Author's Note: Good day everyone, and welcome back. I apologize again for the long hiatus, as a result, we tried to give you something longer than our usual length. Also, for this chapter in particular, I would like you all to keep in mind that for the purposes of this story, we are using a Male Jedi Exile. Thank you, and without further adieu, enjoy the next chapter!
Dathomir's Sacred Ground – Star Temple Complex
When Revan's group approached the pyramid that night, they were in for a surprise. Raising an eyebrow, the Prodigal Knight turned to Clan Mother Rell. "I wasn't aware the Singing Mountain Clan was so big."
Rell chuckled. "It isn't that large, time walker. The multitude you are looking at is actually composed of most of the members from all the Dathomiri Clans."
Revan's eyes widened ever so slightly at that as he took in the gathered crowd. "There must be over 5,000 people in this plaza," he noted.
Rell nodded. "It's rare for all the clans to gather like this and even rarer to invite the Nightsisters when we do. But once someone issues a challenge to the Trial of the Grasses and it is agreed upon by the two most qualified Clan mothers that can perform the ritual in the name of the Winged Goddess and Fanged God, every Dathomirian that can make the journey is invited to the ceremony in the ancient Star Temple. This sacred ground becomes the most neutral place in all of Dathomir when that happens."
Serra stared as she climbed down off her tamed Rancor, as if she couldn't believe her eyes. "And all of them can use the Force?"
Rell nodded her weathered face again, deciding to humor the terminology of the off-worlders. "Well, most of them anyway. The Nightbrothers Clans are here as well, and while they are formidable warriors, not many of them are born with that blessing. But the vast majority has the connection you are referring to and, I am told, all of them are here."
Everyone in Revan's group was transfixed with the crowd, their minds flowing with possibilities. None of them actually verbalized it but their thoughts were running down similar lines. If they could succeed here today…their dreams for a reborn Jedi Order that could truly defeat the Empire would seem much more realistic.
This could be their new hope.
And that's when Revan remembered the statistics that he had read about this world's estimated population and was hit with the enormity of the situation.
"The whole world has come to bear witness," He muttered.
Rell smiled at that, proving to the former Sith Lord that her extremely advanced age hadn't reduced her hearing too much.
"Well, only a handful of famous Dathomiri have undergone this challenge in half a millennium and the only one who ever managed to succeed was Allya herself. Our people are curious, you see. Not even Gethzerion and I are old enough to remember that."
Revan said nothing, his thoughts deep in contemplation. Rell noticed and turned to his companions. "I need to go to the altar to meet with that treacherous witch and make the preparations for the ritual," she explained. "I will send someone to look for you when we are ready."
And with that, the Clan mother left with her escort, just as the rest of her clan started to mingle with their brothers and sisters from other regions for the first time in many years. In a matter of minutes, the off-worlders were alone under the red dusk.
"I knew that even with the decimation of Talzin's coven, there were still many Force-sensitives in Dathomir but to see them all gathered in one place…" Dooku trailed off as he shook his head, surprised. "I haven't sensed so many Force signatures in close proximity since before I left the Jedi Temple."
No one seemed to disagree. "This could change everything as we rebuild the Order." Sira said in wonder. "And if we play our cards right, the Emperor will have no idea we clawed our way back from the edge of extinction until we can fight him on our terms."
Plagueis nodded almost imperceptibly as he took in the masses. "I can see banners from all the clans. I see the Misty Falls Clan is still on friendly terms with the Dreaming River and the Frenzied River Clans, as their members are interacting nearby. And of course, the Red Hills and the Great Canyon Clan prefer to take the higher ground to examine the ritual. And…" The Munn squinted his yellow eyes before frowning slightly. "Yes, that's definitely Gethzerion's Nightsister Clan approaching from the east."
The group turned in that direction and saw the other Dathomiri clans glare at the newcomers. Some even spit at the ground the Darksiders stepped on. But no one tried to halt their advance and everyone parted ways so that Gethzerion could join Rell at the altar faster.
"A shatterpoint in history," Revan whispered.
Serra turned to him, unsure if she heard him correctly. "What was that?"
Revan took a deep breath as he turned to face them. "My old Jedi Master, Kreia, could sense shatterpoints through the Force. I never really had an innate talent for that, mind you. Some might say it was one of the Force abilities I had the most trouble with but Kreia would have none of it and taught me how to sense shatterpoints through immense concentration. It required such focus from me, however, that I almost never used it against individual enemies. Instead, I tried to use that ability occasionally to sense critical moments of weakness that could turn the tide of a battle, especially during the Mandalorian Wars and, every now and then, it worked like a charm. But this…" Revan paused, collecting his thoughts. "This isn't a simple shatterpoint to exploit for short term gain. Depending on how the next hour goes, the historical ramifications from this event could be felt for many centuries to come."
