"To your ships! We begin the operation here and now!"
The closer their battle app approached, the more Seeker was flooded with the memories of his older self. Back when he served the Dark Council and the Empire, overseeing one of the most talented and dangerous forces in the entire galaxy, Imperial Intelligence. He was a patriot ever since his youth, yet the more he served the Empire, the more his faith began to wane. The perfect image that every young Imperial was taught to aspire to was nothing but an idealized lie. At its core, Jadus embodied the Empire of his times. A traitorous craven who sought power and the spread of his ideals, not caring for a moment if it harms his people.
Countless Imperials suffered because of the Sith's games…The Star Cabal realized that. Seeker never admitted it to anyone, yet he knew that there was a grain of truth to their beliefs, even if, in the end, their radical methods ended up causing more harm than good, all because the Cabal was overtaken by the power-hungry elite who wanted to rule the galaxy from the shadows. Still, they are better than Jadus. The Seeker knew the old Sith enough to realize that there was no way to reason with him, no way to make him turn away from his ideals, and Atiel was much the same. Perhaps other Star Cabal leaders were not as zealous…He would learn the truth.
Their first step was simple, to capture one of the Cabal Transport ships. Xarion's spies gave the Alliance coordinates of one of them, allowing them to conduct a raid. The soldiers on board were overwhelmed by the combined might of the Alliance. Lana, Jacques, and Vajra, the heroes on their side, were no match for ordinary soldiers. Yet that was only the beginning.
This was the moment of splitting up.
There were more than enough escape pods on the transport ship, and as per plan, the Alliance's strongest warriors would use them to descend to Iokath's surface and deactivate the Void Hammer at all costs. A mission that many would consider suicide, considering that Iokath was entirely under Jadus's control, but it was their last resort.
"Good luck out there. Fight well."
Those were Seeker's last words to Lana Beniko as she led her squad away from the ship and right onto the planet's surface. Most left to fight at the heart of the storm, and Seeker led those who stayed. Those who stayed on the ship used an opportunity to reach the Cabal's flagship. Cantor's pride and the vessel that was supposed to carry on the will of the Voidcaller throughout the galaxy. Seeker met Cantor and heard many of his messages, yet he could never be certain how much of his dedication is genuine belief. Perhaps he was simply doing Jadus's bidding because of the blackmail, the Black Codex. If so, there was still a small chance that he could be forced to make a deal. But that was not the primary course of action.
Their plan worked, and their ship was allowed to dock aboard Cantor's vessel. Before that, their engineers installed explosives that would be set off at a perfect moment. This would clear the hangar and make it seem like a malfunction. While they try to figure it out, Seker would lead a squad of powerful soldiers from Odessen, as well as talented trainees of the force enclave, to the bridge, right to Cantor. He will be forced to give in, or they will take him hostage. Only minutes remained…Soon, the battle will begin.
"Is everyone ready?" Seeker said in a commanding voice as he looked at the squad beside him.
"Yes, sir!" Many of them shouted in unison.
"Good…" The Seeker would've looked away, but he noticed a familiar face among the soldiers. Not someone he knew personally, but someone he kept files on along with everyone in the crew of a man once called the Emperor's Wrath. A young imperial man with fair skin, short black hair, and dedicated eyes.
"Malavai Quinn?" He raised an eyebrow, displaying slight intrigue.
"Yes, sir. Anything you need?" He responded calmly and confidently.
"No, I'm simply wondering…From what I know of the former Wrath, I'd expect him to keep his friends away from the heart of the conflict."
"He allows us to make our own choices, even if he worries for our lives. We fight where we want to." Quinn responded with sheer confidence.
"And do you want to fight here?"
"Absolutely. This is where I can be most useful to my lord, and I will give anything for him, even my life.
"Your lord, you say…Heh." The Seeker couldn't help but chuckle.
"Did I say something amusing?"
