Star Wars Endgame: Finale, Chapter Sixteen

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

--Ossus--

    "So let me make sure I've heard you straight," Master Plun Kil said. "You are a Sith."

    "Correct," said Lord Kallus, standing before the gathered Jedi Council.

    "But you say you're not like the Sith of old. How?"

    "The Order of Sedriss exists purely as a means to maintain the customs and teachings of the Sith without wreaking havoc on the galaxy," Kallus explained. "We were then meant to pass our knowledge on to our apprentices, who would repeat the cycle."

    "But your apprentices have already broken this cycle, haven't they?" asked Kro Sadoon. "This Darth Taral we've been hearing about... he's the one responsible?"

    "Yes. He was once called Varon Krul, apprenticed to my colleague Paxis. I do not know why he is doing all of this, but he has all of our apprentices on his side."

    "And Master Murk was one of them?" asked Nira Maren.  

    "Correct," Kallus muttered. "He was apprenticed to Lord Serpriss, whom you know better as Appa Nakil. He has since killed Master Nakil and is now somewhere out in the forest."

    Noran Raun leaned forward in his seat. "And you believe Taral's forces are on their way here?"

    "It is inevitable. Last I heard, he was on Dromund Kaas confronting Sedriss herself. If he survived that encounter, he is no doubt on his way here as we speak."

    "Then we have no time to lose," Sadoon said, rising up. "Master Katarn, gather the Temple Guards and your best Knights. Master Tionne, see the younglings to safety."

    "Wait," Plun Kil said. "You're trusting him? A Sith?"

    "He was once one of us, Master Kil," Sadoon said sternly. "Sith or not, I would trust him with my life."

    Kil grunted. "I hope you won't need to then."

*  *  *

    Zarin was sent flying by a Force push. He quickly reoriented himself to land on his feet, skidding across the dirt, before running again towards Odan. The fallen Weequay Jedi raised his twin blades just as Zarin swung his own and green clashed across blue.

    A devious grin creased Odan's leathery skin as he leaned into the Kiffar Jedi. "I can sense the darkness in you, boy. It calls to you. Pulls at you."

    Zarin glared at him with baleful eyes, gritting his teeth. "I should have struck you down when I had the chance."

    "And how would you have explained that to your masters? How do you think that would look on your part?"

    "I know what they would've thought and I would've taken any punishment," Zarin growled. "Because I would know I'd have done it for the greater good."

    "The greater good?" Odan cackled. "What do you know of the greater good?"

    The fallen Jedi then pushed the locked blades closer to Zarin's face, forcing the Kiffar to break off. He then rejoined with a series of ferocious attacks, cutting at Odan's head and arms. The Weequay easily blocked them all.

    "Yes, embrace your anger," Odan goaded him. "Give in to the dark side. If you wish to stand a chance against the coming storm, you must fight fire with fire."

    "Shut up!" Zarin roared, increasing the ferocity of his attack. "I've had enough of your lies!"

    One strike from his saber sliced cleanly through the hilt of one of Odan's. Thrown off by this, Odan barely had the reflexes to block an attack to the head. Sneering, the fallen Jedi retaliated with a series of moves that matched Zarin's in ruthlessness.

    Soon, both Jedi were immersed in the dark side. All barriers were broken; now, only unbridled rage and hate flowed through them.

    So vicious were their attacks, so haphazard their maneuvers, that Odan did not see his downfall coming until it was too late.

    One slip of the hand -- raising his hands a centimeter higher than he had intended to -- gave his opponent the window of opportunity he needed. One clean cut from the saber, and Odan's hand and weapon were both on the ground, still connected to each other.

    Odan screamed in agony as he fell to his knees. As he clutched the remainder of his wrist, the Weequay soon found a green blade at his throat. He looked up at Zarin, seeing the burning hatred in the Kiffar's eyes.

    The fallen Jedi chuckled, a ragged sound. "Well done," he said. "Well done. You have succeeded in becoming what you were sworn to protect the galaxy from. You have only further sealed the fate of the Jedi."

    Zarin said nothing, holding his baleful gaze. With the Force, he summoned Odan's remaining lightsaber and crossed it with his at the Weequay's neck. Odan merely cackled harder. His laughter rang throughout the forest, echoing out into the night.

    With a raged yell, Zarin uncrossed the sabers and all was silent.

