17 Roads Diverge & Collide
{If you want to read more than what I post on webnovel head to https://www.(p)-(a)-(t)-(r)-(e)-(o)-(n).com/easyread}
~~~(POV: Adren Saydra)~~~
~~~(Location: Top Of Metal Building, Blue Sector, Coronet (Capital City), Corellia)~~~
~~~(Current Age: 17 Years)~~~
~~~(Date: 568 BBY)~~~
The Master and padawan leap onto a building to avoid the dense crowd ahead. I hoped I wouldn't have to chase him, but he's a Jedi. Most Masters would stay and fight, no matter what, especially against someone who uses the Darkside.
Instead, he's retreating. I commend his strong survival instincts. However, I sense the turmoil within him.
He knows I'm here for the Memory Crystal on his person.
It's forming a conflict inside him, which I can use to my advantage. The Force flows into me as I match their move to land on the tall metal building. My impact is harder, and I indent the metal slightly.
The padawan looks back at me for a moment. Only a moment. Turning her head a second later and continuing to run next to her Master. A deep breath enters my lungs, channeling vast amounts of power in The Force.
My left-hand lifts from my side with The Force leaping from it. Latching onto the metal roof they are on. Tearing it from its place along with them. I move my hand to my side and crush it into a fist. Making the metal bend and break.
It's not surprising the one who struggles to land is the padawan. Not wasting a second, my saber hilt flies into my right hand as I leap into the air and descend on the padawan.
The young girl looks up at me in terror as my descent almost ends. My purple blade screams in fury as it burns through the air.
On its final approach to her head, the blade is stopped by a blue one. A kick forces me to dodge and backflip away. Avoiding the deadly strike that follows it.
"Carlina? Are you alright!?"
There is pure concern in the Master's voice as he gently shakes the girl's shoulder. Never taking his eyes off me as he does.
Terror leaves the girl as she stands up, drawing her blade. On the top of a random metal building in Coronet, we'll battle for the prize they're carrying. Judging from what I sense, the girl doesn't know why I'm here.
She's unaware of the Memory Crystal in her Master's possession.
"I'm okay. I'm okay. I've never felt this kind of power before, Master... He's the one who killed Master Hendi, isn't he..."
It seems a reputation has formed around my actions against the Jedi I've previously encountered. It matters not.
They stand up together, and she takes out her saber hilt. Igniting it in the process. It's blue, just like her Masters. My purple blade hangs at my side as I wait patiently for them. They could try running again, but they won't escape me.
And the Master of the pair senses that.
"Listen to me very closely, Carlina. If we're to survive this battle, we'll have to work in perfect unison. There can be no mistakes. He'll use any as soon as it appears."
The young girl nods her head with a confidence I thought her not capable of. Not after the terror I saw a moment ago. Their connections to The Force are nothing extraordinary, not like mine.
I'm patient, but that doesn't mean I'll waste unnecessary time. With my first step in their direction, they shifted their forms into a Soresu guard. Both of them. I halt in my approach and take it in.
Unlike Hendi and Olidare, these two know how to fight together. Truly.
"This is your only warning, Darksider. Surrender, and the Jedi High-Council will show you mercy. You need not die today."
There is a genuine plea for my surrender. One I've not heard from many people before. Not since my powers grew exponentially.
The hood hanging over my face hides my features from any discernable expressions they could see. My emotions surge as I fill my body with The Force, and they steady themselves in preparation for my attack.
In the blink of an eye, I dash forward with a speed that surprises both of them. They shift at the last second as I use a piercing attack to separate them. I use Makashi to divide the Master away from the padawan.
She tries to attack me from the sides and flank, but my spins and twirls mixed with The Force constantly overpower her. My forms shift from Makashi to Niman in the times I have the Master isolated.
My power in The Force mixes with the power of my attacks. Sweat is pouring from the older man, and he's gasping for air. I'm forced to end my assault as I dodge and redirect another attack from the padawan.
I use her momentum to flip her into her Master, and this causes him to deactivate his lightsaber.
In this moment of vulnerability, I hold out my hand and unleash red bolts of death at them. In a desperate move, Carlina holds up her lightsaber while she's in the grasp of her Master. Causing the lightning to be absorbed.
I stop the attack and throw out both my hands. Force Pushing them with incredible power. The padawan bounces off a metal rail protecting the edge and falls to the streets below.
Her Master impacts a metal shed and loses the air in his lungs.
I slowly approach the now-alone Jedi, and his eyes stare back at me. He shakily stands back to his feet and grabs his hilt. The blue blade of the Jedi comes to life, and he stares at me with pity.
