Obsidian Valley, Remnicore - Wild Space
3rd person POV...
The immense structure in the distance loomed over the wide canyon; even with a large portion of it completely broken off, the Pyramid still maintained a sinister presence.
Looking at the temple, Jarik could help the shiver he felt running down his spine, unable to quite understand the feeling behind it. One of the most uncomfortable things he felt was the void of emptiness left behind by the destruction of Malachor V, a constant reminder of the darker side of his heritage. And for some odd reason, gazing at this temple is bringing a very similar and unpleasant feeling.
Likewise, Ahsoka too shivered in its presence, her senses in the Force left extremely uncomfortable. It's almost as if the light within her, maybe Morai's spirit herself, is drawing inward in a subconscious effort to hide from the Darkness around them. She glances uneasily at Jarik, who shares similar unpleasant feelings.
"A Sith temple?" he remarks, looking at Cera.
The Togruta sorceress warily nods her head in confirmation.
"Yes... but this one is different, somehow," she replies. "The darkness here is ancient. It feels like the dark side, and yet it is not the same."
She shakes her head with a disgruntled expression and gazes at the two with uncertainty and concern.
"If you're truly set on this path, then it's something you'll have to do alone," she tells them.
"You can't come with us?" Ahsoka asks.
"I wish I could, but I can't. I am not sensitive to the Force, so if I am with you then you will not find whatever it is you are looking for," she bitterly explains, a worried expression on her face as she looks at them. "Are you certain that you want to go through with this?"
"We have to," Jarik says grimly. "Besides, we've dealt with worse."
"Actually, no, you have not," Cera rebukes sternly. "The Fallanassi have known about this temple for centuries, yet we don't know a thing about what is inside. Almost everyone who's tried investigating these ruins was driven to insanity. Of those that managed to escape the same fate, we only learned this: whatever power that resides here, this... Darkness... it is not of our universe."
As if on instinct, the three of them take a moment to gaze at the ancient structure before them. It looked ominously in the darkened landscape, partially shrouded by haze and smoke.
"So... happy thoughts, then," Jarik sighs.
"I have to go back," Cera informs them. "When you're ready, use this to contact me."
From a pouch on her belt takes out a beeper and hands it over to Ahsoka, who looks back with a determined, but reassuring gaze.
"We won't let anything happen to us, Cera. I promise," she says.
"How can you be so certain of that?" Cera demands.
Ahsoka hesitates for a moment, not quite meeting Cera's gaze, but eventually let's out a heavy sigh.
"Truthfully, I don't know," she admits. "But what I do know is that it's something we have to do."
Cera frowns with doubt and uncertainty, and Ahsoka steps forward to gently hold her hand in reassurance.
"If we don't make it back in two days, go to Xudi and Wialu and tell them what happened," she tells her.
"They'll be suspicious long before that," Cera scoffs mirthlessly in response. "Ok. Just... don't make me have to."
The two sisters hug each other before separating and Cera turns in preparation to depart, though pauses momentarily.
"A word of caution... the Pyramid will try to trick you," she adds uneasily, her gaze stern and full of warning. "It will prey on your fears, past and present. When you enter the canyon, remember that anything you see is an illusion, and nothing more."
Ahsoka and Jarik both nod in ready acknowledgement of her warning, and with one final and hesitant look, Cera begins walking back down the hill.
After watching her go for a few seconds they turn their focus towards the looming Pyramid in the distance, pondering it. It was almost... mesmerizing, in a way. The longer they stared at it, the more it felt as though something was pulling at their senses. As if it was reaching into their Force essence... even their very souls. Almost like it was aware of their presence, and was staring right back at them.
With some difficulty the pair pull their gaze away from the structure, shaking their heads to rid themselves of the strange sensation that was filling their minds. Jarik lets out a heavy sigh, glancing over at Ahsoka.
"Guess it's time for round two," he remarks humorlessly.
"Except I have no intention of losing this time," Ahsoka states firmly in reply.
Jarik nods his head in agreement, looking towards the canyon.
"Neither do I," he says.
Sith Temple, Obsidian Valley - Remnicore
He stirs from his slumber upon feeling a strange sensation, different from what he's felt for many years. Something that shines like a star amidst the great darkness.
Someone approaches. Someone full of Light, and blindingly so.
He frowns, pondering the strange presence. It has been so long since anyone ever came to this place, he can barely remember the exact time anymore. And yet as he focuses on… no, it is not just one person.
It is two. Two who share a peculiar connection. A connection that he has been waiting to feel ever since his arrival to this place, so long ago. Their connection is weak, flimsy, but it could not be anything else.
For the first time in a millennium, a smile formed on his face.
Canyon of the Depraved, Obsidian Valley - Remnicore
Jarik POV...
As Ahsoka and I traveled down from the ridge and through the wide valley, several strange features among the terrain made themselves evident.
Much of the ground was cold and rocky, somewhat like black obsidian. There were a few patches of soil spread throughout, but even that was completely black. Likewise, the few trees that had grown were devoid of color, frozen in windswept shapes. The only sound and movement noticeable came from the wind, which echoes across the valley like a siren's cry. Meanwhile, the only source of light that didn't come from the dim red sun were tiny floes of white lava dripping down from the cliffs.
And all the while, the looming shape of that Temple maintained a constant presence in the distance, always watching.
"I'm starting to think that Malachor is a better place than this," Ahsoka says, breaking through the silence.
"Eh... that's debatable," I say skeptically in response. "As dark and depressing as this place is, it feels almost... captivating, in a way."
I spare a moment to glance at the Temple, pondering the strange feeling it exudes. However, my focus is pulled away from it when Ahsoka lets out a faint noise of discomfort, holding a hand to her abdomen.
"It's the Pyramid you're feeling," she warns me, grimacing a bit more.
"Are you okay?" I ask in concern, moving to stand beside her worriedly.
"I don't think Morai likes it here," she says anxiously. "It feels like something is pulling at her light..."
I frown in surprise and concern, uncertain of how to respond to that.
"Does it... does it hurt?" I ask her.
"Only a little bit," she admits, moving her hand from her abdomen up to rub at her forehead. "It's not unbearable though."
"Well if it gets any worse, we should probably pull back and try to figure out something else," I suggest.
Ahsoka nods in agreement but then pauses, narrowing her eyes at something behind me. In an unspoken message she gestures with a pointed finger and I turn around to see what caught her gaze―a short ways away from us amongst the windswept trees is a humanoid figure, which is oddly enough hovering above the ground, as well as giving off a dull red glow. It looks almost... translucent.
