Our heroes return to 35 ABY for the final battle…
The Coruscant sky is an ominous shade of blood red. The small group of heroes is surrounded by enemies on all sides. They do their best to fight Darth Umbra, but make little progress, as every attack is blocked.
"Well, this has been amusing, but playtime is over. It's time for all of you to… meet your fate. Except for you of course, my dear Kira." Umbra says.
"You seem so certain of your victory." Luke Skywalker says.
"I will win, Skywalker. There is nothing anyone can do to change that!" Umbra says.
"You may win in this moment, but in the end, you will lose." Luke says.
"Typical Jedi arrogance! The last of you… stand here before me. Soon, you will be no more." Umbra says.
"Are you sure about that? Might want to take a look around." Luke says.
Umbra examines her surroundings, and notices that Ezra, Finn, and Jyn are gone.
"I see my old friend Ezra has decided to leave us. The stormtrooper and the Erso girl also seem to have left us. How rude. This party isn't over. Where is Ezra? He's up to something, isn't he?" Umbra asks.
"He's doing what needs to be done." Juno says.
"I know he's learned the old ways of the Bendu. It won't matter. I cannot be beaten." Umbra says. She puts her hands together, and a wave of red energy emerges, flying in all directions. Everyone around is knocked down, except for Grand Moff Aphra.
"Good. You remembered to wear the amulet. It will make you immune to the curse. Which reminds me..." Umbra says. She unleashes another, smaller wave, which hits Kira only. The young woman, who is in the process of getting up, is knocked down again.
"What the hell?" Kira asks, as she slowly gets to her feet.
"I just saved your life. I don't want you dying on us." Umbra answers.
"Your compassion is overwhelming." Kira says, sarcastically spitting out the words.
"I have plans for you, Kira. So, no, you won't be dying today. I can't say the same for anyone else. It should be starting right about... now." Umbra says.
"What did you do?" Kira asks.
"Watch… and learn the price for defying me." Umbra answers. Kira and Ben suddenly vanish. A portal appears, and a blue glowing shield surrounds the gathered Alliance forces.
"That's new." Aphra says.
"This… is ancient magic. A protective ward. It's nullified the curse. These fools should be dying of old age by now… yet nothing happens." Umbra says. Older versions of Kira and Ben emerge from the portal, returned from their training in the distant past.
"Change of plans, Umbra!" Kira says.
"You did this? Impossible. You don't know the old ways." Umbra says.
"I do now." Kira says.
"How? These powers are long forgotten. Forbidden according to the Jedi ways." Umbra says.
"You're not the only one who cheats, Umbra." Ben says.
"Let's just say… we were sent elsewhere to learn what we needed to know." Kira says.
"You used the World Between Worlds. Of course you did. That is the only logical explanation. You were sent back… to someone who knew the old ways, and you learned from them. I should be impressed. But, this knowledge is not for you. Not yet." Umbra says.
"For me… this battle was two years ago. I'm not the same person I was then. You have nothing to offer me, and I don't need your permission." Kira says.
"I will break you if I must. But, you will learn your place, apprentice." Umbra says.
"I'm not your damned apprentice!" Kira says.
"Of course you are." Umbra says.
"Let's put that to the test, shall we?" Kira asks.
"I have chosen you… and my will shall always be done." Umbra says. The force ghost of Bastila appears, and fires a bolt of lightning between Kira and Umbra.
"I think not." Bastila says.
"What happened to you people not interfering?" Umbra asks.
"The rules have changed, my lord. Our time on the sidelines is over." Bastila answers.
"Is that so? Are the Whills actually going to allow you to stand against me?" Umbra asks.
"Of course they are. This has always been the plan." Bastila answers.
"It doesn't matter! You can't stop me!" Umbra says.
"We'll see." Bastila says. The ghost of Revan appears next to her.
"Ah, Revan. My old apprentice. It's been a while." Umbra says.
"Kreia was my master. You simply stole her body and named yourself Darth Traya." Revan says.
"You still learned from me. If it weren't for me, you and Malak never would have discovered the Star Forge!" Umbra says.
"Ancient history." Revan says.
"You… were once among the greatest of all Sith… then you rejected power! For what? Love? Love is meaningless! It weakens you!" Umbra says.
"Of course you would think love is weakness. You have no power over it. That which you cannot control, you seek to destroy. The very essence of the Sith way… which ends here." Revan says.
"Who's going to end it? You? Your presence here means nothing. You can't kill me. Or anyone else for that matter. It's against your rules." Umbra says.
"You will not die by our hand." Bastila says.
"Then you're wasting your time. No mortal can kill me!" Umbra says.
"We're about to find out, aren't we?" Revan asks.
"Do as you wish. It won't matter. I will win this day. I always win. Aphra… call in the first wave of reserves!" Umbra says, glancing to Aphra, who stands to her right.
