Chapter 20

Jacen, Jaina, and Tenel Ka all sat around the dead campfire, forming a triangle, their hands clasped together, their eyes closed shut as they concentrated. Overhead, the eclipse hung ominously over them, blocking the warm, welcome sunlight of Anasazi's sun. For several minutes, the three children sat there, unmoving. Silence reigned over them. "Is it working yet?" Jaina suddenly asked, opening one eye.
"Shhhh!" Jacen snapped at his sister. "Be quiet! Or we'll have to start over again." Jaina sighed as she closed her eyes again and continued meditating. Uncle Luke had told them repeatedly about Force storms. Jedi strong in the dark side were able to create them by channeling their anger and hate, causing enormous, powerful storms that had the ability to devastate entire planets. Many times, Jacen and Jaina had been told by their uncle and aunt that Force storms were very dangerous, and should never be attempted. But perhaps he was wrong, Jacen surmised. Perhaps there was a way to create a Force storm without having to use the powers of the dark side. Jacen had learned a long time ago that anything was possible, and this certainly was no exception. They had just to do it right.
He kept his eyes shut, and reached within him, drawing strength from the Force. It was like an endless well filled with an incredible amount of power, power Jacen could never even hope to completely master. He took only as much as he needed, summoning the powers of light. No fear, no anger, no hate. Instead, he focused on the one thing that was stronger than any of those emotions.
Love.
Love for his little brother and cousin, both of whom were in great danger.
Love for his aunt and uncle, who were even now plunging themselves into a dangerous battle, both knowing that there was a good chance neither would make it out alive.
Love for his sister, even though she annoyed him most of the time.
Love for Tenel Ka, a friend who was becoming closer to him as they spent more time with each other.
And, most of all, love for his parents. Images flashed before his eyes...good images. Images full of happiness. His birth, his first step, his first word--which was "Dada", which made his father very proud--his younger brother's birth, all the times he had fun with his siblings, his family going on a trip to Hologram Funworld, his first day at school, the first time he ever used the Force, when everyone had gone to Dantooine to celebrate Hope's second life day. All the images coascled together in a powerful surge of energy that shot throughout his body, filling him with endless power.
"Do you feel that?" he asked Jaina and Tenel Ka.
"Yes," Tenel Ka said breathlessly. "It feels so...good."
"And powerful," Jaina said in a hushed whisper. "I've never felt so powerful in my life."
The three children stretched out with the Force, focusing their powers into the dark sky. Had the eclipse not been there, it would have been early morning. But not a single ray of light was able to break through the barrier. It felt as if it was midnight. Jacen concentrated, focusing all his energy on the sky just above the Temple of Arak.
There, he said through the Force. That's where the Force storm will be.
Jaina and Tenel Ka nodded, and followed Jacen's mind toward the location. Suddenly, something began to change. Jacen felt something enter his mind, something very powerful. It filled his entire body, controlling his every thought, every movement. At first, he tried to fight it back, but something inside him told him not to. This power, whatever it was, was good.
Jacen's eyes opened, and his brown irises were gone, replaced by a deep burning blue-white. He looked at Jaina and Tenel Ka, and saw that they too seemed to be posessed by the Force as well. Seconds later, the Force storm began to form.
It started out as a normal storm. A light wind began blowing from the sky, cool and almost gentle. But soon, it became fiercer, until it was strong enough to snap the branches off the gnarltrees. Jacen felt the wind slap against his skin, causing goosebumps to appear on his face. A large black cloud began to form in the sky above the Kerash temple. Blue- white lightning crackled from the cloud, striking down several trees and setting them on fire. The lightning was accompanied by thunder, and the wind continued to blow, stronger than ever. Hail the size of rocks poured from the clouds, pelting the combatants below. And throughout it all, Jacen, Jaina, and Tenel Ka remained seated, in a deep trance, the living essence of the Force itself burning within them.

Kinshur swallowed the blood of the Sacred Three with honor, feeling the thick, coppery substance travel against his tongue and through his throat. It tasted nasty, and did little to alleviate his thirst. But he drank the blood, knowing that it was the final step in the Ritual, the final step to bring Arak from her prison in Raximidaj. Tsin nodded in satisfaction, and the circle of priests surrounded the young man, awaiting for the portal to open. They had stopped humming, their eyes fixated on his bloodied, crucified form. For a long time, nothing happened, the only sound being the whimpers of the little girl as the Kerash priest threatened her with the dagger.
Then suddenly, Kinshur felt his body grow rigid. He froze, unable to move, as a feeling of paralyzing shock shot through his entire body. It's starting, he thought, smiling, despite the sheer, burning agony it caused him. He felt his brittle skin tear as his mouth opened wide, but he ignored it, overjoyed beyond belief. At last, it has started.
The numbness began to wear off, replaced by a sudden wave of burning pain, as if fire had been placed in his bloodstream. Kinshur's body began convulsing as he went into a seizure. He began to scream, his voice carrying through the large chamber. He could feel his blood start to boil over, his flesh smoke. It felt like he had been placed in a bubbling pit of burning lava. The priests nodded as they watched the young man slowly began to die. They were not at all disturbed by the horrid display. Kinshur had been prepared for this day for years, and he would accept it with all his heart. The portal would open within him, and Arak would at last be brought back into their world. Kinshur was well aware that he would not survive the process.
And he was glad.
Not only would he be remembered as the Vessel that brought their goddess back, but it would finally end the torment and pain the priests had put him through for all these years. In many ways, he was welcoming the eternal darkness.
And he would soon receive it.

