Author's Note: After going through some reviews, I've decided on an answer! I hear all of you, and I think I'm going to change the original plan of everything Empire Era being in V4, and split it between this and a new fifth volume. Originally I never planned on having a fifth volume until this question. So that means that 'A Jedi in Exile' will end with the Star Wars Rebels season 2 finale.
I also feel like a couple people might have misinterpreted what I meant, because Volume 5 was never originally planned, it was just going to be from Revenge of the Sith all the way to after Return of the Jedi for Volume Four, which is admittedly quite a lot. Which is why I'm deciding to split it into two volumes instead. I read all the reviews, and it's nothing against those of you who wanted me to just continue doing it in V4, but I feel that it works better this way. The new story will be title 'Legacy of Jarik Shan: Rebirth.'
Now onto the chapter! This gets intense!"
Knight Hawk - Hyperspace
Jarik POV...
"Once we drop out of hyperspace, we'll be going dark," Ahsoka says.
The two of us were in the hall just outside the cockpit of our ship, where Mara, R5, Kanan and Ezra were all sitting as the ship continued through lightspeed for Malachor. We were both talking to Boil and Rex through a transmission feed.
"Are you sure about this?" Boil asks.
"We are," I reply.
"Ahsoka, Jarik, you don't have to go to Malachor alone. We could be there in two rotations-" Rex starts to say.
"We aren't alone Rex," she replies with a smile.
"You know, I could've ordered you to take us along," he says.
"You, don't exactly outrank me anymore Rex," she retorts.
"You never outranked me to begin with," I tell Boil with a raised eyebrow, noticing he was about to make a witty comment.
"Haha, very funny," he deadpans.
"Well in my book, experience outranks everything," Rex says meaningfully.
"Hmph, then we definitely outrank you," she tells him.
The four of us all share fond smiles with each other, being Clone War veterans and reminiscing our friendships.
"Tell the kid to watch out will ya?" Boil asks me, referring to Mara.
"Of course," I reply.
"May the Force be with you," Rex says in farewell.
We both nod our heads before turning off the communicator, and head back towards the cockpit, where the rest were seating in their seats. Ahsoka sat down in the pilot's seat while I stood beside her chair, the rest of the other three having been taken already. Ezra looks at us quizzically.
"Why is Rex so worried? What does he know that I don't?" he asks with a frown.
"Malachor has always been off-limits to Jedi," Kanan replies.
"Why? I get that Malachor V was destroyed but, what does that have to do with the rest?" Ezra questions.
"Revan's super weapon wasn't the only reason the place is off-limits," Kanan says, and I grimace at the reminder of what he did, Mara and Ahsoka both glancing at me. "There were also old legends. Stories told to us as younglings in the temple."
"There's always a bit of truth in legends," Ahsoka advises them, and I nod in agreement.
"If Malachor is off limits, why would Master Yoda send us here?" Mara asks curiously.
We halt in our answers as the Force suddenly grows dark, and moments later the Knight Hawk comes out of hyperspace in the Malachor system. Already the Force seems to converge around me, sensing familiar, in a way I can only assume is due to my connection with Revan.
"I don't know, but I trust Master Yoda," Kanan finally answers after a moment. "There's something here for us."
"Yeah, something to help us stop the Inquisitors," Ezra says firmly.
"Knowledge," Ahsoka states.
As she leads us further into the Malachor system, closer towards the inner ring of the planets, we see what looks to be a barren field of large rocks and debris. Upon getting a closer look however, we notice how it's more collected and confined to a certain area... along with ancient ship parts. There were even large flickers of green energy lightning flashing every so often through the debris field. The worst thing though was the feeling we were getting from it, as it didn't feel only like the dark side, but something else... like a Wound in the Force.
"What is that?" Ezra asks with wide eyes.
"That, Ezra Bridger, is what remains of the planet Malachor V," I state grimly with haunted eyes.
Ahsoka reaches up to lay a comforting hand on my arm with a meaningful look, and I send her my gratitude through the bond. R5 lets out a long whistle of nervousness.
"Even knowing what happened... I didn't expect a debris field to be this horrible," Mara says quietly, unsettled by the Force.
"It just feels... off," Kanan says uneasily. "Wrong."
"Revan's Mass Shadow Generator not only destroyed the planet, but turned it into a Wound in the Force," I inform them.
Malachor V slowly passes by us, having our gazes all transfixed as we try to shake off the horrible feeling. Ahsoka brings herself out of it and speeds the Knight Hawk further forwards.
"We should keep moving," she says quietly.
The further away we got from Malachor V, the less dense the Force's wounds became in our minds, allowing us to exhale in relief. Still, I can just see the memories of how this devastation occurred, with so much death, so many screams, and so much darkness...
"So which one is Malachor I?" Ezra asks.
"Right ahead," Ahsoka tells him.
She was right, as directly in front of us was the pale gray world of Malachor I, shining coldly from the star it rotated around. While it was still tainted with the dark side, it at least didn't feel like like how Malachor V's remains did. Ahsoka guided the ship through the cloudy atmosphere when R5 beeped up in alarm, having detected something on the radar.
"A ship?" Mara asks in confusion. "What type?"
R5 beeps again, and I narrow my eyes in suspicion and concern at the knowledge.
"He can't tell," Mara says with a sigh.
"Track it R5. Let's so who else has an interest in Malachor," I say firmly, my mind racing at who it could be.
My first thought was Snoke, but I immediately tossed the idea away. Snoke may have an interest in Malachor, but he didn't seem like the person to come investigate an ancient Sith world on some lone singular ship. And even if he did, Ahsoka and I at least would be able to sense his presence, due to how powerful he is. No, it's gotta be someone else.
"Woah, what's that?" Ezra asks.
The clouds part to reveal a flat, glassy plain in the middle of Malachor's wasteland, along with several large pillars set up in it.
"I don't know, but I'm betting the ship we're tracking went there," Kanan theorizes.
"Landing here is probably the best place then," Ahsoka decides.
