Star Wars Destiny: Episode VI, Chapter Eleven

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Luke narrowly stepped aside as Darth Vorath moved his lightsaber to stab the Jedi Master, but stabbed thin air instead. He then swung his saber at Luke, who blocked the attack and pushed the blade away, causing Vorath to stumble back.

Regathering himself, the Dark Lord charged again, his weapon held high. Red clashed onto green as the two began to parry, exchanging attacks and blows. It soon became apparent that to Toah that the two were evenly matched.

Closing his eyes, Toah concentrated on freeing himself from the chains that bounded him. But the continuing sound of clashing lightsabers averted him away from that. He could not do anything but watch the duel, hoping that Luke would arise as the victor.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of another lightsaber activating and looked up to see Darth Nemesis, free from his own restraints. The Sith Lord looked down on him coldly, and for a moment Toah thought he was about to kill him, until Nemesis raised his scarlet lightsaber, and sliced through Toah's chains.

As he dropped to the floor, Nemesis reached out and handed Toah his azure lightsaber, which Vorath had likely dropped when he had attacked Luke.

Toah looked at Nemesis confusingly. "Why are you-?"

"You've been waiting twenty years for this moment," Nemesis said, "whether you knew it or not. You deserved to take part in it."

Toah nodded curtly and took the lightsaber, igniting its blue blade. Filled with a new sense of fetermination, he ran to aid his master.

*  *  *

It was hopeless.

As Han Solo ran along with the rest of the Republic forces away from the monstrous titan, which was now rampaging through Coruscant, he began to wonder, Just what was the point?

Was it really worth fleeing? The beast was eventually going to reach them and crush them into plaster. Although he usually wasn't the one to admit defeat, Han was starting to think it was a pretty good idea right about now.

To his left, a building toppled over, crushing a dozen Republic troop carriers, along with their crews and anyone who was nearby them. Shortly after, two more buildings fell, preventing Han, the Jedi, and the others from going any further.

With no way to go around their obstacle, the Jedi and the soldiers turned around to face the titan. The being seemed to notice their dilemma and chuckled, its emerald eyes glowing with malice. Green flames began to erupt around the titan's rocky 'skin' as it raised its powerful arms and prepared to unleash a deadly quake that would surely kill Han and the others.

Just as the beast was about to bring it humongous arms down, a round of plasma bolts hailed down onto it, pounding fire into the titan's stone surface.

Han looked up and dropped his jaw in awe. Flying down from Coruscant's fiery sky was the Slave I, the personal ship of Boba Fett, followed by an entire fleet of Mandalorian ships, with several warriors grappling down, unleashing rounds of blaster bolts on the Sith and Imperials like hail.

For the first time in his life, Han was actually glad to see those T-shaped visors.

*  *  *

Luke was not sure how much more he could take.

Vorath hammered him with blow after blow. Although Luke was able to deflect and counter them with his saber, the Dark Lord kept returning with stronger attacks, bringing him to the point of losing all of his strength. 

Suddenly, a blast of lightning came from behind Vorath and struck the Sith Lord in the back, forcing him to break away and turn around. Standing there was Toah Jarsan, along with the captive Sith Lord Luke had noticed earlier, his hands crackling with blueish lightning. 

Vorath's eyes narrowed into slits. "So," he said to the other Sith Lord, "you have turned against me. Just as I predicted..."

"I realized how blind I was to your schemes," the Sith Lord said. His voice struck Luke to be awfully familiar. "Or rather, how mad you had become."

Vorath growled. "I am not mad." The Dark Lord brought out his bladed, spear-like staff, and unleashed a beam of blue light, which sent the other Sith Lord flying back.

Toah then ran towards Vorath, who simply pushed him away with the Force. Vorath then turned back to the Sith Lord, his scarlet eyes flaring with fury.

"I should have thought twice before I created you," the Dark Lord growled. "I should have known that there was no way I would be able to create a perfect, purely dark copy of Anakin Skywalker."

Luke's eyes widened in shock at those words. It can not be...

The Sith Lord staggered painfully to his feet. "Just another one of your many mistakes, master..."

Vorath snarled. "You do not deserve to call me that anymore."

He rose his staff again, its bladed tip sparking with white energy. Star-like specks swirled around as the Dark Lord prepared to take another soul once again.

It was then that Luke made his move. Reactivating his lightsaber, Luke lunged and slashed Vorath across his back. Screaming in both pain and rage, Vorath lost his balance and sent the white energy blasting through the ceiling. 

Enraged, the Dark Lord swung around and brought the staff's blade across Luke's chest, causing the Jedi Master to stumble back, gritting his teeth in agony. Vorath then raised the staff again and unleashed another blast of white energy, which struck Luke again in the chest. The Jedi Master felt the beam like a hook as it latched onto his soul and began to tug on it.

But he held his ground. As Vorath attempted to pull his spirit back towards the staff, Luke slowly stepped forward, trying to follow the energy beam. Noticing this, Vorath tugged harder, but Luke kept fighting against his pull. 

As he felt his energy beginning to dwindle fast, Luke held up his lightsaber. Although he knew there was now way he was going to bring the Dark Lord of the Sith down with it, at least there was a way that could weaken him.

Luke slowly and painfully stepped towards Vorath until they were nearly face-to-face. Then, with all his might, Luke swung his emerald blade and sliced the Staff of Valtheran into two.

A powerful blast emitted between the severed pieces, so strong that it sent both Luke and Vorath flying across the room. Once they landed to the ground hard, Luke saw a swarm of spectral figures emerge out of thin air, and fly towards Vorath.

The Dark Lord howled in a mix of rage and terror as he scrambled to his feet and created a shield of sorts around him. The spirits easily penetrated through it though, and flew into Vorath's body. The Dark Lord's scarlet eyes changed violet as he snarled and ignited his lightsaber.

To weak to get up, Luke only sighed as the mad Sith Lord walked up to him and raised his weapon to deliver the final blow. The red blade came within less than a foot when an azure blade appeared and blocked it.

Luke tiredly looked up to see Toah Jarsan standing over him, staring bravely into the violet eyes. 

The Jedi Master closed his eyes while the sound of clashing lightsabers filled the room once again.