Chapter 14
Ventress woke up sweating; panicking at being unable to see her surroundings she reached out with the force, realizing she is alone. Calming down for a moment the female Dathomirian let her eyes adjust to the dark allowing herself to see her surroundings a bit. If Ventress had to guess she would believe that she is inside a dark cavern. Standing up the Sith in training tried to navigate her way around the only exit a long narrow tunnel ahead of her. Assaj noticed that the further she walked the more the temperature would rise.
It took a few minutes but eventually Ventress found a ominous red light, that made her hesitate but knowing that there was no other way she moved forward reaching as far as the force would let her. Each step felt heavy as her breath quickened and her heart was beating so loud she swore it echoed. The Red light ahead made the shadows stalk Ventress's every move, random flickers taunting the assassin in her peripherals. Goosebumps starting to form on her body as her eyes resembled prey caught by the hunter.
Assaj subconsciously reached for the blades on her waist, looking for the comfort in being able to defend her when she realized….She was weaponless. Fear suddenly struck Ventress's heart. Her Blood turning into ice as her white skin became even paler. The shadows seemed to dance and taunt at the corner of her eyes but when she turned to look at them they stood still, until she saw something form. Their slowly taking form was a hooded figure. Assaj couldn't believe her eyes, and made the mistake of trying to look at the figure's face, only to find pure darkness. Time froze as she and the figure stood facing each other.
The figure moved forward hovering closer to her. The fear that paralyzed her now told every fiber in her body to run, but her legs were glued to the floor. Ventress could only watch in horror as the figure got within arm's reach. It raised its hidden arm right to her face as a ghastly finger near leaving nearly no space between the tip to her nose. Then dread overcame the young Dathomirian as a voice that came from everywhere and nowhere spoke four words in her mind that will forever haunt her. "Your Master will fail." Assaj felt her heart stop, an image of Fenrir being choked by an invisible force while his mask was cut by a light saber, the metal on the mask still red from the heat of the blade. The image transformed into Fenrir's palace, the magnificent building set a blaze just like the city below, while corpses line up on the streets. Once again the image changed to an orbital few of the Planet Xion as the dwarf planet was being bombarded by several Ships that didn't look republic or Separatist. The voice echoed again repeating the four words that brought pure terror. "Your master will fail."
Ventress bolted, running towards the crimson light that used to look ominous but now was her only hope to escape the figure in the shadows. Taking in as much oxygen as she could not even realizing that she held her breath. Cold sweat drenched her body as a few tears came out of her eyes. Ventress kept running till she collapsed her legs shaking so much she couldn't control herself, she felt something touch her shoulder, and she screamed bloody murder.
"You meat bags are really disgusting." Came the mechanical voice from a droid she met on one occasion before. Turning around she saw Reaper, her master's droid looking right at her, his body language completely unreadable. The droid kept mumbling about perspiration being a disturbing trait of meat bags. Ventress immediately was overcome with joy, before recollecting herself trying her best to save face.
"You didn't see anything Droid." She said trying to act cold.
"On the contrary, my master tasked me to record the female meat bag, you, while she tried to survive the conditioning. " Ventress couldn't get mad at the meat bag comment, just glad her master didn't abandon her. That was until that voice echoed in her thoughts again. 'Your master will fail.'
"Perceptive Analysis: meat bag is currently perpetrating, disgusting." The Droid spoke to itself, dragging Ventress from her thoughts.
"Ok so what am I supposed to do?" Ventress asked the droid, noticing that it was fully armed with its rifle and pistols, and grenades strapped around its waist.
"Your Conditioning is to escape the volcanic cave system Dubbed Ragnarok by my master…. Meat bag." Ventress was confused till she looked around to see she walked by a river of lava. She was confused until she realized the droid kept disrespecting her.
"Must you always call me a meat bag; I am the apprentice of Fenrir, future sith lord and you will show me respect." Ventress replied finally getting annoyed.
"My apologies, from now on I shall call you apprentice meat bag." The droid said in a sarcastic manner further irking Ventress.