While our bond is not yet intact, Ahsoka and I still instinctively react accordingly without the need to communicate―she gives me one of her lightsabers while I take a step forward, both of us tensing up in anticipation of the need to confront this thing. However, just as soon as we laid eyes on the spectral figure it immediately disappears.
"You saw what I did, right?" Ahsoka asks after a moment of silence.
"Creepy red person floating by the trees?" I say in acknowledgement.
"Yeah, though it almost looked like..." she trails off, furrowing her brow in uncertainty before shaking her head. "Nevermind. Let's keep going."
Sparing another glance at the trees where that figure vanished into thin air, I place my hand around Ahsoka's back in a protective manner while ushering us both along, farther down the slope and into the valley.
Closer to the Pyramid.
There are so many strange and frightening things he's encountered in his years, the worst of which still rather fresh in his mind.
But venturing here, to this dark and dreary world, is bringing about a strangely disturbing sensation of fear. Like the fear children carry of a monster in the closet. Fortunately he has his friend, his reliable companion with him on his quest, as well as his own strength of will and determination.
"You feel it, don't you?" Malak inquires of him.
"I do," he acknowledges in response, disturbed by it. "This Darkness... it is unlike anything I've ever felt before. Be cautious."
~...caution...~
The two Jedi Knights go still in alarm, both hearing the strange and disembodied voice quite clearly in their heads.
~...a futile conception...~
Up ahead, a bright light from the side of the broken Pyramid shines directly on them, almost like a spotlight.
~...violence...beauty...truth...these things await you, Force wielders...~
He holds a hand up to cover his eyes from the light, while at the same time feeling an other-worldly presence entering his mind.
He might even say he was terrified of it.
While the slopes along the valley were rather open, our path towards the Sith Temple soon brought us down onto the canyon below, where the view of the landscape was much more restricted. No matter where we went, however, it seems that some part of the Temple was always visible to us.
We weren't in the canyon for very long before the first signs of an ancient Sith civilization made itself prevalent. The path ahead of us is littered with the ruins of what looks like an old battlefield. Dozens of posts stand scattered around the area, each bearing a tattered flag. The ground is covered in rusted suits of armor and fossilized beings, carrying the faint presence of death. It reminds me a lot of the ruins surrounding Malachor's Sith Temple.
"A battle took place here. Long ago," Ahsoka murmurs.
"Must be the same kind of story as Malachor," I deduce, only slightly interested.
However, to my surprise and curiosity she shook her head in disagreement, as if the true story is being revealed to her.
"No… it's different," she says, frowning. "Ancient Sith fought here, but there were no Jedi. Something else attacked them."
"How do you know that?" I ask her.
Again, she rubs her forehead.
"I'm… not sure," she admits uneasily.
I'm starting to have some suspicions, however, and I imagine she's thinking along the same line of thought too, though it's a slightly unsettling implication for me to mull over.
I'm pulled out of my thoughts however, upon spotting another spectral figure close by.
Watching us.
"Maybe that knows," I say, pointing it out to her.
Ahsoka narrows her eyes at the ghostly figure, which like before, is exuding a faint red glow.
"What is that?" Ahsoka mutters uneasily.
"Looks like a... a ghost," I suggest.
If it is a ghost, however, it's nothing like what I would typically expect. I've spoken to spirits of the deceased plenty of times already, but none of them have looked like this one. If this is indeed a ghost, it can't be through natural means.
Strangely enough, the more I look at this spectral figure, the more familiar it seems. It almost looks like... Vifi?
No, no that can't be right. I must be seeing things.
I almost jump in surprise when a disembodied voice breaks the silence to speak directly in my mind; judging by Ahsoka's reaction, she can hear it to.
~Welcome, Sun and Moon. We have been waiting.~
As soon as the voice fades the ghost follows suit, disappearing into thin air. Along with the ghost vanishing, an unsettling, almost haunting, cry echoes faintly through the air.
Likewise, an encompassing dark presence also retreats from over us, though still lingers just out of reach. I almost didn't notice it. I shiver in place at the feeling, anxiously tightening my grip on Ahsoka's lightsaber.
"I don't like this," I say warily.
"Cera said the Pyramid uses our fears to manipulate us," Ahsoka recalls, glancing at me.
"I don't think either of us is afraid of ghosts…" I point out with a skeptical look.
"...more so who the ghost is," she replies grimly.
I withhold a sigh of unease, grimly acknowledging that statement. Ghosts certainly don't frighten me, but lost friends or enemies haunting me isn't anything new to me, or her. I'd imagine any Jedi, or soldier, who fought in the Clone Wars would agree.
"What else did she say...?" I ask softly, frowning as I recall her words. "Anything we see is an illusion."
"We probably don't want to get separated then," she replies, and I nod in agreement.
Just then, a scuttling noise of metal against rock suddenly echoes from nearby, and I tense up at the sound.
"Did you hear that?" I ask Ahsoka.
She pauses for a moment to listen, frowning.
"…No," she warily replies. "What did you hear?"
I glance at her uneasily, not entirely sure how best to describe it.
"It almost sounded like…" I start to say.
Before I can finish my sentence a cold metal hand lunges forward out of nowhere and grabs my neck, squeezing hard. I let out a choked cry of surprise and panic, instinctively grappling with the metal hand, and vaguely notice Ahsoka to be in the same predicament. We're lifted easily off the ground and held face to face with our captor, to which I widen my eyes in terrified disbelief.
Glaring directly at is none other than the metal faceplate of General Grievous.
The droid general lets out a vicious and triumphant growl and tightens his grip on my neck, switching his gaze between the two of us.
"After all these years, you Jedi are still as weak as ever!" he says mockingly, falling into cough-riddled laughter.
Scowling, gritting my teeth, I push through the pain and grip Grievous' arm tightly with my hand, squeezing with as much pressure I can manage. Me and Ahsoka then simultaneously thrust one palm out and hit Grievous with a concentrated push of Force energy, sending him flying across the narrow canyon.
We both fall to the ground and I gasp in relief, coughing a few times as air comes rushing through my throat again.
"What in the Force!?" Ahsoka cries out between coughs.
I get to my feet, helping her up as well, and quickly cast my eyes around in search of Grievous, igniting my lightsaber for good measure.
"There's no way… no way he's still alive!" I say in disbelief.
The sound of laughter, filled with sadistic glee, echoes around the area. Ahsoka ignites her lightsaber as well and we both stand back to back, unable to determine where the droid general is.
"Ah… are you surprised, Jedi?" he sneers at us, voice seemingly echoing from everywhere at once. "Did you really think I would have fallen so easily?"
"Obi-Wan killed you himself!" I retort.
