CHAPTER 2: RELEASE
Ganner Slarwalker
I woke standing in the middle of a clearing surrounded some abandoned buildings, and further out, by a field of tall grass. Examining myself and the surroundings, I found myself clad in more typical Jedi gear, with my main lightsaber clipped onto my belt. In the Force, Massikus was not tethered to me. Immediately, I began to fully reach out once more as I began to take in my surroundings in more detail. The buildings were broken and withered with age, and on the other side of the village stood another being.
He was certainly bulky, and wore heavy black armor covering nearly everything but his dark gray face and his red eyes. The Force quickly confirmed my suspicions. This was Massikus. I activated my lightsaber, and he followed suit. We both walked towards the center to exchange words before the inevitable duel.
Massikus spoke first. "Some sort of bubble within the Force. I'm impressed."
"Why are we here?"
"Because there can only be one of us."
Really, that was all there needed to be said on the matter. We both knew what was coming, and leapt into the final duel.
Galen
I gave Ganner some water as he laid on my bed. Bleeding slightly on his black and red robes, I had many questions for him. Unfortunately, he wasn't conscious for me to answer them. He was very warm, but I could sense his fever did not come from disease; rather, it was from the Force. At my side my wife, Vara, asked "Is it him?"
"It has to be. I felt it in the Temple, or what's left of it. Something inside him is blocking me out, but it doesn't feel like him."
"What is it then?"
"An alternate personality, maybe? Some sort of Force leech that latched on to him? Chances are only he knows."
"Can you help him?"
"I have to try."
Placing my hands lightly on his head, I reached out towards him in the Force.
Ganner Slarwalker
Thrown through one of the huts, I landed on my feet just in time to roll out of the way of another slash. Massikus just kept coming, never giving me a chance to recover. I was almost constantly retreating, blocking and dodging, but never giving in. I didn't think I was going to break any time soon, but neither was he. Massikus attacked again and I held my ground, bringing us violently crashing into a saber lock. I pushed, my arms feeling like they were about to fall off. Aside from the sound of our blades colliding the air was still.
Then, to our left, another blade hissed to life.
"If you're smart, you'll back away from my son." Galen stated. Massikus and I looked over to see a man who indeed looked like an older version of me. Holding his saber from before, he was dressed in white robes with battle armor underneath, and his hood pulled back, giving way to a familiar worn face like looking in a mirror 30 years into the future, with brown hair like mine and a goatee. His eyes, however, were another dark brown.
"Okay, time's up. Made a choice?"
Massikus actually snarled and raised his weapon. I took a quick stab at him, which he dodged, giving Galen time to close in. Galen attack with a large overhead swing, which Massikus blocked. Again, I stabbed him and this time my blade met his flesh. He let out a short gasp, and dropped his weapon.
"This...is...not..."
I pulled my weapon upwards, cutting his top half in two.
In an instant, my senses returned to the real world.