"You know what forget it." The tired woman said walking off into a narrow passage that she guessed led to the exit. With that said the duo walked forward, and after a few minutes Ventress swore she was lost, and the force was not helping her.
"How am I supposed to escape this place," She said to herself but her companion chooses to answer.
"Lord Fenrir said, that the only way to escape is to find balance between the Light and Dark side of the force. I believe the male meat bag was stuck inside these tunnels for a week his first time here." Ventress stared at the droid in disbelief.
"A week,"
"Would have been longer if you meat bags didn't perspire, truly disgusting creatures. What is my master thinking training you fragile meat bags?" The droid truly sounded annoyed and that angered Ventress, but the realization dawned on her. If she doesn't find a way out she will pass out to dehydration.
Somewhere inside Ragnarok.
Barret was truly annoyed this was his fifth conditioning and he swore he went around in circles too many times. He hated what this place did to you, how it uses your greatest fears and dreams to distract you. Barret sat meditating ignoring the annoyed comments of Harbinger, the droid who was told to watch over him. Barret focused on the dark side's power, every time he did this he managed to find a clear path to take, but sometimes those clear paths lead him to another hallucination of his wife, and what could have happened only for the images of a home and children to be torn away from the face he caused to cave in back on Krant. Echuu Shen-Jon would seem to come from the shadows and try to give him his Jedi crap.
"There is no emotion, there is peace." Ha Barret never heard such lies in his life. 'Peace is a lie, there is only passion' That was the truth, peace can never be attained it is to fragile but passion will last, it stays in the hearts of every warrior, the passion of the fight, the passion for your brothers, and the passion for the ones you love. Whenever Barret seemed to dwell on his deceased wife his anger left and was replaced with grief. Barret has seen many images most of his wife giving him a disappointed look before turning her back at him whenever he lost himself in anger.
Barret never felt so scared in his life, watching his wife turn her back on him in his time of need, running after her only for her to disappear. The five words she spoke every time she left him in the darkness, haunting him every time he tries to sleep at night. "You have to let go." The Fear that comes over Barret is an unholy force that can make the monstrous man crawl, and tremble in fear. This place deserves the name Ragnarok, for this hell can even make the gods have nervous break downs.
Standing up Barret started to walk towards what he believed was the right way. "Finally moving again, what humiliations will you show me this time, Bantha Fodder like yourself are truly amusing to watch."
"Careful what you say if you don't want to turn into scrap."
"Go ahead and scrap me, so while my master reconstructs me your corpse is left decomposing in these caves."
Barret forced himself to calm down as he ignored the droid, "Why is it a piece of junk like you can easily navigate out of these caves."
"We already mapped out these tunnels, besides we are not prone to hallucinations like useless Bantha fodder like you."
"Fuck of you over rated piece of hardware."
"I believe Fucking off isn't in my programming."
"Never mind."
Fenrir's palace the next day, Training chambers.
"Concentrate on the minds of those who wander your halls, " Doing as Kreia demanded, Cloud in his meditative stance read the thoughts of his servants how most of them wish to please their master, how Lenzor Zvent went over battle scenarios in his head while polishing his rifle. Yuffie's thoughts on collecting a minor bounty soon. Even Vincent's latest thoughts on how great the food was.
"The key of using Force fear is by being able to read and comprehend your subject's thoughts. You reach deep into their memories and bring out their greatest fears. This will allow you to manipulate anyone you manage to effect. Of course those with strong will require physical contact with their temple. Those who truly master these techniques can summon the fear of their enemies with a wave of the hand."
Cloud understood what his master was teaching, already learning how to read peoples mind if he meditates long enough, and can even pick up surface thoughts from a person in front of him. Hell he even managed to get a single thought from Vincent without meditating, but now Cloud wants to take his practice on the field.
"Master who should I practice this technique on."
"I suggest going to Jabiim, but don't let any of the separatist or republic know, I sense Jabiim will be a great place to manipulate a few of their governing officials, try creating a civil war."
