Vergence Scatter - Multiverse
The moment they leap through the portal, darkness envelops their vision like a shroud. Then, the glimmer of starlight rushes past them, forming a cosmic web.
Jarik glances around at the ethereal expanse of stars, a strange feeling stirring within him. He has passed into the World Between Worlds before—likely more times than anyone else could ever hope to—but this time, it feels different. Perhaps it is simply because the road to Eternity is far more obscure.
While gazing at the cosmos, he notices a large group of silhouetted figures behind him—the Asgardians and Fallanassi he is traveling with, no doubt. Ahsoka stands close beside him, more visible than the rest. She turns to look at him, and their eyes meet, sharing a thousand unspoken words in a single glance.
A presence brushes against their minds, so gentle it is almost imperceptible at first. When they reach out to it, they feel something incomprehensibly vast and alien, yet strangely familiar and deeply comforting.
'All ends are beginnings.'
'Everyone across the universe seems to know your name.'
'I want to reunite with my family.'
Like on previous visits, they hear voices whispering and echoing around them. Yet this strange presence urges them to listen closely to what is being said. There's a message hidden within, something it wants to convey.
'He was once mortal, born into misfortune.'
'...struggling for survival...'
'I pray to you not for me, but for my children.'
'You were a young soul who did not deserve to be caught in the middle.'
'My family died!'
Images flash through their minds, at first moving too quickly to comprehend. Yet they feel more than see what is being shown to them:
A nomadic race wanders the desert.
One man grieves the loss of his family.
The Darkness came to him.
~We can offer you vision.~
'Out in the dark, among the stars...'
'All gods will die.'
The man is broken, lost in a black hole of fury and bloodlust. Yet, in the depths of his suffering, a sliver of humanity remains—a father who wants nothing more than for his children to live joyously in a world free of torment.
There is still hope in this tragic story.
'Do what you can to bring light wherever you go.'
'Have compassion on those who suffer pain and sorrow.'
'Trust in the Force.'
The voices fade into silence, taking with them the great presence in the Force. Yet it leaves behind a plea, something it asks them to do.
Jarik and Ahsoka continue to stare at one another, pondering everything they just heard and saw. It was overwhelming, yet they understand it with startling clarity. A warm fire burns in Jarik's heart, and he knows Ahsoka feels the same. The urging of that great presence grants them a profound sense of enlightenment. Some souls are lost forever by their own choices, but there is still hope for those who did not fully understand the dark path they chose.
The God Butcher must be stopped. They know what they must do.
Gates of Eternity - World Between Worlds
Gorr stands the Staff of Morai upright in front of the statue of Eternity as shadowy hands rise from the ground to grab hold of it. The God Butcher stares eagerly at the statue of Eternity.
"I've dreamt of this day for so long..." he whispers.
A bright beam of energy shoots out of the staff and strikes the center of the statue, opening a glowing vortex.
Gorr's triumph is short-lived. A golden portal opens behind him at the opposite end of the chamber, and he turns in shock to see a large gathering of his enemies—Asgardian warriors, Fallanassi sorceresses, and his two Jedi adversaries—emerge from the portal. He snarls with rage, gripping All-Black in his hands.
Wialu stares at the statue of Eternity with astonishment and awe.
"Eternity…" she murmurs.
Gorr stabs All-Black into the stone floor, summoning a legion of Black Berserkers to his side. The allied forces tense in preparation for battle. Several sorceresses conjure energy shields and weapons, the Asgardians organize themselves into battle positions, and Jarik and Ahsoka ignite their twin lightsabers.
Thor twirls Mjolnir in his hand, grinning in anticipation, his gaze fixed entirely on Gorr.
"Time to slay a demon!" he declares, raising his hammer. "ATTACK!"
The Berserkers roar and charge forward with savage bloodlust, and the allied forces rush to meet them. Several Berserkers raise their arms, tails, or other appendages, unleashing dense volleys of black spikes. The Fallanassi quickly conjure barriers while the Einherjar raise their own shields for protection. Despite their efforts, a few from both groups are struck down before they can fully defend themselves.
Jarik and Ahsoka deflect the spikes with their lightsabers while Thor twirls Mjolnir in front of himself before lunging forward with a fierce war cry. Gorr moves to unleash an arc of dark energy but Thor tackles him before he can do so. The two engage in a vicious brawl, punching and grappling on the ground.
"You will not delay me!" Gorr snarls.
Thor kicks Gorr off and gets to his feet with a smile.
"Of course not! I'm here to kill you!" he jeers.
While Thor charges Gorr again, the two Jedi are intercepted by several Berserkers. Ahsoka flips backward to avoid the slash of a blade-arm and slices it off with her saber. The Berserker, seemingly undeterred, advances with open jaws, but Ahsoka throws it back with a Force push. She steps forward but falters, grimacing in pain as she suddenly feels weak. The Berserker lunges again, but this time Jarik decapitates it with a swift strike.
"You alright?" he asks in concern, sensing her pain.
"I'm fine," she sighs, shaking her head as she recovers. "Come on!"
The pair continue fighting their way through the horde of Berserkers toward Gorr and Thor, who are battling near the Staff of Morai. The staff continues to shoot an energy beam into the expanding vortex.
