Raina told him that it would come to this.
Yet Eckard Lokin continued his work until the Voidcaller was perfected, only to see a glimpse of the coming chaos on the very next day. The attack was swift and decisive; Lana Beniko created a distraction while the three warriors attempted to strike Jadus down. They came prepared, armored, and determined, even coming close to striking Jadus down, but in the end, they failed. Lana and Jac managed to escape, leaving a trail of carnage in their wake.
Katie least Ki Sazen was dead. Lokin couldn't deny that there was a certain sense of satisfaction and relief in his heart the moment he laid eyes on Zabrak's lifeless body lying beside her pets. She was one of the main supporters of chaos, but would her death change anything at all? After all, the only reason she held this power was because Jadus allowed her to; the Archon wasn't an idiot; he understood that Sazen was a careless, vindictive person who would gladly use the Voidcaller to turn it against those she believed held her down. There would be many others like her, and Jadus would already be gathering his forces.
It's not that Lokin was averse to having his inventions be used for destructive purposes; he served in Imperial intelligence and was a tool to the Sith, but he wasn't blind to this reality. He experimented with rakghoul serum, discarded countless failed experiments, some of which were once living people…He believed it would end up being the same with the Voidcaller. Yet, no matter how hard he tried to convince himself, he could not shake off this painful feeling of shame. A dangerous creation must be in semi-responsible hands; even the Sith of the Dark Council was not as deranged as to destroy the entire galaxy.
Jadus could've been exactly that.
And Lokin just played right into his hands because of his sentimentality. A spy, a scientist, a man of logic and pragmatism fell so low as to give a destructive weapon away to a madman just because he felt he owed his life to Atiel. How did he reach this point? Was it his disease that made him so weak and susceptible? A disappointing, shameful outcome. Lokin thought that perhaps after his work was finished, he would be able to move on and live without regrets, consider his debt paid, and never look back. Oh, what a naive fool he was…The more he talked with Raina and Atiel, the more he saw what Jadus was capable of and the people he empowered, and the more Lokin came to a single conclusion. For the first time in his life, it was better for his work to be undone. And soon, he will have to play a part in it himself, even if it means going back on his debt.
Even after many years, Lokin still remained an agent at his heart. The one for whom promises are nothing but a tool or a chain to be broken. It was a long time since he had broken this one.
…
By the time Cassian and Vaylin arrived at the Westwind Estate, it was strangely silent. The Chiss expected heavy guard forces, thought the two of them would get detected the moment they set foot on the outskirts. After all, if this was a place so important to Jadus and his conspirators, they would do all they can to guard their secrets…At least, that was what Cassian expected.
"Are you sure this is the right place?" Vaylin raised an eyebrow after giving the Estate a thorough look. "Seems like it's been abandoned for years."
"Those are the exact coordinates that Liorel had…I doubt they had another estate around here."
"You never know. Maybe they wanted an even bigger one." Vaylin shrugged. "Some people just never satisfy."
"We don't have any other leads, so let's hope this is the one."
"Well, at least if it's unguarded, we don't have to waste much energy being stealthy. It should just annihilate the front entrance. Whoever's here will probably piss their panties at the sight."
"Are you se…"
"Joking." Vaylin interrupted dryly. "Come on, I'm not that stupid. I'd love to enter with a bang, but there's probably Voidcaller here, so…We'll have to it the boring way. Your way, I mean. Any suggestions on where to enter?"
"Yes." Cassian nodded and pointed at the small door near one of the walls. "If we can make a hole there, we'll get in."
Getting in proved even easier than it seemed. Cassian was ready to curse himself to taking such an obvious bait and walking right into the enemy's territory, but there was no alarm to point out there presence. Only an empty, silent hall of an intricate building. It seemed Alderaanian, the architecture was the same as what they saw in Thul holdings, but there were no decorations around, and the gold tint of the walls withered right before Cassian's eyes.
"You know, this reminds me of a couple of holomovies I saw as little girl." Vaylin mused. "The type where villains had their secret hideouts be all dark, old, and gloomy, to show how evil they are…Even as a kid I thought this was stupid! Don't tell me that actually happens in your part of the galaxy." The woman chuckled playfully.
"Let's just say you'd love Dromund Kaas," Cassian said with a slightly playful tone as they moved forward. They didn't remain alone for long.
