Now, Vaylin finally realized why Cassian froze in shock the moment he saw the hologram. She had never seen him in such a state of utter horror and powerlessness until now, and surely a simple image of someone who shares his species would not be enough to frighten so much, but the moment this Chiss mentioned the visit to Odessen, it all became clear to her. This was Dezuno, Cassian's father and one of the most influential Chiss on Copero.

And he was in league with Jadus.

"That bastard…" Cassian's arm shook as he reached out for his lightsaber, his shock transforming into spiteful wrath. "I'LL KILL HIM!"

He charged towards Liorel and Dezuno's hologram, only to be noticed almost immediately. Liorel remained in fear for only a moment; his next step was to press a button right in front of him. Cassian immediately stopped as the violet rays emerged from the wall installations, forming a rift between him and Liorel. Vaylin could immediately feel the weakness in her knees and ankles when this energy was unleashed; no doubt it was the Voidcaller. There was also a second layer, this one being a regular ray shield. Luckily, Cassian paused just before touching it while both Liorel and Dezuno watched with surprised expressions. Cassian made the right call when he said they should both take masks; otherwise, this reunion would be far more awkward.

"Seems like you don't have your own house in order, Manipulator." Dezuno shook his head in disapproval.

"This makes no sense…My guards should work harder than that!"

"Get rid of those pests before concerning yourself with whether I'll come over or not!" Dezuno sneered and disconnected, leaving the three alone.

"Pests…" Cassian said as he clenched his teeth, unable to contain his disgust. Vaylin knew this feeling far too well. How it feels to have your own parent looking at you as nothing more than a disgusting pest, a nuisance to subdue. He might not have known who hid behind the mask, but Vaylin wondered whether his reaction would be even worse if he did.

Liorel didn't hesitate again, he pressed another button, this time the one that activated multiple turrets on the wall, all ready to fire at the same time. Cassian prepared to block those shots, but Vaylin saved him last minute by dragging him back into the hall with the force.

"Who are you two?" Liorel spoke up. "No mere thugs would ever be able to get inside unnoticed…I see you have lightsabers. Did Jadus send you to test?"

"You'll never find that out." Cassian clung to his sword, ready to strike again, but before he could strike, Liorel activated another protocol, forcing even more turrets to emerge from the walls, each of them filled with the Voidcaller.

"Not again!" Vaylin said with annoyance and clung to her lightsaber. The turrets began firing out violet shards, and while Cassian and Vaylin did their best to avoid and deflect them, there were simply too many of them, and eventually, both of them felt the sting of the void once again. Liorel caught them in his trap, and moments after, Vaylin heard more frantic steps from adjacent halls; the guards were coming.

"Take them alive!" Liorel shouted.

"Do we have to run again?" Vaylin sighed with disappointment, though she realized that a retreat was inevitable. Cassian remained silent, though his actions spoke loudly enough.

The Chiss turned around and rushed away, beckoning for Vaylin to follow him. There were only a few seconds before the turrets would switch to regular blasts and gun them both down. All they could do was run. They had the location pinned down, and there was the unexpected revelation of Cassian's father helping the conspirators. Vaylin felt Chiss's rage and fury at the sight of Dezuno talking about his own son in such a degrading manner. At any other time, Vaylin would play off his anger and encourage it, but now…She felt something else, something she couldn't yet put into words.

Eventually, the two of them ran across the hall and reached a window.

"Are we doing another spire trick?" Vaylin chuckled nervously as she looked down. "Sure, you want to do this when we're both without force?"

"No other way to escape." The Chiss said coldly. "At least this one has something to soften our fall." He added as he pointed at the lake beneath the window. "No time to waste, come on!"

…

By the time Cassian and Vaylin got out of the lake, both were drenched in water, but it was the least of their concerns when Liorel's soldiers were still on their tail. The two of them had to run towards the city's walls and eventually outside, back towards the wilderness, where they spent their time at the lake. Eventually, they finally lost their pursuers and allowed themselves a reprieve. As Vaylin saw Cassian take his mask off, she could finally witness the primal rage in his eyes. The Chiss clung to his lightsaber harder than usual, as if holding himself back from striking the air or nearby trees.

"He was there, on Odessen…" Cassian spoke with pain. "He came here, pretended to try and make up…All he wanted was to distract me! He ordered his agents to sabotage the artillery, he paved the way for Jadus!" He could not longer hold himself back, Cassian grabbed his sword and pierced the nearest tree while still taking in deep breaths.

"So…What do we do?"

"We go to the estate and destroy everything they built there. Everything."

