Author's Note:
1: Before you proceed, go to Deviantart and look up a piece by the artist "DaniilAleksandrovich". It's titled 'star wars', and depicts a pretty badass looking Sith.
It'll help you visualize a certain character...
Revan kept his lightsaber at the ready as his team entered the throne room. The chamber was round, lit only by torches and the dim red light shining through several windows. Outside Revan could hear another sandstorm coming in. But his gaze was directed only to the figure on the far side, sitting on a massive throne carved out of the same rock as the rest of the tower.
Darth Vitiate. The Sith Emperor.
The Emperor was shrouded in darkness, sitting motionless even as Revan and the others began to approach. As he drew closer the Jedi was able to see that the Sith ruler was dressed in ancient looking robes bearing symbols he couldn't decipher. Vitiate's hands were clad in ornate metal gauntlets that reflected the dull red light of the flames on either side of his throne. The Emperor's face was concealed behind a finely crafted mask, fitting into a helm reminiscent of the first Sith Lords.
Despite its regality Vitiate's armor was faded, and his form had a mummified air to it. As if someone had dug up the corpse of a Sith and propped it onto the throne as a sick joke. But when Revan and Scourge stood a mere ten feet away from him, the Sith ruler finally moved. Raising his armored head towards them the Emperor stared down at the Jedi.
"Revan. I should have known you would someday return to me."
Vitiate's deep, powerful voice that did not belong to such a terrible and decayed figure. Revan found himself rooted to the spot but did not lower his weapon. "You should have destroyed me when you had the chance. Now I've returned, to finish what I started years ago." Vitiate did not seem fazed by this; in fact he appeared amused.
"Yes. As driven as always. The years have not weakened you, Jedi. In fact, they only seem to have made you stronger." He leaned forward. "But you still allow the Light to hold you back. I offered you and your apprentice a chance at ultimate power, and yet you deny it even now. You disappoint me, Revan."
Turning his gaze to Scourge the Emperor continued. "As do you. The leader of my most feared enforcers, having turned on me. There are consequences to betrayal, Lord Scourge." The Sith Pureblood bared his fanged teeth in defiance.
"You speak of betrayal, yet you planned to kill me along with all other members of the Wrath just to stave off death a little while longer? I will not allow it." His words sounded hollow and weak, and for the first time Revan could see that Scourge was truly afraid.
Vitiate could clearly sense this as well, as he immediately retorted, "What you mean to allow or halt means nothing. I will not suffer any rival from within…" He directed his attention to Meetra and Bastila. "Or without. Your efforts are in vain."
"Enough!" Revan allowed his anger towards Vitiate to rise and pointed his lightsaber directly at him. "We've come here to end your evil once and for all. Not even you can defeat all of us together." At first Vitiate was silent, staring at Revan through the slit in his mask.
"That remains to be seen," he said finally, and finally rose from his throne. Towering over the group he stated flatly, "My life spans centuries, Revan. Legions have risen to test me, and all have failed." As he began to descend towards them slowly Revan took a step back involuntarily.
"My ascendance is inevitable. A day, a year, a millennium… It matters not." Vitiate turned to Scourge once more and waved his hand. "For I hold the patience of stone…" Next to Revan the Pureblood's body convulsed as if he had been struck.
"And the will of stars."
Things happened almost too quickly for Revan to register. He assumed a defensive position, holding his lightsaber in a standard Form II stance. And just in time, as his own violet blade barley stopped a blood-red Sith lightsaber cut him down. But as he prepared to counter-attack Revan gasped when he saw who was holding it.
It was Scourge.
The Sith was glaring at Revan emotionlessly, having attacked him out of nowhere. Revan's mind raced and for a moment he thought that Scourge had betrayed him. But then he saw Scourge's eyes, no longer their usual yellow but instead pitch black. The Emperor had done something to his mind, and now Scourge was attacking Revan with all his might.
Parrying several heavy swings from the Sith, Revan kicked Scourge off to the side and faced the Emperor once again. Behind him the clashing of lightsabers told Revan that Meetra and Bastila had engaged Scourge. "What have you done to him?" he demanded.
"When I created the Emperor's Wrath, I ensured there would be a failsafe in the event any of them betrayed me." Vitiate's voice rang with smug satisfaction. "Scourge thought he was rebelling, when in fact he was doing exactly what I wanted. I hoped he would turn to you if he learned of my plans."