She guides the Knight Hawk in for a landing, and carefully sets the ship down. Exiting down the ramp, the five of us, along with R5 head outside to get our first good look at the surface of Malachor. All around us was nothing but a flat, glassy landscape, with several large pillars scattered across the surface. The pale sun illuminated the planet well enough, but the lack of any wind or sound whatsoever gave me a sense of foreboding. It didn't help that the dark side was very strong here, just as I expected it to be. Whispers echoed quietly in my ear, from ancient spirit's or something else, I don't know.
"...the blood of Revan..."
"...power beyond compare..."
"...he's returned..."
"...embrace the darkness..."
"...join us Prodigal Knight..."
"...kill them all..."
"...blood of a Sith Lord..."
"...you belong to us..."
"...kill..."
"...embrace it..."
"...you are darkness..."
"LEAVE AT ONCE!"
Ahsoka's voice suddenly cut through the voices in my head, and a burst of light side energy through the Force sends the voices shrieking away, wailing all the while. I blink my eyes and look over at Ahsoka in gratitude, and she smiles back at me.
"-gotta be around here somewhere," Kanan was saying, and I realize I missed part of the conversation. "R5, see if you can track its location."
R5 beeps back irritably, and Mara rolls her eyes at him.
"Oh for Force's sake R5 just do it," she scoffs.
He sends one last grumbling beep before heading back into the Knight Hawk to do his assigned task, closing the ramp behind him. We then start walking towards one of the pillars, me and Ahsoka leading the group as the still quietness of Malachor continues to sound in our minds. Getting a closer look at the massive pillars, they start to seem more like obelisks, and there's writing on them.
"What are these things?" Ezra asks with wide eyes.
"This writing... I think it's in the Old Tongue," Ahsoka says, analyzing it with narrowed eyes. "The language of the Sith."
"Can you read it?" Kanan asks, and Ahsoka glances at me.
"I think I can," I say, kneeling on the ground in front of it. "This form is really old though, I can barely make out many words."
"Anything could be helpful," Ahsoka says.
I run a finger along some of the words as I try to read them.
"Nw kash zo tash... uh... antai kash tik sh... Pro sh, nu gauti ty... Pro ty, nu gauti midwan..." I read slowly, attempting to put the words together.
As I was reading I didn't notice that Ezra was walking towards the obelisk as if in a trance, but the others did, especially Ahsoka, as he reached a hand out to touch it.
"No! Ezra don't!" she exclaims in warning.
It was too late however, and I glance up in alarm as Ezra lays his hand on the obelisk, leaving a glowing red imprint in the stone. He backs up nervously, coming out of his trance as the red glows spreads down the obelisk and into the ground, forming large cracks in the surface along with harsh whispers from dark spirits. The ground suddenly gives way beneath us, and we all fall down into the darkness below with yells and screams of alarm.
The surface fast approaching, I use the Force to prepare myself before hitting the ground with a roll, softening the impact and springing up in a crouch, hand against the ground for balance. Ahsoka does the same, although the rest are not as graceful in their landings, although are unharmed, which was good. Sighing in relief, my mood completely changed as I looked forwards, widening my eyes along with Ahsoka at the sight of the massive pyramid structure before us, radiating the dark side in huge waves.
"Nice going Ezra," Mara groans irritably.
"Hey, I didn't know the ground would crack apart," he retorts, before approaching us, mesmerized. "Woah... what is that?!"
"A Sith temple," Ahsoka states grimly.
Ezra stands at the edge of the hill while the rest of us all gaze at the temple with wide eyes, full of surprise, worry, fear, nervousness, and a strange mixture of awe. After a few moments, I shake off the feeling and starting walking forwards, Ahsoka close behind me.
"We should get moving," I state quietly.
We begin walking down the hill and into the decimated ruins all around us, giving wary looks to everything. The ceiling of the surface far above us looks just like a starry night sky, only whatever is causing the effect is letting pale beams of light flow down, being the only thing illuminating the place and allowing us to see anything. The red glow at the top of the temple also helped lighten the area up, but there was nothing 'light' about.
Everything here was tainted with the darkness, pulling at me, calling to me. I'd like to imagine I'm doing well at holding the darkness at bay, but I have no real clue whether or not it's me or Ahsoka defending me, since she holds the life force of Morai, the essence of the Light Side. Mara's comlink then turns on, and R5's voice filters through.
"Oh, we might fall through the surface huh? I never knew that R5!" she says sarcastically.
"Has he found any sign of that ship?" Kanan asks her, and Mara relays the message, receiving an answer.
"He says he's picked up a trail, that way," Mara says, pointing in the direction.
The coordinates also get send to my comlink, so I start leading the group in the direction of the ship, pulling us further into the ruined city and closer towards the temple. Ahsoka followed directly behind me, along with Kanan, and then Mara and Ezra.
"I bet whatever we're looking for is inside that temple," Ezra remarks.
"Seems likely," Kanan says in agreement as we come to a stop. "Just remember, if there's a ship, we're not alone down here."
"Ahsoka, you said we're here to find knowledge. What kind of knowledge?" Ezra asks.
"The forbidden kind," she replies grimly. "To defeat your enemy, you have to understand them."
"No better place to learn about the Sith, I guess," Kanan remarks, shrugging.
I lead the group along again, but after a few moments when crossing a bridge lit up by the ceiling lights, I sense a presence nearby and bring us to a stop, holding up a hand.
"Wait," I say quietly, looking off to the side with narrowed eyes.
"What is it Dad?" Mara asks in concern.
I look intently at the landscape to our left, seeking for whatever I could have sensed, but eventually turning up with nothing. I let out a tired sigh, dropping my hand while Ahsoka glances at me in concern.
"It's nothing. This place must be messing with me," I say quietly, continuing forwards.
The others all share concerned looks before following. Soon after cross the bridge though, we came across a sight that had us stopping. Before us, scattered around the area were petrified bodies frozen in battle stances, looking like sculpture's made of ash.
"The ground looks scorched," Ezra says quietly, glancing off to the side. "Whoa, Kanan! Look, a lightsaber. And another!"
