Chapter 3 The Duel & New Fate
Everything seemed to move so slowly for Voren or…maybe that's just how he saw it. The young sith apprentice who looked roughly his age had just after having killed his republic troopers jumped down from out of nowhere to challenge him to a duel.
Even as this new enemy showed him self-Voren couldn't help but think, " Is this boy really the one from my horrible vision of the future." He was shaken free from his thoughts when he saw that the sith boy began to walk towards him.
"Are you going to accept my challenge jedi or keep wasting my time I have much to do and you're in my way?" Var Shan said to the young jedi padwan standing in between him and escape from Ruusan as he began to walk towards him with his crimson red lightsaber ignited.
"Wa…wait child we are the same age w…we shouldn't fight right now I…I only wish to talk. My name is Voren Kar I am a jedi padwan in the army of light and I as I said for now I mean you no harm I only wish to speak to you." Voren said to the other boy as he began backing away slowly from him, as the boy walked closer with his lightsaber. He kept one hand on his belt ready to grab his blade if his negotiations went south.
Var Shan stopped walking after Voren introduced himself and said that he meant him no harm. He sheathed his lightsaber and gazed directly at Voren the yellow of his eyes glowing from Ruusans setting sun. " Do you take me for a fool Voren Kar "you mean me no harm" LIES! Nothing but the empty words of a frighten jedi brat. And while we do appear to be of the same age I AM NO CHILD! I am Var Shan Lord of the Sith! I make peace with no one! We are done talking now draw your blade or stand still and accept your fate." Var roared at Voren enraged at him for even trying to pretend like he meant him no harm when obviously he'd come down to the planet to look for sith survivors. Then after shouting at Voren, Var then whipped out his lightsaber and blasted himself straight towards Voren who just barely blocked it with his own Sky blue lightsaber? The collision of the two blades created a small magnifying purple glow, and began sending sparks every which way and that way.
Voren saw the sith shoot himself at an frightening speed at him he had but only moments to take out his own lightsaber and block the other boys burning red blade. "Please listen to me Var Shan I may be your enemy but…the sith are gone you are no longer legion you are "ONE." And weather that one likes it or not he is in fact a child, a misguided child corrupted by evil role models but still a child. Please I beg you Var Shan let me help save you from the dark. I did come here to destroy you but now after meeting you…I feel a similarity between us I can see that there is good in you!" Voren pleaded with Var Shan as they continued to clash they lightsabers against each other. Var was no better at using a lightsaber then Voren was but he was clearly the stronger one in terms of physical strength.
"Enough of your foolish babble Voren Kar your words of redemption MEAN NOTHING TO ME! My master spoke often of how you cowardly jedi try to pollute us sith with your lies. Using peace as a way to protect against your own COWARDICE! And you are wrong Kar the, sith are not "ONE" we are still more. Something I will fix once I end you here!" Var Shan yelled at Voren Kar as he swung his blade straight at his face only to have it be blocked by the jedi once again.
Voren was shocked by what the young sith had just said, "we are not one we are still many." "Are there more sith still alive other then just this boy, I must find out more." Voren thought as he kept up his defense blocking Var Shan's strikes blow for blow. They had almost left the sith camp and were on its edges, Voren knew Var was trying to back him into a corner and tear into him when he couldn't run away anymore. He needed to start taking the offensive if he wanted to live, find out more, and most importantly save Var Shan he hadn't given up hope for him yet.
Var kept up his relentless assault on the jedi scum he knew that the padwan was using the force to see his blows before they happened to and then counter them. But he also knew that even with the force Voren Kar couldn't keep blocking forever especially when Var gets him in a corner.
"That's right jedi fool keep blocking like the coward you are! WHERE ARE YOUR PRECIOUS WORDS NOW WHAT GOOD ARE THEY TO YOU HUH! In the end your so-called wisdom is just words, which I will erase soon!" Var proclaimed to Voren as he after finally breaking his guard swung his blade in for the killing blow…only to be stopped by the young padwan shooting him backwards with a "VERY" powerful force push.
Var slammed into another tree and like last time dropped him lightsaber a few feet away from him. As he reached his hand out towards it and tried to bring it to him with the force it shot into Voren Kar's free hand. He then reignited it and with both his brilliant blue lightsaber, and Var's crimson red saber cut through the darkness of the night towards Var.
