Chapter 5: the Death of a Jedi and the Birth of a Witch

 

Chapter 5
The Death of a Jedi and the Birth of a Witch

Coruscant - 21 Years to the battle

Eriaar must have been sent by the Force itself to guide the Jedi Order—there was no other possibility, according to Nephyl. He was the perfect Jedi, there was no one better than him, and she wasn’t saying that just because she had a small, absolutely insignificant crush on him... No, no! Besides being one of the youngest to achieve the rank of Master, he was also the youngest in history to sit on the Jedi Council. He was a warrior feared throughout the Galaxy, and his connection to the Force was nothing short of extraordinary. Moreover, he didn’t just know how to use the Force. Of course, his other powers were a secret to most of the Order—only a few whom he trusted knew about them, and Nephyl was among those few.

Eriaar was secretly teaching her how to control her own other powers. In those four years, Nephyl had learned to shapeshift, transforming into a magnificent white wolf, and to summon one to aid her in battle. She struggled a bit with the magics of the Nightsisters, like Necromancy—an ability that came as easily to Eriaar as drinking a glass of water—but, after all, it had to be said: he was a Nightbrother.

He had never stopped teaching the younger Padawans, effortlessly balancing the training of his own Padawan, Robin, missions with his former Master, Kai-Dar Vantos, lessons for the younger ones, and his secret teachings for her. He spoke with such a calm and measured tone that it was easy to hang onto his every word. He was kind and attentive. He was also clumsy and funny. Going on missions with him was like taking a deep breath of relief. No matter how difficult, dangerous, or exhausting the mission was, thanks to Eriaar’s goofy and friendly nature, everything felt like a simple stroll.

There were few who still didn’t trust him completely, and among them was that mummy of her Master. Nephyl rolled her eyes and huffed, earning glares from the small Padawans, who motioned for her to stay silent. Whatever Thal had against Eriaar was a complete mystery. Not to mention that Eriaar had even saved his life! If it hadn’t been for Eriaar, Thal would have died on that damned planet along with Valen. He had even gotten him onto the Council! Despite all of this, Thal didn’t trust Eriaar one bit… But he kept Master Kai close—who was a thousand times creepier and more dangerous than Eriaar. Bah! That mummy of a Master was truly incomprehensible at times!

A Padawan raised her hand, drawing Nephyl’s attention. «Master Eriaar, is it true that you fought against a Sith?»

«It is.»

«Master, what is a Sith?» asked another Padawan, the youngest of the group.

The Jedi reflected before answering. «They are Force-wielders, just like us.»

«Then what makes us different from the Sith, Master Eriaar?»

«That is an excellent question.» He ruffled the hair of the Padawan who had asked, making her laugh, before answering. «You see, no one is born a Jedi or a Sith. We are born Force-sensitive. It is our life experiences, the people around us, that push us to one side or the other.»

«But Grand Master Thal says the Sith are evil!»

«And what about us?» Eriaar spread his arms wide, as if to emphasize the reality of the situation. «Is the Jedi Order perfect, then? Even some Jedi use the dark side of the Force, but that doesn’t automatically make them evil, right? The Force is what binds us together. The Force does not take sides. It is neither good nor evil. It is up to us to decide how to use it. In some stories, the Jedi are the heroes—no doubt about it—but you will also find stories where the Jedi are the villains, and the Sith are the good ones. Never let yourself be manipulated by what others say. Trust only in the Force. It will never lie to you.»

Nephyl smiled. The hunt for the Sith had become much less pressing over the last year—because Eriaar had joined the Council. He had blocked and forbidden many extermination missions against entire species, simply because they were Force-sensitive beings who wanted nothing to do with the Jedi Order. Maybe that was why Thal didn’t like him so much. Eriaar didn’t see the Sith Order as a real threat or enemy. He saw them for what they were: another Order of Force-wielders. Moreover, he was firmly convinced that waging war against the Sith would mean deviating from the path intended by the Force. Changing the future was forbidden even to the Jedi… Especially to the Jedi. But it was always so easy for them to forget that.

Nephyl turned her gaze just in time to see Master Kai enter. He gave her his usual icy smile, and she immediately looked away, strengthening her mental defenses. She didn’t like him, and it was more than clear that the feeling was mutual. Beside him was Naitsirk. Over the past year, he had seemed to calm down slightly. Kai had sent him on a mission with Eriaar once, and from that day on, he had never been the same. No one knew what had happened, but Naitsirk had returned with his tail between his legs and a much more respectful demeanor. She smiled at him, and the young man responded with a slight nod of his hand.

«Master Eriaar, I regret interrupting your lesson.»

Eriaar shrugged. «You always interrupt at the best part. Oh well, another time.»

The Padawans expressed their disappointment at being interrupted, but a single look from Eriaar was enough to silence them. They stood up and left the room in an orderly manner, greeting Master Kai, who smiled at each of them. Kai waited until the doors were closed before stepping closer to Eriaar. Nephyl, instead, moved toward Naitsirk.

