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Author	Topic: I am the Darkness (One-Post KotOR Action-Vignette, Revan vs. Malak, KotOR SPOILERS!)
Lord_Zeron Registered: Mar '05	Date Posted: 3/17/06 2:00pm Subject: I am the Darkness (One-Post KotOR Action-Vignette, Revan vs. Malak, KotOR SPOILERS!) - Date Edited: 3/17/06 8:14pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Lord_Zeron
	Title: I am the Darkness Author(s): Lord_Zeron Timeframe: During Knights of the Old Republic Characters: Revan, Malak, Star Forge Genre: Action, Vignette Keywords: Revan, Star Forge, Dark Side Summary: After many months of searching for the location of the Star Forge, Darth Revan is finally ready to face his old Apprentice and reclaim the title of Dark Lord once and for all… Notes: Contains MAJOR KOTOR SPOILERS!!! This story is also much better understood by someone who has either beaten Knights of the Old Republic, watched someone beat KotOR, or read a full-length story based on KotOR. I know it’s long, but it’s a one-post action-packed vignette, so please don’t let the length scare you away. Just try a few paragraphs, and I promise you’ll be hooked. Any feedback, whether it be praise, constructive criticism, or just pointing out a typo (if you see one, no matter how minor, please let me know!) is greatly appreciated. I am the Darkness “Revan was power. Looking at him was like staring into the heart of the Force itself. Even then, you could see the Jedi he would slay etched upon his soul.” -Kreia, Knights of the Old Republic II (paraphrased) You are Revan, Hero of the Republic, Savior of the Galaxy… and Dark Lord of the Sith. There is only one obstacle left in your way, and at last the time has come to remove him. The elevator hums gently as it ascents one of the many spires that top the central sphere of the Star Forge. The titanic battle station speaks to you, a low call that no ears can hear. It cries out, drawing on your darker emotions; fear, hate, passion. And you slowly close your eyes behind the mask which covers your disfigured face. You breathe slowly, and as the air exits your lungs you allow the dark energies to flow through you, empowering you and preparing you for the battle to come. In the labyrinth of evil power that is the Forge, you sense another presence far more in tune with it than you ever were; the presence of Darth Malak. Your former Apprentice awaits you eagerly, the anticipation growing inside of him, echoing the desire for blood which beats in your cold, dark heart. Your life has been a series of climaxes, a never-ending symphony of war, each battle a glorious note you wish to hear forever. Malachor V, your capture by the Jedi, the death of Saul Karath, winning Bastilla’s loyalty, and so many more. But they are nothing compared to what you are about to face, insignificant against the greatest of all duels. You knew this day would come, knew it since that fateful moment you took Malak as your Dark Apprentice, though you can no longer recall that past life. The fool betrayed you from afar, but a true confrontation was inevitable from the beginning. The Force itself demanded that you compete for the title of Sith Master, and this may be your one and only chance to do so. All too soon, and yet not fast enough, the lift stops at the top of the tower. With a wave of your gloved hand the door opens, for the Star Forge senses your command and obeys it without question. You step forward, into a short hallway, separated from Malak by nothing more than a thin door of durasteel. This is your final chance to prepare. The suspense consumes you, so intense you don’t want it to ever end. But battle calls to you, and you have never been one to turn such a challenge down. There is but one preparation left to make. On your belt, secure around the custom robes gifted to you by the Forge itself, are two lightsabers. The handles are alike in appearance, silver with a black covering. They are identical to the one you held during your former reign, though that weapon is long destroyed. These are different, new as you are new, reborn as you have been reborn. One is red, the color of blood and the only color suitable for any follower of the dark side. The other saber, specially designed with a slightly shorter blade, is purple to symbolize the unique entity you have become. You are not just any Dark Lord of the Sith, you are Revan. And with the weapons in your hands, you are finally prepared to reclaim your rightful throne. The door takes only a stare through your tinted visor to open, and when it does your booted feet have already begun their somber march. Confidence is your strategy, intimidation of your foes, just as it has always been and always will be. You are the greatest Jedi of all time, and it is time to prove to Malak, and the rest of the galaxy, that against Darth Revan, there can be no victory. The room you step into is humongous, yet less than a thousandth, a millionth of the size of the Star Forge itself. Located in the dome at the top of the highest spire, only the three colossal fins of the station block an otherwise infinite view of the stars beyond. A U-shaped raised ledge spans the opposite wall, and a trio of ramps lead from the main floor to