Var Shan knew he was in trouble the jedi had taken his blade and his force push had broken his leg, a minor injure that would heal quickly but would mean life or death in this duel. He looked around for some kind of weapon to fight the jedi eventually find one of the dead mercenaries blasters. He immediately picked it up and shot a salvo of red hot energy bolts at Voren.
The young padwan only blocked the blasts with both his lightsaber bouncing the energy bolts through and off of their blades away from himself. He even reflected one back at Var and nailed him right in the shoulder of the hand holding the blaster.
Var dropped the blaster in pain clutching his wounded shoulder for a few moments before trying to grab the blaster again. It was to no avail for when Var reached for it Voren only waved his hand through the air and shot the blaster to far out of Var's reach even with the force. The jedi then walked up to Var and created an "X" scissors with the two lightsabers which he brought right to Vars neck the light from the blades fully illuminating their faces in the darkness.
"Now I ask again please let me help you Var Shan I truly do feel go in your heart you with the right guidance be a force for good in the galaxy you could save lives instead of taking them." Voren pleaded one final time to Var Shan.
"I…refuse to live as a slave to you and your precious jedi council you are all cowards to afraid to finish something once you've started it. The sith regardless of weather I live or die will continue! I have realized now what my masters tried to teach me back on Korriban the sith is not a legion we are an idea. The jedi are to afraid of the force we however embraces the force…no we make it our slave and command it…I can sense you wish to know what my words were when I said we sith are not one…Well to bad I would rather see you all burn in his wrath than tell you of it my ultimate revenge as I faded away…NOW END IT!" Var Shan yelled at Voren Kar who then with a solemn and heartbroken from realizing their was no saving this boy face ended it.
Voren smashed Var's head against the tree again knocking him out and then placing him into a coma like trance to keep him that way. Then with tears in his eyes Voren said:
"I…I saw it just now I saw what you could have been Var a powerful and just jedi you could have saved trillions of lives…and we could have been best friends I am so sorry the order didn't find you in time before the sith did…I am so…so very sorry. I can at least save you from this life you may lose your connection to the force but at least you'll have your mind at peace probably I'd guess for the first time in years. Once I get you to her she will heal and make your years on Korriban fade away…I swear this to you." Voren said after activating a beacon for a dropship from the fleet to come and get him.
He waited with the comatose Var Shan as the dropship descended down to them. He'd say he did find the sith and killed him he'd use Vars lightsaber as proof of his kill, he'd then take Var Shan to another gifted padwan he knew in the fleet who had the power to effect memories. She'd erase the corruption of Vars years at the korriban academy make him a blank slate. Then they'd both send the young amnesia ridden black haired boy to a remote peaceful planet where he will be able to live out his live never knowing the sith or jedi again…And maybe in time he'd find his way back to the force and if that day ever did come Voren Swore to himself that he'd be there to led Var down the right path.
Hours after the battle the dropship finally returned to the fleet's flagship where the army of lights jedi awaited it. As soon as the ships ramp descended Voren walked out and had a group of troopers carry the still unconscious Var Shan on a gurney. Much to his surprise Voren heard the a loud applause coming from the hangar when he looked up to see what it was he saw many many other young padwans cheering him on and giving him congratulations for taking down a sith by himself. He was speechless and didn't know what to say until the cheering stopped and all the padwans made way for the new leader of the Army of Light Jedi Master Valenthyne Farfalla.
Master Valenthyne walked slowly across the hangar deck to the dropship. As he walked the hangars bays lights reflected off of the brilliant gold piercings and jewelry that he was oh so known for wearing even against jedi the strict humble dress code. He stopped right into front of a very frightened Voren looked at him, then looked at the troopers carrying out Var Shan, then gazed back down at Voren and said:
"Padwan what is this you went down to the surface against my orders and worse yet the troopers you have with you are not the troopers you left with? Do you care to explain how this could be?" Master Valenthyne said to Voren in a strong, proud, and still surprisingly gentles voice fitting a brave hero from holo book novels. Yes if their was one thing Master Valenthyne was known for it was his… flamboyant nature.
