Echo of Shadows Pt. 1
I don't own Naruto or Star Wars.
Naruto, who now had a mask on the disfigured half of his face and Kin practiced their saber skills with Shae and R2 in the corner when the door opened.
"I'm so happy you took my advice!" exclaimed Lazarus in joy.
"I didn't." said Naruto as he turned away from Lazarus.
"It had to be you." said Lazarus, "I know for a fact it couldn't be that idiot you're sparring."
At that moment, the Exile walked in and Lazarus looked in disbelief. The Exile paid her no attention and went to talk to Shae. As they talked in hush voices, Lazarus shook her head and back to Naruto who was back to sparring with Kin.
"Well, since you didn't forge the weapon, I guess you'll have a harder time killing the man who killed your parents in cold blood." said Lazarus.
Everyone suddenly stopped what they were doing and looked at Naruto as he turned into his older form.
"What was that?" glared Naruto over his shoulder.
"You didn't know?" asked Lazarus in false surprise, "I guess Satele didn't let you know much about what happened to the woman who gave birth to you. They were both pathetic women."
Lazarus drew her lightsaber and ignited it in an instant as a glowing black sword blade that was emitting a white light and giving a high pitched whistle came dangerously close to her head.
"So, you did make it." said Lazarus as she effortlessly pushed Naruto back, "Now, do I have your attention, my apprentice?"
"You're not my master, Sith." growled out Naruto.
"When did I ever say I was Sith?" asked Lazarus.
"But you're a Darth." said the Exile.
"Nobody was talking to you, you old relic." said Lazarus as she briefly acknowledged the Exile, "But since you bring it up, I only joined the Sith to destroy them from the inside."
"So, you're a Jedi." said Shae with a scowl.
"Not exactly." said Lazarus as she put her lightsaber away, "There are more views of the Force than the Dark Side or the Light Side."
"Like what?" asked Kin.
"You still have about a week until the finals of the Chunin Exams." said Lazarus as she tossed Naruto a datacron, "You'll find the cordinates for a planet in that. My personal starship is also outside and will likely require your droid to help pilot it."
She headed for the door but stopped as soon as it opened.
"You might want to hurry." she advised, "The three that live there may not be for long."
With that, she left and Naruto stared at the datacron.
(That Night)
While everyone was asleep, Naruto quickly sat in the cockpit of Lazarus's starship as R2 got himself hooked up and they both sped off into the sky with Shae watching from down below.
Tayuya frowned in her meditation then stood up. She walked out of her room and down the hall to an extremely large one. Inside, she walked onto the starship she and the other Sound Four had escaped from their old base on and started it up. She took it out of the hanger and flew off into the sky.
Satele Shan sat up in her bed after the Force reached out to her and panted. She got dressed and grabbed her lightsaber as she headed up to the orbiting satelite over Tython. As soon as she got on, she got into a Defender-class light corvette and took off into the galaxy.
(Several Hours Later)
Naruto rested in a cantina on Karideph in his older form, wearing a cloak and hood over his head to obscure his face, as he waited for his ship to refueled. He frowned as he felt something strong in the Force approach and opened his eyes in surprise to see Tayuya taking a seat at the bar. He got up and joined her at the bar.
"Just give me and my sister whatever will make us forget the past six years." said Naruto as he tossed the bartender a sack of credits.
"Why are you here?" asked Tayuya as she kept her gaze off her brother.
"I could ask you the same question." said Naruto as he took kept his gaze off her.
"I felt something in the Force as I was meditating and followed it here." explained Tayuya as she twirled some of her hair awkwardly.
The bartender brought over some cups and sat them in front of the two. The two sat in silence for about several minutes before they each grabbed their cup.
"Is it weird that we're not trying to kill each other?" asked Naruto to break the silence.
"Little bit." said Tayuya as she took a big swig of her drink.
"Well, this could only get more awkward if..." trailed off Naruto as he felt an extremely familiar presence.
"If what?" asked Tayuya as she looked at her brother.
