Chapter 19

As Hope entered the Main Hall, just a few seconds behind Anakin, and with Armenia holding her by the arm, she gaped at the display in the chamber with horror. All the Kerash priests had gathered for the ritual, forming a circle around a huge pile of human bones, muttering incoherent chants. Tsin stood in the center, raising his hands into the sky, toward the ceiling, which was now open, displaying the finished eclipse in all its glory.
The sight of the bones sent a feeling or revulsion through Hope's throat. How could anyone commit such horrible atrocities to innocent people, and use their bones as a part of their crazy ritual? She looked up at Armenia, who nodded with satisfaction, and gazed down at Hope with frightening, hungry eyes.
"The ritual is starting, little one," she said. "I will try to make it as painless for you as possible."
Hope glared to the woman, wishing Armenia nothing more than a slow, agonizing death.
On the far end of the chamber, she saw Kinshur, the teenage boy she had tried without much success to talk to earlier, nailed into the wall. She cringed when she saw the nails embedded in his wrists and ankles, keeping him pinned to the limestone walls. He seemed to be in great pain, his eyes almost squeezed entirely shut. Blood ran down his wounds, dripping aimlessly to the marbled floor.
Tsin looked up and smiled at Armenia. "Ah, you have arrived," he said, walking over to them. He smiled kindly down at Hope and patted her head. If it wasn't for the fact that he was planning to kill her, Hope would have liked it. "Are you prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice in the name of the Great Arak, little one?"
Hope furiously shook her head. "I don't think so!" she protested. "You and your stupid god can rot in the dark side forever, for all I care!"
Rather than become angry, the High Priest smiled even more. "I like you, young Skywalker," he said softly. "Too bad you'll have to die when we draw your blood. Otherwise, we could have become the best of friends." As Tsin spoke, he drew out a long, curved dagger from his black-red robe. It was almost a foot in length, and extremely sharp. Hope winced as the thought of having someone cut into her with a knife like that. Tsin must have seen her reaction, for her said, "We'll make it quick, don't worry." He said that as if it would make Hope feel better...but she didn't.
He looked up at Armenia. "Chain them up," he commanded.
Armenia nodded, and dragged Hope over to a set of chains connected to the west wall. As she struggled fruitlessly, she saw Anakin being led to the wall opposite of her. Annie! she thought-shouted, sending a single thought out to her cousin.
It'll be okay, Hope, she heard him reply through the Force, and she thanked the Maker several times over that the Kerash weren't Force-sensitive. Be brave. Don't show these people your fear. Don't give them the satisfaction.
I'm...I'm just so scared, Hope thought, as Armenia clamped the chains on her wrists. Hope tried to move her arms, but the chains held them tightly in place. I don't wanna die. Anakin remained silent for a moment, as a pair of Kerash guards chained him to the wall. He looked over at Hope with small, helpless eyes. Me neither, he finally said.
As the circle of priests continued humming, Tsin stood atop the dais, in front of the altar. "We must now begin the Ritual of the Coming!" he said, a torch held in his hand. He raised it high into the air. "After thousands of years of waiting, our day of triumph has finally come. The portal will finally be opened, and Arak will return to lead us to victory!"
"Arak!" the Kerash chanted. Armenia and her warriors raised their staffs in the air, while the circle of priests brought their hands up, dancing slowly to the beating of the dums. "Arak! Arak! Arak! Arak! Arak!"
"As it was written in the scrolls, so it shall be done," Tsin continued, his voice reverberating in the room, sending a shiver down Hope's spine. The High Priest gestured toward the mountain of bones with his torch. "O Mighty Arak, let the bones of the Unknowing be our gift to you! Let the flames consume their spirits!"
With that, he threw his torch into the mound, causing the bones to catch on fire within seconds. The priests, all of them cloaked in black, grew louder, performing a ritual dance that included spinning around and throwing their hands into the air. In their native tongue, they spoke the prayers of Arak.
Hope watched the terrifying display, unable to describe the fear she felt. Here it comes... she thought, focusing her eyes on Tsin's dagger.
"And now," Tsin said, as one of the priests broke away from the circle, heading up the steps. "The blood of the Vessel shall be drawn." He handed the knife to the black-hooded priest, who sauntered over to Kinshur, who seemed on the verge of losing consciousness due to the loss of blood. The priest--Hope couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman--raised the blade up to the young man's stomach.
"For Arak!" Kinshur suddenly shouted, his voice rising above even the chanting of the priests. "May the Goddess rule over all!" The priest jabbed the blade into his abdomen, drawing a gasp of ecstasy from the young boy's mouth. Instantly, blood spurted free, splattering the priest's black robes and onto the floor. Hope turned her head and closed her eyes, unwilling to witness the onslaught. Please let it be over soon, she begged. Please...Please...Please...
Tsin went up to Kinshur, holding a small gold-carved bowl in his hands. He placed it just under the boy's stomach, and the blood pumped into the bowl.
"The blood of the Vessel," he whispered. "The blood of the Vessel has been drawn!"
"Praise the Mighty Arak!" Armenia shouted, and the Kerash echoed her sentiments. "Now, the blood of the Bond must be taken," Tsin said, looking over his shoulder toward the priest with the blade. Then his eyes went over to Anakin, who watched the ritual with wide, frightened eyes. "Start with the boy."

Callista, Luke, and the Kerash rebels continued their sprint through the jungle, drawing closer and closer to the Temple of Arak. Already, Callista could it in the distance, rising high above even the twisted gnarltrees, like a beacon. The minutes slowly dripped away. We're running out of time, Callista thought, very close to panic. By the time we get there, we'll be too late...
"How far now?" Callista asked breathlessly.
"Almost there," Kieran replied. "There's about a dozen or so guards at the entrance gate. They'll be well-armed. If we're going to take them out, we have to attack from the trees...where they can't see us."
Luke nodded in agreement. "Callista and I can cloak our presence with the Force. The Kerash won't be able to see us, even if we're standing right in front of them."
Kieran gave Luke an amazed glance. "You really have the power to do such a thing?"
Callista smiled. "Of course I do. I'm the Angel of Light, remember?"
As they approached the temple, Callista could feel her daughter's presence, as well as Anakin's. They were scared--no, terrified, she realized. And yet, they were still hopeful for a rescue. Hang on, Hope, she thought. We're coming...
It was then that Callista felt a cold stabbing in her heart, as painful as when the Kerash had planted the blade into her stomach, killing her son. It was a disturbance in the Force, warning her of a dark, malevolent presence nearby. A very familiar presence...
And she knew exactly who it was.
"By the Force," she whispered. "No..."

