Chapter 132: Massacre
One must let go of the past to hold onto the future.
Recap: Sinister forces on the move. Asajj Ventress has suffered a humiliating betrayal at the hands of her own assassin, Savage Opress. Having gone into hiding, she now has no choice but to seek sanctuary with the Nightsisters of Dathomir.
A ship was shown approaching Dathomir. Inside was Ventress, as after failing to kill Dooku with her plan, she hid to conceal herself from having her former master detect her. Now, after taking some time to reevaluate herself, she was heading back home. The Nightsisters saw the ship as they readied their weapons but settled down when they saw Ventress exit and walk toward the temple.
Once inside, she began to approach Mother Talzin in the sanctuary.
"Sister, I knew you'd return," said Mother Talzin as she hugged the assassin.
"I've been hiding. Reevaluating," said Ventress.
"I suspected as much," responded Mother Talzin.
"Savage, that monster we created, has forsaken us. He refused my guidance and escaped into the galaxy. I have nothing." stated Ventress as her quest for revenge against Dooku was still not fulfilled.
"You have your breath, your skill, and your sisters. You have everything needed to survive. You must give up the ways of the Sith and return to our fold. You will leave Dooku's absurd war behind and remain with us. No longer to be ordered about. You will be loyal to no one but your sisters and yourself." addressed the witch.
"And then?" asked Ventress.
"And then, you will fulfill your destiny and become a true Nightsister," stated Mother Talzin.
On Serenno, a massive droid army was being assembled. While Mother Talzin and the Nightsisters were willing to move on from the Sith and Jedi war, Dooku was not. He hadn't forgotten how his life was almost taken as he assumed that Mother Talzin had some hand in that and how Savage was a tool created by them to kill him. And now, the time had come for revenge against the witches themselves.
"You summoned me, My Lord?" said Grevious as he was present and bowed before Dooku.
"The time has come at last to take revenge on Asajj Ventress and the witch, Mother Talzin. I have learned Ventress has returned to Dathomir. Go there and wipe the witches out. All of them. Their illusions do not frighten me." stated Dooku.
"Yes, Master," said Grevious as he was given his marching orders and turned to leave.
Dooku held a defiant face as it panned behind him to show Sunset was leaning against a pillar with her arms crossed.
"You sure he can get the job done?" taunted Sunset.
"That's why you're going as well. Eliminate our foes and if you run into Ventress... kill her!" stated Dooku with a cold expression.
"Deal," smiled Sunset.
The girl got up and approached some B1 droids with garments in their hands. With one transition of a cloth flying across the screen, the girl was now wearing the new garments that Dooku had gotten her as she wore all black robes and a leather cape that flapped in the wind; Sunset exited the base as she saw Grievous heading to the ship while shouting the orders to the droids.
"Assemble the fleets. The time to exact vengeance against the traitor, Ventress, has arrived. We go to Dathomir to battle." shouted Grievous as he got onboard with Sunset slowly getting on.
On Dathomir, the Nightsisters and Mother Talzin were having a small ritual taking place. Ventress was shown entering the pool as she approached Mother Talzin.
"Do you pledge yourself to the sisterhood, to the magics, and the old ways?" asked Mother Talzin to Ventress.
"I do," responded Ventress as she bent on a knee.
"Do you abandon your old life for this new one?"
"I do."
"Your loyalty? Your life?"
"My loyalty. My life."
Ventress then lay down as magic smoke began to surround her. Mother Talzin worked her magic and charm; she was chanting and moving her hands about as Ventress was lifted and surrounded by green enchantment swirls. They entered Ventress as her eyes rolled to the back of her head; she was then set down as her eyes returned to normal and looked at Mother Talzin.
"You are now reborn a sister of the night. Welcome."
"Thank you, Mother," said Ventress.
"And now, we feast and celebrate the baptism of our new sister!" declared Mother Talzin as the other Nightsisters all cheered.
