Overwhelmed with a deep sense of gratitude and love, Ikuko and Kenji Tsukino stood over their twin children. They slept peacefully in their shared crib. Their hearts swelled with an indescribable sense of joy as they gazed upon their newborn set of half-identical twins. The couple had named the male twin Uyami and the female twin Usagi.
Gently, Ikuko stroked the cheek of Usagi and marveled at the perfection of her tiny features. From the very core of her being, she felt an immense love for her daughter.
Kenji, however, couldn't take his eyes off Uyami. He was full of pride and awe at the miracle of his son's existence. He gently stroked Uyami's blond hair and felt a deep connection to his child.
Ikuko, eyes heavy with exhaustion, turned to her husband and said, "Kenji-chan, it's been a long day, but I can't help but appreciate every moment. Our children are such a blessing."
"Yes, my dear. But now it's time for us to go and rest. We have a busy day tomorrow."
"Well, I just can't bear to leave them just yet. They are so cute in their sleep."
Kenji smiled tenderly at his wife. He understood her reluctance to leave her children. "I know you do. But they need their rest. So do we. We'll have lots of time to look after them tomorrow."
Ikuko sighed. "You are right."
After the parents left the room, leaving their precious twins to sleep peacefully in the night's quiet, they were unaware of the enigmatic figure lurking in the shadows. The figure was dressed in dark robes from head to toe, with a hood covering her face. She moved with a silent and graceful movement as she emerged from the corners. Her eyes were fixed on the twins.
The mysterious visitor gazed at the twins with an air of intrigue. Her gaze was drawn to the powerful presence of the Force emanating from them. She spoke in a hushed tone. Her voice was barely above a whisper as she gazed at them.
"The presence of both of you with the Force is of such magnitude that it cannot be adequately described in mere words."
She shifted the focus of her gaze to the older of the twins, Uyami Tsukino.
"Your potential in the Force is the one that has been foretold. The foretold Sith'ari. You are forever intertwined with the Sith."
Her gaze shifted to the younger twin, Usagi Tsukino.
"No doubt, your raw power is just as strong as your twin. But you are not the one who was prophesied. Your future does not coincide with ours for now."
Carefully, she lifted Uyami Tsukino from from his cradle, drawing him into the Force. She looked at the sleeping baby boy with a slight effort. She could feel that his power resisted hers. But since he was born recently, without having been trained. She could easily pick him up telekinetically.
The mysterious visitor then carefully placed a mysterious piece of paper etched with Sith symbols on Uyami's crib before disappearing into the shadows.
It had come to the morning. The Tsukino's had awakened. They began their usual morning routine. They entered the room where the twins were resting after completing their bathing and preparations for the day. It was there that they discovered, to their utter dismay, that Uyami had vanished without a trace. The only thing left in his crib was an anomalous piece of paper. It was scrawled with symbols resembling those of a completely unknown language. Kenji Tsukino found himself thrown into the throes of a frenzied state of panic.
In stark contrast to this, Ikuko Tsukino showed a distinct lack of any emotional reaction at all. As a matter of fact, her reaction was more of a resignation than anything else. It was almost as if she had been harboring the expectation that such an event would inevitably take place. Kenji turned his attention to his wife. He was deeply scared by her unusual composure in the face of their firstborn son's unexplained disappearance. Ikuko silently retrieved the mysterious document. She perused its contents, trying to decipher the meaning of the unintelligible glyphs. Kenji tried to read the text himself. But he could not even begin to decipher a single component of the enigmatic symbols.
"Can you understand the text?" Kenji asked. He searched his wife's face for any sign of understanding.
"Yes, I can understand it easily. It is written in the Sith language." Ikuko revealed in response to her husband's probing question.
The mere mention of Sith caused Kenji's mind to illuminate. He was familiar with the obscured origins of his cherished wife. His knowledge came only from the stories his wife had told him in the years after he had rescued her from the brink of death at the lakeside they frequented.
"What's in that letter?" Kenji asked, wanting to know what the cryptic Sith message contained, not being able to decipher the meaning independently.
"It describes the location of our son Uyami and the one who took him, my mother." In a somber tone, Ikuko divulged.