"This is the Supreme Hand! Deploy first wave!" Aphra shouts into her comlink.
Several ships are sent down from the orbiting Imperial fleet, including two transports that carry massive AT ATs. The ships drop the walkers on the surface, then immediately take off. Meanwhile, a large number of red armored Sith Troopers emerge from the landed transports.
"Great. Walkers." Han Solo says.
"We'll be fine." Kira says.
"Relax, dad. We got this." Ben says.
"Sure, kid. You got this. Who's worried? I'm not worried at all. Are you?" Han asks, looking at Leia.
"Han…" Leia says.
Kira aims her staff at one of the walkers, and fires. The green beam of energy hits the vehicle, and it explodes. The burning remains topple over.
"Told you." Ben says. Ben fires his staff at the other walker, and destroys it.
"Impressive… but it doesn't matter. You could destroy all of my forces, and I would still win. I am eternal! I cannot be defeated! I cannot be destroyed!" Umbra says.
"You seem very certain of that." Ben says. Umbra laughs, then activates her comlink.
"Grand Admiral! Prepare for orbital bombardment! I want that Jedi Temple turned into a smoking crater!" Umbra says into her comlink.
"I think not, my Empress." Thrawn says over the comm.
"That… was an order, Grand Admiral!" Umbra says.
"My Queen! The Chiss forces have opened fire on us! Chimera is breaking orbit!" A male voice says over the comm.
"Thrawn… appears to have betrayed us." Aphra says.
"It doesn't matter. He'll burn too." Umbra says.
"Turns out your new friend Thrawn… isn't your friend at all." Ezra says.
"I suppose he's your friend?" Aphra asks.
"I wouldn't go that far. We have… a mutual respect for one another. Thrawn isn't on your side. Or mine. He's on the side of the Chiss people. He will do whatever he believes is necessary for the survival of his people. Siding with your Empire… is no longer in their best interest." Ezra says.
"I will turn the Chiss homeworld to ash." Umbra says.
"We'll see." Ezra says.
"You have already lost." Umbra says.
"You seem so certain of your overconfidence… may be your undoing." Bastila says.
"You put too much faith in these Jedi! Kira will be mine! The rest… will burn." Umbra says.
Many other force ghosts appear, including Kanan Jarrus, Ahsoka Tano, and Anakin Skywalker.
"I think the Force has something else in mind." Ezra says.
"It doesn't matter what power you think you have! You can't win!" Umbra says.
"Yes… we can." Kira says. She aims her staff at Umbra, and fires. The Sith Lord stops moving, and seems to struggle against the beam of energy.
"You're actually hurting her." Ben says.
"It's not enough. I'm basically just slowing her down!" Kira says.
"Let's see how she handles both of us!" Ben says.
Ben fires his staff at Umbra. Kira continues to do the same. As the continuous beams of green energy hit her, Umbra starts to glow.
"Will this be enough?" Kira asks.
"Not on its own. Four of you… were chosen. It will take the power of all of you." Bastila answers.
"How?" Finn asks.
"Maybe we could… channel additional energy into the staffs somehow! I have an idea! Be ready with that hammer!" Jyn answers.
"I see what you have in mind." Bastila says.
"Yeah… I see it too." Kira says.
"What?" Ben asks.
"We need to combine the power of the staffs! Touch the ends of them together!" Kira says.
Kira and Ben touch the ends of the staffs together.
"On three?" Ben asks.
"Yeah. On three." Kira answers.
"One. two. Three!" Ben and Kira say in unison. On three, they fire. The combined power of the staffs creates a larger beam of green energy that hits Umbra in the chest. Umbra's body bursts into flames, then explodes.
No!" Aphra shouts.
Aphra draws her darksaber, and runs in front of Kira and Ben, intending to reflect the attack with her weapon. However the blast of kyber crystal energy proves too strong for Aphra, and she is incinerated within seconds. Where she once stood, there only remains smoldering chunks of armor.
Ominous laughter begins to echo all around.
"Fools! You have won nothing! I am eternal!" Umbra says, as she reappears in Force Ghost form. Unlike other Force Ghosts, Umbra appears red and distorted.
"I thought dark siders couldn't appear as ghosts." Kira says.
"From what the Whills have told us, Umbra can appear in spirit form for only a short time. She can't maintain it for long. We'll have to act fast before she takes a new host." Revan says.
"Fire again!" Bastila says.
"This will accomplish nothing! Why prolong the inevitable?" Umbra asks.
"You talk too much." Kira says.
Kira and Ben fire again.
"Finn! On my signal!" Jyn says. Finn nods in agreement.
Jyn ignites her primary lightsaber, passing its yellow blade through the ends of Kira and Ben's staffs.
"Finn! Strike the staffs! As hard as you can!" Jyn says.