She didn’t even have time to ask him anything before Kai answered all her questions. «Grand Master Thal has assigned us a mission, Master Eriaar.»

«Should I call Robin?»

Kai shook his head. «No, it will be just you and me. It’s a mission commissioned by the Republic.»

Nephyl paid close attention. The Republic and the Jedi Order had a complicated past. On paper, they were great friends and allies, but in reality, it was the complete opposite. The Republic hated not having any power over the Jedi Order, and the Order loved its freedom too much to bow to the Republic’s will. It was a relationship of precarious peace and constant diplomatic agreements to keep it from falling apart. The Republic controlled the entire Galaxy, except for the planets dominated by the Jedi and Sith Orders. Despite everything, the two factions agreed on one thing: the Sith were dangerous criminals. And the Republic knew very well that the only way to face them was to ask the Jedi for help, even though it tasted like a poisoned chalice. It was rare for the Republic to commission a mission.

The Force stirred around her, warning her of something. Nephyl closed her eyes, and a horrible premonition crushed her chest. Small beads of sweat formed on her forehead. Something terrible was about to happen. When she opened her eyes, her gaze immediately fell on Eriaar. The two Masters were still discussing the mission’s details, but she only heard one word: Sith.

«No!» Before she realized it, she had pushed herself between the two Jedi, clutching at Eriaar’s robes. «Don’t go! Something terrible will happen! The Force—»

«Calm yourself, young Padawan.»

Kai’s hand rested on her shoulder, and a veil of tranquility instantly enveloped her. Eriaar tilted his head before smiling gently and taking her hands, moving them away from himself. She felt the familiar tingling at the base of her skull. Normally, she would have let him in immediately, but her gaze shifted to the Jedi behind him. She couldn’t afford to lower her mental barriers. Not around Kai. So, she shook her head slightly.

Eriaar sighed slowly, then grabbed Kai’s wrist, lifting his hand from Nephyl’s shoulder. «Go ahead, I’ll meet you at the hangars, Kai.»

«As you wish.»

Kai bowed and walked away. Naitsirk took a step forward and greeted them both before following his Master out of the room. As soon as Kai was far enough, the veil of calm that had surrounded her until then dissolved, and she was once again overwhelmed by that dreadful sensation. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around Eriaar’s waist and buried her face in his robes.

«Nephyl, everything is fine.»

But she shook her head. «No! It’s not fine! If you go on this mission with Kai, you won’t come back—I can feel it!»

Eriaar sighed slowly, gently patting her back. «Do you remember what I just told the Padawan?»

Nephyl had listened carefully to his lesson, so she knew exactly what he was referring to. «Yes! That’s precisely why I’m telling you this! Don’t go! The Force…»

«The Force is calm around me, Nephyl.» He took her by the shoulders and pushed her away, despite her weak attempt to hold on to him. «Focus. Is the Force warning you about my death?»

She closed her eyes and desperately tried to focus on the whisper of the Force, but at that moment, it seemed completely absent. Suddenly, without her truly willing it, her heart began pumping her real power into her veins. When she opened her eyes again, they were glowing, and the energy around her had turned ice-cold. She looked at her hands and realized she was trembling. It was a strange sensation, as if something was pushing her deep into her subconscious, trying to take control and force her to do something terrible.

She tried to lift her gaze to Eriaar, to move her lips and warn him, but she soon found herself trapped in a small circle of light, surrounded by cold and dark shadows, locked within her own subconscious. She curled up, hugging her knees to her chest—there was nothing she could do. She didn’t want to awaken her witch powers. Why had it happened?

Then, all of a sudden, Eriaar’s irritated voice shattered the heavy silence of her mind.

Really? Have I taught you nothing, Nephyl? Was so little enough to make you lose control?

Immediately after, his voice thundered around her; his words burned themselves into her mind; her mental barriers crumbled as easily as the wind would destroy a sandcastle. The pain was sharp, terrible, and instantaneous. Nephyl clutched her hands to her ears, but she couldn’t stop Eriaar’s power or his single command.

Sleep. 

Eriaar carefully laid a sleeping Nephyl in her bed and tucked the covers around her. Her face was furrowed with pain. As powerful as the young witch was, she had stood no chance against a Jedi older and far more skilled than her in both the Force and Psychic Bonding. The way she had lost control over her powers unsettled him. He had spent the past years training her, and these were the results. A mere fluctuation in the Force had been enough to send her into a panic and make her forget all the training she had received.

He, too, had sensed a change coming, but the Force remained calm around him, so he had chosen to accept whatever future it had in store for him. He wasn’t going on this mission to die—that much he was certain of. Whether he would return to the Jedi Temple or not, however, was unclear. But he couldn't bring himself to care too much. The Jedi had taken him in and trained him, but he had never truly felt like an integral part of the Order. Some rules were too restrictive, and others were outright absurd and dangerous. Now that he was a member of the Council, he saw just how far the Jedi had strayed from their ideals—at least, the higher ranks. His fellow Council members despised him because he was always the first to challenge their downright horrific plans. More than once, he had pointed out that certain behaviors would have been applauded by the Sith Order, but all that had earned him was even more hostility from the rest of the Council.

