Chapter 19

The Mirror

His bones and muscles on the verge of shattering, Kael was sent stumbling back after barely deflecting the almighty and brutal sideways swipe of Revan's crimson lightsaber. The Sith Lord's attacks were totally unlike that of any Jedi he had so far sparred with in the Academy. Whereas the slashes of other Jedi were mostly bland, unremarkable and predictable in their movements, Revan was completely different altogether. A skilful and unorthodox blending of the brute force of Djem So with the elegance and flowing movements of Makashi was something that Kael had never faced off against before.

Too accustomed to the standard straight-line horizontal, vertical or diagonal attacks of all the Jedi he had sparred with, Kael found himself retreating step by step against the relentless assault of Revan, whose slashes were reminiscent of the shape of a crescent moon. A series of short, consecutive jabs were instantly followed up by moon-shaped swings of varying diameter and speed, adding to the unpredictability behind the Sith Lord's swordplay. Revan, either out of clumsy overconfidence or crafty cunning, frequently utilized overdramatic and lengthy slashes, sometimes leaving his front entirely exposed as he held his lightsaber to his side in unnecessary fashion.

Clearly, it was due to cunning. The first few times Kael saw the golden opportunity to end the fight with a quick stab, Revan deprived him of such a chance by deflecting his blow with a sideways swing as fast as lightning. Every single swing was precisely measured, calculated and intended; every deft block, counterattack and saber lock seemed to be premeditated in advance, and some might even say more than ten moves in advance. For Kael, there was not a single moment's respite or chance to gather his thoughts, as Revan would sneakily slide his lightsaber from side to side to put him off balance. Only his quick reflexes spared Kael from being beheaded as he jerked his head backwards following the utilization of a sneaky Trakata attack by Revan.

It was so strange. Even for an unorthodox lightsaber combatant like Kael who sought to develop his own unique lightsaber styles, this new style that Revan put into practice was so alien and new, and yet…so familiar. Like coming across the cover of a book one had not touched since his childhood…It made him so determined to fight in order to live another day, so that he could use what he was currently learning to defend himself from future Sith attacks – and of course protect Elena and Bastila above all.

His aching muscles and massive blood loss while fighting the kath hounds began to heavily take its toll. His lightsaber rattled and slipped inch by inch in his sweat-soaked hand every time Revan's slashes were barely dealt with. Knowing that it would only be a matter of time before he was killed if he persisted in the melee, Kael thrust his right hand forward, sending the Dark Lord flying away into a wall as soon as his attacks came to a brief pause. Surprisingly, Revan had not been able to foresee such a move despite his strong affinity to the Force. It gave Kael an idea…

No sound came from behind Revan's mask, but Kael could sense his rage, anger and indignation. To think that the Dark Lord himself was taken by surprise by a lowly Initiate? Revan immediately got back on his feet and charged at Kael, lightsaber poised and pointed straight at Kael's heart for a quick execution. An execution that never came.

Taking advantage of Revan's rashness, Kael immobilized him in midair with a firm telekinetic grip. The Dark Lord's left hand went over his throat as Kael started choking him without hesitation.

Damn the Council's views on the powers of the dark side, Kael thought as he gritted his teeth, eyes glaring at the paltry Dark Lord who was now at his mercy. The Force is a mere tool and weapon as is any other that is at the disposal of a Jedi. I will do anything and whatever it takes to save this galaxy and protect my loved ones, no matter how much it goes against their sanctimonious Code…

And oh, how Kael's anger and emotions controlled him at present. Rage coursed within him, directed solely towards the man who would deprive him of the chance of being reunited with Elena and Bastila. This tyrant who was responsible for the deaths of billions and the suffering of countless more.

There would be no mercy.

With brutal speed and power, Kael used the Force to hurl and slam Revan's body against the walls, again and again and again, with enough momentum to cause the oppressor's bones to shatter. The once-proud and arrogant Sith Lord was now on the verge of defeat at the hands of one who was not even a Padawan yet. He slumped onto his back on the ground after Kael's frustration was finally satiated, breathing slowly with his right hand held weakly against his chest and his lightsaber nowhere to be seen.