He rushes over a few feet away and crouches down to the ground. He picks up an ancient, rusted lightsaber and holds it up, pressing the button to activate it. A green blade shoots out, following by two more on its guard before fizzling out, to worn to be used properly again. A cross-guard design, which was an ancient version of the lightsaber. Kanan kneels before one of the petrified statues with a deep frown.
"This was a battlefield," he states uneasily.
"What happened here?" Ezra asks.
"The Great Scourge of Malachor I," I state grimly.
"And what was that?" he asks.
"At one time, several thousands of years ago during the Old Republic, Jedi Knights attacked the temple," Ahsoka explains.
"And the Jedi won, right?" Ezra asks.
"From what I can tell, nobody won," Ahsoka says with grim sarcasm.
"The legend is that some ancient or powerful artifact was used by the Sith at the height of the conflict, as a final desperate attempt to defeat the Jedi," I recall, looking at one of the petrified warriors. "However it backfired, and instead killed everyone."
"That's an understatement," Mara scoffs, glancing around with an uneasy look.
"What could've caused devastation like that?" Ezra asks with wide eyes.
"Originally it was thought to be a massive kyber crystal, but that was later disproven, as no kyber crystal was present in the temple during the attack," Ahsoka states with a frown. "Some thought that it was caused by another, more powerful artifact, but nobody knows the full story behind it."
"I hate to break up this history lesson, but we should keep moving," Kanan advises.
As we continue walking closer to the temple, Ezra decides to comment about the place again.
"Well if you ask me, this whole planet is a riddle," he remarks.
"So if it's a riddle, what's the question?" Kanan asks as we come to a stop.
"Why is Kanan such a-" he starts, before the sound of a lightsaber activating gets our attention. "AHH get down!"
Ezra shoves Kanan away as an unfamiliar figure leaps through the air for him, a red double bladed lightsaber spinning in his grip. He slams his blade down as Ezra activates his just in time, before shoving him away. The figure backpedals with a few flips, tensed up and holding his lightsaber in a hunched position. The rest of us all activate our lightsaber, me using both this time, and he glances between us.
"Five Jedi?" he questions, his voice like a hiss but still alarmed.
"An Inquisitor!" Mara exclaims, rushing forwards.
We all make a beeline for the Inquisitor, and he backs up nervously before jumping back, releasing several quick torpedoes from a slot on his chest armor, much to our surprise.
"Take cover!" Ahsoka exclaims, pulling me and Kanan back.
Mara and Ezra screech to a stop and quickly scramble behind a petrified statue just as the missiles hit the ground, generating an explosion. The ground beneath them cracks and opens another hole in the ground, sending the two kids tumbling down with startled yells.
"Ezra!" Kanan yells.
"Mara!" I yell out too in worry.
The Inquisitor starts running away, while we dash towards the hole in the ground, looking down in concern.
"Ezra, Mara, are you two okay?" Kanan asks worriedly.
"We're okay!" he calls up, and Mara groans slowly helping to pull Ezra to his feet.
"He's getting away!" Ahsoka exclaims, giving me a meaningful look.
"Don't worry about us Dad, we'll catch up!" Mara reassures me.
Deciding to agree, me and Kanan both follow after Ahsoka to chase down this new Inquisitor, who was standing on top of a column. We then watch as he raises his saber again, and a few strange mechanisms on it are activated, releasing small blue jet plumes. The saber also begins to spin, allowing the small jets to lift the Inquisitor up and fly through the air, giving the appearance of helicopter blades, much to our bewilderment.
"Oh that is just not cool!" I exclaim incredulously.
"How can he even do that?!" Kanan asks with wide eyes.
"It's gotta be those weird jets on the sabers! Force knows that lightsaber blades themselves can't create that affect!" I deduce.
"Obviously, they're weightless!" Ahsoka adds in exasperation.
We continue our chase after the Inquisitor, watching him continue to fly off through the air, much to our annoyance.
Mara POV...
"Sure, we'll catch up," Ezra says sarcastically, dusting himself off. "Soon as we figure out where we are."
"Relax, I've been in much worse situations than this," I reply casually.
"I suppose so," he admits with a shrug. "Where do you think we are right now anyways?"
"I know where you are," an old man's voice suddenly calls out from the darkness. "You're with me."
We both look over cautiously, just barely able to see the hunched over figure of an old looking man approaching, walking with a cane, a hood covering his head. However, looks can be deceptive, and considering this is a world of the Sith, there could be many deceptive people around. Me and Ezra both activate our lightsaber and point them in his direction, a fierce frown on my face.
"Please put your weapons away. I- I mean you no harm," he attempts to reassure us, stuttering a little bit.
"Stay back! I'm warning you, old man!" Ezra says warningly.
"Forgive me, it- it's just, I've been alone so long. It's been years since I've spoken to anyone," he says feebly, slowing approaching despite Ezra's warning.
"You live here alone? In the dark, next to a Sith temple?" I ask doubtfully.
"Not by choice!" he retorts helplessly. "My ship crashed. I'm trapped, marooned! I've had to scrounge and scrape to survive."
"I'm.. I'm sorry sir. I wish we could help you, but we have to get back to our friends," I explain regretfully, looking back up at the roof.
Maybe I could jump high enough to reach there...
"Well, perhaps I could help you," the man offers.
"I doubt that," Ezra replies with a scoff.
"Why are you here?" the old man questions.
"We're not gonna tell you that," Ezra says.
"You came for the same reason I did, years ago!" he replies excitedly, and I glance at him. "You seek knowledge!"
We both widen our eyes and look back at him, hearing him say the exact same thing that Mom said we were looking for: knowledge. I share a look with Ezra before turning back to the old man.
"Is it inside the Sith temple?" I ask him.
"It is young one, and I know the secret way to get inside, but- but I'm too old. I- I- I need help to open the door," he says with a scoff.
"What's inside?" Ezra asks, sliding down the small decline towards him, and I swiftly follow.
"Help me and find out," the old man replies.
Me and Ezra glance at each other again for a moment before nodding our heads lightly, deciding to go along with it. He hasn't done anything to us so far that could be threatening, and while I'm still wary of him it would be helpful to have a guide around here.