He was growing increasingly weary of the entire situation. He had narrowly prevented the genocide of entire species across the Galaxy, trying to convince the Council members that going around wiping out entire planets wouldn’t be well received. He was beginning to understand why the Republic was so reluctant to cooperate with the Jedi Order. In their eyes, Jedi and Sith probably weren’t all that different. And from what Eriaar had seen, they weren’t entirely wrong.

He turned his gaze to Nephyl and let out a quiet sigh. He placed two fingers on her temple and let healing energy flow into her mind. Force Healing was an incredibly useful skill for Jedi Knights, and he had learned it the hard way—through experience. The girl's face slowly relaxed, until she took a deep, relieved breath and fell into a peaceful sleep. Eriaar straightened up and shook his head—he had made a grave mistake. He had underestimated the girl’s feelings for him, dismissing them as a simple adolescent infatuation, natural for someone her age. In fact, he had even found it adorable and amusing. He hadn’t considered that her witch blood might have slightly distorted her perception, making her believe there could be something real between them—enough to throw her into such a panic. This was his fault. He was the adult between them. If he had the chance, he would apologize and explain everything properly.

For now, however, he had a mission to complete. He left Nephyl’s room and made his way to the hangars. Kai was already there waiting for him, along with Robin and Naitsirk. Kai’s Padawan had calmed down significantly since his Master had sent him on a mission with Eriaar, who had put him through what could only be described as hell. The Force saw him and Robin together, united in creating a life that would one day bring order to the Galaxy, but Eriaar had never approved of his childish and constantly joking attitude. So, during the mission, he had put Naitsirk through rigorous training, just to ensure that he was actually capable of protecting Robin. He would not allow a weak and fearful Jedi to get so close to his Padawan.

However, Naitsirk had proven himself to be the prodigy Kai claimed he was. He had faced every challenge Eriaar had thrown at him, fighting with courage and a fair amount of wisdom. He had never been arrogant, but his overly playful demeanor made him seem incompetent. Eriaar had pointed it out to him, and from that moment on, Naitsirk had toned it down—so much so that he had even managed to befriend both Robin and Nephyl. Even so, Eriaar continued to keep an eye on him.

Robin ran up to him. «Master, why can’t we come with you?»

Eriaar placed a hand on her head, smiling gently. «This is a mission commissioned by the Republic for two Jedi Masters. It could be dangerous.»

The two Masters approached the ship, and Naitsirk lowered his head in greeting. «Master Eriaar, you must tell me when you plan to continue your lesson—it seemed quite interesting.»

The Jedi chuckled and patted his shoulder affectionately. «You’ll be the first to know.»

Kai stepped forward. «Sorry to interrupt, but we need to go.»

The two Padawans bowed, but only Robin spoke. «Please, be careful.»

Eriaar was about to promise her that they would see each other again soon, but the words never left his lips. His smile faded as he felt the Force vibrate with concern around him. He knew he wasn’t heading toward death, but something was definitely about to happen—and not knowing what put him on edge.

He noticed Robin watching him with worry, perhaps expecting some reassurance from him… a reassurance he couldn’t bring himself to give. Instead, he offered her a gentle smile before turning away and stepping onto the ship, followed closely by Kai. 

Hyperspace - 21 YEARS TO THE BATTLE

Eriaar carefully read through the file on their target, immediately recognizing the woman’s name: Lady Selene. The Republic had issued an arrest warrant for her, but since she was a Force user, they had asked the Jedi to handle it. Kai asked him if he already knew her, and Eriaar replied that he had heard of her during his previous mission on Nerathos. Years ago, she had been the companion of Darth Nexar, the Dark Lord of the Sith they had faced the previous year. From what he had read at the time, the two had also had a daughter, who couldn’t have been more than ten years old.

Eriaar leaned back in his seat, and Kai raised an eyebrow. «Something doesn’t add up, my friend?»

The Jedi confirmed, scrolling again through the information the Jedi had gathered on Selene. «Yes. From what I had read in our archives, Selene had abandoned not only the Sith Order but also the Force, completely shutting herself off from it. She wanted to live a normal life, and now she’s committing crimes across the Galaxy? It doesn’t make much sense, does it?»

Kai shrugged. «Sometimes human actions are hard to understand.»

No... Something doesn’t add up.

He focused again on the file they had received, and that’s when he noticed something was missing. «Kai, where are the details of the Republic’s mission?»

«They’re right in front of you.»

«No, these are the details of the Jedi mission.» He corrected him, searching through the various memory folders. «The Republic must have gathered information on this Selene before assigning us the mission, and I don’t see those details. Is it possible they didn’t send them to us?»