…

Everything Jac and his allies, everything Xarion and Seeker did, all the lives that fell to the attacks of the conspirators, all of this was for this single moment. The moment that would decide whether all of those sacrifices had any meaning, whether Jaesa, Rusk, Kaliyo, and so many others died for nothing. As Jac, Kira, and Scourge ascended, they didn't utter a word. All they did was to stand in silence and wait. They felt the dark presence coming from the command room, clouded with the Voidcaller's aura. There was no doubt that this was Jadus. Even if he won't be able to harm them with Voidcaller directly, he was among the most powerful" force-wielders in the galaxy and perhaps one of the smartest. There wouldn't be a second where Jac could allow himself to take a breather; Jadus would no doubt use it to his advantage.

Soon, the doors finally opened, and the trio walked into a crimson room with a reconstructed throne on the opposite side of it. It was used for both staging operations and to demonstrate the Alliance's glory…Jac didn't approve of Cassian's choice of government, but it was far better than the true tyrant who sat on this throne right now. A man with only one eye, light dark armor, black hair, and a skin paler than even most Sith. He looked at a holographic map before him, not paying any attention to his visitors.

Lord Scourge was the first one to attack. He launched his lightsaber forward, pushing it toward the dark lord in a desperate attempt to cut his head off. Jadus simply raised his hand and made the saber freeze mid-air; all Scourge could do was pull it back into his own arms.

"I see why the Emperor chose you," Jadus said coldly as he deactivated the map and finally graced his guests with a gaze. "Quite strong and very quick to resort to violence, he only needed to direct your anger."

"Do you have any idea how many comments like those I heard?" Scourge wasn't impressed. "They mean nothing to me."

Kira was the next one to speak, her voice brimming with suspicion.

"Did you expect us or even know who we are? You don't sound surprised at all."

"I didn't, but that does mean I am not prepared. This armor isn't enough to cloud your true faces for me…Is it meant to protect you from the Voidcaller? At least you came prepared. Far too many in the galaxy would want my head, and I accepted this…Unfortunate reality. They won't ever understand the sheer scale of the favor I'm providing the galaxy with."

"By cutting off people's connection to the force? Why would a Sith Lord like you even want that? Or do you truly think that the galaxy will be better with you as its uncontested ruler?"

"Is that what you think I'm trying to achieve?" Jadus sighed. "No matter, you might still live long enough to find out…Though out of the three of you, you aren't the one with the highest chances." Jadus turned his gaze towards Jac, making the Jedi feel his chilling presence. The pale man stood up from the throne, and a few small mechanisms emerged behind his back. Half a dozen floating weaponries of Iokath design, Jadus kept them at a distance and in the air with force, most likely willing to operate them telekinetically. Each of them was filled with a violet chemical. "Have you come to avenge your comrades, Master Elias? To free those that I enslaved?"

"We came to bring you to justice." The Jedi said sternly as he clung to his lightsaber.

"By killing me?"

"Yes."

"Won't even try to invite me to have a cup of tea with you on Tython?" The Sith said with some emotion emerging in his voice for the first time, a subtle echo of mockery. He must have had eyes and ears everywhere if he knew how Jac's mission on the Emperor's fortress went, one of the most embarrassing and agonizing days in the Jedi's life, the one where his naivety and belief turned him into a slave to the worst monster in the galaxy. "Humor me for a moment. Suppose I drop my weapon and surrender. What will you do?"

"I will assume it's a ploy."

"And if you had proof that it's not? If you knew without a shred of doubt that I was throwing myself at your mercy? If my fate was in your hands…What would you do?" Jac knew what answer Jadus expected, and they both knew that it was the true one. Jac saw too many Jedi fall into the same trap of idealism. They gave chances to those who did not deserve it and tried to redeem monsters far beyond it. Sometimes, one has to accept that they have gone too far and do the right thing, even if it stains your conscience. Jac knew full well what choice he made when a powerless, confused Dread Master stood before him and when a mother begged for him and Cassian to heal her son, a murderous tyrant. He would make those choices again if he had to.

"I would execute you on the spot…To give your victims retribution they deserve."

"I respect honesty. It takes a very strong spirit and a folkish mind, and people like this always stand out." The Archon ignited his lightsaber, glowing with a unique white color.

Without words, he unleashed his first wave of Onslaught. The Iokath weapons he held in the air unleashed powerful blasts, each of them infused with Voidcaller, spreading it around the trio for a moment. The substance itself wasn't a threat with respirators on Jac, Kira, and Scourge, but those weapons were more than that. Those explosions came with multiple shockwaves that made the floor beneath them tremble. Jac's vision got clouded for a moment, and even though he maintained his stand, it was as if Jadus deliberately set the stage; Jac could see his silhouette emerge. Jadus activated his weapons again, this time forming a protective aura over him with their shared energy. It was a barely visible blue shield, yet the Jedi could clearly see it, judging by him walking so close to the Voidcaller; it served to protect him from contact with it or breathing it.

