Author Note/VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE READ: Yo! This is a quick note. First off we made it to the end of book 1. Yay! We did it. Please read the bottom author note after finishing this chapter. I got a special note for you all! Please remember to follow, favorite, and review it greatly helps with my motivation! Have a wonderful day!

Chapter 25 - End of Book 1

Cold…

The powerful blast of cold air funneled through Ben, Haru, and Jet as they each made their way through the destroyed city. It had been hours ever since he had instructed Katara, Sokka, and Yue to flee and find Aang.

He didn't doubt Katara's bending and knew she could handle Zuko. They had one singular job, to hold the line between the spirit oasis and the outside forces. Still, it was easier said than done. Benjamin skidded to the side, force energy radiating along him as his purple beam of light traveled through the waves of fire nation soldiers.

Slashing, cleaving…his blade catching it's marked target each time as it carved through the waves of fire nation soldiers like butter. Slamming through them like a sledgehammer through a wall. He cleaved and swung as the humming of his blades were the only things he could hear as he drowned everything else out.

Jet watched on with raggedy breath, lashing out his right hand with a force augmented push. Throwing the stream of fire nation soldiers away. Sweat barreled down his face as him and Haru instinctively went back-to-back. In a mixture of hacks and slashes the fire nation soldiers were wearing thin.

"Keep it up, Jet!" Haru screamed as he cut down another fire nation soldier with his emerald blade. Jet wheezed as he gripped his cyan blade with both hands, cutting down another soldier.

Benjamin was getting flanked, his eyes in a haze as the only thing that was keeping him afloat was will and adrenaline. Benjamin pivoted his feet, grabbing a fire nation spear mid jab as he slammed his lightsaber into the soldier's chest. The purple beam breaking through the base of his back.

Another reached behind, blasting a powerful fire ball as Ben backflipped over the fireball. Impaling the soldier through the back of his head. Yet…his eyes were in a haze, Benjamin in a flurry of attacks cleaving and hacking a surrounding group of soldiers, as he thumped to the ground.

"Benjamin!" Haru screamed, blocking an attack as he lashed out with his own innate force abilities. A fire nation soldier with a sword saw the opening, ready to attack. Yet right before he could. The man seized his throat, his welching and strangled breath causing the soldiers to stutter and stare in pure fear.

Ben lashing out with his right hand as he bisected the other with his blade. His body falling in two as Ben turned back towards the crowd. Somersaulting into the fray as the only thing that could be heard was the clashing of a lightsaber blade and the horrific screams of the fire nation soldiers.

"Is Ben…okay?" Jet questioned. His eyes locked along the corpses, him and Haru had made decent work with dealing with a bunch of soldiers, but that couldn't compare to Ben.

A fire nation spearman lashed out with his spear, the adrenaline and willpower the only thing keeping Ben afloat as he felt the pressure of blood seep past his cheek, dodging the weapon that nearly cleaved through his head from his eye.

He threw his hand in a side way angle, the spearman and numerous other soldiers getting swept up in his wave as they collided into the hard ice walls. Ben's breathing was visible, cold heavy breathing as he could hardly keep himself up.

"…it might be hard to believe, but latterly half the enemies here have been cut down by Ben alone." Haru exclaimed, Jet shooting him a look of pure shock. He had been trying to defend himself and the entrance way. He didn't realize that it was this serious.

That was when he truly saw Ben…

Ben's robes were destroyed. The shoulder pad on his left arm was ripped off completely. His beautiful red robe was practically destroyed, tarnished as bleeding wounds and cuts doused his body. His face highlighted with a feverish madness as he blacked it out once again…giving himself into battle and rage once again as he let himself loose, giving himself into his anger and negative emotions to deal with this threat.

Haru stared, his lips parting as the words flown from him, like a river to the open ocean. "It's almost like…all of those feelings, all of that strength he held within himself. He's letting it out for this final stand."

His golden eyes pitched a bloodshot red as they scanned the crowd. He hadn't eaten, he hardly slept, and he had been training with Jet. They moved forward along him, the warrior following in a brilliant display of martial might.

Benjamin let out a wide flurry of attacks, his weapon strengthened by his resolve and emotions as the lightsaber made its mark.

Before they knew it, the fire nation soldiers fell to the snow. Bodies crumpled face first as Benjamin heaved, seeing black spots that distorted his vison that were so powerful he nearly lost consciousness. He was pushing himself farther than he had ever done before, giving himself deeper and deeper into the force but it was not enough. 'I need…more power'

Yet, as the soldiers began to funnel through the exits as the fear gripped their hearts. Right before the Jedi trio could celebrate. The moon ceased, the once pale and soothing light…was gone.