His question was met with complete silence, and Eriaar turned his gaze to Kai, who was staring straight ahead, a cold smile on his face. A shiver ran down Eriaar’s spine. Ever since they had made him a member of the Jedi Council, he had a bad feeling. Kai’s philosophy had always been to keep friends close and enemies even closer. It was no secret that the Council members had never trusted Eriaar. Some hadn’t even bothered to hide their disdain for his presence on the Council, but he had hoped that by proving his worth, things would change.

Kai had come looking for him, saying that Grand Master Thal had entrusted them with a mission. But for such a decision, the Jedi Council should have convened.

«Kai?»

…

Silence.

…

«What are you hiding from me?»

Kai turned to look at him, and Eriaar instantly felt an attack on his mental barriers. That confused him—what did Kai think he was doing? More than anyone else, Kai should have known that Eriaar’s defenses were impenetrable.

Rage boiled in his blood, but the Jedi forced himself to stay calm and focused, blocking the instinctive urge to counterattack. He took a deep, steady breath.

«I will carry out this mission, Master Kai.» He tried his best not to let his frustration show, but he failed—his words came out more like a growl. «But once we return to Coruscant, I will leave the Jedi Temple. Clearly, your ideals do not align with mine.»

Kai turned back to look straight ahead. «You’ve changed a lot since I first met you.»

«No, I don’t think I’ve changed that much, Master.» And that was the truth. «Inside, I’m still the scared kid you saved. And let me tell you, you and the other members of the Jedi Council should seriously ask yourselves why.»

He turned his gaze forward again. If he left, no one would be there to protect Robin and Nephyl.

His Padawan was a Nightsister, born on Dathomir, an infiltrator through and through. She had revealed the truth to him not long ago, after he had barely managed to prevent a Jedi attack on Dathomir. Robin had nearly panicked upon realizing it. In the end, through tears, she had told him everything: about the Nightsister who had mentored her, Neris, and her fellow Initiate Sisters, whom she had left behind to spy for Neris.

She had confessed everything, and Eriaar had only grown more protective. If any Jedi discovered her secret, they would kill her.

Robin continued to aid Neris only out of fear that the Jedi would indeed attack Dathomir. Her entire family was there. As much as she was happy to be a Padawan and aimed to become a Jedi Master, she would never allow anyone to harm her people. It was a sentiment Eriaar understood well, and Robin was right to be afraid.

If he left the Order, however, no one would be there to save her if the truth came out.

The thought of his young Padawan—the girl he had spent years training, who now felt more like a little sister—being harmed in his absence was suffocating. Taking her away from Coruscant with him would mean altering the path the Force had set, but he couldn’t leave her in the hands of the Jedi. No child was truly safe within the Order.

Especially not children like Robin and Nephyl, whose veins carried the blood of powerful, ancient witches.

A wry smile crossed his face.

And to think, I believed I was changing the Order for the better... What a fool I’ve been!

It was impossible for him to stay within the Jedi Order, but he could still keep in touch with Robin. If she ever told him she was in mortal danger, he would return immediately to protect her.

He wouldn’t let anyone harm her. If necessary, he would tear that damned Temple down, stone by stone.

Strangely, that decision, instead of making him sad, brought him a sense of inner peace. 

Velmara - 21 Years To the Battle

The Jedi ship landed on a lush green planet, settling in a clearing not far from a small village. Eriaar wanted to gather information about this Selene on his own and make sure she was truly a criminal. If that turned out to be untrue, he would decide how to act and protect the woman—he would never allow the Jedi to harm an innocent.

The village welcomed them warmly. Kai wandered off to speak with the village elders, while Eriaar headed toward the marketplace. He was offered food and drinks. He asked his questions with great tact, but no one seemed to know anyone named Selene. Strange. According to what the Jedi had said, Selene had taken refuge on Velmara because the planet’s population was particularly easy to manipulate. But Eriaar sensed no trace of mental influence or the use of any psychic abilities.

He entered a bar and sat at the counter. A drink was immediately placed before him. Eriaar didn’t ask any questions and downed it in one gulp. He had an advantage over all the other Jedi—his body burned and eliminated any kind of toxin instantly. Alcohol suffered the same fate as poison. He had to admit, that part wasn’t very fun. Sure, it allowed him to drink even during missions and gain people’s trust more easily.

The Force suddenly swirled around him, whispering that someone important to the mission was about to enter. He turned just in time to see a man step into the bar. Two others approached him, their faces worried. Eriaar used the Force to sharpen his hearing and listened as they warned their friend about the two strangers asking questions about his wife. He immediately averted his gaze when they pointed in his direction. He heard the man’s footsteps approaching before he sat down next to him. The bartender poured him a drink, as if he were a regular and didn’t even need to order. Eriaar sensed deep concern from the man beside him and used the Force to calm him.

The man took a deep breath. Then, when he spoke, his voice was calm and firm. «What do you want from my wife?»

«Personally, nothing,» Eriaar assured him before pulling out the HoloCube and activating it in front of them, displaying the mission details. «But the Republic is not happy with her actions.»

