In any case...
The Darkness and the Light
Chapter Fourteen: Stop Ulyaoth Now
Souran slammed into the ground a few feet away from Lora. "No!" she shouted. Forgetting everything around her, she deactivated her lightsaber and rushed to his side. By some miracle, or maybe because of his Trandoshan endurance, he was all right, but he didn't seem capable of focusing. Suddenly, Lora became aware of a lightsaber pointed at her forehead. "Don't," she said, holding Souran close to her. "We surrender."
Klaine laughed bitterly. "What kind of Sith apprentice are you?" he asked cuttingly as he held Andryw in his arms. "This young man has far more potential than you do."
"I don't care," she said, crying slightly. "If you no longer see me as fit to be your apprentice, then so be it." She ran a hand over her face, brushing back the dark red hair that fell into her eyes.
"Very well," he said. He then ran off into the jungle, taking Andryw with him. Broken, Lora began crying, but Souran reached up and held her.
....................
Meanwhile, Kelly and Eran/Ulyaoth were attacking each other mercilessly. All the while, Kelly was working to find a chink in the demon's mental armor. She knew that if she found a way to link with Eran, she could defeat the monster. Ulyaoth then attacked with a left-right-left series of cuts, forcing her to pay attention. Finally, she parried one too late, and the blade hit her in the left arm. Fortunately, it was only a graze. Kelly retaliated by sweeping her saber up towards his face. Ulyaoth jerked back, but not quite fast enough, and Kelly's cut burned a layer of skin off of his temple. Suddenly, Ulyaoth stopped moving and seemed to be trembling all over. Then, he looked up. "Kelly! This is Eran! I think I've only got a minute here, he's strong."
"What?" she asked. "What is it?"
"Kelly, you can't beat this guy the normal way...you...have to...take out his power source."
"What's his source?"
"It's the...DIE!" he yelled as Ulyaoth regained control. Leaping forward, he tried to bring his saber down towards her shoulder, but she blocked him. Unnoticed, a hole opened in the shield, and Exar Affrasia floated through. The hole closed behind him. As the two continued their duel, Exar watched. "Give it up, Antilles!" Ulyaoth shouted.
"Not until you do!" Ulyaoth attacked with a funnel-style spin than she had to leap back to avoid. Then, without really knowing why, she thrust her lightsaber back and over her head. She moved just in time to block an attack by Exar from behind.
"Fool!" Ulyaoth shouted, and his arm suddenly crackled with Force lighting. "Stay out of our way!" The lightning flashed through the air, throwing Exar back into the shield and scorching him. He then fell to the ground, not moving. "Idiot," Ulyaoth said. "I am beholden to no man."
"You sick, twisted monster!" Kelly yelled, attacking. A blast of Force lightning caught her, throwing her back until she skidded to a stop next to Exar.
"Antilles," he said softly. "Ulyaoth's power source is his lightsaber. Destroy it, and you destroy him."
"Why are you telling me?" she asked.
"I despise traitors. Kill him...for all of us."
"I will."
Suddenly, Ulyaoth dropped from the sky, his knees crushing Exar's ribcage. The clone coughed, hacking up dark blood that stained his salt-like skin. "Tattletale," Ulyaoth spat. He then took a swing at Kelly, but she rolled away and came to her feet. Stepping off Exar's crushed body, Ulyaoth flashed Kelly a feral grin. "Time to die, little girl." He thrust out one arm and a Force push slammed into Kelly like a freight train. Flying backwards through the air, she hit the shield and bounced off. Falling to the ground, she screamed in pain. "And now. Who has won?" Ulyaoth taunted. "You can't stop me. NO ONE can stop me. I am invincible! I shall rule this galaxy, forever!"
"NO!" she screamed, and with one last, desperate burst of energy, she flung her saber like a violet spear. Ulyaoth was so busy laughing, he never saw it coming. The saber, guided by the Force, thrust itself into the back of Eran's hand and into the demon's saber handle. Ulyaoth looked at the hand in shock, and time seemed to freeze. Then, the shield collapsed and red bolts of lightning again pierced the sky. Ulyaoth began to scream, over and over, as the bolts struck both him and the saber. Then, the saber exploded. Kelly threw up an arm to ward off the sudden light and rush of air. She couldn't see, she couldn't even see if she'd managed to destroy the demon without killing a fairly good man along with it.
..............
Souran and Lora saw the explosion from the ground. "No," Souran said. "Eran, NO!"
Back on the roof, Kelly held one hand over her mouth and coughed as the smoke began to clear. As her vision improved, she saw Eran's figure, still standing. "Eran?" she asked. Then, the wind kicked up and the smoke dissipated. "Oh my God!"
Eran stood on the roof of the Jedi Academy. His left arm had third-degree burns up past the elbow, and his sleeve had burned away. His right arm, the arm that had held Ulyaoth's lightsaber, was gone from just above the elbow. A cauterized stump indicated where it had been. Kelly ran up to Eran, then came to a stop in front of him. His eyes stared into space, not really seeing her. "He's still here," he whispered.