Naruto slowly looked over his shoulder and toward the door as time crawled to a stop. He and Satele stared at each other and Tayuya turned to see what Naruto was looking at. Naruto got off his stool and stood up.
"S-Satele..." he whispered in shock.
(The Next Day)
"Where are we going exactly?" asked Satele as she pilotted her ship through the darkness of space.
"To the coordinates on that datacron." said Naruto from the copilot seat.
"Why don't I get a chair up here?" asked Tayuya as she stood between the two.
"Have you ever flown something this big?" asked Satele as she continued to stear the ship.
They all suddenly got silent and looked at each other as the power for the ship suddenly turned off.
"Not good." said Satele as they all tried to restart the ship.
"Everything's dead." reported Tayuya, "Even the life support."
"I just hope R2's okay." said Naruto, "I paid that guy enough credits to look after him for about two weeks."
The engines turned back on a moment later and they all looked in front of them.
"What's that?" asked Tayuya as they all stared at the giant monolith before them.
The ship lurched and the engines turned off.
"It's pulling us in." said Tayuya.
The monolith opened up and shone a very bright light right in their eyes.
"Strap in." said Satele, "We don't know what's on the other side."
They flew right into the light and after two minutes, they all saw black.
Naruto woke up with burning pain all over his body like he was being skewered by lightsabers and images appeared in his head. He shot up and looked outside the window to see they had landed on a lush world. Satele and Tayuya stirred and both looked outside.
"I was out too." said Naruto as his back began tingling a little.
"Then who landed the ship?" asked Satele.
"Not me." said Tayuya as she shook her head to wake herself up, "I don't know how to even fly this thing."
"Where are we?" asked Naruto.
"All of the readings indicate it's bigger than an asteroid." said Tayuya as she read the screen in front of her, "But at least the atmosphere is breatheable."
Naruto frowned as he felt something off and stood up.
"Naruto?" asked Satele as she and Tayuya watched Naruto head outside.
Naruto walked out of the door and down the ramp then stopped at the cliff.
"I feel it too." said Satele in concern.
"Feel what?" asked Tayuya.
"Since you've been on Ibonihs for so long and exposed to the vast amount of the Force on it, you're not as sensitive to it as Satele and I." explained Naruto, "But we both since something very powerful here."
"Are you the Chosen One?" came a soft female voice to their right.
They all looked and saw the most beautiful woman standing there. She had long green hair, fair skin, and wearing the whitest of robes that appeared to be made of silk.
"Who are you?" asked Naruto as he removed the helmet on his head and tossed it onto the ship.
"I am Daughter." said the woman, "Are you the one?"
"The one what?" asked Naruto quizzingly.
"I will take you to him." said Daughter as she turned away and began walking.
"Him who?" asked Tayuya.
Daughter ignored her and they all began following her. As they walked, Satele looked and Naruto and frowned.
"Yes?" asked Naruto to Satele as he kept his eyes on Daughter.
"Were you anywhere near Illum this past week?" asked Satele.
"I was in orbit around Illum." replied Naruto, "But I never placed my feet on the snow and ice of the planet."
"Naruto, I know when you're lying." she said, "Did you kill all those Jedi on Illum?"
Naruto remained silent and got a littler closer to Daughter.
(Several Hours Later)
"Have you noticed that the seasons seem to change with the time of day?" asked Satele.
"Yeah." was Naruto's reply.
"And there are no cute bunnies." said Tayuya in worry before she noticed Satele was looking at her strangely, "Is it weird that I like bunnies?"
"Not at all." said Satele with a smile, "You always did like rabbits. Even when you were a baby."
"How would you know that?" asked Tayuya.
"Who are you taking us too?" asked Naruto to Daughter.
"The Father of course." she responded.
"And what exactly are you?" asked Satele.
"We are the ones who guard the power." said Daughter looked over her shoulder, "We are the beginning, the middle, and the end."