A powerful ripple, like a mighty boulder thrown into the base of a serine river. It set along the jedi trio like a cold fever. Yet, the corruption was not merely one that the Jedi could feel. As they gazed upon the sky. They could see it…a red moon.

It's sickening crimson glare glistening down on them, the symbol of the Sith. Benjamin grimaced, fury taking over as he held his still ignited lightsaber into the air as the words funneled through him. "You got to be fucking kidding me!" He roared.

They had done everything right. They made sure not a single fire nation soldier pushed through the entrance of the spirit oasis. Yet, they had failed once again…Ben had failed Aang, now it was his friend's duty to save him while he was stuck here. Too weak, too powerless to do a damn thing.

"Fucker…" He grimaced under his breath, his apprentices following him as he busted through the entrance of the oasis. Then, nothing.

The world was pitched in darkness. Lacking any color as Ben felt an emptiness set in along his surroundings. Turning to his left and right to account for Jet and Haru. It seemed that the only color that was produced was the colors of their lightsabers.

In a strange way, it comforted them. In a world in which things were going mad. "This is insane, I don't even understand what is going on…" Jet said.

Haru shook his head, teeth pressed against the other as he grimaced. "The fire nation, it's always their fault."

Team avatar surrounded the oasis, a crying Yue in Sokka's arms as Ben was the first to reach Aang. In which he was briefed in the events and what had happened. "Zhao, he…he killed the moon. How is that possible!"

Benjamin scrunched up his face, hands aggressively combing through his disheveled hair as he stared at the empty sky. Turning towards Katara as the girl tried her hardest to water bend, he glossed to his side. Seeing fires break out as the fire nation war machine could only advance.

"Jet…Haru." Ben spoke, dragging the attention of everyone present. His hands clamped on both boys' shoulders as they gazed at him. "Over a hundred years ago, the air nomads were destroyed…the fire nation genocide them. In a temple, the jedi weren't there to help them. The fire nation is moving forward with a plan that is going to lead this world into ruin. As men…as Jedi, we can't fail."

Both boys nodded their heads. "Sokka, take care of Aang while we're gone!" He leaped into the air as his feet compacted with Appa's hair. Grabbing the reins as Jet and Haru followed in his movements.

"What are you doing?" Questioned Katara.

"Katara, the waterbenders have lost there bending. There only defense against the fire nation is gone…" Benjamin grimaced at the thought, of the hell the trio were going to leap into. It was going to be a bloodbath…a massacre. "To save lives, to do what we must. We have to…"

Ben's fingers, glossing down it he saw that his right hand had begun to shake. 'Is this it…is this really where it ends?'

A red moon…and now nothing if this was it. Ben closed his eyes, letting the breath trail from his mouth as he gazed around him. Friends…no, family. The people who he had fought beside and traveled with.

"Come back to us…please." Katara spoke to the trio. With a faint nod from the boys, they disembarked and flew to the front lines. The battle was ending, and the jedi were prepared to fight to the very end to protect the innocent. Forfeiting their lives if needed to prevent the ever-growing crimes of the fire nation.

A lone waterbender, struggling to bend. Right on the frontlines as the fire nation soldiers and war machines pushed through the rudimentary defenses. Cutting down foes, burning civilians and soldier alike as none could escape.

Yet, right before this man could lose his life. As the sparks of the fire ball began to compact, the opposite happened. The hum of a lightsaber blade countered it, a purple streak following as the man's form collapsed. Ben, Haru, and Jet…lightsabers drawn as they stole the attention of all the fire nation soldiers.

"Looks like we got their undivided attention…" Jet jabbed, a small but sly smile across his face as he parted his lips to speak those words.

"No time to speak…just fight, kill them all!"

Ben's hollow threw the other boys into battle. The beams of purple, green, and cyan funneling within a circular vortex of martial might. Steamrolling through the fire nation in a bright flurry of attacks as they hoped to put a dent into there forces.

Ben lashed out with the force, sending a fire nation war machine into a squadron of soldiers, hearing the sound of bone break and squelch under the machines mighty weight rippled through the rest of the battalion's ears.

Jet and Haru followed through with there own swings, with each sword, both jedi apprentices met their mark against there targets. Even Jet, who was recently awakened to the force and had only picked up a lightsaber was making decent progress in slaying and defending himself against his enemies.