"No, ignore me; we have a battle to focus on." Seeker reassured him and looked away. The battle…It took Quinn's words of unwavering devotion for the old man to understand the irony of their situation. His disillusionment with the Empire led the Seeker to act against the self-serving interests of the Sith…
Yet here he was, fighting on the side of those who wanted to preserve the status quo. Against those who claimed to represent the people who have suffered under the yoke of oppression from those who possess powers, they were simply not blessed with the same powers. Cassian, Vaylin, all others…It was obvious why they fought. As for those 'mortals' who chose to follow them…Perhaps they will never know how beneficial this operation ever was for them. Perhaps, if not for Jadus's desire for total annihilation, the Voidcaller could be used to transform the galaxy and make it better.
The Seeker tossed those thoughts aside; there was no room for regrets left. He heard the sound of a powerful explosion, preparing for the landing.
…
This was the moment, yet another battle to save the galaxy from the chaos that consumed it. Lana never imagined that it would become so commonplace for her and her closest allies. Always charging into the fray and destroying one tyrant after another…She barely had any chance to consider just how tiring this cycle had become.
She felt the escape pods coming into Iokath's atmosphere. This time, the mechanical world was an enemy fortress that Jadus used for his own mischievous schemes. Today, the Alliance rallied against the destructive forces of evil, but Lana decided for herself that if she was to survive this day, this would be her last time. She looked to Vajra, a meditating Jedi beside her, accepting that there was some wisdom in his words. She has grown too dedicated to the Alliance cause. Even Cassian didn't seem to care for it as much. If she didn't stop, all of this would inevitably drain her…
"Incoming!"
The pods crash-landed on the surface of the metal world. When the gates opened, she saw mechanics constructs swarming the area with a familiar spire emerging in the distance, right beside the superweapon. An army of Iokath's defenses and a legion of Jadus's fanatics waiting to destroy anyone and anything standing in their way. Man, machine, and a group of heroes making one last effort, ready to do anything to turn the tide.
Lana would do everything to survive this day.
…
The journey to Iokath felt much shorter than Vaylin anticipated. Time flew differently when she was drunk with newfound power. At first, it became slow and tedious, even monotone to an extent, just like how her father must have sensed his. But Vaylin was not a prisoner of time, instead, she could mold and manipulate it however she wanted. If she wanted to alter her perception to speed the time up, that was well within her power. Time was everything Vaylin had on her hands, but the same could not be said about Jadus and his cultists. She'd hate to keep them waiting. Jadus's forces were so distracted by the battle and the Alliance's spies that they had no time to watch out for another emerging shuttle.
The moment their shuttle was finally in Iokath's orbit, Cassian immediately opened a channel.
"Lana, do you read me?"
"Your timing couldn't have been worse!" A snappy voice echoed from the other side of the comlink as Vaylin heard blasts and distant echoes of lightsaber slashes.
"Where are you?"
"We landed and are making our way towards one of their power generators…Hopefully this will at least weaken the weapon. And I'm sorry, but I'd appreciate not being…"
"We did it, Lana," Cassian said quietly as if he still struggled to believe it. "Vaylin performed the ritual and absorbed all energy on Nathema."
"R-really? You're serious."
"Yes, and we're here now, send me your location and I'll join you."
"I'm on it."
After the communication was severed, Cassian must have received the coordinates.
"Here, they aren't that far." He said. He looked at Vaylin, who had been playing with dancing lightning in her hands. She always possessed control of force lighting, but this was simply far beyond anything she ever imagined.
"We're going as planned?"
"Yes, I'll join the others and help them get to the spire. Storming the 'main gate' is on you…If you're fine with that."
"Of course I am!" Vaylin said with pride. "I'll give you the best distraction you could hope for…Don't get too disappointed I end up killing them all before you get to Jadus, alright?"
"All the better. Good luck, Vay." Cassian said as he watched Vaylin get into the nearby escape pod. She felt better with him believing in her, a feeling which got her all the more excited before an ecstatic performance. The woman walked into the pod, giving Cassian one last glance. They would meet again soon, but not before Vaylin would test her newfound powers.