As time went on, the plants began to wilt and Naruto noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He tackled Daughter to the ground and Satele pulled Tayuya back as a large portion of the mountain on the other side of the gorge they were passing by fell between them. Naruto reached down to Daughter to help her up but she brushed his hand away as she turned and glared at him.
"It is forbidden for you to touch me." she stated in anger.
"You're welcome for saving your life." said Naruto before he turned back to the blocked path, "You two alright?!"
"That was my brother's work." said Daughter from behind Naruto.
"We're okay!" called out Satele, "Doesn't look like we'll be able to get through this way! We'll try to find another way around!"
Thunder crashed above and Tayuya looked up at the sky.
"Storm's coming." she said, "We should get back to the ship."
Satele nodded and they both headed back the way they came. The plants quickly died as they got back to where their ship should've been but found a surprise.
"The ship's gone." said Tayuya.
"I see that." said Satele in suspicion.
"Did you lose something?" came a dark voice from behind them.
The two wheeled around and faced the a pale man who was six feet tall and had pale skin. He wore dark armor with red edging and had red tattoos over his face that held his glowing red eyes. Tayuya pulled out her lightsaber and got into an Ataru stance.
"You didn't do as you were asked." said the man.
"And what was that?" asked Satele.
"My sister said to wait." said the man.
"Did she now?" asked Satele in suspicion, "We were unfortunately separated. We'd like our ship back if you don't mind."
"Not yet." said the man as he got right up in Satele's face, "Is it true he is the Chosen One?"
Satele quickly drew her lightsaber as she stepped back and activated both ends.
"Why do you know of such things?" asked Satele in an edgy tone.
"What is about to happen shall occur wheter you want it to or not." declared the man as he swept his right hand.
Satele's and Tayuya's lightsabers deactivated in an instant and both looked at their weapons in surprise.
"You are Sith." said Satele in revalation.
"Sith?" scoffed the man with a chuckle as he folded his arms, "Yes and no."
He then turned away then looked back at them.
"The storms here are quite leathal." said the man, "If you want to live, I suggest you find shelter."
He jumped off the cliff and morphed into a strange gargoyle-like creature that flew off.
"What was that?" asked Tayuya, clearly confused as it began to rain.
"I have no clue." replied Satele in equal confusion.
A bolt of lightning struck mere feet in front of them and Satele looked over her shoulder. She grabbed Tayuya's arm and pulled her into a cave.
Naruto, meanwhile, climbed a large mountain and jumped into a cave to dodge a bolt of hot plasma. He peered out and looked at a light at the peak of another several miles away.
"The answer I'm looking for has to be in that monastery." muttered Naruto to himself.
(An Hour Later)
Naruto ran up the steps of the monastery and through the front entrance. He got a pleasant surprise by the giant room with three stone pathways over what seemed to be a bottomless pit and a platform with three thrones in the middle. He went up to the middle one and sat down in front of the old man that was sitting there.
"Welcome, my friend." said the old man, who opened up his eyes slowly.
"What is it that you want from me?" asked Naruto.
"To learn the truth about who you are." said the old man as he stood up, "One you may have known all along. One you must believe to fulfil your destiny."
Naruto stood up as well and the man walked behind him.
"Enough with the riddles, old man." said Naruto as his eyes turned red and slitted, "Tell me what you told Darth Lazarus."
"As you can see, there is nowhere else to go." said the old man and lightning roared outside, "It is late. You will be my guest tonight."
He then led Naruto out of the man room and to a small room that he could sleep in.
Satele sat guard in front of a roaring fire while Tayuya slept on the other side of it. She was meditating and trying to clear her mind while also ignoring the young girl's snores. A presence broke Satele's concentration and she opened up her eyes. She looked to ether side then hung her head as regret filled her heart.
"Satele, have you done what you promised?" came a voice all to familiar to Satele from between her and the flames.
She looked up and saw an extremely familiar Zabrak Jedi Master.
"Master Darach?" asked Satele as she jumped to her feet and pulled out her lightsaber and turned on half of it while circling the image of her deceased Master and keeping the ignited blade between them, "How are you here?"