--The Resurgent--

    "My lord, we have arrived in the Adega system."

    Darth Taral sat in his meditation chamber, surrounded by holoscreens that showed the rest of his armada jumping out of hyperspace. This was it, he thought. His plans were finally coming to their foreseen peak. Today would certainly be a day long remembered: it would see the end of the Jedi and the revenge of the Sith.

    Opening up a call to all of his forces, Taral gave the command. "You may begin."

--Ossus--

    The booming voice of Kyle Katarn could be heard throughout the grounds of the Jedi Temple. Knights scattered to take position, students were whisked away to safety by their masters. Fear and confusion were widespread among all.

    Relin Druur observed it all impassively. Since arriving here, he had felt disconnected from reality. This wasn't his time. These weren't his fellow Jedi. He did not know what was happening nor did he care. He felt nothing.

    Nothing but darkness.

    Relin took in a sharp intake of breath. He knew what he had to do now. What he was meant to do.

    He started walking against the surge of scurrying Jedi, headed in the opposite direction. On his way, he stopped a young male Duros, grabbing him roughly by the shoulder.

    "Do you have a spare lightsaber?" Relin asked.

    The other Jedi blinked his large red eyes. "Er, yes?"

    "Give it to me."

    The Duros looked him up and down, realizing he had an arm in a sling. "I don't think so. I think you should go to a medical ward."

    Relin tightened his grip. "Give me. Your saber."

    "I really don't think I sh--"

    The ancient Jedi cut him off by hitting him in the face with his elbow. The Duros did not have the senses to stop him as Relin removed the extra hilt on his belt before running off.

*  *  *

    Starkiller let out a gasp as Kylo Ren released his hold on him. The masked man clenched his fist as he turned away from the clone, having been interrupted by Taral's call.

    "We shall finish this conversation another time," Kylo said as he left the room.

    His shuttle soon joined up with the other vessels heading down to Ossus. The twin moons of Mim and Nerit illuminated the ships' path as they landed on the outskirts of the Jedi Temple grounds. His ship the last to land, Kylo Ren stepped out into a sea of red and black. Over a hundred Marked Ones and Sith Sabers stood before him, awaiting his command.

    He turned to Xiana, who wore a revealing black uniform that exposed the marks of her following. "You shall lead the first wave. Send in the weaker hitters first. Once the Jedi are preoccupied, I'll lead the stronger warriors to storm the temple."

    Xiana stuck her nose up at him. "Don't think for a second that you can command me, Ren, regardless of what Taral said. Only I may lead my brethren."

    Kylo stepped closer to her, concealed eyes boring into her's behind an opaque visor. "Here we are at our finest hour and you're stalling it over petty semantics. If we fail because of this, how do you think Taral will react?"

    Xiana glared at him, her yellow eyes seething. Then, with a sneer, she turned on her heel and signaled a number of Sith to follow her.

    As Kylo watched them go, he felt someone grab him by the shoulder. Instinctively, he removed his lightsaber hilt from his belt -- but did not ignite it -- and turned to face a strongly built Marked One. The red-faced man scowled at him.

    "Watch where you step, Ren. The next time I see you threatening my lady, I will gut you like a womp rat."

    "You do that," Kylo said calmly as he removed the man's hand from his shoulder. "Really. I would like to see you try."

    The man snarled, glowering at the Knight of Ren. However, before things could escalate, they heard a cry from behind them. Turning, Kylo saw Xiana and the others dueling a single Jedi, using only one arm to wield a lightsaber.

    The Marked One who had threatened Kylo moved to join in the fight but was stopped by Ren. "No. I want to see how this plays out." 

    Despite only using one arm, the Jedi was rather impressive in his fighting style, swinging his saber in wide arcs that cut down numerous Sith in one fell swoop. His spree did not last long however, as Xiana was able to sneak up on him just as he struck down a Sith Saber. Her blade cut right through his splayed arm before slashing across his back, bringing him to his knees.

    Kylo stepped forward and knelt down before the Jedi, staring into his worn face. "Did you actually think that would work?"

    "It did what it needed to do," the Jedi panted. "It bought time."

    "It won't be enough."

    "Maybe not. But at least I will die having done something useful."

    Kylo Ren stood to his full height and ignited his saber. "Not really."

    He then swung his unstable blade in a mortal swoop and brought the ancient Relin Druur to his end.