Thor leaps forward with a mighty swing of Mjolnir, but Gorr blocks it with All-Black, though he is pushed back several feet. He growls as he notices the two Jedi rushing toward him and summons a swarm of vines to block their path. Jarik slices through the vines with his lightsaber, while Ahsoka retaliates with a Force push that knocks Gorr back even further. Jarik throws his lightsaber, but Gorr deflects it before blocking another strike from Thor.
Jarik moves to assist Thor, while Ahsoka dashes for the staff. Seeing this, Gorr yells and grabs Thor's wrist, hurling him at Jarik. Jarik ducks to avoid being hit, only to be kicked away when he tries to stand again, gasping in pain. Gorr then whirls around and unleashes a wave of darkness at Ahsoka, sending her flying.
Thor roars and charges again, landing a blow that sends Gorr sprawling. Thor swings Mjolnir down on him, but Gorr rolls aside and summons a wall of black tendrils that collide with Thor, knocking him down and causing him to lose his grip on Mjolnir. The tendrils wrap tightly around Thor, immobilizing him as Gorr advances.
"Feel that, little lord of heaven? That sense of helplessness? That is how it feels to be mortal," Gorr sneers, lifting All-Black to Thor's neck. "Now you will learn how it feels to be butchered!"
"Come on, you little snake, do your worst!" Thor scowls back, hatred burning in his eyes.
Jarik wearily gets to his feet and spots Ahsoka doing the same a short distance away. As he takes a moment to recover from the painful kick, he feels that strange presence from before touch his mind again, fleeting but unmistakable. He locks eyes with Ahsoka, sensing she felt it too.
They have to act now.
Ahsoka jumps to her feet first and rushes toward Gorr, who raises his sword to slay the God of Thunder.
"Gorr, wait! This isn't the way!" she cries out.
Gorr pauses, glancing at her with narrowed eyes.
"Think about what you're doing!" she continues. "Is killing millions really what you want?"
Jarik rushes to stand at Ahsoka's side, both of them tense. Thor glares at the pair in bewildered anger and dismay.
"What're you babbling about?! Just kill him, you morons!" he yells.
Gorr gags Thor with a simple gesture and slowly turns to the Jedi, glaring at them with a mixture of hatred and disgust in his orange eyes.
"Who are you, gods of Mortis, to lecture me?" he demands.
Jarik does a double take and frowns.
"We are not gods," he retorts.
Gorr responds with a mirthless chuckle.
"Are you not? Even without the power of Mortis or an Infinity Stone, you are still... Jedi," he hisses with contempt. "You may not have seen it in your Temple, but to the common man, you... are... gods! They praise you! They worship you! They REVILE you!"
Jarik and Ahsoka exchange uneasy glances, recalling earlier moments when others misunderstood their role.
"What others think is not something we can control. We're just people," Ahsoka states. "All of us have our own choices, Jedi or not."
"And you choose to stand above them!" Gorr sneers.
"Then what are you doing, taking the fate of the universe into your own hands!? Is that not the same as proclaiming yourself above them?" Jarik retorts angrily. "The Jedi were many things—flawed, even—but who isn't? At least we tried our best to help!"
Gorr's eyes blaze with pure rage.
"Help... YOU!? Jedi and Sith squabble over religion and power while the rest of your galaxy burns!"
Dragging All-Black along the ground, Gorr begins advancing. The two Jedi step back apprehensively.
"Where were you when infants were taken from their families? Where were you when slaves suffered under their masters?!" Gorr exclaims, his voice rising with every word. "WHERE WERE YOU WHEN YOUR PEOPLE NEEDED YOU!?"
Roaring like a deranged animal the God Butcher launches himself at the Jedi and they just barely move out of the way. Jumping on either side of him they swipe their blades in a blur of light, but Gorr moves even faster. He dodges both blades and lashes out at Ahsoka with so much strength that when their blades connect she's sent flying and crashes into the base of a statue.
Jarik thrusts his second blade forward but a black tendril emerges from the ground to grab his wrist and Gorr spins around with his sword out to kill. Jarik manages to block with his first saber but Gorr shoves their weapons aside and smacks his skull against Jarik's face with a sickening crack, making him cry out in pain, then slams the Jedi into the ground hard.
Before Gorr can land the killing blow a fiery whip snags his wrist and pulls him away. He stumbles on his feet to see Cera holding the whip, and she's suddenly joined by Xudi grappling his other arm with her own whip, and they start pulling to spread his arms apart. He pulls back on them with a snarl and they yelp in surprise as their feet drag across the stone floor in his direction. Xiffé then tackles Gorr from behind, though even her strength is challenged when the God Butcher doesn't collapse.
Meanwhile, Loki managed to slip over and works on cutting the tendrils restraining Thor with his daggers.
With a terrible roar Gorr yanks on Cera's whip and flings her at Xudi, who fails to move in time. Xiffé wraps her tail around his sword arm to restrain it while clawing at his face, but Gorr simply grabs hold of her tail and swings her up like a flail before slamming her into the ground. He yanks his sword arm free and leaves a nasty cut along her tail with All-Black and she howls in pain.
Thor then appears from out of nowhere and slams into Gorr, sending him sprawling on the ground. He looks over to see Ahsoka wearily moving back over while Jarik pushes himself onto his knees with a pained groan; blood is streaming down his clearly broken nose.
"That's why you don't talk to demons, Jedi!" Thor scoffs at them.
Jarik briefly glowers at him but refocuses on his injury with a pained grimace as Ahsoka rushes over to him.
"Oh kriff..." she mutters in concern.