this curved vantage point. The walkway under your feet takes you directly to the center of the room, and it is flanked by identical ramps, though angled downward, on either side, leading down into the depths of the chamber. And every wall of the chamber, save the lower part of the one behind you, is one gigantic series of translucent planes, displaying the blinking lights and fiery explosions of the battle outside. All in all, the room is a fantastic sight, designed millennia ago for none save the ruler of the Infinite Empire. The room is called the Viewing Platform, the apex of the Star Forge’s dark power and the center of the evil it holds. And even though you have no memory of this room, you know you have been here many times before. You know it because the Star Forge tells you, and it begs you to take it back. This is where it all ends. This was your room, and it shall be yours once more. A man stands on the center floor of the chamber, a man who once looked up to you, a man who betrayed you and left you for dead, a man who stole your greatest dreams and crushed your most fantastic plans. His hands are clasped behind his massive back, his head at a slight angle as his deep russet eyes look out at the havoc he has caused. And though he appears to be ignoring you, you have known him for far too long to believe his act. Even now he is mentally reaching out to you, sensing and evaluating your presence in the Force, just as you are doing to him. Power surrounds him as well as a strong bond to the Forge itself, stronger than any you ever had with the ancient factory. This is his turf, and both of you know it. But in his core Malak is a coward, always has been and always will be, and he would fight you only on his terms, on his own terrain. But to you, this is not a problem. Because you are Revan and you are the Master. Malak, no matter what titles he bestows upon himself, no matter how many dark veils he builds around him, is still nothing more than your pathetic, loathsome, treacherous Apprentice. Without falter you continue closer until at last you step off the end of the walkway and onto the metallic floor. Then you stop, lightsabers deactivated but ready in your covered hands, which are held completely still at your sides, and then you wait. Both Master and Apprentice savor this moment, because for one of them it will be the last moment of peace they will ever get. Malak is the first to speak, though he does not yet turn to face you. His voice is a mechanical growl, and though it would frighten any sane being, you are immune to its terror. You passed the line of insanity long ago, and now all your will is bent upon this final victory. Fear has no affect on you, because you are fear. Terror cannot touch you, because you have become the greatest terror the galaxy has ever known. And so the traitor speaks. “So Revan, it appears that you are more powerful than I thought. Even the might of the Star Forge could not bring you down. You are stronger now then you ever were during your reign as the Dark Lord.” Your reply does not come from conscious thought, but rather from the black presence that has become your soul. You are one with the dark side of the Force, the Master of the Sith, and for such a persona there is only one possible reply. “I was always more powerful than you Malak, you were simply too blind to realize it. Only through treachery could you defeat me.” “You are a fool Revan. I was ready to face you even then. I simply saw an opportunity, and I seized it, hoping to destroy all my enemies in a single glorious blow. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that you might survive, that the Jedi might actually pull you alive from the wreckage.” “I am far more powerful than you realize, my old Apprentice. And as you shall soon discover, it is not easy to kill a Dark Lord of the Sith. I am Revan, the true Sith Master, reborn from the ashes like a bird of legend. And I have returned with a single purpose in mind: to reclaim my former power and seize the Galaxy from the foolish hands of the Republic. None shall stand against the rule of the ultimate Sith Lord. You, Malak, are the only thing standing in my way.” You tire of this bickering, for Malak is a blundering imbecile and every word he says is a reflection of his immense stupidity. In a battle of ideals, you could defeat him any day, though you came here for a very different form of combat, and you are ready to get it started. Outside of the immense viewshields, you can see the fighting of the two fleets and if you finish off your old Apprentice quickly, perhaps you can witness the final demise of the Jedi as well. But as long as Malak chooses to exchange mere words, so shall you. It will be him that makes the first move, for he has always been the cause of his own failures, and he at least deserves consistency in his final moments. Luckily for you, the “Dark Lord” also hears the call of the imminent duel, and he too craves its commencement. Drawing his oversized lightsaber from the belt on his blood-red suit, the former Jedi begins another of his infamous rants, “Fate once robbed me of my chance to face you, Revan, and my greatest efforts to end your life have been foiled. Not even the power