Finn hits the tips of the staffs with his hammer, and the beam of green energy turns white. Unnatural screams of agony are heard as the area is filled with bright, white light. Soon followed by a massive explosion. The blinding light begins to clear, revealing nothing but a smoking crater where Umbra once stood. The red storms above begin to dissolve, returning the sky to its natural blue.
Kira and Ben stop firing their staffs.
"Did we…. Did we do it? Is she… actually dead?" Finn asks.
"Don't you feel the change in the Force?" Kira asks.
"That's not all. Look! Her minions are dying too!" Jyn says. She points toward a group of red armored Sith Troopers, who one by one, dissolve into dust.
"Of course they are. Umbra's Sith alchemy died with her. You've done it. As I knew you always would." Bastila says.
"The storms are breaking up too. It's like every trace of her power is gone." Ben says.
"And… everyone we care about… is alive." Kira says.
"Umbra is gone. Forever. The Sith are gone. Forever." Revan says.
"Things are going to be much quieter for you from now on. You… will never know war again in your lifetime." Bastila says.
"Good. I've had my fill of it." Kira says.
"I know. Now, go talk to your parents. I know you've been looking forward to this for a long time." Bastila says.
"Thank you." Kira says.
Kira runs to her mother and father, and embraces both of them.
"Not bad, kid. Not bad at all." Ezra says.
"It's over. It's finally over." Kira says.
"You couldn't have learned all of this… so quickly. And… you look different. How long has it been for you?" Juno asks.
"Two years." Kira answers.
"Two years? I can't… I can't imagine how hard that must have been for you." Juno says.
"The hardest part of it was seeing you die. Everyone here… died. Except for the four of us that were sent back to the past." Kira says.
"Had to be done." Ezra says.
"I know. It was the only way to win." Kira says.
"It was a gamble, but I trusted the four of you to see the plan through to the end. And… you didn't let us down. I think things are going to be a lot better around here from now on." Ezra says.
Ahsoka appears next to Ezra.
"Umbra was the source of all darkness for the last seven thousand years. The first of the Sith, she was also the last. There will always be evil, but the likes of the Sith shall never exist again." Ahsoka says.
"I see all of you came." Kira says.
"The last battle against the Sith? Wouldn't miss it. Every past force user that could appear to the living chose to be here in this moment to help you achieve final victory over the darkness." Ahsoka says.
"Thanks. To all of you." Kira says.
"Thank you… for making this possible." Ahsoka says.
Kira notices Finn approaching, and runs to embrace him.
"We did it!" Finn says.
"Yeah… we did. What's this… trooper armor mixed with Jedi robes?" Kira asks., taking note of Finn's outfit of white armor.
"Took it off a dead clone trooper, then made a few changes. Besides, the old clothes didn't fit anymore. Reminds me of where I came from… and who I am now." Finn answers.
"I see you picked up some friends." Kira says, as she notices Lyra, Mace, and Xelena in the distance, speaking with Jyn.
"They helped us out in the past, and then… they came here." Finn says.
"I get the sense that they're supposed to be here." Kira says.
"Yeah. They are. Come. I'll introduce you." Finn says.
Kira is introduced to the three who came from the past. After a brief conversation, she spots Bastila observing from the distance. Kira makes her way to the spirit.
"You look like you have something on your mind." Kira says.
"Very perceptive of you." Bastila says.
"What is it?" Kira asks.
"Our journey together began so long ago. And this… this is how I always hoped it would play out. I have walked this path with you, and it has brought me great joy to do so. But, as with all things, this journey… must come to an end. I'm afraid… that this will be goodbye." Bastila says.
"No…" Kira says.
"Please… no tears. This is a time to celebrate. Umbra is dead… and you're home." Bastila says.
"But… you're leaving…" Kira says.
"You don't need me anymore. You don't need any of us anymore. We appeared to you… to others… for a purpose. That purpose has now been fulfilled. We will never appear to the living again." Bastila says.
"I take it… this goes for all of you." Ezra says, looking at Ashoka, and Kanan Jarrus, who now appears next to Ahsoka.
"I'm afraid so." Kanan says.
"It's time for us to pass on into the realm of the Whills." Ahsoka says.
"We will see each other again. One day. Many years from now. You have the rest of your life ahead of you. Make the most of it." Bastila says.
"Goodbye. My friends. My family." Ahsoka says.
All ghosts vanish one by one, until only Bastila remains.
"The Force will be with you. Always." Bastila says. She bows, then vanishes.
Apologies for the long gap between updates. Although I did commit myself to finishing this story, I had frankly lost interest in it, and had struggled to come up with what I felt to be a suitable final confrontation with Darth Umbra. Also, work and other obligations keep me from writing as much as I would really like to. But, I was finally able to get this together, and now… here it is. Thanks to everyone that took the time to read this story, and thanks for your patience.