Feeling his nose, Jarik takes a breath before putting it back in place with a shout of pain.
"Are you okay?" she asks him.
"Fine," he grunts. "Staff first, worry later."
Sighing, she concedes the urgent situation and moves over to her staff, and Xudi joins her. Meanwhile, Jarik moves forward beside Thor and Loki—as do Cera and Xiffé, despite the latter's pain from her injury—and stand in a line between Ahsoka and the God Butcher.
Gorr stands up with his teeth bared, eyes gleaming bright orange. Gripping All-Black in his hands he roars and launches himself forward.
While the others battle Gorr, Ahsoka grabs her staff and tries to pull it free but the black hands don't budge. She then slashes them with her lightsaber, but with every hand she cut another simply took its place.
"Look out!" Xudi exclaims.
Ahsoka whirls around in alarm as a Berserker jumps at her, but Xudi shoots an orange barrier that knocks it to the ground.
"I can't pull it free!" Ahsoka exclaims.
Gorr blocks Thor's strike and kicks him aside, then parries a jab from Jarik's saber and makes him stumble past. Cera shoots a beam of energy but Gorr covers himself in a ball of shadow, then shoots it forward offensively.
Before it reaches Cera a mystical barrier appears between them and Gorr turns to see Wialu responsible. In the blink of an eye the Fallanassi Matron creates a sparking portal and throws it at Gorr; as soon as the portal passes him she immediately closes it, leaving him nowhere to be found.
There's silence for a moment, hope surging in the group's eyes, though Loki isn't as convinced.
"Behind you!" Xiffé exclaims.
Wialu spins to see Gorr flying up from the ground, sword poised to strike, only to pass through a shimmering illusion as the real Wialu appears beside Loki. Gorr growls but lifts his sword to block gold lightning shooting from Jarik's hand.
"The Staff, go!" Loki directs Wialu.
The Matron nods and rushes over to aid Ahsoka whilst Loki and Thor move to continue the fight with Gorr.
Wialu quickly assesses the situation with the staff and frowns.
"Stand back!" she shouts.
She casts a bolt of magic that starts to burn away the hands, which shriek in pain, whilst Xudi and Ahsoka hold back a pair of Berserkers. Despite the intense magic, however, the black hands still reform fast enough to keep the staff in place.
"Tano!" Wialu calls out.
"Go!" Xudi urges.
She stays to hold back the Berserkers as Ahsoka rushes over to Wialu.
"We can't do this alone. The Staff is in your power! Use it!" the Matron instructs.
"I've tried!" she replies.
"Not with the Staff! Use it!" Wialu retorts.
Ahsoka stares at the staff in dismay, unsure of what to do. Nevertheless she moves over to grab it and focused on the Force. A glimmer of light in her then seems to direct her focus—Morai, perhaps—and she feels that same light within the staff itself.
Darkness cannot trap light.
Calling the Force to her Ahsoka channels its power through her and into the staff, which starts to hum with energy. The black hands holding it seem to hiss and, after a short time of her and Wialu struggling to free it the staff slips away with a bright flash of light that knocks them back a little bit.
Ahsoka groans as she sits up and immediately grabs her staff again once she spots it.
"I've got it!" she exclaims triumphantly.
Another flash of light gets her attention and her elation falls at seeing a blinding white vortex sitting innocently in front of the Eternity statue.
A terrible roar has her looking back in alarm as Gorr unleashes a wave of darkness in all directions, sending his opponents flying.
"You're too late, little Jedi," Gorr chuckles.
Thor quickly tackles him once more with a yell while Ahsoka scrambles to her feet.
"Ahsoka!" Jarik cries out.
She looks over to see him toss a metal sphere her way, and on instinct she catches it.
'The Stone's in there! Use it against the sword!' he tells her.
Determined, Ahsoka works on opening the Orb while Jarik rushes back into the fight. Gorr staggers back after Thor punches him, but when the god lunges with a hammer strike he sidesteps and thrusts All-Black into his gut.
"THOR!" Loki yells in dismay.
Hearing Loki's cry, Sif and the Warriors Three glance up from their fight with the Berserker horde with looks of horror, though the rampaging beasts give them little time to react any longer. Thor coughs up blood, feeling pain on a level he's never experienced before stemming from his lower abdomen, and Mjolnir clatters on the ground beside him. Gorr twists the blade and he yells in agony before he's kicked to the ground.
Loki hurls a volley of daggers and Gorr dodges, then lifts his blade to parry a strike from Jarik. They duel each other briefly but then Gorr trips the Jedi on his feet, though is halted from the kill by a sudden purple bolt which knocks him down. He gets up and sees Ahsoka with the Staff of Morai and Power Stone back in her possession.
"It's OVER!" she yells, filling her voice with power.
"It certainly is," Gorr sneers at her.
He sinks into the ground and Ahsoka whirls around in alarm when he reappears behind her, striking out with All-Black. She holds up her staff to block but is knocked down from the force of it.
"Say goodbye to the gods for me!" he cackles.
He moves to enter the portal but his wrist suddenly shackled by glowing red bands conjured by Wialu, which pull taught. He growls and takes All-Black into his free hand to cut them, but several more energy whips ensnare his limbs. Cera, Xudi, Xiffé, and Sydali pull on their whips as hard as they could whilst Gorr struggles furiously like a rabid beast.
A swarm of Berserkers then pull away from the main horde to aid their master. Jarik shoots a blast of golden lightning that makes a few stop while Loki fires a bolt of magic that kills two.