"There's too many of them!" Callista shouted over the fighting toward Luke as she fought by his side. She ducked a swinging club, and severed the tip off with the blade of her sword. "It's gonna take a lot more than this to beat them!"
Luke nodded grimly as he charged forth with his lightsaber, slicing a Kerash's staff in half. He then rammed the metal hilt of his weapon into his jaw, shattering the bone, and thrust the blade across the man's chest, tearing through his ribcage. A second Kerash came at him, and Luke brought him down with a quick decapitation.
"Just keep fighting!" Luke shouted in reply, and looked over at his wife. "And don't give in to your hate. The dark side won't get Hope back, trust me."
Before Callista could reply, a Kerash attacked her from the left. She brought her sword up and deflected his mace. Luke rushed forth, and stabbed his lightsaber into the Kerash, killing him instantly. He turned back to Callista. "Promise me!"
Callista hesitated, and finally nodded. "I will." The Jedi Master nodded--I love you, Callista--and resumed fighting, taking down as many Kerash as possible. Callista herself fought hard, trying not to be swayed by her hate for the Kerash, but it was so hard to do so. She kept thinking about Hope, so frail and precious, how the Kerash just came into their lives and took her daughter away from her. She kept thinking about Armenia, how she beat Callista in combat, and ordered her to be purified. She thought of Sonya, the kind old woman who had helped piece together the puzzle of the Kerash, only to die at the hands of the enemy. With thoughts like these continually plaguing her mind, it was hard not to give in to them. But somehow, she managed to do so...for now, at least.
As the battle raged on, Callista noticed arrows coming from the higher windows of the Kerash temple, striking down rebel fighters left and right. She saw their faces for brief seconds as they fired their arrows, then disappeared from the window as they reloaded. The archers were an even larger threat than the warriors fighting on the ground. They had to be taken out.
"Cray!" Callista shouted over at the HRD, who was busy struggling with a Kerash. "Come with me! We're taking out those archers!" She pointed toward the temple windows, where the archers hid themselves in the small, dark rooms.
"I'm on it!" Cray shouted, as she threw the Kerash into the air, knocking him into two of his fellow warriors. All three went down in a jumble of limbs.
As the two women began heading for the temple, the sky above them began to suddenly darken even more, if that was possible. Black clouds pooled in the night sky, shrouding even the eclipse. Thunder and blue fingers lightning raged from the sky, causing several trees to catch on fire. Large pieces of hail fell upon the fighting warriors, severely wounding anyone they touched. Callista herself almost took a piece of hail to the shoulder. "What the hell is this?" Cray asked, looking up at the sky.
"A Force storm," Callista realized, sensing the immense power building up within the clouds. Someone on Anasazi was creating a Force storm. But who...?
She cried out as someone bumped full-force into her. Callista reared back, bringing her sword up to defend herself, when she saw Llia, who had fallen down. She looked up at Callista in surprise.
"Callista?" she gasped. "You have to help me!"
"What is it?" Callista asked, as she helped the child up.
"It's Armenia," Llia explained in a hurry. "She tried to kill me, but my sister, Leanna, stopped her. They're fighting near the temple right now. My sister's a good fighter, but so is Armenia. Will you help us?" There was so much pleading in her voice that it broke Callista's heart.
"Of course," Callista said softly. "Of course I'll help you." She turned to Cray. "Cray, can you take care of the archers yourself? Llia and I have a score to settle with Armenia." "Armenia?" Cray said. "Hey, I've got a score to settle with her, too. After all, she tricked me, and threatened to melt me into scrap--"
"Please," was all Callista said.
The HRD sighed and acquiesed. "Fine, have it your way." Without another word, she charged toward the temple.
Llia bent over to pick up a small dagger that had been dropped on the ground. "Come on, Callista," she said quickly. "Follow me. I'll show you the way." Together, they made their way through the thick crowd.

How come Callista always get to have it her own way? Cray thought bitterly as she pushed through the mob of fighters, breaking bones and smashing open heads of any Kerash who got in her way. She was practically a one-woman army, and could've taken on the Kerash until they grew old and died.
One of the advantages of being a droid, Cray thought with a grin. You never get tired. She finally reached the gate, leaping over it with extreme ease. She landed safely on her feet, and looked up at the enormous temple.
Sure enough, she could make out the faces of at least five Kerash archers firing their arrows through the large windows. They won't be shooting those arrows of theirs for long, thought Cray as she took a running start toward the temple. The Kerash archers had taken notice of her, and began directing their arrows at her, striking with admirable precision. Cray twisted and turned, avoiding each and every arrow coming in her direction. When she was close enough to the temple, she leaped high into the air, just as an arrow struck the ground where her feet had been. Twisting in mid-air, she grabbed at the windowsill, pushed upward with all her strength, and stared right into the face of one of the archers, who recoiled in surprise.
"Hi," she quipped. "Cray Mingla. Nice to meet you." The palm of her hand hit him in the chest a second later, snapping his ribs, and she grabbed him by the front of his black robe, and tossed him out the window. With one down, and only four left, Cray swung through the window, and found herself in a small, narrow corridor. There, she saw the four remaining archers standing behind four other windows, all armed with longbows. They turned toward Cray, surprised to see her there. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said sarcastically. "Am I interrupting your killing spree? I'm really sorry about that, but your mothers told me no more killing for you children today."