Llia burst through the double-doors of the Main Hall, just as the Kerash began the ritual. She first saw a large bonfire blazing in the center of the chamber, then Armenia, then Tsin, then Kinshur. And then...
"Hope!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "Anakin!"
One of the Kerash priests had Anakin by the arm, while another slashed deep into his hand with a dagger. Llia saw the blood, saw it streaming down his skin, and into a small golden bowl. The little boy was screaming in agony, as the blade dug into his flesh.
"Leave him alone!" Hope shouted. "Get away from him!"
"Hope!" Llia exclaimed again, rushing over to the little girl.
Armenia heard her, and she turned to face Llia, furious. "What are you doing here?" she snapped. "Guards, stop her! Don't let her anywhere near the Bond!" Llia ignored her and continued running. She was just within arm's reach of Hope, who looked at her in surprise. Llia opened her mouth to tell her that everything would be fine now, that she was going to get her and Anakin out of here--
--and screamed as a pair of hands grabbed her from the left, nearly wrenching her arm out of its socket. Pulled her away from Hope, shoved her brutally against the wall.
"Llia!" Hope yelled. "You leave her alone!" She struggled against her chains, but they remained bolted into the wall. As Llia screamed and kicked at the Kerash holding her, Armenia stood in front of her, far from pleased.
"You selfish little brat, when will you ever learn?"
Without warning, Llia spat in Armenia's face. She watched as the yellowish- brown spittle dripped down her cousin's chin, and saw Armenia recoil in surprise. Although she knew that she had made a huge mistake, she allowed herself to feel good about it for a few precious seconds.
"I hate you!" Llia hissed, glaring at her in contempt. And she meant every word she said.
Armenia wiped the spittle away, and smiled. "Really? I've never liked you, either. Too much like your sister." She punched her in the face, and Llia's vision went black...

Hope watched as Armenia struck Llia down. Furious, she gnashed her teeth and pulled against the chains.
"Leave her alone!" she shouted. Just give me a few minutes alone with Armenia. Just a few minutes, and I'll make her wish she had never been born...
A shadow loomed over her, and she looked up to see the priest with the knife standing before her, ready to draw her blood. "Now, the blood of the Bond must be complete," Tsin announced from the dais. "The blood of the Sacred Three must be brought together, to open the portal."
He offered a nod to the Kerash priest. "Do it."
Hope shrieked and tried to back away, but the priest was too fast for her. The priest grabbed her by the shoulder and shoved her against the wall with incredible strength, taking her breath away. She looked up at the person's hidden face with tear-stricken eyes. "Please, don't do this..."
The priest pressed the tip of the blade against the palm of Hope's left hand. Hope braced herself, expecting the pain to begin--
--and watched as the priest, rather than cut her, pulled back the face- covering hood. The first thing Hope saw was a mass of thick brown hair, looking so much like her mother's... And when she looked into her face, she understood. A cold, paralyzing terror struck her body, unlike any she had experienced before. One look into the priest's cold gray eyes told her who this person was. She had never known her, had never seen her until now, but one look into those eyes, that all-too-familiar face, she knew.
"Oh, Force..." Hope whimpered, every bone in her body turning to water.
"Hello, Hope," Kara said, as she prepared to stick the blade into her hand. "At last, She has come..."

Callista hadn't realized that she had stopped running. She stood in the midst of the gnarltrees, frozen in place, her mind not even beginning to register the shock she felt.
I can't believe it, she thought. How can she...
"Callista?" Luke turned and saw that she was no longer running with them. He stopped and went over to his wife's side. "Callista, what's wrong? Did you feel something-"
"Kara's here," Callista cut in. Her voice was utterly cold.
Luke's eyes widened. "What? Are...Are you sure about that? How can Kara be here? She's dead. We killed her over three years ago."
Callista sighed. She had forgotten to tell Luke about Kara's connection to the Kerash. "Kara came to me on Coruscant, Luke," she explained. "She told me everything. That strange temple we found on Yavin 4, where we first met Kara...that temple was built by the Kerash."
Luke's face crumbled. "That temple was Kerash?"
Callista nodded, knowing how he felt. "There's more...but I don't know how I'm going to tell you this." She swallowed, her mind reflecting on Kara's words in her apartment. "Kara's the reason I got my powers back."
Luke remained silent for several minutes, the horror touchable on his face. He tried to say something, but it came out as a tiny squeak. Callista saw his knees buckle, and she reached out to hold him so that he wouldn't fall. Luke looked into her eyes, and managed a weak chuckle.
"Great. Any more surprises?"
Callista shook her head, and smiled. "No. Not for now."
It was a lie, and they both knew it. But Callista kept to herself, unwilling to share the last bit of information about Kara, that if she killed her firstborn daughter, her connection to the Force would be destroyed forever, unable to be recovered.
You will be blind to it once again, will lose the special bond...
Callista looked at Luke, into his beautiful blue eyes. She felt sorry for him. Her husband had just learned of the death of a son he had never known, learned of an evil man who had seduced and made love to his wife, and now this. If she told him that killing Kara meant losing her Force powers, he would fall apart.
So she remained silent.
This much she could bear alone, at least for now.
Luke finally managed to straighten himself up, and he nodded at Callista. They both knew that she was keeping something else from him, and he could have probed her mind forcibly to see what it was...but he didn't. Luke loved his wife, and he would never force her to tell him things she didn't want to.
"Why is Kara here?" he asked. "What does she have to do with the Kerash?"
All Callista could offer him was a shrug. "I'm not sure. But whatever it is, it isn't good." Luke bit his lower lip. "Then we have to stop her. No matter what the consequences."
Callista shuddered, but she nodded in agreement. "Yes. No matter what the consequences..." Without another word, they rejoined the Kerash rebels. It took them a few minutes, but they finally reached them. The rebels hid behind the last row of trees, their black robes shrouding themselves in the darkness. Callista joined up with Kieran, Trahman, Shekshke, and the kids.
"So, how many of them?" she asked.
"At least twenty or thirty," Kieran observed. "All armed." Callista risked a peek from behind her protection, and saw the temple in all its glory, marveling at its size and beauty. She saw the front gate, and around two dozen Kerash guards, as well as the priest Gershon--Callista remembered him in the attack in Semaj--speaking amongst themselves outside the gate, apparently unaware of the visitors they were about to receive.
"Our archers will fire at them from the top of the trees," Kieran whispered, careful not to speak too loud. "We'll probably kill at least a third of the Kerash before they find us. And then, we'll no longer have surprise on our side."
"I can cloak your archers with the Force," Luke said. "Even if the Kerash have torches, they won't be able to see them."
