Star Wars STAR WARS: The Road to the Final Episode: Crisis of Twilight: Godfall

If this isn't the ending you desired -

If it brings you despair -

Then leave this world for another.

Your options are endless.

But.

If you do leave this world behind, don't expect to return to the one from which you came -

 

Blades sank into a body.

Through.

Flesh became spirit.

That wasn’t supposed to happen.

No.

But it did.

He did.

Snap.

Changed.

 

IC: TYPHOJEM
100,000 BBY

The Left Handed Lord was a cunning strategist.

He thought in terms of realms, timelines, and omniverses.

He was, after all, the Great-Grandson of the First Darkness.

Typhojem hated that.

As He would say.

Gods have no family.

He is, after all, endless.

And so, as He stood in the void, foreseeing that the massed forces of the Ones would come to face Him soon, He spun out his own future.

The Kaiburr Crystal; secreted on Mimban with a shard of Himself.

The Dark Holocron; seeded into the future, where it would one day contain a hundred millennia of Sith history.

The Apoptosis Gate - the access to the Higher and Lower Realms, that had been created, but it would be sealed within the Well.

There would be a 'Time Lock' on the Cosmic Wars.

The End of Time would come when the Gate was opened by three Keys.

When the Ones were dead.

That Gate had stuttered open and allowed Sistros, Faya and Braata through.

Inexplicably.

But it would be fully opened by Darth Haretisch.

It already had.

But then -

The Protector Masters leapt into the Gate.

He turned, a wordless NO, and in that moment, had He spoken, they would have been obliterated -

But instead they went through.

Into His future.

HOW DARE THEY!

 

At the bottom of the Well; Mortis - 156 ABY



They arrived to a place that would be familiar to each of them.

The Well of the Dark Side.

Lava bit at them, in the ashen sky.

It was a play of what had happened before… and after.

Three corpses lay on the ground; at least two still.

One stood before them, wounded, yes.

He had done it.

He’d slaughtered the three of them.

They’d marched on the Well to defend it from the forces of the Sith Pantheon, a confederation of darksiders who were determined to release the Old Ones, in league with Abeloth, and played by the traitor Ku’ar Danar.

But they’d expected Darth Haretisch to aid them. To use the Keys that three Lords of the Sith had inherited, or had bestowed upon them -

The Epitaph Keys.

Those concerns cultivated by the Master of the Masters.

Three Keys had been extricated from the Sith dying on the floor. The descendant of Vale; the nameless Lorekeeper; the Zabrak Manticore.

Their blood was the medium.

Joren Graal, Bellorum and Dunkeel arrived, with the many memories of Aryan, Soliloquy and others with them.

They knew this was the moment that Typhojem began the End of Time.

That he would be coming through the Gate that they had just taken!

Was this the Master’s plan all along?

To make it so they arrived here and now?

At the point of no return?

TAG: @Lady Belligerent, @HanSolo29, @Mitth_Fisto (singles)

Mentions for @greyjedi125, @Darth_wanderguard

 

A city

Caedus turned, snarled, and dove away.

It was Mortis, but also, it was illusionary.

Towers were everywhere; but not as closely as say Coruscant, but replete enough.

It was definitely a built-up area, and carbon-fuel powered vehicles traipsed they roads beneath the tower.

So high up were they that those shades of cars seem indistinct, and the people among them were definitely akin to ants.

The Black Coat stood, doing something with the moon.



He hadn’t been speaking.

Someone else had.

He turned to Azathoth, who would wake in a Black Coat of his own, the hood tucked up.

“So you made it!”

TAG: @Shadowsun (combo)

 

Many years before the End of Time, before the Resurrection

Nubia.

An office.

In his excitement, Norin Graul (the First), reached for young Arek, and initially seemed to be pulling him into an embrace but he rapidly saw the flicker of concern in his descendants expression -

And placed his hands around the boys neck.

“You wouldn’t keep something from your great-great-grandfather, would you now?”