"You've already failed, Sith."
I raise my eyebrow in curiosity. Not that he can see it. But I find it interesting that he's referring to me as a Sith and not Darksider anymore. That, and he thinks I've failed. I have him alone, and soon, I'll have the Memory Crystal.
A calm smirk forms on the aging Master, and he slowly walks in my direction. His form shifts from Soresu to Ataru. Now that his padawan isn't here, he doesn't have to worry about her. We both sense she's alive...
And she's leaving...
Not returning to help her Master...
...
...
Ah...
I see.
Instead of saying anything, my saber hilt flies onto my belt, and I leap through the air. Over the Jedi Master and to the next building. Following the padawan's Force Signature.
"NO!!! YOU'RE NOT REACHING HER!!!"
All of a sudden, my path is torn to shreds as I have to backpeddle. Igniting my saber in the process. Clashing blades with the Jedi Master.
"You're fight is with me, Sith! YOU WILL NOT HARM MY PADAWAN!!"
The passion and love he holds for the girl fuels him, and I'm forced to shift into Soresu and Makashi to handle the onslaught momentarily. However, as the seconds pass, my guard holds. Exhaustion forms within the Master.
Using the lack of energy and power to my advantage, I twirl my saber against his and throw my shoulder into the one across from me. I deactivate my saber and grab his wrist.
CRAAAAAACCCCKKK!!!
"AAAAAHHHH!!!"
In the span of a second, I slam my elbow down on his elbow joint. Causing a sickening crack to be heard and a disfigured arm to appear. His saber hilt falls to the ground in the process. In the middle of his agony, I take a step away. Pulling on the now broken arm.
"FAAAAAAA!!"
Pain courses through the Jedi, only weakening him further.
In the moment of extension, my foot lifts from the ground and drives into his kneecap.
CRRUUUUUNNNNNCCCHHHH!!
"GAAAAAHHHHHH!!"
My grasp on him ends, and he lies on the ground in a heap. One arm is broken, and a leg to go with it. I immediately turn and leap away from the man and to the next building. My pursuit of the padawan begins now.
It was a rather clever trick they did back there. If I'm not fast enough, she'll get away.
~~~(POV: Carlina Vaeda)~~~
~~~(Location: Running Away, Blue Sector, Coronet (Capital City), Corellia)~~~
~~~(Current Age: 15 Years)~~~
~~~(Date: 568 BBY)~~~
The air comes and goes from my lungs with a burn as my tired legs carry me. My entire body is screaming in agony as I'm nearing the Freighter that brought us here. My mind is struggling to not think about Master Lymdor...
He's in great pain... But he's alive.
I can sense the darkness behind me.
The hate.
The anger.
The fury.
It's almost suffocating me. Making it harder to move. My fear of him only fuels his power. I make it to the loading bay, and as I'm finishing my hasty approach to the ship. My heart stops as a deafening sound enters the room.
CREEEAAAAAKKKK!!
BOOOOOOOOMMMM!!
CRAAAAAAACCKKK!!
I watch as the Freighter we came to Corellia on lifts from the ground and slams into the hanger doors. Crashing through them and falling to the city below.
All I can do is fall to my knees. Staring at the ground. My head turns to my side, and at one of the side entrance doors stands the cloaked Darksider. His hand falls to his side now that my ship can no longer save me.
He slowly approaches me, and I do my best to stand. But my body is too damaged from the fight and fall I took.
I take my saber off my belt, preparing for a battle to the end. Master gave me a crystal to take back to Coruscant. He didn't need to say anything for me to know why it couldn't fall into the hands of this man.
His hand raises from his side. The lightsaber hilt flies from his belt and into his hand. There isn't anything I can do to bargain with this man.
I know that.
In an instant, he shoots forward, and our blades lock.
He's so strong... So very strong...
As I try to stand my ground, he starts pushing forward. Forcing my feet to slide across the floor in an effort to stay up.
My back bends, and my arms burn as I try to hold the lock. He takes one hand off his hilt and points his index finger at me.
The Force screams for me to move, but I can't.
VVVRRRRRAAAAAACCCCCKKK!!!
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"
Red Force Lightning leaps from his finger and hurles me across the hanger bay. Landing hard on my back in the middle of a landing pad.
He slowly walks toward me as I try to lift myself off the ground, but I'm soon grasping at my neck. Desperate for air as I'm lifted off the ground.
As the light begins to fade from my world, it suddenly stops.