"Couldn't you do anything?" He said with hope. Now that he knew that there was a place where their beloved son was located.
"That would be impossible. You know the Sith are not to be trifled with." Ikuko had come a few steps closer in an attempt to comfort him.
A flash of anger flashed through Kenji's eyes at what she had said to him. "How can you say saving him is impossible?" Disbelieving her passive attitude, he challenged her.
With a look of sadness and resignation, Ikuko looked at his husband. "My love, you must try to understand. Even with all of my abilities, opposing the Sith would be untenable."
Kenji parted his lips with the intention of presenting a retort to the statement. But before he could voice his disagreement, the two of them became aware of an unexpected presence that had manifested itself in the room. They turned in the direction of the source of the disturbance. Their eyes widened in bewilderment as they witnessed the materialization of a spectral, purple silhouette engulfed in flames before them.
The phantom spoke. Its voice echoed with thinly veiled menace, "You are correct in your assessment of the futility of any attempt to rescue."
"Who are you?" Kenji heard traces of fear permeating his tone as he heard his own voice formulated the question.
The weight of almost boundless power and grandeur carried the voice that came from the shadow, "I am Darth Toroshsar, Dark Lord of the Sith. It would be wise to do no harm to that which is the will of the dark side. This admonition applies even to those who have betrayed."
As he was articulating the last of his statements, the specter turned his fiery gaze on Ikuko with great intensity.
"Is our son involved?" Ikuko asked hesitantly. Her voice trembled.
The Dark Lord fixed the traitor with a sinister glare. "Truly, he shall serve an instrumental purpose, traitor."
Kenji's mind raced. He tried to make sense of the cryptic proclamation.
"In what way my beloved Uyami to be involved?" His voice barely above a whisper.
The sinister being turned to lock eyes with the distraught father. His orbs radiated a glow that was unearthly as he proclaimed, "The rise of the Sith'ari."
An infinite expanse of metallic orbs encompassed a ring of immense circumference, measured in parsecs. It occupied a void devoid of any discernible matter, pervaded only by eternal darkness. The inhabitants referred to this endless domain as Typhojem.
Embedded in one of the metal spheres were six different biomes. They were arranged equidistantly in a hexagonal shape with a central entrance and exit. The first of these biomes was a humid, fertile, jungle. It was lush with green flora. Moving counterclockwise from the rainforest, one entered an arid, barren desert. Hardy cacti and scrubby underbrush tenaciously clung to life. Next came a grassy savanna. The savanna had cleverly adapted to the seasonal droughts. This was giving way to a rugged, undulating landscape with an elevated topography. The skyline beyond was dominated by towering mountains, their peaks cracked and jagged. The region that followed was characterized by a vast glacier, frigid and desolate. An enormous frozen river slowly cut through the icy terrain. It let out loud groans and cracks as it reshaped the foundations beneath. Eventually, the tempestuous turbulence of the ocean rounded out the biomes. Cresting waves smashed violently against the rocky shore. The scent of salt wafted through the invigorating ocean air. Only scattered jagged rocks disturbed the endless blue view.
In combination, the six different biomes created a fascinating microcosm on the hexagonal plane. Each environment was teeming with unique life forms that were exquisitely evolved to thrive in their particular ecological niche.
At the epicenter of this meticulously constructed domain, a young boy emerged from the doorway. Blond hair crowned his head. Blue eyes peered out from a pale complexion. His name was Uyami Azijakaer. Despite the rigorous conditioning imposed by his mentor, Darth Urmas, he was no more than ten years old. After all, the prophecy had foretold that this child would rise to become a Sith'ari.
At the moment, Uyami's mission was to secure six artifacts. They were imbued with the dark side of the Force. Though the artifacts were scattered throughout the six biomes, Uyami was able to sense the exact location of each relic through his innate connection to the Force. He surveyed the central nexus. He considered which region to explore first in pursuit of his quest. After much deliberation, he chose the desert biome, believing that its flat, barren terrain would make his search less arduous.
He navigated the barren desert landscape for several minutes. Suddenly, a huge reptilian creature, easily twenty meters long, emerged from the sand. Uyami quickly identified the creature. It was a juvenile krayt dragon, a voracious predator known to inhabit desert biomes. A fully grown adult was said to reach up to forty-five meters in length.
