AN: hello everyone this is the last chapter that I had fully written out, and mostly because it finally ends this arc.
Disclaimer: Ya know the drill (But Just In case I only own my Characters)
Chapter 19 (The end of the Dark Master)
Auron looked out the door the aggressive Jedi left through, before turning back to the group, "Anyway, I need you to keep Narthean in an Alchemical circle that I will draw on the battlefield." Auron told Aaron.
Aaron nodded, "That doesn't sound so bad."
Auron winced, "There is a risk to you and any of the clones who stand in the circle when I perform the ritual."
"And that is?" Caleb asked concerned.
"You may end up on a one way trip to the void, with your body being reduced to ash." Auron explained, "you will have a few seconds to get out of the circle when the ritual starts."
"... So be it." Aaron said with a shrug.
"Woah, you're going along with this?" Caleb butted in.
"Yes I am." Aaron stated with a tone of finality.
"I can have Daniel there to help pull you out, to increase your chances." Micah suggested.
"We have no idea how great the Draugar's range of effect is." Aaron pointed out, "I don't want to put Daniel in any unnecessary risk.
Auron stared at the Ranger as if he were stupid, "Daniel survived three years of one of the most brutal conflicts this galaxy has ever experienced, he is more than willing to do this, and he should be the one to choose to do this."
Aaron looked away, "I keep forgetting that," he admitted, "He just turned fifteen and I keep regarding him as a kid."
"Because he is a kid." Caleb stated obviously, "Just one who's been through more than one that age should."
Auron watched the exchange for a bit, "Well I'm going to go draw the circle." he said and left the room.
"... Well he's certainly...different." Rarok said after a moment.
"Yeah, He was the sith apprentice to a Darth Aartsengel, back during the great galactic war, we found him and an imperial crewmen in stasis over Mugg Fallow." Aaron explained.
Rarok raised an eyebrow, "Did you just say Darth Aartsengel?" he asked.
"Yep, why did he do something to the Mandalorian people?" Aaron asked.
"... You could say that." Rarok answered stiffly.
"... Well that doesn't matter now, I suggest we get ready for the inevitable." Micah stated, with that Aaron left the room to the armory to dress up in his power suit.
Over the course of the next four hours everyone got ready for the final battle, Auron drew the alchemical circle, it had a nine meter radius full of all sorts of geometric shapes ranging from smaller circles, to equilateral triangles, to perfect squares, after he was finished he drew a smaller version of the great circle on deactivated war droid, Aaron got ready by going over his equipment with the clones, by the time they were finished, they had an hour left to wait.
Vega stood next to Daniel on top of the wall both wearing their Shards, "Do you think that this'll work?" Vega asked.
Daniel turned his head to face the young boy, "It has to, because I don't know what to do if it doesn't." he admitted.
"What if the clones can't handle the Dragaur?" Vega asked worriedly.
Daniel turned back to the battlefield, "They are far better off then us, that's for sure."
"How long did you last against the dragr?"
"... About five minutes before I passed out, if it wasn't for Sentinel I would have probably died, or worse… wait, Sentinel how come you weren't affected?"
"Good question, I guess it was because the Whisperer didn't realise I was there." he theorised.
"Or maybe you can resist the drain ability?" Vega proposed.
"... That's not out of the realm of possibility." Daniel said, "we really need to work on our defences." he mused.
"First let's survive this." Adegan piped in, a silence drifted between the four for about 2 minutes before they heard it, the loud roars of a highly dangerous and starving animals.
Vega gulped from the sound of it this was something new and they wanted to use them to satisfy their hunger, "Uh W-ha-ttttt was that?" he stuttered out.
Daniel placed a reassuring hand on the boy's shoulder, as another roar echoed throughout the valley, he looked across the field and saw it breaking through the treelines, they were the thirty three Draugar and man in shiny armor astride thirty four large feline like creatures, they all had manes of dark fur and glowing yellow eyes, their claws retracted into their paws and deployed as if they were flexing, their chitinous tails seemed out of place on their bodies as if someone took the tail of another creature and surgically attached it onto them the tail also had a stinger on the end, "I have no idea." Daniel said uneasily, as the creatures stalked to the wall stopping on the far end of the circle.