"Show us this doorway," Ezra says.
"Please, this way," he says, gesturing behind him.
"You first," I tell him, making a brief gesture with my lightsaber.
"Do you not trust me?" he questions with a frown.
"We don't know you," Ezra retorts.
"W-Well, then let's change that," he says. "Call me, 'Old Master.' And you?"
"Call me 'Jabba,'" Ezra replies, and I almost roll my eyes at him.
"You can call me Arica," I add.
"Hmm," he hums in reply, sounding almost amused. "Come then, Arica and Jabba."
I watch him walk away warily before following after him, Ezra moving forwards a little bit more eagerly than me. I still didn't think this man was trustworthy, as I could feel something off about him, but until it presented itself we would just have to go along with it.
Old Master led us deeper through the caverns beneath the surface of the... underground? There were several large pillars and broken ruins surrounding us. If it wasn't for the light of my glowing purple lightsaber, and Ezra's blue lightsaber, we would be in absolute darkness down here.
"How much further is it?" I ask him.
"You worry about your friends," he replies.
"They need our help," Ezra states.
"Yes, and with good reason," he answers with a sigh. "The Inquisitor is powerful, even for Jarik Shan."
I come to a stop with my eyes wide in surprise and wariness, Ezra soon doing the same thing, and I glare suspiciously at Old Master.
"Wait... you know about them? And about the Inquisitor?" Ezra questions cautiously.
"He is my enemy," he replies. "All Inquisitors and their masters are my enemies!"
"And what about Jarik? How do you know about him, or the fact that he's even here right now?!" I demand, raising my lightsaber in warning.
"I- I've come across him before, some time ago," he says defensively, taking a couple uneasy steps back. "And with his reputation, it's hard not to know about him."
"Were you a Jedi?" Ezra asks.
Old Master hesitates, and I narrow my eyes at him even more suspiciously.
"No, no no..." he says, faltering with a shake of his head. "But I was once a Force wielder! Long ago- long, long ago."
"So then you're a Sith," I say accusingly.
I hold my lightsaber up by my side as Ezra tenses up as well, glaring at the old man. He looks back at us with a passive expression, but I can sense some anger growing in him at my accusation, and possibly even a slight gleam of yellow flickering in his eyes.
"The Sith... the Sith, took everything from me. Ripped me from my mother's arms, murdered my brother, used me as a weapon, and then cast me aside! Abandoned me!" he growls angrily, and I falter for a moment at his sad story, sensing it to be true despite my caution of him. "Once I had power... now I have nothing! Nothing..."
Ezra looks at him apologetically.
"I know how you feel. The Empire, it took away my home, and my mother, and my father!" he states angrily.
I glance at him sadly, since my parents suffered a similar fate, dying at the hands of the Second Sister. However I don't fail to miss the look that Old Master gives him, further conflicting me about how to feel about him.
"And what of you Arica?" he questions.
"My parents... they also died at the hands of the Inquisitors. Cut them down right in front of my eyes when I was merely a toddler," I say slowly, shutting my eyes tightly with a grimace at the reminder.
"And you want revenge?" he asks us.
"I want justice!" Ezra declares.
"Yes, yes! And you shall have it!" Old Master says eagerly.
"I'm not sure," I say uncertainly. "I'm still hurt by the loss of my parents, but without that... I wouldn't have met my new family either."
Old Master glances at me with an unreadable expression.
"I suppose one could see it that way... but the injustice of the Empire's crimes will be corrected, for I have discovered the key," Old Master says eagerly.
"The key to what?" Ezra asks.
"The key to destroying the Sith," Old Master declares, walking forwards again.
I look at him in surprise.
"Wait, that is the knowledge inside the temple?" I ask uncertainly, raising my lightsaber for more light.
"Yes, that temple holds secrets of the Sith, secrets that have been buried with the dead for thousands of years!" he tells us.
"And you'll share this knowledge with me?" Ezra asks eagerly.
"You must us..." I remind him with a frown, worried a little bit about Ezra.
"Yeah, sorry," he replies, giving me a sheepish smile, to which I merely nod with a small grunt.
"Yes. Yes, of course," Old Master promises quietly.
Ezra walks forwards up the stairs after that, and while Old Master looks back at me I still gestured for him to move forwards with my lightsaber. He just shrugs and starts walking up the stairs, while I keep an eye on him. I know his story was sad and awful, but while he's no longer a Sith I can sense that he stills retains the darkness within him.
Ezra was being too trusting of him.
Jarik POV...
The Inquisitor continued to run away from us as fast as he could, occasionally flying into the air with his saber jets, while we continued to give chase.
"I've never had an Inquisitor run from me before," Kanan remarks.
"Maybe it's because he's outnumbered," Ahsoka offers.
"Five against one is pretty difficult," I add in agreement.
"He did seem surprised. I don't think he was looking for us," Kanan suggests.
Ahsoka comes to a stop with a frown on her face, and then deactivates her lightsaber.
"Then who is he tracking?" she asks.
We both come to a stop as well, deactivating our lightsaber and looking back at her. That is a good point, since why else would he be on Malachor? My comlink then starts to beeping, R5's voice filtering through it.
"You found the ship? Where is it?" I ask him, and he beeps a quick reply. "You know what, just forget it R5. find it, and disable it or something, Don't let him take off!"
The three of us reactivate our lightsabers and continue our pursuit, while R5 beeps back in protest of my order.
"No, disobeying me is going to be dangerous, now get to it R5!" I exclaim irritably, cutting the transmission before he could grumble back at me again.
"Your droid reminds me of Chopper!" Kanan says between breathes.
"Believe me, he's much worse," I grumble in reply, causing Ahsoka to snort in amusement.
Continuing our chase, the Inquisitor ran further up ahead, but I notice R5 flying in a certain direction on his thrusters, and so directed the three of us in that direction.
Stopping on top of a ledge, we saw the Inquisitor glaring at his ship where R5 was sitting inside the cockpit, much to my amusement. He turns around upon noticing us and we rush straight for him, getting into a ready stance with Ahsoka and Kanan flanking me. The Inquisitor activates his lightsabers spinning feature, deeming the confrontation impossible to escape.