"Target acquired."
A swift, robotic voice made Cassian turn around immediately and lay his eyes on the silhouettes that formed within the walls. Mechanical guardians, droids with a cloaking system now shed their skin with two of them leaping to the floor. Vaylin noticed them too, and a sly smile emerged on her face.
"Finally, something I can hit." She ignited her lightsaber, ready to crush those droids in an instant, but they were prepared. Cassian saw violet energy form in their bodies as their arms transformed into blasters.
"Vaylin, hide!" He commanded, fearing that she might hesitate to follow his orders, but Vaylin reacted quickly. She ripped a chunk of the floor and raised it as a shield, using durasteel to deflect all the Voidcaller shards those droids aimed at her. Cassian utilized the opportunity and leaped behind those droids, slicing one of them in half and immediately aiming for the second. The fiend evaded, however, and jumped over the durasteel shield, emerging right behind Vaylin.
"Feisty, huh?" The woman sneered before unleashing force lightning that crushed the droid in a matter of seconds, tossing its remains aside and smashing them on the wall. "I have ways to deal with feisty."
They were safe, for now, and they knew that this Estate was not entirely unguarded. Vaylin looked over the mauled carcasses.
"They have the purple goo on them. I guess this means we came to the right place."
"Hm, they're of a familiar model, as rare as it is…" Cassian pondered as memories of a lush, tropical world and a dozen of eyes that followed his every step flashed before his eyes. "Opticron."
"What?"
"The type of droids the Emperor used to spy on some of his closest associates back in the day…Including me. They're very agile."
"Didn't seem like much to me."
"Without Voidcaller, they wouldn't be…" So many challenges that Cassian could've easily overcome made difficult because of the Voidcaller, the Sith couldn't deny he was getting sick of its endless presence. But either way, there wasn't much left but to continue moving forward until all of Jadus's secrets would be left bare.
The duo made their way further into the Estate, a quite labyrinthine structure by design. The Sith began to wonder what its true purpose was. Surely there was no need to design an estate in such an intricate way? There was more to it…And it did not take long until Cassian and Vaylin found something shocking. Upon reaching one of the larger chambers, Cassian's eyes caught two figures standing on the opposite side and talking to each other. One of them was covered in black robes, while the other looked very familiar.
"I'm sorry, I should've notified you earlier, but I couldn't have expected such an outcome myself." The man with dark skin spoke up.
"Isn't that…" Vaylin whispered, making Cassian nod. Liorel Merr clearly arrived here earlier than them. The Chiss signaled for Vaylin to hide behind one of the nearest walls, but they had to get as close as possible without getting detected. The man continued.
"I even tried to convince him myself, but I'm afraid Dezuno is set in his ways; there is little we can do to change his priorities if anything."
"An unexpected setback, but it does not change our course." A cold, emotionless voice rang from the other man, making Cassian freeze in a single spot. This was a familiar voice that he heard not so long ago…Jadus. Judging by Vaylin's surprised expression, she came to the exact same conclusion. "However, I expect you to compensate for this loss, Liorel." When the man turned his head, Cassian could see his face.
"Of course, sir, anything you need."
"For now, mostly resources, but as you're well aware, I will require your unwavering dedication very soon."
Cassian still suspected a trick, yet at this moment, another feeling overwhelmed him. The memories of the duel on Odessen and his desperate attempt to defend his friends lead to a horrific outcome. He saw Jadus pierce Jaesa as his Padawan sacrificed herself to defend her master from certain demise. Jadus took one of Cassian's closest friends away from him and imprisoned the rest, and now here he was, distracted and vulnerable. Cassian looked at Vaylin and whispered.
"All he needs is one Voidcaller shard…But against you, he is powerless without it." The Sith said confidently.
"Are you saying that I finally can…"
"Yes, right now."
"I thought you'd never ask." Vaylin smiled and raised her hand as she focused on the robed man. Moments later, she raised him up into the air, much to Liorel's shock.
"Sir, what is going…"
Vaylin unleashed her lightning and stroked the robed man, making him let out a pained cry. Liorel ran towards the nearest wall, activating the Voidcaller shield around himself, terror brimming in his eyes. He was very lucky that he wasn't a priority right now.
However, moments later, the robed man broke away from Vaylin's grip and stood on his feet. He was still alive but clearly weakened.