"Kenobi may have bested me, but he did not kill me!" Grievous declares. "And be assured, once I kill you, him and that little boy of his are next!"
I wide my eyes in a moment of panic and Ahsoka gasps.
"It's the Pyramid!" she exclaims.
"What?" I ask, confused.
"Remember what Cera said?" she frantically reminds me. "It must be an illusion!"
"ILLUSION?!" Grievous roars from somewhere, making us jump. "Hah! To mock me, youngling, is to beg for death! But I am not without mercy, for you shall receive a warrior's death!"
A pair of lightsabers igniting pulls my focus to the right, and I lift my blade up in the nick of time to block two blades aimed for my head.
"He seems real to me," I tell Ahsoka, and Grievous growls.
Face to face with Grievous now I have a much clearer view of him, but his appearance throws me off guard. It's the same cyborg body, face and all, yet there seems to be some sort of shimmering red light hovering around him, constantly moving: in addition, his eye sockets aren't filled with two yellow reptilian pupils, but are instead glowing completely red, almost as if a small red flame was lit inside each.
Strangest of all, his presence felt dark. Unnatural.
Perhaps it isn't really him... but then what is it?
Gritting my teeth I push Grievous away and launch into action. Ahsoka and I rush him at lightning quick speed, swinging our sabers left and right in an attempt to overwhelm him. But Grievous deflects our blows with just as much agility, twirling his own sabers so as to make us back off.
Gripping my lightsaber with both hands I charge at him with a powerful upward swing that causes him to stumble backward, growling in frustration. Ahsoka starts sprinting and I learn forward so that she can jump off my back and into the air, swiping at Grievous with her blade as she flips overhead, though he manages to block it. Upon landing she whirls around to face him at the same time I move up and we swing at him from either side, which he manages to block with both of his blades.
The three of us stand in three way blade-lock for a second, but then Grievous detaches his arms and ignites two more sabers, twirling them rapidly before swinging down at us. Ahsoka quickly dislodges herself to avoid being struck, whereas I simply raise my beskar arm and grab the blade with my hand. Grievous pauses in bewilderment, which is quickly taken advantage of as Ahsoka slashes her lightsaber through one of his right arms. He roars in surprise and I rip his lightsaber out of his hand by the blade, casting it aside before cutting off another limb.
Before I can follow up with another strike he lets out a howl of fury and slams his head into my face. A burst of sharp pain from my nose causes me to cry out, and he punches me away. Ahsoka swiftly cuts through a second arm, but Grievous retaliates by whirling around to face her, swinging his last saber while simultaneously spinning it, causing her to stumble backward and lose her grip on her own. He then uses his claw-like foot to literally grab Ahsoka by her head, slamming her into the ground. She yelps in pain and I charge at him with an enraged snarl, raising my blade, only to be sent sprawling by him throwing Ahsoka at me.
I hit the cold rocky ground hard and lie there, momentarily dazed, but a bloodcurdling scream from Ahsoka has me jumping to my feet. She's sprawled on her stomach, Grievous pinning her with a foot on her back while clutching her back lekku in one hand, yanking on it in a way I know is agonizing.
But then I notice one of her lekku has been cut off by his lightsaber.
"AHSOKA!" I yell out in horror.
"How does it feel, Shan?" Grievous sneers gleefully. "How does it feel to watch your friends DIE?!"
Still pinning her down he pulls her lekku up with terrible strength, forcing another scream of agony from her whilst raising her lightsaber. Red starts to fill my vision and I charge forward as a terrible roar of fury bursts from me, attacking him with my lightsaber just as he swings his. He doesn't even have a chance to defend himself before I cleave him completely in half.
Just as his saber completes the motion through Ahsoka's head.
My heart stops beating, all sound falling completely silent as I stood over the two mutilated bodies.
A scream tears itself out of my throat.
Ahsoka POV...
"I don't like this," Jarik says, looking wary.
I have to agree wholeheartedly with him―whatever that ghostly figure was, I doubt it's anything friendly. My feelings are only supported by the subtle yet constant ringing in my head, almost giving me a headache, which keeps bringing my focus back to the looming structure ahead of us. Watching us.
"Cera said the Pyramid uses our fears to manipulate us," I recall, glancing at Jarik.
"I don't think either of us is afraid of ghosts…" he replies with a pointed look.
"…more so who the ghost is," I say grimly.
"Wonderful," he nods wearily in acknowledgement, frowning. "What else did she say...? Anything we see is an illusion."
"We probably don't want to get separated then," I advise him, and he nods in agreement.
Just then I hear a scream from nearby, laced with panic and a lot of pain. Jarik and I both stop in our tracks and share a startled look before we take off running in the direction of the sound. After rounding a narrow turn through the canyon we come to a stop, and I widen my eyes in shock. Sprawled out on the ground a few feet away from us with a gaping hole in her chest is none other than Barriss Offee.
"Barriss?!" I exclaim in disbelief.
I'm stunned, overtaken by bewilderment and confusion. How can Barriss be here...? She's dead, isn't she?!
Her breathing labored, she slowly tilts her head and spots us, focusing on me specifically.
"W-w wh… why…?" she attempts to speak, wracked by a coughing fit.
Jarik is at her side in an instant, placing a hand on her head comfortingly while searching for something in his belt to help her, his demeanor filled with panic and concern.
"Shh, just focus on breathing, Barriss. Stay with us," he tells her, trying to keep his voice steady.
Seeing him at her side I furiously push aside my confusion on her apparently being alive still; whatever the case may be she's here right now and clearly very much alive, but might not be for much longer if she doesn't get help. I rush over to be on Barriss's other side, thinking of ways to try and help her. When I meet her eyes, however, I'm caught off guard by the look of fear and betrayal she's giving me.
"…h-how… could y-you…?" she whimpers.
I stare back at her in confusion, taken aback by what she said. Jarik also goes still, looking up at me.
"What?" I ask her.
Barriss's breathing becomes even more labored and her gaze starts glossing over.
"I trusted... you..." she gasps.
She takes in one last painful breath and then falls completely still, her eyes now staring at nothing. A wild mixture of feelings rage through my head as I stare down at her, wide-eyed, ranging from shock, grief, and bewilderment. Barriss... thought I betrayed her?
Jarik regards Barriss with a grim-faced expression, shutting his eyes as he removes his hands from her before standing up, brushing his Padawan braid away from where it hung over his face. When he opens his eyes again I'm surprised at the sheer level of suspicion and anger in them, directed straight at me.
"What did she mean by that?" he demands.
"I-I don't know," I stammer out, unsure of how to respond.
"Don't lie to me Ahsoka!" he roars.