"Who, Eran?"
"Ulyaoth. He's still..here," Eran's eyes suddenly rolled back and he dropped to his knees, then started to fall back.
"Eran!" she cried out, and caught him by the jacket. Holding his unconscious form to her, she closed her eyes, entered his mind, and prepared to fight the most desperate battle yet.
The Darkness and the Light
Moderator: LadyTevar
-
Kelly Antilles
- Sith Acolyte
- Posts: 6417
- Joined: 2002-09-12 10:36am
Kel, you're really starting to scare me.....
The Darkness and the Light
Chapter Fifteen: Clash of Will
Kelly was flying; at least, that's what it felt like. She was moving at rapid speed through a dark tunnel, and soon emerged onto a bright, grassy plain. Standing, she looked around. "Where am I?" she asked herself.
"Somewhere in the recesses of Eran's mind," came a voice. She turned to see a familiar old man walking towards her.
"Master Aulduin?" she said, surprised. "Is that really-"
"No. Just a shade of the real Aulduin. A small piece of his consciousness that remains with you." Kelly began to tear up, seeing her old teacher again, but a roaring sound stopped her. Suddenly, the sky seemed to turn dark, and a massive creature reared over the horizon. Instantly, Kelly knew that it was Ulyaoth. The shade did not seem surprised. "Ulyaoth's desperate. The only way for him to survive without his power source is to cling to a host and use his body. He's holding on for dear life, because if Eran wins, he'll be banished into the dark side, forever losing his individual spirit."
"How do we win? How do we stop him?"
The shade pointed towards a dark hole that had opened in the sky. "For
years, Eran has alienated pieces of his life because he cannot forgive himself for the harm he has caused others. You must unite these pieces and make Eran face himself. Only if he rejects the dark side can he rid himself of this demon."
Kelly smiled. "Thank you, Master." Without hesitation, she pushed off the ground and soared into the tunnel. After what might have been hours or seconds, she dropped into what seemed to be an endless expanse, its floor made of sliver. As she touched down, she heard her footsteps echo. Turning, she saw Eran. He was standing perfectly straight, his arms intact, his eyes closed. "Eran?" she asked, tentatively. He didn't respond. She reached out to touch his shoulder, and as she did so, his eyes snapped open.
"Kelly?" he asked, startled. "Where are we?"
"Somewhere inside your consciousness."
His face hardened. "I thought I told you-" suddenly, she slapped him across the face!
"Eran, we're facing an evil none of us can comprehend and you're worried about your modesty?" she asked cuttingly. "Do you want to let Ulyaoth take control of your own body? Do you want to see him in charge of the galaxy?" Eran flushed red and looked away. "Then get your priorities straight, or we ALL die."
"Fine!" he spat. Then, he turned and looked off into the distance. "So, what do I have to do?"
"Eran, there's a part of you that you've kept buried for years. You have to face it and accept it. You have to forgive, especially yourself." He turned away, and suddenly something burst out of him. It was pure white, like a spirit, and it slowly adopted a form. It resolved into an image of a much younger, unscarred Eran. The younger man wore a smirk and his eyes sparkled, but they already carried a trace of the coldness they would develop later in life. Eran turned back to Kelly, tears in his own eyes.
"It's me," he said. "When I was eighteen." Then, a blur appeared on the side of the young Eran. The blur resolved itself into the image of a smiling girl, with her arms around the teenage Eran, obviously in love. Eran gasped and fell to his knees, reaching out towards the image. "Melissa!" she cried, his voice cracking. "Melissa, I'm sorry….I'm so sorry," he broke off. Kelly placed her hands on his shoulders, offering her support. After a moment, Eran looked back at the image, which changed to show the young Eran facing a group of people his own age. The people seemed to shout at each other, but there was no sound. "It was my last year of secondary school," Eran said. "Me and a guy named Ryk competed for the same girl. Eventually, she chose me, but Ryk was the leader of a gang, and he wasn't too happy about it." In the image, two of the gang members held Eran by the arms while the leader, who was Ryk, apparently, slashed him with a vibroblade. The slash carved a line starting from Eran's forehead, over his eye, and down towards his jaw. One of the others then decked the teenager, and he fell out of sight.
"They dumped me in a river. That was when I lost it. My father was a historian, and I'd been reading ancient Sith texts and training myself in the Force. I lost all control. I went home and got the lightsaber I'd been building in secret…and I…" The image showed the young Eran, now scarred and full of hate, his lightsaber not working properly, sparking and projecting a short blade. The teenage Eran then buried the saber in Ryk's chest. Kelly winced and turned away. By the time she looked back, the image was gone. Eran fell to his hands and knees. "I killed them. I killed six kids, not even out of high school." He stood and turned to face her, tears running down his face. "I ran. I ran and I met IG-99. We clicked instantly, and he took me away from Raltiir. I can never go back there, because of a bounty on my head. My past was separated from me forever."