At that moment, emerging from hyperspace was the Separatist fleet.
"We are now approaching Dathomir," said a droid to both Sunset and Grievous.
"Begin landing our troops," ordered Grievous.
The shuttles carrying the droids were shown flying out of the Separatist ships as some vulture droids zoomed ahead. The planet of Dathomir was in front of them as they entered the planet's orbit and began to descend into its atmosphere.
As this was happening, a festive party was happening for the Nightsisters as they all gathered around a fire and were laughing and making chatter while a few did some dances. Ventress was shown seated next to one of her fellow comrades.
"I am privileged to be your sister."
"Thank you, Karis," said Ventress to the Nightsister next to her.
Before the party could continue, engines whooshing overheard were heard. Ventress and the others stood up and looked to the sky to see the droids fly by.
"Droid fighters. Scatter!" shouted Ventress.
An air strike followed as it was aimed in the path of the Nightsisters. Explosions occurred as the Nightsisters all leaped out of the way, some even taking cover.
"Prepare yourselves, sisters! The war has come to Dathomir!" shouted Mother Talzin to the group as they all drew their weapons and prepared to fight.
The ships carrying the massive droid armies were shown landing. They touched down as the doors opened. Grievous was seated in his chair as he began to give orders while Sunset was leaning against the wall next to him.
"Establish a perimeter and get the droids in attack formation. We'll burn a path through the forest right to their fortress," stated the cyborg.
"You sure are underestimating these witches, dumbass," snickered Sunset as the cyborg growled at the girl making her snippy comments as usual.
The doors opened as the droids began to march out of it. Superbattle and regular droids were shown as even tanks started to roll out. The massive army started heading into the forest, leading them to their targets. Mother Talzin was preparing her troops for the coming fight at the fortress.
"Gather your weapons!" addressed the witch to the Nightsisters.
"The droid army is only here because of me. And so many are going to die," said Ventress as she felt she was to blame for what was about to happen.
"There is no time for regret. Now we must fight," said Mother Talzin as she tried to get Ventress to focus as she would be leading her sisters into battle.
"That gutless coward, Grievous, is coordinating the attack. I can sense it," said Ventress; however, she was unaware that Sunset was also present as the Dark Side of the Force had concealed her presence, showing just how much more powerful the girl was now.
"You know the droids. It gives us an advantage," stated Mother Talzin.
They both turned forward as the bomber droids returned for one more run. They let loose another barrage of missiles as they connected with the temple and made a statue fall. It fell into another statue as a Nightsister who was under it saw and let out a scream.
"Karis!" shouted Ventress as she rushed to her comrade's aid.
She used the Force to lift the pillar off her sister and held her in her hands.
"Go and lead us to victory," spoke Karis softly as she took her final breath and closed her eyes.
Explosions began to boom behind Ventress as she bent her head and vowed to keep her word to her fallen comrade. Blasters were shown firing as the Nightsisters were now running ahead to engage their foes. They took cover behind some rocks as in front of them, the first section of droids was marching toward them while firing. The Nightsisters began to fire back as they pulled on their bows and began to pick the droids off. Mother Talzin began to move her hands as she made a magic barrier around her; the shots didn't affect it, and some energy shot out to take out the droids.
"We will need an army to fight Grievous," said Ventress as she had her lightsabers out.
"I will speak with Old Daka. She will get us the reinforcements we need," said Mother Talzin.
"Follow me, sisters. Attack!" shouted Ventress to her comrades as they all ran out from their cover and toward the droids.
Ventress leaped and spun in the air as she sliced several droids coming down. She then ran and slashed at the remaining ones as they took out the first wave of droids and entered deeper into the forest.
"Take to the trees, sisters. We shall attack the droids from above and below," instructed Ventress as the others trusted her.