He began to push, driving Arek down atop the desk, scattering datapads.

Many, many, years later, a Black-Coat turned his head; worried.

TAG: @HanSolo29 (combo)

 

After the Resurrection

Lumiya snorted at Sybelle, regarded the battered Aryan Graul. “You truly think that he can save anyone?” She toed the man, who she had dropped. “He can’t even save himself.”

She regarded Sybelle. “What do you know of the Two Oracles of the Sith? If you cannot answer this question, I’ll have no use for you, Chiss.”





A smirk. “Not as an Epitaph project, but I do need an apprentice to ruin… my placeholder.”

She regarded Aryan. “Go, if you can. Your son is down the hallway.”

Lumiya grinned and ignored the man thereafter.

TAG: updated tag for @Lady Belligerent, @HanSolo29

 

Kamino, formerly

The Fosh regarded the defeated clone, her hand - wet to the touch - vised on the wrist of Xundel. “Thank you, my friend. But now that’s done… I have to deliver you.”

There was a flash in the Force.

Of everything she had done; revealed.









As she’d spoken, her very tears had poisoned him. A paralytic swept up him, one mixed with Yuuzhan Vong cells to make it even more potent - a microscopic assault as advanced as any mad, bad science of the Master Shapers, the genius of Darth Tenebrous, or the murderous cunning of Dr Gast.

She smiled.

“One less hurdle for Rey to overcome. I have done my part, in evening the playing the field. But I must betray you again.”

The Force was gathered around her.

Prepared to defend.

The Rey clone… she snapped it’s neck.

TAG: @darthbernael (combo)

 

Jakku

The sensation was Masana; a colossal Force pulse emerged from her, and suddenly the ship was tumbling, screaming damage.

As Vydra came to her room, the writhing was apparent -

She’d sprouted tentacles, her eyes blazing pinpricks in blackened sockets, her mouth a maw of teeth -



“What in the Force is that,” Maz cried out. “Where did you find her!?”

TAG: @Jerjerrod-Lennox (combo)

 

Eriadu - in the nineteenth year of the Second Galactic Civil War

They had been, it would feel, held in a between place, as they crossed from the Twilight Timeline to this one.

The main one, it was said, by Arb.

As he explained it, Palpatine had experimented with creating a new timeline, in faking his death when instead Mace Windu should have taken a walk through the window of his office.

That being a mild failure, what with the Heroes of the Galaxy killing him once and for all...

... he'd tried again, Changing things so that he established his cloning facilities on Exegol, and not Byss.

One more explosion later, he'd tried to amalgamate the two, or, perhaps, someone else did.

Arb had shrugged.

It was all tied into what the late, elder Atreus and the aged Tarkin, father of Wilhulf, had been caught up in on Nirauan, in the care of the 'Professor' - one of the Master of Many Names' many, well, names.

The Black-Coat, the Professor, Wapoe, the Lost Master, the Foreteller, and, of course, Dartitha Trayus, later merely Darth, as the language evolved and moved on...

But here they were.

Eriadu.

Former capital of the warlord state known as the Tarkinate.

Recently the entire leadership had been killed by an assassin, and a military dictatorship lead by one Admiral Hublin had occurred... only to fall apart when Hublin was killed at the Battle of Coruscant.

But it was yet another world of politics, shipyards and individuals.

Everything that Atreus, Tarkin and of course Marana could work with.

"So here we are. Not far from, um, whatever the name of that world the Jensaarai settled on," he nodded to Masana, the former Saarai-Kaar - the equivalent of Jensaarai Grandmaster.

"And Eriadu is ripe for the taking. I gather even Kuat is a bit disconnected - conquered by the Empire, led by one of Palpatine's rogue clones." Another shrug. "A chap named Snoke."

Arb leafed through datapads and handed them over. "Access to accounts. Should be pretty hefty about now. I invested, oh, fifty years ago?" A grin.

"So, acclimatise yourself, as I won't be staying long." He indicated their ship, a kind of diamond-shaped starfighter, but large enough to contain the four of them.



