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Chapter 35: Of Gods and Demons
Ever so slowly, Revan and Fayne began rebuilding the Ossus temple into what could pass as a rough training camp. In their spare time, Revan went between checking the long-range scanners for incoming vessels and training the Alderannian. Their next recruit happened to be an orange-skinned Twi'lek that Revan was inclined to believe wanted him dead but didn't have the constitution to kill him in his sleep. Either way, the little Jedi army was growing and Revan was relentlessly training the new student, Ira Man-tor or something like that, he only bothered remembering the first name, in their lightsaber skills and the more neutral aspects of the Force.
Frowning, Revan paced as he watched Ira and Fayne duel. Ira happened to be an expert with a saberstaff and was currently testing his skills against the Alderannian. The bronze-skinned Twi'lek was good, Revan had to admit and he was seeing the beginnings of some acceptance as to his former persona.
"Good, keep moving and don't worry too much about using Soresu. The staff's advantage is speed and offense."
Revan watched as Ira expertly shifted between an Ataru maneuver to a more offensive Shien form. Raising an eyebrow, Revan watched the fight, surprised at the prowess of both students. While Fayne's style relied heavily on Nimian she was using aspects of Sokan, using the debris to her advantage as she held the upper hand on defense.
Leaving the two to finish their duel, Revan moved to the small relay station where he intercepted any messages from Malak or Jolee and monitored incoming vessels, frowning when a shadow moved across the monitor. Receiving no communication from the ship, Revan secured the ships and returned to his two companions, waiting for their guest.
Revan ordered Ira and Fayne to stand down when the interloper arrived. Raising his hand in greeting, Revan was met with a sneer from the other man. Revan studied the man's features for a long, tense moment before he spoke.
"Talvon Esan..."
One of Malak's, if he recalled correctly. Also one of the few who followed them both to the Mandalorian war.
"How dare you!"
Talvon bellowed as he drew his saberstaff, igniting the bronze blade. Revan blinked once before drawing his crimson blade, leaving the blade deactivated.
"You and Malak both. I know what you two have done, I know what you are doing now, How dare you, Revan."
The young man shook with rage as he glared hatefully at his former leader.
"I didn't think you survived the Jaga's Cluster..."
Revan replied softly, his eyes taking in the gray pallor and the thick blue veins that pulsed beneath the man's decaying and scarred skin. Talvon's amber eyes flickered as he cast his gaze to the two Jedi flanking Revan. Both shuddered at the darkness within the former Jedi. Sneering, Talvon raised his hand, grasping for their throats through the Force. Both were caught off guard, expecting him to attack with his saber and not the Force and struggled momentarily while they forced the attack from them, bruises forming on their throats. Revan seemed to be unaffected, expecting the attack. Shaking his head, Revan activated his saber.
"No time to waste, watch and learn."
Talvon let out a roar and struck, thrusting for Revan and swinging his saberstaff upwards against Revan's parry. Revan refused to back away, using brute force to knock Talvon off balance. Twirling the saberstaff expertly, Talvon deflected Revan's high attack, taking advantage of his opening and striking low, rewarded with the smell of burning flesh as he grazed Revan's thigh.
Revan ignored the pain, allowing the smaller wound to boost his opponent's confidence. This was nothing more than a lesson for Ira and Fayne. Raising his saber over his head in a flawless Sokan form. Striking, Revan forced Talvon to defend himself as he struck for various vital areas in a blur of movement.
Ira and Fayne struggled to tell which of the three crimson blades was which as Revan forced the other man to back away. Talvon was obviously struggling to defend himself, overextending and leaving openings for Revan to strike at before he was able to attack again. Finally breaking away by side-stepping, Talvon used a wide-swing, feigning and thrusting for Revan when his blade swept to intercept the bluff. Revan quickly compensated, ducking and rolling, on his feet several meters from the attack as Talvon turned, snarling wordlessly and slashing almost blindly in a fury.
"You had it all, all of the Galaxy at your feet and you gave it up, he gave it up too!"
Talvon shouted, twisting to his side to avoid Revan's thrust and holding his staff parallel to his body, sweeping it upwards and Forcing Revan to block as be began striking with heavy, powerful blows from both ends of his weapon. Revan reverted to a defensive stance, allowing Talvon to exhaust himself while remaining fairly fresh himself.
"You could have had it all Revan! You and Malak were Gods and you both threw it away for what? What did you throw it away for you fool?"