"Creating two factions so the republic and the Confederacy can have another stage to dance."
Kriea's hologram smiled as she praised her student's intellect. "You learn quickly apprentice."
"I have a great master, but I shall wait for my students to escape Ragnarok." Cloud said letting his concern show in his eyes, luckily if someone came in his mask was currently on.
"Ahh yes the conditioning, you know they won't escape that place as quickly as you did. Barret has too much anger, and passion, the death of his wife has really stopped him from escaping. While your latest apprentice has too much fear, she has a lot of conditioning in the future."
"Remind me why Ragnarok is able to cause hallucinations."
"This planet is strangely powerful in both the dark and light side of the force. My theory is that before there was sith or the Jedi council, the original practitioners of the force, used the tunnels under mount Valhalla, to train their students, or punish those who couldn't comprehend the force. The force will blind those who walk in the light preventing them to see an exit in front of them because they are accustomed to the light, while those adjusted to dark can never walk the brightest paths without going blind."
Cloud nodded in understanding having navigated his way out of Ragnarok and made his way to the Peak of Mount Valhalla. "only in balance can you find the true path, the path that won't blind you. I shall tend to the civilians needs for the week then as my students won't learn this lesson today." With that said Kriea's protégé walks out of the chamber leaving the holographic Kreia to ponder.
Six days later Ragnarok.
Harbinger was purely amused; here lies the man who can tear down walls with his bare hands, the man who can stare down death and won't blink, and the only useless Bantha Fodder whose actions amused the droid. This man was now stumbling a few paces reaching out for someone who wasn't there, the hallucination causing the brute to continue in the same circles he had for days. The droid simply looked the opposite direction of the man's path and wondered why the large piece of bantha fodder walks the wrong direction. The droid just chalked it down to organic stupidity, and emotions. None the less the droid followed the grown man who had tears staining his face, while his body was covered in dust. After all it was his mission to take this man's near lifeless body back to the palace.
Somewhere else in Ragnarok
Ventress would have been crying but her body wouldn't let her, all she could do is watch as her master dies in her arms again and again, the visions of her current master getting his life choked out of him. The last person who saw true potential in her, that last person who had pride in her, die slowly by an unseen force, while the planet he lives on turns to rubble.
Reaper watched the female meat bag lean against the wall, her body unable to continue but still capable to mumble words, he could see the pain fear and sadness in her eyes, the tears she couldn't cry. Reaper didn't know why but he pitied the meat bag. He knew she was about to break and he would have to bring her back to the palace, but he honestly was wanting her to find her way out. He pitied her for the male meat bag was at least capable of moving through multiple tunnels before going in circles. This woman has been going in circles since day one. Reaper saw things he was pretty sure he should have never witnessed; somehow he felt….sad, no…regret. That's not it…..ashamed... Yeah ashamed. Ashamed because he recorded a strong willed woman who wanted to impress her master turn into nothing but a broken piece of meat, as insanity tries to claim her.
Just then said woman collapsed, not moving. Knowing that she finally passed out, Reaper moved to pick her up and went to the rendezvous, where Harbinger will bring Barret, and Dirge can pick them up.
Serrano Dooku's training hall
Fenrir was forced to block by instinct, His 'master' forcing the young gain to go on the defensive, the strikes coming from Dooku where far more difficult than anyone else he ever fought. And he knew his master was still holding back. The quick precise and unpredictable angles the master swordsman used on his apprentice where not enough to overcome his apprentices defense but it prevented Fenrir from going offensive. Dooku thanked the fact he practiced using a curved hilt now giving him more control with the slightest adjustments, thus helping create the perfect chain of offense and defense. The only problem was while his apprentice may not be on the same level, he was more than capable to put up a difficult fight, Dooku has yet to cause a burn something that was considered severely easy at the beginning of the war.
