The moment Jac was able to process Kira's death, everything around him began to feel like a mortifying nightmare. He wanted to reject this reality, to close his eyes and forget the failure he suffered on Jadus's throne. He wanted to think of his days back on Tython and Coruscant, back when he just met Kira. Neither of them knew just how much they were destined to accomplish, how much they were going to change the course of the galaxy. They couldn't foresee the mortal clash against the greatest monster of the galaxy that they would have to endure. But even back then, the two felt a bond and kinship, something that allowed them to become close friends. Perhaps, if Jac did not remain so loyal to the Jedi code, they could have become lovers, too. But it was too late; there would be no chance to reconcile…No chance to beg Kira for forgiveness for his inability to save her.

A part of Jac wanted to close his eyes and succumb to the sleep, as well. Perhaps then, on the other side, he would meet her again and have a chance to say everything he wanted. But the news Lana brought pulled him back from this trance with the swiftness and precision of a lightsaber piercing his heart. Lana recounted to him the journey that Cassian told her about, of Zakuul, Alderaan, Copero…And of his new 'friend'. Jac knew that this would end like this, that this was where Cassian's sympathy would lead. He warned him, yet like any Sith, Cassian refused to listen. Now he gave one of the most irredeemable, monstrous people in the galaxy a pass and took her in, allowed to become his friend and perhaps even more. He was never intending to have her executed. That much was clear.

And there was no doubt that he would want Jac to simply accept this. This thought sickened the Jedi, and even as he and his allies waited on a private landing pad, expecting Cassian to arrive soon. Xarion acted as the meeting party, while Jac preferred to keep his distance. Vaylin was no different from her father and brother; she couldn't be trusted, and if Cassian willingly took her side, neither could he.

"Jac?" He heard Lana's voice as the woman approached him cautiously. "Are you alright?"

"You know what I think about having to ally with Vaylin." The Jedi said dismissively, making Lana take a deep breath. "Cassian had a soft spot for her ever since Nathema, and he's no better.

"I understand your misgivings; I can't say I like it either, but think of the possibilities. Vaylin is quite possibly the strongest force-user in existence, and Cassian said she was even able to purge the Voidcaller from her body at one point. Voidcaller is the only reason Jadus was able to best you, Kira, and Scourge. Imagine having someone who can break through that restraint at our side."

"I know…" At times, Jac envied Lana; she was able to put her feelings aside and do whatever was necessary for the greater good, but Jac always found it hard to let go. "And still…She killed Torian, killed countless innocents."

"You can bring her to justice later when Jadus is out of the picture."

"And do you really think Cassian will allow that?" Jac said, making Lana hesitate.

"To be honest, I doubt it, but I will leave this dispute to you. If Cassian believes that she can help us, then I'll give her a chance. All I ask is that you put justice aside until we free Odessen and stop Jadus."

"I'll try," Jac said coldly and with barely any energy in his voice. It would be hard for him to stand aside, and yet Lana was right; it was necessary for now.

It wasn't long before a Zakuulan shuttle emerged from the hyperspace and began its descent, landing directly on the pad.

"Here they are." Lana sighed and walked towards Xarion while Jac continued to watch from the distance. And then the doors have finally opened, allowing Jac to see the fugitives in the flesh. Cassian walked out first, and seeing him alive for the first time since separation allowed Jac to feel relief. Even though he kept an unfortunate company, Jac would never wish any harm upon him. The woman who followed him was an entirely different matter.

"Is this the super secret meeting place? Not going to lie, this planet looks a bit like a shithole." She chuckled after looking around. It was all just a game for her, just a sight to laugh at. Jac felt as if he was going to puke.

"You just don't see the nostalgic value." Cassian smiled and responded. "Did I tell you about that one time Lana and Theron convinced this whole world I was a pirate captain? Almost a shame that it's not nearly as exciting today." He said, looking at the blonde woman moving towards him.

"Thank the force. You're alright!" The woman said with a smile of relief.

"I'm glad to see you too, Lana…Feels like forever since Jadus attacked Odessen. I'm sorry I abandoned you."

"That's fine, he'd have killed you otherwise. At least we're back together now…Sending this signal was dangerous as is, but it seems Jadus ignored it." Lana said, immediately prompting Xarion to respond.

