Tai and Davis activated their lightsabers as they hurried towards the entrance hall to fight off the intruders. Once they got there, they saw the bodies of various Jedi scattered across the entire hall. In the middle stood a figure in a dark cloak with the hood pulled up, a red lightsaber humming menacingly at their side. "Who are you?" Tai demanded. "Show yourself!"
The assailant jumped at Tai, who jumped in the air to dodge the strike. But this was anticipated by the hooded figure. "Do you really think that you've won? No one can defeat my speed!" the figure roared in a mechanic voice. The red lightsaber plunged itself into Tai's side, causing him to wince in pain as he fell back towards his apprentice. "Master!" Davis yelled as he ran towards Tai. Tai however, while breathing heavily, recovered quickly, and assumed a Shien stance of attack. "Davis... get back" was all that came out of Tai Kamiya. The figure launched another saber strike towards Tai, aiming straight for his chest. "You will soon die!"
"NO!" Davis cried as he blocked the attack with his lightsaber.
Tai dodged the attack, spun around and just as he was about to attack his assailant, a devastating kick was delivered to his ribs. Tai was pushed back so hard that he left a small crater in one of the pillars of the temple.
"What's wrong? Is this all the great Tai Kamiya has to offer? I expected more from the man who mastered the JarKai Var style." The dark figure said as she prepared for another critical Makashi attack. Tai's breathing slowed, his heartbeat became slower as he stood up. Something inside him had finally let itself out, and this Dark Jedi would feel it. For now, he was no longer Tai Kamiya, but the last apprentice of Ulic Qel-Droma. He opened his eyes; a shade of bright yellow had taken over the blue orbs that decorated his face. Davis looked at his master, with a look of pure shock.
"Master?" The figure launched her critical strike that was thought to be impossible to dodge. However, Tai had dodged it with was, spinning around and landing an elbow to the figure's neck, sending her flying out of the window.
"You fail to recognize... I am the last Apprentice of Ulic Qel-Droma. After seeing a technique at least twice in my lifetime I can think of at least one or two ways around it. Come Davis, we have business to take care of." The Apprentice said as he jumped out of the window after the figure.
The assailant chuckled with a small evil venom laced. "Finally, the man who took my beloved away..." She landed on her feet, boots hitting the concrete as she readied her blade for another attack.
* * * *
Matt hurried to the roof of the temple, part of already collapsing under fire from the swarming Sith fighters. 'Damnit! If this keeps up, the temple will become a tomb for the entire Jedi Order' He moved quickly, dodging falling debris and performing flips to gain extra altitude before finally reaching his destination. He grabbed the comlink on his belt, throwing his hood up to protect from the wind and snow. "Meiko! Keep the younglings inside! Get them to the Council Chambers! TK, you and Ken find Joe and give him the situation report. I want to know where that Son of a Huttlet is during this time of crisis!" He tried to punch in Izzy's group but soon found his position under fire. A lone Sith fighter snuck its way out of formation and single handedly targeted Matt. He jumped out of the way of a pair of turbolaser blasts. Letting the Force flow through him, he brought his hands up and targeted the Sith fighter. "Here's something you can't do." He brought down the fighter with great tenacity, letting it slam against the roof. Whoever the pilot was, he moved with such speed that even Matt had a hard time tracking his movements.
The figure jumped out of the cockpit of the fighter, just before it exploded. Landing a good distant away from the target, it moved with speed and agility, igniting the lightsaber it brought and attacking Matt with ferocity. Matt barely had enough time to block the attack before the assailant was on him again with another flash of attacks. The style of combat was something he recognized as Djem So. There was only one person he knew with that kind of power. He dropped his cloak, letting it hit the cold rooftop as the figure did the same. The masked warrior finally spoke, "It is time to see which is better, Djem So, or Vaapad." The robotic hiss was not lost due to the wind, and Matt felt his body shake at the sound of it. The modulator sounded female, and he was sure that's what his target was.
"Well, I'll have you know I am the master of this style, and not even my own brother can beat me in lightsaber combat!" He readied his blade, ready to enjoy a nice and lengthy duel.
To his surprise, the masked warrior replied. "Oh, I'm sure you'll find out how wrong you are about that." She moved fast, letting her fury increase her speed and rage. Her attacks became more and more aggressive, requiring Matt to adapt his style with Soresu to parry effectively. He lunged upward, his saber sinking into the concrete roof before coming up to slash his attackers mask clean off. The figure moved back, clutching her face as if he had taken it with the mask.
Matt stood still, waiting for the next attack. There was no next attack, however. Instead, there was silence, and then shock. The figure turned around, without the mask to hide her identity. "Hello, my old friend. It's been quite some time." She hissed, her voice now clear.