Cloud was always a quick learner and this filled Dooku with pride and fear. Pride because he truly sees Cloud as a son while He knows the Child despises him. He could tell in the eyes, the ones that used to be full of eagerness and excitement when they dueled. But now were filled of focused anger, and frustration as they found each other at a stalemate with Dooku controlling the pace. Dooku has yet applied form VI Niman, having yet to use the force while the duel has began. While cloud has already tried to use lightning and other techniques that were easily countered, but he has yet to try the Force scream.
Cloud found that he was sweating the same amount as Dooku, they have been dueling for two hours now, and Cloud's stamina is falling while Dooku kept himself in the race by tiring out his opponent. This duel has been all about who can out last who, any mistake would have been capitalized on and would mean the end of this duel.
"You have become a fair dullest Cloud, probably the best at one on one saber combat, compared to all of my other students. It won't be long till you are strong enough to help me get rid of Sidious." Dooku said while His only response was the continuation of the duel which lasted another five minutes, Dooku feeling his arms go numb. The old age catching up to him, while his apprentice is out of breath but able to push past his own exhaustion to force Dooku to start using force tricks to keep his apprentice on the defensive.
"Tell me….one thing Tyrannous." Dooku felt a pang in his heart as his own apprentice called him by his sith name. "When we kill Sidious what's next."
"Well we will recreate the Sith in a new image, gain followers and create a Sith order, and a Sith council."
"You wish to create another Jedi order?" Fenrir said in disgust.
"No we will have something more absolute, we will lead the sith empire to rule the galaxy and those under our flag will be truly safe while those who oppose will beg for mercy. We will be the ruling government, no more political red tape when dealing with our criminals, and corrupt officials. We can create the perfect government just so long as we get our hands dirty."
"But all that power can corrupt any man, even those like you…. And me"
"That's true and that is why we will have a council, to divide the power, I will be the emperor while you become my lead adviser, and soon we will have others who will fill positions and the power will be divided. You and I can rule the galaxy as the emperor and his son." Dooku said leaving the unasked question in the air. Dooku won't lie he really wanted to have Cloud accept him as a father, his only apprentice was the only thing that kept him as the charismatic Dooku and not the sinister Tyrannous.
The blonde was caught off guard by the question, their duel ending when they put away their weapons. Cloud took felt his heart ache, and flip. "I…. I will have to meditate on that." Dooku had a visible frown on his face as his heart ached, knowing that the child he met at the academy would have jumped at the opportunity. But now this youth standing in front of him is not just the young boy at the academy. The man before him is also Fenrir, the sith apprentice who has little to no mercy no matter who he fought, focusing only on improving his own power.
"Very well, we trained enough on your saber skills, you have improved, leaps and bounds and as your master I am satisfied with your improvement." With that said Dooku watched his student walk away as Dooku wondered on how things would have been if just left the order in exile instead of joining the Sith like planned. He could have taken Cloud with him, would the young man be the same as he was in the academy instead of developing a split personality that was cold and ruthless.
Dooku knew it was his fault that Cloud evolved into Fenrir, the betrayal and teachings of the dark side made sure that the Gaian force user didn't hesitate in ending lives. Dooku recalled a moment when Cloud physically choked the life out of one of his many acolyte hopefuls. Or when Dooku taught his apprentice how to produce lightning with the force. Fenrir enjoyed his newfound power by torturing some prisoners to death, just to practice on the force. But Dooku still cared for the child and could still see the Cloud he knew when ever Dooku praised his abilities, the small glint in his eyes when Cloud's saber skills improve. Even when Cloud fought with Grievous he can see the same mischievous smirk the Gaian gets when he teases his friends, the same he made when dealing with the academies younglings.
Cloud hasn't fallen into the dark side completely and thanks to him I haven't either. When the Count killed Komari Vosa he swore he would have been lost to the dark side if He didn't have a training session with Cloud, his student's thirst for praise making former Jedi swell in pride as he watched the child grow in power. Cloud is the only reason why he still planned to kill Sidious so he could destroy the sith. Dooku knows that if Cloud wasn't hear he would be trying to succeed the sith lord and continue the rule of two. If Cloud became Dooku's adopted son, Dooku will not only have a legitimate heir, but will make the count have no regrets. Dooku made his way to his chamber's to contact his master to plan out the next step in the war.