Even without the use of the Force to probe its emotions, the krayt dragon's ravenous hunger was readily apparent. While evasion of this particular dragon seemed possible, Uyami understood that such actions would prove futile in light of the krayts' evolutionary mastery as apex hunters within desert ecologies. As the creature fixed its predatory gaze on the boy, its gaping jaws opened wide in anticipation of consuming tender prey.
A few seconds later, Uyami's innate sense of foresight gave him a glimpse of the impending attack. Capitalizing on this knowledge, he nimbly leapt over the upper jaw as it crashed down. At the same time, he activated the crimson energy blade of his lightsaber, which he held in his left hand. As he descended over the krayt's head, he took great care to avoid touching the poisonous spikes dotting the krayt's exterior.
Before the temporarily confused dragon could react, Uyami plunged his lightsaber directly into a weak spot on the skull that was located by the guidance of the Force. The fiery beam pierced the thick hide. It burrowed deep enough to rupture the brain. Intent on thoroughly frying the neurological center, he maintained the blade's position and channeled a lightning bolt through it.
Though the dying krayt struggled mightily, hoping to dislodge the stubborn human and his weapon, Uyami clung to his position, enduring the agony.
Within seconds, the krayt's movements slowed to a lethargic pace. Finally, it came to a permanent halt, its vitality extinguished. Successful, Uyami deactivated his lightsaber and dropped to the sand beneath the lifeless beast. Having survived his ordeal, Uyami continued to delve deeper into the barren dunes, continuing to search for his prized relic.
Uyami had succeeded in capturing five of the six dark side artifacts from each biome in turn, namely the desert, savannah, mountains, glaciers, and ocean. He had endured the desert's intense heat, battled the savannah's wild beasts, carefully leaped from mountain to mountain, avoided death by intense cold, and successfully swum to the ocean's deepest depths.
Now he was deep in the heart of the jungle. He was suffering from multiple injuries from having tried to make it through five different Biomes. Fortunately for him, the deaths of the wild animals had allowed him to feast on their devotional energies, which gave him strength.
After he had spent a couple of minutes in the jungle, Uyami began to wonder what was going on there. There was not one exotic beast that seemed to be hunting him. Could he have managed to scare them away with the knowledge of what he had achieved in the previous biomes? No, he had an instinct that told him that there was something much worse looming on the horizon.
With five of the six artifacts of the dark side in his pockets, Uyami continued to move towards the last sixth artifact of the dark side, which he knew that the Force would intuitively know where to find. It was the brightest of the myriad manifestations of the Force within this hexagonal plane. It was the only one that was as bright as the other five he already had in his possession.
Suddenly, and without any warning, a number of small lizard creatures materialized out of nowhere. They came at him in an aggressive manner. It quickly became clear that they were actively using their powers to prevent him from being able to sense them with the Force. He realized they were ysalamiri. More specifically, a Sith's attempt to alchemize the ysalamiri species to make them more deadly and highly aggressive through the dark side of the Force.
As the vicious creatures quickly emerged from their hiding places in the incredibly dense jungle, he tried to activate his lightsaber to defend himself. However, before he could fully extend his arm and ignite the blade, he was attacked. One of the Sithspawn ysalamiri had violently knocked the lightsaber out of his hands. It flew several meters away from him, far beyond where he could grab it. The cunning lizards moved with astonishing speed, quickly surrounding him and denying him access to his only weapon.
With his connection to the Force slightly blocked, Uyami felt a surge of frustration. He would have to rely on his bare fist alone in order to stand up to the altered reptiles. Summoning his remaining energy, he assumed a fighting stance and prepared to fight the creatures with his bare hands.
One of the vicious Sithspawn ysalamiri leapt toward Uyami, positioning itself directly to face the young man. The creature's carnivorous teeth were bared aggressively. Its razor-sharp claws were ready to rip his flesh to shreds. Uyami's reaction was quick, a powerful blow to the creature's head disorienting it. The blow threw the reptile back violently, where it smashed into the trunks of the dense jungle trees. The impact left a dent in the bark and sent splinters flying in all directions.