"No... this can't be... You can't be Kari!" He dropped his lightsaber, unwilling to believe that the person he was fighting was his best friend's sister.
She laughed, venom within her vocal chords. "Oh, indeed I am, or I was I should say. Darth Imperious is now who I am. Kari Kamiya no longer has any meaning for me." She replied, starting her next sequences of attacks, utilizing Djem So to its fullest. Calling on her anger, she parried Matt's swing of his blade, turning around and aiming to take out his legs. To her surprise, Matt had managed to block the attack, and used the Force to push her back.
Matt spoke through combat; his heart was no longer in the fight. Vaapad would fail him, since he could no longer enjoy the feeling of battle that was being presented. He sped forward wanting to disarm his opponent at all cost. The two eventually found themselves in a saber lock that felt like it was lasting for eternity.
* * * *
Davis was still trying to comprehend what had just taken place with his master but quickly followed. "What was that, Master?" he asked. "I don't understand?"
But the Apprentice had already started running towards the dark figure. "Davis, JarKai Var techniques only. Understood?"
"Yes, Master!" he cried as he engaged the dark figure in combat. Attacking swiftly and powerfully, he more than stood his own.
Using the Dark Side of the Force to augment his attacks more viciously, the Apprentice had almost landed a killing blow to the dark figure, but instead of beheading, it only cut off the hood. "Now... maybe we shall see who you really are as our blades pierce that sick heart of yours."
Davis was caught off guard by his Master's tone of voice. This man was not the Tai Kamiya he had come to know in recent months. Tai had always preached patience and that battle was not what a Jedi dedicates his life to. This man had become a cold-blooded warrior. 'This must be what he had spoken of on Manaan. Oh, why didn't I believe him!'
"Master!" Davis touched his master's shoulder. "Snap out of it! You're scaring me! It's against our teachings to not kill defenseless prisoners."
The Apprentice only looked at the now visible face of the figure. "Davis... before you say anything that will make me angry, take a look at our opponent." His words were laced with venom as he assumed a Battou Jutsu stance.
Davis looked down at their fallen adversary. Immediately his eyes went wide with shock and his skin paled. He could not believe it. "M-Master Sora?" he squeaked, unable to believe that it was her. "This can't be!"
"Sora? Sora is no more. I am Darth Sacralous, and I am the end of the Jedi Order." She chuckled evilly as she raised her saber. "Davis, don't you see. This is the man who really trained you. Not the simpleton that is Tai Kamiya. This was what you missed on Manaan! You missed the Last Apprentice of Ulic Qel-Droma!" She screamed as high as her voice would go. She then readied her blade, waiting for the moment to strike her prey.
The Apprentice did not break his stance, nor his facial expression. "It seems a fitting name, your devotion to anything is sacrilegious!"
Sacralous countered his term. "You will no longer speak your lies once I kill you." She moved around slowly, eyeing her situation.
The Apprentice said something that shook Sacralous to her core. "I think you've got it wrong, those are my words!" The echo of his phrase was felt. Around the three combatants, snow was gathering across the temple grounds. Turbolasers fell down to the planet, causing untold amounts of destruction. The home of the Jedi Order was collapsing all around them, and Sacralous looked as though she reveled in its destruction.
Enraged by his words, she activated her lightsaber and sent a strike towards his face, but Davis stopped the attack before it could do anything. "What happened, Master Sora? Why did you do it?" he demanded. "Why did you join them?"
Sacralous began to tell her tale "I resisted at first, retaining the passionless serenity of a true Jedi. However, after a month of torture and dealings with Lord Malak, I finally saw the truth that the Jedi Order had betrayed everything they had ever believed in. They wanted slaves who bowed down and followed all their orders. They abandoned Kari and I to the machinations of the Sith. They don't care about anything!" She broke their saber lock and started to pummel Davis with Makashi fencing.
The Apprentice chuckled a bit at the response. "Yet what are you doing now, child? The exact same thing. You are not worthy of the love of Tai Kamiya. I shall do a favor to the galaxy and rid you of the pesky ordeal." He felt his laughter rise, feeding his anger. He then lunged forward. "JarKai Var... Shimuzee!"
Sacralous knew that she could not win dealing with the two of them utilizing the style of Ulic Qel-Droma, so using the Force, she threw The Apprentice into a column.
The Apprentice grunted to his feet, rubbing his head and noticing blood coming for his hair line. It was time to revert back. In a move that surprised both Davis and Sacralous, the Apprentice slammed his fist into the bloodied area of his forehead. The bright yellow of his eyes had returned to the shining blue, bringing back Tai Kamiya. "Sora... don't do this."