Their party turned still and quiet as they joined their leader in his contemplation. Below the hill, it seemed that the last members of the other clans were finally catching up with their compatriots. Revan sighed. So much was at stake and yet again, the responsibility was his. He has accepted it, yes, in large part because he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he just stood by and let the new Sith Emperor continue unopposed. Retiring while there was still important work to do and he was physically able to do it was simply not in his nature.
And yet… if Revan was honest with himself, there was another reason he couldn't bring himself to give up.
"Bastila," Revan thought as he closed his eyes. "I miss you. I miss our son I never knew. And while I am glad my sacrifice ensured you lived the rest of your days in peace, I am so sorry for leaving you behind."
The time displaced man swallowed as very fond memories came to him, made bittersweet by the reality of his situation.
"I don't know for sure what the rest of my future holds," He thought, his head bowed as he tried to reach his severed Force bond without success. "But, if you are still watching me somehow, I will strive not to let you down. But…if you aren't, if you have completely become one with the Force by now, then all I have to say is that I will cherish your memory for as long as I live."
Revan opened his eyes and saw Serra staring at him as if…she understood him. Looking back at the woman that had such an uncanny resemblance to his long-lost wife he couldn't help but smile sadly. "Thank you," He whispered softly, releasing some of his grief into the wind.
A dozen Dathomiri witches came to escort them to the altar; half of them from the Singing Mountain Clan and half of them Nightsisters. "The time has come, challenger." They said simultaneously.
Revan took a deep breath, then nodded. "Let's go."
Thabeska – Fardi Compound
The entire compound shook as the commando's explosives detonated, the ensuing explosion caused the roof to cave in as the commandos fell through the collapse. Atin felt dazed as they dropped back into the storage room. His eyes were glazed over, as everything seemed out of focus, a faint ringing in his ears as he went to try and stand but failed to do so. He could feel his body shaking as a result of the shockwave. Atin closed his eyes for a moment, he could feel gravity working against him and hear the sound of debris cascading down. When he opened his eyes again, he saw the floor cracking under him. Then everything went black.
Darman pulled himself back onto the edge of the rooftop just in time to watch Atin disappear into the man-made crevice. He shouted into the comm in an attempt to ping his wounded brother, but there was only static. He looked around below, and the clone veteran could see Fi laying on his back directly below him, the Jedi was nowhere to be found, and Niner was pinned beneath a large piece of rubble. He keyed a command on his wrist gauntlet and heard a short three beeps before one of the armor suit's built-in syringes gave him an epidural injection of kolto followed by a cocktail of adrenaline and other compounds to clear his mind and focus his attention. Darman shook his head quickly and focused his gaze once more into the debris field below. The recently rescued Mandalorian had just enough time to focus in on Boss as the imperial commando fired a trio of shots from his blaster pistol. Darman rolled away to his right, turning his back toward Boss. The first two shots narrowly soared past Darman, while the third shot landed square against Darman's back. He could feel the heat and force of the blaster bolt as his thick armor absorbed the blast.
Darman rolled further away until he broke Boss's line of sight. He jumped up to his feet and stayed at a low crouch. He could feel the kolto and other stimulants focusing his senses as he pulled out his own sidearm. He pinged a sonar pulse from his armor, and the vibrations reverberated toward him as Boss's location was marked on Darman's radar. He adjusted his position and charged forward, jumping down below and firing a volley of blaster bolts at Boss who ducked and rolled to his left, avoiding all three with ease. Darman made a series of jabs and punches, attempting to strike Boss in both of his sides before trying to bring his fist upward, hoping to catch Boss in the jaw as he did so.
Unfortunately, Boss was prepared, he deflected Darman's first strike, lifted his knee to block Darman's second, and interlocked his hands. Boss caught Darman's fist as he began to drive it upward. The Imperial commando twisted Darman's wrist, and shifted his hips using Darman's own weight against him. Boss pulled Darman in and contorted Darman's arm in such a way that it forced Darman to spin around until he was facing away from Boss. He took his free hand and drove it under Darman's left arm before wrapping behind his neck and forced Darman onto his knees as Boss held his right arm at full extension.