Kieran nodded. "Thank you, sir." He turned to Callista. "Are you ready for this, Fyorga?"
Callista gave Kieran a confident grin. "These people have my daughter. I'd walk through the fires of Eol Sha if it meant getting her back." She looked down at Jacen, Jaina, and Tenel Ka, who were watching the rebels with wide, excited eyes. Callista knelt before them, grabbing Jaina by the shoulders. "Okay, kids, I need you to listen to me. Luke and I need your help."
"Are we gonna get to fight?" Jacen asked, jumping up and down with glee. "I wanna fight, I wanna fight!"
"Keep it down, dork!" Jaina snapped. "Do you want the Kerash to see us?"
Callista smiled. They were not at all afraid, just excited to be helping in a battle. Typical of the Solo family.
"We need to catch the Kerash off-guard. When I tell you to, I want you three to combine your powers, and knock the guards off their feet. That way, it'll give the archers and advantage, and they'll be able to take them down."
Tenel Ka nodded. "We will perform to the best of our ability, Lady Skywalker," she said gruffly. "And after that," Callista continued, "I want all three of you to hide in the forest and stay there. Don't come out at all. Two children are already in danger. I don't want to have to worry about saving you three as well."
"Awwww," Jacen groaned. "But I want to help. I want to see Annie and Hope again. We're Jedi, Aunt Callista. We can take care of ourselves."
"I know you can," Callista whispered. "You're all very brave children, and you'll all grow up to be wonderful Jedi Knights. But I don't want any of you to get hurt. Or..." Callista couldn't bring herself to say "killed.
"Please promise me that you'll hide in the forest."
"We promise, Aunt Callista," Jacen and Jaina said. Callista nodded, not noticing that the twins had crossed their fingers behind their backs. "We'll come back for you when the battle's over. And then you can see Hope and Anakin again." She gathered the three children in a tight hug. "May the Force be with you, little ones."
"Be careful, Aunt Callista," whispered Jaina.
"I will, Jaina," she said, as she let go. "I promise."
"It is almost time," Kieran said. "Archers, assume your positions."
Without a sound, over a dozen robed rebels, all armed with longbows and a good supply of arrows, began climbing up the tall gnarltrees, shielded by the thick greenish-brown leaves and branches. Shekshke, the lead archer, accompanied them, climbing up the tree Callista, Luke, and Kieran were hiding behind. None of them made a single sound; Callista had to admire their stealth.
The Kerash guards continued their conversations, oblivious to the rebels. Callista smiled inwardly. Be ready for a big surprise, you sick, twisted bastards...
As she waited for the archers, she stretched out toward the temple with her mind. She could feel the thoughts of the Kerash inside, all anticipating the coming of their goddess. And she felt Hope and Anakin, both terrified and exhausted, but still clinging to a last shred of hope, that someone would come to save them. But no sign of Kara. Callista gritted her teeth. Come on, Kara. I know you're here somewhere. Where the hell are you...?
She felt Luke clasp her hand, and she looked over at him, loving the closeness of him. She had missed that for so long.
"We're ready, Kieran," Shekshke whispered from above. Callista looked up, but she could not see the young woman anywhere. She was hidden very well.
"Okay," Kieran said. He closed his eyes and said a quick prayer. "O Mighty Sheherhera, let our battle end with victory." He opened his eyes and turned to Callista. "Your move."
Callista nodded and looked over at the kids, who had taken shelter behind a thick bush. "Are you ready, kids?"
"Almost," Jaina said. She could feel the three children joining together in mind and spirit, each drawing upon the Force, and combining it into one large, powerful ball of invisible energy. She could also hear their thoughts, as they whispered orders at each other.
Okay, guys, Jaina thought. I'm ready.
Are you? Ready, Tenel Ka said, clasping Jaina's hand in her own. I feel so much power coursing through me, almost too much for me to bear...
Yeah, me too, Jaina replied. Jacen, are you ready...Jacen? Yeah, almost. Just give me a few minutes. Wow, this feels so cool...
JACEN!!!! the two girls thought-shouted.
All right, all right, I'm ready.
Callista stifled a chuckle. Even in the worst of circumstances, these children still had the ability to make her laugh. It was one of the reasons why she loved them so very much. She took a deep breath, and let it out. Well, here we go...
"Now!"
The Kerash stopped talking, startled by her voice--
--and they all went flying through the air, in all directions, as the Force smashed through them like a powerful wind, driving them to the ground. Gershon shrieked as he flew off his feet and slammed against the wooden bars of the entrance gate, snapping through several of them as he fell. Within seconds, all thirty Kerash were lying on the ground in stunned positions.
"Archers!" Kieran shouted. "Now, while they're weak!"
Slowly, the Kerash guards began to stand up, still disoriented by the unexpected attack. The rebels began howling at the top of their lungs, sounding like a pack of wolves about to pounce on a group of helpless rabbits. Several lifted their weapons into the air, while others banged them loudly against the tree trunks. Luke and Callista joined in on the screaming, amplifying their voices with the Force, carrying it across the jungle. The guards looked around in fear and confusion, but they couldn't see the rebels. Callista could feel their terror; several of them wanted to run away, but the leader of the guards barked orders at them, forcing them to stay.
"Cowards!" the leader shouted, still on the ground. He began to rise to his feet, groaning in pain. "It's probably just a pack of Posla tigers. There's nothing to worry about!" "But what was that strange power that hit us?" one of the Kerash asked.
"Maybe it was the wind," another suggested.
"Fire!" Kieran suddenly bellowed, further startling the Kerash guards. Shekshke fired the fist shot, her arrow hitting the leader of the guards squarely in the back. The Kerash fell facedown without even uttering a sound. Most of the Kerash didn't even notice, for neither the arrow nor the guard had made a single sound. Another rebel fired from the treetops. Gershon, having just stood up, straightening his red-black-gold robe, gasped as the arrow slid straight into his mouth, coming out through the back of his head. Blood spurted uncontrollably, staining his robes, as Gershon collapsed to his knees, making dying, gurgling noises in his throat. Several of the Kerash turned to him in shock.
"We're under attack!" one of them shouted. Without warning, the rebels all began firing at once. Arrows poured from the trees--as if the trees themselves were attacking the Kerash. They penetrated the cold night air, striking several more Kerash down, who fell in a tangle of limbs and black robes.
"They're coming from the trees!" a guard shouted, pointing.
"Get the torches!" another said, just before an arrow caught him in the ribs. He went down, straining to pull the arrow free, groaning in pain. Three Kerash retrieved several torches from their mantles on the front gate. The rebels targeted them, killing one and injuring another. The remaining one began supplying the others with torches, and they headed out toward the borderline of the jungle, shining the trees with the orange light.