The man instantly turned pale, his terrified eyes locking onto Eriaar. «No… No, my wife has never done anything wrong! Yes, she was part of the Sith Order, but she was only used by Darth Nexar for her power!» Before Eriaar could stop him, the man dropped to his knees, clutching at his robes. «Jedi, I beg you… On my knees… My wife is pregnant, and our daughter is only ten years old. Have mercy on her.»

Something didn’t add up. Eriaar had sensed it from the moment he first read Selene’s file, but now it was even more obvious. The only thing the archives contained about her was that she had been Nexar’s partner—nothing about crimes committed by her personally. If what this man was saying was true, Selene was completely innocent, merely exploited by the Dark Lord of the Sith for her power and her connection to the Force… So what did the Republic have against her?

Nothing. But the Jedi are hunting Sith.

He quickly grabbed his comlink and called the only Senator he had ever trusted. «Master Eriaar! It’s a pleasure to hear from you…» Then, she must have noticed his expression, because her smile faded. «What happened?»

«I need information, Senator, and you are the only one I can trust.» She nodded, and Eriaar glanced down at the desperate man still kneeling at his feet. «Has the Republic officially ordered an arrest mission for a Lady Selene?»

The confusion on her face was all the answer he needed. «I’m sorry, Master Eriaar, but I have no idea what you’re talking about.»

It was instantaneous.

A lightning bolt in a clear sky.

Fury blinded him.

The comlink shattered in his fist, and his eyes flared with the power of the Nightsisters. He had been deceived—it wasn’t the Republic seeking to arrest a dangerous criminal, but the Jedi looking for a scapegoat in their damn mission to exterminate the Sith. He used Force Echo to locate Kai. It only took a second to understand where he was—far too close to Selene.

«Run to her,» he ordered the man. «As fast as you can.»

The man must have understood the urgency because he shot to his feet and ran off, stumbling over his own feet in his haste. Eriaar tossed a few coins onto the counter and paid his dues. He left the bar, gathering power with every step—he wouldn’t allow Kai to harm that woman. Even if it cost the Jedi his life, Eriaar would always protect the innocent. He gripped his lightsaber and sprinted into the forest, following Kai’s tracks. The man must have taken a shortcut… Good, he would get there first.

He had to move. There was no time to lose. 

Kai observed the small house. It was well hidden from prying eyes and far from the main city—an ideal place for two dangerous Sith to hide and disappear without a trace. Lady Selene, lover and consort of the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Nexar, was a powerful Sith whose ability, the Divination of Pain, allowed her to identify any physical or mental weakness in anyone. Darth Nexar had used this power to rise quickly through the ranks of the Sith Order, eliminating all those who had tried to stand in his way.

The mother’s power had then passed to her daughter, fathered by Nexar, only amplified by her connection to the Dark Lord of the Sith.

And now, that child was playing in front of the house, as if she were not one of the greatest threats to peace in the galaxy.

Kai did not even feel guilty for convincing the Jedi Council to exclude Eriaar from the decisive meeting. He would never have agreed. He would have found excuses to save mother and daughter. What his young friend failed to understand was the ultimate goal: perhaps the child would not grow up like her father, perhaps her power would never awaken if left unused, but what if the opposite happened? What if Nexar came back to reclaim the girl? If he took her to Korriban to train her and turn her into a future Dark Lady of the Sith? It was not a risk the Jedi Order was willing to take, whether Eriaar liked it or not.

The Force flowed powerfully within the child, who suddenly stopped playing and turned her gaze toward him, still hidden in the thick forest.

«Who are you? What do you want?»

Kai smiled and stepped out into the open. «My name is Kai-Dar Vantos. I am a Jedi, sent by the Jedi Order.»

The girl immediately stood up, taking a step back, probably sensing the danger Kai represented. He did not allow her to move. He trapped her in the Force, forcing her to her knees. He took out his lightsaber and activated it—the yellow Kyber crystal illuminated the frightened face of the little girl.

Her mind was in total confusion—she could not understand the reason for this attack.

Kai raised his blade, but suddenly the door burst open, and a powerful Force wave hurled him against a tree. The impact knocked the air from his lungs, and when he opened his eyes again, a woman stood before the girl—a woman with a visibly pregnant belly, a white lightsaber already poised for battle.

The sudden attack had made him lose his hold on the child, who now hid behind her mother.

Kai got to his feet and approached the two.

«You must be Lady Selene.»

«Just Selene, now, Jedi.» She took a defensive stance. «Why are you attacking us? We have nothing to do with you or the Sith Order, for that matter.»

«Says the consort of Darth Nexar.»

«Shut up, Jedi!» Selene growled. «You have no idea what you’re talking about!»

Kai attacked, but the woman easily parried the blow before pushing him back again. He barely managed to raise his lightsaber in time to prevent Selene from cutting him in half. Despite being slowed by her advanced pregnancy, her attacks were precise and fast. She was a warrior worthy of respect—there was no doubt about that.