of the Star Forge itself could bring you down. I see now that the Force has been inexorably pushing us towards this final confrontation.” Malak appears to have no intention of stopping his speech, so you decide to end it for him. “And now we end this, once and for all. You were my friend and yet my enemy, my companion and yet my demise. But now… now, you are nothing more than my final victim. And so it ends in Sith tradition; one last battle between Master and Apprentice, winner takes all.” And with these words spoken you ignite your lightsabers and hold them downward in the shape of an X, the classic starting position of the Jar’kai fighting form, which you mastered long ago on distant Dantooine. Malak ignites his own, but not without a few final declarations. “You are eager for blood, Revan, as am I. Let us finally face each other in single, glorious combat, and the victor shall decide the fate of the galaxy.” And the battle begins. The three lightsabers clash in a violent fury, sending sparks flying in ever direction. The blades hiss as their destructive energy collides time and time again. Jar’kai is a rare form, bearing little similarity to the Ataru you used to practice in your previous life. But of course you did not know this when you elected to practice the duel-sabered form X, and you have not been disappointed. Jar’kai, or Niman as it is also known, consists of two blades, usually with one longer than the other. The first blade, the longest of the pair, is used for attacks while the second, shorter blade is kept close to the body, ready to block any retaliation from your opponent. A supreme blend of offense and defense, Jar’kai is the perfect reflection of your own personality. Malak, on the other hand, uses Form II, often called Makashi. It is a very elegant form, yet also powerful, especially in a clash between two force-sensitives. Against blasters it is far less effective, though you did not think to bring any with you. When pitted against each other, Jar’kai and Makashi dance beautifully. You spin and maneuver, block and parry, pressing forward when necessary and retreating when it is advantageous. Every move is perfectly calculated, each risk minimal as you and Malak move around the center floor. For now, the battle is nothing more than a test of your opponent’s skills and a measurement of their competence. But soon it becomes something more, though there is no defining moment in which your motives change. Now the fight is true, an intense competition of two masters of the lightsaber. You immerge yourself in the heat of battle, and though sweat begins to form on the inside of your robes you pay such things no attention. Your muscles are no longer under your control, but rather under the command of the dark side itself. You are one with the infinite power, and you know you cannot lose. But Malak too is a master swordsman. He makes no mistakes, no errors, for if he did he would surely die. There are no openings in which you can attack, no move behind which he does not have a plan. Though ignorant in most subjects, your opponent is a fierce competitor when it comes to one-on-one combat. But as good as he is, you are better. Because though Malak is adept at using the Force, though he knows how to command the force, though he has mastered the power of the Force, you are the Force. You are perfect and unbeatable, your power and skill undeniable. At last Malak begins to tire; you feel it through the intensified power of the dark side in this ancient refuge. But Malak has been awaiting this battle longer than you know, and he is prepared for such an event. Unexpectedly, he takes command of the Force around you and sends you flying backwards across the room. You land on the left-most ramp leading up to the U-shaped platform, feet firmly planted on the ground, and at once you rush back towards your opponent. But Malak has other plans. Only now do you notice eight blue tubes, resembling Kolto tanks, spread around the room. Two lie at the edges of the center floor, two on the raised platform above, and a pair on each of the corner-like ledges behind you. In each tube lies the unconscious form of a human, their skin clinging to what little meat remains on their bones. Malak extends a pale hand towards the nearest tube, and through the Force you feel a transfer of energy occur. The life has been drained from the woman floating in the tube, and though she is at last dead, Malak has never been more alive. His Force presence glows like a flame and any traces of his former fatigue have been swept away. Once again, you and Malak face each other, weapons ready for battle. It is only then that you finally recognize the dead woman. “Belaya,” you utter the name of Juhini’s old friend, a Jedi whom you met at the enclave on Dantooine so long ago. “Look around you, Revan,” Malak lectures in his anomalous, raspy voice. “See the bodies? You should recognize them from the Academy which fell when I attacked Dantooine. For all intents and purposes dead, except for one difference. I have not let them become one with the Force. Through the power of the Star Forge, their power can be mine.” “Get to the point, Malak,” you advise, for you eager to return to battle, to feel the