"Jadus is distracted by his ultimate goal, but this will give us some time to regroup and strike back. And with our new allies…We'll have a force that even Jadus doesn't expect." He looked at Vaylin.

"Want me to crush his skull?" The woman asked playfully.

"That's one way to do it."

"Then you're in luck! I wouldn't mind doing that myself."

"Consider it revenge for him trying to manipulate you for his cause," Xarion reassured her before looking towards Jac. "Do you intend to say hello?"

"I'm glad you're alright, Cas…Other than that, I'll sit this one out."

"Listen…" Cassian spoke up, only to immediately get undercut by Jac.

"I know; we talked this over with Lana already." He said with masked spite in his voice. "I know that it's necessary…But don't expect me to shake hands." Those words prompted Vaylin to step forward.

"Come on, you killed me once already. Can't we just call it even?"

"When I kill something, I expect it to stay dead," Jac said through his teeth as he clenched his fist. He shouldn't give in to anger; this wasn't the Jedi way. "Your family proved to be an unfortunate exception."

"Or you just didn't try hard enough." Vaylin shrugged uncaringly.

"Is this all a game to you? A laughing matter? You may not care about any of the people you've killed; you don't have the capacity for that, but I do. I've been on Voss, on Odessen, on Zakuul, saw all the families you destroyed and people whose lives you ruined."

"Oh, I know they're a lot. I might have been…A little misguided, but you can't deny I did my job well!"

"Why, you…"

Before Jac could continue, they got interrupted by the Seeker. He rushed out of the HQ in a hasty and worrying manner, which was extremely uncommon for him, yet Jac noticed a trace of genuine fear in his eyes, no matter how well he hid it."

"Xarion, you need to see this now!"

"See what?"

"Jadus has launched a galaxy-wide broadcast from Zakuul, he is talking about his goal and ideals, or whatever semblance of them this madman has." Seeker explained before turning towards Jac. "He has Scourge with him." This phrase made Jac's heart skip a beat, and it made his course clear as day.

"Show me…Now."

…

There was no greater shame for a Sith than to allow themselves to be chained. Scourge's failure meant the heaviest chain of all. He never thought that something like the Voidcaller could exist, especially if it was not made by people. Perhaps it was the component made out of the void that Tenebrae left behind that allowed Lokin and his allies to create this devastating substance. Even after he was erased from the galaxy, even after Scourge and countless others worked to destroy his imprint, after the Eternal Empire he built finally fell, his presence still tainted the galaxy.

Ever since Scourge received a vision of a Jedi warrior ending Vitiate three hundred years ago, he maintained a subtle yet hopeful dream in his heart. That one day, he will be able to live in a galaxy freed from the Emperor's plague. Vitiate's fall, Valkorion's erasure, Tenebrae's doom…Each time, he hoped for something better, and each time, his hopes were shattered. It was the same now, and Scourge knew that this might be the day he never recovered from.

"Kneel."

Those were the words Jadus spoke to him as he led the former wrath onto a platform at the top of the Paragon's spire. The heart of what was once called the Eternal Empire. In a world torn by internal conflict and struggle for power, the jewel Jadus wished to 'unite' whatever this meant to him. And Scourge's humiliation would have been a major step. Countless holocameras hovered around, ready to capture this moment.

"Kneel," Jadus repeated.

"Are you going to execute me in front of them?" Scourge chuckled. "If you think that I am afraid of death, you couldn't be more wrong. My only regret would be never getting to drive my lightsaber through your chest, but it's not nearly enough to make me beg."

"You overestimate your importance, Sith," Jadus emphasized the last word, making it sound as degrading as he could, as if he wasn't of their own number. For a moment, Scourge wanted to try and attack Jadus, but the poisonous energy of the void collar made him growl in pain and forced him to shudder. "You are a relict of the past, and the galaxy is ready to move past the point of fearing or caring at all about the likes of you. All this will send us a message."