The Kerash exchanged confused looks--then charged toward her as one, waving their longbows. Cray grinned--just the reaction she was hoping for--and waited until the first was upon her. She slammed her arm into his face, cracking his skull and causing him to slam back into the Kerash behind him, knocking them both out cold. A third came at Callista jabbing an arrow toward her midsection. The HRD saw the attack, sidestepped, and grabbed him by the throat, depriving him of his precious oxygen. She pushed forth, shoving him out through one of the windows, and letting him fall to his death. Leaving only one left.
He turned out to be even quicker to beat than his companions. All it took was one elbow to the face, and he was out like a light bulb. Cray surveyed the damage she had caused, and wiped her hands together, satisfied.

Leanna and Armenia had been trading blows for several minutes now, having taken their fight to the front entrance of the temple, and Leanna was beginning to wonder why she hadn't taken her cousin out yet. When they had been children, Armenia had been pretty easy to beat in their practice spars. All it took was one or two punches, and she would be on her knees, begging for mercy.
Now, though, she had taken in several blows, and she showed no indication of tiring or giving up. Apparently, she had been practicing more. Not that it bothered Leanna in the slightest. She would still be the victor in this fight--it would just take a little longer than she had first expected.
As the storm continued raging above them, Leanna swung a right jab, clobbering Armenia again in the mouth. Another punch, and her lips were smashed. As her cousin staggered, Leanna planted a good one to the gut, then grabbed her by the shoulders, slamming her knee into Armenia's stomach, causing her to double over in pain. Leanna swung a hammerfist, intending to crack Armenia's skull open. Her cousin ducked, narrowly missing the powerful punch, and grabbed Leanna by her shoulder and neck.
"Have a nice flight," Armenia said, as she threw Leanna into the air.
Leanna sailed, unable to control her fall, and she flew right over the temple rail, where she met the ground, her side taking most of the impact. She groaned as she stood up, pain searing in her arm. Her arm was bleeding from a large gash, and the left side of her face was covered with scrapes. And Armenia was coming at her again. Leanna waited until just the right moment, when her cousin was close enough for her to grab her. Armenia snatched her by both arms, and Leanna grabbed hers in return, using her cousin's momentum against her. They both spun, and Leanna flipped Armenia into the air, and she hit the middle of the temple steps. With Armenia weakened for the moment, Leanna brought her fist down toward her head. Her cousin twisted her head to one side, and Leanna ended up punching the step, making a large crack in the limestone. Her hand hurt and was bleeding, but she barely noticed it. She tried again, this time balling her hands into one large fist and smashing down upon Armenia, intending to pulverize her nose.
But Armenia's hands shot up, grabbing Leanna's arms before she could finish her blow. With incredible strength, she threw Leanna over her, causing her to slam into the left gargoyle statue. The impact caused the statue to crack open, and Leanna hit the ground, covered in pieces of marbled stone. Her entire body was now one large wave of pain. She didn't break anything, thank the Maker, but she was still hurting. She staggered weakly to her feet, and saw Armenia strode toward her again.
"You're losing your touch, Leanna," Armenia commented, waiting as her cousin got back up. "Has old age finally gotten to you? How disappointing."
Leanna wiped blood dribbling from a cut made on the left side of her forehead, glaring at her cousin with ice-blue knives. "You can't beat me, Armenia," she said.
"Oh, I beg to differ, dear cousin," said Armenia. "You'll be the first to die...and then your sister will follow. Don't worry. I'll make it as slow and painful for her as possible."
Finally losing it, Leanna threw a powerful uppercut--
--only to have it blocked by Armenia's hand.
"Ooooh, so close," her cousin said, and dropped Leanna with a punch to the head. Leanna dropped to one knee, her ears ringing from the hard blow. It felt like she had been hit by a large rock. She shook the dizziness out of her head, and looked up to see Armenia throwing her knee toward her face. Reacting fast, Leanna's hands shot up, hitting Armenia's knee and knocking it away from her face. She stood up and delivered two fast punches, both of which were unsuccessful. She cried out when Armenia struck her again, and then a third time, sending her back down. Leanna could feel more blood sliding from her nose and mouth, and as she started to get up, she felt Armenia's foot fly into the side of her head. A white flash of pain exploded behind her eyes, and she nearly lost consciousness. It was only through her strong will to survive and see her sister again that Leanna was able to fight back the darkness.
She stood up again, and stared into Armenia's grinning face. She began to throw an arm that would hit her in the chest. Armenia sidestepped, grabbed the arm as it flew past her, and threw Leanna onto the temple stairs. Her back and rear bore the brunt of the impact, further increasing her pain. She didn't even have time to recover before Armenia grabbed her by the throat.
"Interesting, Leanna," Armenia said, as she punched her in the face. "But it looks like you're losing."
As Leanna reeled from the blow, she felt Armenia pull her off the stairs, knocking her down to the ground. She bounced off several of the steps before she hit the dirt, most of the fight now gone out of her. And then she saw an image of her sister's face again. So beautiful and sweet, a bright innocence in her eyes that Leanna had lost so long ago, when her family had been destroyed before her very eyes...
Suddenly, she felt some of her strength return to her. It wasn't nearly enough for her win, but it would suffice for now. All that mattered to her was keeping Armenia at bay until help arrived. She rolled to her feet, just as Armenia leaped off the stairs, performing an impressive flip before landing quietly on her feet, in front of her opponent. Taking her by surprise, Leanna quickly snapped a sidekick into her gut, connecting nice and clean. Armenia gasped in pain, and she followed with a roundhouse kick to the head. Armenia dodged the blow, but fell victim to Leanna's knee, which shot up straight into her face. There was a loud, satisfying crack as her cousin's nose broke open, and Armenia staggered back into the pedestal.
