Before we begin today's chapter, I would like to point out some things. As some of you, who are familiar with the lore of Star Wars, will notice that I have made some changes. I am aware that you must "bleed" the kyber crystal. But I wanted to do something a little different. I understand the lore, I just wasn't too fond of the whole "bleeding the crystal" thing. I am more of a legends person. To be fair, the legends lore the red crystal were forged not found like the normal crystals.
Anyway, I just figured I would add my own spin to make the story more interesting. With that out of the way, let us begin.
It was not every day that Count Dooku was surprised or even thrown off his guard.
The Great Plan of the Sith had gone off without a hitch. Kamino's clone army had come to the jedi's rescue. The battle here on Geonosis would end one way or another, but the war had finally begun.
His master would be pleased.
Yet, something in the back of Dooku's mind bothered him. He almost felt anxious. As if something was telling him to run. Was it the force? No, it couldn't be. The Force would have alerted him.
Yet the Force felt oddly silent. As if it was anticipating something.
Footsteps could be heard coming from the hallway across the hangar. Two from the sound of it. Dooku turned to see two jedi standing before him. One he recognised immediately. Qui-Gon Jinn's former apprentice now Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi. The other was a torgruta. A female from the looks of it.
"You will pay for all the jedi you've killed today, Dooku." She said.
"We'll take him together." Obi-Wan said. "Remember your training."
The two drew their lightsabers and got into their combat stances.
Ah, Soresu and Djem So. Defense and offensive paired together. How fitting.
"Well, old man, what will it be? Fight or flight?" taunted the torgruta.
" This is no mere sparing session, youngling." Dooku said.
KSSSSSHHHH!
"Consider this a trial by fire." Dooku brought his blade to face in a salute.
"Now!" Kenobi commanded.
The two Jedi advanced with swiftness. They covered the distance but the Torgruta was closer and begun her assault. Her green lightsaber swung but Dooku had parried the blow with ease just before Kenobi attempted a thrust to the count's midsection. Dooku dodge with grace and speed that was unlike his old age. The force was strong within him. No doubt about it.
The torgruta attempted to make strike from behind but Dooku deflected the blow and the two jedi re-doubled their efforts. Kenobi and the youngling attack in unison. Dooku shifted his stance and began parrying their attacks one after the another. The youngling made a mistake and overshot her attack and Dooku capitalized on it. With a thrust of his hand, Dooku forced pushed the torgruta with such power that she flew to the far side of the hangar and smashed against the wall. She fell to the ground and a crunch could be heard. Something broke and Kenobi swore he saw bleeding.
"Clearly you have only recently took her under your wing." Dooku said. "You disappoint me. Surely you could better."
It was Dooku's turn to attack and attack he did. Kenobi was on the defensive. Deflecting, parrying, and dodging whenever he could, but the count's offense was swift and difficult to keep up with. Even as a Soresu user, Obi-Wan struggle to maintain his defense. It was like even the smallest crack in his armor became open wounds for Dooku to strike.
Eventually, Dooku overwhelmed his defensives and cut straight to Obi-Wan's leg and arm. Kenobi cried out in pain, but that wasn't the worse wound yet.
Dooku stretch his hand out and blue arcs of lightning blasted out his fingers and struck Kenobi, engulfing the Jedi in torturous agony. Sending him soaring across the floor and sliding next to his padawan.
Dooku sighed in disappointment.
He deactivated his lightsaber and began walking to his ship. He had to report to his master.
The hangar lights started blinking erratically. Dooku stopped. Was it just him or was it...
COLD.
A loud groaning sound could be heard and Dooku looked up to see his ship collapsing and folding on itself as if some invisible hand was crushing it. Retreating from the gangway, he immediately went for the emergency exit that was at the rear of the hangar, but the doors slammed shut.
It was getting colder. Dooku turned towards the hallway entrance but stopped as a shadow approached. Dooku finally realized why it was suddenly cold.
It couldn't be.
A hooded figure walked into the hangar and halted at the entrance. Dooku and the figure stared down one another. Then the figure removed his hood.
It was not every day that Count Dooku was surprised or even thrown off his guard. This was one of those days. The figure was a boy. No older than perhaps 17 or 18 standard years. His hair was dark brown and shaggy. Yet his black blind fold hid his eyes yet his there was a scar going down his left cheek. His face held a stoic visage that would only be seen by the masters of the jedi council.
The boy then tossed the cloak aside and the true terror was revealed. The boy was shirtless from waist up. But his torso was a patchwork of scars and past injuries. His right arm was a prosthetic. At his waist sat two lightsabers.
This was no ordinary padawan and all at once, Dooku knew exactly who this was.
"I had heard rumors about you. It's not every day my former master takes up another padawan. The infamous, Anakin Skywalker."
"Count Dooku." Anakin greeted with a soft almost whispery voice.
For a moment there was silence. Dooku was examining this boy, no, this creature that stood before him. Then the Count Spoke again.
"The force is strong within you, young skywalker. But tell me, are you truly a jedi?"
"I am." Skywalker simply replied. "As I shall always be."
"You are unlike any jedi I have ever seen before. Granted, I heard the rumors, but to see you standing before me-"
"It is because of Qui-Gon Jinn that I even have the opportunity to stand here." Anakin declared. "I mourned his lost as much as you did. I knew what he meant to you."
Dooku scowled. "You know nothing, boy."
"I know deep down you are hurt. You were a father and he was practically your son."
"DON"T YOU DARE!" Dooku yelled. Drawing his lightsaber once more. "Qui-Gon died defending this carcass of a republic. The jedi are but mere tools serving their true masters on the senate. You are but Yoda's lap dog."
"And so are you to your master." Anakin said.
"Don't you think for one second that just because we were taught by the same master that we are on equal footing. You are just a boy and one that has lost more than just an arm by the looks of it."
"Care to test that theory?" Anakin challenged. He drew his two lightsabers and activated them. Twin crimson blades spat out from the hilts.
"Red. Ha! And you call yourself a jedi." Dooku mocked. "Come then, boy. Let us see what our master has taught you.
TO BE CONTINUED.
AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW! You already know what to do. Read, like, and comment. Till next time.