Kissed by Fire: Cal Kestis

Chapter 20

"At last. I found my quarry," he said, looking at the object in wonderment. "The Astrium. Used by the Zeffo Sages millennia ago. I hold in my hand a piece of galactic history." He reeled back in joy, holding his arms out with a wide grin on his aged face. "Oh, I will never be able to thank Tarfful enough! Do you know what this means, my friend? No need to return to Dathomir." He spat the name of the planet like a poison upon his tongue. "The darkness clouded every attempt at finding the Astrium inside Kujet's Tomb but the Force... The Force has provided a new path!"

Cal perked up at the words Cordova spoke, listing them deep in his mind. "Kujet's Tomb," he repeated the words, and began heading out of the Zeffo region in a hurry.

Y/n let out a tiny breath of irritation. "I was hoping we could avoid Dathomir. I heard nothing good happened there during the Clone Wars," she stated.

"The planet's completely deserted, last I heard," Cal told her as they headed up the branch, spotting the Shyyyo Bird returning to their aid. "Once the Nightsisters were wiped out by Grievous, Dathomir became a ghost."

"Even so..." Y/n began, a shiver running down her spine at just the thought of the planet.

They jumped into a large nest, one they assumed was created by the Shyyyo Bird who sat waiting for them on the edge. It bowed its head to them in greeting before Cal led Y/n to the side. "You go first," he said, gesturing for her to jump. "I'll give you a boost."

Y/n nodded, putting her foot on his joined hands while grabbing for the easiest to reach feathers. He lifted her with ease, pushing her up until she had a firm grip on the bird's feathers above. "Come on, Kestis. Greez probably cooked up a meal for when we get back," she said down to him.

"Can't say no to that," he grinned.

Just as he was about to jump, a sudden blast crashed down beside the Shyyyo Bird. Cal watched in horror as the Shyyyo Bird lost its grip and fell down the Origin Tree, taking Y/n with it. "NO!!" he cried out, catching Y/n's eyes for a moment before she disappeared beneath the tree. They were filled with nothing but pure terror as she fell. "Y/n!!"

He tried to run to the edge of the nest, but the ship from which the bolts came from, the Ninth Sister's ship, appeared and started raining fire on him. He had to run away from the edge, no matter how much he didn't want to, and dodge the sudden appearance of the Ninth Sister from behind him. He ignited both ends of his blade while she lit up her crimson weapon. "Found you again," she sneered, but Cal could hardly listen to her.

"You're done hurting this world," he growled at her, nothing but fury taking ahold of his chest. Y/n was lost. Y/n was gone. And it's the Ninth Sister's fault.

"Aww, are you mad I killed your girlfriend? Her mother will thank me for that," the Sister laughed, grinning and showing her sharp teeth. "I don't know what's got Second Sister thinking you're so important. She likes her souvenirs but..." she took a hissing breath between her teeth, "I'm not in it for the memories and honestly, you're not worth my time. So let's make this quick."

She killed her.

Cal had to remind himself that he shouldn't let his anger dictate this fight, but every time he looked at the Ninth Sister, he felt himself leaning over the edge. Fighting the Ninth Sister was nothing like fighting the Second. While Trilla's movements were calculated, cold, and precise, the Ninth Sister's movements were brutish, unfocused, and filled with nothing but power. There was no thought to her attacks, only the fight. Although, he had to admit, her swings were devastating him. He blocked her as well as he could, but she kept knocking him off of his feet.

Every once and a while, thanks to his more planned and practiced movements, he was able to get a swing at her that would knock her back. His training at the Temple was filling his head, returning to him. However, when he would look into the red visor of the Ninth Sister, the memory of Y/n falling with the Shyyyo Bird would return. He would shake his head, caught off guard by the rage in his throat, but push it back into control. This kept giving the Ninth exactly what she needed to trap him in another rage attack.