Serrano, Guest chamber.
Cloud sat meditating inside the room he currently was living in for the past two days. Coming to receive training from his old master. Cloud had long forgiven Dooku, having to learn to let go of his anger back in Ragnarok, but Cloud planned to kill Dooku after he kills Sidious. Believing that his master only saw him as a tool, like Kreia told him. But Cloud saw it in Dooku's eyes the old man really wanted to Adopt Cloud as a son. The longing in his eyes as he silently hoped Cloud accepted and Cloud felt extremely happy, that he could have someone to call a father. His only family being Zack and his brother wasn't there in his life that much, but Dooku practically raised Cloud. The only person he had in his life that was with him near the beginning to now.
Cloud spent his meditation focusing on the Balance of light and dark, looking for guidance and a clear unbiased decision on Dooku's offer. 'Maybe, just maybe I won't have to kill Dooku to achieve my goals; maybe Dooku could help me achieve my dream.' Was the current thought on the blonde's mind? Dooku was the closest thing to a father figure in his life, while Kreia was the closest thing to a mother. But Cloud knew that Kreia will never approve of such a bond. So she will always and only be his teacher, but Dooku wanted that bond, the bond of father and son. After meditating for nearly an hour Cloud found an answer.
Making his way to Dooku's chambers he waited for his master to let him enter. It took a few seconds until the door opened to show the old man who was in his early eighties still looking young, Cloud knew that the Count had twenty more years before his age would truly effect him. Dooku looked at his favorite apprentice; Cloud didn't know what to say so he said what came to mind first. "I will….. Honor you as my father, Dooku."
Cloud watched the small smile that Dooku could barely suppress, "Very well my boy, I will make sure that you will be recognized as my son in these halls. We will have to wait until the death of Sidious before this information can leave Serrano, but this palace will forever be your home." Dooku placed a hand on Cloud's shoulder, feeling peace swell in his heart. While Cloud mimicked the small grin feeling something he thought he would never have…The feeling of having a Father who cared for him.
Their bonding moment was interrupted when Cloud's com link blinked silver, the code that he was needed back on Xion A.S.A.P. "Forgive me father but it seems that I am needed back on Xion, my citizens need me."
"I understand Cloud, you are a busy young man. " Dooku was disappointed that he couldn't spend more time with his new son, hoping to teach the boy more than saber and force techniques but also politics and possibly family history, and how to become the proper heir of Serrano nobility. Dooku watch his only heir leave the room as he thought about the fact that his son is 40 years old, but seeing how young the Gaian was, made the count feel a couple decades younger.
Xion, Fenrir's palace, Medical wing.
Cloud returned as quickly as he could to find out that both of his students have passed out due to dehydration. Watching the very small signs of life they gave off the Blonde held his hand to his mask shaking his head while Reaper and Harbinger gave him the recordings. Waving off his droids, commanding them to check on Avalanche troop training, the new Viscount of the house Dooku sat on a bench in between his student's bunks.
Watching over both of them in worry after making sure no one was in the room, Cloud lost himself in the thoughts he had back when he was in Ragnarok. Cloud fell to his knees, trying to catch his breath… Kreia told him to wander through the tunnels and have Reaper collapse the entrance forcing cloud to find a new exit. He has been in these tunnels for over a week now, and if it wasn't for the training he would have dehydrated by now. The words spoken by the force specter haunting his brain, "Forgive or Perish."
Cloud didn't know what it meant, he already forgave his friends and Brother for forgetting about him, he just recently forgave Dooku for putting him in this path, he had no one else to forgive. Cloud chose that moment to meditate on the balance of the force. Cloud sat not moving a muscle for what could clearly have been hours as he searched the force and his soul for an answer. But when the answer came he refused to do it.