And then something about her changed. Her eyes became bloodshot, frenzied and wild, like an animal. Her teeth bared in a fierce, terrifying snarl as she went completely berserk. It was something in her that Leanna had never seen before. And for the first time, she actually felt fear toward her cousin. Still not willing to give up, Leanna came at her and threw another unsuccessful blow. Armenia snatched her arm and, emitting an animal growl, threw her back onto the stairs. Leanna's chin hit the hard stone, causing the skin to break and spill blood. She tried to get back up when she felt Armenia's boot strike her squarely in the back, throwing her forth, higher up the stairs. She felt a brief surge of pain as her spine shuddered from the blow. Armenia's shadow loomed over her, and Leanna looked into her eyes, and saw not a trace of humanity left in them. It was as if Armenia had changed into some horrifying demon, its only purpose to kill.
Leanna rose to her knees and threw a punch for the gut. Armenia easily blocked the blow and held her by the arm.
"Wanna see a trick, Leanna?" she snarled. With a single move, she snapped the bone in Leanna's arm in half. A terrible agony ripped through her left arm. The broken half of the bone tore through her skin. Leanna screamed, a loud, high-pitched wail of pain that rose above all the other battle cries in the fight. She was in so much pain that she barely even noticed Armenia flip her off the stairs, causing her to roll down the limestone steps, and onto the ground. Leanna laid there, unable to move, unable to feel anything but the burning pain in her arm. It remained there, as if it would never go away. She looked up at the sky, the rain pelting her body, mixing in with her blood. Moments later, Armenia was standing over her. "Tsk. Tsk. Tsk," she said. "Poor little Leanna. All those years of feeling like you're invincible have made you so hard-headed." She grinned down upon her, as a burst of lightning illuminated her in white light. "Consider this a much-needed wake-up call."
"Leanna!"
Both women turned at the sound of the voice. Leanna saw Llia emerge from the crowd of warriors, a small knife held in her hands. Her eyes widned when she saw Leanna, and then glared furiously at Armenia. "You leave my sister alone, Armenia, or else!" Armenia laughed. "Or what, Llia? Are you going to kill me?" She shuddered in mock-terror. "Oh, no. Whatever am I going to do? I think I'll kill your sister before I kill you, Leanna. Would you like to see me snap her scrawny little neck before I move on to you?"
That finally set Leanna off. All the pain went away in an instant, and she was back on her feet, facing off against her cousin. "Come on, Armenia," she threatened. "Let's settle this once and for all."
Armenia obliged, and the two women were at each other again, exchanging a series of kicks and punches. Leanna blocked as many of the blows as she could with her single arm, for it hurt to move her left one. Llia looked on, her eyes wide with horror. Leanna finally saw an opening, and she reached out with her remaining good hand, grabbing Armenia by the throat. She followed with a sharp head-butt that further flattened her nose, spraying blood into both their faces.
"Don't worry, Lea!" Llia said, as she rushed forth with her weapon. "I'll help you!" Leanna looked over at her sister, then realized her mistake. Too late, she had let her guard down. Armenia got hold of her arm, and shoved her back. Leanna staggered back, unable to control herself, and fell toward the ground.
Llia screamed as Leanna bowled into her. Her back hit the ground, and she watched as Leanna fell upon her--
--and accidentally plunged her knife into her sister's back. For a moment, Llia didn't even realize what she had just done. All she saw was Leanna slamming into her, then she fell to the ground, and her sister fell on top of her, a loud groan of pain escaping her lips. But when she finally recovered from her shock seconds later, her eyes went down to where her hands were. They were still clutched tightly to the handle of her knife--
--and the blade was embedded deep into Leanna's back.
For an eternity, Llia didn't move. She just stared at the knife, and at Leanna. The blade had penetrated her sister's flesh, cut her spine in half, and ended halfway into her heart. Leanna remained on top of Llia, coughing up blood, her eyes losing focus. When Llia finally found her voice again, when the shock began to wear off, and when she finally realied what she had done, she began to scream.
"NO!" she cried, scrambling out from under her sister, and cradling Leanna's head in her lap. "NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! LEANNA! LEANNA!"
"L-Llia?" her sister gasped out weakly, more blood streaming from the corners of her mouth, slipping along her throat and cheeks. "What...?"
"Leanna, I'm sorry," Llia choked out, her tears mixing with the raindrops that splattered onto her pale, white face. She continued holding her dying sister, her tears falling upon Leanna's face. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Please. Please, don't die. Don't die. Don't die. Don't die." She finally erupted into a series of sobs, as she mentally cursed herself for what she had done. You stupid idiot! You stupid, stupid idiot! Look what you've done now! Oh, by the Force, what have I done...
Her thoughts were interrupted by Armenia's laughter. "Oh, my goodness!" she cackled. "Now, this is the funniest thing I have ever seen. Llia, thank you very much for the assistance. It wasn't really needed, but I appreciate it, nonetheless."
Llia stared up at her cousin, unable to belive what she was saying. "It was an accident," she said weakly. "And she's not going to die! She's going to be fine. She's going to be just fine, right, Leanna?" She looked down at her sister, and saw that she was not responding. "Right, Lea? Lea...please, answer me. Please...Come on, sis. You're scaring me. Please, don't die. Don't die! Don't die..."
She felt a brief flicker of hope as her sister's eyes started to move. She looked up at Llia, her eyes brimming with sadness. "I'm sorry, Llia," she whispered. "I...I tried to save you..."