Revan's heart dropped. "Yes," Vitiate hissed. "Whom you thought was your most valuable ally has brought you to your doom, Revan. And the doom of your friends." Revan advanced on the Emperor and tried to attack him, but was sent onto his back by a powerful Force-push
In the distance he sensed another surge in the Dark Side. Something had stirred in the tomb below. He thought of Jolee, Juhani and the others he had left behind and realized in alarm that they were about to be attacked as well.
"Even after everything you have achieved, everything you have sacrificed, you are still nothing more than a blind insect contemplating the void of space." Revan staggered to his feet and the Emperor drew a heavy, primitive looking object from inside his sleeve. It was a lightsaber, older than any Revan had seen, and as he watched a pale colorless blade ignited from the weapon.
"Your striving is insignificant," Vitiate said menacingly. "Let your death be the same."
Visas Marr was meditating on here knees when she sensed something in the throne room above. She felt her blood run cold, and the Dark Side of the Force was suddenly bearing down on her with a crushing weight.
"Meetra…"
Visas reflexively grasped her lightsaber and reached out through the Force to sense what was happening. Her companions were all standing around with looks of confusion or fear, having sensed the same disturbance. Atton Rand's lip was curled and his weapon already drawn. Juhani was baring her sharp teeth, with her hair standing was on end.
"You sense it as well?" she asked warily.
The other Force-sensitives shared a look of worry as Visas looked above them. No sooner had she done so than the former Sith froze. Sticking out of one of the pillars above her was an armored man clutching a black sword. Before she could say anything the figure dropped from the pillar with an inhuman screech, pointing its blade directly towards her head.
But Visas was ready. Leaning to the side in a blur she ignited her yellow lightsaber and raked it across the warrior's chest. The attacker, undoubtedly a Sith, collapsed to the floor wordlessly. Visas shouted, "Be on your guard," and whirled around to spot any other Sith.
Mira's aqua colored lightsaber lit up, and through the force Visas could see her smiling as she muttered, "I was waiting to break this bad girl in." The team clustered towards each other, forming ring while facing outwards. Visas could sense movement in the tomb all around them. "Give me a second," Bao-Dur said and pulled several flares from his belt. Casting them around the chamber he shouted, "Let's get a look at our new friends."
Visas was blind. She didn't see as the others did, instead using the Force to sense her surroundings. So as the others tried to spot the two dozen Sith around them Visas took a moment to examine their appearance. They were shaking fragments of rock off their bodies after freeing themselves from the pillars, and moving towards the ring of Jedi. Each Sith appeared to be of a different species, but all of them were dressed in old ceremonial armor.
"I'm guessing these are what's left of the Emperor's Wrath." Visas could hear a slight tremble in Mical's voice, but she didn't blame him. Almost in unison the Wrath each held up a Sith blade of their own as well as a crimson-blade lightsaber. They outnumbered Visas and the others nearly two to one.
To her right Jolee Bindo let out an exasperated sigh. "Why is it never easy?" Visas couldn't help but smile. Even in the face of terrible threats Jolee never lost his, for lack of a better word, grouchy demeanor.
"So, I guess the plan is just to survive until Revan's done up there, right?" Visas didn't want to have to lie to Mira about their chances. Fortunately Juhani answered the former bounty hunter's question for her. "Our friends likely have their hands full. Unless the Ebon Hawk can provide us any help, we are on our own."
The Emperor's Wrath raised their weapons and moved in for the kill.
The Ebon Hawk flew to an outcrop above the Emperor's tower and armed its main turbolasers. Carth made sure to land where the crew still had a good view of the tower while HK-47 worked the targeting system faster than he could keep up with.
"Informative: The spire is in range. If Master Revan is ever in need of extraction, we will be able to oblige with little trouble."
Carth nodded and gritted his teeth. "Good to hear." He activated the intercom to the rest of the Ebon Hawk and ordered, "Be ready for action, everyone. I want those guns manned in case anything happens." Carth removed his finger from the console and slumped back in his chair. Now they just had to wait.
Next to him HK-47 sat absolutely still, with only his optics whirring and clicking periodically. Finally the assassin droid asked, "Question: If the worst should happen, what backup plans did Master Revan provide?" Carth bowed his head and fiddled with the settings on his blaster as he responded.