Voren was to ashamed and scared to respond to Master Valenthyne but knew had to and gathered the strength he needed and said:
"I am sorry master I…I should have obeyed your orders you were just being cautious the planet could have still been dangerous…Which it was my vision was true I saw a sith down their I found him where I knew he'd be from my vision. I tried to reason with him…but he refused to listen and…and I had no choice master…here is the siths blade to prove I did the deed. I will accept whatever punishment you see fit even…If it means I must leave the order." Voren said to master Valenthyne after getting on his knees and holding up Var Shans lightsaber presenting it to the master as proof.
What happened next surprised everyone in the hangar everyone including Voren thought that the master would punish him with expulsion…But that is not what happened, what happened was Master Valenthyne took the lightsaber from Voren put it on his belt, then put a kind caring hand on to Vorens shoulder and told him to rise.
"Rise young padwan you will not be expulsed, everyone in the order knows you did what you thought you needed to too protect the galaxy. We should have listened to you have a rare gift that will one day become your greatest trait just like your fathers did. Your father Terran Kar was my close friend in the order he was a just and kind jedi I see much of him in you youngling he would be proud of you this day." Master Valenthyne said with a smile on his face to Voren who then rose back to his feet speechless and confused.
"T…thank you master thank you so much…I have only one request master if its not to much. This boy was hurt and almost killed by the sith he needs our help. I ask that you let me and padwan Jaina Star save him." Voren plead to the master with tears of joy from his eyes caused by the master saying his father would be proud of him today.
"Ah I see so you saved this boy from the sith you are a more of a hero than I thought... Of course a life is in danger its our duty as protectors of the living force to save this child I will send padwan Jaina Star to our med bay with you so she can use her healing powers to save him." Master Valenthyne said to Voren before he went with the troopers to take the boy away, and before he left to go bring the padwan to the medical bay and meet them.
Far off on the other side of the she young jedi padwan Jaina Star was in her bed dreaming about her days before she joined the order. She always dreamed of that time they were her happiest memories.
She had lived on a peaceful farming planet with her family and best friend and his family. No one ever bothered them and they were happy Jaina always felt her heart race and then hurt when she remembered her best friend he had always been there for her when she had needed him. He was a nice and kind boy with short black hair, hazel eyes, and what Jiana had always like most about him he had always been smiling.
Her dreams had brought he comfort they made her feel happy but they also reminded her of her purpose and reason for hating the sith. One day the war with the sith and the republic found its way to her home. The planet was torn apart and worst yet…her best friend was taken away by the sith. It had been years since the day her whole world was tipped upside-down. But even thought they dreams always made her cry when she woke up she still loved seeing her old life and…her best friend.
Jaina remained in her bed until she was awoken by her master and was told to go meet her friend Voren Kar in the med bay, he had apparently asked for her personally for help with healing someone. So wasting no time Jaina cleaned and combed her long brown hair bed hair got dressed and left for the bed bay.
"Why would Voren ask for me personally this doesn't make any sense there are tons of other better healers besides me…WAIT A MINUTE! HE ACTUALLY WENT DOWN TO THE PLANET AND FOUGHT A SITH! WHAT AM I GOING WALKING AND THINKING LIKE THIS I NEED TO GET MOVING NOW!" Jaina thought to herself before taking off down the hall to meet Voren.
When Jaina arrived at the med bay she was surprised to see a young boy with Voren…or rather next to him on one of the beds.
"That must be who he wants me to heal…wait something is wrong here w…what is this strange feeling I have when I look at that boy I…I don't understand." Jaina thought after saying hi to Voren and walking over to the boy.
"Ah its good you got here Jaina I asked the masters to leave us alone I need to tell you something important before you heal this boy. Its something you can't repeat even to the masters." Voren said to a very zoned out Jaina who was just standing still, staring at Var Shan in the bed.
"V…Voren what is this boys name…please tell me its really important I NEED TO KNOW!" Jaina said to Voren in a quiet then turned loud shout.
Voren didn't understand what was going on or why his name was important but he knew it was important to Jaina for some reason so he said:
"His name is Var Shan…and please don't tell the masters this but he's a sith and I want you to wipe his memories of being one away." Voren said to Jaina who then dropped to her knees her hands clasped around her mouth in horror after hearing Var's name.
"T…this can't be they couldn't have turned him into…one of them they killed his parents he had to remember that so he would never…But the name, the hair, and the eyes it just can't be please by the force don't let it be so." Jaina said to herself outloud before Voren took hold of her wrist and pulled her towards him to snap her out of it.