With slow and solemn steps, Kael approached the scourge of the galaxy with murderous rage burning in his eyes. His blue lightsaber hummed radiantly, its sound growing louder and more intense as he slowly descended onto his knees before the Dark Lord's body, as if it was begging him to show mercy.

Mercy to him, of all people? It had to be a joke, for sure.

Yes…just a few seconds more, Kael began to grin with almost sadistic glee. Justice for all the people who have suffered and died…This is a punishment that is long overdue…

Fixated on ending Revan's life, Kael did not even notice that the Dark Lord was weakly raising his right hand in order to beg for mercy. Then, his patience having finally worn out, Kael stabbed his lightsaber through Revan's stomach, right up to the point where his hand and the hilt pressed viciously against Revan's flesh while the blade was buried deep beneath. Revan's arm limply fell to the side, but then his fingers curled up once more when Kael pulled out his lightsaber and stabbed it in again, this time into Revan's heart. The Dark Lord's life was instantly ended, the twitching of his fingers having ceased altogether.

Victory. At last.

Deactivating his weapon, Kael felt an overwhelming sense of triumph and joy. To think that he was given the honor of ridding the galaxy of the tyrant, once and for all. But then, as the realization of what act he had just committed began to sink in, he felt…guilt…confusion…

Why had he so eagerly ended Revan's life when he was determined to save that of Juhani? Why had all the virtues of mercy, compassion and true justice left him in an instant when he clashed with the Dark Lord? He could never answer such questions.

And yet, despite all the emotions of inward disgust and condemnation of his own actions, it felt so right. So just. Like the actions of uncontrollable and hate-driven mobs which not only overthrew, but brutally executed many a tyrant in history, the deed was nothing short of an abomination, but the intent of it…it was so right…

But that was in the past, and now it was time to live for the future. Leaning over the Dark Lord's head, Kael's hand wandered over the mask out of curiosity. He had never had the chance to see Revan's face for himself. His hand touched the metal surface which chilled him to the bone, not just with its cold physical temperature, but also due to the unexpected changes brought in him. All of a sudden, he could hear his own heartbeat pounding about his ears, and countless slithering whispers of voices eerily familiar. His breaths grew short and rapid until he could finally take no more. He yanked away the mask, revealing the face of the tyrant.

The mask dropped out of his hand and clanked onto the ground as Kael looked on in shock.

The face…

It was his.

But…but how? How could this be? What does this mean?

His entire body trembling with fear as he stared at his own cold, lifeless brown eyes, Kael stumbled backwards and his elbows crashed down upon the ground. His mind was surely playing tricks on him, warning him of what may come if he didn't restrain his own emotions. Yes, surely that had to be the answer, couldn't it?

His thoughts were disturbed when, without warning, the remains of Revan began to vibrate and pulse in white and bluish light. Kael quickly crawled backwards, fearful that the dark energies which coursed through the cave had some cruel fate in store for him. Revan's clothing and skin began to dissipate away in black smoke, revealing a lustrous surface beneath. His body hummed with a noise that eerily seemed to be that of a machine, with gears and chassis creaking and groaning. The two holes left in the being's body by Kael's lightsaber regenerated mysteriously and rapidly, leaving no trace of the fatal wounds.

Unsure of what this all meant, Kael breathed deeply and quickly got to his feet, preparing his lightsaber for combat. His body was now at its limits, exhausted from battle and yearning for rest.

I should never have come here, he realized as he held up his lightsaber with a trembling hand. I should have returned to the Academy…To her…

In the middle of the dark chamber, the being – now undeniably a droid of some sorts – glowed with weak cyan-colored light as it heaved itself up onto its feet, its back turned towards Kael. Its exoskeleton was gold in color, and was virtually equal to Kael in height and build. Its design was unlike anything that Kael had ever seen before, and judging from the fact that it remained in this cave for so long and undiscovered by others, Kael could tell that this was a droid that was perhaps from centuries past. It was ancient, and yet…so advanced compared to the droids of his day. Its arms and legs bended and turned with dexterity that was far superior to even the most agile of sentients, almost as if it was a sentient that had no bones. It was amazing to see that a droid could be so flexible, and yet strike with the force of thunder as it did when it fought Kael using the disguise of Revan.