"Can you use your cunning and resources to take over a world, Destructors of the Omni-Verse?"

TAG: @TheAdmiral, @darthbernael (singles)

 

IC: Caedus
The Last Arrival

It was separated, because it travelled of its own volition.

Its own scheme and reasoning.

A Han Solo had made a deal with a Darkness, that he would destroy Darth Vader, and surrender his body.

That Darkness called itself Caedus.

But no, not the Caedus that antagonised them on Mortis, no.

Because that Caedus stood before Han Solo as he awoke inside Mortis.

Travelling outside a realm with a Gate meant that you could arrive anywhere, and anywhen.

But he arrived in the nineteenth year of the Second Galactic Civil War of the One Timeline.

Here.

Now.

And so.

Caedus stood before Han Solo.

And receded into his true face.

And ignited a lightsaber blade of green.

"Hi, Dad."



TAG: @HanSolo29 (combo)

 

They had been cleaved from where they were to be here, a string of fate connecting them all...

... the mad design come full circle...

... the Final Episode was coming...

... the final -

 

How long would they be here, before being released back to whence they came?

It depended if they escaped, of course.

If they were freed from all that controlled their lives.

It was possible.

It was doable.

But for the moment...

... they were here.

Facing what they had to face.

 

Sybelle
MZX32905, near Bimmiel

Sybelle didn’t want Lumiya to notice that she had feelings, or shared an all too brief history with Aryan. The woman might exploit it, and that could be more harmful to Aryan’s already fragile mental state.

It was difficult when she looked over and met Aryan’s gaze, she thought he might be feeling guilty, and that wouldn’t do. He had to be strong to take on the task of escaping. Her resistance was slipping and she only wanted to run to him, to take him in her arms. She had to push those selfish thoughts aside and be strong, so that Aryan could be strong too.

Sybelle looked in the direction Lumiya had directed Aryan, ’go, hurry and save your son.’ She had no clue how she was able to stay so calm, all she tried to think about was Aryan getting to safety. Hopefully he heard her words and he would run, and get as far away from here and never return.

“Are you in the habit of ruining your apprentices, ma’am?” Sybelle turned her focus on the woman, “don’t you think I’m a little mature for an apprentice, even as a disposable one?”

The lightwhip definitely intimidated Sybelle, and she dreaded learning what it's bite would feel like. Would this person use it on her? It seemed probable.

“I was… am, an archaeologist, so I am familiar with the tales of artifacts such as an oracle stone. Of course, I’m not sure if that’s what you speak of.”

Sybelle’s fingernails were digging into her palms to keep her hands steady, “sadly I wouldn’t know if such a stone exists or is simply a legend. Maybe you could share anything you’ve learned about this?”

Tag: @HanSolo29 @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Aryan Graul
Asteroid Habitat

The surprise was evident on Aryan’s face when Lumiya ultimately accepted the conditions of their proposal—but not without taunting, of course. While her provocative words had easily pierced his weakened defenses and compounded his anxiety, he was able to momentarily suppress its effects to reflect on the strange turn of events. He hadn’t expected their desperate plea to actually succeed, and he became naturally suspicious of her motives. In fact, he felt tempted to renege his offer to ensure that she couldn’t hurt them further.

Until he noticed the palpable change in her behavior. Suddenly, she seemed disinterested in his plight. He was nothing; a mere pawn who she could easily discard. The Dark Lady’s attention had now shifted to another… to Sybelle.

Aryan’s heart clenched with worry, causing physical pain to manifest within his chest. His hand clutched at his tattered shirt to ease his discomfort, and he gasped as it became difficult to draw breath. He wanted to intervene and prevent Sybelle from carrying out her end of the deal. He couldn’t allow her to make such a costly mistake, especially not for him.

However, as she had moments before, his former lover broke into his mind and offered him encouraging thoughts. 'Go, hurry, and save your son.'