Force again flowing through your veins, beating within your tainted heart. “You were a fool, Revan. You had the Star Forge in your grasp, yet you did not realize the true extent of its power. All you saw was an enormous factory; all you ever imagined was an Infinite Fleet rolling forth to crush the Republic. But as the Dark Lord I have unlocked the true secrets of this station. It is an artifact of the dark side, corrupting what little life remains in these Jedi and transferring the taint to me. And once you are defeated I shall do the same to you, trap you in a terrible existence between life and death, your power feeding me as I conquer the galaxy.” And then Malak laughs, and evil, triumphant laugh. In his moment of daydreaming glee, he is distracted. In this moment, you attack. But Malak is too quick, and he is reenergized, and he is ready to block your sudden onslaught. Again the fighting resumes, though now you have become distracted. It is Revan that is pondering what this complication will mean and as long as you retain conscious thought you cannot become one with the dark side. Your greatest power is gone, and until you get it back, you cannot hope to win. Your brilliant and inquisitive mind, greatest weapon in your immense arsenal, has now become your greatest weakness. But it is a strength as well. Slowly you give ground, backing up into the right corner of the room, where two unconscious Jedi float inside their aqueous prisons. Malak thinks he has won, that you are tiring, and though your energy has indeed started to wane, his assumption is far from reality. Like Malachor V, you have tricked your opponent into overconfidence, and it is time to spring the trap. In a fraction of a second, less, you slam the full extent of your power into Malak, just as he had done to you moments before. He hits into the side of the nearest ramp and falls to the ground. But you pay him no attention, for you are busy tapping into the power Malak spoke if. He was a moron to tell you the secret of his restored vigor, and now it is time for him to pay the price of his mistake. The Star Forge is waiting, and you bathe in its evil glory, letting it tell you all the secrets of the dark side, including the way in which you can kill the Jedi and make their power yours. And you do, destroying both prisoners at once, though just one would be sufficient. There are only eight tubes and the quicker they can be eliminated, the sooner Malak will die. Speaking of the current Sith Master, Malak has gotten to his feet and rushed back to the center of the room, where he heals his pain by draining the life of yet another Jedi captive. Leaving your two sabers deactivated on your belt, you stride to face the monster in front of you. Realizing the challenge you are presenting to him, he follows your lead in deactivating his saber. It is time to put your Force powers to the test. As is common to his personality, Malak is the aggressor. Never one strong with direct telekinesis, he nonetheless lifts a metal crate, taken from one of the dark corners of the room, and sends it flying in your direction. But you are ready. It would be easy for you to stop the crate in its tracks; it would take nothing more than a wave of your hand to send it back in Malak’s direction. Even here, with the power of the Forge behind him, your command of the Force is more powerful than Malak’s ever was. But such an act is expected, predictable, and you, Revan, are anything but predictable. So instead you reach out behind you, your power so great there is no need for you to conduct the Force with your black-gloved hands. With the will of your mind you command one of the ramps to break free of its connection to the floor and to the ledge. It doesn’t dare resist, and a half-ton of ancient durasteel collides mid-air with Malak’s puny crate, dwarfing the small metal box in its enormity. Malak’s projectile is effortlessly deflected and under your control the ramp speeds towards your target. But even though he cannot block your attacks, he can dodge them. Such things are well within his range of expertise, and as a Jedi Guardian Malak always was good at using to Force to perform incredible acrobatic feats. Still, the ramp collides with the floor with such outstanding force that the heat of collision actually melds it to the ground. But this does not worry you in the least, because no task is beyond your reach. Though you probably do not need it, your goal is to intimidate Malak, and so simply for effect you point your right palm at the chunk of metal that was formerly the ramp. The traitor is overconfident in his abilities, and this you shall exploit to kill him. Or so is your plan. This in mind, you let a gentle ripple flow across the fingers of your outstretched hand, as if using a Jedi mind trick or caressing Bastilla’s soft cheek, and the ramp struggles against the floor. Aware that you are not pulling hard enough to rip the ramp out of the ground, you intensify your power so much that your target actually takes a piece of the floor with it as it again flies towards Malak, leaving a large hole behind. Once again, the Apprentice dodges out of the path of the enormous projectile. But this time you stop your inanimate puppet