CHAPTER ELEVEN
Jaden remained silent as his captor led him deeper into the Lower City. The woman had yet to identify herself by name, but he doubt he would ever get her to. Not that he cared, of course...
As they went further and further down the sewer-like corridors, there became fewer and fewer light sources, eventually to the point where it was so dark, Jaden could only make out the woman's silhouette. Finally, he decided to speak.
"Are we getting any closer to this Jedi Master of yours?"
"I thought Jedi were supposed to be patient," his captor said. "But don't fret. We are nearly there."
Sure enough, soon after she said that, they came to a stop before a large, half-oval-shaped door, illuminated by a bright blue light. In the center of the door was a circular panel, which the woman placed her right palm on, causing the door to slowly rise up. Once the door had fully risen, a narrow hallway lit up behind it and she led Jaden down a dim row of lights.
At the end of the hall was another door of a more rectangular shape, which the woman simply pushed aside. She then beckoned Jaden to move past her and into the room ahead. He did so and entered the chamber, which, unlike the hallway, was barely lit at all.
As soon as he had stepped into the room, Jaden was greeted by several low growls emitting from either side. Startled at first, he managed to maintain a calm demeanor as he moved deeper into the chamber. At the far side of the room, opposite of the door, he could make out a shadowy figure, hunched over and sitting on top a metal crate.
He slowed his pace, approaching the figure with more caution. He was no less than ten feet away from the silhouette when it suddenly shifted its position. A weak voice spoke from the darkness.
"State your...purpose."
Slightly taken aback by this sudden movement, Jaden nonetheless kept any uneasiness out of his voice. "I am in search of Jedi Master Dolar Ven'sol."
"You are...in his presence."
"I figured that, actually," Jaden said. "Only one Jedi Master was reported to be on a mission in the Ojoster sector."
"Good...at least some of you Jedi have common sense."
Jaden raised an eyebrow at this statement. "You...say that as if you're not a Jedi."
The voice let out a raspy, cackling laugh. "Ah, even better. You are wise enough to spot even the subtlest things in a person's words."
Jaden frowned in frustration. "Enough riddles, Master Ven'sol. Explain what's going on."
Again the voice laughed. "And yet you still don't realize the most obvious subject."
The silhouette rose from its seat, moving to step out of the veil of shadows that obscured it. What Jaden expected to see was the face of wisdom that the Bothan Jedi Master so often wore.
Instead, he was greeted by the gaunt mask of death.
Jaden stepped back, appalled by the sight and his eyes widening with the horror of realization. "What...what have you done to him?" he said to the woman.
"Isn't it obvious?" The voice chuckled, though it was not coming from Ven'sol's mouth. "No, of course it isn't. You Jedi don't believe in death, do you? It says so in your mantra."
Jaden managed to take his eyes off the Bothan's ghost of a face and move them to stare at the strange amulet around his neck. Looking like a small, golden scarab of sorts, the amulet had six claw-like tendrils that wrapped around Ven'sol's neck and seemed to plunge its talons through his neck. On the talisman's 'head' glowed a single blue light, gazing at Jaden like an observant eye.
"I see that you have noticed my...trinket," the disembodied voice said. "Tell me, what do you know of the Hundred-Year Darkness?"
"Not much, other than that it was the Second Great Schism that the Old Jedi Order face." Jaden looked above Ven'sol's head, where he though the voice was sounding from. "Why?"
Once again, the voice let out a raspy chuckle. "I was one of the many Dark Jedi dissidents that fought in that war, as well as one of the twelve that survived the final battle at Corbos. It was then that we Exiles turned our defeat into victory. By fleeing to a nearby planet in the Esstran sector, we found the remnants of an empire and made ourselves gods!"
Behind Ven'sol's limp body, a red, glowing specter began to take shape.
"It was then that I, Karness Muur, became a Lord of the Sith."
Jaden's eyes widened with realization. "Wait a minute. You're one of the first Sith Lords."
"Indeed I am," the specter replied. "For so long was I confined to my Jedi 'prison'...but no longer. I am now free to wreak havoc and restore the glory of the Old Sith Empire!"
All around him, the growls Jaden had heard earlier were now louder. From either side, he could see at least a dozen- maybe even more- rakghouls slowly crawling towards him.
"Now then," Muur said, "you do have a choice. You can either be mauled alive by my pets or join me as my apprentice."
That old trick, eh? Jaden thought. Ignoring the approaching rakghouls, he instead focused his eyes on the specter. "I have a better idea. How about I kill all of your 'pets'?"
Muur chuckled. "You could attempt that, if you so wish. I highly doubt you will survive, but suit yourself."
From behind him, the woman who had led him here tossed a lightsaber in his direction. Performing a back flip, he caught the weapon as he landed and ignited its emerald blade, which illuminated the horde of rakghouls standing before him, poised to attack.
Muur's voice let out one last laugh. "Let the games begin."
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