Llia shook her head. "No, it doesn't matter. I've found you. And we're together again, just like old times. We're gonna be a family again, you and me. Just you and me--"
"Well, this most certainly is amusing," Armenia said, as she stepped closer to the two. "Looks like you gutted the wrong person, Llia. Oh, the irony of it all."
Llia spat at her cousin's feet. "BITCH! Filthy, disgusting BITCH! You're gonna pay for this..."
"Oh, no, that's where you're wrong, Llia," Armenia interrupted. "You see, I'm not the one who killed your sister. It was you. This whole mess is your own fault." She shook her head. "Honestly, Llia, I never knew you had it in you. Maybe there's hope for you after all." "Rot in hell, Armenia," Llia growled.
Armenia shrugged. "Or maybe not."
She moved fast, one arm wrapping around Llia's throat and lifting her up into the air, the other rolling Leanna over and gripping the knife embedded in her back. With a single yank, she pulled the knife out so hard that Leanna let out a pained moan. "Looks like Leanna's about to die pretty soon," Armenia said, her eyes inches away from Llia's. "And you know what that means, don't you?"
Llia glared at her cousin, resigned to her fate. With her sister gone, she had no further wish to live. "Go ahead, Armenia," she said. "Kill me."
"Gladly." She brought the knife up and down toward Llia's throat--
"Armenia!"
The sound of the new voice startled both Armenia and Llia. The older woman dropped Llia, and both turned to the new arrival, who stood before them, armed with a double-edged sword.
"Let the girl go," Callista said in a low, menacing voice as she slowly advanced toward Armenia.
Armenia's eyes widened in pleasant surprise as Callista stepped into the fray. "Well, look who we have here," she said, still holding onto Llia, the blood-soaked dagger mere centimeters away from piercing the child's throat.
Callista stepped closer, swallowing her fear. "I said, let the girl go," she repeated calmly. Armenia hesitated at first, then released Llia, dropping her as nonchalantly as if she were a rock. Llia scrambled away from her cousin, and ran to her dying sister's side.
Leaving Callista alone with Armenia.
Just the way she wanted.
Callista glared into the other woman's eyes, trying so hard not to let her anger cloud her mind. She remembered how Armenia had beaten her in the battle arena, and how she had ordered her to be purified immediately afterwards.
"It's over, Armenia," she said. "Give it up, while you still can."
"I'm surprised to see you here, Skywalker," Armenia said, ignoring her demand, and wiping some blood from her nose. "I had thought for sure that the purification would have killed you."
Callista did not flinch. "It'll take a lot more than that to kill a Jedi Knight, Armenia," she said, inching closer to her opponent, the sword still in her hands. "I figured you'd have learned that by now."
"Silly me," Armenia said in an amused manner. "You can't beat me. I've bloodied you before, and I'll do it again." She strode over to Callista, brandishing the knife, until only a foot-long gap separated the two women.
"That's where you're wrong," said Callista in a dangerous voice, accompanied by a crash of thunder. "You see, the only reason you were able to beat me before was because I wasn't able to use the Force to defend myself." She allowed a challenging grin to stretch across her face. "Now, though, all bets are off. No rules. No limitations."
"No matter," replied Armenia. "You saw what I did to my cousin over there." She gestured toward Leanna, who was lying on the ground, on the borderline between life and death. "I can do even worse to you, if I wish."
"Then give me your best shot," Callista challenged. "But I'll give you a little forewarning, Armenia...only one of us is going to survive this fight. I'll give you three guesses as to who it will be."
Something went off inside Armenia, and a split second later, she was swinging her knife toward Callista's throat. Callista anticipated the attack long before it came, and she was well- prepared for it.
Moving with the reflexes that had been her gift since birth, she moved her head to the left. She felt the blade fly past her neck, almost touching the skin. As Callista brought her head back, Armenia was already halfway through another blow. She brought her sword up, deflecting the dagger blade away from her. She threw her own blow, a jab for the Kerash's abdomen.
But Armenia was also quick, and her knife struck the blade of the sword, scarring the metal and knocking it sideways. She spun and slashed the blade downward, intending to cut Callista in the legs. Callista cursed, and leaped into the air, just barely dodging the attack. She landed on her feet seconds later, and the two warriors continued the fight.
Minutes passed as they fought under the fury of the Force storm, and Armenia finally gained the upper hand. She parried another blow with her dagger, and her hand shot up, smacking Callista hard in the wrist and spinning the sword out of her reach. Before Callista could recover from her surprise at losing her weapon, Armenia was already making her next move. She grabbed Callista by the arm and shoved back with all her might, slamming her against the gargoyle pedestal, causing a shudder to run throughout the entire statue. Callista's back felt the impact, and she felt pain shiver down her spine. Her strength was momentarily shot, and Armenia used that to her advantage as she began to pummel her opponent. Armenia shot her knee up repeatedly into Callista's stomach, each blow hurting a little more than the previous one. Callista gasped as she felt the air in her lungs escape through her lips, and her throat burned with bile. But she managed to hold it within her, and she drew strength from the Force.
Through the flurry of blows Armenia gave her, Callista managed to rear her head back and ram her forehead into the other's face as hard as she could. Armenia's head snapped back so hard that she almost broke her neck, and her already-broken nose cracked open even further. With her opponent weakened, Callista grabbed Armenia by one arm, moved away from the pedestal, swung her around, and slammed her against the foot of the statue, where Callista had been moments before. Armenia cried out as her back hit the marble, and Callista followed with a powerful right to the jaw, drawing blood from the woman's mouth. As Armenia reeled, Callista grabbed the hand that still held the knife, and brought her elbow down upon her opponent's arm, causing Armenia to drop the knife. There, Callista thought. Now, we're even.