"You expect my death to rally them up against Exchange? Even some of the Emperor's servants weren't as delusional…"

"Not exactly…Though it is indeed death, from a certain point of view. Whoever their current enemy is, it doesn't change the fact that this world has spent far too long ruled and overshadowed by tyrants drunk on their own force powers. Arcann, Vaylin, Cassian…And, of course, most of all, your former master. Doran told them about what was coming, and they were already gathering to see the fall of a 'force god.' Don't misunderstand me; none of this is personal. But you are one of the few who perfectly encapsulates everything this galaxy needs to get rid of. And this is what the new galaxy deserves before I set them on their path."

"What path?"

"A path of evolution." Jadus reached for his pocket and took out a syringe with a bright violet substance within. "This is the perfect Voidcaller. It has been tested, and I am certain of its effects. This will send the entire galaxy a message." Jadus spoke and activated his comlink. "We are ready. Activate the cameras."

Moments after, each holocamera gleamed with faint light. Scourge was broadcasted to Zakuul, perhaps to the entire galaxy.

"People of the galaxy!" His captor spoke with a voice full of pride and hope. "Today, I wish for nothing more than to speak to you about our grandiose future. Most of you will not know me, and most will question what kind of right or authority I even have to speak on behalf of the galaxy; what right do I have to dictate what's good for countless billions that live across the galaxy? It is a reasonable question, but the one with an answer that those billions will not be able to comprehend. I have tasted the new galaxy myself; I spent years in its sweet embrace of silence. This was when I realized just how blind all of us truly were…But no longer. No longer shall I close my eyes to the truth and cling to blissful ignorance. I see our galaxy in a way that only one other can, and I will gladly share this truth with all of you!" Jadus's voice showed feigned yet masterfully crafted excitement. "Do you see this broken man? He may not be familiar to you, yet he is familiar to your former treacherous Emperor. He is the one Valkorion once named his wrath and granted him power beyond our comprehension, granting him a gift of his own immortality. For generations, he walked among the people of the Sith Empire, a shadow that they all dreaded. Now, he will walk among the people once again, but this time…He will not be a shadow, nor an immortal, nor a god. He is just a man, like all of you. The one who will face the same struggles, the one who will determine his own right to live in a new, glorious world!"

Scourge felt Jadus piercing his elbow with the syringe, slowly forcing the Voidcaller deeper into his body. It was an agonizing process, the one that made Scourge feel as if a part of his own essence was torn away from him, leaving him meek and powerless. The force that pulsed through him, the power that he relied on…Every time the Void Collar released its dosage, the force within Scourge was silenced, but this was more. This was complete and utter eradication, an irreversible wound that became a part of him that could never be expunged.

"And now…Be free, my friend." Jadus put his hand on Scourge's shoulder in a manner that was utterly humiliating. "I will release you from this spire, and none of my agents will hunt you any longer. Walk among the people of the Emperor you once served…For the first time in centuries, you have become a simple mortal among your own kind, free from the Emperor's shackles. Go on, then…Enjoy the victor's spoils.

…

For the first time since the day eradicator fired, Jadus stood on a precipice.

It was hard to keep his cold, emotionless demeanor as he left Zakuul and ascended to the bridge of his flagship. Atiel had already contacted their department on Iokath by this point, and everything was prepared. The Void Hammer was filled and aimed, and Iokath's technologies were perfect for multiplying and empowering the substance they were about to fire. All they had left to do was give the command and watch Zakuul's liberation. The planet has a history charted by a force god, the Immortal Emperor, along with his children and the man he named Wrath. The world that worshipped him was a world of people whose true potential was purged and decimated because they relied on the one they considered a god. They cowered behind him, showing their weakness and naivety.

Those people were conditioned since birth to follow ways of stagnation and complacency. They would never choose to accept the harsh reality voluntarily. There was no way to convince them. The only thing Jadus could do was to thrust this reality upon them in a sudden manner, to create a day of doom that spares no one, forever changing the course of the galaxy's history forever. They would despise him and curse his name for generations to come, but Jadus didn't care. There was no sacrifice too great enough when it came to creating a new galaxy, people stronger than any Jedi, Sith, or even Valkorion ever dreamed of becoming, the people who do not fear the void, but instead are one with it, the ones that use it as their greatest weapon. And he would be the one who paved a true future for the galaxy, a future where only the ones who deserve life will live, where every single chain will be broken forever.

