Chapter 8: Portending Evil

The kill had been sloppy.

Viren should not have let himself become so distracted by the history he had found so as to be unable to react properly.

Now the Jedi would be after him, and that should have been avoided.

Fortunately, Viren was a master of stealth.

Even in these wide open and featureless plains, he could find a way to remain unseen.

Through the Force they would not find him. Their sensors to him were blind. And by mere sight they were not looking.

Not well enough to find him.

The sun began to set and the patrols ceased their scouring of the field. Viren had successfully eluded the Jedi.

"The Jedi yes, but you have not escaped me," said a voice from above where Viren lay flattened in the grass.

Viren rolled to the side before springing to his feet and grabbing the stolen lightsaber. His own saberscythe would have been preferable, but it was no longer in his possession, and he had used a simple saber before. He was no stranger to standard duels.

"If the Sith are gone and you are no Jedi, then what does that make you?" Viren questioned.

"I am one who does not feel the need to affiliate himself with any Order that would command and limit his abilities."

So he was one of those pathetic roamers who could not decide whose side he wanted to be on.

"It is hardly a lack of decision," said the loner. "Both the Sith and the Jedi have limitations they will never see past, so why limit myself? I watch over the galaxy, preserving balance wherever I can. A Guardian of the Force, so to speak."

"I'm not impressed," said Viren, though he knew this man was not completely fake, considering the accuracy with which he had discerned Viren's thoughts.

"I didn't expect you to be. Regardless, you will be dealing with me, for there is something in your possession that I must take. It is a dangerous weapon and only safe in the hands of my Master."

Viren's hand instinctively went to the crystal in his pocket...nearly forgotten with all that had transpired since its finding.

Nearly, but always pricking at the back of his mind.

Viren reached into his pocket and withdrew his hand, releasing a small silver blade that flew at the stranger.

The man ducked and ignited a blue lightsaber, and Viren did so as well and their blades clashed.

He was obviously not to be trusted, with this secret master of his. Whatever the crystal was, it would not be a danger to anyone if not activated.

Something Viren had not the power, nor the inclination to do.

"You cannot think I would so readily allow this device into the hands of someone whose motivations are hidden from me."

"You're right," agreed Viren's opponent. "There is little I could say that would make you give it to me out of trust. But you still have the choice to give it to me willingly, or have it coerced from you."

"You will have to best me first," stated Viren as his blade jabbed forward, "and that might prove harder than you think."

"So you are not so wise to shed off the arrogance that infests the adherents of the Dark Side."

"Honesty and arrogance are far from the same thing," countered Viren, leaping back and spraying his enemy with a shower of tiny black knives that had lurked in readiness inside Viren's many pockets. The lightsider was forced to take a defensive stance to force back the tiny projectiles, allowing Viren a moment to catch his breath before throwing himself back into battle.

The sun had now fully retreated and in its absence rose a waxing moon, bringing with it a chill wind with ripped over the plains and battered the two combatants. Still they fought on, azure blades flashing in the dim moonlight. Viren's supply of blades and other hidden weapons was nearly spent, and his strength was failing him, but he knew his assailant would not desist his assault, though he too was becoming visibly fatigued.

"Why do you continue this mindless assault on me?" panted Viren, throwing off his steel facemask for a freer passage of breath.

"It is you who prolongs this battle," argued the lightsider, his haggard face revealed as he, at last, shed his cloak and hood to reveal a worn face and sleek grey hair. "Give me the artifact and we can part ways in peace. Continue to keep it for yourself and I fear our combat may well last the night."

"Perhaps, but I am not yet out of tricks," said Viren, and as he did so he centered his remaining energy into his legs and leaped upward, pressing the release button for his final weapon and hoping it had not been damaged. Somehow, the flightsuit that disguised itself as a cape was yet functional, and as the wings extended, they caught on a great gust of wind and propelled Viren skyward, leaving his opponent several feet below. Viren aimed his trajectory to a slope in the plain, getting as much distance between himself and the Jedi as he could by this means.

However, as he made his escape, Viren felt a sense of foreboding and thought he see something out of place on the surface below him. Then the wings of his flightsuit collapsed and the Sith Lord tumbled downwards, without the strength to recover his bearings, and impacted with the grass before rolling a few feet and coming to a stop.

How embarrassing.

There was something, a presence...one more malevolent than Viren had felt in many years...chaotic, yet powerful, almost reminding him of the Dark Councilors who ruled the Sith Empire...or at least had done. It was not the Jedi vagabond approaching him, certainly, but something worse.