Kelly put her arms around him, letting him rest his chin on her shoulder. "Eran, listen to me. You have to forgive them. Otherwise, Ulyaoth might never leave your body." The image returned, showing Ryk. Kelly gently turned Eran around to face the image.
Eran stared at it for a long time. "I," he started. "I forgive you." Slowly the image dissolved, reappearing as a mirror image of Eran! "What? Now what?"
"The last step," Kelly said. Suddenly, the room began to shake, and cracks appeared in the floor. "You must forgive yourself."
"But…that's not my decision to make!" Then, roughly fifty yards away, the massive dragonlike creature that was Ulyaoth thrust up through the floor, its red eyes burning.
"You'll never be rid of me, Eran Scope!" it bellowed. "No matter what you do, my curse shall be upon you forever!"
"Don't listen to him, Eran," Kelly said. "He's just trying to break your confidence. But if you don't reject the dark side, he's right. He will be with you for the rest of your life."
Eran turned to face his image. "All right," he said.
......................
Souran, Lora, and the Jedi apprentices all watched as the crimson lightning bolts struck the roof of the Academy. Souran stood. "What's happening up there? All I can sense is pain." Suddenly, the shield surrounding the roof crackled and disappeared. "Eran?" Souran shouted.
"Master Antilles?" yelled one of the apprentices. Slowly, the smoke cleared, and there was still no answer. Fearing the worst, Souran nodded to one of the apprentices, and several of them flew up to the roof.
"Eran!" Souran cried out as he saw his master unconscious, burned, and being held by Kelly, who also seemed unconscious. Souran started towards them, but Lora grabbed his arm.
"No. They're in a healing trance. Don't touch them."
Souran nodded, then turned to one of the apprentices. "Go get some bacta patches or something. They'll need them. The apprentice hesitated, then nodded and ran off. Then, someone saw Exar's body and cried out. "Good riddance," Souran growled. Suddenly, a bright light ignited, and everyone had to throw up an arm. Souran, whose eyes were better at filtering out light than most of the others, saw that Eran's body was glowing. Shining, giving off a pure white light. Souran was the only one who saw what looked like a cloud of black smoke with red eyes expelled from Eran's body, although all of them heard the roar of frustration it issued. Then, the cloud seemed to disintegrate in the light issued by Eran's body. As the light faded, both Kelly and Eran opened their eyes. They smiled tiredly, because both knew that once again, the light had triumphed.
The Darkness and the Light
Chapter Fifteen: Clash of Will
Kelly was flying; at least, that's what it felt like. She was moving at rapid speed through a dark tunnel, and soon emerged onto a bright, grassy plain. Standing, she looked around. "Where am I?" she asked herself.
"Somewhere in the recesses of Eran's mind," came a voice. She turned to see a familiar old man walking towards her.
"Master Aulduin?" she said, surprised. "Is that really-"
"No. Just a shade of the real Aulduin. A small piece of his consciousness that remains with you." Kelly began to tear up, seeing her old teacher again, but a roaring sound stopped her. Suddenly, the sky seemed to turn dark, and a massive creature reared over the horizon. Instantly, Kelly knew that it was Ulyaoth. The shade did not seem surprised. "Ulyaoth's desperate. The only way for him to survive without his power source is to cling to a host and use his body. He's holding on for dear life, because if Eran wins, he'll be banished into the dark side, forever losing his individual spirit."
"How do we win? How do we stop him?"
The shade pointed towards a dark hole that had opened in the sky. "For
years, Eran has alienated pieces of his life because he cannot forgive himself for the harm he has caused others. You must unite these pieces and make Eran face himself. Only if he rejects the dark side can he rid himself of this demon."
Kelly smiled. "Thank you, Master." Without hesitation, she pushed off the ground and soared into the tunnel. After what might have been hours or seconds, she dropped into what seemed to be an endless expanse, its floor made of sliver. As she touched down, she heard her footsteps echo. Turning, she saw Eran. He was standing perfectly straight, his arms intact, his eyes closed. "Eran?" she asked, tentatively. He didn't respond. She reached out to touch his shoulder, and as she did so, his eyes snapped open.
"Kelly?" he asked, startled. "Where are we?"
"Somewhere inside your consciousness."
His face hardened. "I thought I told you-" suddenly, she slapped him across the face!
"Eran, we're facing an evil none of us can comprehend and you're worried about your modesty?" she asked cuttingly. "Do you want to let Ulyaoth take control of your own body? Do you want to see him in charge of the galaxy?" Eran flushed red and looked away. "Then get your priorities straight, or we ALL die."
"Fine!" he spat. Then, he turned and looked off into the distance. "So, what do I have to do?"
"Eran, there's a part of you that you've kept buried for years. You have to face it and accept it. You have to forgive, especially yourself." He turned away, and suddenly something burst out of him. It was pure white, like a spirit, and it slowly adopted a form. It resolved into an image of a much younger, unscarred Eran. The younger man wore a smirk and his eyes sparkled, but they already carried a trace of the coldness they would develop later in life. Eran turned back to Kelly, tears in his own eyes.