Darman grunted as Boss brought him down. He tried to push himself backward, but Boss had more leverage. Darman took a brief moment to think before he snapped his head back and slammed into Boss's forehead with a loud crack. The Jedi's rescuer took the opportunity to lean back before whipping forward and tucking down into a curl as he pulled Boss over his head and kicked him forward before rolling back and springing back up to his feet.
Fi started to regain consciousness. He slowly sat up and looked around. His head must've taken quite a blow because he had double vision. His depth perception was off, his head was pounding, and he couldn't remember his Omega call sign. Concussion most likely. Unfortunately, he wasn't in a situation in which he could take it easy. He slowly climbed to one knee and looked away in time to watch Darman kick Boss off of him. Fi staggered upward as he stood before he charged at Boss, diving forward in an effort to tackle him as Boss regained his footing. Boss took the hit and fell flat on his back as Fi landed on top of him. Boss jammed his fist against Fi's helmet and rolled to his left, shifting himself on top of Fi before grabbing his helmet with both hands and slamming Fi's head down against the crumbling permacrete as hard as he possibly could. Fi grunted at the first hit, then went limp the second time as he fell back into unconsciousness.
As Darman got back up to his feet, he looked around frantically and found his blaster pistol after a few moments. He set the weapon to stun and took aim at Boss as he witnessed him slam Fi's helmet against the floor. He pulled the trigger and the electrical pulse rushed over their former comrade who slumped to his right and fell on the floor.
Darman rushed over to Fi and ran a vitals check on him. Fi had a bad concussion, and he was in danger of slipping into another coma. He pulled a first aid kit out of the medpac in Fi's pack and slotted an adrenaline syringe in the suit's built-in injector.
Fi gasped as the surge of endorphins woke him, and shrieked in pain as he started to sit up before Darman stopped him.
"Hold on there, vod'ika," He started. "You've taken some bad hits to the head. I'm locking your armor and activating the gel layer. One more hit and you might be in another coma."
Fi took a second and looked over his own vitals. Darman was right, another blow to the head was a clear and very present danger. If Fi wasn't careful, he could come out of this mission with some serious brain damage. For a second, he wondered if he still wasn't fully recovered from when the Republic Military declared him brain-dead.
"Do it." He told Darman. His brother wasted no time. He entered the series of commands on Fi's armor tac-pad, locking down the armor as Fi became encased in a rigid exoskeleton before the gel layer inflated, sealing him inside of his armor. If it wasn't for the fact that their extraction would be arriving shortly, armor lockdown would have been a liability. He looked over and saw Niner still covered in rubble. Darman then stared down the crevice. He pulled the headlamp from his helmet, turned it on and dropped it down. At the bottom, he could see Atin and Ahsoka unconscious below. He turned around to help Niner out of his predicament. Darman saw a flicker of movement and gold accented armor before a rifle stock slammed against the back of his helmet. He dropped to the ground unconscious.
"Advisor, this is Delta Six-Two. The deserters are in custody, Jedi nowhere in sight." Scorch said as he glanced over at Fixer helping Boss back to his feet.
"Acknowledged, Delta," the advisor responded, "Return to the Reconciliation for debrief and recovery. Stormtrooper Squads will locate stragglers inside the facility. Remain on standby."
"Acknowledged, advisor." Scorch replied.
Atin woke slowly, he could see the moonlight shining down on him from the gaping crevice where the rooftop access had once been. It took a few minutes for him to focus. Everything was hazy - permacrete dust filled the air, and he could taste blood in his mouth.
He stood up shakily and tried to ping the others on his comlink. A bead of sweat dripped down his face inside his helmet as he impatiently waited for a response, but only got static. He cursed under his breath, grabbed Ahsoka by her arms and pulled her out of the light before more imperial troops arrived. He kneeled over her and began to lightly slap her cheek trying to wake her up. After a moment, he pulled out an adrenaline syringe, and simply injected her thigh with it, allowing the rush of hormones to jolt her awake.
Ahsoka's eyes jolted open and she jumped up quickly. She could feel aches and pains all throughout her body as she ran through events in her head. The last thing she remembered was standing atop the roof of the compound with her so-called rescuers. She gave herself a quick glance over. Her clothes were covered in dirt and soot, and her body was littered with several scrapes, bruises and a thin gash along her arm. Not too deep. The commando stood in front of her with his hand against the side of his helmet.
Atin changed frequencies as he hailed the Ebon Hawk. It took a few moments for Zeego to come through the interference.
"Zeego, status?"
"Finally!" The Neimoidian exclaimed, "I've been trying to reach you, what's going on down there?!"
"Package secure, squad is MIA. Initiating search and rescue."