He rips his lightsaber off his belt and ignites the the sapphire blade, his gaze filled with fury. I let out a startled gasp and jump to my feet, finding myself backing away and holding my hands out to try and placate him.
"Jarik, please! I'm not lying!" I cry out, panicking. "What reason would I have to lie?"
He growls angrily and raises his lightsaber, and I start to reach for my own two green blades.
"I have one," a low and sinister voice cuts in.
From out of nowhere the devilish figure of Maul lunges up from behind Jarik and stabs him through the chest, making him cry out in surprise and pain. A short but loud scream tears itself from my mouth and I stand frozen in place, horrified. Maul leans forward to speak more closely to Jarik, a triumphant smirk on his face.
"At long last, your time has reached its end," Maul sneers.
Jarik glances weakly at him before turning back to me, his face riddled with grief and betrayal. Then he collapses lifelessly to the ground, and a choked sob breaks out of my throat while tours pour down my face. What... how... how did this happen? Why, why, WHY, WHY?!
"I must say, you played your part perfectly, Lady Tano," Maul hums as he deactivates his lightsaber. "Well done."
Hearing him speak again I snap my head around to gape at him; he looks exactly how I remembered him to be on Mandalore. The terrible ache in my chest starts to grow even more, a rush of heat running through my body. I clench my hands into fists.
"Y-you... you just killed him!" I exclaim.
"Why act so surprised?" he questions, his brow furrowed in confusion. "You agreed to this, did you not?"
I squeeze my eyes shut to block out the flow of tears and a steaming pool of white hot rage rushes through me. I glare at him with unrivaled fury and whip out my lightsabers before charging with a vengeful scream of rage. I lunge toward Maul and swipe down at his head, and he dodges with a startled grunt before pushing me back with the Force.
"How dare you!" he roars.
How dare I? That insufferable piece of—
"I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" I scream, red clouding my vision.
I charge at him again and swing my lightsabers with all of my speed and power, but Maul quickly raises his saberstaff to block it.
"What for? This was your plan, girl," he scoffs with disdain.
"MY PLAN?!" I snarl at him in disbelief. "What are you talking about?!"
"Do you think I'm a fool?" Maul sneers. "You joined me because you understood what needed to be done to destroy the Sith."
Grunting irritably, Maul dislodges our blades and then shoves me away. A growl rumbles in my throat and I move to jump at him again.
"YOU LIAR!" I shout.
I swing my lightsabers down to cut him in half, but he lazily deflects the strike and extends a foot to kick me out of the air. I roll across the ground and let out a few pained grunts, losing my grip on my lightsabers.
"Always blaming everyone but yourself, it seems," I hear Maul say, and my blood boils once more. "But unfortunately for you, the blood of Shan and Skywalker is now on your hands, just as it is on mine. You allowed it to happen. Like you always do, girl."
A memory pops back into my mind of that day on Mandalore, when Maul offered for me to join him. Fury slowly fades when I remember... accepting it...
"No..." I mutter, refusing to believe that happened. "No!"
"Oh yes, Lady Tano," Maul sighs, his voice. Starting to change. "It was... always... your fault."
I look back up at the painfully familiar voice and gasp in fright to see not Maul, but Anakin, giving me a cold and hateful glare. His eyes are burning yellow, the skin around them unnaturally pale, almost like a vengeful ghost. The area around Anakin is burning with rivers of lava, the heat so intense it feels as though my lekku will shrivel up.
I scramble away from Anakin, petrified at the idea of facing him like this... it's one thing for him to be covered by a suit, but to actually see him...
"No... no!" I whimper.
His gaze becomes even darker, and he strides forward with his lightsaber held by his side.
"Everything that I am was your doing," Anakin snarls. "It is YOUR FAULT!"
Jarik POV...
"Not even the younglings survived…" Obi-Wan says, his voice slightly breaking.
"Killed not by clones, this… Padawan," Yoda points out, his voice layered with grief. "By a lightsaber he was."
Hearing it just makes it all the more awful. I bring a hand to my face in order to hold back the tears and crying attempting to break forth, knowing exactly who did it.
"Who… who could have done this?" Obi-Wan asks in disbelief.
They turn to look at me and I hesitate to answer. Suddenly, it isn't Obi-Wan and Yoda I'm looking at, but instead two boys my age. My clan mates.
"Weron?" I ask softly, hoping beyond hope. "Kurhran?"
"Jarik, why did you lie?" Weron asks.
"You said he was a hero," Kurhran says. "Someone we could trust."
My breath catches in my throat and I hesitate, looking at them with sudden guilt and grief.
"I- I…" I struggle to respond.
"He killed us!" Weron yells. "We trusted him! We trusted you!"
"I'm sorry, I- I didn't…" I stammer, backing away in horror.
"WE'RE DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU!" they both scream.
"Commander!"
I give a sudden jolt and whip my head around in a panic, trying to figure out where I am. There's not much to see that isn't dark or purple, something which isn't helped by the thick layer of fog covering the ground. But it's all somewhat… familiar. Depressingly familiar.
"Commander!" I hear someone say once more.
I whirl around to see two clone troopers running over to me, their pace suggesting a sense of panic and desperation, and I blink in surprise at recognizing the markings of their armor.
"Boil?" I call out. "Waxer?"
They're only a few feet away from reaching me when a pair of green and blue saber staffs cut them apart, silencing them before they could even scream. I gasp in shock and stumble backward, snatching my lightsaber from my belt.
Standing over the mutilated corpses of my brothers-in-arms is none other than Pong Krell, surrounded by a red aura of sorts. He frowns slightly when he takes notice of me, but that swiftly changes into a savage grin, exuding an infuriating level of smugness.
"Take a moment, Padawan Shan, and look around you. These creatures you call your friends... your brothers-in-arms... they mean nothing…" Krell says with contempt.
My grip around my lightsaber tightens until my knuckles are white. All I can feel for him is my rage.
"What a bold-faced lie, you son of a bantha," I scathingly reply.
"… You, mean nothing," he continues, looking down at me.
"Coming from you, I'll take that as a compliment," I retort.
Krell throws his head back and lets out a mocking laugh.
"Lying to yourself does not help you, boy," he scornfully replies. "You know you could have saved them, if you weren't so weak."
I ignite my blue blade and hold it up in a defensive distance, glaring at him.
"Care to test that?" I challenge.
"Insolent child," he sneers."
Twirling his two saberstaffs dangerously he lunges forward, forcing me to roll out of the way. I jump backward to avoid a follow-up attack and then retaliate with a swift strike of my own, aimed for his head. He deflects it with his green saber and jabs his blue one forward, just barely catching me in the side. I jump into the air and flip over his head, lashing out with my blade, and he grunts when my blade manages to scratch him on one of his arms.