Still holding Armenia's arm, Callista brought her elbow into her face, causing the back of her head to bounce off against the pedestal. A spin, and she punched her again. She threw a mighty roundkick, but Armenia had gained enough equilibrium to duck the blow, and move away from the pedestal, ending up behind Callista. Callista moved fast, spinning around with the grace of an experienced dancer, so that she was facing her opponent again. Just as she finished her spin, she swung a kick across Armenia's face, almost dropping her down. Armenia reeled from the kick, but was able to block Callista's next punch with her hand. With an angry growl, the Kerash leader spun and landed a powerful sidekick into Callista's gut, using enough force to throw her back into the air. Callista cried out as she landed at the top of the temple steps, just in front of the entrance. She looked over and saw Armenia advancing toward her.
The Kerash warrior ran up the steps with breathtaking speed, and she leaped into the air, landing right next to her downed opponent. With a grin, she brought her foot down toward Callista's chest. Callista cried out as she rolled aside, successfully avoiding the blow, and ended up behind her adversary. Armenia's foot struck the bare ground instead, and as she began to turn around, Callista brought her foot up and thrust it behind Armenia's knee, driving her into the wall. Buying just enough time to get up, Callista leaped to her feet, just as Armenia began to turn back around, glaring emerald daggers at the Jedi Knight. Thinking fast, Callista's eyes laid upon one of the temple pillars off to her right. As Armenia surged toward her, Callista turned and ran over to the thin pillar, grabbing it with both hands, and leaping into the air. Using the Force to boost her momentum, she spun around the pillar, feeling the cold air brush against her skin, and landed an aerial sidekick across Armenia's face. The Kerash leader was knocked back against the wall, stunned, the kick having split open a large welt on her cheek.
Callista landed safely on her feet, and went over to Armenia. Attacking without mercy, she aimed another kick at her head, which Armenia dodged. The Kerash spun around behind Callista in hopes of hitting her from behind. But the Force was guiding Callista, telling her Armenia's every move.
With a spin, she faced her opponent again, and landed another kick, this time connecting cleanly, knocking the other woman against one of the pillars. Armenia laid back against the stone pillar, her eyes frenzied and red. She was beginning to become frustrated, and they both knew it. As Callista prepared to kick her again, two forms burst through the door. Kerash guards, both armed with the traditional Kerash weapon--golden staffs. They stopped in their tracks when they saw Callista and Armenia. Without hesitation, Armenia reached forth and snatched the staff from the hands of the closest Kerash guard. As the guard began to ask her what she was doing, she elbowed him in the face, knocking him out cold. "Let's see how well you can fight me when I have this!" Armenia snarled, as she charged toward Callista with the weapon.
As before, Callista calculated where and when the blow would hit her. When the time came, she sidestepped, easily evading the attack, and threw her foot into the small of Armenia's back, knocking her down the stairs.
"Looks like I did just fine," Callista said with a grin. With only a few seconds to spare before Armenia came back into the fray, Callista snatched the remaining guard's staff. The Kerash began to utter a protest, but one look at Callista, and he dashed back into the temple. By now, Armenia had begun running up the flight of steps. Callista went down with her staff, and they met in the middle of the steps. Both now armed again, the two women began trading blows with the golden staffs. They were heavier than they looked, Callista realized, as she parried Armenia's blows. She threw her own attacks, aiming specifically for the chest and gut, but Armenia met each one with her own weapon.
As the fight escalated, a monstrous burst of lightning roared across the sky. Callista jumped back in surprise--lightning had always scared her as a child--and her grip on her staff faltered. Armenia used this moment well, and she sent her staff into Callista's thigh. A river of pain went down her entire leg, and Callista almost fell. One hand went up to grab Armenia's staff.
Callista was unprepared for what happened next. As she remained holding onto the end of the staff pressed against her thigh, which had gone numb, Armenia lifted up her own end of the weapon, and threw Callista high into the air. Callista screamed as she flew through the stormy sky, and she was almost struck by another wave of lightning. She summoned the Force, and was able to somewhat control her fall, turning her plummet into a backflip and landing on the parapet of the temple, giving her a good view of the battle down below. Armenia raced forth toward the temple, and flipped into the air after Callista. With admirable acrobatic skills, Armenia easily landed on the temple parapet, where she now faced Callista, the golden staff held in her hands. Barely a second had passed before the fight continued.

"Scared, little Hope?" Kara hissed as she pressed the tip of the red-hot dagger against Hope's bleeding hand. Her skin immediately began to sizzle under the touch. "I can feel your fear. Don't be afraid. I'll make it quick."
Hope shook her head, unable to control her tears. "Get away from me!" she pleaded. "Or else my Mommy's gonna kill you!"
Kara didn't seem intimidated by her threat. "Perhaps. It turns out that Mommy will be coming very soon. Then we can all be one big, happy family again." She looked down at the knife that was so close to cutting into her sister's skin, and then up at the wall, as if staring off into something Hope couldn't see. There was a faraway look in her hard gray eyes. "Of course, she's going to be busy for quite a while...giving me time to get to know the sister who usurped my place in this family."
Hope jumped when she heard Kinshur's screams. She looked over Kara's shoulder and saw the young man sizzling and boiling from within, smoke rising from his slowly charring flesh. "What's happening to him?" she gasped.
Kara looked over at Kinshur, and smiled. "The portal's opening," she said, and turned back to Hope. "We don't have much time." She positioned the blade of the dagger.
"Please, don't do this..."