"It's me," he said. "When I was eighteen." Then, a blur appeared on the side of the young Eran. The blur resolved itself into the image of a smiling girl, with her arms around the teenage Eran, obviously in love. Eran gasped and fell to his knees, reaching out towards the image. "Melissa!" she cried, his voice cracking. "Melissa, I'm sorry….I'm so sorry," he broke off. Kelly placed her hands on his shoulders, offering her support. After a moment, Eran looked back at the image, which changed to show the young Eran facing a group of people his own age. The people seemed to shout at each other, but there was no sound. "It was my last year of secondary school," Eran said. "Me and a guy named Ryk competed for the same girl. Eventually, she chose me, but Ryk was the leader of a gang, and he wasn't too happy about it." In the image, two of the gang members held Eran by the arms while the leader, who was Ryk, apparently, slashed him with a vibroblade. The slash carved a line starting from Eran's forehead, over his eye, and down towards his jaw. One of the others then decked the teenager, and he fell out of sight.
"They dumped me in a river. That was when I lost it. My father was a historian, and I'd been reading ancient Sith texts and training myself in the Force. I lost all control. I went home and got the lightsaber I'd been building in secret…and I…" The image showed the young Eran, now scarred and full of hate, his lightsaber not working properly, sparking and projecting a short blade. The teenage Eran then buried the saber in Ryk's chest. Kelly winced and turned away. By the time she looked back, the image was gone. Eran fell to his hands and knees. "I killed them. I killed six kids, not even out of high school." He stood and turned to face her, tears running down his face. "I ran. I ran and I met IG-99. We clicked instantly, and he took me away from Raltiir. I can never go back there, because of a bounty on my head. My past was separated from me forever."
Kelly put her arms around him, letting him rest his chin on her shoulder. "Eran, listen to me. You have to forgive them. Otherwise, Ulyaoth might never leave your body." The image returned, showing Ryk. Kelly gently turned Eran around to face the image.
Eran stared at it for a long time. "I," he started. "I forgive you." Slowly the image dissolved, reappearing as a mirror image of Eran! "What? Now what?"
"The last step," Kelly said. Suddenly, the room began to shake, and cracks appeared in the floor. "You must forgive yourself."
"But…that's not my decision to make!" Then, roughly fifty yards away, the massive dragonlike creature that was Ulyaoth thrust up through the floor, its red eyes burning.
"You'll never be rid of me, Eran Scope!" it bellowed. "No matter what you do, my curse shall be upon you forever!"
"Don't listen to him, Eran," Kelly said. "He's just trying to break your confidence. But if you don't reject the dark side, he's right. He will be with you for the rest of your life."
Eran turned to face his image. "All right," he said.
......................
Souran, Lora, and the Jedi apprentices all watched as the crimson lightning bolts struck the roof of the Academy. Souran stood. "What's happening up there? All I can sense is pain." Suddenly, the shield surrounding the roof crackled and disappeared. "Eran?" Souran shouted.
"Master Antilles?" yelled one of the apprentices. Slowly, the smoke cleared, and there was still no answer. Fearing the worst, Souran nodded to one of the apprentices, and several of them flew up to the roof.
"Eran!" Souran cried out as he saw his master unconscious, burned, and being held by Kelly, who also seemed unconscious. Souran started towards them, but Lora grabbed his arm.
"No. They're in a healing trance. Don't touch them."
Souran nodded, then turned to one of the apprentices. "Go get some bacta patches or something. They'll need them. The apprentice hesitated, then nodded and ran off. Then, someone saw Exar's body and cried out. "Good riddance," Souran growled. Suddenly, a bright light ignited, and everyone had to throw up an arm. Souran, whose eyes were better at filtering out light than most of the others, saw that Eran's body was glowing. Shining, giving off a pure white light. Souran was the only one who saw what looked like a cloud of black smoke with red eyes expelled from Eran's body, although all of them heard the roar of frustration it issued. Then, the cloud seemed to disintegrate in the light issued by Eran's body. As the light faded, both Kelly and Eran opened their eyes. They smiled tiredly, because both knew that once again, the light had triumphed.
JADAFETWA
-
Kelly Antilles
- Sith Acolyte
- Posts: 6417
- Joined: 2002-09-12 10:36am
-
Kelly Antilles
- Sith Acolyte
- Posts: 6417
- Joined: 2002-09-12 10:36am
-
Kelly Antilles
- Sith Acolyte
- Posts: 6417
- Joined: 2002-09-12 10:36am
The Darkness and the Light
Chapter Sixteen: Loose Ends
Eran's smile faded as he gritted his teeth and groaned, clutching his stump of an arm. With a shout, Souran and Lora ran over to him. "Are you all right, Eran?" Souran asked.
"Yeah, kid. I'm all right...thanks to Kelly." Kelly blushed at the compliment, as the apprentice came back with the medical supplies. Eran's entire left arm was wrapped in gauze, except for his hand, which had survived. The remains of his right arm were also wrapped in bandages, and a bacta patch was set on his right temple, where Kelly had grazed him. Kelly needed medical treatment as well, especially the back of her neck, which was burned from hitting the shield, and the point on her arm where she'd been injured. Once everything had been seen to, Eran stood and looked around. "Where's Klaine?" he asked. "And for that matter, where's Andryw?"
