Chapter Thirteen-Guardians of the Temple
Revan opened her eyes slowly. She lay within the safety of Canderous' muscular arms, head resting on his broad bare chest, her arm slung casually about his waist. She snuggled closer against him, listening to his soft breathing, and rhythmic thump of his heart. We should be moving, she thought guiltily, not lying here as if we have no cares. With reluctance, she pushed herself up into a sitting position next to him, savouring the feeling of warmth that emanated from his slumbering body. She turned her head and stared lovingly down at him, a serene look upon her face.
His eyes flickered open as he felt her move away from him, and propping his head up on his hand, he stared sleepily up at her, "Revan," he yawned widely. He noticed the intense look she was giving him, her brow was furrowed into little lines of concentration, and her delicate mouth was pushed down slightly at the corners, "Hey, you don't regret what happened between us, do you?" Canderous asked her, frowning.
She smiled at him, tracing the scars at the corner of his lip with her finger, "No…I don't," she replied softly.
"Don't lie to me. I know you better than most."
She reached out a hand, and cupped his cheek tenderly, "Honestly, Canderous. I don't regret a thing."
He sneaked an arm out, and pulled her towards him, kissing her deeply. She protested weakly against him, laughing at the false hurt in his eyes.
"So you don't want me now, eh, Revan?" he growled playfully.
She sat up, pulling her robe about her shoulders, "It's not that, Canderous, but we really ought to be moving…" she trailed off as she saw the disappointment shining in his grey eyes.
"Yeah, I suppose you're right," he barked at her gruffly.
She covetously watched him, as he rose from their shared bedroll and pulled his armour on. He felt her eyes on him, and smiled to himself.
"So what now?" he inquired tugging his boots on.
"We go deeper into this temple. We must find the Exile…" she chewed the inside of her lip, "I am worried that she is hurt."
"Cant you sense her through the Force, use your magic on her?" Canderous asked.
"I suppose that I can," Revan replied reluctantly, "But I fear what lurks here. We don't need to bring attention to ourselves."
"I agree with you on that."
Revan looked at him sharply, "Is there something that you aren't telling me?"
He picked his blaster rifle up, and turned to look at her, "Bah, it's probably nothing, Revan."
"Tell me…"
He shrugged deeply, "The room where you mentioned the holocrons were? I thought I heard a voice…"
Revan stood up, dressing herself quickly; ignoring the appreciative looks the Mandalorian gave her. "A voice? Are you sure, Canderous?"
He laughed abruptly, "I may be many things, but I am not a fool Revan. I know what I heard."
She stood up, and rested her hand against his rough cheek, "What did you hear?" she inquired softly.
"I was told not to trust you."
"And do you?"
He sighed deeply, "Why would I doubt you, Revan? I follow you…you who defeated the old Mandalore and the might of the Mandalorians at Malachor V. I followed you once before…I let you lead me to the Star Forge. I came back even though you ordered me not to follow. I even put up with the snide comments off your Republic boyfriend, and all because I…"
She glanced up at him quickly, "All because of what?"
He shook his head, "It doesn't matter. I trust you Revan. I trust in your judgement, whether it is for the good, or bad. I would follow you whatever the consequence. I care not for the Jedi's belief in fighting the battle of light or dark. I follow you because you have the heart of a Mandalorian, and because I care about what happens to you…" he trailed off weakly, "But do not think that it would stop me from killing you, if the need arose!"
She smiled at the Mandalorians attempted declaration of love. Her heart fluttered in her chest as it had not done in a long time, not since Carth. Carth, she sighed silently, it has been too long…please forgive me.
Canderous bent down and retrieved his dented helmet from the floor. He stared at it ruefully, and then lifted his arms to put it on. He glanced down as he felt a hand touch his shoulder.
Revan was looking at him, shaking her head, "Don't Canderous, leave it off. I wish to see your face, and not stare at that," she gestured to the helmet held loosely in his hand, "Besides, its easier to see what you are thinking."