The moment a land behind him, however, one of his free arms lashes out and a large fist connects painfully with the side of my head. I let out a pained grunt and hit the ground, but it only gets worse when Krell presses my face hard into the ground with his foot.
"This is where you belong, Padawan! With your face in the dirt!" he growls.
Despite being pinned down in a painful manner, my blood boils at his taunt. Gathering a pool of energy I reach out to my right and make a pulling motion, the Force heeding my effort. I hear Krell shout in surprise as a boulder comes crashing into him, and he releases me upon stumbling away.
Snarling with cool satisfaction I call my lightsaber back to me and jump to my feet, wasting no time in lunging at him. Still dazed by the boulder he doesn't spot me in time and I cut through one of his hands with a fierce yell. Krell roars in pain and I kick him off his feet, simultaneously retrieving his loose saberstaff. Triumphant, I hold both blue lightsabers to his neck and meet his gaze coldly.
"Give me a reason. I'd be happy to perform another amputation," I threaten him.
I breathe heavily, stilling feeling so much rage that wants to burst out. However, instead of pleading Krell simply laughs.
"Another?" he chuckles, amused. "Such a threat is hardly the Jedi way, is it not?"
"I'm not a conventional Jedi, Krell," I scowl at him.
"Well then, go on," he tells me. "Perform the deed."
The anger inside me cries out with glee, but a new feeling suddenly enters my mind, and I hesitate. Krell seems to notice, lifting an eyebrow.
"What are you waiting for, Padawan?" he demands.
I grit my teeth and lift my sabers higher, to where they're less than an inch from him. Pong Krell, who is one of the people I hate more than anything, is completely at mercy. And yet…
…I can't do it. Why?
My hands start to tremble a bit as uncertainty and fear seeps through.
"Hmm, and here I almost believed you were different," Krell scoffs, sneering at me. "Even when given such a position of power, holding my life at your mercy, you Jedi show just how weak you are. You can never fulfill your strongest desires... no matter how good it feels."
It did feel good, up until I actually tried to do it. I just… I don't know what to do.
"It is disappointing," another voice cuts in.
I jump back in surprise when Krell's eyes go wide and he's suddenly clawing at his throat, gasping for air that isn't reaching his lungs. After several long seconds I hear a loud crack and his body falls lifelessly to the ground. Sensing someone else I whirl around to confront them, pausing in astonishment.
"What…?" I murmur in disbelief.
Looking back at me with a smile is myself. Same face, same hair, same body… only his eyes are yellow, the skin around them looking pale and sunken in, whilst his armor and robes are completely black.
"Thought you could get rid of me so easily?" he remarks, shaking his head and clicking in disappointment. "You should know better."
"I suppose you're right. Everyone has a dark side, just as they have a light," I begrudgingly admit, my gaze hardening. "Doesn't mean you're the one in control."
He nods his head in casual agreement.
"For now, that is true. But you see, that is the beauty of mortal beings," he responds, smiling at me. "Whether it is out of fear or greed, one way or another, they always give in to temptation. And you carry so much fear."
"Certainly not of you," I retort.
"Oh?" he lifts a disbelieving eyebrow. "Then why implant a device in your neck designed to terminate you?"
A chill runs down my spine at the reminder and I'm unable to respond. My dark half takes it in stride and starts to pace slowly.
"There's nothing you fear more than yourself," he tells me. "You know that if you turned to the dark side, no one could stop you."
"That isn't true," I shoot back.
Not anymore.
As if reading my thoughts he pauses to look at me in distaste, shaking his head.
"Ahsoka is but a dancer, while you are the teacher," he states. "You are the heir of Darth Revan himself! Your power makes hers look paltry in comparison. Take away her connection to Morai, and she is weak."
I narrow my eyes and storm up to him so that our faces are inches apart, and look directly into his yellow eyes.
"A likely story," I tell him coolly. "Ahsoka and I are bonded together as one. You can't tempt me."
To my surprise he pulls away in a fit of laughter, and I scowl at him.
"You seriously believe that your bond with her makes you immune to temptation? Oh, you poor, arrogant fool... no one is infallible, not even Morai," he shakes his head. "I'm honestly insulted that you would take Snoke's claim so seriously. Why believe anything he says? Or better yet... why would he even tell you all that?"
Uncertain of where this is going, I decide to further the topic along.
"Tell me all of what?" I ask warily.
"The supposed nature of your bond… telling you about the Infinity Stones… even revealing himself," he explains with a serious expression. "By doing so, he risked centuries of planning and gave up his secrecy, something he cherishes. Have you ever thought about why he did?"
Now, hearing about it like this, I'm starting to wonder the same question myself. I've always thought he just wanted to bring me to his side, but the more I think about it, the more uncertain I am if that really was the case. Surely Snoke is intelligent, so if he already knew he couldn't turn me, why did he bother?
I begrudgingly acknowledge what my dark half is saying, frustrated that it's coming from that of all places.
"Enlighten me," I demand.
"He's playing you, Jarik Shan. But I can help you see through his lies," my dark half replies, bringing his hands together as he approaches me. "You must understand that I am not your enemy. Nor am I your friend. In this dangerous universe... I am your salvation."
He smiles at me, but all I can focus on is the chill that went up my spine as he said that, and back away from him.
"No," I shake my head firmly. "I don't trust Snoke. That doesn't mean I trust you. You lie, just as he does!"
"Come now, Jarik Shan," he says gently. "You know I am telling the truth. That is why you fear it."
Looming in the dense fog ahead, I can just barely make out the shape of a pyramid.
Ahsoka POV...
With the Trandoshan hunter now dead, we finally have a little bit of breathing room. I help Kalifa stand, putting her arm around my shoulders.
"Careful," I tell her.
"It's okay," Kalifa replies, gaining confidence. "I can make it."
A shot rings out, and Kalifa gasps in pain as a red laser bolt cuts through her. I widen my eyes in horror.
"Kalifa!" I cry out.
Moving quickly I drag her behind cover just as another bolt flies past. The Trandoshan's angry roar echoes through the forest, but the only thing I care to focus on right now is Kalifa.
"Kalifa, we have to move, hurry!" I urge, almost depserately.
But I know she can't make it, and she knows it too. She's pleading with me to take care of the others, as they're all she had left. I don't want to. I want to save her! But... but there's only one way I can help her now.
"I'll... take care of the others," I reassure her, my heart heavy.
"I-I know you will," Kalifa replies, managing a smile.