"Can't be what, why can't that be Var Shan tell me do you know this sith boy Jaina?" Voren asked Jaina with great urgency in his voice.
"Y…yes I do h…he was my best friend before I joined the order we lived on the same planet. Are parents were friends and so were we…but then the sith came and took him away. I can't believe they made him into one of them…Earlier you said you wanted me to wipe his mind clean and make him a blank slate why. He can't be beyond saving if I try I know I…I can do please just let me…" Jaina said to Voren before he grabbed her again and out her hand on his head and made her sees everything he saw on the planet and that her friend was beyond saving.
Jaina Star burst into tears after seeing what her best friend had become the sith had turned the sweet innocent happy boy…her friend and made him into a ruthless, power-hungry monster.
"T…this is all my fault this happened because I wasn't strong enough that day to save him from the sith. I…if I had just saved him then he would never have become this…I can't lose him again Voren I just can't he's all I have left of my old life." Jaina said to Voren after taking one of Vars hand and clenching onto it with tears in her eyes.
Voren put his hand onto his friends shoulder and got her to face him again
"I am so sorry if I had known he was your friend I would never have made you see him like this a shadow of his former self. But he is beyond saving the only way is if you wipe it all away and we sent him somewhere remote and peaceful.
Jaina didn't want to agree but she knew in her heart after seeing the hate, and anger that was in Var's eyes in the flashback he really was beyond saving she had to do this no matter how much she would hate herself for it. She took her hands put them on ether side of Vars head and then began using the force to wipe away everything that Var Shan the sith was. She couldn't pick and choose what she wanted she wasn't strong enough to do that yet everything had to go even his life from before Var was a sith.
Then with a heavy heart moments later Jaina slid her hands off of Vars head looked Voren in the eyes she hated herself and him for what they had just done.
"I'm sorry Jaina I really am but now he can have a second chance at a better life just think about it when he wakes up he'll be free…Now we have to move him out of here now before the masters realize what we've done...but how are we going to do that?" Voren said to Jaina who just ignored him with her arms crossed and looked in the other direction not wanting to look at him.
"You can leave that part to me kiddos I know a place that would be perfect for someone like him." Someone much to the shock of Voren and Jaina said from behind the med bays doors. They opened and it was revealed to them that the voice belonged to a tall mandalorian soldier in black Neo Rider armor named Carter Dral whom the army of light had chosen to lead some of their troops into battle.
"How much did you hear just now Dral?" Jaina said to Dral with a clear anger in her voice.
"Oh just enough to know that I got you both backed into a corner. You see your buddy their only did this cause he's afraid of what this guy can become. Whats that phrase you jedi always say? Oh yes the force is strong with this one. And thats what he's afraid of he doesn't want to be responsible for harboring a future sith lord, and you little missy just broke what I can only guess is SO many jedi rules by wiping that kiddos mind. So I say let me take him with me I drop him off somewhere remote and your problem is solved. Don't worry I owe the repubic and the jedi especially after I just got my kings bounty in credits from my last job.." Dral said with a fake smile on his face after taking off his armors battle scar ridden black helmet.
"W…well do it but only if you tell us where your taking him!" Voren said much to the shock of Jaina.
"Now that's hilarious kid yeah I'll make sure to do that…NOT. Your not he one making the deals here I am. And I say I'm taking him ether way and maybe just maybe I'll tell you where he is after I drop him off." Dral said while laughing at the two padwans.
Both Jaina and Voren knew that Dral did have them in a corner he could go and tell the masters if they refused him. They had to deal for now but they'd find Var again one day that they both promised each other.
"Ah wonderful I'm glad we came to an agreement now…I'll just be taking him now and be on my the way here my contact info I'll be in touch." Dral said after walking over to and lifting Var up onto one of his shoulders handing Voren a portable holo communicator and leaving for the hangar and his ship.
After Dral cleared it with the masters he loaded Var on to his ship and flew out of the hangar, Jaina and Voren watching him as he did.
"I swear I'm going to complete my training Voren and when I become a knight I'm going to use every resource I have to find Var Shan I'm not going to lose my friend again especially now that hes lost in the dark…Not again." Jaina said to Voren with her hands clenched into fists as they watched Drals ship leave then jump into light speed.
It was several days before Var Shan finally awoke from his coma, and when he did he had no idea where he was. He barely knew his name, everything else was blank their was nothing. He had awoken within a dark dimly lit cell with chains on his ankles and wrists.