However, the TIE Fighter suddenly lifts off the ground, causing me to raise an eyebrow in bewilderment and amusement. The Inquisitor whips around in surprise, and R5 eagerly opens fire with the laser cannons. The green laser bolts impact against the Inquisitor, sending him stumbling backwards from the force behind the re-deflection.
He's eventually overwhelmed and sent tumbling to the ground, his lightsaber clattering nearby. He quickly scrambles towards it but the three of us leap down, and Ahsoka places her boot on it, causing him to glance up. We all point our lightsaber at him, five glowing plasma blades in total, and he groans in defeat, lowering his head.
"You know R5, sometimes you can be annoying, but you always manage to do something pretty cool," I remark with a grin, and he beeps triumphantly.
Mara POV...
At the top of the stairs was some sort of entrance hall, with a tall roof and large triangular shapes in its design. At the other side of the spacious room was a large door, also fashioned like a triangle.
"Whoa," Ezra says in awe.
His lightsaber was deactivated now because we were no longer underneath the surface, but I still had mine out because it was still fairly dark. Plus, I didn't really trust the Old Master yet.
"A place of worship for some. To others, an engine of destruction. But at its heart, our prize," he tells us.
"How do we get inside the temple?" I ask him as we stop at the doors.
"Two must lift these stones. No more, no less. That is the way of the Sith," he explains.
"You seem to know an awful lot about them," Ezra says suspiciously.
"To defeat your enemy, you must know your enemy," he replies, a gleam coming to his eyes. "Even practice their beliefs."
I roll my eyes with a mistrustful glare.
"The last part, absolutely not. The way my masters have taught me does not include that," I state firmly. "Knowing about your enemy, understanding them? Sure. But doing the same things they do? No."
"Yeah, my master wouldn't approve of that last part either," Ezra adds.
"Then he is doomed to fail," he shrugs carelessly. "Now, young Jedi, help me."
I look at Ezra uneasily, and he also looks back with the same expression. However we decide to go for it, and taking a breathe I shut off my lightsaber and start trying to focus on the door along with Ezra. The stone starts to shake as we try lifting it with the Force, grunting in exertion. Even after a few moments it wasn't budging, and eventually Ezra stopped with a heavy breath, requiring me to stop too, since only two could do it. But that was... way too hard.
"I can't. It's too heavy," Ezra says sadly.
"Your anger is a wellspring. You must use it!" Old Master urges.
"But a Jedi is never supposed to act out of emotion," he replies.
"Your passions give you strength. And through strength, you gain power. You have seen it. You feel it. You must break your chains," Old Master insists.
I glare angrily at him, shaking my head.
"That sounds an awful lot like the Sith Code," I accuse.
"It is needed to enter these doors Arica," he retorts with a frown, turning to Ezra. "Go on, you can accomplish this."
"Ezra, we can do it, but not like that. It's okay to use emotions, that's what I've been taught, but to use anger like that requires focusing solely on the dark side alone, which is dangerous!" I warn him.
"But what if he's right Mara?" he replies uncertainly. "This is a Sith temple. What if it was made only for those solely using the dark side?"
"It is the only way through these doors," Old Master adds. "The way of the old Jedi Order will not work, it is too weak."
"I don't follow the old Jedi Order," I retort, focusing on Ezra again. "Ezra please!"
He glances between the two of us nervously, not sure what to do before sighing.
"Please don't be mad, but I think we should follow his way," he tells me. "At least just to get through these doors, it'll only be for a moment."
My face falls, and Old Master grins triumphantly at me, making me shoot him a brief glare in return.
"Fine, do it how you see fit," I say angrily, crossing my arms. "But I'm not helping like this."
I briefly notice him flinch, but he turns to Old Master.
"You're a Force wielder, you should be able to help me too right?" he asks.
"Of course, Jabba," he says, smiling.
"Look, if I go to far, you'll be there to help me out, alright?" Ezra asks me.
I sigh before replying.
"Sure," I reluctantly agree.
After a few moments, he turns towards the door and outstretches an arm, calling on the Force. Only this time he uses some of his anger to do though, with Old Master helping him along the way. I grimace, shutting my eyes for a moment as the dark side swirls around Ezra, but the door does start to open, raising up completely. We walk through, Ezra grunting and grimaces from the effort, only to come across another wall.
"It's a dead end!" he exclaims.
"Focus!" Old Master snaps, making me glare at him.
Old Master gestures towards the wall in front of us, lifting it up as another door, and we continue walking forwards again just to find another door in front of us. Kriffing Sith and their doors, honestly.
"What do we do?" Ezra asks.
"Release the one behind you!" Old Master orders.
Ezra does so, immediately, exhaling in relief at the burden being dropped, while Old Master gestures towards the next, and together they both lift it up. We step through, only to once again come across ANOTHER kriffing door!"
"Ugh, how many of these things are there?!" Ezra exclaims angrily.
Old Master narrows his eyes at him, but continues on to lifting the next one. I watch silently, withholding my frustration at Ezra for going along with using the dark side in this dangerous way, but I couldn't stop him without making things even more difficult. Old Master was getting to him. Finally though, it seemed we came to the last door, and Ezra dropped it with a grunt before kneeling to the ground. I came over behind him in concern, when Old Master then comes up to us and lays a hand on his shoulder.
"Unless you take risks, do what must be done, there will always be limits to your abilities. Seize the knowledge. Seize the power," he states, helping him to his feet. "Do not become like me, Jabba."
"My name's Ezra," he corrects after a moment, making me shut my eyes with a hidden groan. "My real name."
"Real name? Yes, I once had a real name. So long ago, I don't remember," Old Master says, pulling down his hood. "Now, now I am called... Maul."
I look at him to see a red and black colored zabrak with horns on his head, staring down at us with yellow eyes, filled with a wildness of the dark side.
This is not good.
Jarik POV...
"You're the fourth Inquisitor we've seen! How many are there?" Kanan demands.