"... I didn't realise that the Sages now condoned alchemy." the leader said after a moment of tense silence, Daniel narrowed his eyes, he recognized that voice, "... But then again you aren't sages, you are the Jedi and Sith."
"You get the news in hell?" Caleb shouted down at the group his blaster aimed at the dark master.
"Cute," the dark entity said with no hint of amusement, "I get plenty of newcomers to tell me stories of The Galaxy, but that is not important, have you considered my offer young Jedi? Think before you speak, your next words could save your friends lives."
Before Daniel could tell him off, Aaron stepped forward, "I propose a duel." Aaron said, much to everyone's surprise.
"Oh? Between you and me?" the Dark master asked wondering where he was going with this.
"No between me and the Whisperer." Aaron said pointing at said Dragr, "If I win you back off and never bother anyone ever again."
"And if my champion wins?"
"... Then you can have my body." Aaron stated.
"NO!" Caleb shouted in protest.
"Deal."
"Sir are you sure about this?" Teal asked as he handed Aaron a Vibrosword.
Aaron accepted the weapon, "We'll soon find out won't we?" with that he made his way to the center of the ring, he looked up on the wall and saw Daniel holding back Caleb from jumping down into the field, "I'll be fine Caleb, the Force is with me." he said and turned to face his opponent and adopted a stance, 'Nothing fancy Aaron end this quickly.' he thought to himself.
The two circled each other, Aaron analysed his opponent carefully looking for a defencive gap, there were plenty on the lower body but that didn't matter, the Dragr protected his head the most and from what Aaron understood of these things that was one of the only ways to kill them, through decapitation or stab them in the head, their bones were much too hard to cut through even with the vibrosword, 'my best bet is to trip him and try to keep him on the ground while Auron finishes the ritual.' Aaron thought, with that he rushed forward trusting his armor to protect him should he fail to parry the blow, Aaron reached out and grabbed the Whisperer and tripped him, the draugr fell over, with Aaron immediately following up by stabbing the draugr through the neck and impaling the sword into the ground, the Whisperer struggled to stand up even attempted to grab Aaron's sword, only for the ranger to restrain him and keep him pinned on the ground.
"Stay down, captain." Aaron gritted out, then he noticed the symbols on the ground beginning to light up, "It's almost over." he assured Benjamin.
"Get off of me!" the Whisperer screamed, causing Aaron to punch the draugr in the face to shut it up.
"Not till he's freed."
Abruptly one of the feline creatures lashed out with it's tail, sending a massive spike out at high speeds and at the ranger, the spike impacted Aaron in the side, with his shields protecting him, "You're going back on our arrangement?!" Aaron shouted outraged while keeping the struggling Draugr on the ground while the beast shot their spikes at him.
"It's quite simple really…" the Dark Master started, "... I lied, kill them all."
Aaron didn't dare to move from his spot, not till the ritual was complete, so the clones all rushed into the circle and formed a protective barrier around him, "We have your back sir." Swift said aiming his rifle at the closest hostile and firing, along with all the clones picking their targets and doing the same.
"These things have tough hides!" Dah'hum shouted as he continued to blast a charging beast, it leapt on him and brought him to the ground, without thinking the clone took his vibro knife and stabbed the creature in the eye, the creature roared in agony and lasshed out bringing it's tail down only for an gauntleted hand to grab it mere centimeters from the downed clone trooper's chest, Dah'hum saw that it was the hulking form of Blaze that saved him from the stinger, though it probably wouldn't have done much at first.