She launched the escape pod without hesitation, hurling herself deep into the fray. In the very next instant, all sounds around her were tramped by an absolute whirlwind that echoed in her ears. The pressure and friction, the flames that engulfed the outer shell of her escape pod, and at the heart of it, the unbound fury of a world and soul reborn. A beautiful symphony of destruction and storm…
A sudden change, a distant echo that Vaylin shouldn't have heard, yet it reached her ears nonetheless. Three explosive rockets launched her way, and the defense systems must have finally caught the escape pod, but the impending approach only made Vaylin smile with pride and joy. They wanted tickets for the front row seats, how lovely…If that was so, then she would oblige.
Vaylin raised her hand and snapped with her fingers. Three explosions echoed from outside. Yes, it felt good…It felt spectacular! Vaylin couldn't hold herself back anymore, she began to chuckle, a sound that quickly transformed into maniacal laughter of anticipation, confidence that called forth for even more energy, Vaylin could hold it back, but she didn't want to anymore.
Why would she need an escape pod if her power was enough to fly?
Vaylin clenched her fist and emitted a shockwave that annihilated her worthless shell.
"YES!" Vaylin shouted as she finally took a deep breath of fresh air. She immediately stopped her fall, engrossed by a violet aura that kept her in the air. Any additional rockets that were launched her way immediately exploded before they had the slightest chance to reach their target.
There was an entire array of generators and watchtowers surrounding the Void Hammer, and Vaylin could see them all from up high. Nothing could escape her eyes, not when all of her senses were heightened by the force's energy. So many fanatics fighting for scraps of the glory that Jadus promised to share, for vengeance. There was only one soldier that Vaylin recognized, a Chiss sniper leading the soldiers at one of the watchtowers. What a lucky coincidence, but Vaylin shouldn't have been surprised. Jadus would use every single soldier and weapon in his arsenal, and there was no reason to leave his strongest and the most loyal one behind. Vaylin wouldn't do this, either.
She focused and surrendered to the free fall, allowing the force to push her right to Atiel's watchtower.
Adrenaline rush.
The shockwave.
Countless eyes stared at her, some puzzled, some furious, others terrified, but Vaylin only focused on a single crimson pair. Atiel looked at the goddess too, and for the first time Vaylin noticed her fingers twitching. Their eyes met, and Atiel witnessed the void inside Vaylin's gaze, the void that she had now commandeered.
"Hello there…You look uncomfortable." Vaylin made a snide remark. "Don't like my new style? How rude of you."
"Open fire!"
Atiel, all of her soldiers, and a number of Iokathi turrets fired almost at exactly the same time, all of them charged with Voidcaller shards. Vaylin didn't try to evade. She stood tall as a dozen of them pierced her skin…Her entire body felt itchy, but only for a moment. The squad in front of her watched, both mesmerized and mortified, as the shards quickly lost all of their coloring and dried up, becoming nothing but powerless glass. All of their energy entered Vaylin's veins and was immediately annihilated, not leaving a single trace.
"Now that's just lazy…My turn!"
The moment Vaylin made this announcement, they took another shot. The turrets were the quickest to react, unleashing another wave of blasts, but Vaylin was quick to make them freeze. In only a second, every single one of them was sent back to the sender, striking the turrets' weakest points and annihilating them. Each went with an explosion, and each one Vaylin enhanced with her force powers to create a combined shockwave of unseen proportions, and the result was rather pleasing. All soldiers were thrown off-balance, many of them smashing their heads off the Iokathi metal and drenching it in fresh blood.
Of course, she wouldn't stop even now. Vaylin summoned force lightning, launching an incredibly powerful bolt at the the very heart of the watchtower platform before her. No one, not even Atiel had any time to react. Soon, every single soldier was consumed by a fresh explosion. It annihilated the watchtower floor and tore apart all defenses that Atiel's squad had left. Now, there was nothing but wildfire and a sweet taste of triumph left. Vaylin couldn't look away from the inferno, feeling the newfound joy emerge from the very depths of her soul. This was the chaos and agony she craved all the time, the merciless, horrifying pit of darkness and despair. A place that felt like home.