"Hold to the light!" Haru screamed, right before cutting a fire nation officer down through the midsection. Force pushing his Slain corpse into a pair of soldiers.

"It's like a shadow, a looming wave of darkness. The more we cut down. The harder it gets to fight against." Jet spoke. Struggling against the wave as Ben realized this, inching closer to Jet to support as he…

A brilliant red light brightened the sky, stealing the glances of everyone around as they stared perplexed at it. 'What…a flare?'

The brilliant flare brightened the dark and empty sky as even Benjamin and his apprentices for a short time were transfixed. Yet, what the hell was the meaning of the flare. It wasn't random. Yet, there was an inkling feeling within him. Something telling him that it was horrible news.

Maybe, they had sent reinforcements to help deal with there numbers that had been getting culled or possibly the…

It was Haru that felt it first. Eyes drawing towards his master and Jet. "Get down!" He screamed. Yet, it was already too late.

The fireballs from the fire nation warships were already thrown. Impacting and throwing them to their feet as the ricocheting and drumming of there eardrums pulsated within there ears. Stealing their voices and will to act.

It only faded to black…

Carnage, that was the one-word Ben could use to describe it. His ears rung like they were slammed with two heavy metal pans. Eyes felt hazy, felt too weak to push on. Yet, his body had his own will of its own. He scanned the ground threw shaky glances. His fingers lightly grabbing along anything he could find.

'My lightsaber…where is my weapon.' He thought, his fingers lifting something soft and thin. As his vision began to clear out. His eyes widened, dropping the object as it clattered to the floor. Backing away from the mound as he began to pace around, seeing what happened and where he truly was.

A meat grinder…glossing down at his body, blood flowing as he grimaced from his own pouring wounds. He looked back at what he picked up, a hand. A fire nation soldiers hand that got caught up in the explosion.

"Haru…Jet." He slowly whispered, voice caught in his voice box, not do to shock…but fear. Fear of what had happened to those two boys.

There faces flickered like a spent candle. Fearful of what was going to come, fearful of the newfound guilt he would be forced to endure…fearful of what he may have done. It was his responsibility; he had led the boys with him to battle believing that they could make a difference.

Yet, in this place…in this hell in which the moon didn't shine, there could be no good. Ben's eyes locked along his bloodied hands, eyes shaking as his knees compacted along the snow as the rest of his robe covering his chest and stomach was completely ripped off completely. Nearly doused in the blood of comrades and foe.

His mouth unlatched, a scream…a primal scream from the depths of his heart as he felt it empty from deep within. It was insane, that flare it had to be a signal to open fire. He didn't know why but they opened fire on there own troops. 'Was it a mistake, was it an accident on there part…but all of them launched here.'

With that thought, his eyes widened. Glossing down to the floor as he growled like a mad dog, gripping his fallen lightsaber as he stepped over the blown away corpses of the fire nation soldier caste. Yet, Ben began to understand…chuckling under his breath. Staring at the madness, staring at the destroyed sky.

"My fault…" He manically chuckled, tears slipping down his face. His thumb instinctively went to his lightsaber, the weapon sparking to life as its familiar purple blade chained him back to his foundation.

He began to understand…there was no mistake, the plan went perfectly. They knew that Ben was going to come, they knew he was going to play Jedi. So, they set up a trap just for him. He was too much of a fool, believing that the fire nation wouldn't dare use their own men. Yet, they did.

They sacrificed their own men to trap him and his apprentices. His mind went to there faces…to there smiles as he taught them the force. 'First Aang…now Jet and Haru. Have I already failed them, have I already doomed the new Jedi Order?'

Ben heaved, tears falling down his face. He couldn't do it…he couldn't live like this; it was his fault for Haru and Jet being here in the first place. He already had enough sins to bear, but he couldn't live like this…he couldn't live knowing that he killed his apprentices due to his failings as a teacher.

"Ben…"

His name, his neck snapping to the sound as he could hardly see through the carnage and the smoke. Pushing through with the force, he could see it. Unignting his blade as he threw himself to the floor. Haru laid there, his eyes half closed as a bleeding wound went from the side of his head and around his forehead.

"Haru, don't speak…" Ben coddled. Ripping off a couple fragments of his own robe as he began to curl it along Haru's head. "It's going to be okay."

"Ben…Master."

Ben's tears fell onto Haru's face, his half-narrowed eyes peering into his own as they began to slowly shut. "No…Haru, don't. Please don't go…don't leave me!"