"I'll move to your location and we can start scanning the area," Zeego offered.
"Negative," the Mandalorian interjected. "Retreat to safe distance. Standby for further orders.
Zeego hesitated before answering. He didn't like sitting around, waiting to be called like some shuttle pilot. "Acknowledged," he finally responded.
Atin picked up his rifle off the ground and gestured at Ahsoka, "Follow me."
"What's the plan?" she asked.
"The plan," Atin responded, "is we get my brothers back, then we get the hell out of here."
Darman slowly came to; his vision was blurred for a moment. He went to rub his eye, but his wrists and ankles were restrained by the containment cuffs. He tried to look around, and as best he could tell he had been taken prisoner aboard the Imperial starship after his run-in with Delta Squad.
"Republic Commando designation zero-one slash one-three-six," a voice spoke up from somewhere in the room.
"Who-who are you?" Darman asked, slurring his words slightly.
"Known to your fellow clones as "Darman'. It's a pleasure to finally meet you – my name is Agent Milton, with the Imperial Security Bureau."
Darman said nothing. He simply stared at the man before him in his neatly pressed gray uniform.
"I've read your file; served honorably at the battle of Geonosis, conducted numerous covert operations on Qiilura, Gaftikar, and even on Coruscant. Transitioned into the Imperial Special Forces before deserting. You're a wanted man, Darman." Milton commented from beneath the brim of his black cap.
Darman smirked at him, "Is that so?"
Milton nodded, "There's a hundred and fifty-thousand credits for your head alone."
Darman whistled, "Can I turn myself in?" The veteran joked.
"We want Skirata," Milton stated bluntly.
"Sarge? I haven't seen him in months."
Milton grunted, "and the Jedi you came looking for?"
"Dead," Darman lied through his teeth. "She was killed when Delta Squad engaged us."
"Mhmm, I'll be blunt with you Mandalorian, I don't want you. I don't want Skirata either. What I do want are the Jedi you traitorous scum are helping for some reason. Give them to me, and you have my word that nothing will happen to you."
"Oh, nothin' is gonna happen to me anyway. You see, I haven't done anything wrong, unless wanting to pursue my right to live my life is the re-"
"Spare me the philosophy lesson," Milton interjected. "I've heard it before from Yayax Squad."
"What?" Darman asked, puzzled.
"They were in rough shape when we found them, so, at that point it was really more of a mercy killing."
Darman fought against the restraints as he tried to lunge at the imperial.
"You enjoy being Palpatine's toy, don't you?" Darman snarled.
"I enjoy order, clone. Order, and society. You Mandalorians venerate savagery, and you will die savagely." Milton hissed at him.
"Oh, we're all gonna die, Agent," Darman retorted.
Milton smirked, "Some of us sooner than others." He turned and left the detention cell, saying farewell as he closed the door behind him. Milton's words hung in the air. It was in that instant that Darman knew that he was not long for this world. He could make a deal, or risk leaving his son an orphan. His choice was already made.
Atin tucked behind a stack of crates and gestured for Ahsoka to do the same. The moon was getting low in the night sky, though it was blocked by the hulking star destroyer that hovered above. Gunships continued to circle the area with their spotlights shining down. Thankfully Atin's training taught him how to avoid the patrols. Patience was the key. Patience and timing. It had been several hours since the others were captured, and the imperial patrols had expanded their search area, focusing more heavily on the surrounding perimeter and less so on the compound itself. If the search kept on for much longer – which it was almost guaranteed to do if Atin had anything to say about it – they would have to start cycling through shifts.
Atin's best guess was that Niner and the others had been taken aboard the cruiser. Now he just needed to figure out a way up there. He glanced back at Ahsoka from beneath his helmet. She certainly knew how to handle herself, and for once the commando felt that his extraction was an asset rather than a liability to him.
If they could sneak aboard an imperial shuttle, the duo should be able to navigate the cruiser. Atin recognized it as one of the retrofitted Arquitens from the Clone Wars. He had been on them dozens of times and would have an easy enough time navigating it. The only thing he didn't like about the plan was that it was filled with probabilities rather than certainties. It didn't exactly fill him with confidence. They had to do something before time ran out though. Atin raised his head over the crates carefully. A pair of stormtroopers were slowly wading toward his position, their floodlights getting closer and closer. He darted back down. Ahsoka repeated his movements and slowly lifted herself. She waved her hand slowly.
"There's nothing here, you need to move on to the next area," she whispered. After a moment, she could hear a trooper echo her words before turning off to their left, heading further away from the compound.