"More than enough for the three of you," he scoffs in reply.
After capturing the Inquisitor and placing him in Force binders, we decided to do some interrogating to see what he had to know. So far he was being most uncooperative, which I suppose is to be expected.
"Well, lets do a headcount shall we?" I say casually, holding up a hand to start counting off of my fingers. "The Grand Inquisitor, committed suicide. Sixth Brother, blew himself up. Second, Fourth and Seventh Sisters, a Third Brother and Fifth Brother and then you, big fella! If my math is right, I would assume that makes you the Eighth Brother."
"Hmph," he scoffs in reply.
"I'll take that as a yes then," I say.
"Oh but there are plenty more than that, I assure you," he sneers, glancing at me, and then Ahsoka, releasing a brief chuckle. "Nothing can save the two of you."
I glance at Ahsoka, who narrows her eyes with a concerned look of her own. I think I know just what, or who, exactly... the Eighth Brother was referring too.
"Why are you on Malachor?" Kanan questions sternly.
"Hunting," he replies.
"But you were not expecting us," Ahsoka points out. "Who are you after?"
Eighth Brother releases an amused chuckle and looks up at us.
"A Shadow," he answers vaguely.
Mara POV...
Maul led us deeper into the Sith temple where we eventually came across a large open room, which was bathed in red Sith light. At the center of the chamber, cut off from the walls by a deep pit was an altar shaped like a pyramid, from which the red light was originating from.
"Behold, the key!" Maul declares.
"It's a holocron!" Ezra exclaims in recognition.
"You know of them?" Maul then asks warily, making me narrow my eyes at him.
"Yeah, my master has one too," he replies.
"So does mine," I add slowly, staring intently at the strange holocron. "But this one is different."
"That is because this is a Sith holocron, one that holds all their secrets," he explains. "It is said that the ancient Sith Lord Darth Traya created this holocron to hold her knowledge."
My gaze was set firmly on the holocron, as I could hear some strange, eerie whispers coming from it. Upon hearing that this was made but an ancient Sith Lord, one I think I've heard of before from my Mom and Dad, surprises me.
"Well, how do we get to it?" Ezra asks.
"It is a test," Maul states. "Only someone with the courage to risk oblivion is worthy to claim it."
I look over the side of the ledge, only to see a black, bottomless pit far below with no end in sight. My face contorts into a grimace, not interested in facing that kind of fate. Ezra however...
"Throw me," he tells the two of us.
"What?" I ask in bewilderment. Even Maul was surprised.
"Yeah, throw me! I'll jump, and then you use the Force to throw me! My master and I do it all the time," he explains, faltering when I raise an eyebrow at him. "Well, a few times anyway. Look, we can do this."
"Are you sure about this Ezra?" I ask him uneasily.
"Definitely," he says determinedly.
After a few moments I reluctantly nod in understanding, and Maul also does so as well. Ezra then moves to take a few steps backwards, and giving me a firm nod, he runs forwards as fast as he can. Reaching the ledge, he uses the Force to jump over the abyss with a yell, but I can tell that he wouldn't make it. Acting immediately, I thrust my arms out to give him a shove with the Force, and Maul does the same thing. Thankfully, Ezra manages to reach the platform and land on his feet, skidding perilously for a few moments before regaining his balance.
I let out a sigh of relief, smiling. With a confident smile back at us, he approaches the pyramid shaped altar in the center of the platform, where I could see the holocron floating in the middle. Hesitantly, he reaches out before grasping the holocron, although several whispers seem to flare up before dissapating at the action. Nothing seems to happen, so he smiles and holds out the holocron to us triumphantly, causing me to smile in return. However that suddenly goes away when the chamber starts to shake a little bit, small amounts of dirt crumbling down from the ceiling as everything starts to shift and come to life.
Jarik POV...
Our interrogation came to a halt as the ground around us suddenly started rumbling and shaking, the sound of something powering on ringing in our ears. I looked up at the temple, widening my eyes in surprise and alarm as red lights starts running up its sides and glowing, reaching the top of the pyramid, where a massive structure at its height glowed brilliantly with dark energy.
"We need to find Mara and Ezra," Ahsoka says worriedly.
"Get back to the Knight Hawk and get ready to leave," I tell R5, who beeps in understanding before activating his jets to fly out of there.
Ahsoka grabs the Eighth Brother roughly by the arm before shoving him forwards.
"Come on, let's take a walk!" she tells him.
"Why do I know Ezra's involved in this somehow?" Kanan asks in exasperation.
We start rushing closer for the temple as the ruins of the Sith city come to life around us with dark energy, voices and echoing shrieks sounding in my mind. What was more worrying was not the fact that the temple was waking us... but that something else was.
Beneath the Sith temple I could feel the energy of some artifact full of immense power starting to rise, with power levels reaching that completely equal to the stone underneath Vader's castle on Mustafar that I've felt. I have no doubt that this is the artifact that Snoke told me about... but what is it? What sorts of things in the universe can reach this level of power, and if there are two, are there more?
Mara POV...
The temple was groaning as everything came to life around us, and the platform Ezra was standing on suddenly changed. The altar started to rise up on a tall pillar, followed by the rest of the platform slowly afterwards, heading up towards the ceiling. Looking upwards, I widened my eyes in alarm at the sight of some strange, powerful energy at the top, swirling with black and red glass and dust in an angry energy ball that let off horrible echoing shrieks. And Ezra was headed right for it!
"Jump!" Maul exclaims.
"I won't make it!" he yells back nervously.
"Yes you can Ezra, come on!" I yell up at him.
"I- I can't!"
"Trust me!" Maul shouts.
"Trust US!" I add loudly, and we glare daggers at each other for a brief moment. "We'll catch you!"
Ezra continues contemplating, glancing between us and the swirling mass of red energy which was quickly growing closer, before mistaking his decision. With a yell, he jumps from the platform and starts to fall down quickly, screaming all the way. I watch him anxiously with worried eyes as he falls, and as he starts to get closer, I raise my hands to catch him with the Force, Maul doing the same. He still continues to fall though, so I add more power, and he finally comes to a stop just several feet below us, floating in the air.