Sybelle had given him her consent to leave. How could he refuse her? He wouldn't dare betray her trust and destroy everything she had suffered for. Deep down, he still… loved her.

Biting his lower lip, Aryan nodded to acknowledge her words. His gaze lingered a moment longer before he reluctantly turned and retreated toward the exit. As he staggered into the corridor that Lumiya had indicated, he gripped the side for support and pulled his body along hand over hand, shuffling along in a slow, lumbering motion until he reached his destination.

Aryan did not hesitate as he crossed the threshold to save Arek.

TAG: @Lady Belligerent; @Sinrebirth ​

 

IC: Joren Graal [Sistros]
Well of the Dark Side, Mortis

~156 ABY~

The sulfuric air burned Joren’s nose as he stood upon the ash-covered ground, fire and brimstone rising up on the horizon in an endless sea of destruction for as far as the eye could see. It was all familiar to him… perhaps a little too familiar. After their personal encounter with Typhojem in the spiritual domain, returning to Mortis and the Well of the Dark Side almost felt like a homecoming of sorts.

Except this was different.

It wasn’t the same realm or even the same time.

They had returned to the past… their past, but the One Timeline’s future. Joren couldn’t begin to explain all of the technicalities that had allowed them to essentially time travel, but perhaps it didn’t matter. He recognized this as the moment when Darth Haretisch had opened the gate to grant Typhojem access to their reality. However, the Left-Handed God had yet to pass through the seal, which offered a hint as to their purpose here.

Was this the culmination of their efforts? Did the Master intend for them to prevent The End of Time from happening?

Joren inclined his chin to survey their surroundings, reaching down to idly clasp Bellorum’s hand in his own. He was mindful that a version of himself was among the chaos—in the form of Aryan Graul. However, it wasn’t his goal to directly intervene with his affairs… not yet, anyway. Instead, he focused on the three bodies sprawled on the precipice of the lava lake. The trio had served as the final sacrifice for the ancient ritual; the three Keys that would unleash the leviathan from the gates of hell.

Darth Manticore.

The Lorekeeper.

… and Syren.

A frown crossed Joren’s countenance as he stared at the woman’s pale features, her fiery locks cascading over her shoulders to pool around her lifeless form. For a fleeting moment, his heart ached for the memory of their unconventional romance, but it quickly passed. The passion they had once shared had become nothing more than a fading spark that would soon dissolve into the wind, though he still reached for it one last time… if only to bid his former lover a final farewell.

Closing his eyes briefly, Joren then squeezed Bellorum’s hand and finally cast Syren out of his life forever. He felt emboldened by this process, reaffirming his commitment to Tera in all her iterations. They were inseparable; two souls existing as one.

Eternal.

Only then did he unclip the lightsaber from his belt and turn to confront Haretisch. With a flick of his thumb, he ignited the brilliant, blue blade.

"You must be proud of your accomplishments," Joren called over the howling wind, his eyes reflecting his resolve. "You’ve betrayed your companions, slaughtered your mentors, and are about to unleash an era of perpetual pain and suffering on an unsuspecting galaxy. And for what?! An empty promise that would condemn you to the depths of hell? If all you seek is oblivion, I can certainly grant you that release."

A light scoff issued from his lips as he took a cautious step forward. "However, I prefer to approach this another way. You may know me as Aryan Graul in your time, but so much has transpired since our last encounter. As the victor who defeated Cold Danda Sane, Typhojem’s progenitor, I’m here to remind you that it’s not too late. You can turn away from this, Haretisch, and choose the right path."

Joren extended his hand to emphasize his point. "You can choose life."

TAG: @Lady Belligerent; @Mitth_Fisto; @Darth_wanderguard; @Sinrebirth ​

 

IC: Bellorum Graul - Braata
Well of the Dark Side, Mortis

If nightmares were scented, then they would definitely be the stench of roasted rotting flesh that Bell would now associate with this place. Mortis…

It was jarring to see Haretisch standing before her after the time that had passed since she’d last seen him. She was grateful when Joren spoke up, it allowed Bell to take in the scene around her and steady her thoughts.