"They ran off," Lora said. "Andryw was unconscious, and Lord...Darth Klaine took him back to the Dark Blade." A roaring cut Lora off as the Dark Blade itself suddenly thrust up from the jungle and headed straight towards the Academy.
"Get down!" Eran bellowed, knocking Kelly over and throwing himself on top of her. Everyone flung themselves to the deck as the Blade made a flyby, scoring the Academy and the ground around it with its belly turret. As the ship roared past, Eran struggled to his feet. "You traitor!" he yelled.
Souran and Lora also leapt up as the Dark Blade began to circle around for another pass. Both of them ignited their sabers and leapt into the air. Souran slashed first, slicing almost all the way through the belly turret. Lora's slash finished the job, ripping the turret clean off. The Dark Blade veered away and made for space.
"Well," Kelly said. "I guess that's over."
"No Eran said. He put his arms around her to help steady himself. "It's not over. Take me to the communications room."
"Eran-"
"Now."
........
Aboard the Dark Blade, Klaine sat in the pilot's chair, fuming. He'd gone to great lengths to resurrect Exar and train Lora, and now both were useless. The only decent thing to come out of this whole ordeal was Andryw, and even that was iffy. I'll have to rebuild the Adrenal Rusher, since that lousy Jedi girl destroyed it. Just then, Andryw, dazed but awake, stumbled into the cockpit. "What's going on, Master Klaine?" he asked.
"We lost. I'm taking us to Almania. We'll grab some supplies and then strike out on out own."
"What about Eran and Souran and the others?"
"There's nothing we can do for them."
Suddenly, one of the monitors dissolved into rolling static, then resolved into an image of Eran. "Klaine!" he bellowed. "Where do you think you're going with my ship?"
"Andryw and I are leaving you traitors behind," Klaine said. "We're going to keep the dark side alive."
"Liar! Andryw, don't listen to him. He betrayed Lora, he'll betray you too if it furthers his own ends!" Andryw turned to fix Klaine with his eyes. "And Andryw," Eran held up a small device. "He's already betrayed you. This is an Adrenal stimulator, design to give you an extra adrenaline rush."
"You Son of a Sith!" Andryw yelled. Klaine backhanded him, and Eran shouted.
"Quiet, Andryw. You're my apprentice now, and you'll do as I say."
"Screw you!" Andryw lit his saber and attacked. In the space of the cockpit, there was barely enough room for a saber fight, which meant that they stayed right in each other's faces. Although Andryw was younger and stronger, the destruction of the neck device had left him tired and weak. Klaine easily battered away his attacks before slashing him across the midsection. Stunned, Andryw fell to the deck. As he breathed his last, he closed his eyes. Eran reached into his jacket for something.
"Now, look at this!" Klaine said, his back to the screen. "What have you really accomplished here, Eran, except to slow me down while I find a new apprentice?"
"Klaine," Eran said. The Sith Lord turned to see Eran holding a small device, his thumb poised on a small red button. "Burn in hell, you traitor." Eran pressed the button, and almost immediately, a shudder ran through the Dark Blade. Klaine had just enough time to scream as flames reached out from the engine compartment to claim him.
The explosion erupted out the bridge windows a split second before another massive explosion tore the Dark Blade apart.
.............
Back at the Academy, Eran let the remote drop to the floor and sank into his chair. "So long, Blade," he said softly. "I'll miss you."
...............
Both Eran and Kelly spent hours in the med station, recovering from their battle. Souran and Lora stayed on the roof, talking. A few hours later, they approached Eran, who was lying in a bed looking out the window. "Eran?" Souran asked quietly.
"Yeah?"
Souran sat beside his friend. "Lora and I have decided to stay here. We both want to stay together and learn how to use the light side." Eran chuckled weakly.
"And here I was, trying to think of a way to persuade you two to stay here!" Eran held out his hand. "Give me your hands, both of you." They each placed one hand in his, and he pressed their palms together. "Take care of each other. I'm not going to stay around here for very long, so you're going to have to get along without me." Souran smiled sadly and nodded.
Lora smiled too, and gave Eran a quick hug. "Thanks…dad," she said. Eran laughed.
.................
The next morning found Eran standing on the roof, looking out at the jungle. "I overheard you, you know," Kelly said from behind him.
"So?"
"Eran, why not stay here? You can teach the apprentices combat techniques. I could put in a word with Luke-"
Eran laughed. "Strong words from someone who wants to leave as much as I do."
Kelly gasped. "How did you know that?"
"Your mind touched mine when Ulyaoth took over my body. I saw some things…your husband. Your family. You have a beautiful life Kelly."
"I…thank you."
"And I appreciate the offer, but it wouldn't suit me. I'm a wanderer, Kelly, and I'm not ready to settle down."
"I understand." She moved to stand next to him, and he put an arm around her shoulders.