Another reason to believe that eliminating her, her daughter, and her entire lineage was necessary.

The Force warned him of another danger just in time. He barely dodged a blaster shot. He did not have time to see who had fired it because Selene immediately resumed pressing her attack. Behind the woman, comforting the terrified, crying child, an armed man appeared. The woman, still completely focused on the battle, ordered him to take their daughter inside.

He could not allow that.

Parrying another strike from Selene, he pushed her away with the Force before turning his attention to the man—clearly an accomplice of Selene, which made him an enemy of the galaxy.

He trapped him in the Force, and as he lifted his hand, the man rose into the air, following his motion.

«No!»

Too late. Kai clenched his fist, and the man’s neck twisted a full one hundred and eighty degrees, accompanied by a satisfying crunch of breaking bones.

Selene let out a desperate scream and ran to him. The child also collapsed beside him, crying, shaking him, begging him to wake up.

Kai watched as the woman dropped to her knees beside the man, taking his hand and pressing it against her swollen belly.

Their screams and cries were starting to get on his nerves.

He opened his free hand, and Selene’s lightsaber, abandoned somewhere on the ground, flew into his grasp. He marched toward them, raising both blades, but the Force stopped him.

Selene slowly turned toward him, her eyes blazing with Sith power. A terrible wind began to swirl between them.

The woman screamed, and the wind exploded, hurling him against a tree.

This woman seriously needed to stop throwing him around like a rag doll.

He got to his feet, utterly furious.

He needed to calm her down.

He focused and shattered her mental defenses with a single strike.

Selene clutched her head, trying to shield herself from the sudden pain.

Kai trapped her in the Force, then made a small gesture with his fingers, and Selene flew toward him.

The yellow blade pierced the woman's belly, striking the heart of both mother and unborn child, killing them instantly.

«Mommy!»

The child’s scream once again pierced his ears.

Kai deactivated his lightsaber, and the woman’s lifeless body collapsed at his feet.

He set his cold gaze on the girl, who had stood up and was now running toward him.

Kai stepped over Selene’s corpse and ignited his lightsaber again, pinning the child to the ground with the Force.

He raised the blade and brought it down on the girl. 

The blue laser blocked the Jedi’s yellow one. Eriaar watched as his old Master’s eyes widened in astonishment. He knew exactly what had caught his attention. The laser, at the base of the blade, was slowly but inexorably turning red. He pushed Kai away with the Force and turned toward the child.

The poor girl was on the ground, curled up into herself, desperate and terrified. Just a few meters behind her lay the corpse of the man who had acted as her father, while in front of her, her mother and unborn brother had suffered an equally terrible fate.

He had failed.

He should never have wasted time talking to Thal Marun. He should have rushed to that family to protect them.

And yet, a small part of him had clung to that tiny spark of hope, repeating to himself, trying to convince himself, that maybe it was all a mistake.

Thal Marun, however, had only confirmed his suspicions, and when he had finally reached Selene’s isolated home, it was already too late.

«Eriaar!» Kai growled. «What is the meaning of this?»

Eriaar clenched the hilt of his lightsaber convulsively, letting all his rage, hatred, and despair flow into the Kyber crystal. When he turned to face the Jedi, his face, twisted with fury, was illuminated by a dark, ominous red glow.

The dark side of the Force invaded him all at once, and Eriaar welcomed it. He allowed the Force and the powers of the Nightsisters to intertwine, making him stronger with each passing second.

It took Kai too long to realize what had just happened, and when Eriaar raised a hand, his eyes alight with the power of the Nightsisters, the Jedi’s feet left the ground against his will.

Eriaar slowly approached Kai, battling the ever-growing urge to kill him on the spot. It would have been easy—just a simple clench of his fist, and his neck would have suffered the same fate as that of the innocent man.

But then, the child ran past him, throwing herself onto her mother’s corpse, embracing her and her unborn little brother.

The Force swirled around him as he slowly lowered his hand, forcing his former Master to his knees.

Kai lifted his gaze to him, and Eriaar let out a slow sigh.

«After all, perhaps you were right, Master. I have changed a lot since our first meeting. I once saw you and the Jedi Order as my saviors, when in reality, you are nothing more than religious fanatics, governed by narrow-minded and dangerous rules, hunting ghosts that only you can see.»

The child’s desperate cries were tearing him apart.

She had seen enough death for a lifetime.

He would not make her witness the death of the butcher who had slaughtered her family—not because he didn’t deserve it, but because, perhaps, he should have.

Justice and vengeance were very similar concepts.

Heroes sought justice.

Villains sought vengeance.

He had always believed this and had taught it to the Padawans.

And yet, at that moment, as he looked around, he wondered where exactly the Jedi stood.

Was this justice?

Or was it merely the Jedi’s revenge against an opposing Order of extraordinarily powerful Force wielders—simply because the former could not stand the idea of having rivals in the galaxy?