He lost control, screaming the command. Yet, Haru fell unconscious in his lap. He didn't know the extent of his injuries. Yet, he grieved him…he grieved him as his wails rose along the sky. As tears and powerful screams rode through that moonless knight as he clutched along the comatose state of his apprentice.

He had failed…

Benjamin could not sense the life in Haru, he could only feel the weight of death and the emptiness within the force. To him, Haru was dead.

Ben stared at his fallen apprentice, clutching to his robes as his tears clouded his eyes. Unimaginable guilt and sorrow overtaking his present emotions. "I'm so sorry!" He wailed into the air. His screams rippling through the water tribe.

He clawed at the robes, at his failing. Haru was gone…and there was nothing he could do to bring him back. He failed again, always a cycle for Benjamin. The force reminding him of his place, the force reminding him that he was a failure…that solace and peace were something that he could never be attained.

He parted through his bloodshot eyes. Exhaustion, sorrow, guilt, fear, rage, hatred…it funneled through his movements as his sobs became painful grunts as his closed fist struck his head so hard that it echoed along his skull. The feelings of sorrow quickly turned to anger and hate.

It was his fault…but it was the fire nation's fault. It was their fault for everything! There faces blended, Mandalorian and fire nation becoming one. He had tried to be what Meetra told him to be, to follow along the light. To not give into his emotions. Yet…it was wrong.

'Jedi lies…because in my passion, it always gave me strength. I chose to trust Meetra, a Jedi. She abandoned me before, she would do it again. She lied to me because she fears my power…she knows how strong I am and what I am capable of. Now I understand, all of those Jedi I killed…all of those Mandalorians I killed, all the fire nation soldiers I killed…they deserve it. Because the Jedi are not the ones to be celebrated. They got what was coming to them…each and every last one of them.'

With those thoughts, his eyes began to grow infected. The orange gleam of the Sith overtaking them as they pulsed like the light of a lighthouse through the bitter and clouded smoke.

The only sound that could be heard…was the hoarse breathing, and the hum of a vibrant lightsaber blade.

"This…was wrong."

The fire nation soldiers, the next wave approached the onslaught. Seeing the carnage that had occurred as they could only watch. The reality struck the men and woman right then and there, if they had been assigned to this squad. They would've been dead.

"Don't…if they." Someone began to whisper.

"If they what!" Another voice arose. "They murdered our own guys…what, to catch some fucking jedi! Was this worth it!"

The crowd stared at their feet, none ready to give an explanation. Yet, they wouldn't have the time to. The blur and hum of a lightsaber as Ben somersaulted through the blinding smoke. Catching the fire nation soldiers by surprise as they didn't expect it at all…

"You want me so badly that you'll kill your own for me! You're my kill!"

Cleaving, hacking, slashing. Breaching through the waves and waves of soldiers as furry and power soared through Benjamin. Hacking and slashing as the fresh spray of blood awakened the beast inside, the one that laid dormant inside of him. "Come on…bring me more!"

The one that clawed and fought against those chains imposed inside of the Mandalorian wars. The one that called to him on that temple, he gave it control. "I'll kill you all…stinking animals!"

Force lightning curled along his frame and his blade. Cleaving through two soldiers at once as the fresh spray of sweat caused him to barrel backwards. Flipping over as he slammed downwards with his blade, ripping a fire nation soldier in two.

Spraying another with powerful force lightning as he lost himself within the carnage. He didn't know how long it lasted. Ten minutes…thirty minutes, maybe even an hour? Ben lost control, giving himself into the dark side as he didn't care anymore.

He was a failure…he failed everyone that ever cared for him or loved him. He was evil, he was tainted and nothing good would ever come from him. So, he gave into it all. It didn't matter anymore.

Yet, as he heaved from his breathing. Saber locking as he cut through the remaining waves. There was only silence. A faint clap was heard as it continued. Ben pushing himself off as he hunched over like a feral animal.

His orange eyes of the Sith, completely warping him completely as he stared at the source. "You…" He spoke through a garbled voice and a parched throat.

The Sith Lord from before…the one that hurt him, the one that injured him and gave him a bad leg. Hs growled like a savage dog. Welling with force energy as it frolicked off him.

"Impressive, I am Darth Ruin. A master at the academy, we have met before, and your injuries were at a cause of mine. Likewise, the orders to bomb this place."

Ben stared perplexed. Eyes sunken in as he didn't hear anything anymore…he only saw red. "Jet…Haru, my apprentices are dead."