from colliding with the ground and, under your direction, the chunk of metal chases a frantic Malak around that side of the room. At last fed up with this game, and growing tired once more, Malak regains energy from one of the two Jedi near him before leaping down into one of the canyons near the rear of the room. Your self-made weapon, growing heavy in your mental grasp, is too large to follow and so at last you let it gently fall to the ground. A pity the room couldn’t remain intact throughout the epic confrontation, but no matter; you can always have it repaired later. For the time being though, you again draw your sabers and walk down the sloped walkway, into the shadowy bowels of the chamber. A door lies to your left, though it is most likely an emergency escape route and even if he is coward, not even Malak is that much of a coward. The walkway curves slowly with the circumference of the room until it comes to a sudden dead end, like the rear of a dark alley. Almost ten meters above the point where this pit ends, the raised U-shaped platform begins. Black half-cape, which you never much cared for, flowing behind him and a menacing look in his eyes, Malak stands with his back to the dead end, red saber ignited, ready to confront you yet again. You ignite your own, and are prepared to sink back into Jar’kai when Malak does something beyond even your range of prediction. Summoning the Force around him, he leaps into the air in a wide arc, somersaulting above your head and landing behind you, effectively switching the situation around by trapping you as you tried to trap him. You are no idiot. You know that if you tried to do the same trick not only would you look stupid with your otherwise intimidating robes flying above your head, but Malak could also leap into the air to meet you, and in such a contest you could not hope to win. But a plan quickly forms in your intelligent mind, and you waste no time before putting it into action. As your rival takes a few steps towards you, you leap into the air, strait up and slightly backwards. It takes all your power to make the cut, but you land on the very edge of the raised ledge, so that Malak is placed far below you. The Apprentice knows that you have the high ground and that it would be suicide to try to jump to the level on which you now stand. But he still manages to leap out of the pit, and he stands at the bottom of the ramp, just as you turn to face the top. Both you and Malak are tired and in silent agreement you lend each other sufficient time to regenerate from the nearest Jedi. As the false Sith Master draws energy from the last of the pair on the corner-ledge to his left, you, the true Sith Master, face your own left and pull power from the Jedi captive there. Now only one prisoner remains alive, the one at the opposite side of the curved platform on which you currently stand. But he means nothing to either combatant, as both are now fully recharged and ready for battle. You return to the top of the ramp, as Malak returns to its foot. You wait for him to make the first move, and surprisingly he deactivates his weapon and returns it to his belt. But this is not a sign of truce, but rather an indication that the battle has ascended to yet another level. You wait patiently, though your mind is drowning in a deluge of suspense, for Malak to make his move. And he does. Raising his clenched fists into the air, knuckles facing towards his former Master, the red-suited Sith channels his power into force lightning, which forms a ball of light around each hand. It is a good thing Malak can not see your eyes, or the look of surprise in them. You had forgotten about Malak’s most powerful ability, his strength with the ancient power of force lightning, something you had never bothered to learn or use. To you, it had always been not just evil or cruel but inhuman, something only a monster would choose to use against even their worst opponent. Though you have never felt it, you’ve heard stories of the pain force lightning can cause and you have heard the screams of its victims first-hand. And now Malak sends duel beams of electricity in your direction. You have but one defense, two technically, in the form of the lightsabers you wield. You form a defensive X in front of your chest, which the lightning hits and through which it is absorbed. The handles of the sabers tremble with the power they are feeling, and your hands quiver as they try to maintain their grip. Malak does not appear to be stopping anytime soon, in fact he actually raises his head back and laughs. “Now my old master you shall experience the true power of the dark side! Hahaha!” And at last you know that it’s true. Your trusted weapons cry in your mind and through the Force you experience their pain. They are weakening, and soon even they will break. If you are to lose control, you would rather do it of your own free will, being your own master until the end. At once you let go of both handles, and in the same moment summon all the power you can muster in a feeble attempt to block the relentless attack. And to your great surprise, your Force shield works, for the moment at least. But the lightning is too powerful, so you raise both hands palms