"Luke, your cue!" Callista whispered. Luke nodded, closed his eyes, and began to concentrate. His influence stretched out to every last rebel hidden in the trees. Once he had them all in his grasp, he summoned the Force to cloak them, preventing the Kerash from seeing them. Then he focused on eveyone else, including Callista and the kids. In a matter of moments, the entire group was shrouded in invisibility--just as the Kerash came with their torches. They shined the light upon the rebels, but it displayed only the trees and bushes. One even stood face-to-face with Callista, the torchlight illuminating her face, and he couldn't see her. She stared at him impassively, not breathing, not moving. It would have almost been amusing, had the events not been as life-threatening.
"I don't see anyone," one of the Kerash said, just as he bumped into one of the invisible rebels, falling down flat on his face.
"Are you okay?" asked the one near Callista.
"Yeah," he groaned, rubbing his arm as he stood up. "I bumped into something..." The archers continued firing. The one in front of Callista screamed as two arrows hit him in the back, and another in the knee. He fell, and was silenced by an arrow that passed through his left eye.
"Someone is attacking us!" his companion shouted, looking around crazily with his torch, but he still couldn't see the rebels.
"But, who?" demanded another. "And where in the name of Arak are they?"
"You watch your language!" the other snapped. "Do not take Arak's name in vain!" He watched as two more Kerash died with arrows sticking out of their robes.
"Someone's attacking, but we just can't see them! They're using some kind of magic trick, making themselves invisible."
Beside Callista, Luke groaned as he continued concentrating, sweat running down his face. I can't keep it up for long. I'm starting to slip... Callista gripped his hand, adding her own power to his.
The rebels kept firing from above, hidden by the combined powers of Luke and Callista.
"Call for reinforcements!" the lead Kerash ordered. "And tell Armenia about this immediately!"
At that moment, Luke's eyes snapped open, his body shuddering at the immense amount of power that had been sapped out of them...and the cloaking blanket had been let out. Callista dropped to one knee beside him, catching her breath.
The Kerash leader's eyes bulged out of their sockets as he laid eyes upon the rebels that had just moments ago not been there, and suddenly appeared. "The rebels!" he gasped. "They were attacking us. Kerash, ATTACK!"
The words had barely escaped his mouth before Callista strode forth with her sword, brought it smacking against his jaw--causing a loud crack--and spine. The leader fell. His five companions backed away in shock, aghast at the sudden apperance of the rebels. For a long moment, both sides locked eyes upon each other, unmoving. Then the rebels came charging forth. The Kerash didn't stand a chance as they were mauled to death by the sea of rebels. Once they were on the ground, dead and mutilated beyond recognition, the rebels advanced toward the gate. The element of surprise was gone. They now had to rely on pure brute force.
"Kids!" Callista shouted. "I need you to go, now!"
Without arguing, Jacen, Jaina, and Tenel Ka took off deeper into the jungle, where they would be safe from the fighting. By then, the Kerash had received reinforcements. A row of archers stood behind the safety of the gate, aiming their longbows at the rebels as they began overwhelming the last remaining guards outside the temple.
A flurry of arrows left their bows and soared through the spaces between the gate's wooden bars, plunging into the ocean of Kerash rebels. One went down with an arrow stuck in his ribs, another in the throat. Trahman screamed as one pierced him in the left heel, and he dropped to one knee, clutching the arrow in pain.
"Trahman!" Callista shouted, as she ran to his aid. As one Kerash prepared to brain him with a sledgehammer, Callista struck with her sword--it felt odd having to fight without her lightsaber--and disarmed him. A second slash hit him in the ribs, and his robe became red with blood.
As he screamed, Callista slashed him again in the same area, then in the knee, taking the lower portion of his leg completely off. The Kerash dropped to the ground, and Callista brought the blade of the sword down, leaving his face a bloodied mess. A few droplets of blood splattered Callista's face.
It barely registered.
She knelt down to check Trahman's wound. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"I just got shot in the kriffin' foot, how do you think I feel?" Trahman said through his clenched teeth, squeezing his eyes shut as he moaned in pain. "I'll be okay. Don't worry about me."
"Are you sure?"
Trahman looked into her eyes, and she saw his resolve and determination. "It'll take a lot more than an arrow in the foot to slow me down," he said. Callista nodded, and helped him back up, and they rejoined the fighting.
The Kerash archers continued the slaughter, hitting both rebel fighters and even their own allies; some even began focusing on the trees, where the rebel archers continued attacking. One archer cried out as one of the arrows struck home; he plummeted from his hiding spot and hit the ground. By now, the remaining Kerash guards outside the gate were dead, but more kept coming.
The rebels were taken by surprise as another wave of Kerash erupted from the forest--most likely a search party, and having returned to the temple after an unsuccessful attempt to find the rebels--and attacked like rabid rancors. Callista used the Force as often as she could while fighting, knocking aside arrows that were targeted at the rebels, and causing them to hit the enemy instead. But the onslaught continued, and more rebels continued to fall. One right next to Callista died as an arrow plunged into his heart, causing Callista to almost fall down him. An old man gasped as an arrow hit him in the back of the neck, and he collapsed upon two corpses of his fellow comrades.
The archers, Callista thought, and looked over at Luke. Luke, we have to take out the archers.
Luke turned and saw the Kerash archers on the other side of the gate, mercilessly butchering the rebel combatants with their arrows. Then he looked at Callista, and nodded in agreement. Let's do it.
Together, they pushed through the wave of fighters and toward the front gate.

At first, Hope felt no pain. She was still paralyzed with shock, at seeing the face of the sister she had never known--the sister her mother refused to ever talk about. But Hope had known. She had known about Kara from the moment she was born on Dathomir. She could still remember seeing Kara in her dreams while sleeping in her mother's womb, taunting her, and threatening her. I will see you soon, little sister, she had said. And I'll even bring you some presents. Pain, misery, and death...
But as the shock began to wear off, Hope felt the pain. Small at first, then becoming larger and more painful as Kara pierced her hand with the sharp knife. Hope started to scream, and Kara only smiled, relishing the sound She felt warm blood pour from her cut, sliding over her hand, and spilling into the golden bowl Tsin held in his hands, mixing in with the blood of Kinshur's and Anakin's. But Hope barely noticed. She kept staring into Kara's eyes, those dark gray irises that looked so much like her mother's, the wavy brown hair, the pale skin.
She looked so much like Mommy, it was almost scary...