"Jedi, destroy it NOW!" Loki roars.
Ahsoka points her staff forward and the Power Stone glows brightly as she fuels it with as much power as she dares. A Berserker suddenly slips through and smacks Jarik aside before he could stop it and lunges toward Ahsoka, which she sees with a shout of panic. Fortunately she's saved when Mjolnir smashes through its skull and she looks over to see Thor on his hands and knees, meeting her gaze briefly before he collapses with a groan.
Although worried for his injury and wanting to express gratitude for the save there's simply no time to spare and, feeling herself strain to contain the energy within the Power Stone she unleashes it with a cry. A stream of condensed energy shoots out and hits All-Black directly. The sword seems to shriek as a purple aura envelops it, and just when Ahsoka feels like her power is spent it erupts in a violent explosion that blasts through the whole chamber, knocking everyone to the ground, and her vision goes dark when she falls.
For a moment she sees an image flash in her mind; shrouded in darkness sat a pale figure with long white hair, snarling and shaking his head as though in agony.
Ahsoka opens her eyes with a gasp and sits up. Silence permeates the air, almost suffocating in a way, until weary groans nearby make her aware of everyone else coming too as well. Retrieving her staff and sabers she stands up, searching for Jarik, then rushes over as he gets up himself.
"Are you okay?" she asks.
"I'm good," he nods, taking a deep breath. "Did it work?"
They look around the chamber and immediately realize with a hopeful gaze that there's not a Berserker in sight.
"I think so..." Ahsoka murmurs, then gasps. "Thor!"
She turns to see Loki tending to his brother, the raven haired prince sporting a deep scowl. However, while Ahsoka moves with the intent of helping him, out of the corner of his eye Jarik spots a figure standing in the center of the glowing white portal. With burns covering his skin—now just pale instead of bone white—Gorr wearily stumbles his way into the realm of Eternity.
"The portal!" he cries out.
Ahsoka, Wialu, and several others whirl around at the call with panicked expressions as they recognize the danger. Jarik sprints after Gorr as fast as he could and Ahsoka follows right on his heel. Multiple footsteps behind them signal more were in pursuit. But they're too far as Gorr's silhouette then disappears inside the portal, which begins to shrink in size. With as much desperation as they could muster the two Jedi leap after him.
The world is filled with blinding white light.
The two Jedi find themselves in a strange world; not a sea of stars like they expected, but an endless flat expanse covered by a thin layer of water. Majestic clouds fill the brightly lit sky, yet there's no sun they could see.
Jarik looks around at the ethereal plain and is immediately struck by how familiar it felt, though the reason eludes him for a moment. Then he remembers: years ago he had a vision of Ahsoka—at the time he thought it was her, though now he's not so sure—and it took place in a very similar place, the only difference being the landscape then was a deep orange, whereas the coloration here was more standard for a planet.
"Jarik..." Ahsoka whispers.
He turns and sees something that makes him catch his breath. Sitting a short distance away was a strange entity that could only be Eternity himself; the cosmic being was large, seated on the water as though he were a simple monk in meditation. The oddest thing about him is that his silhouette was a vast expanse of stars, nebulas, and galaxies, shimmering and moving from every angle—it's like looking into a three dimensional window, beyond which the entire universe is visible.
The Force is flowing in abundance from this being. His power is so immense Jarik fears it might tear him apart... and yet no such thing happens. Eternity's power is tranquil, exuding nothing but a sense of peace and harmony.
Then Jarik spots Gorr kneeling in front of the cosmic being as though in prayer. He stretches his arm out to Eternity, and from the being's eye a beam of light shines upon the God Butcher. Horror strikes into his soul just then and he takes his sabers into his hand and prepares to charge forward.
"Jarik, wait!" Ahsoka exclaims, grabbing his arm.
He turns to her in shock but she levels him with a heavy gaze, shaking her head.
"It is over, Jedi. My hour has come at last!" the God Butcher triumphantly declares.
"Gorr, please listen!" Ahsoka pleads with him. "You have to stop this!"
For whatever reason this seems to give Gorr pause. The light fades as he lowers his arm and turns to look at them.
"What kind of father would I be if I stopped?" he questions.
"You lost someone you loved because of a higher power. Believe me, I understand how it feels," she tells him, and Jarik looks down with a pang at the reminder. "But death and vengeance isn't the answer. Deep down, I think you understand that."
"Then tell me, Disciple of Morai… What is?"
Ahsoka shares a heavy look with Jarik, briefly mulling it over. They've all experienced so much pain in their lives, and there's only one sure thing that has helped them persevere through it all.
"Love."
"Love?" Gorr smirks in amusement. "Why should I seek love?"
"Because it's all any of us want," she tells him. "Even for those who you hate."
Gorr sneers at them. Although the orange glow is now gone from his eyes, they still gleam with intense hatred.
"The gods know nothing of love!"
"Maybe not," Jarik replies. "But you do."
"And why should that matter? Love doesn't defeat the gods," he scowls.
"You don't need to. Your entire conquest has been filled with nothing but grief and slaughter," Jarik narrows his eyes in frustration. "Is that really how you want to spend your life?"
"If I must, to see the unjust punished," Gorr fiercely proclaims.
"And is that what your daughter would want?" Ahsoka retorts.
Gorr widens his eyes in outrage.
"How dare you use her against me?" he seethes.
His fury doesn't intimidate the two Jedi.