Then, it turned around to look at him. Two thick fingers and a thumb occupied each of its hands, and its body strong yet elegant and refined. Its head was decidedly oval in appearance, with one glowing eye protruding from each side of its head like doorknobs. It stepped forward, its trek light and quiet as a grain of sand falling upon the earth. Despite the fact that the droid had tried to end his life only moments before, Kael felt assured and strangely comforted when it slightly raised its hand, gesturing at him to lower his weapon.

Finally, it stopped right in front of him, looking at him with those strange eyes. The metal around its mouth section glowed bright blue as an echoing and serene voice spoke to Kael, who looked on with awe.

"You have passed the test, sentient."

-o-

Audrey sighed deeply as she removed the wet towel on Mission's forehead that had gone warm, replacing it with a fresh cold one. Looking out the window of their dorm, the afternoon sun was covered by thick clouds which grew darker by the minute. Zaalbar had better hurry bringing back Mission's soup, otherwise he'll be a walking drenched mop messing up the entire dorm room when he gets in. And still, even after hours had passed since her and the others' return to the Enclave complex, Kael was nowhere to be seen.

Her eyes then turned to the face of Mission who was still asleep, having not woken from the time she fainted in the crystal cave. Fortunately for them, medical droids were available and had done for them what Juhani healing couldn't do, injecting her with an IV needle that provided her a much-needed blood transfusion. The color in Mission's cheeks was still far from its old richness, but Audrey was at least given slight comfort to know that Mission would soon recover fully in a matter of days.

Still, she was so disappointed in herself. How could she have let Mission, of all people, be hurt by those monsters? It was laughable to think that she had promised Mission that she would defend her with her life, only to fail miserably at the very first hurdle. She scrunched her golden hair in frustration and buried her head into the side of Mission's bed, not caring in the slightest about her knees which began to ache from kneeling on the floor for a lengthy time.

"It wasn't your fault," Carth's gentle voice comforted her as his hand lay softly upon her back.

"I'm her guardian, Carth…," Audrey wept, looking over her shoulder with tearful eyes at the man who sat just behind her on a chair. "Of course it was my fault. I should have protected her. I should have fought harder and stayed by her side instead of letting her get torn by one of those monsters…"

Carth tried again to convince her otherwise. "You did the best you could, given the circumstances. Even Kael could only save her after going through great difficulties."

"I don't care," Audrey stubbornly shook her head. "I can't let her get wounded like this ever again, or worse. I don't want to see her like this because I…because I—"

"Love her," Carth finished for her, receiving a dim sigh in confirmation. He got up off the chair and knelt beside Audrey in front of the bed, and turned her by the shoulders so that she looked at him. "I understand how you feel, Audrey. You want to protect Mission because you don't want the same thing that happened to your brother and sister to happen to her. And in my case, I…" he trailed off, too pained by the memories that played on in his mind every night, as if it all happened yesterday.

"Your son," Audrey whispered, her hand discretely holding onto his. "I know what you mean."

Carth nodded somberly, and then found a humorous reason to smile. "Funny, isn't it? How we're both so protective of a little girl whom neither of us are related to, simply because we failed our families years ago…"

"Blood relation or not, I love her very much," Audrey said, caressing the side of Mission's face and readjusting the towel which was about to droop down sideways. "It just gives me nightmares to think of all the dangers we'll have to go through if we all have to go on some perilous journey because of the judgement of the Jedi Council. Kath hounds are probably going to be some of the least dangerous enemies we'll have to face compared to those in the days ahead."

"We can't just leave her here – you know that. She's got family of her own that she needs to search for out there, just like us, and she's so damn stubborn."

"Fate has such a sick sense of humor, doesn't it?" Audrey puffed. "The first night we arrived on this planet, I thought Mission could have a chance at rebuilding her life: taken in by a loving family, given the proper education she's been missing all her life, fall in love later with a handsome hunk and live happily ever after without a single worry in the world. Heh…such dreams can never come true."

"And you would've just left her alone and broken off all contact with her afterwards?"

"Huh?" Audrey's eyebrows lifted in confusion.

"I still remember what you said to me not long after we escaped Taris and set course for Dantooine," Carth explained. "You said that settling into a comfortable life on Dantooine was the last thing on your mind; that you wanted to look for your brother and sister until they were found. I thought for sure when you said that that you'd only spend a few days on Dantooine in order to rest yourself up before parting ways with us."