"It hurts, doesn't it?" Kara said, as Tsin stepped away from them. "This is exactly how I feel right now when I look at you. When I see you, I see a spoiled little brat who has a mother who loves her and abandoned her firstborn. She forgot all about me when I was born, and now she has you, and she treats you like her little princess." There was so much hate and pain in her voice, Hope almost sympathized with her. She wondered what had happened between her and Mommy to make Kara so angry.
"I was betrayed," Kara continued, digging the knife even deeper into her flesh. Pain shot through Hope's arm, and into her chest. "Like a knife's being plunged into my gut." She looked down at Hope, the slightest hint of insanity shining in her eyes. "Do you have any idea how I feel?"
Hope couldn't answer. She had somehow lost her voice, and she couldn't speak, so terrified she was. From her left eye, she could see Tsin heading over to Kinshur's crucified form, the bowl of blood still in his hands.
Kara scoffed at her. "Of course you don't," she snapped. "You never had to live out on the streets as a child, lost and alone and confused. You never had to steal food just to live for another day."
As she spoke, her voice grew higher and angrier, and Hope could see the first faint signs of tears pooling in her eyes. "Your mother loves you! She never loved me. Ever!" As she spat out, "Ever!", she withdrew the knife from Hope's hand so hard that more blood spurted out. Hope screamed as agony burned her entire body, collapsing to her knees. She had never felt so much pain in her life. She began to cry, wishing her Mommy was here to hold her and tell her it would be all right.
Kara chuckled in amusement. "Awwww, does the poor baby want her Mommy?" She grabbed a handful of Hope's messy hair and yanked upward, forcing her back to her feet. The pain was tremendous, but not nearly as bad as her bleeding hand.
"Do I scare you, Hope? Are you afraid of your big, mean old sister?"
Through the tears, Hope nodded. "It...It hurts," she sobbed. "P-P- Please..."
"Oh, lighten up," Kara snapped. "It's only a little blood. You'll live. Not for much longer, though."
"The blood of the Sacred Three has now been drawn," Tsin announced, standing upon the dais once again. "The blood is now one. The Vessel must consume the blood, to open the portal."
Kinshur let out a pained moan, and gasped, "For Arak!"
"ARAK!!!" thundered the Kerash, including Kara, almost causing Hope to go deaf. She looked over at Llia and Anakin, who seemed just as frightened as she was.
"And now, the moment of Arak's arrival shall be completed," Tsin said, turning back to Kinshur, holding the golden bowl just over his mouth. "Drink." He poured the blood. Kinshur's mouth opened, just as the first few droplets spilled onto his cracked lips. Seconds later, the rest followed. Some of it got into his mouth, but most of it didn't, instead hitting his ragged clothes and dry, scarred. The young boy began gasping, as if he was choking on the blood, his body going completely rigid. The Kerash began to cheer, chanting Arak's name over and over again. Kara joined in, raising her blood-covered knife into the air.
Suddenly, the doors to the Main Hall opened. Everyone turned to see one of the Kerash guards burst into the chamber, a terrified look on his face. "The rebels!" he said as he took in several deep breaths. "They're attacking us outside...hundreds of them!"
The chanting quickly changed into shocked gasps and murmurs of anger. Armenia, now holding Llia by the arms, spoke up, "We must stop them immediately! They must not interfere with the Coming!"
Tsin nodded, and Hope watched as the Kerash warriors, save for the circle of priests, marched out of the Main Hall to engage their newly-arrived opponents. Armenia led the way, dragging Llia behind her. The little girl struggled and flashed one last look at Hope before she was taken away. Hope felt a sudden surge of relief. Rescue had at last arrived. Maybe Mommy and Daddy were with them...
Her relief suddenly changed into fear again when she looked up at Kara, who didn't seem to be accompanying them.
"You know," her older sister said, fiddling with her knife, "now that your blood has been drawn, the Kerash no longer need you. So..." She sauntered over to the large bonfire in the center of the chamber, and plunged the blade of the knife into the hungry red flames. Hope gasped as she pulled it out seconds later, the blade now glowing a burning hot red. She gasped, knowing what her sister was intending to do. Kara smiled--a chilling, terrible smile that scared her far more than anything she had seen before--and snatched her bleeding hand. Hope tried to squirm away, but there was no place for her to go as long as she was still chained to the wall.
She was trapped.
"Let's see how long you can last without screaming, little sister..."

As Callista and Luke fought through the crowd, Callista's eyes fell upon Leanna and Cray, who were fighting the Kerash back-to-back, and doing a pretty good job, at that. "Leanna!" she shouted over the din. "Cray! Come with us! We're gonna need you help taking out the archers!"
Both women looked over at Callista, then at the archers, and nodded. "Got it!" they both nodded in unison, and joined Luke and Callista as they paved their way toward the temple's front gate. As Callista fought, she could still feel her daughter's thoughts. The child seemed terrified now, and she had no doubt that the Kerash were drawing her blood at that moment. Hang on, my little Hope, she thought, almost snarling at the thought of the Kerash hurting her daughter. We're coming...
They finally reached the front gate moments later. The Kerash archers continued firing into the crowd, killing and maiming warrior after warrior. With his lightsaber, Luke easily sliced through the wooden bars, and stepped inside. Callista and Leanna followed suit, and Cray merely leaped into the air, flipped, and gracefully landed on the other side. The archers turned in their direction, temporarily surprised. Using that to her advantage, the four surged forth. With her arm, Callista slammed it into the closest archer's chest as hard as she could, forcing him to the ground. A second fired a single arrow at her, which she deflected with the Force and into the gut of another Kerash, who fell back against the temple wall.
Luke charged forth with his lightsaber, swinging the green-white blade at another archer. Reacting with incredible speed, the man ducked beneath the deadly blade, and backhanded Luke across the face with an open fist. The blow caught Luke off-guard, and he staggered. The Kerash spun, and followed the punch with a powerful kick that landed on Luke's jaw, knocking the Jedi Master against the limestone wall. Callista growled at seeing her husband get hurt, and ambushed the attacking Kerash from behind. With a single, deft move, she sliced her sword into the man's knee, splintering the bone in half and cutting the lower half of his leg cleanly off. The stump clattered to the ground, a large piece of shattered bone sticking out. The Kerash shrieked in agony as he fell to his knees, and Callista followed with two quick slashes to the back, slitting open two deep, bleeding gashes that went all the way into his spine. The man fell, begging for mercy. She silenced him by hacking the edge of the sword's blade into his ribs.
Luke got up to his feet, one hand going up to rub his sore jaw. He looked down at the bloodied corpse of the Kerash archer, then at Callista, concern etched on his face. "Callista--" he began. Callista ignored him, and turned back to the battle. She knew what Luke would say. He had felt her fury when she had fought the Kerash, had felt her satisfaction as she cut him to shreds. He had felt the darkness in her, for one brief second. It had only lasted a second, but it was still there.