"Bah, Revan. I have to wear it; it's a statement of who I am…"
"Yes, I know all that," she rolled her eyes at him, "But I see no other Mandalorians here with us." She prised it out of his hands, and tucked it into her pack. "Here," she said mischievously throwing the pack at him, "You get to carry it though!"
He caught it, and muttered darkly at her.
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Kex hoisted the heavy Mandalorian blaster to his hands, and then pushed it away from him to the ground where he sat sullenly. They have been gone a long time. What could be keeping them up in there, he thought glancing across towards the temple. He despised the Jedi, and had suffered their accursed companionship ever since he and the other Mandalorians had come to this planet. For Mandalorian glory, he laughed bitterly, what a joke! There's something going on that I just don't like.
He glanced about him as a high wind whistled around their camp, blowing dust and ash into undying spirals high in the harsh air. The sun had dipped behind the craggy mountain range in the distance, and Kex knew that the cold would return shortly to gnaw at their bones.
He heard a stamping of feet near to him, and retrieving his blaster, he stood up. The large forbidding figure of Kelborn appeared out of the gloom, covered in a thin white sheen of ash. Mandalore's favourite, Kex thought bitterly.
"Have you seen Zuka?" Kelborn queried in a deep voice, "I have just looked around the perimeter, but he's not at his post."
Kex glanced up at the forbidding sky, "Yeah, Kelborn, he's in camp, over there," he pointed a gloved finger in the opposite direction.
Kelborn nodded at him, and turned to past him.
"Can I ask you something, Kelborn?"
"What is it, Quartermaster?"
"This is a delicate matter that I wish to discuss with you, and you alone," he gestured impatiently with his hand, "Follow me."
Kelborn grunted in annoyance and followed the elder Mandalorian to the other side of the camp.
"What is it that you wish to talk about, Kex?"
Kex rested the butt of his blaster on the ground, and leaned against it slightly, "It's the Jedi amongst us," he said in a low voice, "I do not trust them, or the Mandalore's loyalty towards them," he spat.
"It is unwise to question the Mandalore's actions. He is a good leader, and has brought us many victories…"
"Bah! Is that enough for you, Kelborn? I fear that our 'great' leader is under their magic. They hold too much sway over him and his decisions."
"You are wrong, Kex," Kelborn seethed, "You are letting your personal dislike of the Exile get the better of you."
Kex raised his head sharply to stare at his fellow Mandalorian, "What do you know of that?"
"You have resented her from the first time she came to our camp at Dxun. Even challenging her in the battle circle was not enough. I would have thought that you would let it be when she beat you, Kex. She has more than proved herself to be an equal to any Mandalorian warrior on the battle field," Kelborn chuckled deeply, "it is common knowledge that you resent her because of that."
"Bah, curse the Exile! If it wasn't for her and Revan, we would have won the war!" Kex angrily shook his fist at Kelborn, "We should have won the Mandalorian wars, not the Jedi…"
Kelborn shook his head sadly, "Again, my friend, you are wrong. All sides lost that day…"
"We should have been victorious! We, the Mandalorians should be ruling the galaxy now, not cowering and grovelling in the dust at the Jedi's feet, our clans separated and disbanded. The Mandalore is old. He has lost his taste for the thrill of battle. He is content chasing after Revan and the Jedi, doing their bidding."
Kelborn looked at him curiously, "And what is it that you are suggesting?" he replied in a dark tone, "He is the Mandalore, and I will undyingly follow him, as I know that many others would too. I advise you, my friend, to look and think what he has done for you, for us and for all the Mandalorians, and then I would question your judgment."
Kex cursed Kelborn under his breath. He watched as the younger Mandalorian strode away from the camp, and glancing back across to the temple, he smiled deeply beneath his helmet.
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Revan and Canderous silently trooped further down into the dark interior of the temple. They had journeyed through many eerily deserted tunnels and down numerous steps that led them into further dank blackness. The only sounds had been the muffled echoes of their continuous tread.