Half of the Nightsisters leaped into the trees and began to run along them, as the other half covered the ground with her. They engaged the next wave of droids as the ones in the trees began to shoot at them from above, as Ventress led the ground force and was slicing any droids as she ran by them. Some of the droids began to run along some of the roots to take out the Nightsisters above as they were taken out before being given a chance. Ventress was mowing down many droids as she swung her lightsabers and pushed the larger army back.
"Sir, there is heavy fighting along the eastern front. Reports indicate Ventress is leading the attack," said one of the B1 droids as the control panel.
"Looks like we might take her out much more quickly than expected," smiled Sunset.
"Send in the Defoliator tank. We'll burn those witches to the ground," ordered Grievous.
While this was happening, in the fortress of the Nightsister, Mother Talzin was executing the next part of her plan to help Ventress.
"Go to my chamber. There you will find a small metallic sphere. Bring it to the hidden cave." instructed Mother Talzin to two Nightsisters behind her.
"Yes, Mother," responded both as they left.
Mother Talzin watched them disappear as she approached a hall. She waved her arms about as the wall before her began to crack. It revealed a hidden cave and closed behind her as she entered it.
"Daka, as the oldest and wisest of us, I need you to resurrect our fallen sisters. Ventress will need the aid of the undead army to achieve victory," said Mother Talzin to the elderly witch seated.
"Then l will begin the chant of resurrection," said Daka as she began to chant.
"Choono slalem. Denni tay'lori olee-ay. Lucheno vadem klavlane. Blenay vedi nalem koreem. Blenay vedi nalem koreem! Villlos susko kono lamal! Vlemon tagoo!"
The elderly witch chanted the ancient words as the magic rod before her began to glow and shot out some magical green energy. It emerged from the cave and out of the temple as it entered the forest.
"Rise. Rise. Awake, dead sisters. Rise. Rise. Rise. Awake, dead sisters. Rise." stated Daka.
The energy seeped into pods hanging from the nearby trees as they served as burial for all fallen Nightsisters. The pods opened, and out came some skeleton Nightsisters as they stood up and let the magic take control of them. Their eyes glowed green as they roared and shrieked. They all turned and began to run at insane speeds toward the fight.
Ventress and her forces held their own as they took out commando droids. The assassin looked up and saw the next wave of droids as the tanks were with them.
"Fire the Defoliator," said one of the droids to his comrade in the tank next to him.
"Roger, roger."
A tank fired its shell as it landed over Ventress' head and a few meters behind the other Nightsisters. The ground erupted into fire and began to spread out as the Nightsisters were running away from it and managed to stay out of its blast radius as it calmed down. However, the other tanks fired as they were looking to burn the witches out and clear the forest. The droids continued to fire at where Ventress and her forces were as they took cover. Just then, a sound was heard. Ventress looked behind as the undead army that was summoned came rushing forward.
"The army of the dead, our reinforcements," said Ventress with a smile.
The undead army ran past them; they soon popped out and ran with them. The skeletons were living up to their tasks as they sliced and slashed at the droids with their claws and tanked blaster hits for the Nightsisters. One of the skeletons leaped onto a tank and ripped the head of the droid in it off. It then leaped off as Ventress tossed the body out and began to confiscate the vehicle. She turned it around, fired it at the other tanks as they exploded, and took out the nearby droids. A few of the tanks that weren't blown up were taken over by the Nightsisters, as they now had extra firepower.
"The undead will clear us a path right to Grievous," said Ventress to her comrades as they began to roll out.
"Ventress has her army now," stated Daka to Mother Talzin, who was maintaining the spell.
"Good. Now l can deal with Count Dooku," stated Mother Talzin as the entrance to the hidden cave opened, and the two Nightsisters she sent to fetch the sphere came in.
"We found it, Mother. Here is the orb you requested," said one of the Nightsisters.
"Well done," said Mother Talzin as she took the sphere and waved her hands to uncover what was inside. "Ah, here it is. A single lock of Count Dooku's silver hair. He should be more careful when making deals with witches."