Atin scoffed, "I couldn't tell you the last time I saw someone do that."
"It comes in handy sometimes," Ahsoka shrugged. Atin simply nodded in agreement. He made a mental note to remember that the Force was both a tool and a weapon. It could save them if things went south. Moving away from Ahsoka so he could face her directly, Atin pointed to the cruiser overhead.
"If I had credits, I would bet on my brothers being up there." He gestured his hand off to the left. "Now that cruiser can't hold more than two shuttles. Meaning there will only be one on the ground at a time, that way they can load the other while one is down here." Ahsoka followed his hand with immediate reflex.
"Meaning we'll have to time boarding just right," Ahsoka commented. Atin nodded. She was right, they needed to time it exactly right. Timing seemed to be the theme with this mission. Timing with infiltrating the facility, timing with finding Ahsoka, timing their attempted exfil, and timing the explosives. So far, timing had been off, and they needed to correct that. If he timed this wrong, then none of them were gonna make it home.
Dathomir – Star Temple Altar
Revan took a deep breath as he stepped out onto the altar. Standing before him, Gethzerion and Mother Rell stood to the left and right of the center pedestal respectively. Serra, Dooku, and the others all stood on the edge of the arena, watching from a distance while the Dathomiri filed in, surrounding the area.
Revan glanced at Gethzerion before addressing Mother Rell.
"How do we begin?" he asked her.
"Step onto the center stone, "Rell answered. "We shall commence the ritual, when your role begins, you will know." Revan nodded slowly, becoming less and less confident in this ritual as time went on. He stepped onto the center stone. Rell and Gethzerion both began moving their hands in a circular motion, entering perfect synchronization as they began reciting an incantation in their ancient language. Slowly, a green aura began to emanate from them, wisps of energy trailing off and disappearing into a mist. Both clan mothers opened their eyes, glowing with the same energy before finally raising their arms holding their hands together before outstretching them towards Revan with their palms facing outward.
The wisps of energy coalesced into a concentrated beam of Force Energy that collided directly with Revan. The former Sith Lord screamed as the sheer power swept over him from both sides. It washed over his body, engulfing him almost immediately. Serra let out a worried gasp as she watched him disappear inside the energy waves, and in that moment, she was terrified that she would lose him.
Revan could feel the energy slowly eroding away at him, barely able to maintain a conscious thought through the pain, and at what seemed like the last possible second, his old master's voice echoed inside his mind.
The planet is the Force. Use it. Draw on it; control it. Use it to your advantage.
His eyes shot open, feeding on his emotions as he channeled them through both his mind and heart. A voice that felt as though it wasn't his shouted out.
"Enough!" The waves of energy disappeared, slowly Revan was revealed inside the torrent of energy as he gained control over it, and slowly the beams of energy returned to their concentrated states, entering Revan through his two outstretched arms. Slowly he reoriented himself and directed the energy down into the center stone. The altar floor illuminated as the energy wove through crevices and channels as they climbed through the Star Temple, into the remains of the ancient tower where they immediately began to channel into the massive focusing crystal above. The crystal began pulsating as Rell and Gethzerion ended their stream of energy. Revan channeled the last of it through his body and into the temple.
He dropped to his knees with a gasp and looked up to the crystal. With bated breath, Revan watched as the crystal became surrounded with those same wisps of energy, only this time, it was a dance of white and black; light and dark. The power of the light intertwined with itself and slowly descended to the ground. The energy began to morph as it took shape, forming a spectral figure that would slowly generate into a physical form. It took the form of a middle-aged man with a swept back haircut, and a well-trimmed beard who Revan recognized as Gonar Endac; his former general in the Mandalorian Wars. He stepped forward with a smirk.
"Well, this is unexpected." He commented. He glanced at Revan's belt, and outstretched his hand. After a moment, one of the two lightsabers clipped at Revan's belt shot back toward the Exile. He grasped it in his palm, flourished the hilt before igniting the blue blade. His eyes inspected the hilt briefly, before looking back at Revan. "I never thought I'd see this again."
"Gonar…" Revan said in utter shock.
"In the flesh!" He responded, "You know, there's something I've been wondering in the back of my mind for the last four thousand years. Looks like I'm finally going to get my answer." He dashed at Revan who ignited his blade with a few seconds to spare. He pushed back at him, as they kept their sabers held high, batting their blades together as they exchanged blows, moving across the floor of the Star Temple. Revan flicked his wrist and countered one of Gonar's strikes, pushing down against his lightsaber as the blades went wide and swung out to Revan's right side. He channeled the force into his left hand and sent a concentrated blast of force energy toward his friend. The Exile was sent back several feet before rolling onto his back, reversing a somersault and jumping back up to his feet.