"Don't worry, little sister," Kara whispered, her voice sounding more demonic than human. "I promise that it won't hurt...much."
The blade tore through her hand, and Hope screamed.

Callista kept hammering at her opponent with the staff, deflecting any blow sent in her way, but she was beginning to sap all her energy. She had to find a way to bring Armenia down quickly before she was no longer able to fight.
Armenia, on the other hand, showed no signs of giving up. Apparently, not even her earlier fight with Leanna had slowed her down, for she continued defending herself when she needed to, and attacking when she saw an opening. There was something very unusual about this, Callista thought as she ducked beneath a swing that would have cracked her skull open had she not seen it coming. Armenia may have been a skilled warrior, but she was no match for a Jedi Knight, especially a one as powerful as Callista. She should have been taken down a long time ago...
Callista leaped over another attack, and brought her staff down upon Armenia's head, which was easily parried. She cried out as her opponent shoved her staff forth in a horizontal position, striking her squarely in her face. Armenia struck again, one end of the staff striking Callista sharply in the left hip. The other end came out, hitting her in the right side. Callista's legs wobbled, threatening to collapse, and she was staggered back when the tip of Armenia's staff shot straight into her gut. Callista fell back and almost tumbled down the parapet, but she steadied herself at the last minute, and watched as Armenia backed away from her, confidently twirling her staff around her. A grin highlighted her face, as she silently beckoned Callista to continue fighting.
Callista obliged, stepping forth with her staff. She lifted her weapon over her head, and behind it, one end directed straight at her opponent. Then, just as Armenia began moving toward her, Callista shoved the staff forward. It sailed through the air, and she controlled its velocity with the Force. The end of the golden weapon struck Armenia squarely in the stomach, driving her back. The Kerash huffed in pain, not expecting that attack. Callista stroke forth, one foot going up. Backed up by an enormous amount of power, she kicked at Armenia's staff, shattering it into two smaller pieces at the center. Simultaneously, she reached out with the Force, and called her staff back into her hands, and she stepped back. Armenia recovered, and she stared down at the two broken pieces of her staff, then at Callista, her eyes glaring in surprise and anger.
Callista merely offered her a grin, and urged her to make the first move.
Moving with the speed and ferocity only possessed by the strongest animals in the galaxy, Armenia came forth and attacked with both pieces of her staff. Callista used her own weapon to counterattack, preventing any of the blows from reaching her. She's good, she thought. Really good...
Eventually, the moment Callista's guard went down, Armenia found the perfect moment, using both pieces of her staff to knock Callista's weapon from her hands. The staff soared through the air and plummeted to the ground below. As Callista, looked over at Armenia in shock, her opponent threw a painful sidekick into her gut, knocking her back, and almost slipping off the parapet. Then, with one of the staff pieces, Armenia smacked it against the side of Callista's head so hard that she fell. The world swam, and Callista involuntarily reached out with both hands, grabbing at the edge of the parapet before she could hit the ground. Her feet dangled helplessly in the air, looking for solid ground. And when she looked up, she saw Armenia standing over her. Lightning flashed from the Force storm, further amplifying her terrifying appearance. She raised both staff pieces into the air, preparing to strike her down once and for all.
"It's a shame it had to end like this. You were a worthy opponent."
Suddenly, just when she was about to deliver the final blow, a large piece of hail fell from the sky, striking her on the shoulder hard enough to draw blood. She gasped as one hand went to her wounded shoulder.
Perfect timing, Callista thought, as she planted both feet against the temple wall, groaning as she did so, for this was going to take a lot of energy. She pushed back with all her might, causing her to flip into the air. Just when she completed her flip, and when her feet were high in the air, she brought them back and into Armenia's face as hard as she could, sending her stumbling back. Callista ended up on her feet, still without a weapon, but able to fight again. Armenia wiped blood from her mouth, and she came forth again, snarling.
"Don't you Jedi ever die?" She readied her two staff pieces. Callista didn't give her the opportunity to strike as her foot came up, kicking one of the staff pieces out of her opponent's hands. As Armenia's eyes followed her weapon's quick descent, Callista kicked her full in the gut, driving her even further back. Armenia groaned, and began twirling her single staff piece, seemingly aiming it at Callista's head.
With a frustrated cry, Callista formed both hands into a hammerfist and smacked the staff piece out of her opponent's grasp, sending it tumbling down after its counterpart. "Why do you keep fighting?" Callista asked the other woman, her voice no longer angry and even, but exhausted. "Why do you keep doing this? All because of some god? This whole war is pointless. All it does is get people killed!"
Armenia shook her head. "No, Skywalker. It's more than that. Arak represents everything that is Kerash. Our ancestors have prepared for this day for centuries, and we're not to just stop simply because some outside from the stars tells us to."
Callista caught a glimpse of her fallen staff from the corner of her eye, lying on the temple steps below the parapet. As she continued speaking to Armenia, the staff began to move. "Arak doesn't care about you," Callista said. "All she cares about is getting out of Raximidaj. If you set her free, she'll only destroy you with the rest of us!"
"You lie!" Armenia shrieked. "How dare you accuse the Great Arak of such a thing! I ought to kill you right now with my bare hands."
A loud scream punctured through their conversation, coming from somewhere inside the temple, through every window. Callista and Armenia glanced around in surprise. A child's voice, Callista knew, and very familiar. A second scream told her who it was.
"Hope," she whispered.
Armenia seemed to read her mind, and she furiously shook her head. "Oh, no you don't," she said. "You're not going anywhere, Skywalker. The Ritual of the Coming must be carried out!"
