A Battle between Darkness and Light - Chapter 6

Choices, part 1: A Battle between Darkness and Light

Chapter 6

How would it be?

Two days later, after Akir 'escaped'. Bastila approached me, in the training area, and said 'We know where he is. He is on Kashyyyk.'

'Are you certain?' I asked while I continued to watch some dark Jedi practicing their skills against one another. Both of them were wearing black masks, but one of them was also wearing a black hood, while the other had fire red hair showing on top of his head, and I couldn't stop staring at it, it reminded me so much of Akir...'STOP IT! Stop acting like a weakling! You are the Sith Lord, goddammit! Get yourself together and listen to the little Princess' I was unable to hide the smirk that crossed my lips, but my apprentice didn't see it because of my mask.

'Yes, my Lord. Some of our spies on Kashyyyk followed the soldier to a base. What are your commands?' I continued to watch the two dark Jedi as they exchanged blows to each other. The one with the hood fought with a double bladed vibro-blade, while the other were fighting with two single handed vibro-blades. The one with the hood tried to land a blow to the red haired man, but he blocked it and took his free blade up to his throat, claiming the victory.

'Did they say how many there are?' I asked and started to walk out of the room, with Bastila right beside me.

'They reported that there were some Jedi, but few soldiers. The Republic leaders are also there.'

'Order the elite squad and all the Dark Jedi, that we are to leave tonight. We will attack Kashyyyk.' I said with a cold voice, like I had no feelings at all. Bastila looked at me, and then she asked,

'Will you join the battle, my Lord?'

'I will...'

'Is something wrong, my Lord?' I did not answer her last question. I just looked at the darkness in front of me, in the hallway. What if I had chosen another path?

'My Lord?'

'I am just tired...that's all. Now leave me.' Bastila bowed and quickly walked away.

I walked to my room, and when I arrived I closed the door, and tried to relax. I sat down on the floor and started to meditate. I had not meditated since... since before I claimed the title of the Dark Lord. I tried to remember my old friends; Jolee Bindo, Mission Vao, Juhani, Bastila before turning to the dark side, Canderous, T3M4, HK47 and Carth Onasi. 'Carth...I miss you...if you had only chosen the same path as I, then we could have been together, Brought peace and order to the galaxy...' I sighed.

I stood up, and walked over to my wardrobe. I looked inside at all the clothes, and in there I saw my special robe, a dark Star Forge robe. I took it out of the closet. I started to take my clothes off, and laid them on the bed. I turned and stared into a mirror. When I looked into the mirror I saw a tall and slim woman. When I stepped closer I saw the one person I hated the most, myself.

My eyes that were once had the deepest blue you could imagine had turned into grey yellow ones, filled with sadness and anger, rage, and fear. Before, when I had been Mira Perhi, they had been filled with care, hope, joy, trust and love.

My skin that once had shinned and glowed as Carth had described it, was now replaced with grey skin, scars, and dark veins and cold eyes. My long brown hair, that was once even longer and soft silk to the touch and had a few curls, had been replaced by hair which looked like it was dead, covering most of the scars on my back and my breasts, but also covered the biggest scar on my body, where my heart once had been.

I took my armor gently out, like it would be destroyed if not carefully handled. This was the same robe I used when I fought against Malak. The day I destroyed my old apprentice. I still dreamt of that event, our blades clashing against each other, sparking lights from my violet lightsaber and his blood red lightsaber. I looked at the mask, which lay on the bed, and remembered the battle.

We stood and glared at each other, neither of us was moving.

'You cannot beat me, Revan. Not here on the Star Forge. Not when I can draw the power of all these Jedi! And once you are beaten I will do the same to you. You will be trapped in a terrible existence between life and death, your power feeding me as I conquer the galaxy!'

'Defeat me!? Ha! It's seems that you have forgotten how powerful I really am, Malak, and after you 'killed' me in the most cowardly way, I have returned to face you, even more stronger and more powerful than you can ever imagine!' I could feel how his anger pouring from him and his killing aura. I could only smirk at him and chuckle. 'You still have a lot to learn, my old apprentice.' I said to him quietly, but then screamed while I charged at him,

'But unfortunately you won't get that chance, because I will end your life today!' Our lightsaber smashed against each other and sparkles fell from them. The violet light from my two single handed lightsabers showed my armor and mask, while the red one single handed lightsaber to Malak showed his armor. His tight red suit, which almost looked one number smaller than it should, showed his muscles, while his grey and black coat rested on his back. His white bold head with four purple blue stripes on it, shone from the red light. His yellow eyes also reflected the light, making them look like they were orange. His metal plate which covered his mouth also shinned from the light, and again the smirk appeared on my lips, remembering that I was the reason for it. Our battle continued with blocks and attacks. He was much stronger then I had thought, but so was I.