Revan listened to his opponent's rants, feeling the Darkside swell and bend to his opponent's whim.
"Freedom. Love. All the things that matter..."
Revan replied. His opponent relented his attack for an instant, displaying his disbelief.
"Freedom? The Jedi kept you locked away for years and you are still a slave to their teachings. Love? Where is the love of your life, Revan? Where is this great thing that saved you from greatness and doomed you to mediocrity? You will die here, rotting in your pathetic righteousness. You and your little students."
Having enough, Revan held his saber at an arms length, leveling it at Talvon's throat.
"No retort? You always were one for diplomacy, it won't help you now..."
Driving forward for a thrust, Revan watched as Talvon's staff rose to parry the thrust, the other end prepared to move for a block to whatever counterattack Revan would throw. Calling on the Force, Revan rolled under Talvon's blade and rose swiftly behind him, spinning as he reclaimed his previous position and ran his blade cleanly through the center of Talvon's staff and then his neck as he attempted to block his exposed backside. The head dropped to the ground, followed shortly after by the rest of Talvon as the blades burned for an instant then died.
Staring down at his fallen opponent, Revan deactivated his weapon and calmly attached it to his belt, drawing the hood of his black cloak over his head. Some of the things the other man said had cut him. He had been a prisoner to the Jedi and now he was a prisoner to the Sith. Not physically of course, but he would always be trapped in the mind set of the Sith. Knowing he would always be fighting the Darkside either on the battlefield or within himself and the part about love? Revan winced as he thought of Bastila. It had been a long time, time he should have spent by her side, helping her through the death of her mother and the loss of the Jedi. It was almost like falling to the Darkside all over again, leaving her behind to cope on her own while he rode off to fight again. It felt like betraying her again.
The rest of the night was spent in silence between the three former Jedi as they set up a pyre for the fallen Dark Jedi and burned his remains. Revan watched as the ashes floated into the night time sky of Ossus, remembering the funeral of another person who had been killed by his own actions, much to young and much to innocent to have died because of his sins.
Revan seated himself on a boulder, staring at the glowing embers of the pyre long after the fallen Jedi was reduced to ashes and the fires died. Pulling his cloak around him tightly, Revan ignored the chill that shot through him, looking past the pyre to the jagged mountains covered randomly by patches of brown and green woods, violet in the night extending to the horizon as the moons rose over the landscape. Reaching deep within his cloak, Revan removed a small rectangular case, pulling a small cylinder from the case and replacing it, lighting the end of it with his lightsaber.
"You're supposed to chew it..."
Ira called to Revan. The former Dark Lord shook his head as he took a long drag from the cylinder, allowing the smoke to fill his lungs.
"More powerful this way. Makes it more.. calming..."
Frowning, the Twi'lek seated himself on an adjacent boulder and looked out over the horizon.
"How long have you been taking that garbage?"
Shaking his head with a dry chuckle, Revan corrected his companion.
"Its Bota plant not Luna weed. Its supposed to heal the body and mind. This is just the way I prefer to ingest it... Its even rumored to give you a stronger connection to the Force."
Reaching into his cloak, Revan held the case to his companion, replacing it when the Twi'lek declined.
"From Drognar right?"
Revan nodded, feeling the healing effects of the plant take effect on his wounded thigh. Staring up at the late night sky, Revan's eyes caught the trail of a shooting star. Knowing some things were not always what they appeared, Revan sighed, rising slowly, returning to his ship to check the log.
Four heavily armored warriors stood silently at the hatch of their pod, awaiting orders as they each checked their comrade's armor and gear. dim red lights gleamed off crimson armor as the Sith commandoes prepared to scout for Darth Nihilus. Behind them, a figure clad in leather and silk removed her lightsaber from her belt, examining the weapon with sightless eyes before the lighting in the pod shifted to blue. Gesturing the each other, the lead commando, identified by a scorched charcoal hand-print on the back of his helmet opened the rear hatch, tossing a repulsor pod and landed safely below, followed shortly after by his three fellow commandoes and the Miralukan.
Revan frowned as he double-checked the data. It logged as an asteroid, but something didn't feel right. With all of the massive shockwaves pulsing through the Force, Revan had difficulty feeling out the situation, but he was certain someone was coming. It was the same chill he had felt when Talvon had arrive, only this one was different somehow. Hollow, illusive.