"I…well…that…" Audrey stammered, not knowing how to respond. Gathering her thoughts, she took a deep breath before giving her answer. "I know what I said, and I stick by that. But I guess the reason I decided to stick around instead of heading off by myself was because…"

"Because…?" Carth leaned in slightly, curious as to what Audrey's reasons were.

"Well, I…I sort of like it here, I guess. And uh…you guys make great company," she admitted with a weak smile and a barely noticeable blush. "I haven't had a day's worth of peace ever since my father died when I was seven, and that was 25 years ago. But this place…It's given me something I've been missing for decades. Of course it's not exactly like Alderaan, but it's so similar. The serene natural landscape, the fresh breeze of air…It makes me kind of sad that we'll eventually have to leave this place."

"It's for the best, though," Carth admitted with a disappointed shrug. "The war's not going to wait for us just because we've decided to take a little holiday. And besides, we're not going to find anybody if we're just enjoying ourselves here."

"Mm…" Audrey mumbled in agreement, and then her eyes wandered back to the sleeping Mission. She reached out to hold Mission's hand, curling her fingers against those of the young girl. She looked down with a frown, seemingly locked in thought.

"Something the matter?" Carth asked.

"It's just that…there's so much to do," Audrey said, gently squeezing Mission's hand. "We have to go after Mission's brother someday while also having to deal with whatever task the Council gives to Kael, Elena and Bastila. There definitely wouldn't be any time to look for my family, especially given the fact that I don't have a single lead to follow. Not to mention I probably won't even be able to recognize them after 25 years…"

"That doesn't matter, Audrey," Carth tried to convince her with a firm hold of her hands. "If you try hard and believe you can, you'll achieve what you set out to do. I know you will."

Audrey couldn't help but smile. "That's very nice of you to say, Carth, but…I doubt it'll ever come true. After this little group of ours eventually separates, I'm going to have to set out on my own to find my siblings. And no matter how much I want to do it, it seems an impossible task."

Carth put a firm hand on her shoulder. "You won't be alone. Trust me."

Audrey shook her head in incredulity. "Why…Why do you say that? Don't you think Mission's going to leave once she finds her brother on Tatooine?"

Carth smiled and chuckled a bit as he shook his head. He stroked Mission's cheek with a thumb as he looked down at her. "Not one bit. You've seen how she enjoys surprising Kael by throwing her arms around him when he least expects it. She pretty much loves him like a brother, and it makes me suspect that she loves Kael more than she does her real brother. I'm confident that she'll stick by us till the end."

Audrey disagreed. "That doesn't change the fact that I'll be alone in my search for my siblings. Right in front of your eyes is the end result of Mission's attempt to try to hold her own in a deadly fight. I'm not going to risk bringing her along in a search that'll possibly involve conflict with the Exchange, of all people!"

"She won't have to come, and you won't have to be alone, either," Carth spoke, looking at Audrey with determined eyes.

Audrey held her fingers over her lips as her eyes trembled. "You…you don't mean…"

Carth nodded. "I do. I'll be coming with you after all this business with the Sith is concluded. We can both search for our families. Together."

"But…but you're a Captain in the Republic Fleet. Surely your duties will—"

"After the war is finished, I'm going to resign from duty. I've seen enough war to haunt me until the day I die." He meant it – every word. Not a hint of a second thought could be seen in his eyes.

"But still, it's so dangerous, the road I have to travel. This is the Exchange we're talking about, Carth. I'll probably end up dying or even worse. Why would you want to help me, knowing the dangers I'll have to face?"

Carth turned to face her directly and put his hands on the sides of Audrey's arms, warming her with his touch as he looked her straight in the eyes. "Because that's what you do for those you…care about…"

"…Carth…," Audrey began to silently weep, overwhelmed and overjoyed by his support. The ice around her heart had been slowly thawing ever since she came across her new friends. By now, the very last inch was on the verge of completely melting away, freeing the impulses that had been subdued for so many years. She caressed the side of his face with a gentleness that he had not felt ever since the day he left his beloved wife and child home to go to war.