"Now!" Cassian shouted as he jumped towards Jadus, and Vaylin followed him closely. The Chiss leaped towards the robed man and pierced him with his lightsaber. The moment he did it, however, Cassian immediately realized that something was wrong. His body was much harder to pierce than any other despite lacking armor. This didn't feel like flesh at all. Vaylin used the force again and ripped the man's robes apart, unveiling his body. He liked exactly like Jadus, yet the wound Cassian dealt to him was full of electric sparks. The Sith sliced him in half and allowed the body to fall to the ground, revealing his mechanical innards.
"Damn it!" Cassian clenched his fist as he saw the holographic disguise fade away, unveiling the droid's true form.
"What now?"
"Another masked opticron…Jadus isn't here."
"And what did you expect?" Liorel tauned them from beyond his shield. "Did you really expect the Archon to be so stupid as to just endanger himself like that? Idiots!" He said with spite, making Vaylin demonstratively roll her eyes.
"You do realize that if your master isn't here, it falls to you to entertain us both, right?"
"Not necessarily." Liorel chuckled with confidence, none of which was earned. Unless…Cassian looked at the fallen opticron, noticing the violet flow gradually overtaking it. The walls on his other side had two new droids emerge as well.
"Vaylin, look out!"
But it was too late, the droid exploded and unleashed a Voidcaller cloud that immediately overtook Cassian. It didn't reach Vaylin, but the shockwave did. She lost her balance and got pushed away, closer to the droids that guarded the exit. One of them took a shot, injecting the Voidcaller shard into Vaylin. This was all it took to render them powerless.
"Never celebrate your victories too early." Liorel said with a sardonic grin. "It'll make defeat all the more bitter."
"You think that's enough to stop us?" Cassian said with pride. "You…" Before he could finish, a flash of sudden light interrupted him. The lighting grew dim, unveiling a large shining screen on one of the walls. Two projectors got activated at the same time, creating a giant hologram of Jadus in the middle of the room.
"I will take it from here." He said calmly.
"There you are!" Vaylin said with rage and clung to her saber. "How about you come out and show us what you're made of?"
"That would be problematic. I never left Odessen, nor am I planning to."
"Of course…Let me guess, afraid to end up like you did back in the throne room?"
"Do not confuse pragmatism with fear." Jadus shook his head. "That confrontation was a mistake which I don't intend to repeat. Especially not when I can conduct my business with you remotely."
"What kind of business?" Cassian spoke up. "You expected us."
"I did. In fact, the entire reason Liorel came to the Estate was because of you…Or, to be more precise, because of Vaylin Tirall."
"Don't you dare call me that!" The woman snapped. "I don't go by that hag's name!"
"Yet her bloodline is the closest you have to a family…This Estate held no particular purpose for us other than a place for some backup servers, which the Panteers carefully guarded. This was where nine people met, each with a dream. We shared our goals, and I gave them the means to achieve them. Together, we gained resources, an army, influence, and brilliant minds that created the Voidcaller…You are standing in the halls where our shared dream was born." Jadus couldn't hide the pride in his voice. "And this dream was freedom."
"How vague."
"Each one of us saw this word in a slightly different light, as people tend to. But it was enough of a commonality for us to work together."
"And was my father among them?!" Cassian shouted with anger, hearing Dezuno's voice echo in his ears. "He is the Eight Lord; is that who the nine people are? First Archon, Ninth Siren, Seventh Paragon…Liorel is the Fourth Manipulator. Are those the code names you took on?"
"Indeed. I suppose there is little need to lie. Yes, your father was among us on that day. He lent our resources and credits to our cause; it was a boon to have such a powerful agent from the Ascendancy on our side. All it took was a promise that this would give him an opportunity to destroy you." Jadus said coldly, making Cassian shake and clench his fist. Dezuno never cared for him, never loved him…And all of Cassian's worst suspicions proved to be true. "But that is beyond the point. This was the place where I showed all the evidence of my time on Nathema…Made them peer and see a glimpse of this void. Now, I'll do the same, and you are not a part of what must happen here, Narok."
One of the turrets fired immediately after those words, creating a shockwave pushing Cassian and Vaylin in different directions. The woman fell near two opticron droids, who were quick to pick her up and lead her toward one of the adjacent doors.