It was the first time he had attempted to penetrate Jedi Kai-Dar Vantos’s mental barriers. Given his ability, Psychic Resonance, Eriaar had expected fierce resistance, but instead, a single strike was enough to bring down the walls around his consciousness like a house of cards in the wind.

Kai’s face twisted in pain…

Perhaps the dark side had also enhanced his ability to infiltrate the minds of his opponents.

Excellent!

He infused his words with power, giving his Psychic Bond ability its full strength.

«Sleep.»

Kai collapsed instantly, his body going limp as his eyes shut.

Eriaar released him from the Force’s grip and then turned to the child. He deactivated his lightsaber and approached her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

The little girl looked up at him with her large, innocent, and devastated eyes. «Why did you do this to my mommy and daddy?»

Eriaar shook his head slowly. «The Jedi are cowards. They hide behind the rules of their Order to justify ignoble and cruel acts like this.»

And I have defended those very same rules for far too long.

Never again!

Never again would he be swayed by the light side!

Never again would he be deceived by their wise words!

Eriaar would become the Jedi Order’s worst nightmare.

«I will avenge your mother and father.» He stood up and extended his hand to her. «I will avenge all the innocent victims of those the galaxy calls heroes.» 

Korriban - 21 Years to the battle

He landed softly on the rocky ground of Korriban, the cradle of the Sith Order. He couldn’t keep the girl with him. He had work to do. He had managed to access the Jedi ship’s memory, uncovering their next targets. He would spend his entire life protecting the galaxy from the Jedi, even if it meant killing them all, one by one.

His only concern was Robin, his Padawan. Abandoning her in enemy territory was a terrible idea. He needed to contact the Nightsister who had trained him. Somehow, she would protect Robin, even from afar. He would never forget his beloved Padawan. If the Jedi were more like her, he surely would have never fallen to the dark side.

He sighed and shifted his gaze to the sleeping girl. He didn’t even know her name. Her only living relative was her father… He wasn’t sure if that was the right path for her. Nexar was dangerous, and she was incredibly powerful. Giving such power to the Sith Order would make the battle foretold by the Force even harder for the prophesied child. Despite all of this, he couldn’t keep her with him. She was untrained—neither in combat nor in the ways of the Force. At the very least, on Korriban, at her father’s side, she would be safe from the Jedi.

He stood up, unfastened her seatbelts, then lifted her into his arms and stepped off the ship. A group of Sith awaited him. Eriaar’s face twisted into a fierce grin. He let the dark side of the Force and the power of the Nightsisters flood through him, shattering their mental barriers before imprinting a command into their minds: they would remain motionless—except for one, whom he chose as his guide. The Sith turned and led him toward the main structure.

The Sith Fortress was almost the opposite of the Jedi Temple—imposing, somber, and unwelcoming. Its interiors were bare and dark. At least the Sith he had chosen walked swiftly and confidently. He had chosen well. Using his Force Echo ability would have weakened his hold over the Sith’s minds, and he had no intention of fighting the entire planet of Korriban. The girl would be safe, but only if she had the protection of the entire Sith Order. He could sense that she had inherited her mother’s ability, so Nexar would never allow anyone to take away his new toy. He would use her—but at least she would be safe. It wasn’t what Selene would have wanted for her daughter, but it was the only way to keep her alive.

The Sith stopped before massive doors adorned with ancient Sith symbols. The power radiating from the hall beyond was immense. This had to be the heart of the planet—the throne room, where the being at the apex of the Sith Order’s pyramid resided. Eriaar raised a hand, using the Force to push open the heavy doors, and stepped inside.

Darth Nexar, the Dark Lord of the Sith, sat upon an ominous throne of black obsidian. He wore an outfit similar to the last time Eriaar had seen him. It was immediately clear that he recognized him at first glance.

His eyes flashed with fury as Nexar stood. «How dare you show yourself here, Jedi?»

«I am no longer a Jedi.» The girl stirred in his arms, likely woken by the sudden disturbance in the Force. «I have something that belongs to you—something the Jedi tried to take from you.» He placed the girl on the ground, holding her shoulders. «She is your daughter, Darth Nexar. Selene died trying to protect her from a Jedi attack.»

The Dark Lord of the Sith shot to his feet, his eyes widening in shock. The little girl began to tremble and turned to Eriaar, her silent plea clear: Don’t leave me with him.

It was a terrible idea—absolutely the worst—but keeping her with him would be even more dangerous. He kept his gaze forward because he knew that if he looked into the innocent eyes of a child who didn’t want to become the weapon of a murderous lunatic, he wouldn’t be able to say no.

Nexar was in front of them in the blink of an eye, kneeling to the child’s level, his smile growing wider and more deranged by the second. «Ah!» He burst into hysterical laughter before snatching the girl from Eriaar’s grasp. «You do realize you’ve just condemned the entire Jedi Order, don’t you?»

«As I said…» Eriaar met his gaze. «I am no longer a Jedi.»

Nexar stood, still holding the girl firmly by her arm. «You’ve fallen to the dark side… And yet, you have no intention of joining us, do you?»