"He's just toying with us, enough!" Scourge shouted with rage and charged towards Jadus. Their lightsabers clashed with the Archon, masterfully deflecting all of Scourge's strikes. The Wrath was quicker than usual. He would immediately spot each and every opening in Jadus's form, reaching out for his body, be it via focusing on his limbs or chest. When Jadus attempted to counterattack, he touched the Sith's armor yet did not have time to force his lightsaber far enough to create an opening. Scourge resisted back with all of his physical might, force-pushing Jadus a few meters back.

Kira was the next to strike, taking advantage of the few seconds Jadus was down, but the Archon jumped back the moment Kira tried to decapitate him, landing on his feet. Jadus used his weapons, forcing the floor beneath Kira to tremble and make her legs shake, eager to conduct a merciless counterattack. When Jadus leaped back, he was quick to overwhelm her and slice her armor. Kira was a talented Jedi, yet she was still weaker and less skilled than a master of the dark side like Jadus. This did not make her any less resilient. However, Jac knew Kira better than to doubt her determination for a single second. Kira maneuvered and retreated, dancing in a battle while blocking Jadus's attacks, switching between two blades of her lightsaber.

She didn't have to fight alone for long, not when Jac jumped in between them, allowing Kira a respite and taking Jadus on. He knew that he was the strongest of the trio, and it was his duty to kill the Archon and end this insanity.

"I defeated the Emperor himself…What chance do you think you stand?!" Jac shouted as rage filled his heart as he imagined all the people this monster murdered and forced to suffer, all for his deranged goals.

Jadus remained silent, seemingly giving in to Jac's battle. His style was different from most Sith Jac fought. Jadus did not seek to unleash his rage in an unending onslaught; he maintained a level of self-control that would make many Jedi jealous. He maintained his defense like a predator waiting for a perfect opportunity to strike. When this opportunity arose, Jadus jumped over Jacques, and the Jedi felt the heat of the Archon's lightsaber right at his neck. A small armor plate was cut off, revealing some of Jac's skin and making his heart skip a beat. Luckily for him, Scourge attacked Jadus just in time to reach his waist, inflicting a wound on the Archon and disorienting him for a moment. He also tried to destroy Jadus's weapons, but they were made of metal that couldn't be cut with a lightsaber.

The Archon was about to counterattack, but Jac pushed him away with force, pinning him on the nearest durasteel wall. For a moment, it even felt as if the mighty Jadus was in Jac's grasp, but the Jedi didn't allow himself to get overconfident; no doubt the Archon had some tricks up his sleeve. The Jedi attempted to force-choke him, always feeling that if he applied just a little more power, Jadus's defenses would finally be pierced, and he would finally weaken and break. His neck would be snapped in half, and his terror would come to an end. But, of course, this moment was fleeting. Jadus activated one of his weapons and shot a Voidcaller shard, directing it towards Jac's armor opening like a guided missile; the Jedi only had mere seconds to evade and, thus, sacrifice his grip over Jadus. Their enemy was free again, and not even wounds could hold him back. Scourge and Jac regrouped while Kira tried to distract him once again.

She attacked from the side, aiming directly for Jadus's heart, but he was prepared. The Archon transferred the laser's powers to the side Kira chose to strike, weakening others but significantly empowering a particular one. Kira's lightsaber was met with a resistant field that burned through her chest armor, all while she couldn't reach him. Scourge attacked the Archon from the opposite side, utilizing the opportunity he opened when weakening parts of his aura, but Jadus blocked Scourge's strike with his lightsaber.

"Come on, I can feel…He's weakening!" Kira said, her chest armor was melting and growing weaker yet she didn't stop her Onslaught. Jadus was attacked by both her and Scourge at the same time, yet still held on his own against all odds. Jac hoped that he would tip the scales.

However, moments before Jax could strike him, Jadus leaped back towards the throne, avoiding any damage. The Jedi wouldn't allow him to go so easily. However, he grabbed onto the Archon with force and made his jump. Luckily for the Jedi, he reached Jadus before he could react, but a few milliseconds of pause were enough. Jadus tried to push Jac's lightsaber aside, and while he managed to force it away from his chest, the Jedi still pierced Jadus's elbow. The Archon let out a pained groan and shook for the first time throughout the battle; Jac made him recoil.

"This is it!" Jacques shouted as he was about to slide his lightsaber down and cut Jadus in half, but the Archon pushed him back once again, forcing Jacques back into the center of the room. This must have been painful for Jadus, no doubt, yet he was willing to take this risk.

As Jadus focused on the trio, he activated something via his connection to the throne. A number of turrets emerged from the walls and began to shoot at the trio, once again forcing them into a defensive position. Jac felt his body growing tired, but the battle wasn't won yet. He fought with Kira and Scourge, and even though some blasts hit them, all they were able to do was weaken the armor by warming it up and making it melt; they couldn't reach their bodies.