"You have your wish. Make your choice. But one day, I believe that we will all reunite with those we've lost," Ahsoka states, before her gaze softens. "Don't let that moment be one of sorrow."
Gorr glares at them but Ahsoka turns away after a few seconds; Jarik's gaze lingers a bit longer, stern yet wary, before he reluctantly turns away as well to converse silently with his wife.
'If we let him make that wish... you might die too,' he tells her over their bond.
'Maybe.'
He shakes his head in dismay.
'He's unarmed. Should we not stop him now, talk later?'
'You felt what I did. He has to choose of his own free will.'
Jarik shuts his eyes, knowing that prompting they both felt was very real, yet logic and common sense is urging him to stop Gorr from making that wish. Sensing his turmoil, Ahsoka embraces her husband and he hugs her back.
'Trust in the Force...' he whispers in realization.
She quietly nods her head in confirmation.
Gorr observes the two Jedi, at first with simmering rage and hatred. However, confusion seeps into him regarding their actions. Why aren't they moving to stop him? Why are they giving him a choice?
Who... who are they?
Seeing them embrace one another stirs a forgotten sense of longing in his heart. Not a longing for vengeance upon the gods, but for a feeling he hasn't been able to partake in a long time.
Love.
These Jedi, beings who by all means were no different than the actual gods he hated, are now giving him a choice to do what he wants while seeking no payment in return. It's purely benevolent.
For the first time in years, doubt began to seep into the God Butcher. He turns back towards Eternity, who still waits patiently for his wish.
After some time of silence Jarik spares a look ahead and widens his eyes in shock at what he saw.
"Ahsoka…" he murmurs.
She lifts her head and turns to see what has him so surprised and is met with the same astonishment.
Gorr is laying flat on his back, water soaking his robes, appearing almost lifeless. Eternity is gone, yet in his place are a three beings which first share the same appearance as the cosmic being: glowing white eyes and a silhouette of the universe. However, their cosmic visage soon fades to reveal three people, a woman and two children, who slowly walk over to Gorr.
As if sensing their approach Gorr weakly lifts his head and tries to look up, the weary hint of a smile on his face.
"My love..." he whispers. "I've missed you all so much."
The woman kneels down beside him and cradles Gorr's head in her lap.
"As did we," she replies.
"Hi Daddy," the little girl says.
"My children..." tears threaten to spill from his eyes. "I-I'm so sorry..."
"It's okay, Dad," the little boy replies.
Jarik and Ahsoka both watch the scene from a respectful distance, a flurry of heavy emotions running through them ranging from disbelief, amazement, and, oddly enough, mourning...
Gorr then turns to look at them, no longer with any hatred or mockery in his blue eyes.
"You... brought them back…?" Jarik asks.
"I made my choice," he replies, letting out a heavy cough. "I am dying… please… will you protect them?"
Jarik glances back at Ahsoka and she nods her head.
"We will," she promises.
For the first time in years, Gorr was finally able to find peace.
THE NEXY DAY...
Isle of Berk, Ahch-To - Unknown Regions
Following their victory over the God Butcher the gateway into the realm of Eternity closed, likely forever now that his one and only wish had been granted. Gorr's family was taken to Wialu who promised to help them find a safe place to live in peace, free of war and hardship.
With the threat of Gorr now ended, Thor and a group of Asgardians including Loki, Sif, and the Warriors Three, decided to accompany the Jedi to Ahch-To and take part in the celebration on Berk, curious to see the culture of a realm they haven't visited in so long—the Vikings were more than overjoyed to host their gods for a feast.
The entirety of the Hairy Hooligan tribe is now gathered in the Great Hall in celebration. Dragons were given plenty deal of fish while the people enjoyed a tremendous meal which had even Volstagg impressed, though his friends worried he might not leave enough for everyone else.
Stoick stood up at the front of the Hall to offer a toast, raising his mug high in the air.
"Let us thank the gods for this victory, which will be sung in tales for generations to come! May the heavens continue to shine on us!" he proclaims.
A loud chorus of cheering follows, which the Asgardians are happy to join in.
Thor practically downs his mead in a single gulp, which the Hooligans at his table who noticed are in awe of.
"Not bad, not bad! This is fine ale!" he remarks in approval.
"Aye, that it is, my Lord!" Gobber eagerly informs him as he walks by.
"ANOTHER!"
Thor smashes his mug on the ground beside him, startling Hiccup, Mara, Heather, and a few others, though after a moment of surprise most everyone simply carries on without a second thought.
"Coming right up!" Gobber rushes away.
"Is it really a good idea to get drunk when you're still injured?" Mara questions, holding Talia in her lap.
Thor scoffs.
"You kidding? T'was nothing but a scratch! We Asgardians heal very fast, y'know!"
"You're lucky we got you back to the healers in time, brother," Loki replies with a stern look. "You were quite pale."
"Almost as pale as you, haha!" Volstagg guffaws.
Sif grimaces as food spits out of his mouth but continues eating, whereas the twins are completely unbothered and cackle at the sight.
"So, whose the bloke crazy enough to tame these wyverns?" Fandral inquires, looking around at a few of the dragons roaming the Hall in the hopes of getting free food.
"That would be Hiccup, here!" Astrid declares with a smile.
Hiccup grunts in discomfort as she pats on the back rather harshly with an audible smack. The Asgardians glance over at him and are surprised, sharing curious looks with each other—Loki regards him with some intrigue, noting the intelligence in Hiccup's eyes. Hiccup shifts uncomfortably at being the center of attention.