"My lord." Atiel entered the bridge, quietly calling out to Jadus. "Everything is ready…We're waiting for your orders."

Jadus looked at the advanced, majestic world beneath him, a relic of the past, an era of Sith, Jedi, and Valkorion's all-consuming corruption. Its liberation would become the sign of impending change.

"Begin the procedure," Jadus ordered. "Today, the Dragon of Zakuul shall kneel before me."

…

Everything was worth saving, Zakuul.

This was the creed Doran Mart lived by, the ideal bestowed upon him by the old Immortal Emperor, yet the one that carried on long past his demise. The Eternal Empire was no more, and yet Zakuul remained. Surviving one tyrant after another, going from one calamity to the next, their world still prevailed. Doran always dreamed of being one of its defenders, perhaps not as a knight or a soldier, but as a politician, someone who could guide Zakuul to a brighter future.

This was the victory he yearned for…Yet why did it feel so hollow?

Doran sat on the balcony of his penthouse, drinking some of his favorite wine. It was rather lonely for a celebration, but he did not mind it. The crowds cheered at the thought of seeing one of the 'gods' that terrorized and oppressed them so much be brought to heel. As for Doran, he could finally gaze upon Jadus's flagship rising up above Zakuul and smile…No matter how fake this smile was.

Jadus was a stranger to his people, yet Doran agreed to make a pact with him, not so much out of genuine trust as much as from his desperation. The world of Zakuul remained without a ruler, and those ravenous vultures from Exchange wanted to claim it all for themselves. They would've done it long ago if not for Jadus's resources and aid; they would've fallen, and the last crumbs of their civilization would've been broken and assimilated. All Doran could hope for was that he made the correct choice and that all of this would mean something.

Everything for his people.

Everything for Zakuul.

As Doran took another sip, he saw a peculiar light emerging in the depths of space. A dark, purple ray…Growing brighter and brighter with every second, getting closer and closer. It pointed right at Jadus's flagship, right as a powerful generator on the ship's side got activated. As he watched this enamoring picture, Doran's heart skipped a beat.

Why did it feel like this was the end?

…

Kneel.

Kneel.

Kneel.

Scourge never expected to feel so broken and pathetic in his entire life, not since he once knelt before the Emperor himself, allowing him to peer into his mind and spirit, witnessing all of his secrets and maintaining unquestioned and undisputed control. He remembered feeling small and feeble as this monstrous being gazed upon him, and yet he remained strong. He had his vision, hope for the future, the force…Now, he had nothing.

After Jadus purged Scourge's force powers, he released him into the public and forced him to walk among the people of Zakuul, wandering around, still shaking under the effects of the perfect Voidcaller…He was one of them now. His main weapon, which he had relied upon for more than three centuries, was completely gone.

People cheered for it.

Despite all the damage that Zakuul suffered in the last few years, it still maintained much of its glory. As Scourge stumbled among the lavish platforms and halls located in between a formation of spires, he heard spiteful chuckles and spiteful cries coming from the people around him.

"See how it feels to be powerless now, scum?!"

"You get what you deserve. You all will!"

"The Paragon's ally was too merciful to you; he should've cut off your head right there and then!"

Scourge ignored their rage, yet it made him wonder: Was Jadus a conniving manipulator, or did the people of Zakuul never escape their doom of being gullible fools? Jadus and Doran Mart rallied them up, convinced that the root of all of their problems, be it Exchange's attacks, lack of leadership, or the economic crisis, could all be blamed on a few who they could be called 'the force gods.' That Scourge was just another of those malicious entities, no different from the Emperor or his children, that his fall will be another step towards them becoming 'free' from this metaphorical delusion Jadus convinced poisoned them from within. Their world was in the middle of a collapse, and instead of trying to prevent it, they willingly ignored it in favor of a show for which they could cheer.

Scourge's musings were interrupted by someone hitting him from behind. A swift and decisive punch that forced him to his knees as the Sith let out a pained grunt. If he had the Force or at least wasn't actively weakened by the Voidcaller, this punch would've been no different than a tickle to him, but this was not the case. Perhaps it would never be again.

"Thought you could simply run away, scum?!" Scourge heard a spiteful voice behind him. The Sith turned around and saw two men and one woman, all dressed in the armor of the knights of Zakuul.