Chapter Sixteen: Loose Ends
Eran's smile faded as he gritted his teeth and groaned, clutching his stump of an arm. With a shout, Souran and Lora ran over to him. "Are you all right, Eran?" Souran asked.
"Yeah, kid. I'm all right...thanks to Kelly." Kelly blushed at the compliment, as the apprentice came back with the medical supplies. Eran's entire left arm was wrapped in gauze, except for his hand, which had survived. The remains of his right arm were also wrapped in bandages, and a bacta patch was set on his right temple, where Kelly had grazed him. Kelly needed medical treatment as well, especially the back of her neck, which was burned from hitting the shield, and the point on her arm where she'd been injured. Once everything had been seen to, Eran stood and looked around. "Where's Klaine?" he asked. "And for that matter, where's Andryw?"
"They ran off," Lora said. "Andryw was unconscious, and Lord...Darth Klaine took him back to the Dark Blade." A roaring cut Lora off as the Dark Blade itself suddenly thrust up from the jungle and headed straight towards the Academy.
"Get down!" Eran bellowed, knocking Kelly over and throwing himself on top of her. Everyone flung themselves to the deck as the Blade made a flyby, scoring the Academy and the ground around it with its belly turret. As the ship roared past, Eran struggled to his feet. "You traitor!" he yelled.
Souran and Lora also leapt up as the Dark Blade began to circle around for another pass. Both of them ignited their sabers and leapt into the air. Souran slashed first, slicing almost all the way through the belly turret. Lora's slash finished the job, ripping the turret clean off. The Dark Blade veered away and made for space.
"Well," Kelly said. "I guess that's over."
"No Eran said. He put his arms around her to help steady himself. "It's not over. Take me to the communications room."
"Eran-"
"Now."
........
Aboard the Dark Blade, Klaine sat in the pilot's chair, fuming. He'd gone to great lengths to resurrect Exar and train Lora, and now both were useless. The only decent thing to come out of this whole ordeal was Andryw, and even that was iffy. I'll have to rebuild the Adrenal Rusher, since that lousy Jedi girl destroyed it. Just then, Andryw, dazed but awake, stumbled into the cockpit. "What's going on, Master Klaine?" he asked.
"We lost. I'm taking us to Almania. We'll grab some supplies and then strike out on out own."
"What about Eran and Souran and the others?"
"There's nothing we can do for them."
Suddenly, one of the monitors dissolved into rolling static, then resolved into an image of Eran. "Klaine!" he bellowed. "Where do you think you're going with my ship?"
"Andryw and I are leaving you traitors behind," Klaine said. "We're going to keep the dark side alive."
"Liar! Andryw, don't listen to him. He betrayed Lora, he'll betray you too if it furthers his own ends!" Andryw turned to fix Klaine with his eyes. "And Andryw," Eran held up a small device. "He's already betrayed you. This is an Adrenal stimulator, design to give you an extra adrenaline rush."
"You Son of a Sith!" Andryw yelled. Klaine backhanded him, and Eran shouted.
"Quiet, Andryw. You're my apprentice now, and you'll do as I say."
"Screw you!" Andryw lit his saber and attacked. In the space of the cockpit, there was barely enough room for a saber fight, which meant that they stayed right in each other's faces. Although Andryw was younger and stronger, the destruction of the neck device had left him tired and weak. Klaine easily battered away his attacks before slashing him across the midsection. Stunned, Andryw fell to the deck. As he breathed his last, he closed his eyes. Eran reached into his jacket for something.
"Now, look at this!" Klaine said, his back to the screen. "What have you really accomplished here, Eran, except to slow me down while I find a new apprentice?"
"Klaine," Eran said. The Sith Lord turned to see Eran holding a small device, his thumb poised on a small red button. "Burn in hell, you traitor." Eran pressed the button, and almost immediately, a shudder ran through the Dark Blade. Klaine had just enough time to scream as flames reached out from the engine compartment to claim him.
The explosion erupted out the bridge windows a split second before another massive explosion tore the Dark Blade apart.
.............
Back at the Academy, Eran let the remote drop to the floor and sank into his chair. "So long, Blade," he said softly. "I'll miss you."
...............
Both Eran and Kelly spent hours in the med station, recovering from their battle. Souran and Lora stayed on the roof, talking. A few hours later, they approached Eran, who was lying in a bed looking out the window. "Eran?" Souran asked quietly.
"Yeah?"
Souran sat beside his friend. "Lora and I have decided to stay here. We both want to stay together and learn how to use the light side." Eran chuckled weakly.
"And here I was, trying to think of a way to persuade you two to stay here!" Eran held out his hand. "Give me your hands, both of you." They each placed one hand in his, and he pressed their palms together. "Take care of each other. I'm not going to stay around here for very long, so you're going to have to get along without me." Souran smiled sadly and nodded.
Lora smiled too, and gave Eran a quick hug. "Thanks…dad," she said. Eran laughed.
.................
The next morning found Eran standing on the roof, looking out at the jungle. "I overheard you, you know," Kelly said from behind him.