"I am here because you are here." said Master Darach as he walked to Satele's right.
"I-I don't understand." said Satele in utter bewilderment, "What is this place?"
"One unlike any other." replied the Master, "A place from which the entire Force of the universe flows."
"Are we in danger?" questioned Satele.
"It is both an amplifier and a magnet." said Master Darach, "Three are here seeking the one you raised as your son. They, like you, believe him to be the Chosen One."
"I was right." said Satele as she adressed both her thoughts and her Master, "The Force is stronger in him than any known Jedi. I trained him as well as I could before the Sacking of Coruscant but... he's still willful and balance eludes him."
"If he is the Chosen One, he will discover it here." said the Force Ghost solmnly.
"And if he's not?" asked Satele.
"Then you must realize with his power, this is a very dangerous place for him to be." said Master Darach before he faded away.
Father was meditating when a black blade that was glowing white appeared right in front of his eyes.
"Can't sleep?" asked Father as he kept his eyes closed, "To strike an unarmed man is hardly the Jedi way."
"You're a Sith Lord." said Naruto as he brandished the black lightsaber.
"You have a very simple view of the universe." said Father, "I am neither Sith nor Jedi."
"That's the exact same thing Darth Lazarus said." stated Naruto as his anger grew slightly, "What does she mean?"
"She is a believer in the Potentium view of the Force." explained Father, "She believes that the Force and the galaxy in general are inheritantly good. Contrary to the Jedi, the believers of Potentium could use any action and the Force as long as its purpose were good and they were allowed to use their emotions. I, however, am much more and so are you."
"I see through your spells and visions, old man." said Naruto angrily as he began leaking red chakra, "Tell me what is going on here."
Father grabbed a hold of the black blade of Naruto's new lightsaber and pushed it back into the handle.
"A Darksaber is a little harder than standard Jedi and Sith weapons but I can do that to it as well." said Father, "As for your question, some call us Force Weilders."
"The Jedi have never spoken of this." said Naruto.
"Few still know of our existance." explained Father.
"I saw my parents' deaths over seven hundred times while I was asleep." said Naruto as he pointed down the hall he had come from.
"Ah, my son I suspect." contemplated Father as he stroked his bead, "We can take many forms. The shapes we embody are mearly a reflection of the life force around us. You carry a great pain and curse in your heart."
Naruto gritted his teeth at that while he placed his hand over his abdomen.
"My children and I can manipulate the Force like no other." explained Father as he took a few steps forward, "Therefore, it was necessary for us to withdraw from the temporal world and live here as anchorites."
"As a sanctuary and a prison." said Naruto while getting a nod from Father in response.
"You cannot imagine what pain it is to have such love for your children and realize that they could tear the very fabric of our universe." said Father in dismay.
"I don't understand." said Naruto.
"It is only here that I can control them." responded Father as he gestured to the large room, "A family in balance. The light and the dark."
"Then why reveal yourselves to us?" asked Naruto.
"There are some who would like to exploit our power like the Sith Emperor." said Father as he looked over his shoulder at Naruto, "He and his followers are but one. Too much dark or light would be the undoing of life as you understand it. When news reached me that the Chosen One had been found, I needed to see for myself."
Naruto looked away at the mention of the old Jedi prophecy and put his Darksaber away.
"The Chosen One is a myth." stated Naruto plainly.
"Is it?" questioned Father, "I should very much like to know. Pass one test and I shall know the truth then you and your family may leave."
(Several Hours Later)
Father led Naruto out into what appeared to be an arena where a lightsaber duel would take place and stopped when Naruto was standing right in the middle.
"It is time to face your guilt and know the truth." said Father to Naruto.
A loud screech pierced Naruto's ears and he looked up to see a large black gargoyle and a large white griffon each holding a thing that made Naruto's heart drop. The creatures hovered in the air just feet above the ground so that Satele, who was in the gargoyle's claws, and Tayuya, who was in the griffon's, could touch the ground.
