EDITED 4/12/13 to correct grammar errors and other stuff. I also changed, in the last scene, Tulak Hord to Marka Ragnos, because I've come across well-researched theories on the Jedi Council Forums that Hord might have reigned shortly after Ajunta Pall.
CHAPTER NINE
Revan...
Toah had heard that name before, from Jedi Master Tionne's teachings. According to the Jedi records, Revan had been a Jedi Knight, who indeed fought in the Mandalorian Wars, which Aron Jarsan was shown here taking part in. However, after the war's end, Revan and his apprentice Malak mysteriously vanished. When they returned, they had declared themselves Dark Lords of the Sith.
Can it be? Toah wondered. How could it be? Tionne had said that Revan lived three thousand years ago. How could Toah be his son?
As if in response, his vision changed once more. He was now in a medical center on what appeared to be Coruscant, judging by the vast city out of the window. Being led into the waiting room was a young woman cradling two infant boys. Waiting to greet her was an older, unshaven man in an Old Republic uniform; a dark-skinned, grey-haired man; a female Cathar; a young Rutian Twi'lek girl; and a tall, furry Wookiee.
The Republic man smiled at the young woman. "Twins, huh?" he chuckled. "Congratulations, Bastila."
The others offered their congrats as well. The grey-haired man then said, "So...are you going to let them join the Jedi Order?"
The woman named Bastila bit her lip. "I don't know, Jolee. I'm not sure if the council would accept the result of my forbidden marriage with Revan..." She let out a sigh. "On the other hand, it's possible they may accept them as a redemption of Revan's actions..."
She looked up at her friends with a sad smile. "I think I know what I must do..."
The scene faded into a dusty fog. Toah went through the clouds and emerged from it to find himself on a mountainous world. Millions of Miralkua inhabitants went about their lives, while nearby, a group of six Jedi Masters conversed.
"Master Atris called us here, did she not?" the Twi'lek Jedi Toah knew to be Master Lestin asked.
A small, elderly Jedi Master with brownish, folded skin nodded, his pointed ears bending slightly. "Likely it is that she's been delayed," he said. "She should be here any moment."
Lestin nodded, as he then looked from the old Jedi Master to the others. "Are we all that's here?"
A dark-skinned human shook his head. "Masters Qual and Nisi are here, as well as a few who survived Darth Malak's attack on Dantooine."
The pointed ear Jedi turned to a silver-skinned Teevan Jedi Master. "Did you bring Bastila's child, Master Xala?"
The Teevan nodded. "He is under Nova's care, Master Tokare."
"Very good," the elderly Jedi Master said. "Now all we must do is wait for Master Atris and..."
The old Jedi paused, and he slowly raised his head. Hovering over the city was a lone battlecruiser, looking like it was on the verge of falling apart.
The Miraluka gazed at the ship in awe, terrified at the horrific sight. Toah briefly saw through their Force sight and saw a humanoid being standing at the ship's bridge, cloaked in black robes, with a skull-like mask adorning his face.
Then...chaos.
Buildings began to fall. Oceans began to overflow. The mountains began to crumble. All of the Miraluka were either crushed or swept away. The six Jedi Masters could all but watch as one-by-one, Masters Lestin, Tokare, Xala, and the others died.
Toah then saw a young woman, with white hair and blue eyes, placing a crying infant into some sort of pod.
"What are you doing?!" another Jedi cried as everything fell around them. "You're wasting our only escape pod for a baby?!"
"This isn't a escape pod," the woman said simply as the pod shot off from the ground and into the fiery sky. At the same time, Toah felt a hand grab him from behind and pull him out of the silvery pool.
After coughing out the water, he looked up at his father, whose face was full of sorrow, remorse...and anger.
"Do you see what my fall to the dark side caused?" Aron Jarsan asked, trembling slightly. "I know you did not see my actions as Darth Revan, but you've seen what they caused, inadvertently or not. The Jedi Order shunned me, along with Bastila because of our marriage."
He gritted his teeth. "And when I regained my memories after the High Council wiped them, I remembered what caused my fall, and so I left the Republic in order to stop it. And I never returned...so I never got to see Bastila again...or you and your brother."
Toah could've sworn he saw his father's eyes watering up, but the tears quickly vanished. "But...you're seeing me right now, aren't you?" he asked. "And you'll be able to see my mother and brother in the Force, won't you?"
Aron smiled sadly. "Perhaps. They've already gone past the Netherworld, though. I was called back here to Praetus before I got the chance to find them."
Toah frowned. "So you have to defeat the Sith gods before you can move on. But how?"
Aron looked at his son and smiled again. "That's where you come in."
* * *
Darth Trayus...
Thousands of years ago, Darth Trayus ruled the Old Sith Empire with an iron fist. People feared to speak his very name, for the 'Darth' title at the time was similar to the Rakatan word meaning 'emperor' and 'death'. After a hundred years of terror and fear, Darth Trayus was overthrown by his apprentice Andeddu, though his legacy would continue to be feared until the reign of Marka Ragnos.
Three thousand years later, however, Trayus' spirit would be found by former Jedi Kalon Soral, on a desolate rock which resulted from the destruction of Malachor V, a planet which Trayus had been exiled to by the other Dark Lords, who trapped his spirit within the Trayus Core.
It was on that rock that Trayus taught Kalon the ways of the Sith, eventually granting him the name of Darth Vorath. From that day forth, Vorath would ensure the Sith's survival after the Sith Triumvirate's fall, and his use of the Darth title would continue on until the Banite era.
And since that day, Trayus' spirit had stayed at Vorath's side, serving as an advisor and mentor.
Or had he?
Ever since he realized the connection between Trayus, Andeddu, and the armor of Valtheran, Vorath was beginning to think that he was being used by the ancient Dark Lord, as a means to an end, one which would see Trayus as ruler of the galaxy, instead of Vorath.
The Dark Lord clenched his fist as he headed for Trayus' chamber within the Imperial Palace, grasping the staff of Valtheran.
I've had enough of your teachings, Vorath said silently to himself. Your time has come.
No comments:
Post a Comment