"LET ME GO!" She shouted in an attempt to fight, but without the force, those droids were quick to overpower her.
"No, Vaylin!" Cassian rushed towards her, but he couldn't reach her in time; the droids threw her into the hall, and the durasteel door locked mere seconds later. "VAYLIN!" Cassian attempted to break through, but the droids were quick to grab him. The Chiss resisted, but their heavy metal hands grabbed his arms so tightly that he couldn't even begin to move them, even forcing Cassian to drop his lightsaber. "What are you planning?!"
"You'll know soon enough," Jadus said before turning to Liorel, who deactivated his field.
"I trust you can take it from here?"
"I can, sir."
"Good. I've sent my agents to collect him and bring him Odessen, for now he's in your custody." He explained before disconnecting, leaving Liorel and Cassian alone. The Imperial man walked towards the Chiss with a wide smile on his face. He clearly took delight in every single second of him standing tall above his fallen foe, Cassian's seething rage must have added to the effect.
"It feels even better than I imagined." Liorel smiled, and for some reason, this smug overconfidence allowed Cassian to calm down and focus on the present. This man was far from untouchable; all he needed was to wait for him to slip. "Wrath of the Empire…I remember the days when your name would make everyone on Dromund Kaas shrink in terror. Those were the days…But I would much prefer to see you like this. Weak and chained." Liorel said with spite before landing Cassian a strong punch in the face. "And all those terrified Imperials dreamed of having a chance to have you and all the pompous Sith on their knees."
"Is that why you joined Jadus? To fight back against the Sith who subjugate 'the good people of the Empire'?"
"Do you even understand how draining it is to be nothing more than a pawn of the Dark Council? How it feels to partake in their squabbles, always clean up messes they leave, and don't you even dare judge or criticize one of them lest you want Acina herself to be furious with you! I know how Lorman ended up, and I won't end the same way."
"And so you join forces with another Sith? Seriously?"
"Jadus is not a part of their order anymore, not since he left the Empire. And whatever his plans are…He gave us the Voidcaller, and that is more than enough. Having something that can put your kind on your knees is enough. He will take down the Dark Council, and I was promised an opportunity to bring them down a peg myself. And you know…I think you are a very good one to start with."
Cassian looked down to the floor, trying to hide his faint smile. Liorel was yet another pawn used by Jadus, and all pawns must have been foolish, at least to an extent. This one is more than the others. He walked in front of Cassian, spouting his delusions of grandeur, thinking the Sith had been completely subdued, but this could not be further from the truth. As Cassian's old friend and mentor, Jorad, taught him until you are completely subdued, down to your every limb, you are still amidst a battle. And now, Cassian finally had his chance.
When Liorel passed by him, the Chiss moved his legs forward as swiftly as he could, throwing the man off-balance and right onto the floor. Before even the opticrons could react, Cassian wriggled and clung onto Liorel, holding the man with his legs and feet.
"What are you doing? Let me go!" The Imperial fought hard, but even without the force, Cassian was much stronger in physical combat. The droids could easily drag him away alone, but it became harder when they had to carry two men at the same time. Cassian used this moment of hesitation to push forward, causing the droids to lose their balance and kneel on the floor. This was when they decided to change their tactics, a moment Cassian anticipated with utmost glee. One of them tried to shoot the Chiss down, but Cassian evaded, making the shot land directly at Liorel's neck. The man didn't have the time to let out a sound before dropping dead and motionless, and his body was about to be turned into a tool.
Cassian used what strength he had left to push the body towards the droids, making one of them shake as it came close to losing its balance. The opticron did not fall, of course, but its grip weakened, allowing Cassian to make one final push and finally break free. The Chiss grabbed his lightsaber and took on a battle stance. He jumped at the closest droid and cut it in half; the other tried to attack him, causing Cassian to block some of its strikes before a suitable opening was created. The second droid couldn't fight for long, and soon, all the foes in this room fell.
Cassian stood victorious, looking over Liorel's corpse itch with mild shame in his eyes. He could've interrogated this fool…But this wasn't his main concern right now. Vaylin was in danger, and it was up to him to save her.
…
The moment Vaylin got separated from Cassian, her heart skipped a beat. She didn't expect this to be her reaction, yet when he was out of sight, Vaylin felt an impending sense of dread and panic in her heart. She could barely stand despite knowing that he must have been in the next room and would no doubt find some way to deal with Liorel. After all, he was the Outlander, the one who defeated her, Arcann, and Valkorion. He wouldn't fall to something as banal…Would he?