ZVISH!
ZVISH!
VRISH!
The sound of blaster bolts fills my ears as I hit the ground. I look and see Coronet Security firing at the Darksider. He's sending so many bolts back. There are almost 50 men and women shooting at him.
Using this moment to get up, I start hobbling to a small transport ship.
"AAAHHH!!"
"NO! PLEASE!!! DO-! AHHH!!!"
The sounds of people dying echo behind me. The transport door closes, and I reach the pilot's seat. It only takes me a moment to power the ship. A second later, I'm ready to take off. As the ship hovers and makes its way to the hanger bay doors.
I'm heading in the opposite direction of where I want to go.
MAARRRRR!!
GGGRRRRRRR!!!
The moans and groans of the ship cause me to panic. I use the camera system to see what's locking me in the hangar. The tractor beam should be off right now.
That's when he appears on the screen. In the middle of a pile of bodies, he's outstretching one hand. Pulling me back to him.
I press every button I can, but nothing I do breaks me free.
As I'm about to give up, the pull from the Darksider stops. And I break free from the hanger. Turning the ship and heading for the stars.
The light of hyperspace surrounds me as I slump in my seat. My eyes become heavy.
The last thing I see before losing consciousness is a medical droid on the ship.
~~~(POV: Jedi Master Jerome Lymdor)~~~
~~~(Location: Hanger Bay, Blue Sector, Coronet (Capital City), Corellia)~~~
~~~(Current Age: 54 Years)~~~
~~~(Date: 568 BBY)~~~
My body is numb as I stare at the ceiling of the hanger bay. My head turns slightly, and the Darksider is staring at where the transport ship once was. I can't help the chuckle from escaping my lips.
"I told you."
His body shifts in my direction. His form is imposing and full of power. Once he fully turns himself to me, I watch him pull back his hood.
My breath catches in my lungs, and I almost mistake him for Taylor or Krayla... He looks so much like them...
Blond hair... Beautiful face...
His eyes, though...
It's such a hateful red... It's different from the green and blue Krayla and Taylor have.
"You failed, Sith. She's taking back the Memory Crystal to the Temple."
He gives no external reaction. Through The Force, I feel what I've always felt from him. There is no internal change either.
"You've lost."
My ragged and thirsty voice doesn't seem to be hammering home his failure. He slowly walks to me. Turning off his lightsaber and placing it on his belt. He hangs over me. Eyes staring into mine.
"So it would seem."
My blood runs cold as his voice imprints on me. It's like listening to a man with no heart. He should be furious. He should be itching to kill me. But all I sense from him is the same.
A steady hate, anger, and fury.
He grabs me by the neck and lifts me off the ground.
"While I've lost my chance at the Memory Crystal, that doesn't mean I can't get what I need. Time to see how valuable a Jedi is to its Order."
He's planning to...
Before I can finish my thought, a heavy fist impacts my face.
Dimming the lights, and I fade to black.
~~~(POV: Jedi Knight Taylor Azure)~~~
~~~(Location: Council Chambers, Jedi Temple, Coruscant)~~~)~~~
~~~(Current Age: 17 Years)~~~
~~~(Date: 568 BBY)~~~
Mother and I are supposed to leave for Ryloth today, but we've been called to the Jedi High-Council Chambers. We stand shoulder to shoulder as Master Larkor prepares the holoterminal.
He steps back and presses a button on his gauntlet. Turning on the recording. As he does, we're met with a brutalized image of Master Lymdor. His padawan only arrived an hour ago.
A Memory Crystal in her possession.
"Master Lymdor has told me you have no intention to save him. That I'm wasting my time. If you want Master Lymdor alive, trade his life for the Memory Crystal and a Holocron to go with it."
A chill runs up and down my back. One that catches the attention of Mom. Only she's the one to notice it.
It's his voice. I know it.
He's not appearing on the screen.
Master Larkor places a hand on his chin as he enters into his thoughts.
"I want the Jedi known as Taylor Azure to deliver the Memory Crystal and Holocron to me on Denon. If anyone other than her shows, Master Lymdor dies. No one else will accompany her."
I can sense a deep turmoil within Mom. Now that she's no longer my Master, the decision to go is mine.
I'm a Knight now. I'm no longer tied to the will of my Master.
"There are coordinates to the meeting location encrypted in this message."
He wants to meet with me... He did say we'd meet soon enough... Did he plan all this...
"I'll be waiting."
The recording turns off, and silence takes over the room. After a moment of airless sound, everyone's heads turn toward me.