outward, fingers outstretched to push it back. With all your might, with every bit of power you can summon, with the full intensity that comes from true immergence in the dark side, you begin to push the lightning back. You are Revan, and against you nothing can stand. Not even force lightning. Gritting your teeth, you summon ever ounce of the Force at your command. Your arms tremble with excitement, with the massive amounts of Force power that flows through them and into air around you. A giant pillow of the Force pushes back the lightning, back towards Malak. Your veins bulge out of your skin and all feelings leave your body, consumed by the awe-inspiring magnificence of the dark side itself. With greatness only you can summon, you force the white energy back towards its caster, the Force versus pure, unfiltered energy, and before long it is Malak who is on the defensive. You see the fear in his eyes, the confusion at what is happening. Most Jedi could block force lightning with a lightsaber, and a few with only their hands. But to take that energy, and push it back at the user like it was just another metal crate, such a thing was unheard of! And it was in this moment, with this demonstration of total and complete competency of the Force that you prove yourself as the true Dark Lord. It is Force energy, will channeled into action, which allows you to push back the attack. Your strength is infinite because you are the dark side, and what you proclaim can not be denied. At last the lightning begins to build up and unable to find a medium in which to release itself, it has nowhere to go but back to its caster. By the look on your opponents face you know that he knows that in a few seconds his own lightning will strike him with intent to kill. The attack is useless and so, deprived of all energy and ideas, Malak ends his assault. “You are defeated, Malak,” you declare. Breathing heavily through his metallic mask, the Sith Lord looks up at you and defiantly replies, “Not yet.” And without warning he turns and leaps half-way across the room, instantly spending what little energy he has left. You see what he is about to do, you see that his objective is the final Jedi and at top speed you rush around the curving platform to beat him there. But your former Apprentice is too fast and he lands in front of the tank and prepares to drain the Jedi’s power before you even arrive. But though you are not in range to absorb the energy yourself, you have another trick up your black sleeves. With a simple and very direct application of the Force, you shatter the glass of the Jedi’s cylindrical prison, sending both captive and turquoise liquid sprawling at Malak’s feat. The liquid, which now lies in puddles beneath the body, was what delivered food and nourishment to the Jedi. It sustained his body, just as the Star Forge sustained his mind. Without either, the victim will undoubtedly die. But his death is a slow one, and before he becomes one with the Force, Malak has the opportunity to steal his energy. This is what he does, and though the light of the Jedi is forever extinguished, a brilliant flame has been kindled inside the Sith Lord. He ignites his lightsaber and turns to face you, and it is only then that you realize that you are weaponless. Taking a few cautious steps backwards, you reach out with the Force in an attempt to discover the location of your sabers. After you dropped them on the ramp, they rolled down to the floor below. One, the shorter blade, had spun right into the hole you earlier caused. The other was lying untouched and unharmed at the center of the floor. Through the Force you call it to your hand and the silver-and-black handle flies into your grip. Without hesitation, you hit the button that ignites the scarlet fire, and you finally conceive that there are no captives left to drain. All of Malak’s nine lives have been spent and now it is just you and the Dark Lord, alone and unaided, in one final lightsaber duel. This is the end of all ends, and when it is over one Sith Lord shall lie dead, the other will rule an Empire. This is the grand finale, the climax of all climaxes, the zenith of all things past. And as soon as the blades connect you discover a slight problem. With only one blade you can’t use Jar’kai, the only form you know. Unless something happens soon, you are about to lose the battle. You take a deep breath and as you let it go, all thoughts and consciousness go with it. Revan again exists no longer; once more your mind has been replaced with the will of the dark side. And as a servant of the darkness, it gives you the answer you seek. Because you are not alone in this battle. There is another involved, one who you have both ignored and used the aid of throughout the battle. The Star Forge itself is alive with dark energies. It also serves the Force, and though Malak is its master it can help you as well. The Forge is, in many ways, like a live creature. It hungers, desires, serves… and corrupts. You are one with the dark side, as is the Forge. Together, as a trinity, you are whole: the dark side commands the power, the Star Forge fuels the power, and the Dark Lord is the power. Unlimited power. And as this new, enlightened being, this