"I don't run…Especially not from weakling idiots like you." Scourge said bravely, making one of the knights raise him into the air and force-choke him.

"Weakling, you say? Is that how your ilk sees others? So weak, so beneath them…You'll see just how wrong you are!"

"And how are you going to prove it? By using the force? The same weapon that you think doomed you? Pathetic."

"It doesn't matter what we use…We will never betray Zakuul; we will never leave our comrades who cannot use the force behind us! We are not like you, not like those who oppressed us for years!"

Before Scourge could respond, he saw a bright violet glow in the sky. A powerful ray pierced the veil of Wild Space, growing brighter and larger with every second. It approached Jadus's flagship and got absorbed into it, slowly coloring the entire hull and the ship's largest cannons in the same color.

"Hey…Look!" The female knight pointed at the metamorphosis that occurred above them, making her comrades and Scourge turn their gaze to the skies. "What's this?"

Here it was…Jadus's liberation. Scourge had no doubt about this, and the moment he saw the blast emerge from the cannons in Jadus's flagship and the rest of his fleet, he knew that this signified the hour of doom.

The fleet launched an array of violet rays, making them reach the ground one after the other. All of them went in different directions; some aimed for the Eternal City, and others disappeared in the endless veil, going far toward the swamps. One of those blasts landed close to Scourge and the knights. They could see it emanating a powerful wave that nevertheless dealt no visible damage. There was no destruction or ensuing chaos, but Scourge could feel the poison in his body growing more painful. Moments after, the grip that the knight put on him completely disappeared, releasing Scourge to freedom.

"W-what…" One of the knights shook, unable to hide the pain in his voice. He tried to focus, probably attempting to channel the force, but failed. "What's going on? I…Can't feel it anymore. My force, my devotion, my gift…It's all gone!" The other two knights remained silent, likely suffering from the same phenomenon. So that's what Jadus's goal was…To turn Voidcaller into a weapon of mass destruction. A weapon that he used to pierce an entire planet, eradicating any link between its living beings and the force.

If only this was all of it.

Moments after, another array of blasts emerged from beyond the veil, and this time, they had a very different color. They burned with an orange, fiery flame that lit the space above Scourge, making it look as if dozens of stars had reached the peak of their burning, all at the same time. Those rays were directed at Jadus's fleet, as well, absorbed just like the Voidcaller and overtaking their reactors and cannons.

The Sith felt his heartbeat increase as he sensed a countdown to the final day beginning. He sensed the array of flame around those rays; he felt the utter, soul-crushing despair that this power wrought…And then the fleet fired. The rays of cataclysm charged toward the planet's surface, and Scourge finally realized what it was. There were no elaborate substances or poisons, just sheer, unparalleled firepower.

"No…" One of the knights spoke in terror just moments before the firepower reached the tops of some of the spires, annihilating them in an instant. The blasts pierced all of Zakuulan durasteel, getting deeper beneath the surface and the core, annihilating everything in their path. The glorious spires, the emblems of Zakuul's glory, were quick to turn into rubble, broken and torn apart, causing large chunks to fall down. People could only stand and watch in sheer horror as the devastation unfolded. Both arrays of flame and the falling rubble covered the sky before them, a rain of pure chaos and destruction.

Most of the blasts, however, reached the surface of the platforms that interconnected the spires. Scourge was ready to react and jump away at any moment, yet those efforts were utterly and completely futile. There was nowhere for him to run, only to brace himself for the calamity.

An explosion that pierced his ears.

The platform beneath him collapsed as the rubble crushed the knights in front of Scourge, leaving only puddles of bloody and mutilated organs behind.

The haunting screams of terror and fear from countless people as they fell into the emerging hellish pit, their limbs got torn away from their bodies, and their wails were drowned out by the echoing crash and chaos. Thousands of lives were taken in a single instant. The final hour of Zakuul arrived, and Scourge was here to witness it.

Fear.

An emotion he almost forgot.

Horror.

The overwhelming feeling.

Despair.

The fall, the rubble piercing him, the burial ground of agony, the nearing end…

No.

He could not die like this.