But she had her own concerns right now. The hall she was forced into had a number of armed options, too, emerging from the walls, one after another. Two, three, six, eight…Vaylin has nothing but her lightsaber, and her skills are not enough to be a combatant without force, unlike Cassian. Attacking them would mean certain death, and for some reason, for the first time in a long while, Vaylin was afraid to die. There was a way to retreat, however, and so Vaylin was left with no options but to run. Run as she heard the sounds of chaotic blasts from behind her and the frantic sounds of metallic steps, getting more frequent with every second. She didn't know where to go in this labyrinth; each path was as good as any; all she knew was that she was getting further away from Cassian.
Alone.
This thought made Vaylin stop on the spot and take a deep breath as her body frantically shook. More options emerged, this time blocking yet another exit; they left her only one escape route, which Vaylin had to take. Her heartbeat increased, and sweat poured down her entire body, but she continued to run. Soon, she heard Jadus's menacing, cold voice echoing from dynamics.
"You are very quick to run, considering that no one invited or forced you to come here. Are you truly nothing without the force? Well, I know the answer already. You had time to take this challenge, and everyone in the galaxy deserves this opportunity."
"What…What are you talking about?"
"Don't pretend like you don't understand. We've both seen what most others don't even dream of seeing or understanding, horrors that many don't even know exist. I spent five years in the void, endured all kinds of pain and fear, and felt how what existence without force is. You were never a Sith, Vaylin, but perhaps you could become one…After all, only on Nathema did I feel the primal fear and hate that drives us, that I will inflict upon the entire galaxy."
"Why?! Why do you want anyone to go through…Through this! Even I usually kill quickly, that won't be quick!"
"Each Sith must break their chains to reach their peak. Someone has to put them in chains."
A few minutes after Jadus had gone silent, Vaylin reached another hall, this time much wider and cleaner than the rest. The moment she entered, the doors locked right behind her, leaving the woman trapped in this extensive, suspiciously silent hall. Not even a single droid. This didn't feel right…
Vaylin's suspicions were confirmed very soon as she noticed a blue glow emerge from underneath the floor. There was some device here…Before Vaylin could do anything about it, the device let out a powerful shockwave, making the lone woman shout in pain as she got thrown back to the wall. The strike was so powerful that it made her feel as if her head was split in two. The image around her became incredibly blurry and chaotic; Vaylin couldn't make out a thing…Only the light had gone dim, eventually getting completely dark, and the echoing sounds from the walls made it feel like they emitted a substance, though it was definitely not the Voidcaller.
She felt like falling asleep, but not in a soothing way when Cassian was nearby…No, she fell asleep in complete solitude with nothing but wraiths and phantoms of the past to haunt her.
When Vaylin opened her eyes, she was surrounded by darkness.
A void, a complete absence of life, sight, and sound, only the faint of each of her own breaths. Vaylin wasn't even sure whether her eyes were open or if something forced them shut to the point that she couldn't open them anymore. Vaylin stood up, using whatever control she had left, and walked. One step after another…Still only darkness. At least she must have reached a wall at some point; she saw the room; it couldn't have been that big. But she still walked and walked without stopping…
"Can it be?" A shocked, quiet voice rang behind her, making Vaylin shake and jump a few meters forward, desperately resisting the urge to shake in horror. This echo, this tone…It was a voice she heard very often in her dreams. In the next moment, a ray of light appeared, shining into the darkness behind her, making Vaylin realize that her eyes were open, indeed. "Just turn around…Let me see how much you've changed."
No, no, she would not look, not even to gaze at the light. Not into his eyes again, not after all the pain. Vaylin continued to run, but another ray emerged, this time right before her, and the same figure emerged in the light. An Anomid is in a white coat and has a curious, even somewhat admiring gaze. He raised his hand and reached out to Vaylin, who had her hands nervously shaking. Taking a step felt like an impossible challenge at this moment.
"Do you remember what I taught you, my dear?" He asked.