Ezra grunts nervously with fear in his eyes as he continues to glance nervously down the chasm, holding tightly onto the holocron. With a grunt of exertion me and Maul help to pull Ezra closer, and he reaches out an arm: the one with the holocron. Maul reaches out as well and grasps onto his hand, also grabbing the holocron, the Force being let go.
As Ezra continues to hold on nervously with fearful eyes, Maul narrows his own, staring down at him. I slowly bring a hand to my lightsaber, ready to whip it out if Maul tries anything, but after a few moments and a glance in my direction, he pulls Ezra back onto the ledge. Ezra pants heavily from the experience, and I rush forwards, helping to steady him.
"There was nothing to fear. You were wise to trust me... us," he forces out, giving me an irritated look before walking off.
I stare at him coldly as he moves away, not having missed the contemplating look he was giving Ezra and the holocron while he very life lay in his hand in that moment. I'm worried about what would've happened to him if I wasn't here.
"Are you alright Ezra?" I ask in concern.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he breathes out with a smile, holding the holocron. "Thanks for the save."
"Anytime," I reply softly.
Jarik POV...
The Force of us rushed up towards the side of the temple, coming across a thick and massive door, bringing us to a stop.
"They're inside I know it. But there's no way they lifted that door!" Kanan exclaims.
I frown, taking a few steps and giving the door a hard and critical look with narrowed eyes.
"No Jedi could've lifted these doors," I state, concern coming across me. "Not without help from... other means."
"Or help from someone," Ahsoka agrees grimly.
I share a concerned look with her. Who could've possibly helped the kids get through doors so thick that only a Sith could open? The Eighth Brother then starts to chuckle, drawing our attention.
"What's so funny?" Kanan questions with a frown.
My comlink suddenly blinks on, and I answer it to hear R5's panicked beeping coming through.
"What is it R5... What do you mean we're going to have some company?!" I ask in alarm.
Eighth Brother chuckles again.
"Hey what're you laughing at?!" Kanan demands angrily.
The sound of several lightsabers spinning at high velocity has the four of us drawing our attention towards the sky in surprise. We could see Vifi and three other Inquisitor's all soaring in on their lightsabers just like the Eighth Brother, with jets blowing from the handles, led by the Second Sister. Ahsoka, Kanan and I all activate our lightsabers in preparation for a battle, and the Second Sister jumps down in front of us with a warcry, flanked by the Fifth and Third Brothers. She slashes at us, and I deflect her strike while the other two duke it out with Ahsoka and Kanan.
I glance over in alarm as Vifi flies right overhead to drop down before the Eighth Brother, easily cutting through his restraints. He immediately thrusts an arm out to rip his lightsaber from Kanan's belt and into his hand, activating it gleefully.
"An excellent days hunt," Vifi states gleefully, turning to look at us. "Wouldn't you say so old friends?"
The Second Sister, Third Brother and Fifth Brother, all shove me, Ahsoka and Kanan backwards respectively and allow the five Inquisitor's to form a circle around us. We glance at each other in concern before glaring back at the offending Inquisitors, and I pull out my second green lightsaber, entering a Jar'Kai stance just like Ahsoka.
"This is where you end Jedi," Second Sister promises with a snarl.
3rd person POV...
Maul continued to lead Mara and Ezra through the Sith temple, only to come across another large door of stone. Ezra was fiddling with the Sith holocron, attempting to open it but to now avail.
"How do you open this?" he asks.
"One must be a Sith. Or think like one," Maul states. "But it has... other uses. Give it to me. I will show you."
Mara and Ezra stare at Maul warily but he eventually hands over the holocron to the former Sith Lord, although Mara was still mistrustful. Taking it calmly, Maul places the holocron into a slot on the wall, pressing it in with a satisfied glare. The door in front of them starts to open up with a shudder.
"Sith holocrons are keys, that can open many doors," Maul states, handing the holocron back to Ezra.
Mara and Ezra both share a look before following after Maul as he walks up to the rising door. Once the door was risen high enough however, they widened their eyes in horror to see their friends and family battling five Inquisitors. Jarik was striking and defending against the Second Sister and Third Brother, Ahsoka was slashing and parrying against Vifi and the Eighth Brother, and Kanan was in a fierce duel with the Fifth Brother.
With fierce glares on their faces the two teenagers both activate their purple and blue lightsabers and rush forwards towards them, while Maul watches in interest. Jarik swings his blue saber at the Second Sister, who dodges, while raising his green saber to deflect a strike from the Third Brother, before shoving them both back. Ahsoka raised both silver blades to block Vifi and the Eighth Brother's strikes, and then shoves them back at well. Kanan does the same with the Fifth Brother, causing him to stumble briefly. Glancing behind them, the three light side warriors notice their missing companions.
"Ezra? Mara?" Kanan calls out.
"Kanan, Jarik, Ahsoka! We brought help!" Ezra exclaims, gesturing behind him.
The stone door slams shut as everyone turns to look at the new arrival, who stares back at them in return with yellow Sith eyes, resting his hands on his cane. Jarik and Ahsoka both widen their eyes in recognition at the red and black zabrak.
"Maul!" Ahsoka exclaims in astonishment.
"The Shadow," Eighth Brother states with a scowl.
"What fun," Maul grins gleefully, throwing his head back to laugh. "What fun!"
"So, it would seem that the rumors are true then: Darth Maul lives," Second Sister states in disgust, standing at the front of her pack and spinning her lightsaber.
"Formally Darth," he replies casually, striding forwards with a grin. "Now just Maul."
"Is that so?" Jarik says with deadly calm.
Ahsoka glances at him in concern, sensing his hidden fury quickly building.
"Ezra, Mara, step away from him!" Kanan exclaims in alarm as Maul comes to stand beside them, mostly Ezra.
"Kanan, I swear he's on our side!" Ezra insists, although Mara gives him another suspicious glance.
"Is he now Ezra?" Jarik says rather coldly, glaring furiously at Maul. "He doesn't have some, other agenda of his, to fulfill?"