Her pained gasps for air then come to a stop, and she slumps forward lifelessly. I carefully lay her against the tree, struggling not to cry.
"I'LL KILL YOU! YOU KILLED MY SON!"
I stand up slowly, the hunter's vengeful roar barely worth my attention. But it still haunts me all the same, just as Kalifa's corpse haunts me.
So many people in my life have died...
I can still hear the sickening crack of Steela's body as it hit the ground, just out of my reach.
I can only imagine what must've gone through Master Plo's mind when he was shot down, helpless to defend himself.
And Anakin... I failed him, didn't I? I failed him...
I'm at a loss of what to do, whirling around in a panic to try and figure out where I am. I seem to be in a dark cave of some sort... no, not a cave, a room. It's a prison cell, and a disturbingly familiar one at that. I was held here before, and it's the moment where I...
An eccentric and eerie cackle echoes around the room, breaking me out of my thoughts. I whirl around anxiously in an attempt to locate the source of the sound, reaching for lightsabers that aren't on my belt.
"Who's there?!" I call out, putting on a show of bravado.
I hear that creepy cackle once more, which sounds distinctly female, and turn toward the noise. Narrowing my eyes I spot a feminine figure lurking in the shadows, looking startlingly familiar for some reason.
"It's been a long time, Ahsoka," the woman says, and a chill runs down my spine. "I've missed you."
Why does she sound so familiar...?
"Missed me?" I ask warily in reply. "Sorry, but I don't think we've met before. Now who are you?"
"Aww... you don't recognize me?" she gasps in mock disbelief. "I'm hurt!"
I tense up as she steps into the light, only to widen my eyes in shock when I see the woman is none other than myself... and yet very different. Dark veins stretch all over her skin, which is a sickly pale. And her eyes, which are a terrible yellow, seem filled with nothing but malevolence and savagery. She puts her hands together in front of her and tilts her head in a pose that's meant to be sweet and innocent, but from her is just disturbing.
"The sweet little angel seems to have forgotten all about me, is that it?" she asks sweetly.
I curl my lip in disgust, somewhat glad I don't remember being controlled by the Son.
"Maybe it's because I wanted to," I retort.
My darker half giggles, as if I just told her a funny joke.
"That's adorable. I have to ask then, why don't you want to play anymore?" she asks.
She starts to circle the room, and I match her pace evenly.
"I don't have any interest in 'playing' with you," I state firmly. "I'd much rather you tell me what is goi—"
In a surprising burst of movement she's suddenly right in front of me and placing a finger on my lips to shut me up.
"Shh shh sshhhh... oh loosen up, little angel! We've got all the time we need!" she whispers, ignoring my glare. "I mean, it's not like that Jarik wimp can ruin our fun anymore."
"What?!" I exclaim in alarm.
I smack her hand away from my face and then shove her back with a subtle Force push, holding my arms up in a threatening stance.
"What have you done with him!?" I demand furiously.
"Oh... you're still in love with him?" she remarks, narrowing her eyes in distaste. "Don't feel too bad, I understand the feeling. I felt the same about my little Jari once. Don't worry, I'll help you get past it the same way I did."
She smiles, taking extra care to make sure her fangs are visible.
"I'm not like you," I stubbornly retort.
"Wrong again!" she cackles madly. "Remember back on Mortis, when you were, ahem, 'controlled' by the Son? Yeah, he wasn't controlling us at all. He merely revealed our true selves."
"You're lying. I'm no dark sider," I scowl at her.
"Oh cut the garbage already!" she growls, suddenly losing any trace of amusement. "You don't even remember what it felt like, because your precious birdy bird friend wiped that memory from you! What makes you so sure that it's you controlling your destiny, and not her?"
I hesitate, as I can imagine there being some truth to that, but the feeling only lasts for a moment. There's so much more I believe in and cherish that has nothing to do with Morai's influence.
"I'm not going to ask again," I hiss through my teeth. "Where is my husband?!
The dark version of me pulls back with an irritated look on her face, then shakes her head in disappointment.
"Hmph. So sad, to see you so attached to that wimp. Well, I'll tell you what I did to Jarik," she starts to say.
She slowly prowls around the room, and I move to ensure she remains at a distance.
"The day I finally embraced myself for who I am, I began to see him as he truly was—a lovesick puppy who couldn't bear the thought of being alone. And it was so... pathetic..." she makes a face, as if disgusted. "...I just couldn't stand for it. And so I led him away to where nobody would find him... and I decided to have a little fun."
A sickening grin spreads across her face at that, and I instinctively take a step back out of shock and revulsion once I realize the implication. The idea that she—or I, if she really is me—would have done something like that to Jarik, or anyone... it's just so... wrong.
She seems to read my thoughts, as her grin becomes ever wider.
"Too disturbing for ya, honey?" she asks, cackling a little bit. "My my, how surprising... oh yes, seems you've had some fun yourself! Looks like someone forgot what such passion can leave behind with ya!"
For some reason she's staring pointedly at my abdomen. Probably crazy—no, she definitely is crazy.
"You are sickening," I say the only thing I can think of right now.
"But that's the thing, honey, I'm you," she sneers, gleeful. "But where was I...? Oh, yes! The little wimp! At some point I started to get bored with screwing him senseless. But I couldn't just leave him all alone, now could I? So I decided to embrace my instincts."
She starts to tremble, a truly wild gleam in her yellow eyes.
"Turns out I really love the taste!" she says.
I gape at her in shock, starting to feel horrified, but that wasn't even the strangest part.
All of a sudden I feel the unmistakable presence of Morai within me, but in a way that I've never felt before. Nevertheless, it is clear as day—she's terrified. Terrified of this demented variant of me... no, not that. Something else, hiding inside the dark variant of myself, the same way that Morai resides in me.
The darkness surrounding the evil variant of me seems to increase, giving way to a horrific change. She starts to grow in height, her skin become ghostly pale, whilst her lekku and montrals shrivel up into long strands of bone-white hair that falls down her body in a tangled mess, matching the color of her raggedy dress. Her arms are stubbier now while her hands are long, sporting writhing tentacles instead of fingers. Her wide yellow eyes shrink and lose their color, becoming as black as the void and glittering like starlight. Finally her mouth stretches all the way to her ears, more of a cavernous maw than anything, which is filled with monstrous rotting teeth.
It's like something straight of a Nightmare that even gods would have. And I have a terrible feeling that is exactly what it is. When this demon next spoke, her voice was much older, less childish, and much more frightening.
"Maybe you, daughter, taste better!" the demon cries.
She lunges forward, grotesque hands stretched out to grab me. Terrified, I try desperately to scramble away from her, a scream tearing its way out of my throat.