Mother Talzin chuckled as the two Nightsisters brought a pot before her. A fire began to burn under it as the two assassins left to join the frontlines.
"Now for Dooku," said Mother Talzin as she approached the pot.
She dropped the strand of his hair into the pot as it seeped in. She did a bit of her magic as now rising was a wax doll-like figurine that looked like the Sith Lord. She held it in her hand as she smiled. At the same time, Dooku was in his office as he put his hand on his forehead. He soon felt some throbbing pain as small green dots appeared on his forehead.
Mother Talzin held the doll close to the pot as it affected Dooku. The Sith Lord grabbed his head as he was in pain and knocked over his chair before slamming his fists on the control panel.
"Talzin!" growled Dooku as he could tell the witch's magic was affecting him.
Ventress and her forces had made it out of the forest as they were now upon the ships. They were using the tanks to clear the droids in their way as some Superbattle droids put their arms out to stop her tank in its tracks. Ventress leaped out and began to step on the droids as she made her way to the ship, letting her forces take out the ones behind her. She jumped and landed in front of the ship's entrance as Grievous was shown walking down the ramp.
"Surprised?" asked Ventress to the cyborg.
"Hardly. You're the one l was sent here for," stated Grievous.
"Then fight me alone. Prove you're the greater warrior," taunted Ventress to her former ally.
"Well, well, isn't this a surprise," said Sunset.
Ventress looked up and behind Grievous as the cyborg turned. At the top of the ramp was none other than the teen, smiling sinisterly. While Ventress was surprised to see Sunset present, Grevious snarled as he told the girl that he would be the one to handle Ventress to prove himself to Dooku. Though the girl taunted him as he stormed off to prove her wrong.
"Look at this! All three of us are back together. Just like old times!" chuckled Sunset evilly.
"Sunset."
"Sup, Ventress. How have you been? Like the new threads?" said the girl as she did a hair flip and showed off her new attire. "Consider it a badge of honor representing what you never could do. If you couldn't handle being Dooku's apprentice, then maybe I should try it."
"And here I thought you were smarter," said Ventress to her former comrade.
"Oh, but I am smart. Unlike you, Ventress. 'Cause if I recall, every mission that you were given... you failed. But me, on the other hand, I get shit done. Plain and simple. Even the mission we were tasked with in getting back Nute Gunray, you only were successful because of my plan. I was the architect that designed it, I built it, I laid the groundwork!" shouted the bacon-haired girl. "You know I told you I was never interested in taking your place as Dooku's apprentice, but I probably should have done it a long time ago. Cause I'm clearly a much better apprentice than you ever were. Look at me now!"
"So you would sell your soul to the slug?!" stated Ventress.
"I sold my soul way before I ever met him. I sold my soul the moment I became a Jedi. And with Dooku's help, I can get that back. Cause once I get my revenge on Celestia, then... then..." chuckled Sunset insanely, "I can be at peace. I can be at peace, knowing that I stomped on the ashes of Celestia. I get to watch the sun set on a galaxy where Celestia no longer exists."
Sunset looked up at the sky as the sinister expression on her face lit up.
"I have something worth fighting for, Ventress. Unlike you. And when a girl has something worth fighting for, she's at her most dangerous and will do anything to get it. I'm now the baddiest bitch in the game!"
"Do you think he's just going to let you go once you get what you want? You're his puppet... and when you've served your purpose, he's going to cut your strings," said Ventress to the girl.
"I'm nobody's puppet! I'm Sunset freaking Shimmer! Too bad I can't say the same about you!" scoffed the girl. "Dumbass, try not to lose!" the teen snickered at Grievous as he turned to face Ventress for their duel.
"If l win, your army leaves. If you win, the Nightsisters will surrender to you," stated Ventress.
"I have always been greater than you," chuckled Grievous as he made his arms pop out and wielded four lightsabers.
"And yet, both of you are beneath," muttered Sunset to herself.