When Scourge opened his eyes, he could barely breathe. His surroundings were covered in flames; the rubble that buried the Sith Lord underneath it was too heavy to bear. It forced him to fall to the ground, forcing him to choke on the smoke and ash that tainted the air before him. He could feel the durasteel shard plunge itself into his shoulder, felt fresh blood streaming down his body, felt every breath becoming a struggle for any air at all, felt the despair of countless lives that were extinguished in seconds. Millions dead…But not him. He wouldn't allow himself to fall.

"AAAARGH!" Scourge let out a gut-wrenching scream as his hand emerged from the ruins. He slowly climbed his way out of this pit, no matter how agonizing it was, no matter how much blood he lost and how deep his wounds were. He was ready to sacrifice his flesh and power to get out of this alive.

"Aa…AAARGH!"

By the time Scourge got out, he was drenched in his own blood and stained in dirt and ash. His entire body and soul wanted to scream in pain, to fall on the ground and submit to despair, but he couldn't allow it. He needed to walk…Step after step, leaving a trail of blood behind, desperately trying to maintain his posture when his body was going out of his control. His breaths were so heavy that they managed to drown out even the chaos that occurred around Scourge. All he sought now was to get away as quickly as he could…There was nothing else to do here but find a miraculously-operational ship and leave the planet.

As Scourge trudged through the ashen-filled lands, the echoes of chaotic explosions pierced his ears, and the image before him became muddled and chaotic, full of despair and destruction. Every second he persisted, Scourge saw a spire getting blown to shreds and more fuel being thrown into the inferno. He walked forth across the platform he fell on, seeing the corpses of countless people by his side. Mostly, those were just charred limbs buried beneath the collapsed glory of this world. There were only a few survivors who still tried to run and hide, tears streaming down their ashen faces. Most of them did not even have any strength left in them to scream.

Perhaps this was the time for Scourge to finally let go? To accept his demise?

No…Ever since striking down Tenebrae and freeing himself from his course, Scourge knew that ship day would come. A peaceful death in his own bed was never meant to be his destiny. All he could hope for was that his eventual demise would not be meaningless…He wouldn't allow it to be. Scourge looked down and noticed a lightsaber lying beside one of the knights' bodies. The only weapon that he could see. Scourge reached out for it and grabbed the hilt, letting the blade out. Now he wasn't completely defenseless…

But his respite was short-lived. Another blast emerged, causing a large chunk of the spire above him to fall down and cover the scorched sky. For a moment, Scourge faltered and closed his eyes. It was a shameful, pained display on his part, for giving into fear was the last thing he could allow himself during a moment of despair and chaos such as this. This would slow him down. This would stop him from fighting…Yet, from time to time, Scourge still gave in to it. It wasn't the first time he had his life flash before his eyes in a fateful moment such as this, but every time, he would see different moments. This time, his vision focused on the days he spent with his allies and friends, Jac and Kira especially. They may have always conflicted about what path to take and what to prioritize, as any Jedi and Sith would, but in their interactions, there was wisdom to be found for both sides. In learning each other's strengths, they saw value in the opposite philosophies; in seeing each other's weaknesses, they understood why their creeds stood in opposition from their own experiences, not just the propaganda of their respective sides. And in seeing surprising similarities between each other, they found respect and a desire to fight by each other's side…

Just like Scourge will do now.

The Sith roared with fury and dedication alike; now was the time to charge towards his ultimate salvation. The platform around him crumbled, drowning in remnants of a bombed spire and consumed by scorching flames, but he found a way out of far worse situations. This would be no different…Every time Scourge approached a piece of the rubble, he slashed it with his blade without any hesitation. He felt the pain in his arms every time he did this, as his strength was drained by a growing void in his spirit. One slash after the other, from one hellish spot to another, getting quicker with his every movement until…

"AAAARGH!" Scourge screamed in agony as a piece of the rubble fell before him too quickly for him to break. Scourge had to resort to extreme measures and push it away with his own hand, putting all of his remaining strength into it. He managed but at a high price. As Scourge knelt on the nearby platform, watching the collapsing spire annihilate everything behind him, he realized that he could only feel one of his arms. The other was in continuous pain, and outside of Scourge's control, he broke it under this extreme pressure. Even more pain for him to withstand…But even this was not enough to make Scourge stop. He continued moving forward until spotting something peculiar.