Only moments ago they’d been standing before Typhojem, and now Haretisch was moments from freeing the demon from his cell. The Left-Handed God that had loomed over the three of them moments ago, was no doubt waiting to start his rein of terror and destruction.

She’d barely glanced at the three bodies, it didn’t seem important since they were beyond saving. Syren lay closest to her.

Bell hadn’t seen her since she’d blamed Bellorum for Aryan being drugged and holos taken of him with Valieri, it was even more of a blow when it seemed Aryan believed Syren… after all Bell had done for him. Thankfully he learned the truth and broke his ties to the twisted woman, who never once supported him when he was wounded.

All that could be done for Syren, Manticore, and Lorekeeper now was the act of burning their remains, perhaps there would be time later to carry out that deed. They had all once been companions and she would try to show them that one final act of respect, even if she knew they might not do the same for her.

Feeling Joren take her hand, Bell quickly glanced to look at his familiar face, his eyes. For the first time since she’d found herself here, she saw him in Joren. Aryan’s eyes were staring back at her, and that was the sign she needed.

It was okay. He had seen the shell of his former lover laying there, empty, and he sealed Syren out his heart for good. Bell now understood how their destinies were intertwined and nothing would sunder their bonds. History had been written for them long ago, and it was perfect.

She hoped that Joren’s words got through to the wounded man before them, he was moments away from surrendering his own life, and it felt that they had to at least try and save him.

“Let us heal your wounds,” she asked Hatetisch, “we can help you out of this mess.”

Tag@ Sinrebirth @HanSolo29 @Darth_wanderguard @Mitth_Fisto

 

IC Marana and Tarkin
Eriadu - in the nineteenth year of the Second Galactic Civil War

Tarkin gazed out of the viewscreen, at his homeworld. ’Well…not my homeworld, per se. It is Eriadu but in another timeline.’ he thought. He glanced over at Marana, ”This is definitely a different universe, ours is much more destroyed. But, it is Eriadu and the people there should know the Tarkins.”

His gaze shifted, taking in his granddaughter. A sigh escaped, ”Jori, I’m not sure what happened in this reality between my Jori and I but, no matter what, any genetic test will show that you are a Tarkin as well and that will be important down there.”

Marana nodded at Arb, ”Susevfi.” she reminded him. ”Are the Jensaarai here in this reality too? They could be of great assistance.” she mused.

She smiled at the title that Arb was insisting upon using. ”Destructors of the Omni-Verse, hmmm? You know the Keshians mythology would paint us as demon gods with a name like that.”

Tarkin snorted at her statement, ”Destructors has a certain ring, and we are planning on doing our all here, to stop the Master of Masters. But…a mix of the Jensaarai and Eriaduans would be a formidable mix.”

He leaned on his cane as he glanced at Arb, ”Would have been nice if you had made me a bit younger when we crossed over.”

Glancing at the planet below again, ”So…are we planning on landing at the capital or some outlying region?”

TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @TheAdmiral

 

IC: Ike
Attack on Titan

They likely felt when the Patriarch left them be. For one, his avatar, or servant, or ally, whatever, departed entirely.

Ike was battered and basically down because of the Pure Titan, and they were fighting hard but it wasn’t precisely easy - the creatures didn’t die like normal monsters. But one thing was clear; they weren’t like a Darkness, or whatever equivalent was roaming.

He looked for Alecto and Cocytus in the chaos. The violence had driven them into the Main Street of the walled town - and there was a quartet of larger mongrel Titan’s battling; a giant ape, a brute with glass-like fists, an armoured warrior, and a smaller Titan with razor claws and a giant jaw - though the latter was down and out.