Sealing his ship, Revan sprinted to the fallen temple, rousing both of his companions.
"Something is wrong."
Ira scoffed, lying back down.
"You've just smoked too much Bota leaf."
Sighing, Revan turned to Fayne.
"What? It's the third time part. I really want to sleep..."
Jolee Bindo's apprentice complained. Seeing he wasn't getting anywhere, Revan grabbed Ira by his lekku and hauled Fayne by her robes, pulling both of the former Jedi to their feet.
"We are preparing to fight a war. I give a command you follow it. Pack up, get to your ships. Something is coming..."
Grumbling under her breath, Fayne packed her gear quickly, ignoring Revan's glare as she took more time than necessary before heading to Revan's ship since Jolee had taken hers. Ira rubbed his headtail, scowling as he merely stared at Revan. Giving up, Revan left the Twi'lek to his fate, moving through the decaying temple to collect the focusing crystals as quickly as he could and nearly losing his head as a Sith commando in crimson armor appeared out of thin air, swinging a vibroblade for his back. Wishing he still had his armor, Revan dropped the focus crystals, dodging another attack from his opponent and relenting that the Sith knew what he was doing. Calling on the Force, Revan focused a burst of energy into his palm and extended his hand, watching as the Sith commando was sent tumbling through the air before he collided with an invisible barrier. Two other commandoes materialized, holding their unconscious companion. Revan had time to activate his lightsaber before both released a hail of blasterfire.
Sending several of the many bolts back to the attackers, Revan groaned in frustration as the telltale blue-white glow of personal shields absorbed the deadly energy.
Wishing again for his armor and its built in energy shield, Revan barely sensed the warning in the Force as another unseen struck for him, saved by Ira's saberstaff perforating the Sith commando. The Twi'lek former Jedi joined Revan, aiding in deflecting the fire and exchanging a brief nod with the former Dark Lord of the Sith.
Seeing that their blasterfire was getting them nowhere, the two commandoes holstered their blaster-rifles while the third slowly came to. The two commandoes struck, one driving Ira back into a forced defensive while Revan countered his opponent, using his superior strength to drive his foe back. The third Sith moved to intercept Ira, seeing the weaker opponent and knowing that the three of them could strike Revan together.
Cursing, Ira dodged his new opponent while blocking the other, kicking the Sith's knee and rewarded with a loud crack. The victory was short lived as the wounded commando drew his pistol and fired a bolt directly into Ira's head while he tried to parry the other Sith's blade. Mechanically the wounded Sith turned, blaster still smoking as he leveled a shot at Revan's back and pulled the trigger.
Or at least he would have had a violet blade not torn through his forearm. Grunting in pain, the commando felt himself going into shock and did the only professional thing in his opinion, tearing a thermal detonator from his belt and depressing the switch as the Jedi attacked his comrade who was turning to the threat.
Revan dodged a thrust from his foe's vibroblade, grasping the other man's wrist tightly and ignoring the armored forearm that lashed out, striking smashing against his face. He'd had a broken nose before and the second of pause in the attack was enough for him to free his other saber and drive it into the center of his opponent's chest while the commando was poised to deliver another crushing blow to his face.
Brushing his leather gauntlet under his nose, Revan turned to see the beginnings of a big explosion. Throwing both arms over his face, Revan called on the Force to shield him from the heat and shrapnel as he noticed Fayne moving behind a pillar for cover.
"Well that was unpleasant."
The former Dark Lord commented, frowning when he did not catch sight of Ira. Seeing Fayne's grim expression, Revan turned his attention back to the struggling form of the last commando. Scowling, Revan directed the Force and tossed his lightsaber into the Sith, watching as the crimson blade impaled the commando.
Hearing a strangled cry, Revan turned to see another figure standing over a prone Fayne Nathron. Eyes widening, Revan used the Force to direct his blade from the dying commando towards the Dark Jedi.
Visas Marr raised her bronze blade, blocking the weapon's deadly arc before managing to slice through its hilt, sending both pieces to the ground. By the time the loss of the threat had registered to the Miralukan, Revan was on her, his sapphire blade hissing as it shot where her head had been a millisecond before and drove towards her retreating form.
Thoroughly angry, Revan advanced wordlessly as his opponent rolled away from his blade and came back at him. He had promised Jolee he would take care of his apprentice and now she was lying on the floor, a lightsaber wound across her chest.