God of Evil, this Demon of Darkness, you gain access to an infinite store of knowledge. The Star Forge remembers who you once were, and through your new bond with it, so do you. You remember your old self, glimpses only perhaps, but that is more than enough. Because only one thing do you truly need to understand, and that is the secret to Ataru. As the Dark Lord Reborn, you recall the intricacies of this complex form. Ataru is acrobatic in style and beautiful in appearance, but it is also deadly. You pit yourself and all that you are against Malak, and the confrontation escalates one final time. At last the two of you finally get to experience your long awaited fight. Now you are unrestricted; this is an undiluted contest of your power versus Malak’s. There can be no trickery, no cheating. The winner of this battle shall be he who is the most powerful, he who deserves to be the true Master of the Dark Side. Malak fights with the heated passion that is his trademark. An inferno of intensity burns inside of him, a devastating furnace of dark flames which consume his very being. Malak loses himself in his fury and his rage and through this he gains his greatest power. Every attack is robust, an unyielding series of strikes that seem to intensity with each blow. The flames of Malak’s evil burn hotter than they ever have before, ready to incinerate all who stand in his way. He is Malak, Ex-Jedi, Hero of the Mandalorian Wars, twice a Traitor, and forever Dark Lord of the Sith. And to defeat him would be to accomplish the impossible. But you fight in a very different matter. Whereas your Apprentice’s heart is ablaze with hatred, your heart is cold and harsh. A shadow fills you, pulsing through your blood and harnessing your strength until you become a glacier of ice, unbreakable and unstoppable. Your attacks are cold and calculated, yet with an extraordinary ferocity of all their own. Your coldness quenches Malak’s heat, and the deep calm you feel within, the assurance of your victory, is your path to success. To destroy Malak would be to accomplish the impossible. But you can do it. Because in this moment you are a flawless being, not only Revan, not only the power of the Star Forge, not only the power of the dark side, not even all three meshed into one invincible beast; because in this moment, you are the Force itself, infinite and almighty, and you have the ability to accomplish that which cannot be accomplished. And you do. In a moment, Malak realizes that he cannot win. You have reached perfection, the pinnacle of all your trials. This is your time, and now you are in your prime of primes, the moment of your life. Malak’s doubt is but a pinprick in a wall of shade, yet it is enough. He is imperfect, and you are not. You are greater, and so he is the one to lose. You exploit the weakness, taking that small pinprick and expanding it, stretching it until it consumes the great terror that was once your Apprentice. In the end, you are everything and Malak is nothing. In the end you are the endless darkness, and Malak has been deprived of both darkness and light. In the end, you are the most powerful Jedi of all time and Malak would be powerless against even the weakest being. In the end, you are the victor. Your success comes in the form of a stab through Malak’s abdomen. He falls to his knees as you deactivate your saber and take a step backwards out of his way. Malak coughs, savoring the last breaths of his life. “This is impossible. I am the Dark Lord… I cannot be beaten.” Another series of coughs. “I see now Revan that you deserve to be the true Dark Lord of the Sith. I tried to usurp that title from you, but the destiny is yours, Revan, and not mine. You are the true Sith Master and I…” he coughs again. “I am nothing. And now it ends as I always knew it must; in darkness.” With those final words, Malak falls forward and your greatest rival has been defeated; your revenge is at last complete. You clasp your hands behind your back and look out of the viewport to the battle beyond. Today is by far the greatest day of your life. You have become the perfect being, a Dark Lord of the Sith like no other. Your dream has come true, though it is to be a nightmare for the rest of the galaxy… One year later, you stand on the very same viewing platform, staring out at the very same stars. Again, there are many cruisers outside the Star Forge, though this time they are all on one side; your side. An ensemble of a thousand ships, no more and no less. An Infinite Fleet, rolling forth to conquer the Republic. And not only is the fleet infinite, but it is also invincible. Because this is your fleet, the fleet of Darth Revan, the one and only Dark Lord of the Sith and most powerful Jedi in all the Galaxy… -----signature----- Heart of the Sith (KotOR-era, Action/Adventure): http://boards.theforce.net/before_the_saga/b10475/29384282/p1/?2 Links to all my stories can be found at The Sith Archives: http://www.freewebs.com/lord_zeron/
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Healer_Leona Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Jul '00	Date Posted: 3/18/06 6:50am Subject: RE: I am the Darkness (One-Post KotOR Action-Vignette, Revan vs. Malak, KotOR SPOILERS!)