"Do you think she is here?" Canderous queried, his voice booming deeply in the dark.
Revan glanced towards the Mandalorian, "I am unsure," she said hesitantly, "but we have to look…"
"There have been no signs of her, Revan. None at all. Are you sure we are going in the right direction?"
"I don't know," she admitted, "but there is something here that does need our attention. Can you not feel the oppression of this place?"
"Nope. But then I do not have the magic's that you Jedi possess. Me? I rely on only what I can see," he smiled knowingly.
"The dark is growing ever stronger as we journey downwards. Be aware of your thoughts, Mandalorian, don't let stray emotions get the better of you," she warned him in a small tight voice.
He stood close to her, "I will protect you, Revan," he growled.
She leaned her weight against him, and kissed him lightly, "I cannot let you become a risk to me Canderous. The dark, its gathering in strength, its like it is waiting for…" she trailed off.
Canderous gripped her shoulders tightly, "Revan. You will not fail. I believe in you."
Revan slipped her arms around his waist, "You should not follow me so willingly," she murmured, gazing up at him in the deepening gloom, "I may be the end of you."
He kissed her, "You were the end of me when I first laid eyes on you in that cantina on Taris. If its doom that we face, then I would rather that we faced it together," he brushed a strand of her blonde hair back from across from her face and stooping down slightly, he kissed her cheek.
She sighed ruefully, "I would rather not face my doom, nor share it, Canderous. But come," she slipped her hand into his, "we need to move on."
He moved away from her with reluctance, "Crap, Revan, you're no fun." He thought he could see her smile in the darkness, and grumbling, he let her lead him.
They travelled down a long dark tunnel that sloped upwards abruptly. Their feet clattered on the hard floor.
"Is it just me, or is it getting lighter?" Canderous whispered loudly.
Revan stared up the tunnel, "Yes, it's strange Canderous…I don't like this."
"No one has been up here in a long time," he replied kneeling on the floor, "See? The ground has not been disturbed in a long time…the only footsteps leading up to here are ours…"
Revan glanced at him fearfully, as she sensed a strong presence ripple its way through the Force. "Canderous…get up…now!" she yelled at him.
A low deep growling came from directly in front of them, and Canderous glanced up to see Revan ignite her twin sabers and dart hurriedly away from him. "What the…?" he cursed in disbelief.
"Terentatek!" she shouted at him, "Jedi killers! Go, Canderous…let me tackle these beasts!"
He hoisted his heavy blaster, priming it for use, "To hell with that, Revan!" he yelled running towards her, his heart thumping erratically in his chest as the battle lust grew inside him.
Two large creatures rushed at them, heavy feet thundering in the narrow confines of the corridor. Their vile maws gaped open widely, revealing large wicked curved fangs that gleamed dully in the pale light. Two large, evil looking arms swung at the small Jedi woman stood in front of them, her sabers glowing brightly in the dim light. With a roar, one creature lashed at out her, screeching as her sabers cut through its flesh. It swung at her again, rushing at her with its wide mouth gaping hungrily.
"Use your Force, Revan!" Canderous shouted to her, firing his blaster at the creatures.
She feinted, and rolled across the floor as the Terentatek swung at her with a heavily taloned hand.
"I can't…they feed on the power…" she dived out of the creatures' way, landing neatly on her feet, "They are immune to the Force..." She arced her sabers, and slashing wildly at the creature, she leaped at it.
Canderous stood with his blaster pulsing rhythmically. He cursed his inadequacy loudly, "Oh crap…Revan!"
She darted a side ways glance at him, "Go!" she hissed, as the creature swung at her again.
"Never! Clan Ordo!" he roared as he ran at the Terentatek.
He felt the ground underneath him shift, and as he turned, a large clawed hand swiped at him, clashing loudly with his battle armour and spilling him to the floor.