In the darkness, all I can see is the shape of a pyramid.
Jarik POV...
As I make my way further through the dark and narrow canyon my focus is solely on the presence of someone close by who is beckoning me to come closer. Soon enough I'm almost right on top of them and, taking a brief moment to prepare myself, I step around the corner and come face to face with my foe.
"You've come a long way on your journey, Jarik Shan," Darth Sidious remarks, his back turned.
"If it isn't the kriffer himself," I scowl. "Finally decided to do your dirty work in person?"
"I've only ever sought to help you know who you are, dear child," he replies calmly.
He turns around to face me, a small frown visible underneath his hood.
"Had you been trained by me, you could have achieved a power greater than any Jedi," he continues to say.
"The only thing you've given any apprentice of yours is pain and death," I retort coolly. "Your promises are hollow."
"No..." he hums dismissively. "You don't even realize your potential for limitless power."
I pull my hood back and take my lightsaber into my hand, glaring resolutely at him.
"Even I wanted that, I would never get it from you," I declare fiercely.
I ignite the blade for emphasis, holding it down at my side. Palpatine's frown seems to deepen considerably, and his yellow eyes gleam brighter beneath his hood.
Then for just a moment, his form seems to change—instead of Palpatine all I see is a tall hooded figure with glowing red eyes; an entity that is ancient and powerful. But barely a moment passes and I see Darth Sidious again, standing there as he should be, and so I disregard whatever I saw as just a hallucination.
"My boy... it is inevitable. It is what I have always led you to become!" Palpatine sneers with cruel satisfaction. "I have been every voice... you have ever heard... inside your head."
As he spoke more his voice seemed to change, perfectly matching that of other people—the deep and fierce growling of Snoke, and then the calm and cunning guise of my darker self.
I widen my eyes in surprise, baffled to hear the voices that haunt me the most echoing from Darth Sidious, and shake my head in disbelief.
"No... no, you're lying!" I exclaim, raising my lightsaber.
"Come now, Jarik Shan. You know I am telling the truth," the Emperor remarks, a smile on his face. "That is why you fear it."
I falter in my stance, though only briefly, but shake the uneasiness away in favor of glaring at him—Sidious or not, those voices don't dictate my future. They never will.
Darth Sidious then ignites his own lightsaber, which is glowing blood red, and holds it aloft. Leveling my own blade at him I charge forward and make a lunge at him with a fierce shout, aiming for his head with my saber. He lifts his own blade to deflect it, though stumbles back a little bit. Seizing the chance I immediately follow up my assault with a rapid series of precise saber strikes that put him on the defensive.
Annoyingly though, he recovers rather quickly and, after ducking underneath one of my swings, retaliates with a Force push that throws me back a few feet. I stab my lightsaber into the ground to slow my momentum, and look up in time to block an overhead strike from Palpatine, to which we struggle against each other in a blade lock.
"Why would you come here?" I demand.
"I might ask you the same thing," Palpatine sneers.
We separate and I jab my lightsaber toward his abdomen, though he deftly avoids it and twirls around to deliver a strike of his own, which I block with my own blade.
"Well, maybe I'm just tired of you Sith ruining my life," I retort coolly.
A frown crosses over Darth Sidious's face, but I disregard it in favor of pressing forward. I shove our lightsabers aside and then lift my leg to kick him in the chest, which sends him sprawling on the ground. I raise my lightsaber over my head as he turns to look at me, eyes wide with fear, and then swing down to finish his tyrannical reign for good.
Ahsoka POV...
Anakin continues to advance on me with his lightsaber at his side. Gathering my wits, I ignite my own lightsaber as well.
"You abandoned me, Ahsoka," he growls, voice filled with hate. "If you were there then... I would never be where I am now."
No, that's not true. I faced this fear already.
"You're wrong. I may have abandoned you and Jarik then, but I am not responsible for your choices," I state, gaining confidence in myself.
Anakin's yellow eyes gleam brightly with rage, his expression contorting even further into one of absolute fury.
"How dare you!" he roars. "You knew I was vulnerable, and yet you still—"
For once I interrupt to talk over him, a flurry of emotion I've been feeling about this whole ordeal now spilling out.
"You murdered CHILDREN! All of them in Palpatine's name!" I exclaim angrily, pointing my lightsaber at him. "Me, Jarik, Padmé—even Obi-Wan—we all would've done anything and everything to help you!"
"You claim all of that... and yet you still failed to help me," Anakin scoffs in disgust.
I let out a quiet gasp of bitter frustration and shut my eyes, turning away from him.
"Because you turned your back on everything you ever stood for," I whisper, not angry or hurt, just sad.
Memories of my departure coming back to me. He was devastated, perhaps even blaming himself for what happened, but never me. He sympathized with me, could understand on some level precisely what I was going through. I know he didn't turn because I abandoned him. He still made the decision to join Darth Sidious, knowing exactly who he was.
Anakin is silent for some time, and when he finally responds his voice is accompanied by the cold rasping of his respirator.
"So did you, it seems," he remarks coldly, voice booming.
I open my eyes to see him as his is now; Darth Vader, a monstrous yet broken man trapped within his own armor.
"You are nothing more than a slave to your heart, just like I once was. Something which, unfortunately, is all too easy to tear out," Darth Vader states, lifting his blood red lightsaber. "And I will tear it out."
I lift my own blade in response, letting the white glow illuminate my face. Vader levels his own blade at me and charges forward, lunging at me and then swiping his saber towards my head with a fierce roar. I lift my own blade to deflect the strike, though the force behind it causes me to stumble backwards. Before I can fully recover Vader is immediately on me with an intense assault of rapid saber strikes that force me onto the defensive, struggling to keep him at bay.
I grit my teeth in exertion and finally gain a moment of levity when Vader overexerts himself with a wide horizontal attack, which I easily duck underneath. Gathering a pool of Force energy I retaliate by blasting Vader in the chest with a Force push that tosses him far away. He slows his momentum, however, by stabbing his lightsaber into the ground. Without wasting any time I make a leap for him with my blade raised and he looks up just in time to block it, to which we struggle against each other in a blade lock.
"Why would you come here?" Vader demands.
"I might ask you the same thing," I retort firmly.
He growls in response and separates from our blade lock to jab his lightsaber forward at my abdomen. Twirling around to avoid it I respond with a swift strike of my own, which he steadily blocks yet again. I'm brought face to face with his skull-like mask, his eyes just barely visible behind the red lenses.
"Well, maybe I'm just tired of you Sith ruining my life," he snarls.
I blink my eyes in surprise and frown at him in bewilderment. My focus on our duel also slackens, as it's just so weird. He's calling me a Sith? But that doesn't make any...