Blaze then pulled on the tail so hard that the creature stumbled, and he shot it point blank in the eye socket where his comrade stabbed it, and killed it instantly, the Draugr rider promptly leapt at Blaze only to be met by the hulking trooper's fist and sent flying three meters away, he then pulled his brother up, "Don't let up." Blaze said and went to fight another beast, and rider.
Half the symbols on the ground were fully illuminated now, and slowly the others followed, Aaron kept the lead draugr pinned as the clones fought the enemy, their armor held up amazingly much to their pleasant satisfaction, but then things started to take a turn for the worst, the Dark Master got involved, he got off his mount and strode forward he held a scepter and grabbed the end of it and unsheathed it the blade sang as it was pulled from the scabbard, the blade crackled with red electricity as did the armor he wore, the being that stood before them looked like something out of a nightmare a terrifying abomination that should never exist, but here it was and the force seemed to scream.
"Oh no." Daniel said numbly, his fear for the clones lives very high now, then it happened in a defiant attempt to stand against the fearsome display of Darkness, Swift charged the figure firing all the while and getting his knife ready, "Is he that stupid?" Daniel snarled in annoyance, though he did admire the clones bravery, however stupid as it was.
Swift approached and ducked under the first swing he shot the joints of the armor and took his knife and stabbed it into one of the leg joints in such a way that it was difficult to move the leg, the dark being reacted by grabbing the trooper by the head and throwing him up into the air, Swift flew into the air for a moment and called upon his thrusters to maneuver he then felt an invisible force grip him, he looked down at his quarry and saw that he had his sword pointed upward and that his free hand was reached out as if it was grabbing something, "Good effort for a laboratory made droid." the armored being chuckled, "Now to kill the expandable, no one will miss you."
Blaze attempted to rush in to help but was tackled by one of the beasts, and had to defend himself, the others that were free of their opposition shot at him as did those on the wall but he shrugged off the bolts, then the would be god pulled down with his hand sending Swift careening towards the sword at high speeds, this was it, he was going to die and he could stop it despite the technology he had, he waited for the inevitable a moment passed and he blinked he didn't feel any pain and he was still alive he looked up and saw that the armored form of Daniel was on the ground and unmoving and the Dark master was on his back moving to stand up, it was then that the clone realized that the Commander had literally thrown himself at the enemy to save a man under his command and he was gently put on the ground.
Daniel tried to stand up but his body felt like he was on a world with a hundred times normal gravity, "Damn it," he stated as he struggled, he had underestimated the effect all of the draguar would have on him, he got his arms to move and he attempted to stand up after he managed to get to his hand and knees he was abruptly pulled up to look at the enemy, from his position the young jedi could sense the smugness of the dark sider as he took his blade and began to plunge it into his heart only for the sword to be deflected off the plate and then Swift tackled the armored individual capitalizing on the surprise, he then stabbed the armored being in the neck joint and pried off the helmet only to be blasted off of him and sent sprawling onto the ground.
Saber noticed Daniel and Swift struggling and realised what he could do to even the odds, he deployed the blades on his arms and slit the throat of the Draugr that he was fighting then continued to saw his way through the neck when he got to the spine he shot the bone several times, it didn't take long and the head of the Draugr fell from the body and he fell over dead, Saber stole a glance and noticed that Daniel was noticeably more energized but still not at optimum capability, he took up a pike, and rammed it into the skull of a beast that charged him killing it quickly before going on to engage another one.
Daniel was surprised that he was still standing he would have thought that he would have been dead by now given his previous experience, perhaps it was because they were distracted from him and thus not able to focus their energy on him, or that he was resisting it subconsciously, whatever the case he had a fight to win and he saw the armored being rise to meet him his helmet gone revealing the suit to be empty of a physical body, the dark being took his sword and stuck him causing Daniel to hold up his arm and deflecting the blow from the plate.
"I see." the armored being said, "Your armor is reinforcing itself with the Force, well then." with that he grabbed the blade with his hand and got in close using a technique called half swording, a technique that no one with a lightsaber would use for obvious reasons, the dark warrior attempted to stab Daniel in the gaps of his armor or hit him in the head with the pommel of the sword, Daniel took some hits but otherwise didn't go down and grabbed the weapon and began to wrestle with him.