Revan and the Exile had trained, fought, and served together numerous times during the Mandalorian Wars. Revan had even gone as far as making him General of the Republic Fleet at Malachor. The pair were a force to be reckoned with. Fighting together, they worked in perfect synchronization, covering each other's weaknesses, and working to the advantage of each other's strengths. But not this time. This time, they fought to exploit each other's weaknesses, avoiding what they knew to be each other's strengths.
They were both excellent duelists. Revan's knowledge of the various styles of lightsaber combat, coupled with his experience on the battlefield had taught him how he could seamlessly transition from the movements of one form into another; however, the Exile seemed to take that even a step further. Instead of leading one form into another, Gonar seemed to blend elements of the various forms together, utilizing the precise, elegant strikes of the Makashi form, and pairing it with the acrobatic, fast footwork of the Ataru form before transitioning into the seemingly unconnected staccato sequences of Juyo. Luckily, Revan had studied Juyo extensively. An aggressive form, but it left one open to Force attacks.
Revan deflected his opponent's blade, then focused the Force into his offhand before unleashing it on Gonar. The blast hit him center mass and knocked him back roughly fifteen feet. Looking up, he saw Revan rushing at him. He lifted his blade and blocked Revan's next strike.
Dooku watched in disbelief as Revan engaged the reincarnated Exile once again, their movements seeming to match perfectly. For every attack, there was an equal reaction by their opponent. Their blocks, parries, and ripostes appeared like less of a fight and quickly turned into a blur as old friends reconnected in the truest expression of themselves.
The spectacle had drawn the focus of each and every bystander that had come to witness it. It was as if the Dathomiri were under some sort of spell. Their eyes following Revan's every move. Serra and Sira were merely an extension of this. Sira kept mouthing words to herself, as if she were mentally noting every detail about Revan's fighting style. Both his movements and the exile's seemed less like attacks or deflections, and more like an extension of themselves.
Mother Rell remained in a tranced state, or at least that was how it seemed to Dooku. Gethzerion, on the other hand, had awoken herself, and Dooku could sense a danger forming in her presence. He tapped Serra on her arm next to him, doing the same to Plagueis on his left.
He gestured in her direction, "She's planning something."
"We can't interfere with the Trial without risking throwing the intertwined currents of Force energy out of balance and triggering an explosion that could rival a Thought Bomb as a result," Plagueis snapped. "Not unless Revan invites us as the chosen candidate the trial accepted."
"No, and neither can she," Dooku added. "The entire population is here, and Rell is vulnerable. It's an opportunity for her."
"He's right," Serra interjected. "Not to mention, I don't expect her to fit our goals in the end." She looked Dooku in the eye, "I'm with you." She chuckled in her head at that. Dooku was the last person she ever expected to say those words to. Dooku smiled at her in response and drew his lightsaber. The others did the same subtly as they started making their way around the edge of the arena.
Revan flipped to his right before slashing at the Exile's side. The force entity flourished his blade as he stepped back, intercepting Revan's attack before outstretching his palm as he tried to direct a push at Revan who attempted to do the same. They each struggled as they could feel the other exerting extreme effort before they were both launched back to opposite ends of the arena. Revan leaped toward Endac and began utilizing the aggressive, acrobatic movements of Ataru. He began to perform extravagant movements in the arena; jumping, cleaving, and darting around the Exile as he constantly attempted to strike at him. He could feel the heavy exertion slowly draining him and as he brought his blade to bare against Gonar once more, he pushed forward, and switched to the tight, controlled movements of Makashi – Dooku's chosen style.
Revan's blade connected with his opponents once more, he flicked his wrist downward before giving it a twirl, connecting with the Exile's wrist, severing it and thus disarming him. The Exile screamed in pain and looked down at his amputated hand still clutching the hilt of his weapon, then smiled at Revan.
"You know what you have to do now. I'll be fine, this body was meant to be temporary anyway." His expression was as sincere as his words. "But be warned, if the champion of the dark side that approaches defeats you in the trial, the ritual will allow him to transfer his essence into your body to return to the land of the living."
Gonar gave him a satisfied smile then. "After all this time, I guess I finally got my answer. May the Force be with you Revan."
Revan smiled sadly, nostalgia filling his very being but knowing what needed to be done, "Goodbye, old friend." Revan closed his eyes, a tear rolling down his cheek as he plunged his blade in the Exile's chest.