It wasn’t the best look, as the brute and the warrior sparred like they weren’t giants. Gnats of humans flew around them on wires and cables, using rockets and blades -

Then the ape took a shot on its nape and crashed to the ground -

And an immense oversized Titan, it’s neck elongated, began gnawing at the neck of the armoured warrior as he pinned the other -

He was nudged from his focus as an immense arm landed besides him, the one shorn by a lightsaber -

But -

“The neck!” Ike spluttered, using the Force to leap over another grabbing hand, and Alecto pumped a shot into its neck, shot after shot -

“Cocytus!”

Ike didn’t have time to wonder why there were only three of them left. However, he did note one of the locals coming to their aid, firing a missile that slammed into the open mouth of one Pure Titan and erupted through its neck, dropping it -

It didn’t heal!

The one that Cocytus had ripped an arm from, it was steaming from the damage, and a new limb was forming -

Definitely the neck!

“Who the hell are you?”

Matthaeus looked at the strange group, not quite armed or attired like others in the Survey Corps. He didn’t reply, dodging a hand -

Ike realised he’d lost track of someone, looked for Kardis, saw a Pure Titan literally hurling itself, mouth first, at him -

What in the Nine Corellian Hells were these creatures?

TAG: @Darth Cocytus, @greyjedi125
—-
IC: Agent Smith
The Matrix

They would sense it, or rather, see it. One moment they were seeing their surroundings carry by, and then, it happened again - Deja vu.

A cat mewled at them, and then the windows became walls -

The Patriarch’s presence was missing… as were his representatives. Had they been taken away by whatever had adjusted the very system around them?

But a door was also present where it had not been - it opened, and Smith stood there. The man looked at them behind his sunglasses.

“Purpose… what is your purpose here…” a grimace; disgust. “Your code is… anomalous.”

“But if you wish to survive what happens next…” a smirk. “You should come with me. The Matrix is not forgiving.”

He turned, and through the door they would see a room of screens, surrounding them all, if they stepped through.

The cat, for his part, hissed at Smith, who glared at it as he turned…

… but undoubtedly the sudden influx of code would draw the eye of the operator supporting Kiowa, who would give him a hint that a building had just been rewired -

Deja vu was merely the system changing something, and a building had seemingly been randomly sealed off - there were no known human assets in that part of the city, and yet, the Matrix had purposely sealed whoever was inside - strange code and all - and that invited investigation… no?

TAG: @Jerjerrod-Lennox, @greyjedi125 (combo), single for @Vehn if he wants to play along!
—-
Heart

It was a bit more dramatic for Soliloquy.

Whatever or wherever he had been, it was gone, and for a brief moment he unmistakably hung in space - and then Heart enfolded him, a bit panicked by his sudden appearance in vacuum.

Are you okay?

The small Tho Yor spoke, worried.

TAG: @Mitth_Fisto (combo)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

IC: Lumiya
Amused, after the Resurrection

She turned and led Sybelle to a room inside the caverns, ignoring Aryan's scrambling.

They turned a corner and then Lumiya turned back, placing something in the Chiss woman's hands.

It was round, completely spherical, and for a moment it flashed with a memory of who had once held it.



The voice was grave... the hands that held it, were not her own, they stank of decay, her entire skin, for a brief moment.

Then she was back in her own body.

Another image, of an aged man, commanding the Oracle Stone.



Darth Tyranus, or, to her, Count Dooku.

Lumiya watched, and waited for her to react.

TAG: @Lady Belligerent
---
IC: Arek Graul
Bound, in body and soul

Eventually the room was revealed.

It had no door, which was odd perhaps for a prison.

But when Aryan made his way around the entrance of the area, where the Force tugged him - where Arek drew him...

He would see why the cell need not be locked.



It was a box... styled in the art of the ancient New Mandalorians, a pacifist faction that did not survive the Clone Wars.

A beskar sarcophagus.

The Force struck at Aryan with a vision.

A memory of the past.



A Sith Lord had been held in this box.

Darth Maul.

TAG: @HanSolo29

 

IC: Arb
The Time of the Second Great War

The older of their crew - physically, anyway - leaned on his cane as he glanced at Arb, ”Would have been nice if you had made me a bit younger when we crossed over.”