Darth Ruin, he didn't care, shaking his head. "Well, I gave the order but no hard feelings. It wasn't personal…I am still willing to take you in as my apprentice due to this display of…"

Ben leaped forward, screaming as he lifted his purple lightsaber beam overhead as it clashed with his curved hilt. "Guess that's a no…"

"I'll fucking kill you!" He screamed louder, Ben losing himself completely. Slamming into and out as he let his rage take over. Forgetting his lightsaber form as he struck like a savage animal, the Sith lord merely batting his weapon away.

"Good you have anger…give in and use it for me, for the Sith."

Ben kicked him away. Spraying a beam of powerful electric currents towards him, Darth Ruin catching it along his blade as Ben threw himself. He didn't think anymore, he didn't care about death anymore. All he wanted, was to kill him.

He struck out with everything, losing his sense…ready to give up everything to slay this Sith Lord. Yet, it was nothing. He was weak compared to him. Ben raised his blade overhead, slamming it down and saber locking along the crimson of his curved one.

Yet, he didn't feel anything…only hate. Darth Ruin leaned deeper, with a blur of finger movements lightly twisting his blade like a cork, Ben's lightsabers breaking free from his hands as it was thrown overhead and into the air.

Ben didn't have time. He chambered all the energy he could muster into his left hand, the arm crackling with force lightning as he was ready for it to discharge. Yet, something happened. Out of the corner of his eye he could see it.

Two figures rising from the rubble…pushing past it as Ben could see it. The orange eyes of the Sith completely dissolving as they were replaced by his original golden ones. Jet, holding a lightly concise Haru. 'There…alive?'

He hesitated…and Ruin saw his moment. Ruin caught Ben's blade with his hand. Gripping it as he ignited the weapon as that purple beam contrasted with the bright crimson of his own. It all happened at once.

The purple bladed lightsaber cut in a downwards arc. Yet, Ben held no lightsaber…and plunged down to the only thing that stood in its way. Ben felt a line of blazing agony swell across his body. Just above the left elbow.

It hurt…it felt sickening and cold. A deep wintery chill that he had never felt before. His hand thumped on the ground with a thud, collapsing along the snow. Yet, that didn't make any sense to Ben. Looking at his left arm. Eyes frozen to it. How could his arm be there…why was his arm separated from the rest of his body, it didn't make sense to Ben as the shock circled through him.

He turned to look at Haru and Jet…the boys screaming at him, but his ears were far too dulled to hear anything. He felt that sickening coldness once again, staring with open eyes as his body registered what had happened to him. Seeing Darth Ruin peer into his own eyes as his own purple blade poked from the base of his left chest and through his back. Unigniting the weapon as Ben stood there. He felt a dizzying haze swirling up and engulfing him. Ruin attaching both lightsabers to his belt, staring at Ben with a disappointment filled face.

Ruin pushing him with the force, he felt the air leave his body through the stab wound. The charred exterior and his lopped off arm slowly making him die from shock. He stared at him, eyes slowly peering to Jet and Haru who screamed and tried to reach out for him. Yet, it wasn't enough…

Ben crashed into the river back. His body like a weight as he began to collapse downwards. He thought he could hear there voices underwater. Everything was too confusing as he watched his lopped off arm sink further and quicker than him, seeing the sparks of the lopped off nub as he began to narrow his eyes. He was tired…too tired.

Ben didn't have the energy to stay upright any longer. Right before anything could happen…before any blessing could save him. He felt himself sink into the coldness of the freezing rivers. Then the pain and the shock were completely swallowed up by blackness. Once again…a broken Jedi.

End of Book 1

Author Note: Welp, that was my ending for book 1! Ben lost a whole ass arm and impaled through his chest with his own lightsaber, sinking into the abyss. First off, I want to say that I never imagined I would be able to make it this far. 25 chapters in and we started from Benjamin being a chain smoker/alcoholic to now someone who is trying to do good. This final and the other chapters were kind of rushed, there is an explanation on this. I am starting school again and the chapter updates would become less frequent. I wanted to get this final chapter out as soon as possible so I apologize for it being rushed. Still, I think it turned out okay. Thank you 25 favorites, 32 follows, 7 reviews, and the over 8,000 people who have read this story and gave it a shot! Thank you all for your support and I hope you have a wonderful and awesome day. I'm exhausted right now and I got school soon. I am gonna be on a hiatus for less than a month so I'll start updating chapters again soon. Please remember to follow, favorite, and review because it greatly helps with my motivation. Have a sweet day and see you next time!