Aaron saw that the final symbol was starting to illuminate meaning that he had about fifteen seconds to get out of the circle, he reared his fist back and slammed it into the whisperer's face so hard that the ground beneath his head dented inward, he then pushed the sword all the way into the ground to the hilt and jumped off the Draugr and ran for the circle's edge he got out of the circle and turned back to see that the clones had pushed the remaining Draguar into the circle, just then a bright light erupted from the circle prompting Aaron despite wearing a polarizing face plate to shield his eyes, the light show continued for several seconds, after it was all over Aaron saw that the Draguar were reduced to nothing but ash, Aaron sighed with relief then picked up his blaster and got to work helping the clones.
Daniel felt a weight lift from his shoulders he didn't need to see it he knew that the draguar were done with that he threw a telekinetic push out and sent the armored being off his feet, the Dark Master recovered and landed on his feet, he was about to throw a powerful blast of energy at the young Jedi only for the ethereal form of Lapsi to abruptly appear and strike the dark master causing him to stagger, the ethereal form disappeared leaving the armored form of Caleb Sobec and he was punishing the dark master not letting up, Caleb then used a force enhanced strike and shattered the chestplate, the armor collapsed and the spirit retreated from it, the spirit of the dark master had lost a lot of energy it wouldn't be too hard to end him now, Caleb spent a moment gathering the necessary energies, his hand glowing bright white and he threw the energy at the spirit, as it approached a figure jumped in its path and took the energy himself, Caleb and Daniel immediately recognized it as Gul Mun, the energy dissipated and all that was left of the gul was a charred corpse.
"Damn it," Caleb gritted, and turned to Daniel, "I can't do another one for a few minutes."
Daniel nodded in understanding, "it's okay we'll trap him in a wall of light." Daniel assured him and began to summon the necessary energy to do so, Vega had come to his side and began the process as well.
"My lord!" the Grand Gul shouted, "As your most loyal of servants please take me to be your vessel to crush these Meddlers." he requested
The dark master stared at him for a moment before nodding in agreement, "Very well."
The Grand Gul smiled sinisterly and turned to the Jedi and ranger drawing, his sword all the while, "Today is the day that the Sages die." he declared and with that he slit his own throat, causing Vega to gape at him in horror and surprise and ultimately lose his concentration, Blood cascaded down the front of his body as if a yellow waterfall but it only lasted for a brief moment, a brief terrifying moment that seemed to last an eternity, the spirit then raced into the dying gul and he rose into the air screaming with an unidentifiable emotion to the entire group, lightning struck the ground from the air and from the ground to the air, as this violent reaction took place, he gently touched down on the ground.
The being stood to his full height and opened its eyes they were obsidian black and seemed to be electrified, it glared at the group in a calculating manner determining the next course of action, he summoned his sword to his hand, "You will not impede my resurrection!" abruptly Vega was sent flying into the wall of the fortress.
Daniel looked back at Vega to see if he was alright but then he felt himself fly into the iron grip of the dark master, he took his free hand and put it up to Daniel's face and began to drain the young Jedi's life force, before Daniel retaliated and pushed him off with the force, 'never turn you back on your opponent Daniel.' the young Jedi berated himself.
Caleb walked up next to Daniel and assured the young man that he was there, Daniel had his saber at the ready, while Caleb had a blaster in one hand and a knife in the other, the Dark being had his sword in a high guard.
Daniel suddenly felt his leg pulled out from under him and he felt himself being pulled to the enemy, he seized his foot and threw him across the field.
Caleb shot the dark master who dodged the bolt, "You truly think that pathetic weapon will help you?" he asked mockingly.
Caleb smirked, "It depends on how one uses it." Caleb then took his knife and parried the darkmasters blade with it then shot the man point blank the bolt disappeared before it hit his target, "... Oh no."