"If Revan and the others can't defeat the Emperor, he'll signal for the Ebon Hawk to blast the cliff holding the tower in place and send it falling to the bottom of the canyon." HK-47 metal 'face' couldn't register emotion, but the change in his demeanor said it all.
Turning to look at Carth he protested, "Alarmed: Such an action would surely kill everyone inside. Including Master Revan." The Republic soldier still refused to look at the droid, if only for fear of letting his own doubt show.
"We all know this could be a one way trip."
As Bastila and Meetra both dueled Scourge furiously Revan exchanged lightning-fast strikes with the Emperor. Having tried to aid his wife and friend more than once the Jedi was forced to keep his focus on his own enemy, or else be caught off guard.
Vitiate's pale lightsaber clashed against his own, with the ancient Sith Lord not showing any restraint. Revan leapt over his opponent just in time to avoid a slash that would have cleaved him in two and released a Force-wave straight at Vitiate. The Emperor raised his hand and withstood the brunt of the attack but skidded back several feet. He retaliated with a torrent of Force-lightning, most of which Revan caught on the blade of his lightsaber.
A stray bolt jolted through his body, causing Revan to falter just long enough for the Emperor to resume his attack. Moving from once defensive stance to the next Revan was forced backwards towards Vitiate's throne as he looked for a chance to counter-attack.
When Vitiate thrust viciously at Revan's chest he shifted his blade just enough to catch his enemy's weapon in a lock and forced it to the side. He brought both lightsabers down to the side of the throne, clipping the carved stone sending shards of rock flying in all directions. When the Emperor attempted to unleash another blast of lightning Revan's hand was already raised.
The two combatants' attacks collided, and Revan felt his gauntlet burning against his skin. He forced himself to ignore the pain and broke the stalemate with a solid kick to Vitiate's chest. The Sith rolled backwards, and by the time he was on his feet Revan was on him. Bringing his lightsaber down with a fierce yell Revan was thwarted yet again as Vitiate's blade locked with his own.
He struggled against the Emperor's strength, but was slowly forced to his knees. "What now, Revan? Your allies will fall to my own, one by one." Vitiate began to push the two blades towards Revan's head until his violet lightsaber blade was mere inches away from his mask.
"There is no escape, Jedi."
Revan's eyes darted across the Emperor's body, looking for any target. Just when it looked like he was done for, Revan suddenly had an idea. His thumb moved up the hilt of his lightsaber until he reached one of the adjustment switches, one he hadn't used in years.
The Jedi closed his eyes, trusting in the Force to guide him, and relaxed his arms.
Vitiate grazed his mask and Revan activated the switch on his lightsaber while leaning backwards. In a split-second he flicked his lightsaber down Vitiate's left arm, causing him to gasp in shock and pain. Opening his eyes once again Revan leapt to his feet and threw the Emperor across the throne room.
Catching his breath Revan brought his guard up again as Vitiate recovered. The Emperor's concealed head tilted slightly, gazing at Revan's lightsaber. Two smaller blade had emerged from the tip of his saber, forming a crossguard of sorts.
A hidden weapon from Revan's days fighting in the Mandalorian War, and last used during the end of Malachor.
"An old lightsaber design. One I have not seen in many years. Very clever, Jedi." Vitiate's tone was calm but Revan could finally sense an undercurrent of anger. "But mere tricks will not save you." As Revan watched he deactivated his lightsaber and raised both hands.
Another storm of Force-lightning caused the air around him to crackle and he barely managed to ward off the attack. But a wave of pain washed over him and Revan's advantage disappeared as quickly as it had come. When the assault subsided he looked up wearily to see Vitiate walking towards him, his own lightsaber drawn again.
The Prodigal Knight blocked the Emperor's next strike and switched to Juyo, deciding to forgo defense and press the attack as their duel resumed. Even if it cost him his life, he would not give Vitiate another inch. He would not show any mercy.
One way or another, this ended today.
Author's Note: Our big bad is finally here, and he's not playing around.
The Sith Emperor is a truly menacing villain, and I wanted to include some of his more badass lines and his arrogant demeanor from the games. With the changes I've made to his backstory and his appearance, I hope I've presented a familiar but refreshing depiction of one of Star Wars' biggest baddies.
Next chapter we'll be seeing more of the battle from Meetra and Bastila's perspectives, and things will get very messy.
Leave a review if you like, and as always I'll see you next time.
