A/N: Thank you for your review skywalker05. I was hoping that the time change wouldn't be too confusing. But the technique I used semed better then putting "FLASH BACK" as a usually do b/c I wanted a more fluent change. Anyway I hope you like this next chapter. There will be one more post after this...
Aly's mouth went dry. All of a sudden their mission wasn't simple anymore. And their next couple of moves would be critical. "What do we do, Maser?"
"Hush! Let's see how close we can get and what we can find out before we make judgments."
The master and padawan moved closer silently, using the Force to stifle their footsteps and shield their presences in the Force. The pair pressed themselves against the stone wall outside of the tower chamber. Dim-orange fire light, most likely from the torches, emanated from the room. Soft sounds of hissing, shuffling, heavy booted footfalls, and stifled sobbing and sniffling floated to their ears.
It won't be long until he discovers that we are here, Ocoidum sent her padawan through the bond. We will have to act soon. Be ready.
Yes, Master, Aly replied, every muscle in her body tensing until she wall as tight as a bow string ready to release an arrow.
Suddenly the tense silence was filled with an ominous voice that echoed off the walls of the chamber and floated out into the hall to the two knights. "Now you will experience the full measure of the dark side."
There was a whimper and then the sound of a case opening. Ocoidum edged closer to the entrance so that she could catch momentary glimpses of what was happening. The Sith, wrapped in a black cloak, stood in the center of the chamber which was lit by three torches. A transparansteel case stood before him, raised on a golden pole. In the case rested a black pyramid. It projected its darkness around the chamber, drawing in all light like some immortal black hole.
The Sith lifted the pyramid reverently from its hold and slid a hand over its slick surface. The Force surged darkly, the pyramid responding to the Sith's will, welcoming the master of the darkness. The pyramid started to shift, the front of it, which was facing the huddle bundle in a shadowy corner, started to fold back into itself and a brilliant red light exploded from its depths.
Aly started to hear voices, hissing and whispering in the Force, beckoning her to come closer. The hissing Sith tongue resonated in her mind, seductive and frightening. Master, what is happening? Aly sent through the bond, pleading for a reassuring answer. The padawan clung to the light, wrapping it around her as she steeled her shields. There was no response from her master for a long time until finally their bond came to life again.
Stay behind me, Padawan. Understand? And do exactly what I tell you.
Aly could tell how deadly serious her master was and she was too unnerved to go further into detail about what she was or was not in agreement with. Yes, Master.
Ocoidum stepped into the chamber with cool confidence, Aly following behind her, staying in the shadow that her master's body provided.
When Ocoidum spoke Aly felt herself go numb with shock. She had never known that her master was versed in the Sith idiom.
"Acacha hasuffa! Shalua tissii. Avaya ve tecuppa."
The Sith turned around slowly. He eyed the Jedi in front of him. First looking over the master and then glaring through her at the apprentice. Aly couldn't see his face because of the hood, only his yellow eyes glowed from its darkness like fiery windows to hell, but she had a sick feeling that he was smiling. Smiling a horrible, twisted, sadistic smile, the thought of which made Aly cringe inwardly.
"Noh hushsha fussa" came the Sith's reply.
"So be it then" Ocoidum declared sweeping out her lightsaber. Aly moved to her masters side instinctively, her own 'saber activated in her sweating hand. If they were to fight the Sith they would fight together.
I'm afraid I'm not the one you must protect at the moment, Ocoidum's voice came into her mind through the bond.
Aly was momentarily confused. Then her gaze fell to the huddled figure in the corner. She was met by a pair of startlingly bright green eyes. The eyes of a young child.
Aly edged to the side toward the small girl, keeping a death grip on her lightsaber all the while. She watched anxiously as her master glided toward the Sith as Aly circled around to the motionless form of the child. They stopped simultaneously, waiting for the Sith's next move. Aly could feel the angry pulses of dark energy in the Force swirl around her. The Sith dropped his cloak to reveal a heavily tattooed Zabrak male. The Sith's 'saber was in his hand before Aly even registered that he had made a movement. The blood red blade extended itself from the black cylinder. Then the Sith held the weapon horizontally in front of himself and a second blade hissed out from the other end of the hilt.
Aly tried to pull in the force to calm herself but the darkness was so revoltingly oppressive that it was hard to find the light, that she so desperately needed, in its inky depths. The Jedi dropped their robes and prepared for battle. Aly took the Form VI, Niman, ready stance as Ocoidum adopted the Form VII, Vaapad, ready position. The Sith waited for them to advance.
Ocoidum took the offensive, striking ferociously at the Zabrak. The Sith blocked her stroke skillfully striking back with equal force, locking their blades. Aly lunged forward to join in the duel, making sure to keep herself between the Sith and the still whimpering child. The Sith blocked her on-coming blade as well and pushed her back with an expected amount of force so that the padawan stumbled back several steps before regaining her footing.
Drawing in a deep breath Aly took a running jump and twisting in mid air offered a clean sweep at the Zabrak's head. She was promptly blocked.
The Sith lead the two Jedi away from the chamber, allowing them to push him back through a dark hall and onto an outside balcony. Aly tried to get around the predator, however, the double bladed lightsaber flashed so quickly and accurately, blocking all her paths and moves, that that maneuver seemed impossible to accomplish.
They fought their way onto the balcony, pushing the Sith back toward the railing. All of a sudden the Dark Lord seemed to decide that he did not wish to waist anymore time and the two Jedi could not push him back any longer and were forced to block an onslaught of slashes and strikes.
The Sith leaped onto the railing and twirled his double bladed weapon in a protective wall in front of him. The Jedi separated and jumped onto the railing on ether side of the Sith. The Zabrak leaped high into the air, propelled by the Force, and landed atop the slightly cone-shaped roof of the tower.
The two Jedi shared an anxious glance, he stood higher now then them. It would be a dangerous move, yet, they had no other choice.
Using the Force the master and padawan propelled themselves to the rooftop right in front of the Sith Lord. No sooner had their feet hit solid ground as the assault of attacks resumed once more from both sides. They were walking a thin line now, Aly knew. One wrong step could mean a fall of hundreds of meters to the unforgiving ground below.
The battle couldn't have lasted mare then fifteen minutes but to Aly it seemed like hours and at the same time less then seconds. The time drug on for an eternity to the point that it didn't exist. Painfully slow and at the same time maddeningly fast.
Just as the rush of adrenaline started to take the toll on her body Aly noticed it. An opening, a rudimentary mistake from the Sith. She knew, though she wasn't exactly sure how, that her master had seen the opening too. Yet, Aly was determined to take it for herself. Then her master would see what a great padawan she was. If she killed this demon her master would finally see that she was as worthy of a padawan as her padawan-sister, Jan Lin. Her master would finally be proud of her.
Aly zeroed in on the opening and time slowed for a moment as the padawan swung her blade in a moment of ambitious pride, blind to everything else around her. The shock came when she felt the impact of 'saber against 'saber and the other blade wasn't red but blue.
If she had looked up she would have seen the Sith grinning his sadistic, homicidal grin.
A/N: All commentsare warmlywelcomed!