Carth's hands slowly slid upward, moving away from her arms and up her shoulders. She inwardly relished and cooed at the touch, and her eyes slowly closed, sending a fresh teardrop of joy rolling down her face. Opening her eyes, she could see that he was slowly moving towards her, staring down at her pale lips.

Yes…

She shuddered with pleasure the moment Carth's hands made contact with the side of her neck, continuing to move up until his hands were cupping her delicate cheeks and filling them with warmth.

Closer.

The gap between them grew smaller and smaller, and their heated breaths bounced off one another. Their mouths slightly opened, each of them hungering for the one emotion that had been lacking in their lives for years as they closed their eyes. The tips of their noses made first contact as Carth turned his head to lock lips with her. Maybe…just maybe with Carth by her side, everything would turn out alright…

Closer…

"Nyeaargh…," a hushed Wookiee growl came from the door which quietly creaked open. Carth and Audrey immediately broke apart at the sound, and they both looked back at Zaalbar who came in with a wooden spoon and warm cylindrical container of soup to feed Mission while she slept.

"Didn't Mission ever teach you to knock?" Audrey scolded him quietly with a wincing glare. Zaalbar growled again in embarrassment – manners and etiquette according to human standards was something he never truly got acquainted with.

"Don't worry, bud – we appreciate the help," Carth assured Zaalbar with a smile and motioned him over. Zaalbar walked forward and crouched down in the space that Carth vacated for him next to the bed, then placed the container down on the side of the bed beside Mission's head.

"You're going off, are you?" Audrey asked as she looked over her shoulder at Carth who moved towards the door. A definite feeling of disappointment could be seen in her eyes, and it ever so slightly pained Carth to see it.

"Yeah," he nodded, his hand on the door as he looked behind at her. "I have a feeling that I'll have to do some final checks on the Hawk before we eventually leave."

"Kael has to come back first, you know," she correctly noted.

"He'll be back, Audrey, trust me," Carth said. "After the hell we faced together on Taris, he can do anything."

"Let's hope," Audrey replied, gently biting her lower lip out of concern.

"I'll see you at dinner?" Carth asked, setting one foot outside.

"We'll probably have to eat in here, considering Mission's state," Audrey sighed. "Even if she opens her eyes, she'll be too lethargic to move."

"Sounds fine, I guess. I always preferred peace and quiet to the noise of the dining hall." He then gave her a small wave of his hand and smiled warmly at her. "I'll see you later, then."

Despite the overwhelming feeling of concern for Mission's wellbeing, Audrey couldn't help but smile back as she waved back with delicate fingers. "Bye…"

The door clicked behind Carth who departed, and Audrey kept her smile as she took up the spoon and container. She cooled a hot spoonful soup with her breath before feeding it to Mission, and a small teardrop glistened on her eyelids as she fondly remember how her mother used to treat her in the very same way whenever she fell ill during her youth.

She looked down at the young girl whom she now undeniably loved with all her heart, and made a vow to never let anyone hurt her ever again. A thought full of hope occupied her mind as she looked out the window at the skies which suddenly began to clear, with rays of sunshine shining through the clouds.

Perhaps, if we stick together through all the trials which come our way, we can all accomplish what we set out to do…

-o-

"You came here seeking information…did you not?"

Kael stood deathly still, his eyes not even daring to blink while his lips trembled eerily. Was the machine trying to manipulate him, or was this the start of an honest exchange of words?

"I…I have, yes," he nervously nodded in answer. "I came deep into this place after seeing a vision of Revan and Malak. Would you know anything about it?"

"…" The droid went strangely silent. What could be regarded as its 'eyes' narrow ever so slightly at the mention of the two names, almost as if it bore a grudge.

"You do? Or you do not?" Kael pressed, slowly but surely regaining his composure and nerves.

After a moment's pause, the droid answered. "The two men you've mentioned have indeed come through here. They came seeking the secrets of this place, and I have encountered them. They defeated me, just as you have, and burned into my memory knowledge of the language you refer to as 'Galactic Basic'." Even for a droid, its responses were filled with such realistic emotion, almost as if speaking to a real living being.

The more Kael asked for answers, the more questions came to mind. "Just what are the secrets of this place? And why did I encounter the visions I saw after I came here?"