"There is the man I adored, I'm so flattered!" Sacralous spat. "But you're too late. Only Darth Sacralous lives"
Davis lunged deep after Sacralous. "No! You will not betray my master this way! Not after everything he has done for you!" His lightsaber in hand, Davis utilized his best JarKai Var technique. "JarKai Var Reyuziken!"
What should have been a clear victory, was not to be. "As Tai said earlier with my Gattosu, after seeing an attack like this I can think of one or two ways around it." Sacralous said as she blocked the attack. "Now to end your pathetic existence"
"Try and catch me first," Davis said with a smirk as he prepared his stance. He then activated his lightsaber shoto and jabbed Sacralous in her chin, just as he had done with Tai at the beginning of their training. Davis then slashed Sacralous' chest. She roared in pain as she stammered backwards.
Tai joined his Padawan's side. "Shall we try this again my apprentice?" They both stood with a Battou Jutsu stance.
"Yes, Master." Davis nodded before the two of them charged at their opponent.
"Well Sora, can you survive two Reyuzikens?"
Feeling emboldened, the two of them committed to their attacks and moved in for the kill.
"Oh, my dear Tai, if only you knew how much I love you." Sacralous raised the pitch in her voice back to Sora's tone. This caused Tai to slow down and stop.
"What did you say?"
"You heard me," she continued. "Your courage inspires me to no end. You have always been my dearest friend for as long as I can remember. Come with me and we can be together without fear. We won't have to hide anymore."
Davis stopped and looked at the two masters of the Force. "Master, don't listen to her. She's not the Sora we know!"
Tai began to speak to Sacralous. "What if I let the Apprentice out again... what happens then? Did you enjoy that little display of my true power? What happens if you want to betray me?!"
"I would cut my throat before I would betray you, Tai," said Sacralous. "We have already sealed our love."
"But... I told myself I would never fall to the Dark Side again!" Tai yelled to Sacralous.
"But Tai... you already have"
Tai stammered, his speech becoming more chocked up with the raging emotions inside of him. "Sora... this is crazy. This is wrong!"
Sacralous roared at her lover. "What's wrong is the fact that there is no galaxy where we can truly be together! There will always be mitigating factors that separate us!" She swung her hands widely. "You embraced the Dark Side once on Rhen Var, and now I return the favor. Yet you won't do me the honor of being mine again!" Her voice became similarly unsteady, almost as if Sora herself was trying to break free. "This is why I joined the Dark Side. To be like you, to combat the Jedi and rebuild the Order. So we could have a family!" She stopped, her voice dropping back to its lower octave of Sacralous. "But I see now... that will never come to be."
"LIAR!" Davis cried as he moved to strike Sacralous before she could react.
"Don't you interfere in face of love, boy!"
"I always was a slow learner," he replied snidely.
Tai force quaked the ground at Sacralous, and then jumped over position to have Davis and himself block her at both ends. "That's my boy!"
In a flash, three sabers clashed in a display of color and swift movement.
"Sora! Please come back to the light. I can help you! I love you!" Tai persisted in his attempts to redeem the woman he loved.
Sacralous jumped back, her anger growing at hearing her former self's name. "It's too late for that. You're too late to save me." The words she exuded became more confident. "I chose to do this! I was not forced! I fully embraced the Dark Side of the Force without hesitation!" The voice was Sacralous, but the last part held more of Sora's tone. She was angry, slashing her saber back and forth as if in a tantrum. The conflict within herself showcasing in a beautiful display of fury, cutting away rock and concrete of the Jedi Temple.
Davis tried to reason with her. "Sora, don't do this! I know you don't want to."
She slashed his cheek. "Does that change your assessment? How many times must a woman proclaim that Sora Takenouchi is dead?!"
Tai moved closer to his Padawan, his words becoming more and more shaky as his emotions kept him from fighting. "Davis, she can be saved! I know she can"
But Davis had seen first-hand of what had become of his former friend. The woman he knew was gone, consumed by Darth Sacralous. "She has chosen to take a Darker path. She is now an enemy to me. Sora is no more, and I will see to her end!" Davis went to attack Sacralous, who was expecting it the entire time.
She slashed away his saber to elbow him at the back of the neck. As she prepared to end him for good, Tai came in with a defensive strike to save his Padawan's life. "Stay out of this!" Sacralous used the Force to pick Tai up and throw him into the wall away from them. Using this distraction, Davis swept her feet out from under her to send her to the ground.
"You will pay for what you have done," he growled, activating his lightsaber. "And I will be the one to stop you."