The dark being smirked, grabbed the ranger's head, and pulled up sending the man flying into the air, and followed up with a telekinetic shove into the clone troopers rushing in to help, "Pathetic."
Daniel ran up behind the Dark being preparing to stab him in the back, only for him to be thrown over his head onto his back and pinned by his foot, "You should have taken my offer Jedi." he growled and punched Daniel in the face Cracking the faceplate then he ripped it off revealing Daniel's face, he was bleeding from his nose and had a cut on his eyebrow, but young man glared at him in defiance.
"Kriff you!" Daniel shouted and threw a ball of fire into the Dark master's face, successfully Burning it and causing him to back off, Daniel summoned his lightsaber to his hand, "I will die before I let you pass." the Jedi snarled
"So be it." the dark master grinned, and their blades clashed Daniel's yellow, and the Dark Master's Force imbued sword, Abruptly the Darkmaster grabbed daniel by the wrist and threw him into Aaron and HK as they approached, "You can not defeat me with your feeble might."
"Oh shut up." Caleb groaned as he shot him again, only for the barrier that surrounded him to deflect the shot.
"You should know that won't work."
"I know… but maybe that will." Caleb said pointing at the incoming ship, Daniel and the others looked up to see Rarok's ship making a pass and shoot the dark master, the cannons on the ship were more powerful than the handheld blaster that Caleb was using the plasma splashed against the barrier that surrounded their foe, Rarok shot him 3 times the first shot caused incredible strain the second shot greatly weakened the man, and the third he had to dodge.
The Dark Master snarled and reached out with the force to seize Rarok's ship only to feel something to hit him in the back, he looked back and saw that Caleb had stabbed him in the back, he then backhand the ranger and shot a bolt of lightning at him only for a bolt of lightning to hit the knife that was still stuck in his back, sending the current into his body and causing him to scream in pain and rage, "Enough!" he screamed and sent out a force repulse scattering the group.
Auron, Asaj, Uriah, and Nuru were all decently far away from the attack and thus weren't affected, "Now's our chance." Auron stated, with that the Cathar Jedi charged the dark master his lightsaber ignited in one hand, and his claws ready to scratch the enemy, the Dark master sensed his approach and dodged the swing from the lightsaber that would have taken his head off, only for the claws to dig into his face and puncture his left eye, he snarled, and threw the Cathar off of him.
"I Will not allow this to happen ARRRRRGH!" he screamed, his body convulsed a bit and a red electrical aura had surrounded him.
Auron immediately recognised it, "Stay away from him, he'll wear himself out and then victory is ours." the others nodded in understanding as the dark sider now powered by Dark rage charged them, Nuru back peddled, Asaj lept away, and Auron redirected the attack and side stepped the attack and threw a bolt of lightning at his exposed flank, Asaj threw one of her lightsabers at him only for him to smack it out of the air with his sword and to blast her into the forest, Auron turned to Nuru, "I'll draw his attention if you get the chance strike him in the back." he told him, the chiss nodded in understanding, as Auron blasted the Dark Master with lightning, "Hey grave robber, come get me." Auron called, just he anticipated the Dark master blinded by Rage charged him, Auron turned and ran to the wall of the fortress and started to run up it, on his fourth step he lept up onto the wall and turned to see that his foe had followed him making one big leap onto the wall and turning to face him, his lips were pulled back behind his teeth and his eyes were so tightly together they almost looked like they were closed, "I'm not afraid of you." Auron stated.
"Then you will die braver than most." the dark master said and charged him, Auron lept over twisting in the air and striking as he went, he landed on his feet still facing his opponent who rallied and turn to face him, "You are more of a challenge then them down there." he stated and struck.
Auron parried the blow and sent a telekinetic push causing the man to skid along the stones, "I had a lot of practice facing dark force users." he said, "You fight like a sith warrior." he observed.