The droid suddenly turned and began to walk away from Kael, who promptly followed. "The visions you speak of are products of a strong concentration of energy in this place you refer to as 'The Force'. Many have come here before you over several decades, driven by their curiosity as to why this place so strongly resonates with energies. All have perished, save for yourself and the ones you call Revan and Malak."

Kael stayed silent, instead closely observing a large and spherical stone object mounted on a large pedestal of some kind that the droid was leading him towards in the darkness. It was clearly made of stone, and yet not a single chip or dent of decay could be seen despite the highly humid and moist conditions which surrounded it.

"As for the secrets of this place that you mention…," the droid said, stopping once it came before the object, "this is the object you seek."

Kael halted and looked up, unsure of what to make of it. "A giant rock," he remarked dully. "This is a giant rock."

The droid muttered grumpily in a strange and foreign language, looking down as it shook its head. Mocking Kael's stupidity, no doubt. Then, with a thrust of its hand, it pressed hard upon the surface of the rock. Suddenly the sphere began to crack and crumble, then with lightning speed dissipated into countless tiny balls as small as marbles which were suspended in midair by a mystical force. The balls began to whirr with noise and came to life with brilliant silver light, illuminating themselves as their arrangements and different sizes resembled the appearance of…

"The galaxy?" Kael noted with shock and awe. "But how?"

"Millennia ago, before the recorded history of any of your sentient species, the Builders were masters of the galaxy. The glorious Infinite Empire stretched from one corner of the galaxy to the other, encompassing limitless stars and planets. All the planets you see before you – every single one – was once a colony of the Builders, and their inhabitants living, working and dying as the Builders saw fit."

"These…'builders'…who were they, exactly?"

The droid stood with its hands behind its back, giving Kael a tired look as it continued to explain. "The masters of the galaxy. All lesser races were forced to work for the glory of the Infinite Empire, fuelling the power of the Star Forge and creating living space for the master race to inhabit before being executed after they outlived their usefulness."

Such cruelty…it puzzled and pained Kael to think that any sentient species were capable of not only performing, but endorsing such brutality.

"To ensure that all slaves obeyed without question, several overseers such as I were created by the masters. Any and all who disobeyed or attempted to flee during construction were promptly executed. In particular, those who were charismatic and brave enough to be the leaders and figureheads of massed rebellions were either skinned or burned alive."

Kael felt his blood go cold at the last sentence, but nevertheless held back his stomach's urges to respond to the mental picture. Dumbfounded by the design of the droid, he realized that he had not even asked it what it was when he first saw it in its true form. But now that he knew not only the droid's origin, as well as the horrific genocide that it admitted to carrying out, a part of Kael wished he hadn't heard the truth.

"This 'Star Forge'…just what is it?" Kael asked.

"It is an object of unstoppable conquest. Whomsoever wields its power will know no defeat. Beyond that I can tell you no more."

No defeat…unstoppable conquest…Could it be this weapon that is currently fuelling the Sith war effort? It made sense, seeing as Revan and Malak undoubtedly came through here. Whatever it was, finding the secrets of this 'Star Forge' could be the path to ensuring the Republic's salvation.

"I understand that you are not permitted to tell me further about what the Star Forge is or what it does," Kael noted. "But surely you can tell me how I can find it? Surely Revan and Malak have asked you the same question?"

The droid was a fascinating one indeed, for it glared at Kael the same way an irritated information assistant who was running low on caffa and patience would stare at a persistent and pest-like tourist. "The answer lies before you," it said, pointing with its index finger at a particular planet which noticeably glowed red as opposed to the countless others.

Upon close inspection of the map of the galaxy, Kael realized in a short period of time that the planet he was looking at was indeed Dantooine. With a gesture of the droid's hand, several more planets began to glow with a red hue. Glowing cyan lines joined each red dot, forming what was some kind of guide as to which planets were vital in locating the Star Forge.

"Dantooine, Tatooine, Kashyyyk, Manaan, and…Korriban," he recognized the planets one by one, then looked at the droid. "What does this mean?"