Grievous began to approach Ventress as the two lightsabers above him spun as Ventress had hers both pointed outward. She then swung as Grievous blocked them with the two above as she went for another strike that was blocked. As the two were fighting back in the cave, Mother Talzin was still torturing Dooku as she had the doll in her hand.
"Pain, Count Dooku."
The Sith Lord was on his bed, curled up as he clutched his head. He groaned in pain as his forehead was littered with green blobs.
"You will know terrible pain," said Mother Talzin as she dropped the doll into the pot.
Dooku was in more torture as he felt the pain. He was now squirming and twisting about in his bed as he screamed. Ventress and Grievous continued their fight as the assassin dodged the cyborg's latest attacks and clashed blades.
"Enough of this," stated Grievous as he kicked Ventress with his leg and sent her back.
She landed on her feet but stumbled as the cyborg approached her, and they clashed blades once more. Holding in place as they put more strength into overpowering the other.
"You think you can defeat me? You're nothing!" shouted Grievous as he pushed her back.
They swung their blades again, clashing with each other. Ventress began hammering away with her attacks, putting more power behind them as Grievous was being pushed back. Ventress's latest swing sliced off Grievous's arm as he fell to the ground. She stood over him victorious and was about to stab her lightsabers downward when she was being held in place. Sunset had her hand out and used her new boost Force powers to keep Ventress' entire body from moving. She looked up at the girl, who smiled, showing how much stronger she had been since becoming Dooku's apprentice.
"Kill her!" ordered Grievous to his droids to shoot.
The droids began to open fire on Nightsisters as Ventress broke free from Sunset's grip and blocked the blaster shots as the undead army and Nightsisters rushed forward. Sunset leaped into action as she landed and saw some of the undead coming at her to murder the girl.
"I ain't afraid of no zombies!" growled Sunset.
The girl slammed her hand on the ground as it opened up in response to her power. Upon initial reaction, many skeletons fell through, but soon the others leaped over or went around to get at her. She then stuck one hand out as Force Lightning was shocking the skeletons and used her other hand to push them away. Sunset then drew her lightsaber and began to slice at the undead rushing toward her, chopping their heads or bodies to pieces easily.
The girl managed to grab one of the skeletons coming at her as she now had her arm under its chin and held it in place. The skeleton tried to get out of the girl's grip as Sunset stood there with a sick, evil smile. With a wink, she brought her hands up and snapped the neck of the skeleton clean off its body as it slumped to the ground. The teen had the skeleton's head in her hand as she dropped it to the ground and stomped on it, turning it into pieces.
Ventress was holding her own but was soon shot in the shoulder by a blaster bolt as she fell to a knee. Grievous had recovered and stood over her as he cackled. He pulled out his lightsabers and was about to end her when some skeletons charged him. He sliced at them before many jumped on him and held him in place.
Ventress tried to use that distraction to get away but slumped to the floor. She was then picked up by one of her sisters but was shot in the back by the droids as she fell. Ventress thrust her hand out as she pushed the droids back, turning her comrade over to check on her.
"Doom is upon us, sister. Run. Save yourself." said the Nightsister as she gasped and took her final breath.
Ventress had a sad expression as she got up and did what was told. She was now slumping away into the forest. Sunset looked to see Grievous being overwhelmed by a bunch of skeletons that she rolled her eyes.
"You got to be kidding me," muttered the girl as she ran her lightsaber behind, not looking as her blade went through a skeleton's head and out the other side.
She then began to walk over to her useless comrade and used her Force to toss several of them off as it allowed Grievous to free his arms and start swinging at the undead, slicing them to pieces. Mother Talzin was still using her voodoo to inflict pain on Dooku as the Sith Lord was nearly in his final moments. He slumped against the transmission in his room as he contacted his allies on Dathomir.
"Grievous, Sunset, you two must stop Mother Talzin before she kills me. Follow the witch's magic. It appears as a green mist. Follow it to its source. And eliminate Talzin. Quickly!" shrieked Dooku as he was in immense pain.