"Oh I don't think so, my blade will find it's mark"
"Have at thee!"
"You will feel the power of the Dark Side" Sacralous then used force lightning
Davis blocked it with his lightsaber but it was getting harder to block as she increased its then pushed it away and he charged toward Sacralous. Their sabers clashed in a furious display of light and speed.
Sacralous admired the boy's skill, noting its increased power in such a short time from a month ago. "I'm impressed Davis, you've learned well in such a short time. Though you only delay the inevitable. I will make you suffer."
Davis replied with a smirk, echoing a line from earlier in the duel. "I've always been a fast learner."
"Clever wit won't save you!" With lightning speed, Sacralous quickly found her way around Davis' back and kicked him forward, dropping his lightsaber
"And now... you die." She readied her weapon for her final plunge.
Davis then used the Force to push her off of him, giving him enough time to call his lightsaber back to him. The battle had begun to show its toll on him, however, and he was almost out of breath by that point.
"You're growing weary... I can sense it Davis." Sacralous taunted, using her darker powers to deceive and drain away his life. The Dark Side was capable of many things, only the truly feared masters ever learned the secrets of draining someone's life force away. Davis would soon learn the hard way.
"I don't know what you're looking at Sacralous." He panted, trying to catch what breath he could, feeling his life drain from his body. "I can go ten rounds with you right now."
"The Light Side is failing you while the Dark Side reenergizes me. This will all be over soon, boy!" She readied her blade, wanting to end this Padawan's miserable existance and wipe the galaxy clean of another pathetic Jedi.
"Let's finish this!"
Assuming a Makashi stance, Davis felt ready for anything that Sacralous would throw at him. The Jedi Order's entire hope rested on his shoulders and his alone. 'Mother, Father, I forgive you for abandoning me when I was a child,' he prayed to himself. 'I'm not angry anymore. I forgive you. Give me the strength to take care of this Sith Lord.'
Sacralous and Davis charged each other, the final attack would determine the victor of the fight. A flash of light and noise engulfed the area. When the light cleared, both combatants stood still. Finally, Sacralous winced in pain as her shoulder armor broke in two with a cut on her shoulder. Davis however, was not so fortunate. He fell over, having a slash placed across his body
"You witch," he cursed, grasping the wound. "I won't let you win!"
"You're already dead. Accept it." She started to Force choke Davis, dragging him closer to her grip. Now, you will pay for your insolence, and stealing Tai away from me."
Mustering what strength he could, he grabbed his shoto from its sheath and jabbed it into her side, breaking the choke hold and causing her to roar in pain. "Bet you didn't see that coming," he snickered, activating his lightsaber once again and ignoring the searing pain across his torso.
Tai kept trying to break his small prison that Sacralous had made for him. "No... Davis..." He could sense the intensity of the fight, and Davis' weakening Force signature. He wouldn't last much longer unless Tai got free. 'Come on damnit!'
Sacralous and Davis kept up their barrage of attacks, with Sacralous putting Davis on the defensive. Just as he was about to go on the offensive, Sacralous used the very move that he had used earlier. She jabbed him in the jaw and seized the opportunity to stab him in his chest. "Little cretin, this is a merciful death." Sacralous whispered in his ear as she drew her lightsaber back.
Davis stood stunned, still not knowing what had just transpired. Memories flashed in his mind. The fun times he had with Tai, Sora, Ken, and the others all throughout his journey, and now it was time to become one with the Force. "Mom, dad, I'm coming..." and he dropped to the ground of the temple.
"NOOOOOOOO!" Tai cried loudly as he watched his Padawan's body fall to the ground. His entire body shook with rage as he used the Force to blow back the rubble that encased him.
He charged towards the Sith Lord, who carelessly picked up Davis' lightsaber in her hand. "Thanks for the trophy," she sadistically grinned at the dead Padawan.
"Sora! Get back here!"
* * * *
On the rooftops, Matt and Imperious disengaged their saber lock, with Imperious setting up multiple attacks to keep Matt on the defensive. The snow and wind were working against him, his guard was beginning to slip, and he soon found Imperious' offensives too overpowering. He slipped back and found himself on the ground, surrounded by the snow, his lightsaber a good way away from him. "If this is how you're going to do this, at least have some honor and let me die with my weapon in hand." He noticed that Imperious rubbed her neck, seeing a glowing spot come from beneath her robe.
She smiled devilishly. "Where would the fun in that be? I want to see you squirm and beg for mercy. To feel the pain of having been abandoned by the one Order you thought you could call home. The very people you called friends, leave you to the unknown fate of the Sith. I will remake you, clear your mind and place nothing but your deepest fears and horrors. And when you finally break to these tortures... maybe then... I shall let you die." She finished her speech, arming her hand with the Dark Side of the Force.