"Hiccup?" Thor questions.
Mara frowns, opening her mouth to speak up on his behalf—since clearly the Vikings wouldn't given their religious worship of the Asgardians—though Snotlout interjects himself into the conversation before she could do so.
"Yeah yeah yeah, we all love my skinny cousin here! What I want to know is—if you don't mind me asking, Lord Thor?" he pauses with a nervous look, to which Thor shrugs for him to continue, "—how did you defeat that weird bald guy?"
"Haha, an accurate description!" Fandral laughs.
"True enough!" Volstagg agrees.
"Oh, y-yes! Haha!" Thor chuckles, albeit more nervously this time. "Well, you see... um..."
Loki gives Thor a side-eyed glance, equally amused and annoyed by his hesitation.
"Come on, brother, surely a touch of honesty won't damage your pride," he insists with a hint of mocking.
Thor grumbles inaudibly in response before continuing.
"...I didn't land the... killing blow..." he mumbles.
Clearly not expecting that answer, Snotlout is left in silence for a moment. Most of the other Vikings admittedly react in the same manner.
"Wait, what?"
"Our parents did!" Mara grins, slightly smug as well. "Isn't that right, Talia?"
"Mommy and Daddy won!" the little girl cheers.
"Come on, guys, Lord Thor is just being modest!" Snotlout tries to argue. "We all know he's the best warrior in the universe!"
"Now this kid knows what he's talking about, haha!" Thor chuckles.
Snotlout looked as though he could've melted on the spot from sheer euphoria.
"Indeed," Sif remarks, albeit with a hint of skepticism. "Still, it is true that the Jedi are the ones we should be thanking for this victory. We likely wouldn't have gotten far without them."
"Wow!" Fishlegs voices everyone else's thoughts.
"Not often your mighty statue ain't getting the praise, eh?" Fandral teases Thor.
"Hmph. I just... don't know how they did it," he says, shaking his head in confusion. "I fought pretty well, didn't I?"
"Oh, absolutely!" Snotlout agrees, though Thor continues without acknowledging him.
"How did two mortals accomplish something that the gods couldn't?"
There's a short bit of silence at the table as they ponder the question, some genuinely unsure while others have ideas albeit too nervous to share them. Though Mara isn't among those afraid to speak her mind.
"In my experience, raw power doesn't mean everything."
Thor grunts in response, his expression unreadable. Sif, however, nods her head in agreement.
"Wise words, young Jedi," she says.
"Well, yeah, but raw power still means a lot, right?" Snotlout replies.
"Depends on what you consider powerful," Hiccup remarks dryly.
"Sounds like something you'd know pretty well, huh?" Astrid bumps his shoulder, and he frowns at her suspiciously.
"Is that a complement or an insult?"
"Oh, go with insult!" Tuffnut exclaims eagerly. "That gives you an excuse to smash a mace over her head!"
"Haha! I love these Vikings!" Volstagg chuckles. "See, Loki, what do I always say? A good bludgeoning is much better than a knife in the back!"
Loki wordlessly gets up from his seat and walks away from the group. Mara and Hiccup watch him leave with a bit of unease; although he hid it well they could both tell he was aggravated by the seemingly harmless comment, though for what reason they weren't sure.
Thor doesn't seem to pay Loki's departure any mind as his gaze was instead pointed at the entrance of the Great Hall, where the two Jedi slip outside. As they do so, Jarik notices Thor staring and narrows his eyes with suspicion before vanishing outside.
What sort of mortal could defeat a foe as terrible as the God Butcher when he himself could not?
How... how did they do it?
Jarik takes in a deep breath of the fresh air outside, finally able to get a moment of peace for himself and Ahsoka. Seeing Thor's suspicious and confused gaze focused on him had Jarik feeling unsettled, though he tries his best to ignore it. He moves up beside Ahsoka in gazing out at the horizon, behind which the twin suns have just dipped below.
"I don't get them," he sighs in exhaustion.
Ahsoka offers a weary smile of agreement.
"Well, they are gods," she shrugs.
"Are they?" he asks in reply. "Some might view us the same way."
A sigh escapes from her as she contemplates his remark, sensing his skepticism. She's unable to help but agree somewhat with him. While Odin seems to be a wise, just, and certainly powerful ruler, the same can't exactly be said about the others. Powerful, yes, but not wise.
And then there was Gorr's accusation, which wasn't based upon falsehoods. Gifted with talents in the Force, the Jedi aspired to be peacekeepers. Yet conflict continues to persist; oppression continues to exist.
"As long as we do the right things—helping others in need, protecting the innocent..." Ahsoka says slowly. "...that's the only expectation we should give ourselves. Staying true to who we are as Jedi."
Jarik relaxes slightly and nods in agreement.
"You're right. We can't control what others think or do," he remarks.
He smiles at her and she smiles back; still, the smile on his face doesn't seem completely genuine.
"Something else is bothering you," she points out.
Jarik takes a deep breath, turning away for a moment, and gives a begrudging nod of confirmation. He glances back at her with an uneasy gaze.
"The same thing as you, I suspect," he replies.
Ahsoka looks away with a grimace as she makes the same realization. The events of the last few days have broadened their perspective of a lot of things, an all too frequent occurance it would seem, much to her annoyance; it's a sentiment Jarik readily agreed with.