With a roar, Revan focused on the Force, leaping over his opponent and striking from her other side. The move was anticipated and Revan, through his anger noticed his opponent seemed to be predicting his moved and was not even watching his movements. Narrowing his eyes, Revan ignored the coppery taste of blood as it continued to flow from his broken nose and shifted to a Juyo stance, driving into the Miralukan, Revan was surprised to find his lightsaber flying from his hand and into a stone wall.
"Well... that hasn't happened in a while..."
Revan muttered, twisting to avoid his opponent and having new respect for Juyo. There was a reason it was an unfinished stance. Leaping and spinning, Revan scissor kicked his opponent, causing the Dark Jedi to cry out in pain and fall to the ground. Not seeing his blade anywhere, Revan turned back to his opponent, raising his hand and forming a fist, sneering angrily as the young woman blocked the attack, rising swiftly and advancing with her weapon.
Reaching into the folds of cloak, Revan drew a vibroblade, taking a defensive stance and moving back swiftly, assessing the situation.
"Something isn't right here..."
Narrowing his eyes, Revan felt something on the edge of his senses that caused his to shudder, letting his focus on the Force slip slightly. Seeing the opening, Visas used the Force to pull Revan's weapon from his grasp and sent it sailing away as she had done with his weapon earlier earning an incredulous groan from Revan.
"What the Hell is going on!"
The former Dark Lord shouted, feeling that pull on the edge of his senses draining him, feeding from him. Eyes snapping to his opponent, Revan gasped, his hand grasping his chest.
"This is a distraction..."
Visas answered Revan with a mere tilt of her head. Gasping for breath, Revan dropped to his knees, feeling his power being drawn from his, feeding some insatiable hunger.
"Block. Have. To Block."
Revan felt his power drained, still gasping as his life started to feed to hunger.
"Take him."
A voice echoed in Revan's mind as the hunger was sated. Knowing his power would return in time, Revan suddenly felt exposed, defenseless. The Force was there but it was a mere whisper of what it was before. It felt like it had when Mandalore had imprisoned him, cutting him off from the Force. It felt like it had on Ziost where he fought the True Sith, except even the Darkside's whispers and promises of power where gone.
Feeling his system going into shock, Revan turned his eyes to his opponent.
"What the Hell?"
He rasped, his throat suddenly feeling dry. The Miralukan's lips twitched into a small frown before they melted back into an impassive mask. Revan's mind played over his imprisonment near the close of the Mandalorian wars, his capture by the Jedi. Never had he felt so helpless to stop the invasion. The rape of his essence. Shuddering, Revan struggled to find strength to stand, seeing the Miralukan wave her hand and whisper.
"Rest."
"I don't think so!"
Revan snapped, using the last lingering tendrils of the Force to block the subtle Force suggestion. The Miralukan looked surprised as Revan stood and advanced, raising his fist to strike.
Visas ducked, avoiding the powerful blow as it grazed her veil, tearing it away as she punched Revan in the only place that would stop him. Would stop any man.
The former Dark Lord of the Sith's eyes bugged a moment as he collapsed to his knees, grasping his crotch and trying to force the pain and stars from his mind.
Raising his eyes, Revan saw Visas raising her saber to bring the hilt into his head. Reaching up, Revan stopped the Miralukan's action, tightening his grip with a roar as he attempted to overcome his nausea and pain. Visas cried out as Revan began crushing her wrists, his entire body trembling with the effort to remain conscious. Finally, Revan gazed into his opponent's features, taking in the young woman's pale skin and black hair. His gaze finally landed on her eyes as he paused from snapping her neck as he had planned. The two sightless eyes stared at him, the irises a dull gray. Shocked into his hesitation, Revan gaped at the Miralukan, one arm grasping her weapon hand and the other gripping her neck.
"Just a flick of the wrist."
The pause was enough for Visas, calling on the Force she closed her sightless eyes, drawing Revan from consciousness and trembling as she felt his grasp weaken and finally release as he slumped heavily against her. Something in her mind knew this wasn't right. Knew it was damning her but there was nothing she could do. She had tried countless times to kill herself, each time, Nihilus had latched on to her essence and drew her back, never letting her rest and punishing her with tortures she was certain the man before her didn't even know. Bowing her head in shame, Visas stared down at Revan's features, trying to justify making him her Master's slave as she was.
"I'm sorry..."