had nearly happened to Callista and Hope terrified her.
Augwynne stood over the pyre, singing a haunting funeral song. It was beautiful, expressing regret, sadness, and hope all at the same time. The dirge sent a shive down Callista's scene, and her grip on Luke's hand tightened.
The other warriors, including Kirana Ti and Teneniel, began a slow dance around the pyre and joined Augwynne in the song, echoing throughout the forest. Callista walked over to Arian, who held Heless's pups, both of which were sound asleep, making sweet cooing noises through their ears. "I'm sorry, Arian," Callista said softly.
The little girl nodded, refusing to cry. "My mother and I will take care of her children. She would've wanted it that way. They're our new family now." She stroked the pup's golden-brown fur, gazing at them with a mother's love.
It was then that Callista truly felt awful. This girl--this innocent-- had been through so much in the past few weeks, things that no child should ever be punished with. Her father and grandmother were dead, her home destroyed, her life threatened several times over, and now a close friend of hers had died before her very eyes. Callista's heart truly went out to Arian.
"They'll grow up to be very fine people," Callista said, putting an arm around the little girl. "Heless would be very proud of them."
"But she's gone," Arian said.
Callista sighed, stroking Arian's hair. "She'll never really be gone, Arian," she whispered. "She'll always be with you, as long as you keep her alive in your heart. People you love never leave you, even in death." A single tear ran down her cheek as she thought of her mother and Kara. "Heless died so that her children can live. She is now one with the Force, Arian. She was probably the most courageous person I have ever seen. And you know that as well as I do."
Arian nodded. "I do..." She buried her face into Callista's arms, sobs racking her body.
Callista held the little girl, more tears streaming down her face. The warriors of Singing Mountain continued their somber dance, their melodious voices rising into the night.
Only after the funerals had ended and the last of the dead had been burned did rest finally come.
Callista and Luke were anxious to get back to Singing Mountain and see their daughter. Though still weakened from the injuries they had suffered in battle, they managed a brisk half-walk, half-run to the room where Anakin and Hope slept.
The baby woke when her parents entered the room, and gurgled happily as if to say, "took you long enough."
Callista bent over and scooped Hope into her arms. "Oh, my little love! We made it. We missed you so much!" Her thoughts lingered on her vision of her family. "I love you so much," she whispered tearfully. She turned back to Luke with a wide smile. Luke smiled and put his arms gently around her shoulders and they embraced, keeping their daughter between them.
Luke lifted Hope from Callista's arms. "Hello again, little one." he said. He couldn't find any more words appropriate to the situation.
Anakin sat up groggily, rubbing his eyes. Then he saw his aunt and uncle. "Uncle Luke! Aunt Callista! You're alive!" He leapt up and ran for them. Luke scooped his nephew into his arms.
"Thank you, Anakin. You saved our lives."
Anakin shook his head. "It was Hope's idea.
Late that night, Luke and Callista slept with Hope in between them.
Or rather, Callista slept.
The sound of crying was unmistakable. Luke hovered on the border of sleep and consciousness for a few seconds, then realized that the strange noise he had been hearing was his daughter who was calling her parents both from deep sleep.
Callista rolled over to face him, eyes still closed from the exhaustion of having stayed up with Hope last night. "Mmm? What is it?" Her eyes fluttered open suddenly. "Is that Hope?"
Luke chuckled. "Callie, maybe you should get back to sleep. You haven't gotten much in the last few days..."
She propped herself up on her elbows, rubbing her eyelids to force herself to wake. "But--"
He pushed gently back on the bed. "It's all right, I'll take this one. I want some bonding time with my little girl, anyway."
She smiled, and kissed him on the lips, soft and warm and full of life. "I love you, Luke Skywalker," she whispered.
"I love you too Callie..." He kissed her back and brushed the fallen locks from her eyes, watching her slowly surrender to sleep. "I love you..."
Hope's cries had gotten louder. Her face had turned red from the effort, eyes squeezed shut as her tiny fists balled in the air. "Shhh... Daddy's here, little one... It's all right, you're all right, aren't you?" He slid one hand under her head and gently lifted her from the crib. Her crying eased, slowly, tentatively, giving way to a quiet whimper, as Luke pulled her close to him. "There now, you just wanted someone to hold you, didn't you?"
He ran a finger over her head, marveling at the softness of her crown, the peach fuzz of dark blond hair that peeked from her head. She had his face--the chin dimple and the wide smile, but she also had Callista's nose and oval face. She would be beautiful, he thought to himself. Beautiful and precious.
And loved.
He kissed her again and breathed deep, taking in her sweet, newborn scent. "Someday, princess," he whispered, "someday I hope you will know just how much you were loved by your mother and me."
Hope wiggled and gurgled restlessly in his arms. Luke sat forward, holding her in the palms of his hands. Words came to his mind, the words of an old song Aunt Beru used to sing to lull him to sleep. He hadn't thought of it for ages, but one part still rang clear in his mind:
Through dying suns and midnights grim
And treachery and faith gone dim
Whatever dark the world may send
Still lovers meet at journey's end.
He hummed the tune quietly for a moment, then sang the phrase again. In a moment, Hope slept. He returned her to her position between himself and Callista.
He looked at Callista's face, tired and scratched and frostbitten. He brushed back stray curls of her dark, malty hair, traced her cheek with a finger, and marvelled at how lucky he was. How else could he find someone so wonderful, and actually bring another wonderful person into the world with her?
Callista smiled faintly as he touched her chin--she was a little ticklish there.
Luke smiled too. "I love you, Callista," he whispered.
Then he slept.
Emna surveyed the war-torn battlefield, a slight wind blowing at her hair, her robe wrapped tightly around her body. Dawn was slowly approaching, the sun's rays just barely penetrating the black, starless sky.
Emna was the only one left. After the battle, and seeing that Anya was dead, the remaining Nightsisters had retreated into the woods. They had no place to go, no place to hide. The Singing Mountain Clan and their neighboring clans caught the Nightsisters one by one and had them all hanged for their crimes.
Leaving only Emna.
She could barely make out the bloodied corpses of her fellow Sisters. The Singing Mountain Clan had given their own warriors a proper burial, but left the Nightsister bodies to freeze in the snow. The bodies were now frozen in place, like ice sculptures. Smoke still rose from where the blaster cannons had struck the ground, its stench still noticeable.
Emna looked on, her heart sinking. They had failed. All the training, all the preparation, all the sacrifices...it was all for nothing. Gabriela and Anya had promised an easy victory for the Nightsisters, but they had been wrong.
The Nightsisters had lost.
"There is still hope," a voice said behind her. "The war is not over yet."
Emna turned to see a woman draped in black standing next to her, her face hidden by a hood. "Who are you?" she asked, more curious than afraid.
"A friend," said the figure. "I have been watching the Nightsisters for some time now. They had so much potential, but they are now no more. But the war is far from over."
"What can we do?" Emna said. "Anya is dead, and I am the only Sister left."
The figure turned to face her, and Emna could feel her smile. "Join the Order of Kerash. I have an entire army raised, thousands of warriors well-trained in the dark side and employed by Black Sun."
The name surprised Emna. "The Black Sun? she gasped.
The figure nodded. "We have a plan, a plan that will succeed. Not only in bringing down the clans of Dathomir...but the entire New Republic."
Excitement rushed through Emna's veins at the thought of destroying the New Republic. She quickly nodded. "Yes," she hissed. "I will join you."
"Exactly what I was counting on." The figure pulled back the hood, revealing her face. Forgive me for my rudeness. We never were properly introduced."
"My name is Emna," the Nightsister said. "And who are you?"
The woman smiled.
"Cray Mingla."