...the Pyramid...
The realization then hits me like a brick over the head, yet I don't have any time to act or even think on it when our locked sabers are shoved aside, after which a boot connects heavily to my chest and sends me sprawling. My lightsaber clutters out of my hand and I whirl around in a panic to see him standing over me, lightsaber poised to strike. I begin to stretch my arm out to him, preparing to call out his name, but the blade is already falling.
"ENOUGH!"
A blinding flash of white light suddenly flashes into existence between us both. I raise both hands to cover my eyes in response, crying out in surprise. Even with my face covered, however, all I can see is the white light, shining brighter than even a star; within the exceeding whiteness is the hazy form of a woman with flowing green hair.
Then the light disappears, and as if a switch was flipped in my head I'm suddenly back in reality. The realization of what just happened—all the false visions and hallucinations I just experienced—are exposed for what they are, allowing me to differentiate between what was a dream and what was real. And standing right in front of me, with a lightsaber only inches away from my neck, is Jarik, who is staring at me with wide, shocked eyes.
"Ahsoka?" he murmurs in bewilderment. "What...?"
"Hey... Jarik..." I manage to say with an uneasy smile.
He then realizes he's holding my own lightsaber up by my neck, and quickly pulls it away with a startled and horrified expression.
"Oh... oh Force," he says frantically, deactivating the blade. "I-I'm so sorry..."
He precariously stumbles backward and drops the lightsaber, and I stand up with my arms outstretched to him.
"I-It's okay... it was the same for me," I say in an effort to reassure him.
He holds his hands to his head in a refusal to meet my gaze, looking utterly ashamed of himself. My heart starts to break a little at seeing him this way.
"It's not okay," he rapidly shakes his head. "I almost killed you... Ahsoka."
I step up to him and place my hand on his shoulder, and he flinches away. Nevertheless I carefully pull his hands away from his face so that he can look at me.
"But you didn't," I tell him with a sad smile. "And even if you did, it wouldn't have been your fault."
"But, how...?" he murmurs incredulously.
Understanding then starts to dawn in his eyes and we both take a moment to look up in front of us—whatever happened during the course of our illusions, and however long it took us, we've since moved quite a fair distance. We're now standing at the very foot of the looming Pyramid, which looks more ominous and intimidating than ever. The unpleasant ringing sensation that has been plaguing my mind since we got here is even stronger now, and I hold a hand to my head to try and block it out.
"That was Morai who stopped us, wasn't it?" Jarik asks quietly, looking back at me.
"I think so. Yes," I nod in response, grimacing slightly. "I don't think she'll be able to do that again. This temple... it's having a negative effect on her."
"And you as well," he points out, a worried look on his face.
"It's not..." I start to say.
Jarik gives me a rather pointed look, however, and my words die off rather quickly as I relinquish a guilty sigh. There's no point in me trying to play it off when he can tell I'm lying.
"Okay, it is somewhat difficult," I begrudgingly admit. "It doesn't hurt, exactly, but it makes it hard to concentrate."
Jarik places an arm around my shoulder, his guilt and shame from earlier starting to fade now, and I gratefully lean into the embrace. He turns to look back up at the Sith Temple with a heavy frown.
"If this is what Cera meant by it driving people to insanity..." he trails off, shaking his head with a haunted expression. "We didn't even have a chance to resist it."
"We're lucky," I murmur, and he hums in agreement.
"Now to find this Force sage," he remarks.
Remembering the reason we're here I follow Jarik's lead, and we start off by getting a better look at our surroundings. The first thing I notice is the passage of time, as the sky outside is now very dark, the red sun having likely dropped below the horizon. As a result, the air is now a but more chilly, yet dry and lacking barely any moisture.
Although we don't yet seem to be in the Sith Temple itself, we are in a circular courtyard that likely sits on the route to the entrance. Piled up along the edge is a variety of things, ranging from a silver ore of some kind to a collection of rusted metal junk, likely the remnants of ancient military technology and ship parts. The only sign of activity seems to be from a stone fire pit in the very center, in which a white flame crackles at a steady pace, providing the only light source now that it is night.
Beside me, Jarik suddenly goes very still with dread.
"We're not alone here," he whispers.
Just then, as if realizing that Jarik is aware of their presence, a soft voice echoes around the courtyard.
"Reveal yourself."
Out of pure instinct I pull my shoto blade into my hand and ignite it, Jarik doing the same thing with my main one. We hold our lightsabers out in search of whoever spoke, the white blades illuminating the courtyard even more than the fire.
"Perhaps you should step out first," Jarik replies sternly.
The voice whispers again, the sound carrying the faint echo of others with it. A chill goes up my spine.
"You seek someone here. Someone you hope can help you."
"What of it?" I call out, challenging them.
"I know who it is that you seek. I can bring you to them."
All the while I keep my eyes peeled for any sign of movement, using all of my senses to detect the faintest sign of another living being. But I can't find anyone.
"Why should we believe you?" Jarik asks skeptically.
The being seems amused, if the note in their voice is any indication.
"Once before, was I sought out, by the very same who led you, now, to me."
Jarik and I widen our eyes in surprise, and anxiety starts to filter in alongside my uneasiness. Jarik takes a cautious step forward and lowers his lightsaber, though only slightly.
"Am I to assume then that you are Tor Valum, the Force sage he encountered?" he questions carefully.
"I am much more than a Force sage..."
To our left a great pile of junk and ore suddenly moves and we whirl around to face it, lightsabers raised. I take a few deep breathes to steady my nerves, my heart pounding in my chest as a figure emerges. Obviously a non-human being of some sort, whatever alien race he hails from is one I do not recognize. A Clearly ancient being, his skin seemed to be nothing but spindly sinew and tense muscle that was barely holding itself together. His head stretched out into a wide-brimmed shape, carrying a mouth with rotting teeth and six eyes, all of which were as black as midnight.
"... but I was once called Tor Valum," the being declares, his voice still a whisper.
The creature, Tor Valum, then spreads out his long arms, the hint of a smile on stretching across taut and leathery skin.
"Long have I waited for your arrival, Sun and Moon..." he greets with an air of pleasantry. "I welcome you."
I glance over at Jarik and meet his gaze, seeing in his eyes that he's just as wary and uncertain of Tor Valum as I am.
Author's Note: If this chapter wasn't an acid trip, then I don't know what is lol. One thing is for certain though, in that the Darkness is nothing to take lightly, even for a moment. As for the ever illusive and highly secretive Tor Valum, it seems he has been waiting for Jarik and Ahsoka to arrive.
How interesting... :)