Viren staggered to his feet, but knew he could not save himself.

Not this time.

o0o

Hazel felt completely out of her element. There was so much being kept secret from her, so much happening that was a mystery to her. It hardly seemed possible. Just when everything was settling down again, just as the Barks and the Jedi regained some level of cooperation and vanquished a common enemy, something like this had to happen.

"What are you doing then?" questioned Hazel, by now desperate for straight answers. "I don't see any of you fighting this hidden enemy that you speak of. Are you just going to let things play out so that we're faced with another war, or even something worse as you're trying to make me believe?"

"We are far more active than you believe," said Guardian. "My grandson, Ben, is on Arebeddon now, watching over your people, while I search for clues as to just who is threatening us."

"Have you discovered something new, then?" asked Toran.

"Perhaps...I might have a lead, but first I must travel to Taldornadi, to the Sith temple, to see what may be found there."

"But Teacher," protested Taera, "you have not left this place for over fifty years. You said you would not leave...not until...a promise was fulfilled."

"Do not speak more of it," commanded Guardian, and Hazel guessed that under his mask his eyes were on her. "There is no other path. You two are not yet powerful enough to be trusted with this and your father must remain on Arebeddon... in fact, even he may not be up for the trials that may come before me."

"What danger do you speak of, if even Father might not overcome it?" asked Toran.

"I know nothing for sure, but my senses have told me this much, and I doubt that any but myself can hold up against our enemy. Perhaps Ben could do it, but he has his own great task ahead of him, for he must guard the Artifact. But I have said too much, and must depart immediately. You are to remain here, with Hazel. This place is still secret, and you will be safe here, but if you leave danger will surely follow."

With those words, Guardian seemed to fold into the wall, and Hazel felt his overwhelming presence vanish from her sight. The Twins, for once, appeared to be disturbed as well, exchanging looks and shifting in their seats.

"He's keeping things from us..." muttered Toran. About time he realized that.

"I'm worried about him," said Taera. "He vowed never to leave this planet. I can't even imagine what is out there to make him do this."

"There's no use dwelling on it though," sighed Toran. "We must obey him and remain in safety here...though my heart is telling me otherwise."

"Then follow it," piped up Hazel. "It doesn't seem like you know any more than I do, and the only way we are going to find anything out is by discovering it for ourselves. I don't like the idea of my family being at the mercy of this unseen menace and if I can do something about it, I will. Your father is out there too, we can help him in whatever your Guardian is having him do. I'm willing to team up with you guys if you will do this."

"Guardian is having us remain here for a reason," argued Toran. "By exposing ourselves we become unnecessarily vulnerable to attack, and it may be more than we can handle."

"Perhaps individually, but together, I think we stand a pretty good chance. This place won't keep us hidden forever...we're gonna have to get involved at some point, and we should make the first move while we still can."

"The first move to do what though? I do not fully disagree with you, but I will not rush out headlong with no objective of what we are even trying to accomplish, besides protecting ourselves and our loved ones."

Hazel's response was cut off by Taera slumping forward onto the table, though she regained consciousness a moment later, somewhat wild-eyed.

"What is it?" asked Toran. "A vision?"

"Yes..." breathed Taera. "Father...he needs us..."

"What's happened?"

"He's been attacked...by whom I could not see, but he is in grave danger."

"Then we must aid him," said Hazel. "He's on Arebeddon, right? Get me a ship and I can take you there."

o.o.o.o

Ben Skywalker was not difficult to find. No, that was simple...unfortunately, that was about the only uncomplicated thing. For it seemed as if he was engaged in battle with none other than Ketzel Viren. Hazel, Toran, and Taera had done what they could to hide their presences to avoid distracting Ben, and so as to not tip Viren off to their arrival...as it seemed Viren was now their enemy.

Perhaps the enemy.

"Something's going wrong," murmured Toran as the tiny cruiser that held the trio approached the site where two beams of blue light could be seen dancing about each other in the distance. But Hazel felt it as well...there was a disturbance.

"Put the ship down here," said Taera, though they were still some distance from the combatants. "I think it would be best to approach on foot from here."

"As long as we move fast," said Toran. "We're running out of time."

Hazel wasn't sure quite what he meant by that, but she did not ask. Cooperation was key right now...especially with the increasing sense of foreboding coming over Hazel. They crested a hill and Ben came into sight again, dashing down a slope to where Viren stood...but the old Sith was not alone. Another figure, one who wielded a crimson blade, stood before him.

Hazel and the Twins could only stand and watch as the events played out before them.