"Ah, Jarik Shan! A pleasure to meet you once again," Maul greets with a grin of delight.
"Hardly, you kriffing lowlife," he seethes in reply.
Even Vifi was a little surprised at the amount of anger held in Jarik's voice.
"Jarik..." Ahsoka starts to say in concern.
"Hmph," Maul interrupts with a thoughtful frown. "Well, I suppose you have a point. So, perhaps my actions will speak louder than words?"
With that rhetorical question out of the way, Maul takes a step forwards and separates his cane, revealing a broken Inquisitor's lightsaber hilt that he activates with a gleeful grin, lighting his face in red. Jumping forwards into the air, he lands in front of the Second Sister and slicing at her feet as she attempts to dodge, before kicking her away. Eighth Brother charges in with his saber, which Maul deflects. The others are watching warily, although a dark frown was on Jarik's face as he watched Maul go to work. Ezra held up his lightsaber eagerly.
"What're we waiting for?" he asks.
Maul continued to battle all five Inquisitors, shoving the Third and Eighth Brothers away before focusing on the Fifth. He swings at his feet but Fifth Brother jumps over the attack, only to grunt in pain as a cane was smacked into his face before being kicked in the gut. Maul then glances behind him as Vifi charges forward, and backflips over her attack. She slashes her lightsaber only to be parried and kicked back, and Third Brother twirls into the fray against him, only to be blown away by a Force push from Maul. Eighth Brother jumps in from the side with a strike only for Maul to evade backwards, and enters a blade lock with him. He then gets quickly kicked away when Second Sister launches herself furiously at Maul, entering a blade lock with him.
"Why would you come here Maul?!"
"He knows of the artifact!" Fifth Brother realizes, dashing forwards.
Kanan moves up to intercept him with a blade lock, and the other three Inquisitor's rush forwards as well. Jarik, Ahsoka and Mara all move up to meet them in the middle for five consecutive blade locks. Jarik slashes at Third Brother to enter his, Ahsoka raises her lightsaber to deflect a twirling strike from Eighth Brother, and Mara raises her lightsaber to block Vifi's attack.
"The holocron! Do you have it?!" Eighth Brother demands, pressing his lightsaber down harshly.
"You will find out soon enough," Maul states with a grin.
Second Sister separates from Maul with a scowl, turning to her allies.
"Fall back!" she orders.
Heeding her order the other four Inquisitor's all break off from their opponents, and they jump into the air, activating the jets on their saber hilts and flying away while Maul attempts to slash them one last time. With the threat gone temporarily, the Jedi step forwards to confront the former Sith Lord.
"Maul. What game are you playing?!" Ahsoka questions sternly.
"The end game Lady Tano," he replies, casting away his cane piece. "The end game."
All five of them deactivate their lightsabers, although Jarik is reluctant to put his main saber away, clenching it tightly in his hand. Maul turns to face them, observing the group with a grin.
"Well, firstly I would like to reacquaint myself with old friends," he states while smiling at them, Jarik in particular. "How do you do, my friend?"
"I don't need to answer questions for you Maul," he retorts coldly.
"But you are a Jedi aren't you not? I thought they were all for diplomacy and introductions," he says in reply.
The other four all glance uneasily between the two, Ahsoka especially worried since she could tell that Maul was attempting to provoke Jarik. Speaking of which, Jarik glares harder at Maul, a flicker of gold passing through his eyes.
"In your case? Absolutely not! Now what are you doing here?!" he demands angrily.
"Tsk tsk tsk, focusing your hatred on someone? Whatever would your Master say?" Maul questions mockingly, before a smirk spreads across his face. "Or your parents?"
Ahsoka widens her eyes in absolute shock and horror. The others weren't sure of the context behind that phrase, but they had widened their eyes in disbelief as well. Jarik shook his head and sighs, letting loose a cold and sarcastic chuckle. Then without warning, he lashes out with his prosthetic arm and punches Maul square in the face, causing him to stumble back and hold a hand up to his face with a grunt of pain. Mara, Kanan and Ezra let out a few startled gasps.
"Jarik, no!" Ahsoka exclaims quickly in alarm.
She rushes forwards and grabs his arms, pressing a hand to his chest and struggling to forcefully holding him back before he could do more. Maul slowly removes his hand from his face, noting the blood coming from his nose and looking over at Jarik who was, seething furiously at him with gold flickering through his eyes, raising a warning finger.
"You ever mention my parents again, and I'll send you to be judged by them personally!" he snarls threateningly.
"Jarik, please, he's not worth it," Ahsoka urges, pushing warm feelings of calm and reassurance across their bond.
Dispute the injury, Maul just smiles at Jarik, who roughly turns away from him at Ahsoka's gestures, stomping away several steps. Sending a furious glare at Maul, Ahsoka follows after Jarik in concern, who was standing a few feet away with his arms crossed, trying to control his anger.
"What was that?" Ezra asks quietly.
"My Dad's never been that upset before..." Mara whispers in shock.
Kanan slowly turns his head to glare at Maul, who didn't look concerned at all.
"I think it has something to do with the mention of his parents," he says suspiciously.
Author's Note: Ohhhhooohooo my goodness... Jarik is PISSED! I think you can all guess the very obvious reason of why he is so upset... Anyways, so much fun stuff in this chapter! Quite long too, because I didn't want to skip over anything at all, but use every single frame of it! But it only gets worse in Part 2...
Points to those who know what Jarik read in the Sith language.
Ancient Sith spirits recognizing him as Revan's descendant?
How about that Malachor V moment? Or the reference with Mara's cover name?
I also changed how the Inquisitor's lightsabers so that it realistically makes more sense on how they can fly. Lightsaber blades are entirely weightless so they obviously can't provide lift. To account for that, I made it so that their lightsaber hilts actually have small jet thrusters in them that allow them to fly. There's no real way for the plot to continue in this if they aren't able to fly with their sabers so, for those he wanted it gone completely, sorry!
To be fair there are much worse things to complain about in Star Wars haha. (The Last Jedi...)