"So?"
"Eran, why not stay here? You can teach the apprentices combat techniques. I could put in a word with Luke-"
Eran laughed. "Strong words from someone who wants to leave as much as I do."
Kelly gasped. "How did you know that?"
"Your mind touched mine when Ulyaoth took over my body. I saw some things…your husband. Your family. You have a beautiful life Kelly."
"I…thank you."
"And I appreciate the offer, but it wouldn't suit me. I'm a wanderer, Kelly, and I'm not ready to settle down."
"I understand." She moved to stand next to him, and he put an arm around her shoulders.
JADAFETWA
Ok finaly read it and....
Sappy sappy writing
Decent writing
Very sappy
However I will upgrade my estamte from 3 Monkeys and fifteen mintues to twenty monkeys and three hours
Sappy sappy writing
Decent writing
Very sappy
However I will upgrade my estamte from 3 Monkeys and fifteen mintues to twenty monkeys and three hours
"A cult is a religion with no political power." -Tom Wolfe
Pardon me for sounding like a dick, but I'm playing the tiniest violin in the world right now-Dalton
-
Kelly Antilles
- Sith Acolyte
- Posts: 6417
- Joined: 2002-09-12 10:36am
Well, wait no longer!
The Darkness and the Light
Epilogue: Beacon
Everyone was present when a trio of Lambda-class shuttles descended from the sky and landed. Kelly smiled as she saw Luke Skywalker, Mara Jade, Kam Solusar, Corran Horn, and Tionne all coming out to greet the apprentices, but a red-haired man outran them all. "Kelly!" he cried out as he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off the ground.
"Pash! I can't believe you're here!" she squealed.
"Are you ready to come home?"
"There's some things to take care of first." She reluctantly left her husband and went to stand before Luke. She bowed, and he returned it. "Luke there are a couple people I want to introduce you to." She gestured, and Souran and Lora nervously stepped forward. "Luke, this is Souran Teer and Lora Camille. They want to stay at the Academy."
"We're ready to learn, Master Skywalker," Souran said.
Luke nodded. "Welcome to the Academy." He then turned to Kelly. "And where's the third one you spoke of?"
"Well-" Kelly was cut off by a roar from one of the shuttles. Without warning, it lifted off the ground and lowered its wings into place. With a rush of air, it pointed itself towards the sky and took off, rapidly shrinking to the size of a dot. Corran ran into one of the other shuttles, Kelly and the others right behind him.
"He's moving fast," Corran said, pointing to one of the sensor displays. "It'll only be a few seconds before he clears the gravity well."
Kelly picked up the microphone. "Eran?" she asked. The cockpit grew silent around her. "Eran is that you? Come in." Silence. Suddenly, the shuttle disappeared.
"Well, that's it," Corran said. "He just made the jump to hyperspace."
"Eran," Kelly said softly.
As they were exiting the shuttle, a pair of apprentices came running. "Mom, we found something," one said. He thrust an envelope into her hand. It was addressed, 'Kelly'.
"Leave me alone for a few minutes," she said. Luke nodded, and went to talk to Souran and Lora, motioning for the others for follow. Using her thumb, Kelly broke the seal and read the paper inside.
Kelly,
If you're reading this, it probably means I've left Yavin 4. Sorry to
steal one of your ships, but don't worry about it. I'll drop it off at a docking station called Gus Treta near Corellia. I've got a couple contacts there, so it'll be safe. I've also got another ship there, so you don't have to worry about me traipsing around in a stolen shuttle.
I'm sorry if this hurts you in some way, but maybe I'm flattering myself. Like I said, I'm just not ready to settle down. I'm also unfit to be a teacher. I've been with the darkness for too long, Kelly, to completely reject it in a day. I've got to go it alone for a while, to make sure that I've managed to safeguard myself from anything that might happen.
I wish you the best of luck with your family and your endeavors, Kelly. I'm certain your children are lucky to have such a loving mother. Take care of yourself.
Eran.
Kelly waited for some kind of blow to hit her, but nothing happened. She'd been expecting something of this kind ever since Eran told her his feelings. Slowly, she looked towards the sky where she'd last seen the shuttle. "Good luck, Eran," she said. "I hope I'll see you again sometime." Somehow, she was certain he'd heard her. As she turned to walk away, Kelly saw a meteor blazing across the sky. Taking it as a good sign, she softly began to sing. It was a song she'd heard as a little girl........
I JUST FEEL "RHYTHM EMOTION"
The beating of my heart
Connected to you so far away...
I don't care if I'm hurt anymore, Without turning my eyes away
I want to live passionately
I want to hold you because you give me the strength to never give up
I JUST FEEL "RHYTHM EMOTION"
The mistakes and the pain
Guided me to one clear moment of light
I JUST FEEL "RHYTHM EMOTION"
The beating of my heart
Connected to you so far away...