After witnessing the attack on their fellow creature, all the other genetically altered ysalamiri quickly began to converge on Uyami in a coordinated attack. Some went for his lower body, sinking their teeth into his legs. Others jumped up to tear at his upper body and face. Uyami's attempts to defend himself against the vicious onslaught were in vain as the creatures quickly overpowered him with their superior numbers. Although Uyami was able to land a few punches and kicks on the ysalamiri, killing six of them in the process, it was not enough. More than a dozen of the Sithspawn continued to attack, relentless as they came.
The reptiles clawed and snapped their jaws at Uyami's body. At the same time, they used their innate abilities to suppress his connection to the Force. Against a single ysalamiri, or even six of them, Uyami would have been able to still have access to the Force. But with more than a dozen of them surrounding him, it was almost impossible to cut him off, even for someone as strong in the Force as he was. After all, he was young. A very young one indeed.
As the genetically modified ysalamiri continued their vicious assault on Uyami, he could see and feel blood pouring from the deep wounds the creatures inflicted on his body. The excruciating pain was piled on top of even more pain as the reptiles tore their way through his flesh. Uyami refused to give in to his baser instincts and let screams or cries escape his lips despite the excruciating pain that coursed through his body. To do so would be a sign of weakness. Weakness is not the Sith way.
The encroaching darkness began to consume the edges of Uyami's vision. The blood loss from his grievous wounds continued to escalate. The vile Sithspawn devoured his flesh relentlessly. They left a gruesome trail of destruction in their wake. His skin and muscles were mercilessly torn away. The intricate and delicate machinery of his body was revealed. The bones that once provided the framework for his strength were exposed. His organs, once hidden beneath layers of tissue, were now on display for all to see. Just as the Force is the giver of life, it is also the taker of it at its will.
In the end, the only thing that Uyami was able to perceive was an all-consuming void of darkness. He could neither see nor hear any more. He was not even able to feel his own physical body any more. Only in the dark oblivion did Uyami exist. But even as the dark swallowed his reality, a burgeoning awareness began to take hold. An awareness of a transcendent energy that permeated and sustained all of creation. And it was there, at the very center of the dark, that an infinite silver light suddenly appeared.
The Sithspawn continued to feed voraciously on Uyami's dead flesh. They chewed and crushed the pieces between their carnivorous teeth. Finally, they swallowed the remains into their stomachs. Then, unexpectedly, even to the alchemically enhanced instincts of the creatures, a silvery, crystalline object began to hover over the corpse. It glowed brighter than even the grand light that sustained the hexagonal biomes.
The Sithspawn were touched by the crystal's brilliant radiance. Their physical forms began to lose cohesion. They dissolved into the endless, transcendent silver glow emanating from the floating object. With the destruction of the Sithspawn ysalamiri, Uyami's body was freed to experience a profound resurrection. But it was not a simple return from death. It was as if his physical form had been elevated to a state of sanctity.
When Uyami regained consciousness, the first thing he noticed was the silver crystal, which he was able to feel through the Force as vividly as he felt his own body. As he felt its energy, he realized that it was just as powerful as he was. For a moment, Uyami was confused. How could this object have saved him when even his own formidable strength in the Force had not been enough to fend off the vicious ysalamiri? Besides, he knew he had barely scratched the surface of the secrets of immortality through the Force.
However, Uyami quickly pushed these questions to the back of his mind, to be considered at a later time. For now, he grabbed the mysteriously floating silver crystal. He placed it in a separate bag, away from the five dark side artifacts he had collected so far. He also noticed that his clothing was perfectly intact, as if completely undamaged, even though the ysalamiri had clearly been feasting on his flesh.
With the astonishing power of the crystal still fresh in his mind, Uyami returned his focus to the goal he had been given. It was to find the last and sixth dark side artifact. It was hidden somewhere in the dangerous jungle biome.
At a rapid pace, two crimson lightsabers collided and clashed with each other. Both of the weapons were being wielded by boys who were only twelve years old. One lightsaber was in the hand of Uyami Azijakaer, while the other was in the hand of his male cousin, Azijakaer'onuk'rine, or Kaeronukri for short. Kaeronukri was a hybrid, born of a human and a Chiss parent. He was the son of Darth Urmas and his Chiss wife, Darth Enedomla. He inherited most of his mother's Chiss physicality. The exception was his father's completely dark violet hair and facial structure.