And he was frightened for her. Callista was, as well.
The only other time she had come this close to darkness was on Dathomir, fighting the Nightsisters. She had come so close to being engulfed by the dark side then...and it was starting to return now. But she was adamant. These people had killed her son, taken her daughter away. Their leader had brutally beaten her in unarmed combat, and she had been beaten within an inch of her life. They were planning to resurrect a goddess so powerful that the entire universe was in jeopardy. They deserved to die...every last one of them.
And dark side or not, Callista was determined to do so. The remaining archers began shooting at their unexpected opponents. Leanna strode forth, bearing her flame-thrower, and engulfed over half of the cloaked beings in white-red fire. The Kerash screamed as the flames burned through their cloaks, eating away at their flesh. One went over to Callista, his back ablaze, screaming in agony. Callista bared her teeth and struck her sword into the man's face, ripping it completely apart and exposing the skull underneath. The Kerash archer toppled to the ground, now on the verge of death.
"Yeah, ya like that?" Leanna taunted, unleashing the flames once more, flaming the already-burning Kerash once again. The rest began to retreat.
Oh, no you don't, Callista thought, as she chased after them. You're not going anywhere...
Suddenly, she cried out as a Kerash grabbed her from behind, locking her arms behind her back. He had taken her completely by surprise, and was unable to fight back. Furious, she struggled to break free, and cried out as she felt the man's elbow hit her squarely in the back of her neck.
"Let go of me, you bastard!" she shouted.
"Shut up, bitch!" another Kerash snarled as he stepped in front of her. His fist struck her firmly in the jaw, causing her head to snap back at hyperspace speed. "How does it feel to be the one being punched now?" He followed with a powerful blow to the gut, and the air left Callista's body. She bent over in pain, unable to even scream, and looked up weakly as the man prepared to hit her again. She tensed, bracing herself for the next blow-- --when someone approached the Kerash from behind. A sword appeared in the new arrival's hands, blurring as it cut across the man's back. He cried out in unexpected pain and fell to his knees. With one of them down, Callista regained her strength, and broke free from the other's grip. With a spin, she turned to meet him and slashed her sword across the man's chest, quickly ending his life. Then she turned to see who had saved her.
"Emna?" she gasped.
The former Nightsister smiled, brandishing a curved sword in both hands. "Figured you guys could use some help," she said. "You were right, you know. These people are evil. I was fooling myself to not believing so for all these years."
Callista nodded and grinned. "Thank the Force for that." The two women quickly returned to the fighting. More Kerash began arriving, storming through the entrance doors of the temple. With most of the Kerash archers dead, the rebel warriors burst through the weakened gate, and both sides swallowed each other up in a mass of bodies, weapons, and blood.
As Callista fought, she quickly assessed how well her companions were faring. Luke was holding his own extremely well. He brought his blade up, shattering a Kerash's staff in half, and stabbed the green energy blade deep into his gut. The Kerash warriors bent over in pain, and a kick to the ribs sent him sprawling. A second charged toward the Jedi Master, in an attempt to tackle him down. Luke saw it coming, bent over, and tossed the girl over his back. As she fell on her back, Luke spun and delivered a killing blow.
Kieran directed the brunt of the battle, armed with a large, spiked mace. It seemed incredibly heavy, and Kieran must have been pretty strong to even be able to lift it, much less swing it. He swung the mace into the air, clubbing a Kerash directly in the side of the head, spilling blood and brains onto the ground. With a spin, he fractured another's skull with the spiked weapon, dropping him like a large rock.
Leanna was still firing away with her flame-thrower, setting warriors on fire. The white-skinned woman's face was grim, and Callista admired her resolve,
Suddenly, she felt a Kerash's hand grab her by the arm. She turned and cried out as the man prepared to plunge a dagger into her throat.
"Not so fast, buddy," Cray said, as she interfered. She grabbed the man firmly by the throat with her arm, struggled with him for a few seconds, and easily snapped his neck with a sickening snap! The corpse fell lifelessly to the ground, his eyes still open. Cray spat down upon the corpse, and smiled at Callista.
"I could get used to this."
"Don't get too cocky," Callista said. "We still have Armenia to deal with."
"Yeah." The HRD quickly scanned the battle with her sensors. "Where is she, anyways? I figured she'd be leading the battle, herself."
"Maybe she got scared and took off," Callista suggested, only half-joking. I rather hope she does show up. Because when she does, I'm gonna give the beating of her life... Her Force senses warned her of another attack, and she turned to see a Kerash armed with a small crossbow, prepared to shoot her in the chest. Moving fast, she snatched the crossbow, jerked it brutally from the young man's hands, and shoved the end into his face, cracking his nose and staggering him back. Keeping her eyes on him at all times, Callista pointed the crossbow in his direction. The young teenager's eyes widened, knowing what was to come--and got an arrow right between the eyes.
"O Mighy Fyorga!" She turned, and saw Luke standing behind her, a Kerash's arm wrapped tightly around his throat. Callista saw that the cloaked warrior was holding something against Luke's back--a weapon of some sort.
"Drop your weapon," the man commanded, tightening his grip on Luke's throat. "Or your friend dies."
Callista looked at Luke, then at the Kerash threatening his life, and dropped both the sword and the crossbow. Images of Luke being struck by the arrow on Dathomir came back to her...
The Kerash nodded in satisfaction and smiled. "Good. No one dares to oppose Arak and her people. You, and all who side with you, will die at her hands." As the Kerash spoke, he didn't notice the dagger that floated behind him, controlled by Callista's powers. "Really?" Callista said, putting her hands on her hips. "That's strange, because from the looks of it, it's you who's going to be dying in five more seconds." She looked past his shoulder. The confused Kerash followed her eyes, turning his head back--
--just as the knife struck him squarely in the forehead. Callista shook her head. "Never fails," she said as the man slumped to the ground. She went over to Luke. "Are you okay?" "Yeah," he replied. "Thanks." He looked into Callista's eyes. "Callista, remember... anger leads to the dark side."
Without another word, he picked up his lightsaber and continued fighting. Callista stood in the midst of the fighting, Luke's words beginning to sink in, her past brushes with the dark side haunting her again. She ignored the battles that raged fiercely around her. She was fighting a battle even worse than the Kerash.
Herself.

"How come all the grown-ups get to fight, while us kids have to stay back and watch?" Jacen complained as he, Jaina, and Tenel Ka sat around the dead campfire in the rebel encampment.