He had used his little trick once, to drain the life force from one of the fallen Jedi, but soon I had destroyed all of the tanks with lighting. I turned against him and could clearly see the fear and anger in his eyes, realization as well, that he would not survive.

'You are weak,' I simply said to him, and raised my right lightsaber. I walked towards him, preparing to attack him. Malak went into a fighting stance, raising his lightsaber as well. Again our lightsaber smashed into each other, but this time I used Battle Meditation to strengthen myself and to weaken him even more. Although it wasn't as strong as Bastila, it still did the trick. His blocks were slow and weak, while mine were fast and strong. Again and again, my lightsaber managed to break his defense and he received many serious wounds.

He dropped his lightsaber and fell to his knees panting and clutching his side where he had received a deep and mortal wound. I walked towards him and turned off my left lightsabers and lifted my hand to my mask and slowly removed it and let it fall to the ground. Malak tensed even more when he heard the clang of my mask on the floor and started towards it, then slowly raising his head to look at my face. He became terrified and tried to crawl away from me. But I simply walked towards him, igniting my left lightsaber once again.

'Im... Impossible. I cannot be beaten. I... am the Dark Lord of the Sith." He said to me, coughing behind the metal plate.

'Now you see the true Dark Lord of the Sith!' I said to him, stopping in front of him. Malak started shaking and managed to raise himself up from the ground resting on his knees.

'Yes. I cannot deny it any longer. You are the one who deserves... who deserves to be the Dark Lord. You were the one who found the first Star Map on Dantooine, Revan, and it was you who led us on our quest for the Star Forge. I only followed in your wake. I tried to usurp your rule, to steal the title of Sith Master from you. But now I understand. The destiny is yours Revan. Not mine. You... you are Darth Revan, Lord... Lord of the Sith. And I... I am nothing.' I raised both of my lightsabers to his throat and crossed them.

'The apprentice has learned his final lesson.' I said to him, and then he answered back,

'And so it ends. As I somehow almost knew it must... in darkness.' I pulled the lightsabers together and chopped his head off. His head fell to the ground, as did his body, but it rolled away, then it stopped. His body was twitching and shaking. I walked over to my mask and lifted it off the ground and placed it once again in front of my face. I walked up to the viewing platform and watched the battle that was happening. One after another, the Republic ships were destroyed, and I stood there enjoying the view, and once again I was the Dark Lord of the Sith.

What would have happened if he had not died there? What would have happened if I had spared him?

Once more I looked in to the mirror, stared at the strange and dark woman in it. I looked at my face. I remembered how Juhani once had described my eyes, 'When I look into your eyes, I see deep blue eyes, eyes that are blue like the ocean on Manaan, and they are filled with so much peace, hope, and love." What had happened to that woman? I took my mask on and left the room, with Malak's word echoing in my head, 'Savior, conqueror, hero, and villain. You are all things, Revan, but yet you are nothing. In the end you neither belong to the Light nor the Darkness. You will forever stand alone.'

'We are ready to depart, my Lord.' Master Uthar said to me on the star cruiser.

'Are you certain of this? What if they have reinforced them self? Maybe they are twice as much now.'

'We don't have any more Dark Jedi available and our regular soldiers will only bring more harm to us then to them. The Jedi are trained to manipulate weak minds. Our weak minded fools of soldiers will only get killed and maybe take some of us with them. Besides, if there are many Jedi there, they will only block their blaster shots with a lightsaber.' I answered him. Suddenly I heard a robot voice say,

'Statement: HK47, ready to serve, Master.' I turned towards the owner of the voice and stared at HK-47. the light from the ceiling was reflected on his orange metal body and his rifle in his hands. His red eyes shinned and stared at me. I answered him,

'I want to you sneak into the enemy's base and disable the gun turrets, without killing any one. We do not want them to know we are coming.' 'Irritated answer: If that's your command, Master, but I really hope that I will get to kill someone this week.' HK47 answered back, turned around and walked away.

'Jump into hyperspace when she's ready, commander.'

I didn't want the enemy to know that we were here, so I ordered small shuttles to take us down to the planet, and there they should wait until I gave the signal to move. One by one, a shuttle left the Hangar. In the end Bastila, Canderous, and I arrived on the ground of Kashyyyk. My apprentice walked over to some dark Jedi and Canderous walked to the elite squad, making sure everything was ready. I stood there for I don't know how long; I just stood there, staring into the Shadowlands, with respect.

It was here Carth had told me about his past. About his wife and son, and what happened with them on Telos, when Malak attacked his home planet. It was then, I truly admitted to my self that I had fallen in love with him, but I was a fool, and because of that I am being haunted in my thoughts and dreams of What if? Over and over again. I started to wonder if I would ever meet Carth again, and how would it be?