"Oh ya," Arb said, bemused.

Tarkin was wryly sounding, as if de-aging was simply within his power. "So…are we planning on landing at the capital or some outlying region?”

"Capital, surely, to announce the return of the Tarkin's and our new and shiny alliance with the Kuat, no?" He gave Atreus the side eye. "Or are you intending to go all Force-wise on us and head off to join the Jedi, Jori?"

A sly turn of his head back to Masana. "Whatever we're called, who cares. We're the skifter in the deck that the Master has stacked. We're going to build something to throw at him and his Protectors." A grin. "And the first thing this... Confederacy is going to need, is Force Users."

"If there weren't Jensaarai here, you wouldn't have been brought along." A wink.

"So, if you want to ally the Jensaarai with Eriadu, we can get started on, I dunno, convincing the Sluis Van shipyards to join us?"

His eye glittered with malice and purpose.

"The southern galaxy hasn't yet been penetrated by the resurgent Empire. Apart from Naboo, they're no further to conquering this quadrant. We could easily take it, and build something or other here..."

He was almost lazy. "That Eternal Empire, sans the droids, perhaps?"

TAG: @darthbernael, updated TAG for @TheAdmiral

 

OOC: The following is a combo with Sinrebirth – thank you so much!


IC: Arek Graul and Norin Graul
Private Office, the Graul Estate, Nubia

The only warning Arek received about the imminent danger came in the form of a slight prickle at the base of his skull. It lingered a moment before the sensation proceeded to travel down the length of his spine, causing his body to involuntarily shudder. He recognized it as the Force, and he was able to brace himself just as Norin’s hands enclosed around his throat and drove him back against the desktop.

In the ensuing confusion, Arek grunted and clenched his teeth, the force of the impact scattering flimsies and datapads in all directions.

"You wouldn’t keep something from your great-great-grandfather, would you now?" the older man growled in his manic state.

For a moment, Arek could only lay back and stare into those crazed-filled eyes. It was truly remarkable how quickly the man had succumbed to his insecurities. It was as if someone had toggled a switch inside his brain to conjure this feral beast who wore his grandfather’s face. Norin had physically harmed him in the past, and he knew that he couldn't remain complacent in such a precarious position. Not this time. Not if he wanted to subdue the monster.

As if on instinct, Arek lowered one hand to his side to retrieve the Solo lightsaber while the other reached up to grab Norin’s right wrist. "I told you," the young man spoke sharply, his countenance twisting into a sneer as he compelled the Force to augment his strength. "It’s not wise to know too much about your future… and you… just… proved that."

With a frenzied yell, he ignited the lightsaber’s green blade and brought it around to slash across Norin’s back. It was not a killing blow; he only intended to graze the flesh, and hopefully, scare the man into submission.

Norin howled, and recoiled away, tripping over his chair and tumbling to the corner.

He was almost feral, and he scrambled around the desk. "Guards, guards!"

He exhorted, calling out.

"Jedi assassin!"

Arek staggered back and uttered a quiet curse at his lack of foresight—he should’ve anticipated the man’s hostile reaction, though he refused to extinguish the lightsaber to placate the situation. In his mind, they were beyond that. Norin Graul was a dangerous man, and he wasn’t taking any chances.

Still, he couldn’t allow the guards to take him when they arrived. His mission was far too important, and he couldn’t afford any delays.

Biting his lower lip, Arek took a cautious step forward, his hands tightening marginally on the lightsaber hilt. "I didn’t intend for this to happen," he murmured under his breath, the annoyance evident in his tone. "I thought you would be willing to cooperate, especially with the nature of my task. You've done your research on the Epitaph, so you should know what’s at stake. You could’ve risen to great heights, received the recognition you deserve… and I could’ve helped you achieve that."