"Because we're kids, stupid," Jaina said. "The grown-ups are too busy fighting; they don't want to have to worry about us, too." She hesitated. "Although, I do kinda wish we were helping."
"Yeah," Jacen agreed, kicking at the burnt twigs. "I feel so darn useless. We should be doing something."
"And what do you propose, Jacen my friend?" Tenel Ka asked as she sharpened her dagger. "Negotiate a peace talk with the Kerash?"
Jacen shook his head. "I've got a better idea. We create a Force storm."
Jaina and Tenel Ka looked up at him in shock. "A Force storm?" Jaina said. "But don't only bad Jedi do that?"
"Not necessarily," Jacen said. "If we use it for good. Think about it. We managed to combine our powers to knock all those Kerash down earlier, right? Well, how about we do that again, only this time creating a very powerful storm that'll take the Kerash by surprise? They'll be battered by wind, rain, lightning, hail, floods, you name it. They'll never see it coming."
"But Jaina is right," Tenel Ka pointed out. "In order to create a Force storm, you have to tap into the dark side. And I refuse to do such a thing."
"The only reason people say that is because good Jedi have never tried it before," Jacen shot back. He stood up from the ground, puffing his chest out with pride. "If we channel the light side of the Force, we can't go wrong. We'll be doing a good thing. We'll be helping the grown-ups fight the Kerash, and not risk our lives in the process. If this works, it could change the way Jedi fight forever. Uncle Luke and Aunt Callista will be so proud of us."
Jaina and Tenel Ka exchanged skeptical looks, but Jacen could see that he was finally beginning to convince them. "Come on, guys," he pleaded. "Just try it, this once. If it starts to go wrong, then we can stop. But this could really turn the tide of the war." His voice softened. "I don't want to lose our family to these bad people." His last sentence finally convinced them.
Jaina stood up withhim. "Jacen, it sounds crazy, but it just might work! I say we gave it a shot."
Tenel Ka joined them. "Very well." She gave Jacen a nod. "Very good thinking, my friend."
Jacen slightly blushed in embarrassment. "Thanks, guys," he said.
"So...what are we waiting for?" Jaina asked. "Let's get started."

"You see, dear Llia?" Armenia said as she and her cousin watched the battle unfold before them. The two stood on the top steps of the Temple of Arak, Armenia's hand still gripping Llia by her upper arm. "This is the price for daring to rise against the army of Arak." As she spoke, Armenia lifted her crossbow, aimed it at one of the rebels, and fired. A single arrow left the bow, traveled through the air with amazing quickness, and struck the young woman squarely in the stomach. She let out a pained gasp and fell on her back, her hands going up to the arrow lodged in her gut.
Llia watched with utter horror. She looked up at her cousin with disgust. "You're a monster, Armenia," she said. "How can you enjoy hurting people so much? These are innocent people!"
"Innocent?" Armenia glared down at her. "Innocent? You dare to think that these people--these rebels who tried to oppose us and our goddess--are innocent? They all deserve to die, and so much more." She fired another arrow into the crowd of combatants. A rebel went down with an arrow in his back. "My people are merely doing the right thing, Llia," she said calmly. And, much to Llia's horror, her cousin meant every word she said. She truly believed that the Kerash were doing the right thing in butchering these rebels. "When you are older, perhaps you will understand."
She stared down at Llia, and saw that the wound on her back had disappeared, leaving the barest hint of a scar. "Intersting," she said. "You seem to bear no trace of the purification I gave you." Her grip on Llia's arm tightened, and she whispered in her ear, "Is there something you know that I don't, little girl?"
Llia didn't answer, instead focusing on the gruesome battle. She had never seen a battle on a scale such as this, and it terrified her. She wished she could just run away into the forest and hide, anything to not having to watch this bloodshed. Arrows began pouring through the open windows of the temple as Kerash archers began attacking. A young rebel cried out as he took an arrow to the side, while another fell as an arrow passed right through his jaw, gums, and teeth. It lodged itself in his mouth, and he was unable to pry it out. Llia closed her eyes, trying to will it all away. But she could still hear the sounds of battle, the clanging of swords, the bashing of clubs, the screaming of dying warriors, and the spilling of blood.
When she opened her eyes, she caught a sight of a wave of flames surging through the crowd, setting over dozens of rebels and Kerash on fire. She followed the flames to its source, and saw a young woman off to one side, firing at the mob with a flame-thrower. Llia squinted her eyes for a better look. Something about this woman seemed so familiar to her... And in an instant, it hit her.
It was her sister. At first, Llia refused to believe it. It was just a figment of her imagination, showing her only what she wanted to see. She rubbed her eyes, and looked at her again, but Leanna still remained there, the flame-thrower in her hands. It was true. She was really here! In just a single moment, everything had changed for Llia. Darkness and despair had suddenly changed to light and hope. For years, she had dreamed of her sister, had longed to see her again, play games with her, ask her questions about things she didn't understand, to hug her before she went to bed. A long time ago, she had given up all hope that she was see her sister again. Now, that lost hope had returned.
Without even thinking, without a single moment of hesitation, Llia bit into Armenia's hand. The older woman cried out in pain, her fingers loosening from Llia's arm. She stepped back so fast that her back struck the rail, her eyes burning with pain and anger.
"What do you think you're doing, you little brat?" she snapped. Llia ignored her. Her eyes kept focusing on Leanna. The sister she had lost so long ago, and had finally found again... Together, forever in our hearts...
"LEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAANNNNNAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, and began running down the steps toward the only family she had ever known.

Leanna had heard her name being called out to her seconds after she had fired another volley into the crowd of fighters. At first, she had dismissed it, thinking of it as nothing more than her own mind playing tricks on her. But then, she heard it again.
"LEANNA! I'M OVER HERE!" The voice seemed eerily familiar to her. No, she thought to herself, flaming even more warriors. Their screams of agony echoed in her mind, along with the screaming of her own name. It can't be. It just can't be...
"Llia?" she quietly whispered, turning to the sound of the girl's voice. She spoke again, slightly louder, "Llia, is...is that you?" Her ice-blue eyes froze as they fell upon the small girl rushing toward her. She must have been at least nine or ten years old, and very beautiful. The black hair, the emerald eyes, it all came back to her as she saw the child approach her.
"By the Force," Leanna gasped, dropping the flame-thrower to the ground, and barely even noticing it. The battle around her disappeared; all she saw was Llia running toward her, a joyful look on her young face. "By the Force...Llia...?" She suddenly began running, slowly at first, then faster and faster. Her footsteps thudded in her ears, her breathing became louder. A smile began spreading across her face as she ran to her little sister. I can't believe it! I've finally found you. I never thought I would, but I did--
 A figure stepped in her way, blocking her from reaching her sister. The figure's back was turned to her, facing Llia. One of the Kerash.