The dark master ignored him and shot a torrent of lightning at him, Auron raised his blade and absorbed the bolts not trusting his tutaminis against this foe, Auron saw an iron crossbow bolt behind the darkmaster, reaching into the force he seized it and threw it into the dark masters back causing him to stumble forward taking the opportunity Auron stabbed him through the chest just as a blue blade came from the other side and stopped short of impaling him, he saw the chiss Jedi on the other side remove his blade from the foe and Auron did the same, the man gasped in pain, dropped his sword and stumbled a little only for Auron to sweep the man off the wall and onto the ground below.
Nuru looked at him Quizzically, "What was that for? He was already dead."
"Just trying to speed things up." Auron answered and jumped down and impaled the body through the head, "And making absolutely sure!" he called up, just then the body turned to dust, "See no harm done." then they heard the screaming of the dark being, "Seriously?" Auron asked exasperated.
"You fools I am immortal, I will have a body!" he screamed.
"Yeah? Good luck trying to find one." Daniel challenged his face all bruised up and bleeding but he stood tall, the Dark master looked around then he saw it the unconscious form of Vega just 20 meters away, Daniel saw what he was looking at, "Don't you dare." he growled.
The Dark Master laughed and began to fly towards the boy at highspeeds, "NOOOOO!" Daniel shouted as he tried in vain to stop him, only to be knocked off his feet by an unseen force, the others tried to do something as well but their efforts proved futile, Just as it seemed that he was going to possess Vega, the Guardian of the temple came out and latched onto the evil spirit.
"Let go you pathetic Sage!" the Dark master commanded as he struggled against the Guardian's hold.
"You have plagued this world for far too long, if my last act is to bring you to your end then so be it." the Guardian of the Temple snarled, the Dark Master seemed to become afraid at what was happening.
Lapsi materialized next to Caleb, "Father! What are you doing?!"
"What is he doing?" Asajj asked limping into the group.
Caleb felt unwanted tears sting his eyes, "He's dragging the Dark master to Hell, and in the process he will be forever stuck there," he explained 'Lapsi cut it out.' he begged.
'He's my father he doesn't deserve such a fate.' Lapsi cried.
'I know but if you cry, I cry.'
'I can't help it.'
Caleb sighed, 'Fine, I'll deal with it.'
The group all watched as the two spirits descended into nothingness, thus bringing the end of the Dark Master and one of the force's greatest servants.
(Planet Remnant, Location Beacon Acadamy, Section Head Masters Office)
The broken celestial companion of the planet Remnant cast a pale light across the night sky and hit created a silhouette of beacon academy giving it an oddly sinister air had it not been for the pinpoints of lights from the windows, the top of the tower the Headmaster of the academy was pulling an allnighter and tonight he would receive a visitor.
An elderly gentleman with graying hair, round spectacles that rested on the edge of his nose, a green coat, and a white buttoned up shirt was busy looking at the potential first year students for the next semester when the lights in his office began to flicker, Ozpin hummed in thought, before turning his attention back to the files only for the lights to go out, he sighed slightly in annoyance but mostly because he was tired, "What's the matter now?" he asked as he got up from his chair and walked over to the lights to fix them, he inspected the lights and found nothing wrong with them, "Hmn, you should be working, why aren't you?" he asked no one in particular, then he noticed that the room had gotten brighter, Ozpin's grip on his cane tightened and turned to face the light source.
He stopped short when he saw a woman in the middle of the room she had raven colored hair, and brown eyes and they were looking around the room, before finally coming to rest on him, "Who are you?" Ozpin asked.
"... History remembers me as 'The Jedi Exile.' we have much to talk about." she finally answered with a warm smile.
AN: I feel as though I should explain something, my story is a part of a series that I am doing this is the first book in that series and in this book the whole crew is traveling through the unknown regions hence it's name "Journey through the Unknown.", I hope this cleares up some issues and if not well I understand, I hope you all enjoyed none the less.