Jadus didn't hesitate, either. He made his way forward, although Jac quickly noticed his limping, signifying the Sith's weakening state; the wounds must have worn him down; all it would take was a slight push. The Archon didn't attack directly. Instead, he raised his hand, slowly ripping a chunk of the wall, no doubt preparing to toss it at the trio.

Kira was the first to react to this; Jacques's former padawan rushed forth in an attempt to strike Jadus while he was distracted; it seemed like she had a perfect opportunity for a strike. Jac was preparing to help her, but something went wrong. Jadus dropped the chunk and instead switched his tactics immediately as if he were preparing for it. He commanded his weapons to unleash another shockwave just strong enough to make Kira's melting chest plate fall off, unveiling a part of his body. The woman slowed down for a moment, but it was too late to evade. Jadus raised his hand, forcing Kira to freeze in a static position for a few fleeting seconds, and then he went for the pull.

"NO!" Jac screamed as he witnessed a grotesque horror unfold before his very eyes. The sound of Kira's flesh getting ripped pierced his ears as Jadus tore her heart from her chest and tossed it on the floor. In only a few seconds, Kira's expression completely froze, and then she fell to her knees. What fell on the floor was not a woman but a lifeless body. Even Scourge couldn't move from the shock, while Jac felt the shaking of his hands as the world around him crumbled. It was as if he fell into a dark abyss, horrified and torn, unable to look away from the darkest nightmare manifesting in his life.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Jac screamed in fury as he charged towards Jadus. There was nothing but primal rage left in his heart as he looked into this monster's eyes. He would annihilate him for this without hesitation; he would not hold back for a second.

The Jedi charged towards Jadus, ready to piece through his protective aura, no matter how painful it will be, he focused all of his power in his body and hands, preparing for a breakthrough. Now was the time to fight and end this, to make him feel the pain he deserved!

But a second later, Jacques felt a stinging pain in the back of his neck, right where the opening on his armor was. Jac froze in pain as he felt the sting morph into a spreading aching, a disease that was the void, immediately taking all of his force away from, him.

"No, no…" Jac's hands shook, and now he saw Jadus show emotion again. This time, it was an earnest smile. Another guided shard, the one Jacques missed because of his seething rage.

"You give in to your anger quickly and without hesitation…Were you born in the Empire, you would become a great Stih." Jadus raised his hand and unleashed an incredibly powerful force, lightning that pushed Jac back and made him scream in sheer agony. This was far more powerful than Sazen's strength; Jac could feel his life force flowing away from him. Jumping back towards the elevator did not help the Jedi; it was too difficult to stand.

"Get away from him!" Scourge shouted as he attacked Jadus, but the Archon moved away so quickly that it felt like teleportation, forcing Scourge to miss. Moments after, Jadus sliced the armor on Scourge's back, creating another opening. Jac tried to stand up and help, but the pain was too great…He has fallen.

Scourge continued his rage full Onslaught, pushing through Jadus's aura and inflicting another wound on his chest. The Archon recoiled; the strike was so powerful that he dropped the Iokath weapons and had to walk back.

"No, you are not going anywhere!" Scourge screamed with spite and continued to attack Jadus while the Archon blocked his strikes despite him getting slower and weaker due to wounds. If only Jac and Kira were with Scourge…They would've won at this point. Jadus was kneeling, taking one heavy breath after another, there was still a chance for Scourge to end him…

Suddenly, Jac heard the sound of the elevator door opening, fearing that those were their enemies, but soon saw that it was a familiar blonde woman.

"Jac?" Lana spoke in fear. "What's go…" She looked up and saw Scourge and Jadus fighting.

"H-help…Help him…"

"I can't, I…" As Lana said those words, Jac noticed the collar on her neck, she was already affected by the Voidcaller. He looked back at Scourge, only to see Jadus grab one of the Iokath blasters and piercing Scourge's back with it.

"Aaargh!" He screamed as the Voidcaller spread through his veins.

"Can you feel it? I wonder if you ever felt this powerless, 'Wrath'?" Jadus spoke.

"We have to run!" Lana spoke up. "Atiel is still dealing with the malfunctioning droids, the platform is clear, come on!"

"We can't go, we…"

"We can't fight him!" Lana said sternly as Jadus tossed Scourge aside and stood up. The Archon shook and bled, but he was still able to stand and had his force. This made him a god before powerless Jac and Lana. "Come on, you can't die like this; we need you!" She pleaded and grabbed Jac, taking him into the elevator just before Jadus could strike. Was it all over like this?

"Lana, I…I'm sorry…"

"It's alright, don't waste your breath…I'll get you out of here so we can fight another day."

Jac wanted to speak, but the pain became unbearable. There were flashes of the two of them going across the platform and getting into a ship.

Then, he finally closed his eyes.