"No," Leanna whispered in a hoarse, raspy voice. No, I just found you. Don't leave me again... "NO! she shouted, louder. The figure ignored her, and snatched Llia by the wrist, dragging her back to the temple.
Llia shrieked as she tried to get away. She said something to the Kerash, but Leanna couldn't hear it. Her sister looked over at Leanna, the happiness changing back into despair. One hand reached out to her, beckoning to Leanna.
LLIA! NO! "LET MY SISTER GO!!!!" she screamed, picking up her flame-thrower and chasing after the two at full speed. She knocked aside anyone who stood in her way, whether they were rebel or Kerash. The battle seemed more crowded with people than ever. She could see the Kerash taking Llia away from her, back to the steps of the temple., just as Boba Fett had done so many years ago.
"Llia!" she screamed, doubling her speed. She checked her flame-thrower's charge. She only had enough power for a brief shot. She had to make it count. The two stopped at the foot of the steps. The Kerash--Leanna still couldn't see the person's face--shoved Llia brutally against the pedestal of a gargoyle statue perched on one side of the stairs, holding her by the throat. As Leanna came closer, a snarl escaping her throat, she could hear the person's voice.
"Stupid little bitch! I have had enough of your insolence!"
Leanna stood right behind the Kerash, the flame-thrower directed toward the person's back. "Get the hell away from my sister," she demanded in a cold, even voice. The Kerash froze at the sound of her voice, then released Llia, who slid to the ground, coughing and gasping, clutching at her bruised throat. The Kerash--Leanna could now see that it was a woman, judging by the mane of long black hair--slowly turned until she was facing Leanna. Both women were unprepared for what happened next. Leanna got one good look at the woman's face, and she almost dropped the flame-thrower. A paralyzing numbness struck her body as she recognized the woman's face, the black hair, the green eyes. She had aged since they had last met, as had Leanna, but she knew who that face belonged to anywhere.
"Armenia?" she gasped. Rather than look surprised, Armenia seemed pleased. "Well, well, well," she said amusingly. "If it isn't my dear little cousin, Leanna Kai. I must say, this is a welcome surprise. Have you finally returned to Anasazi to fulfill your duty to Arak?"
Leanna shook her head, spitting at the ground near Armenia's feet. "Arak can burn forever in Raximidaj for all I care. Along with you and the rest of your damned cronies." Armenia gave her a look of disapproval. "You're so hard-headed, Leanna, it disgusts me. You and your worthless sister." She glared down at Llia, who cowered back in fear.
"Let Llia go, Armenia," Leanna said, almost pleading. She had never pleaded in her life before until now. "She has nothing to do with this. This is between you and me." Armenia turned toward Llia's frightened, weak form, and then back at Leanna. The two women stood there, mere feet apart from each other, while the rest of the battle continued around them. "Very well," she said. "But you know, Leanna, if I kill you, then your sister dies too."
Leanna bit her lower lip, her finger slightly pressing against the flame- thrower's trigger. "You never could beat me before, Armenia," she said. "I doubt you'll start now." Armenia sighed, shaking her head. "That's where you're wrong, cousin. You see, I've been practicing my skills. I've been getting better with each passing day. I was even able to defeat a Jedi Knight." She stepped slightly closer to Leanna, her eyes fixated on her cousin. She didn't even bother to notice the flame-thrower she held. "I've changed from the bitter, angry weakling you knew when we were younger."
Leanna shrugged. "I don't know, Armenia. You still seem like a bitter, angry weakling to me." When she saw Armenia's face contort in pained anger, she smiled. "Let's say we have a go at it. You and me."
Armenia nodded. "With pleasure."
"Llia!" Leanna shouted, as she turned to her sister. "Get out of here, now!"
Llia refused to budge, tears streaming down her face. "I don't want to leave you! I just found you!"
"Please!" Leanna begged. "Don't argue with me! Go, now!"
Llia finally gave in, and stood up. She went over to her sister and gave her a powerful hug. The two sisters remained locked together for a few precious seconds, a family finally reunited after years of separation. Leanna longed to hold onto her forever, but she knew that she couldn't...for now.
She smiled as she kissed Llia on the crown of her head. "Go," she whispered. "I'll come back for you soon." Llia nodded as she pulled away from her. "I love you, Lea," she said, and disappeared into the crowd. Leanna watched her go, wishing her well. Don't worry, Llia. We'll be together again. And this time, nothing will ever come between us--
"Then, with your permission, let me throw the first blow." With that, she fired the flame-thrower.
Armenia saw it coming, but just barely. She rolled to her left to avoid the flames, but didn't quite make it in time. The wave of fire caught her black robes, setting them on fire. Armenia shrieked in pain as the flames began to singe her flesh, and she landed roughly on the dirt ground. With a furious, panicked scream, she wrestled to get the robe off her. It took her a few seconds, but she eventually had it off, and she threw it on the ground, leaving it to burn to a crisp.
Armenia only wore a tight, black jumpsuit. Parts of her hands and face had blackened from where the fire had burned her. From the look on her face, she seemed to be in pain, but she was also very upset. "Very nice!" she snarled sarcastically, turning back to Leanna. "But that's nothing compared to what I'm--"
She never had time to finish. The minute she opened her mouth, Leanna came forth and threw a good right to her mouth, snapping her head back and releasing a small burst of blood from her lips. Armenia staggered back, wiped the blood from her lips, and strode forth to strike back.
Just as she bore down on her, Leanna snapped a front kick to her gut, leaving her breathless for a few seconds. Not even giving her a second to recover, Leanna continued raining blows upon her cousin. First a right hook, then a left. A spin, and she landed a backhand with a closed fist, and followed with her other fist, knocking her back against the other pedestal.
She saw movement from the corner of her eye, and she spun, throwing her arm out. Armenia, now standing behind her, blocked the blow with her own arm, and Leanna felt her cousin's fist smack into her jaw. The blow caused her to black out for a brief second, and she started to fall. Thinking fast, Leanna stretched her arms out, and turned her fall into a cartwheel, and she brought herself back up, a small gap between her and Armenia.
"Nice one," Leanna commented, wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth. "You caught me off-guard there. Enjoy it while it lasts, because it's not gonna happen again."
Armenia grinned. "Really? Want to see what else I can do?"
Leanna rose to the challenge. "What else can you do, besides bitch, moan, and shrivel up on the ground and die?"
Armenia took the bait. With a roar, she charged forth, and the fight continued, a mere pinprick amongst the massive tidal wave of warriors battling each other in an ocean of death.