The force said he had to forgive himself, but he would never allow himself to. The innocent lives he ended without remorse haunted his dreams at night, the heart break he gained when he nearly killed Shaak-Ti on Geonosis. The death of the Members of Avalanche that pledged their loyalty. The recent death of Biggs and Jessie, and how he caused a man to lose his wife because he told his droids to only clean up their mess and not save their lives. Cloud may be perfect at hiding his feelings, but the reality is every second he spent ending, a life, sending others to their possible death or forcing others to fear him made his heart ache. Cloud had a severe case of self loathing, as he constantly punished himself for everything that has happened. Cloud even blamed himself for Count Dooku's fall.
But the force is telling him to forgive himself that he couldn't do anything at those times and that it was supposed to happen, but Cloud just can't let himself go unpunished. Barret didn't blame Cloud for his friend and wife's death, the Jedi is not angered by his betrayed and instead Obi-wan and Shaak-Ti wanted to try and 'Save' him. The lives of pad wans he cut down in excitement back on Geonosis. The death was eating him up inside, and no one sought revenge. Instead his master praised him, and his friends admired him. Yes everyone feared him, but they all respect him even more than that.
"I am not someone to be respected; I should be hated and feared. I am a monster." Cloud remembered the small parade and festival Xion's civilians threw at his return from Geonosis. They called him their protector, their champion. Their beacon of hope. While his soldiers respected him as a great warrior, and a glorious leader, and in respect sang an old Gaian tune at the cantina in his honor. They practically worshiped him for killing and torturing the lives of their enemies, but with every living creature that died or was put through pain, his heart died making him feel nothing. And that knowledge terrified him. Of course Cloud did all this so when he destroys the sith he can create an empire that will give its citizens proper justice and peace. But Cloud always felt the defining ache of the force when a life was ended and the worst part is, he enjoyed it.
Cloud spent several more days in Ragnarok refusing to forgive himself, crying tears he had never cried. Showing just how vulnerable he truly was, Cloud cried out for Zack, Obi-wan, Shaak-Ti, Count Dooku, and everyone else he cared for and still does. He screamed out the names of those he lost reducing himself to a tear stained snot faced child crying for his loved ones. The sight was so pitiful that the force cried out with him.
It wasn't until the last day where cloud nearly ended his own life by jumping into the rivers of lava. Cloud was visited by the ghost of a woman he never saw, who had the same eyes that seemed to glow like Cloud's and the same facial structure. The force ghost simply touched where cloud's heart will be and for the first time in Cloud's life he felt a strong sense of love and pride embrace his being. As a voice entered his mind. "Live on." A woman's voice he never heard before but sounded so familiar said.
At the time cloud didn't know what happened but he found the strength to move on and eventually found the strength to forgive him, and within the next few hours found himself at the Peak of Mount Valhalla. Thinking back to that time Cloud now knew that the feeling he felt was the feeling of a mother, Cloud found himself wandering the tunnels of Ragnarok in his free time where occasionally he would meet the force ghost. That time was the first time he actually met his mother. And she taught him how to balance the force. Ever since Cloud has had more peace with balancing his Dark persona Fenrir with his true persona Cloud.
Looking at his two students, he prayed that they too will find a chance to balance themselves in the tunnels of Ragnarok. Knowing that the place will make Gods break, but if you survive you will truly find peace with yourself. Soon Barret will let his anger go and find balance, and Ventress will overcome her fear. Only by overcoming their biggest flaw will they learn the rue balance of the light and dark side. They discover what can only be taught by the force, peace… Cloud stood and placed a palm over each of his student's heads, using the force to heal them slightly, making the discomfort on their faces fade away to a blissful look as their bodies recovered.
I tried to create some character development in this chapter, tried creating some bonds and showing the emotional flaws of three of our characters. And if I did a bad job what I tried to show was that, Assaj Ventress's biggest flaw was her fear of being alone. While Barret Wallace's biggest flaw being unable to let go. While Cloud, Fenrir, Fair's was being unable to forgive. Each of them having a mask to hide behind, Ventress her cold demeanor. Barret's immense rage and clod turning into the ruthless Fenrir. Although I found it easier to right Ventress's part.
