STAR WARS: Commence of Darkness

Chapter 8 (The Intercepetion)

Asher's communicator buzzed incessantly, the intercepted message demanding their immediate attention. As he read the message, the weight of the situation pressed upon him. The Knights of Darkness were on the move, and Master Jing was their target on Ossos.

Stella, who knew Asher all too well, saw the determination in his eyes and the resolve etched on his face. She knew that he would not hesitate to go to the aid of the Jedi Council, to protect Master Jing, and to confront the dark forces that threatened the galaxy. Without a word, she made her decision. She had received orders from the Jedi Council to remain by Asher's side, for him to protect her and support her.

"I'm coming with you," Stella declared, her voice unwavering. "I won't leave your side, Asher, not when you're heading into that."

Asher turned to her, his heart filled with gratitude and love. "Stella, you don't have to do this. It's going to be dangerous, and I don't want you to get hurt."

She smiled, her eyes reflecting the same determination that burned within him. "I go wherever you go that was the assignment. I'm going to go help Master Jing, so if you are going to protect me as you swore to the Jedi you would then I guess you are coming too. We're in this together, Asher."

With their decision made, they prepared to leave Tatooine, their love and their bond stronger than ever. The journey ahead would test their courage and their resolve, but they faced it with hearts united, ready to confront the darkness that threatened the galaxy. Asher's mother sees the urgency in his eyes as she knows something is happening.

"Ill come back I promise," he says as he hugs his mother tight in his arms. She lets out a single tear as she has to watch her boy leaved her once again.

At the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Draven stands alone in a dimly lit chamber, the weight of his choices and actions pressing heavily upon him. He had once been a promising Jedi, but the feeling of abandonment and solitude has left him feeling otherwise.

As he grappled with his inner turmoil, a presence manifested before him—a presence that exuded malevolence and darkness. It was Harkon once again penetrating his mind, the architect of Draven's descent into darkness.

Harkon's voice slithered into Draven's mind, a whispered temptation that sought to exploit his feelings of abandonment and isolation. "Draven, my young friend, have you finally realized the abandonment by the Jedi as I predicted. The Jedi have tossed you tot he side, left you to fend for yourself. But I offer you my proposal once more, something greater than they ever could."

Draven's eyes darted around the chamber, his inner turmoil reflected in his gaze. The darkness had already taken root within him, but now it threatened to consume him entirely. He had been cast aside by the Jedi, left to grapple with his choices alone.

Harkon continued his insidious manipulation, weaving a web of deception. "Embrace the dark side, Draven. It is your true destiny. With its power, you will never be abandoned or betrayed again. The Jedi will never look at you as the same Jedi Knight who couldn't handle himself. You will be the strongest force wielder the galaxy has ever seen."

Draven's breathing grew labored as he wavered on the precipice of a life-altering decision. The allure of power and belonging tugged at his heartstrings, and the wounds of abandonment festered. "I'm tired of feeling alone, the feeling that all my friends are getting the promotions and lifts up that they need to succeed and I'm not. The Jedi don't believe in me or my potential, I realize that after our last discussion. "

In his vulnerable state, he began to falter, inching closer to the trap that Harkon had set. The darkness threatened to engulf him, and as he stood at the crossroads of his fate, the choices he would make would determine not only his destiny but the fate of the galaxy itself. "If you want to be given the opportunity to strive and be limitless come to Malachor and seek my guidance. Ill give you the audience you so desperately seek."