Revan parried blow for blow with the creature in front of her, aware of the danger that the Mandalorian faced. She struck a savage blow at it which sliced deeply into the creatures' upper limb. It screeched wildly in its pain, and spinning around quickly, it sank its large fangs deep into her shoulder. A bright burst of orange plasma caught it full in the face, and the large beast in its panic swung at the warrior. Canderous rolled across the floor out of the way of the two creatures, his blaster continuously pulsing its lethal beams.
Revan sank to the ground on her knees, the saber in her left arm pointing weakly towards the dusty floor. She let it drop from her hand, where it rolled across the ground clattering, much to the Mandalorians dismay.
The Terentatek whirled on her again; the small human that had caused it so much pain, and heaving its unwounded arm at her, it struck her savagely. The bone in Revan's arm crunched with an audible snap. She cried weakly against the jolt of pain that flooded her senses. Rising to her feet angrily, she stood defiantly wielding her blue saber with her good arm.
"Come and get me, you Son of a Murglak," she roared at it in rage, "I'm here!"
The Terentatek rushed at her, and glowing with anger, Revan stood with the saber held tightly in her one hand. As the first creature passed her, she struck it viciously across its great toothed head, blinding it. It ran and crashed into the wall, its body shuddering in its death as a bolt of plasma scorched across its back. The remaining Terentatek came at her warily, striking out at her with its lethal claws. Another burst of bright plasma ripped through its heavily armoured back, and it screeched loudly in its pain. Revan thrust with her saber, her left arm dangling weakly at her side. She raised her right arm, and flew at the creature, twisting the energy blade back and forth, cutting through the beasts' heavily armoured chest. It gave a sudden enraged howl, and thundered towards her, the blood flowing freely from its gaping chest wound.
Canderous rushed at the creature, striking at it with the butt of this blaster, "Come on!" he yelled, "Fight me, damn you!" he aimed his blaster and fired point blank in to the back of its neck. The creature slumped heavily to the ground, pining Revan beneath it. It gave a convulsive shudder, and then lay still.
Canderous panted loudly, sweat soaked through his grey hair, staining it black. He dropped his blaster rifle to the floor, where it landed with a heavy muffled thump. He ran across to Revan, and gripping her tightly under the arms, he pulled her from beneath the Terentateks bulky carcass, the muscles bulging largely in his arms.
He knelt in the dust, with her cradled in his arms, "Revan…" he brushed the hair from across her damp forehead, "No, Revan…"
She looked up at him wanly, "Canderous…" she gasped in pain, "My arm…"
Canderous stared up ahead of him, his face strained with the effort of keeping his emotions in check. He leant down, and kissed her fevered brow tenderly, "I'm sorry…I failed you," he shook his head despondently, "I couldn't stop you getting hurt." He scooped her up into his arms, and hugged her tight to his chest. Slowly he rose to his feet, the wounded Jedi woman in his arms, "I won't let you go, Revan. Until the end…we promised," he leant his rough cheek against her smooth one.
Her eyes flickered open, and she reached her good arm out to him, running her fingers through his close cropped hair. She pulled him close to her, "Canderous…" she pleaded, gazing into his alarmed grey eyes.
He hugged her tightly to him, and kissed her gently on the lips. He felt her arm slide up around his neck, her cool cheek pressing against the side of his jaw. "Come Revan, I…" he choked on the words.
Silently, he turned and walked down the long corridor, the Jedi woman lying weakly in his strong arms. He felt dread touch at his heart like an icicle. I love you, Revan, he thought silently, the words offering him cold comfort.
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Kex activated his stealth field generator, and silently slipped in to the dark entrance of the temple. Mandalore will pay, he thought viciously, I will make him and the Jedi with him pay! He crept silently into the dark temple, his blaster rifle gripped tightly in his hand. He felt resolution harden in his heart. I will hunt you down, like the dog that you are, Mandalore, and then…then I will strip your power away from you. Kex laughed quietly to himself. It was simple. He knew it was, because the dark voices told him so.