	Lord_Zeron, that was an amazing viggie. Incredibly descriptive and detailed. Very nice cover art as well. -----signature----- I've been waiting so long to be where I'm going
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sdhfs Registered: May '04	Date Posted: 3/18/06 8:58am Subject: RE: I am the Darkness (One-Post KotOR Action-Vignette, Revan vs. Malak, KotOR SPOILERS!)
	great post, loved it. -----signature----- http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/16229314/?30 Up is obidala at it's best love chooses you you don 't choose it. Death is but death why are you afraid of it ?
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Lord_Zeron Registered: Mar '05	Date Posted: 3/18/06 2:44pm Subject: RE: I am the Darkness (One-Post KotOR Action-Vignette, Revan vs. Malak, KotOR SPOILERS!)
	Yay, replies! Healer Leona: Thanks for starting things off, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting on the cover art too, I love that picture of Revan and I just had to use it when I wrote this story. sdhfs: Thanks for reading and for the praise. Hopefully you had as much fun reading it as I did writing it. You two have my graditute for replying, and any more readers are more than welcome! -----signature----- Heart of the Sith (KotOR-era, Action/Adventure): http://boards.theforce.net/before_the_saga/b10475/29384282/p1/?2 Links to all my stories can be found at The Sith Archives: http://www.freewebs.com/lord_zeron/
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bi0nic Registered: Feb '06	Date Posted: 3/19/06 8:21am Subject: RE: I am the Darkness (One-Post KotOR Action-Vignette, Revan vs. Malak, KotOR SPOILERS!)
	Excellent job Lord_Zeron. You captured that final epic battle between Revan and Malak perfectly. The descriptions of Revan being completely unphased by Malak, especially the line "Fear has no affect on you, because you are fear" was spot on. That was exactly how I felt when playing as a dark side Revan, nothing could stand in the way of the True Dark Lord. -----signature----- "I'm the sickest linguistically illicit lyrical misfit in the business And probably in existence, what's your consensus?" - Canibus Padawan to furrylittlebantha
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obi_webb Registered: Aug '05	Date Posted: 3/19/06 9:10am Subject: RE: I am the Darkness (One-Post KotOR Action-Vignette, Revan vs. Malak, KotOR SPOILERS!)
	But as long as Malak chooses to exchange mere words, so shall you. It will be him that makes the first move, for he has always been the cause of his own failures, and he at least deserves consistency in his final moments. i really loved that part! i loved the whole thing actually! that probably was the best version of the malak/revan duel i've ever read. i love the perspective you took on it, and it's says a great deal of how well you wrote this that even though throughout the viggie, even though you showed revan as the ultimate sith lord who was seemingly unbeatable, there were a few times where i thought malak was gonna win! that was an amazing action viggie. incredibly well paced and compelling. great job! -----signature----- Jedi Consular- Acolytes of Revan A Jedi's Sacrifice- my kotor fic http://boards.theforce.net/before_the_saga/b10475/22040803/p1/ LOAD THE SPACESHIP WITH THE ROCKET FUEL.. LOAD IT WITH THE WARRIORS!-- Ultimate Warrior
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Lord_Zeron Registered: Mar '05	Date Posted: 3/20/06 11:45am Subject: RE: I am the Darkness (One-Post KotOR Action-Vignette, Revan vs. Malak, KotOR SPOILERS!) - Date Edited: 3/20/06 11:49am (1 edits total) Edited By: Lord_Zeron
	bi0nic: You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that. I just got done beating KotOR (again) a few days ago, and I knew I just had to write a fanfic on it, so I decided what better scene than the final battle? If the way I described it was the way you felt playing it, then I reached my goal. obi_webb: I'm glad you loved it, and I'm ecstatic to hear that it's the best version you've read. Thanks for reading and for all of the wonderful praise. It's nice to hear that there were a few times you thought Malak was going to win; I felt much the same way when I was playing the game. Another big thanks to all of you for such wonderul responses; you've really made my weekend! -----signature----- Heart of the Sith (KotOR-era, Action/Adventure): http://boards.theforce.net/before_the_saga/b10475/29384282/p1/?2 Links to all my stories can be found at The Sith Archives: http://www.freewebs.com/lord_zeron/
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