As they duel, the two cousins appear to be evenly matched. Each had no difficulty in keeping up with the rapid flow of the fight that the other was unleashing. Each boy tried to find the slightest opening in the other's stance, techniques, skills, attacks, defenses, and so on, as their lightsabers collided in a flurry of blows. Punches, kicks, streams of Force lightning, and telekinetic blows were thrown into their attacks in addition to their lightsaber slashes. None of their efforts, however, could gain a true advantage despite the barrage of aggression each unleashed upon the other.
Lightsaber blades slashed and danced in unison. Punches and kicks were traded with each other. Back and forth were telekinetic strikes and crackling bolts of lightning. It was as if they knew each other on an almost instinctive level. Their ability to anticipate each attack was matched only by the deep connection between twins. Hour after hour they duelled, neither gaining the upper hand. A perfect balance was maintained between similarly opposing entities, constantly attacking but never able to land a decisive blow.
Until all of a sudden, an advantage was revealed to Uyami. A very faint but radiant silver light began to shine on the outline of his body. It was at that moment that the solid balance was shattered. Uyami found himself to be more connected to the Force than he had ever been before. It was with increasing ease that he began to dominate his cousin in their duel. As Uyami's strikes gained speed and power, Kaeronukri struggled to mount an effective defense. Eventually, Uyami's crimson blade moved with such speed and force that Kaeronukri's lightsaber was knocked out of his hands. It flew several dozen meters and landed on a metal floor.
Kaeronukri fell to his knees. He was panting from exhaustion and disbelief that he had been so thoroughly defeated. Uyami stood above him. His lightsaber still hummed menacingly. The silver aura had vanished. But it was clear that the tables had turned between the two cousins. Uyami had tapped into a source of Force energy. It had raised his abilities far beyond Kaeronukri's. The balance of power had shifted irrevocably.
With his decisive victory over his cousin clear, Uyami deactivated his lightsaber and returned it to his belt. Kaeronukri looked on in disbelief. He could not understand how he could have been so easily defeated.
"How did you defeat me so easily?" Kaeronukri asked. His voice was tinged with resentment.
"It's simple, really," Uyami replied as he approached the fallen Kaeronukri. "I'm just much stronger than you could ever hope to be." Offering to help his cousin up, he extended his left hand. But Kaeronukri's pride would not allow him to accept this gesture. In defiance, he slapped Uyami's outstretched hand away.
"I can do it on my own, thank you very much," Kaeronukri spat as he slowly stood up. With lightning speed, his right hand shot to his lightsaber. In the blink of an eye, he summoned it through the Force.
All of a sudden, a shrill beep sounded from the pouch on Uyami's belt. Just as quickly he called the device into his open palm with the Force. An urgent transmission was indicated by the flashing holoprojector. With the push of a button, a full-color hologram of Uyami's master, Darth Urmas, appeared on the screen.
Kaeronukri's interest was piqued by the sight of his father, and he sidled up next to his cousin. "To what do I owe this pleasure, my master?" Uyami inquired, eager to learn the reason for this unexpected piece of news.
"My apprentice," Darth Urmas addressed Uyami. "Your presence is required in my chambers immediately. Any questions or concerns you may have can be addressed later." With this brief directive, the transmission came to an abrupt end.
The cousins exchanged knowing glances. The meaning of the cryptic summons began to sink in. "It seems that my master demands that I visit him with the utmost haste," Uyami explained. "I would like to have a rematch at another time. You have grown stronger than before. "
With that, Uyami hurriedly left the training area. Kaeronukri was left alone with his simmering resentment and envy. The sting of defeat was more than Kaeronukri's pride could bear at the hands of his so-called superior cousin. He stared down at his clenched fists, shaking with barely contained rage. He vowed that this humiliation would not go unanswered. One day, when Uyami least expected it, revenge would be his.
A/N: So, this is where I would end the chapter here. Nevertheless, please follow if you're interested, favorite if you like it, and review if you want to state something clearly.