"Let them go." demanded Naruto as he wheeled around to Father in anger, "I will not play your games."
"Oh, but I think you will." said Father as he went to higher ground, "I have ordered my children to kill your family."
Naruto let out a monstrous roar and floated in midair as he got into a fetal position. Force energy gathered around him and he began leaking red chakra as his whisker marks became dark while his teeth sharpened. The Force energy became more densely packed than Father expected and shielded himself with a barrier as Naruto released the energy. Everyone but Father and Naruto were thrown against the walls of the arena and both creatures let go of Tayuya and Satele.
Naruto then thrust his hands out and picked the creatures by their necks with the Force as the time of day continuously changed. He slammed the creatures against each other then hard onto the ground.
"KNEEL!" shouted Naruto angrily in a voice that wasn't his own.
Both creatures morphed back into Son and Daughter and both fell to their knees and were quickly losing strength. Naruto felt arms wrap around him and looked back to see Satele was the one hugging him. She whispered gently to him in an extinct language she had taught him and Naruto took several deep breaths as his body returned to its twelve year old self and Son and Daughter collapsed.
"No you see who you truly are." said Father as he, Satele, and Tayuya came up to Naruto, "Only the Chosen One could tame my children."
"Enough." said Naruto as he turned to Father, "I only came here to find out about what Darth Lazarus was taught by you three. I have no interest in taking you place, you old bastard."
"Naruto!" scolded Satele.
"Shut up!" said Naruto in anger to her, shocking Satele as Naruto had never raised his voice to her, before he turned back to Father, "Before I left, Darth Lazarus told me that you three gave her a choice. What was it?"
Father looked at Son and Daughter and nodded. Both left and Father looked back at Naruto.
"Very well." he conceded, "I cannot force you to stay, but I will give you what you seek. However, this is your choice alone and your family cannot be allowed to sway you. I shall take them to your ship. The Force shall lead you to what you seek inside the monastery."
Naruto looked back at them and frowned as he threw his cloak off and Satele caught sight of a gray sword handle that was missing a blade. Naruto headed back inside the monastery and let the Force guide him. It led him back to the throne room and he took a seat. He closed his eyes and meditated.
After a moment he opened his eyes and found himself in a jungle. He stood up and began walking. As he walked, he felt a strong presence around him and pulled out the Darksaber. He activated it and spun around as it hit a young girl his age with long bleached blond hair that reached to her feet and had silver eyes. The thing that caught Naruto off guard was that the blade didn't go through her. She didn't even appear to be injured.
"Oh dear." said the girl, "A young boy like you should know that striking me will ruin my beauty."
"Who are you?" asked Naruto as he removed the Darksaber, "What happened to that old fart and his disfunctional family?"
"Oh, it has been so long since I saw those three." said the girl as she skipped around Naruto, "I hope they're doing well."
"What is this place?" asked Naruto as he looked at the foliage.
"This is my planet." said the girl as she spun around with her arms over her head, "It's been a long time since someone from beyond this planet has been here. I believe the last time was when that false Sith Lord came twenty years ago."
"Darth Lazarus." said Naruto in monotone.
"That's right." said the girl before she suddenly darted up to Naruto and looked into his eyes seductively, "Are you here for little pretty me?"
"I was told by Father to come to this place to follow in Darth Lazarus' footsteps." explained Naruto.
The girl pouted and stomped on the ground.
"No fair." said the disgruntled girl, "Nobody every comes here to stay with me forever. But since you went through all this trouble, I guess I'll show you."
She led Naruto through the forest until they came to a valley divided by a single mountain. On one side of the mountain was a small lake while on the other was a broken fountain that still spurted out water.
"Choose." said the girl as she turned to Naruto.
(Ten Minutes Later)
Satele and Tayuya walked onto Satele's ship when Naruto walked past Father and seemed a little paler and his hair a little lighter. He glared back at Father from the loading ramp then stared up at Tayuya and Satele before he walked past them and into the cockpit. The ramp closed up a minute later and they flew off into the sky.
PLEASE REVIEW