Yet it couldn't be ignored.
Among those things that resurfaced in her mind is something she thought she had finally received an answer for years ago, when she allowed herself to let go of things beyond her control.
"I thought we settled this a long time ago," Ahsoka murmurs, crossing her arms to subdue the pang in her heart.
Jarik glumly nods in reply with a look of sorrow. He doesn't want to revisit this either, yet it seems the universe always deems it necessary to do so.
"And yet... Gorr became a shell of his former self, driven on nothing but vengeance and cruelty," he says slowly, hesitant to finish his thought. "If someone as monstrous as him could turn away from all that..."
"D-Don't..." Ahsoka interrupts him.
Jarik concedes and remains quiet, but he didn't need to finish for Ahsoka to know what he was suggesting. Her eyes are squeezed shut in an attempt to ignore the possibility, yet it's impossible to do so. It hurts to hope on it, yet it hurts even more to ignore it.
If Gorr's heart led him to turn away from darkness... does the same hold true for Vader?
Does Anakin's heart still beat within the Dark Lord?
Fortress Vader, Mustafar - Western Reaches
Fire erupts from the obsidian landscape surrounding the dark fortress of Lord Vader. Volcanic activity has been much more violent over the last few days.
Within his monolith, nobody dared to approach the Dark Lord of the Sith as he sat upon his throne; not even the Imperial Royal Guards risked it. Cracks spread throughout the black stone which made up the chamber, a clear sign of his boiling fury that has been a constant for days. The dark side of the Force churned around him like a hurricane, terrible in its wrath and frightening to behold.
The Bright Star... gone. And with it his chance to resurrect the woman whom he gave everything for.
All because of that wretched smuggler. He will turn over the gates of Chaos itself to make them suffer for this.
Despite the obvious danger, however, Vader's servant and aid Vaneé entered the throne room and anxiously approached the Dark Lord. He didn't even make it five steps before Vader stops him.
"Leave."
"My Lord—" Vaneé starts to say.
"I said LEAVE!" Vader roars.
A new crack emerges in the floor and Vaneé flinches in clear fright. Still, he can't afford to obey his Lord with this request.
"Forgive me, Lord Vader, but there is a visitor who demands to see you," he informs him.
An audible growl escapes Vader's through, a strange and unsettling sound through the respirator. Vaneé instinctively reaches up to his neck when he starts to feel a bit of pressure there, not yet choking him but absolutely on the verge of doing so.
"And who would dare think to make demands of me?" Vader demands.
"The Emperor, my Lord," Vaneé reveals.
The pressure around Vaneé's neck is immediately lifted and he bows his head in respect and gratitude to his master. Yet the anger in Darth Vader doesn't fade; in fact, it only grows stronger. Still seething over the loss of the Bright Star, mention of the Emperor only reminds him of how Palpatine failed in his promise to him.
Even so, he still cannot refuse a direct visit from the Emperor.
A dark silver Rho-class shuttle emerges from hyperspace above the fiery world of Mustafar, and a squadron of specialized TIE Fighters moves to escort the shuttle through the atmosphere.
Volcanic activity across the surface seems to lessen somewhat, as though it's being subdued by an immense shadow of the dark side.
Within the main hangar of Vader's fortress, the shuttle makes a smooth landing. A legion of stormtroopers and other Imperial personnel fill the hangar to greet its arrival. Darth Vader marches down the middle of the room with Vaneé by his side, accompanied by a pair of red Royal Guards.
Upon landing, the shuttle's ramp lowers, and Vader and Vaneé both kneel with their heads bowed. A pair of Royal Guards emerge from the shuttle first, and the two with Vader move to join their brethren in clearing the way for the Emperor to step out next.
Emperor Palpatine slowly walks down the ramp, the hood of his black Sith robes obscuring his face as always. Yet the glow of his yellow eyes shines bright, peering into the minds of any who dare meet their gaze.
He isn't alone, however. Vader gives no visible reaction, but he is surprised and suspicious at the sight of two others flanking the Emperor—one of them is his pet project, Lumiya, but the other is someone he does not recognize: a human male with graying hair and, most strangely, a cybernetic implant of sorts in his right eye.
Vader remains silent as he waits for the Emperor to acknowledge him, which he soon does with a quick gesture.
"Rise, Lord Vader."
Vader stands to his feet, Vaneé following suit. The Emperor takes a moment to study him intently.
"Walk with me," he orders.
He walks forward and Vader falls into step beside him while Vaneé joins the other two behind them. The stormtroopers continue to stand at attention while the four Royal guards escort the procession on all sides.
"Do you know why I am here today?" Palpatine questions.
"No," Vader begrudgingly admits.
His answer has Palpatine halt in his tracks and he turns to Vader with a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"No? You have not sensed it?"
Vader doesn't answer.
"What manner of activity has kept you so blind to the Force?" the Emperor demands, his voice a deep growl.
Still, Vader remains silent, but a whirlwind of emotions rushes through him, switching between anger and embarrassment.
Eventually, Sidious cracks with a snarl and unleashes Force lightning on his apprentice. Vader drops to his knees with a cry of pain. The others with them give a short start of surprise.
"We are on the verge of being threatened by beings of darkness never before seen! And you know nothing?!"
Vader groans in pain, his suit smoking and his respirator wheezing.
"Why then should I expect to rely on you for the only thing you're GOOD FOR!?" Sidious rages at him.
