GALAXY'S HEAVEN

twenty-one

DATHOMIR

The trio walked out of the ruins, a mess. There were tears still running down his face. BD had lost all enthusiasm and glanced between the two. Diane clutched his hand and wrapped it around her bicep, allowing him to lean on her. Surprisingly, he didn't fight it.

"Did things not go as planned?"

She turned and saw it was the shady traveler.

"Go away," she told him.

Cal wiped his tears and rubbed his snot with the back of his hand.

"You can't say I didn't warn you."

"Leave us alone," Cal said.

"Leave you? Alone? Lost and defenseless in this dangerous place?"

Cal's face scrunched up in anger.

"Okay, enough of this! Who are you? Really?"

The man reached for his black robe and Diane's eyes widened as it fell.

Lightsabers. Two of them.

"Taron Malicos. Former Jedi. Like yourself."

There was a symbol carved into his chest. A line with a circle in the middle. The angel wasn't sure why, but something told her that it was linked with something dark. What kind of darkness, she had absolutely no idea.

"We have so much in common."

"I doubt that."

"We both survived the Purge."

Diane knew that the man had a feeling she wasn't a Jedi, thus directing their conversation more toward Cal. But she was very close to intervening.

But this was his battle and she would not move nor say a word unless he told her to.

"My troops betrayed me. I was forced to strike them down and I escaped. This...desolate place. The darkness... It almost took me. But I conquered it."

Cal hardened his face.

"You're the one the Nightbrothers follow."

Diane whipped her head in confusion. Cal gave her a look which meant he was going to explain later.

Cal eyed the small horns that dangled on his pants on the leather straps that were tied around his waist.

"These savages only respect strength. And as we both know, the Force...is a most powerful ally."

"No," Cal said. "No, you use the Force to seize power. That's-That's everything the Jedi stood against!"

"These are dark times! They will consume us if we do not stand...with each other."

Cal shook his head.

"I don't need your help."

"That broken lightsaber says otherwise."

Cal clenched his fist.

"You saw something in there. Didn't you? Something terrible."

He glanced at Diane.

"Judging by your stance, I'm assuming you somehow did too."

Diane realized that she'd been protectively standing beside Cal the entire time they conversed.

"There are many such places here on Dathomir. Join my family. And I can teach you how to control its power."

"'Join my family?'"

Cal, BD, and Diane turned to see green magick form on one of the higher peaks. The Nightsister.

"'And I will teach you to control its power?' Familiar words, Malicos."