He inwardly cringed at that notion. It wasn’t ideal to encourage the man’s controlling nature by stroking his narcissistic personality, though it was necessary to appeal to his sensibilities. At this juncture, it was more favorable to have him as a reluctant ally than an enemy. All he needed was that final push…

"If you refuse to assist me, then I have no choice," Arek sighed in a dramatic fashion to emphasize the gravity of the situation. "Maybe your son would provide the help I need to find my father."

"My son!" Norin snarled, eyes flittering to the lightsaber hilt initially, and then back, lips licked.

The door crashed down and a burly individual appeared, sporting cybernetics and a cloak.

Sith Trooper.

"Secure him!" Norin spat.

A crimson blade emerged in the man's hand, and a roar ripped out into the Force.

The bellow slammed into his psyche and proceeded to spread to all facets of his being, the darkness slowly permeating his body like a disease. Arek noticeably trembled and staggered back several paces, his countenance turning pale. He felt the bile rising in his throat, and it took all of his willpower to resist the urge to empty the contents of his stomach.

There was no denying the negative impact this creature had on his faculties. The last time he had encountered it was in his nightmares, and before that—

Images flashed in quick succession in his mind's eye—

An explosion rocked the horizon, followed by towering flames that licked the skies above Coruscant’s urban sprawl. A decimated building with hapless bodies pouring from its coffers, mangled and charred. Screams of pain and terror, overshadowed by the constant thrum of blaster fire.

That’s when the creatures appeared, stepping forth from the shadows.

They plowed through the throng of beings trying to flee the chaos, carving a deadly swath of destruction in their wake. They were relentless; they showed no mercy. Everyone in their path met the same fate. It was a grisly death; blood flowed through the streets.

And now they have come here…

… but how was that possible?

If he was right about the chronological sequence of events, how had Norin Graul acquired Sith Troopers long before their time? Before the arrival of Krayt and his minions? It was decades before the Sith Empire would ever have a chance to create them.

Unless…

Arek couldn’t bring himself to finish that thought. With a slight gasp, his eyes darted between Norin and the hulking warrior, his jaw working wordlessly as he tried to formulate a plan. But in the spur of the moment, there was no time to ponder all the possibilities. The implications were far too great. He simply… ran.

Using the Force to augment his speed and agility, Arek clenched his teeth, closed his eyes, and took a leap of faith as he crashed through the nearest window to escape. Hopefully, the fall wasn’t too great, and he would live to warn others of the terrible truth he had learned.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Sybelle
MZX32905, near Bimmiel

Sybelle quickly brushed away a tear as Aryan made his way to his son, she had to hope that Aryan would have done the same if the situation had been reversed. Maybe he would have taken actions that could have saved their daughter. Maybe that was why Sybelle had been revived. Could some deity have placed her with Aryan so he could save his son?

That probably wasn’t the case, it was just folly, but she needed something to cling to. A reason for why she was able to walk away from the only man she’d ever loved without being able to tell him that.

Following Lumiya, she was in awe of the cavern they had walked into. Sybelle was so engrossed with seeing everything that she almost bumped into her captor when she’d suddenly stopped.

By reflex Sybelle had taken the orb thrust into her hands, and she was immediately struck by a scene playing in her mind. Without realizing it, her hands gently stroked the cool surface, it appeared she was giving the stone reassurance and comfort.

The scent was so overwhelming that she gagged. It was an odor that you had to prepare yourself in advance to manage. Rotting dead flesh, had an unmistakable scent, the hands were old and crumbly, the haunting voice fit the corpse-like hands.

It was gone as quickly as it had startled her, she breathed in deeply now that the odor had passed.

She looked at Lumiya, but instead of seeing her, she dissolved into an older man ordering the stone. It wasn’t clear what he wanted, unless it was the Dark Hope promised by the dead man.

Her grasp on the stone tightened, she willed it to show her more, but the scene was gone and she was back standing in the cavern.

Sybelle noticed Lumiya watching her and asked, “are you looking for the same thing? This Dark Hope that Dooku and Palpatine wanted?”

Tag: @Sinrebirth @HanSolo29