I want to experience the present on my bare skin
I want to find more gentleness
Bring back the miracle of my childhood days when everything sparkled
I JUST FEEL "RHYTHM EMOTION"
We feel and understand each others pain
We believe in the warmth
I JUST FEEL "RHYTHM EMOTION"
With this kiss
I want to make you feel the truth of my passion so far away...
I JUST FEEL "RHYTHM EMOTION"
The mistakes and the pain
Guided me to one clear moment of light
I JUST FEEL "RHYTHM EMOTION"
The beating of my heart
Connected to you so far away...
THE END
The Darkness and the Light
Epilogue: Beacon
Everyone was present when a trio of Lambda-class shuttles descended from the sky and landed. Kelly smiled as she saw Luke Skywalker, Mara Jade, Kam Solusar, Corran Horn, and Tionne all coming out to greet the apprentices, but a red-haired man outran them all. "Kelly!" he cried out as he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off the ground.
"Pash! I can't believe you're here!" she squealed.
"Are you ready to come home?"
"There's some things to take care of first." She reluctantly left her husband and went to stand before Luke. She bowed, and he returned it. "Luke there are a couple people I want to introduce you to." She gestured, and Souran and Lora nervously stepped forward. "Luke, this is Souran Teer and Lora Camille. They want to stay at the Academy."
"We're ready to learn, Master Skywalker," Souran said.
Luke nodded. "Welcome to the Academy." He then turned to Kelly. "And where's the third one you spoke of?"
"Well-" Kelly was cut off by a roar from one of the shuttles. Without warning, it lifted off the ground and lowered its wings into place. With a rush of air, it pointed itself towards the sky and took off, rapidly shrinking to the size of a dot. Corran ran into one of the other shuttles, Kelly and the others right behind him.
"He's moving fast," Corran said, pointing to one of the sensor displays. "It'll only be a few seconds before he clears the gravity well."
Kelly picked up the microphone. "Eran?" she asked. The cockpit grew silent around her. "Eran is that you? Come in." Silence. Suddenly, the shuttle disappeared.
"Well, that's it," Corran said. "He just made the jump to hyperspace."
"Eran," Kelly said softly.
As they were exiting the shuttle, a pair of apprentices came running. "Mom, we found something," one said. He thrust an envelope into her hand. It was addressed, 'Kelly'.
"Leave me alone for a few minutes," she said. Luke nodded, and went to talk to Souran and Lora, motioning for the others for follow. Using her thumb, Kelly broke the seal and read the paper inside.
Kelly,
If you're reading this, it probably means I've left Yavin 4. Sorry to
steal one of your ships, but don't worry about it. I'll drop it off at a docking station called Gus Treta near Corellia. I've got a couple contacts there, so it'll be safe. I've also got another ship there, so you don't have to worry about me traipsing around in a stolen shuttle.
I'm sorry if this hurts you in some way, but maybe I'm flattering myself. Like I said, I'm just not ready to settle down. I'm also unfit to be a teacher. I've been with the darkness for too long, Kelly, to completely reject it in a day. I've got to go it alone for a while, to make sure that I've managed to safeguard myself from anything that might happen.
I wish you the best of luck with your family and your endeavors, Kelly. I'm certain your children are lucky to have such a loving mother. Take care of yourself.
Eran.
Kelly waited for some kind of blow to hit her, but nothing happened. She'd been expecting something of this kind ever since Eran told her his feelings. Slowly, she looked towards the sky where she'd last seen the shuttle. "Good luck, Eran," she said. "I hope I'll see you again sometime." Somehow, she was certain he'd heard her. As she turned to walk away, Kelly saw a meteor blazing across the sky. Taking it as a good sign, she softly began to sing. It was a song she'd heard as a little girl........
I JUST FEEL "RHYTHM EMOTION"
The beating of my heart
Connected to you so far away...
I don't care if I'm hurt anymore, Without turning my eyes away
I want to live passionately
I want to hold you because you give me the strength to never give up
I JUST FEEL "RHYTHM EMOTION"
The mistakes and the pain
Guided me to one clear moment of light
I JUST FEEL "RHYTHM EMOTION"
The beating of my heart
Connected to you so far away...
I want to experience the present on my bare skin
I want to find more gentleness
Bring back the miracle of my childhood days when everything sparkled
I JUST FEEL "RHYTHM EMOTION"
We feel and understand each others pain
We believe in the warmth
I JUST FEEL "RHYTHM EMOTION"
With this kiss
I want to make you feel the truth of my passion so far away...
I JUST FEEL "RHYTHM EMOTION"
The mistakes and the pain
Guided me to one clear moment of light
I JUST FEEL "RHYTHM EMOTION"
The beating of my heart
Connected to you so far away...
THE END
Last edited by Kuja on 2002-10-18 11:56am, edited 2 times in total.
JADAFETWA
-
Kelly Antilles
- Sith Acolyte
- Posts: 6417
- Joined: 2002-09-12 10:36am
-
Kelly Antilles
- Sith Acolyte
- Posts: 6417
- Joined: 2002-09-12 10:36am
-
Kelly Antilles
- Sith Acolyte
- Posts: 6417
- Joined: 2002-09-12 10:36am