The droid narrowed its eyes once again, clearly frustrated by what it perceived as thick-headedness on Kael's part. "On those worlds lie artefacts just like this which will eventually allow you to locate the Star Forge. Stand before them, one by one as you visit each world. The Star Maps are imbued with the power of what you refer to as 'The Force'. They will sense your presence, as did this one, and provide you the information you seek."

The droid swiftly waved its hand at the Star Map, which promptly withdrew back into its condensed shell form, robbing the chamber of close to all light except for the dim hue which emanated from the droid's body.

"If you have no further questions," the droid said, turning to face Kael, "you should leave. You have overstayed your welcome here." It then faced away from him and proceed to depart, before being stopped as Kael called out to it.

"Wait!" Kael cried out, holding out a hand. "How can I leave this place? There seems to be no exit!"

The droid tilted its head slightly sideways and muttered. "Follow your heart and your visions of the ones who came before. That is how you came here, is it not?"

Then, Kael remembered. That one sight which still haunted his thoughts despite all the revelations about the Star Forge that currently boggled his mind.

"One more question," he softly said. "Before, when we fought, you took on the form of Darth Revan, and when he was defeated and I took off his mask, his face was that of mine. What did that mean?"

The droid remained silent for some time. Finally, it generated the sound of a soft sigh and spoke. "Think of it as you will."

"Enough with the riddles!" Kael lost his temper, finally yelling at the droid. "Tell me what the true reason behind it is!"

The droid turned its head sideways and stared at Kael with blank eyes. It whispered ever so softly, engraving its words into the deepest recesses of Kael's memory.

"Some things…you must discover and understand for yourself."

Before Kael knew it, the droid's lights died out, and it shimmered into the darkness. Desperate to track down the droid and interrogate it for more answers, Kael pulled out his lightsaber and activated it, shining its brilliant blue light around out of vain hope. It was for nought, however, as the droid was now completely out of sight, with not even a footstep to be heard.

Dismayed, Kael swallowed nervously and began to take the first step out of possibly thousands, hoping to escape the cave with his life intact. But no matter how hard he wished and willed for the Force to show him another vision or even the slightest sign to help guide him to safety, no such assistance would come. He trekked on, hope quickly fading in his heart as he found himself utterly alone in the dark, with nothing visible except for the glow of his lightsaber.

Then, a crackle of rocks behind him. He spun around in an instant, only to see nothing. Another snap sounded, this time from the direction he had turned away from.

Such strange sounds, one after the other in separate places…

Oh no…

That could only mean…

Kael's blood went cold and his face flushed of all its color when he saw again those dreadful pairs of red eyes gleaming in the darkness.

They had followed him somehow, here of all places.

One at a time, pairs of red orbs of fiery hunger came to life until at last a sea of them completely surrounded the hopeful Padawan.

There was no way out. No matter where he looked, Kael was met with the sight of devilish eyes drawing closer in by the second, and their low salivating growls echoed throughout the chamber.

Holding his lightsaber by his side, Kael stared down and breathed a sigh of regret. He would never see Elena again…Would never get to tell her what emotions his heart truly held for her.

With one final act of courage, Kael held his lightsaber in front of him with both hands while staring straight into the eyes of the beast that was closest to him. A chorus of screeches and howls engulfed the chamber as the beasts charged en masse towards the helpless Kael. The last thing he saw before his senses gave out were a pair of hellish red eyes and rows of sharp, blood-soaked teeth.

A/N: This will probably be the last update I do until mid to late November, seeing as I have end-of-year university exams coming up in early November. I promise you it'll be worth the wait, as you're probably very curious what happens to Kael/Revan. It'll also be an outcome you don't expect. So stay tuned until then!

Before I forget to mention, please have a read of, and review/fave/follow "Until the Stars Fade", by R. Constance. It's a very good fic in my opinion (extremely under-reviewed/favorited/followed), focusing primarily on Revan and Bastila while they search for the Star Maps. It's understandable that many of you may have overlooked it because of the "Meh, it's another bland and orthodox KOTOR I walkthrough fic" mentality that a lot of us have, but I assure you it's unique in that it focuses heavily on Bastila's rapid change of emotions towards Revan. So have a look at it, as you won't be disappointed.

Thanks once again for all the support you guys – especially the regular reviews – have given me so far. Hopefully I'll get another update out for you in November.