"Welcome to hell new meat." He heard a feminine voice say from the shadows when he focused hard enough Var saw that the voice belonged to a strong looking young, red haired girl also wrapped in chains.
"What do you mean Hell? where am I?" Var asked the girl who only laughed at the question at first.
"Ah that's hilarious you don't know where you are I just said it your in hell or the closest thing to it this is the Geonosis coliseum on planet Geonosia. And if you're here in chains like me then your life is forft and you'll have to battle in the arena to survive." The girl said to Var with a smug sounding voice.
"But why? I mean can't we just leave?" Var asked the girl.
"Man you're an idiot aren't you did you hit your head or something just put two and two together you are a slave just like me and you are going to die in that arena ether today or tomorrow everyone always does." The girl said in an angry tone.
"If everyone dies how come your still alive then?" Var asked the girl.
"That's because I'm a mandalorian and we fight to survive everyday anyway. I did this even before I became a slave. My names Shae Vizla and I may be a kid right now but that doesn't change the fact that I'm champion. That's why I'm alive what is your name?" Shae asked Var in an intrigued tone
" My names Var Shan a…and that's all I can remember the rest is gone I think I might have been in an accident before I was brought…I guess I mean sold here…Wait whats that sound?" Var said as he heard the sound of alarms going off and his cell beginng to rise.
"Oh looks like its your time to die Var Shan that sucks being the first fight of the day. But we all got to die sometime if you by some miracle live we should continue talking you seem fun." Shae said as Vars cell disappeared into the middle of the coliseum their was a roaring crowd in the coliseum all of them cheering for Var to be torn apart by what ever best they were going to unleash onto him.
Var felt a ping in his chest followed by a sense of disgust as he looked around at the crowd cheering for his slaughter. "You monsters you cheer for a little kid to be murdered...I I hate all of you. I wish you all were in this arena instead...Then I'd make you pay for this!" Var thought for a few moments as he seemed to zone out and give into some kind of strange but familiar feeling. He then after regaining himself pushed that feeling of hate away and focused back on the crowd until he heard a sound come from the other side of the arena.
Across the other side of the arena another cage lifted out of the ground and released a baby rancor that was barely being kept off its chains as the announcers were speaking.
Var was then given a single viro blade and a small blaster almost completely useless against the creature. After receiving these weapons they let the monster off its chains and waited to see the carnage.
The baby rancor bolted like the massive monster it was straight towards Var. Its claws tearing into the ground and lifting it up off the ground making it go faster. It roared a horrible cry that was blocked out by the crowds continued cheering...but not completely for Var heard the roar perfectly over the crowd.
Var ran for his life from the monster his viro blade was as useless as a toothpick against the beast, which was more then three times his size. But…but then something strange happened Var saw everything begin to slow down for split seconds and when they did he could see the next attack from the creature coming at him. Then without knowing it Var blocked the attacks with his viro blade, shot the creature in its eyes with the blaster, leapt on top of it, and stabbed his blade into its hide. It bucked roared and clawed at him to get him off but Var held on for dear life knowing that if he let go he'd-die.
Var held onto the blade and began to push it deeper into the monster cutting through its rough skin, and muscle to its soft weak organs. Once making a big enough hole he jammed the blaster into it and unloaded the entire charge clip into it killing the monster which let out another cry before falling down, much to the shock of the crowd.
After gaining his victory Var cut one of the rancors long teeth off with his viro blade and took it making it into a good luck charm necklace. He was then against his will thrown back into his cage. And lowered back into his cell where a very surprised Shae awaited him.
"I…I can't believe it you actually won…I saw the fight from the monitors in her. How could you be able to you...are you some kind of jedi or…maybe a sith?" Shae asked to Var who seemed to react to the word sith but then shrugged it off.
"No I'm nothing special like that I'm just am Var Shan and if I have to fight to live here then get ready one day you might just get dethroned by me Shae?" Var said to Shae jokingly with a smile he couldn't see it but Shae was blushing embarrassingly from his words.
(Ok done I enjoyed making this chapter its a turning point in an amazing story that I've started to map out. Oh just going to say this I sorry if it seems like it goes to fast with going rom place to place. I meant for this to be a quick way to bring in more characters without having to go at a snail pace with there introduction into the story.)