"You're welcome, by the way!" stated Sunset to the cyborg for saving him again. She then looked to the air and saw a trail of green mist.
"Forget Ventress! Our new target is Mother Talzin. Follow me." stated the cyborg to the droids as they began to follow the two.
Dooku was on his bead when he let out a shriek as green mist emerged from inside his body and projected an image of Mother Talzin as she was contacting the Sith Lord.
"Call off your army and leave Dathomir at once," stated the witch.
"And let you and that traitor continue plotting against me? Never!" gasped Dooku.
"You're going to die either way. It's only a matter of how painful it will be," growled Mother Talzin as the green mist entered Dooku as he screamed.
Sunset and Grievous were approaching the fortress of the Nightsisters as they defended their home. Some focused on the droids behind them as others went for the pair. Grievous, cutting them down mercilessly as Sunset took out their weapons before flinging them back. They soon entered the temple and continued to follow the trail.
Dooku was moments away from reaching his end as Mother Talzin had the voodoo doll. She had a needle in her other hand and was looking to impale it on the doll's forehead, which would kill the Sith Lord instantly.
"Fire!" shouted Grievous as they followed the trail to the wall that was the hidden cave.
The droids blew it up as the entrance was uncovered. Rocks blew as Mother Talzin saw the cyborg enter as Grievous stabbed a nearby Nightsister on the ground. He then approached Daka as he, grabbed the elderly witch, and ran his lightsaber through her as she gasped. With her no longer continuing the spell, the undead was being affected.
With the remaining Nightsisters, they were battling against the droids with the undead by their side. The droid surrounded the remaining Nightsisters as the undead slumped to the ground. The droids stopped firing momentarily as they noticed the skeletons were no longer moving. They then turned their attention to the remaining Nightsister were helplessly slaughtered. And just like that, the entire clan and the bloodline of the Nightsisters were extinct.
Grievous turned to look at Mother Talzin as droids filed into the cave. They fired as Grievous went for a swing before the witch turned herself into a mist and vanished. The cyborg knocked the pot she was standing in front of, and it spilled. The mist inside began to evaporate, as with Dooku, a green mist came out of his mouth as he was no longer under Mother Talzin's voodoo magic.
Ventress was shown running through the jungle as she clutched her shoulder. She soon fell to the ground before picking herself up on her hands and knees. At that moment, a green mist appeared as an apparition of Mother Talzin appeared before her.
"It is over, sister."
"No one remains?" asked Ventress, as she was the sole survivor of the massacre of the Nightsisters.
"This is all my fault. Where do l go? What do l do?"
"This chapter is over. Your destiny will always be linked with ours. But you have your own path to follow now." said the apparition of Mother Talzin as she began to dissipate.
"No! Wait! You can't leave me here!" shouted Ventress as she was all alone.
She began to walk forward a bit, trying to figure out what to do next. She then came to a stop, awaiting her as if she knew she would come this way was Sunset. The girl stood there as she opened her eyes and smirked. She pulled out her lightsaber and turned it on.
"Time to cut some strings," stated Sunset as she took a stance.
Ventress grunted as she pulled out her lightsabers. She stared down at Sunset as the girl was eyeing her target. Ventress took a deep breath as she charged at Sunset with her lightsabers dragging along the floor. Ventress let out a battle scream as she leaped into the air; it zoomed in on Sunset's face as the girl smiled. Soon a slash was heard before everything faded to black.
Author's Note: And so we begin the final story arc for the season. This entire season has been nothing but story arcs that spans across multiplechapters. The extinction of the Nightsisters has occurred and Ventress is the sole survivor for her kind. And getting seeing how Necromancy was used by Mother Talzin to combat war and tortureDooku. Now the question is, where does she go from here? And Sunset, more determined to get serenity by ending Celestia's life. As always, leave a review expressing your thoughts and comments.