The Exile gasped as he returned to his real form. He disappeared in a flash of light. Revan could feel his presence disappear yet remain. The Exile had finally become one with the Force.
The dark side energy slowly descended. As his next opponent took form, Revan lost all expression. His anger boiled. The dark robes and mangled features of his next opponent had been embedded in his mind centuries ago. The Sith Emperor smirked at him.
"I must thank you for being both balanced enough and foolish enough to open the flood gates of the world within the worlds at the very center of the Force. Because now, after thousands of years, drowning in the chaos of the void, I have finally awakened." Vitiate stared at his old foe, "This galaxy is mine. It is time I reclaimed it."
"I will never allow that to happen," Revan declared quietly. He deactivated his lightsaber and lashed out at Vitiate with the Force. Arcs of lightning shot out of his hands. Vitiate raised a single gloved hand and absorbed the blast. Electricity surged into him, amplifying his own power. Revan relented finally. He reached out with the Force and lifted a large boulder before hurling it at Vitiate. The ancient evil raised both hands an intercepted the boulder less than a meter away from him. Revan held his focus, channeled his rage, and pushed forward with the boulder. He could hear the rock and minerals inside it cracking under the stress. Revan began to dial back slowly as he cautiously approached his adversary.
Holding the boulder in place, Revan pushed forward with it ever so slightly to keep Vitiate's attention. Revan dropped the boulder and sent another torrent of lightning at the emperor who became engulfed in moments. He shouted as he unleashed centuries of rage and anger upon his foe.
It took a few moments for Vitiate to regain control of himself. Against the pain, he raised his hands once more and absorbed Revan's blast. The two were entering a stalemate; a pair of superpowers going against each other. Vitiate began to push back against Revan this time, his power was amplified by Revan's previous attacks. Slowly, a mass of pure Force Energy formed between the two, just as it had when Revan fought Plagueis. Their battle was just beginning.
Thabeska – Fardi Compound
Atin pulled the access panel back into place and secured it as best he could. There was a low rumble and a slight shudder as the shuttle took off from the compound. He tried to lean back and get as comfortable he possibly could in the small space. He could feel exhaustion setting in. They were approaching nearly twelve hours on the mission clock. While it hadn't been anywhere near his longest, it had certainly been an intensive one. Not to mention the aches and head pain he had from his fall still seemed fresh.
He grabbed his DC-17m and began to take the rifle apart, inspecting the different pieces, and putting them back together. Once he was done with that, he began listing off engine sequences in his head, mapping hyperspace lanes, mentally sorting through decryption keys, and finally breaching maneuvers. He needed to keep his mind active. If he couldn't stay sharp, he was guaranteed to start making mistakes. In this situation, mistakes meant death.
Then there was Ahsoka. She was an outlier. Atin was certain she could handle her own. During the Clone Wars at least. But the Clone Wars were over now, and the ways of warfare were about to change – for the foreseeable future, at least.
The low rumble of the engine slowly faded and there was a lurch in the ship as it docked aboard the cruiser. Ahsoka started to sit up but Atin held his hand up. She took the hint. They needed to be patient. If they tried to play their hand – or rather their only card – too early, then they weren't going to make it very far.
The seconds ticked by but they felt like hours. Atin checked his motion trackers, and it appeared that the area was finally clear after roughly ten minutes. Atin motioned for Ahsoka to follow him as he pushed the panel back out of place and dropped down to the hangar floor with a slight thud, meanwhile Ahsoka never made a sound as she hit durasteel surface. The commando peered past the landing gear before he gestured toward a doorway on the nearest wall.
"The one benefit of these old cruisers, I still know how to get around." He commented, "The holding cells should be down this way. Stay clo- " he stopped in his tracks and got down low as he watched a pair of men in dark black armor and waist-capes, with electrostaffs slung over their shoulders.
"What were those?!" Ahsoka asked him after they passed.
"I don't know. I haven't seen them before. Follow me." He checked his corners before he darted over to the hallway. He glanced behind him, and Ahsoka was still there. He nodded under his helmet as he continued down the corridor. The holding area wasn't large, in a ship that was just as small in comparison. They reached the cellblock before long. There was a pair of guards standing opposite of each other as they guarded separate cells. They both went down within a second of each other. Atin unlocked the first cell, Niner and Fi were laying there on the other side of the ray shield.
"Ad'ika?" Niner questioned, "Boy, am I glad to see you."