There was no point in stopping now, not with so many enemies still remaining. Vaylin closed her eyes, dreaming of the carnage that was about to come. It was a pleasing thought…It is ironic that even after all this, Vaylin still remained a merciless monster; the only difference was that now she had a much healthier outlet for her fury.
She jumped into the fire, ready to continue her onslaught, and eventually, as she promised, she would annihilate them all.
…
Everything happened far too quickly for Atiel to even scream.
She was taught not to scream, not to show any emotion, and not to succumb to pain; all of those were a part of the training for every Imperial spy. At some point, this training became so ingrained in Atiel's psyche that she didn't even feel the urge to show emotions. Yet this time, even with all her mental preparation, Vaylin wanted to scream.
The moment she stared into Vaylin's empty, ebon eyes, she knew that she wasn't dealing with a human anymore, but a being that could only be described as a god. And as any god would, she squashed the mere mortals that attempted to strike her like a bunch of bugs. They fell before her, broken and unworthy…
When Atiel opened her eyes, her vision was blurred, clouded by the agonizing pain that she felt. The warm streams of blood-drenched the Chiss's body at multiple places at once. Forced to fall by the rubble, barely able to reach out for the sun. As Atiel tried to get out, she felt more blood pouring out and her sliding to the side. Now, the Chiss was able to see her face in a faint reflection in one of Iokath's broken technologies. One of her eyes was completely torn out of her socket, leaving nothing but a bleeding wound, blood covering half of her face like tears.
"N-No…" Atiel stuttered and raised her, slowly dragging herself out of the rubble. The further she got, the more mutilated force she saw beside her. Only a few moments ago, they were brave and dedicated soldiers of her master. What now? A pile of nobodies that not a single soul will remember!"
"Urgh…" Atiel could not even speak; her entire mind was overtaken by shock. All she could do after waking up from the rubble was to take a step. A step away from this ruined place and a step closer to her glorious master. Even if the pain was nigh unbearable, even if she couldn't stop the bleeding…Atiel saw the chaotic annihilation that ensued above since the moment Vaylin descended; she was no doubt gunning for her master. Atiel attempted to use her comlink, but it was devastated, just like her rifle. The explosion tossed into a faraway sector, further from the epicenter, and buried in the Iokathi labyrinths.
"Come on, there's a secret passage here!" She heard a hopeful voice coming from a young man who rushed across the corridor along one more besides. "We can take an entire watchtower out. Just follow my lead and…"
Atiel would not allow this. The Chiss took out her last weapon, a sharp, shining knife and leaped forward. She landed on the nearest man's back, plunging the knife into his body. The strike has precise and merciless, targeting the weak spot and making the soldier scream in agony.
"What the….FUUUCK!"
He shook and tried to force Atiel away; his friend attempted to shoot her. The Chiss, however, evaded every single shot, eventually pushing the man's wounded body forward and covering herself. Far too many blasts got him at the same time, and the soldier had no chance of survival.
"N-No!" The second one shouted as the horrible realization dawned upon him, but Atiel didn't allow him to have his moment of reprieve. The sniper jumped towards him, resisting her bleeding pain and piercing the soldier's throat, completely tearing the weak spot on his armor with her knife and bare hands. No one could dare to try sabotage her master's work and live. They deserved all the agony Atiel could force upon them and even wounded and tormented, she wouldn't stop fighting. Atiel saw Vaylin's energy above her, her lightning going from one watchtower to another, turning the field of battle into a complete chaotic nightmare. She came for her Archon, all of them did…And she was not nearly powerful enough to stop them. Atiel wanted to scream in despair, yet all she could was to let out a pained, wheezing moan. She had nothing left but her knife and the last shreds of her determination in this wounded body.
She will kill them all if necessary.
She would not stop fighting.