Matt's mind flooded with memories of his life on Coruscant, his brother's adoption, the training of a Jedi Knight. Meeting Tai and Kari for the first time and forging a bond with the two of them. Their group growing bigger with the addition of Mimi, Sora, and Izzy. All gone at the hands of Darth Imperious. One more bright spot remained that Imperious had not yet plucked. Meiko. The love he had for her was strong, but could it withstand the power of a Sith Lord? 'No! I won't let you take her. She means more to me than anything!' Summoning the will of a thousand men, Matt drew forth the power of the ancient Jedi and launched electricity at his opponent. This lightning however, was not blue. This was orange, the power of a Light Sider using his judgement and his fury to protect his friends. "I won't let you hurt them! I'll stop you! Defeat you if I have to!" He kept up the assault of lightning, Imperious growing wise to the tactic and began using her own Force Lightning against him. Sparks of electricity were sent flying everywhere, clouds were forming and the snow beneath them melted. The clash finally ended when both became too tired to continue.
A shuttle came forth from one of the Centurion Cruisers, hovering right next to the battle-weary combatants. "Oh, it seems my ride is here. Until next time, Matt Ishida. Oh, and do tell TK that Kari sends her regards." She laughed as she rode off on the shuttle to the lower part of the temple.
Matt breathed heavily. He couldn't believe what had just happened. The girl he had known all his life. The one whom his brother had fallen in love with 6 months earlier, the escapades of Korriban sealing their connection. She had turned to the Dark Side. Or had she? He picked himself up, dusting his brown tunic and black tabards of the snow that had gathered around him. He remembered that Imperious had rubbed her neck during her speech on torturing him. The glow he saw, that was no normal necklace that was underneath her robes. A Sith amulet had been placed on Kari Kamiya, causing her Dark Side to take over her mind. Kari had not turned, instead Darth Imperious took over a girl who just wanted to be with the man she loved one more time. 'Of course, whatever I tell TK, this will indeed break his heart.'
* * * *
"I keep telling you, Kamiya. Sora is dead. Darth Sacralous has taken her place." Darth Sacralous screamed, laughing at the torment she was putting Tai through.
Tai could not tear his eyes off the dead body of his young Padawan. He was so full of life and had the makings of a great Jedi...only to be cut down before his time and by someone he once called a friend. "How could you? He was just a boy. A young boy...and you killed him." Tai activated his lightsaber, wanting nothing short of his revenge for the death of his Padawan. He closed his eyes again, wanting to give into the Dark Side once more to avenge his fallen friend.
"Oh no you don't!" Sacralous rushed Tai before he had the chance to complete his ritual
With a quick activation of his lightsaber, he struck hard and fast. She activated the two in her hands to deflect the attack just as quickly
"You've taken everything from me! My love, my sister... my Padawan!" Tai gritted his teeth and attacked Sacralous with a saber lock ensuing.
"I still haven't completed the set yet," she sneered. "I haven't taken your life yet."
Tai broke the lock and kneed her right in the chest to send her away. "Because of you, I will never see my Padawan achieve Knighthood. I will never marry the woman I love, and I will never see my sister again!"
"Then it will be my pleasure to end your miserable life!" Sacralous cackled before lifting her two sabers to finish off the Jedi Master. She charged Tai, hoping to finish him off once and for all.
Tai began to concentrate, a few seconds off and he'd be in pieces. Finally, now was the right time. "Get ready Sacralous... for my Claws of Rhen Var!" Tai slashed upward, stepping forward to impact more damage as Sacralous went flying towards the skyline.
But blaster fire exploded in the middle of the two of them, causing him to fall back. "I guess that's my cue to leave," she shrugged. "So long for now, Master Kamiya. Don't worry, we will meet again." She jumped off the ledge and rose a few seconds later in a Sith starfighter before turning and flying off.
Tai heaved, his duel cut short with the woman he loved. "At least I gave her a bit of damage before she left... Now all that's left is to find Joe and give my Padawan a proper funeral." Immediately he rushed over to the dead body of his Padawan, cradling him the minute that he reached him. Tai buried his face into his neck and cried. His body shook as his sobs became overpowering. 'Joe is going to answer for this. This is all his fault.' He needed to find Matt and the others. They needed to get to Rakata Prime fast and destroy the Star Forge. But not before a true Jedi was given the last rights of being a member of the Order.
'I did it for Ulic, who was my father. I shall it do it for you... my son.'