"I disappear for five minutes, and you all just had to end up captured? I thought it was your job to be the babysitter, Sarge?" Atin chuckled to himself as he inserted his slicer chip into the cell door control and attempted to break the door open. After several moments, the console flashed red. Atin slapped the console as he cursed under his breath. Ahsoka leaned over his shoulder and brushed at him to stand aside.
"Let me take a look at it," she said. Atin gave her a puzzled look from behind his helmet before stepping aside. Ahsoka took a breath before she waved her hand in front of the console. A mechanism extended out of the panel, rotated clockwise three-hundred and sixty degrees, and pulled itself back into place. The panel flashed green, and the ray shields deactivated.
Atin made another mental note of how useful it is having a Jedi around before stepping over to Fi and Niner. Fi laid flat on his back, unmoving.
"He alright?" Atin questioned.
"Darman put him in armor lock. The imperial techs haven't had time to pull him out of it."
"Great. We'll need to carry him." Atin commented. He turned around and looked at Ahsoka, "Can you unlock Darman's cell?" he asked her.
She nodded, "I'll take care of it." Ahsoka was quickly growing on Atin. She was proving to be the most useful Jedi he had met since, well, since Etain. He wondered what Darman would come to think of her. He gestured at Niner to give him a hand before they dragged the dead stormtroopers into Niner's cell. Atin activated a second mission timer. He may have been able to reach his brothers without being found, but the holocam watching the cell block was surely alerting the Empire to their presence. He glanced at the corner of the room and saw the device staring down at him. Darman and Ahsoka stepped in. They were each holding one of the deceased stormtrooper's blasters. Atin pulled out his sidearm, shot out the holocam, and then handed it to Niner.
Niner stared at the weapon before taking it and looking at his brother as the alarm system started to blare.
"Got an escape plan?" Niner questioned.
Atin smirked from behind his helmet, "Thought we'd try shooting our way out. Mix things up a little."
Dathomir – Around the Star Temple Altar
Sira-Talis's, like most of the crowd around her, covered her face with her robe as the Force lightning lock of the two extremely powerful Force users exploded, the blast resonating in her ears. When she looked around, she noticed that both Revan and the pale blue Sith Lord clearly used the Force to shield themselves from the shockwave and, to her amazement, she realized that friction through their feet aside, their determination to overcome their opponent gave them the will to remain where they stood.
The Zabrak girl shook her head in amazement. "That was incredible!"
Past experience with her master had taught her to expect a disapproving response at comments about expression admiration in the destructive powers of the Force but for once, she was met by silence. Frowning, she turned around to look at her companions and shivered a bit at the look of dread and shock on their expressions.
"Is that actually...?" Dooku swallowed, leaving the question hanging.
"It is," Plagueis confirmed with a gobsmacked look on his face. "Sith Emperor Vitiate of the old Sith Empire has returned."
Sira's jaw dropped to the floor at that statement. While the Zabrak stared back at the legend of the past, Serra shook her head in disbelief.
"How is this even possible?"
"I..."The Munn paused as he saw the two mighty enemies fling ton sized boulders from near the temple at each other and block them with their own in turn. "I read on Talzin's Wild Powers codex that if the trial of the grasses finds a challenger that can embody the might of both sides of the Force simultaneously, the Twin deities of the Dathomirians will summon old enemies from the champions past that have sided with the light and dark respectively to finish the test whether they are alive but elsewhere or currently one with the Force. If Revan wins, he will prove to the whole world that he is their prophesied hero and the Dathomirians will follow him to the end of the galaxy and back.
There was a tense pause, then Sira asked the obvious question.
"And if he loses?"
"Then...the ancient Sith Emperor will be able to transfer his essence to Revan's body to consolidate his return," The aging Munn replied, unease evident in his tone.
After all, the deposed Dark Lord had learned much from Vitiate while trying to perfect his techniques of midi-chlorian manipulation. And he knows enough to know that, if Revan is defeated by his old enemy again, even the hated memory of his treacherous apprentice will feel like a meaningless concern. Because now that the world devourer of old has returned, the stakes have been raised to extremely high heights.
Life itself is on the line now.
"May the Force be with you, Revan," Plagueis thought grimly. "You will need it."
AN: And thus ends chapter 29! I hope you all enjoyed it. I also think I need to mention the importance of the fact this story - from Revan's point of view - takes place following the Battle of the Foundry. Therefore, the Shadow of Revan storyline in swtor never took place, meaning Vitiate never became Valkorion, the Eternal Empire story never took place, hence why the Emperor appeared in his Vitiate form rather than Valkorion. We'll be getting to work on the next chapter immediately, so until next time!
-CaptainCakeless117