There were two people in front of him running away from yet another collapsing building behind them, still alive and able to move around, miraculously avoiding the chaos before them. A man with dark skin and a green coat with a blaster behind his back walked in front of a young girl who clutched his hand and desperately tried to look away from the carnage. The man caught Scourge's eye for some reason; he couldn't quite realize why, yet he was certain he had seen him before. Both he and the girl were in grave danger, as they were so busy escaping one building that they failed to notice the collapsing spire on the other side.

Scourge charged towards them as quickly as he could, managing to reach them before they even realized. He pushed the two away from the collapse before making his own way out, but he wasn't quick enough.

"NAAAARGH!"

Scourge's back was pierced by a spire shard, unleashing a lush stream of blood that drenched his body. Even though the Sith moved away as quickly as he possibly could, a part of the mechanism still stuck in his shoulder, making every single movement immensely agonizing. At this point, Scourge felt that every second of his life, every fiber of his being, was mercilessly tearing him apart.

"R-ragh…" Scourge took deep breaths as he knelt on the platform, making the two people gaze at him in shock.

"W-who's that?" The girl asked meekly.

"Not a Zakuulan." The man responded coldly, gesturing for the girl to keep her distance, and upon looking at his face more closely, Scourge finally remembered where he saw this man.

"I know you…I saw your hologram on Odessen…" The Sith spoke through pain.

"What are you talking about?"

"Koth Vortena…The Zakuul officer who served the Alliance before backstabbing them more than once…The one they exiled from their ranks forever."

"How do you know? Don't tell me you're…"

"Jacques told me…He told me a lot about what happened while I was busy with my hunt."

"Wait…Jac said he had a red-skinned Sith ally before all of this. That means you're the one he called Lord Scourge! But why are you even here, why…"

"It doesn't matter…You must escape."

"We know that!" The girl lashed out. "Koth, we have to go; you said there should be ships nearby; come on!"

"Wait, Kaia, we can't just leave him here; he's a friend of a man who saved my life!"

"She's right…" Scourge spoke up. "Run…If you survive and escape, go to the planet named Rishi, to Pirate's Cove…Jac is there. He must be…Lana, too." He reassured Koth, noticing the man hesitate at the thought of meeting his old friend, but he did not run.

"I may not know you, but if you're Jac's friend, I'm sure as hell not leaving you here." Koth helped Scourge get up and walk, something he couldn't do because of deep injuries.

"Please, Koth, we don't have time!" Kaia begged. "We'll die!"

"Don't worry, I've been through worse…I think. I'm getting you alive of here, I promise!"

As they walked towards the nearest ship platform, Scourge's vision became a blur. Everything he saw in front of himself became a chaotic palette of flame and fire, tearing into the very essence of Zakuul. He could barely breathe as the wounds got the better of him, and at a certain point, he felt as if Koth was simply carrying him forward. He could see the Zakuulan ship emerge before his eyes, an operational shuttle and their ticket to freedom. If only Scourge could feel any hope for the future, but with all his wounds and how much blood he lost, it became too much to withstand.

"Here it is!" Koth shouted. "Come on, let's get out of here!"

But as soon as they approached, another blast landed right beside them. An explosion annihilated a small building beside the platform, forcing all the rubble to collapse and fall on the platform. It withstood this, but large cracks immediately began to form.

"No, no, no!" Kaia shouted, but Koth immediately rushed to shield her. As for Scourge, the blast forced him away from Koth. The explosion scorched his skin, and before Scourge could even try to move, the rubble shard pierced his stomach and forced him to ground. The Sith did not even have any strength left to scream, only cough in continuous pain, trying to breathe despite blood drowning out his lungs.

"Scourge!" Koth tried to reach out to him, but at this point, both of them must have known that it was too late.

"Go…" The Sith took a deep breath. "Rishi…Run…"

Mere moments later, the part of the platform that Scourge bled out on collapsed, making the Sith fall into the infernal abyss. A death in the fiery pit of Vitiate's stained legacy…Perhaps it was always destined to be his end.

Scourge could only pray that the rest of the galaxy would show itself to be stronger.