"I-I…" Vaylin's voice grew more timid and scared, like that of a little girl who was looking at a very, very bad person. She knew he would hurt her. Over and over again. Vaylin turned around and tried to run again, but no matter which direction she chose, another phantom of Jarak would appear. They would overwhelm her until all of them covered the light, leaving her nowhere to run. They clawed into her skin, making Vaylin scream in fear and agony, making her feel powerless, small, and pathetic until she was finally reduced to her core.
A girl in a cage.
She wasn't sure whether she saw the cage, but she definitely felt it in the darkness around her. And she felt her body, too, the body of a child tied to a medical bed with a silent, formless demon looming over her.
Then, the pain.
"AAARGH!"
The screech of a little, scared girl as the torture devices would be donned on her head and forced one shock after another. As chemicals would flow down her cheeks, mixing with sweat and tears, slowly purging her skin. She screamed, begged for mercy, and even began to laugh maniacally at points when it became too much to bear. That was her mistake. The more she screamed, the more guards enjoyed beating her up, forcing the weak child to shake and shrivel. She could feel it again…Taste of her own blood, the ache of never-healing bruises, the humiliation of not even having enough power to beg. The smell of the ashen cage and the stench of rotting animal corpses.
Then, she heard the wail of a wounded, broken animal, soon seeing this creature in her own reflection.
A pale, malnourished, bald girl whose frail body was marked with tattoos and scars, whose eyes had red eye bags wearing them down, with some stains of dried blood on her body. Still caged, broken by all the torture and agony, Jarak's masterwork.
"M-ma…" She couldn't even say a word, only helplessly moan in an attempt to call someone out. "Ma…Aaargh…"
This disgusting, filthy animal was her true self. The one who never left the cage and was forever doomed to its confines. Vaylin breathed heavily, feeling as if oxygen left her at incredible speed, making each moment feel like drowning.
"Don't take it personally." Jarak's condescending voice echoed in Vaylin's ears as she fell to the floor and began screeching and violently shaking. "I have more than just the Voidcaller at my disposal." His voice grew twisted, slowly morphing into that of Jadus. "I knew what makes you tick, only needed proof. Why do you look away from your own reflection, Vaylin? After all, this creature is the true you."
Another flash of her younger self moaning in pain and desperation flashed before Vaylin's eyes, making her vomit on the invisible floor and making her feel even more gross.
"You spent an entire decade in this wretched place, Vaylin. You had a chance to become an enlightened one. To unite with the void and give up your humanity for something far greater, but choose not to. When I first saw you, I made the mistake of giving you the benefit of the doubt. I wondered if your mind was as strong as your body…If you had what it takes to stand by my side and show the galaxy the true void. You failed. But in your case, that is not critical. Minds can be replaced. It won't hide your true power, the power to create the void…Much like your father. Show me."
Vaylin continued to scream and shiver, begging for it to stop, but the nightmare only got worse. So many images flashed in her mind, so many phantoms circling around, each one coming closer with every second. Father, Jarak, Jadus…And Cassianl, too. A distant silhouette walked through the dark clouds and reached out to her. A light of hope in her misery, a motivation to raise her hand and trudge through towards his hand…
"AAARGH!"
Vaylin did the unthinkable, unleashing the most powerful shockwave she ever could create. In one single instant, she felt the Voidcaller purged from her body, breaking every chain.
"VAYLIN!" She heard Cassian's shout as his silhouette got hit by the shockwave, making Vaylin's heart freeze. This didn't feel like a dream anymore. The walls of the room around her collapsed and one of them opened a pathway outside, allowing the light to finally come in. Cassian flew right into the other. The wall he hit was cracked due to Vaylin's power and Cassian hitting it, it finally collapsed, a part of it falling pm Cassian.
"No, no, no!" Vaylin shouted frantically and rushed to the rubble. "NO!" She raised her hands, realizing she could use the force again, tossing aside all the rubble and finally seeing him. "Are you…Are you alright?" She looked at him, shaking and slowly getting up. His body was covered in fresh wounds, one even coming close to his eye. Cassian stood up, yet he shook and bled as Vaylin looked down.
"I-I…" Cassian stuttered. "I certainly didn't expect that, but I'll be fine. Are you alright?"
No, she wasn't alright, nothing was alright. If she was just a bit more powerful or perhaps late…She would've killed him. Cassian would've died, and she would've been left alone.
"S-stay away from me!" Vaylin shouted and turned around before Cassian could say a word.
She ran without looking back.