Pain course through his body as Vader struggles to stand. He lifts his head in a pointed glare at the Emperor's two servants.
"These 'slaves' of yours cannot match my might, Master," he states.
Lumiya glares at him and a thin frown is visible on the one-eyes doctor's face. The Emperor's lip curls upward slightly, but his amusement is quashed by sheer disdain.
"What an amusing thing for you to say, apprentice."
Vader doesn't respond and after a few long seconds full of tension the Emperor resumes his march.
"Now, seeing as you require an update on current events, then you must know our enemies are growing more numerous. And they are growing stronger," he informs Vader.
"You do not speak of Shan?" Vader notices with confusion.
"The Emperor has foreseen there are other threats rising against him," Lumiya answers. "The Vong are just one."
"He requires progress from you, Lord Vader," the doctor adds.
"Progress in what?" Vader demands.
"Everything," the Emperor states coldly, fixing Vader with an intense glare. "If we do not deal with this Rebellion, now, then they will soon be a mere footnote compared to the next adversary we face."
"My fleet has been scouring the galaxy for the rebels—"
"You will do something now, Lord Vader."
Vader pauses and glances at Sidious, who looks more serious and expectant than he can ever recall seeing in a very long time.
"Then what is thy bidding, my Master?" he asks.
Mount Pasvaal, Al'doleem - Mid Rim Territories
Rivers and lush greenery run rampant through the many mountains; one, however, was completely flat at its peak as though the top were cut off. Placed on that flat peak is a small structure, a monastery of sorts.
While Greez stayed with the Mantis down below Cal, Merrin, and T'ra Saa hiked to the summit and inspected the isolated monastery, which was Jedi in origin. Upon their arrival it became immediately apparent that the structure has long since been abandoned, as the inside had noticeably been ransacked of anything valuable.
"This place has been abandoned for a long time," Merrin says glumly. "If Master Infil'a was here, it's likely the Empire got to him first."
Cal, not one to give up easily, tries to argue otherwise.
"We don't know that. Maybe he left after the Empire took over," he suggests. "Gone somewhere it was easier to hide."
"Judging by the state of the city, I doubt it," she disagrees.
Cal crosses his arms, wanting to argue, but even he can't help but doubt his assertion.
"I appreciate your optimism, Cal, but I fear Merrin is correct," T'ra states in grim apology. "When one takes the Barash Vow, they disengage from all but the Force itself. Even the fall of the Order would not permit Kirak's intervention."
The Jedi Knight sighs in begrudging acknowledgement. He knows well enough that finding Jedi survivors is a long shot after so much time has passed.
"First Master Koth, now Master Infil'a... surely there's got to be others," he says.
Merrin walks up to him and places a hand on his shoulder, giving him a knowing look. He glances back at her and suddenly feels ashamed of himself: here he is complaining about their inability to find more Jedi when Merrin's entire civilization was completely wiped out before her very eyes. Even though their numbers are few, there are still other Jedi to find solace with. Merrin has no one.
The empathetic Nightsister offers him a gentle smile, aware of what he must be thinking. She doesn't blame him for it.
"We'll find them," she promises.
He smiles back at her in gratitude.
T'ra tilts her head to the side and frowns, sensing something amiss, when suddenly a shot rings out across the area. The three instantly dash for cover behind the doorframe of the monastery.
Cal warily peeks out and is surprised to see the shot wasn't aimed at them, but instead at another figure standing the top of the ramp carved into the mountain. The figure—wearing blueish armor with markings Cal identifies as belonging to the Haxion Brood—groans in pain as he collapses with a smoking hole in their side. Dropping out of the sky behind him on a jetpack is a well-built man with dark hair twirling a blaster pistol in his hand.
"Well, if is isn't Kip Ostar! Looks like you just made me a rich man!" he chuckles.
From his position on the ground Kip shouts something in another language and the man just scoffs.
"If you were smart, you'd be more afraid of Zerek Besh—"
While talking he fails to notice Kip sneak a grenade in his hand until the Haxion Brood hunter activates it, his intent to blow them all up. Acting on instinct Cal jumps out from behind the door and uses the Force to throw the grenade off the mountain, letting it explode harmlessly in the air. The second man jumps back in shock and moves to point his blaster but freezes with Cal barely three feet away, pointing his own pistol at him.
"Hold it."
"Woah, hey, take it easy!" the man quickly raises his hands.
"What's going on here?" Cal demands.
"I'm just here for this guy, he's worth a lot of money to me," the man answers.
"Bounty hunters going after each other?" Cal lifts a questioning eyebrow.
"Well, I wouldn't put it that way, but..."
The man pauses when he spots Kip trying to sneak away from them, already back on his feet. However, before he can rush down the mountain Merrin appears in a burst of green flame and slams the blunt end of a spear into his skull, knocking him out cold.
"Oh, great, you got him for me! Thanks!" the man cheerfully says after a moment of surprise.
"Don't mention it," Merrin replies.
Cal stares at the man for a while longer before eventually lowering his blaster, sensing no ill intentions from him.
"You got a name?" he asks.
The man glances at his lowered weapon curiously but then smiles.
"Bode," he answers.
He holds out his hand upon introducing himself and Cal shakes it in reply.
"I'm Cal."
Author's Note: We've now reached the end of the Gods and Monsters arc! Hopefully y'all enjoyed it! We've had two triumphant endings, but evil still persists in the galaxy. Soon, tragedy will unfold...