"Look," said Callista, as the staff began heading in her direction. "It's been fun, Armenia, really it has. But I should get going." The staff landed nicely in both hands. As Armenia advanced, Callista brought the staff back and into Armenia's jaw, throwing her back a good distance and crashing into the far parapet wall, loosening several limestone bricks. With Armenia down, Callista now had to save her daughter. Still maintaining a grip on her staff, Callista leaped through the closest window, finding herself in a darkened hallway. Hope screamed a third time, somewhere off to her left. Hold on, Hope, Callista thought, as she began heading in that direction. I'm coming.

Armenia groaned in pain as she stood up, her hand rubbing her sore jaw. Her entire face was one big, bloody mass of pain. Her nose hurt, her mouth hurt, everything hurt. Her fights with Leanna and Callista were now beginning to take their toll on her.
Why am I even bothering? Armenia thought to herself. The blood of the Bond surely must have been drawn by now. Even if Skywalker got to the Main Hall in time, she would already be too late...
No, you idiot! whispered another voice, a voice she had never heard before. Go after her! Kill her! Rip her guts out and paint them all over the temple walls. You know you want to, after what she did to you...
Armenia shook her head, as if doing that would ward the voice away, but it returned, even stronger and more evil than before. Go after her, now! Or else I'll personally take the pleasure in cutting your heart out and shoving it down your throat. Callista...must...DIE! She must NOT get to the Main Hall. We need more time.
"Yes," Armenia whispered, her voice coming out dull and lifeless, like that of a zombie. "Yes...she must die. She must not get to the Main Hall. We need more time." With the voice renewing her with an endless amount of strength, Armenia bound through the window Callista had gone through, and went after the Jedi Knight.

Kara twisted the knife into her sister's hand. The blade struck a nerve and Hope's fingers spasmed wildly with the stimulus. Hope screamed, and Kara's lips parted in a feral smile.
"So how is Mother these days? I heard Daddy isn't giving out much, so she's moved on to other prospects. Do you know anything, sweet Hope? Maybe you know something about the little brother you're not going to have. Eh? Anything?"
Through her frightened tears, Hope shook her head violently. "I don't know anything! You're lying!"
Kara twisted the knife again, and Hope's fingers spasmed. "Come on! You're so special, you must know everything! Why else would Mommy love you so much?"
Hope cried out again, terrified and confused at what her fingers were doing. Kara looked down at her sister's hand, in mock-dismay. Her eyes met Hope's again, filled with concern. "Is that hurting you, dearest sister? Maybe I should start someplace else!" As she said the words, Kara ripped the knife brutally from Hope's hand and raised it high above her head. "Did you know a slit throat can kill you in seconds?"
She pressed the knife against Hope's jugular, tracing the edge lightly against her skin. One more erg of force would slice Hope's neck. "Let's see exactly how many it will take!"
"Kara!"
Kara swung around, her hair whirling around her face as the Coming and the Force storm intensified. Lightning crashed, illuminating the dark sky. Kara smiled pleasantly, releasing her hold on Hope's wrist.
"Mommy!" Hope cried. Callista stood ten feet away, staring down at them from a pyramid of fallen stone. Her eyes fixed with Hope's, for just an instant. Stay there, Hope. Everything's okay now. Then she stared at Kara, and leapt down to the stone floor without a word.
"Mother," Kara said, as if Callista had just entered a room where Kara had been talking about her. "What a nice surprise. Hope and I were just catching up on recent...gossip. Is it true that our little brother isn't coming anymore?"
"Stop it, Kara." Callista said evenly. "That has nothing to do with you. What does is what ever the hell you're doing to Hope, and how it's going to stop now."
Kara scoffed. "And what are you going to do, Mommy Dearest? Are you going to kill me? Huh? Kill me and live like a cripple the rest of your pathetic life?" She stuck her face close to Callista's. "Face it, Mother. You need me. I'm practically keeping you alive, aren't I? That's right--I die and you go back to being a nobody who used to move things with her mind."
Callista brought her fist up to strike Kara to the floor, but her hand stayed, faltered. Kara didn't flinch. She just smiled, and nodded like she understood. "It's nice, isn't it? That power coursing through you like it's your own blood." Her face transformed again, into utter hatred. "Well, guess what, Mother: That's my blood, and my power!"
Callista lowered her hand, stared at the hand that used to be Cray's the veins that trafficked her own blood, mixed with Kara's. "I've given you everything you wanted! You made a mistake, and Kara fixed it for you! I made you what you are! Why won't you love me?" Kara screamed furiously.
Callista looked at Kara. "I do love you, Kara. That's what tears you up inside. You can't deal with the fact that you are loved...because that's what sheds light into darkness. You can't be completely evil while you're loved. It means you lose power. It means you lose."
Kara shook her head. "No! I will not be defeated! I am evil! I will always win!" She raised her dagger again, preparing to bring it down.
Callista anticipated her move and caught her wrist before she could plunge knife into her heart. The two women circled, not releasing each other. As they danced, Callista saw a figure out of the corner of her eye. The figure lurched over the same pyramid she had, toting a long, glistening spear.
Armenia.
"Hope!" Callista screamed. "Get down!"
Armenia raised her spear, and hurled it at Kara and Callista. Callista leapt into the air and caught the spear, and brought it down as she landed.
Everything happened with blinding speed, and it wasn't until she felt a stinging pain in her chest that she knew she'd been hit. Her eyes met Kara's--they were wide with shock.
Kara coughed, and blood stained her lips.
The spear had impaled Kara.
And Kara's knife had found Callista's heart.