«Leaving one murderous Order for another would be hypocritical of me,» Eriaar quipped. «But let me make one thing perfectly clear: don’t think for a second that I will let you do as you please, Nexar.» He took a step closer, their faces so near they almost touched, their eyes locked in an unrelenting battle for dominance. «Jedi or Sith, it makes no difference to me. I will protect the galaxy from any threat. I will burn the Jedi Temple on Coruscant to the ground if I must, but if you dare to stand in my way, I won’t hesitate to blow your damned planet to pieces. And if you think I’m not capable of it, remember what happened on Nerathos.»

He turned his back and walked toward the exit, but Nexar’s voice stopped him once more. «Xuir.»

Eriaar turned his head slightly, confused. «What?»

«Your new name,» Nexar explained, a proud smile on his face. «It means ‘blade of vengeance’ in the Sith language. From now on, you will be known across the galaxy as Darth Xuir.»

The blade of vengeance, huh? Yeah, I can accept that.

He certainly didn’t thank Nexar as he left the throne room, leaving behind the terrified girl and the Dark Lord’s deep, menacing laughter. He reached his ship and studied it. He would need to repaint it and make some modifications to avoid being tracked by the Jedi.

He released the Sith from his mental grip, and the ground trembled under the collapse of hundreds of bodies. Xuir smirked, listening to the groans of those who had dared to challenge him. He stepped onto his ship, powered up the engines, and lifted off. From above, he watched the Sith, forced to their knees by the aftermath of his intrusion into their minds, and made a vow—he would do the same to the entire Jedi Order, starting with Grand Master Thal Marun and Jedi Master Kai-Dar Vantos. 

Coruscant - 21 YEARS TO THE BATTLE

Nephyl barely avoided colliding with a group of patrolling Jedi guards, muttered an apology, and kept running. Something serious had happened. The Force had warned her of Kai's return, but he was alone.

She reached the hangars with her lungs burning. A ship was landing at that very moment. It wasn’t the same one that Kai and Eriaar had left with that morning. If she wasn’t mistaken, it was a rescue ship, commanded by Jedi Master Nima Tol’var. Waiting for its arrival were Thal, Jedi Master Kol Venn, Naitsirk, and Robin. The two Padawans looked extremely worried. As Nephyl approached cautiously, she noticed they were holding hands, and Robin was trembling.

Nephyl stopped at a safe distance—not close enough to be seen but not too far to listen in on the conversation. The ship landed smoothly, and the boarding ramp extended toward the ground. Nima was the first to disembark, followed by two Jedi Knights supporting a pained and exhausted Kai-Dar Vantos.

Nephyl had never seen him in such a state before. She immediately noticed something strange—his mental barriers were shattered into ruins. There was only one man capable of causing that kind of damage, because she had suffered it herself: Eriaar Shehol. And yet, it didn’t make sense. Why would Eriaar attack the Jedi who had trained him and saved him from Dathomir?

A much more important question… Where was Eriaar Shehol? Why wasn’t he with Kai? What could have happened?

She looked up again as Robin threw herself at Kai, grabbing his robes and demanding to know where her Master was. For all the times she had loudly proclaimed how much she couldn’t stand Eriaar as her Master, everyone knew the truth—she saw him as an older brother, if not a father figure, someone who would always protect her, even at the cost of his own life.

But Kai, in his current state, couldn’t answer her. With his mind so broken, it was already a miracle he even understood what Robin was saying.

Thal pulled Robin away from Kai and ordered the Jedi Knights to take him to the infirmary immediately. As soon as they were far enough away, Nima began her report.

The two Jedi had split up upon arriving on the planet Velmara to gather information about Lady Selene. Master Kai-Dar Vantos had located her immediately, while Master Eriaar Shehol had chosen to stop at a bar to get firsthand news on the woman.

There had been a confrontation with Lady Selene and an unknown man. Both were dead. The child had not been found, and Eriaar had seemingly vanished along with the ship they had departed in.

Child? What child?

Thal turned to Robin, asking if she was willing to use her Galaxy Eye ability to try to locate Eriaar. Nephyl saw her friend open her mouth, then immediately close it.

She felt Robin’s uncertainty in the Force. Something worried her, and Nephyl was fairly sure she knew what it was—Robin was afraid that if she found her Master, the Jedi would hurt him.

Robin lifted her desperate gaze to Thal and quickly shook her head. The Grand Master tilted his head, clearly irritated by her refusal, but before he could reprimand her, Naitsirk stepped in, physically placing himself between them. He reminded Thal that using Galaxy Eye required a certain level of concentration, and right now, Robin was too distraught to do it properly.

Besides, the priority wasn’t finding Master Eriaar—it was getting the mission report from Master Kai.

That is… if he recovers from Eriaar’s attack.

The group of Jedi moved toward the infirmary, and Nephyl followed from a safe distance.

Inside, they found Kai awake and much more lucid. His mental barriers were slowly rebuilding, though he was still weakened from the younger Jedi’s attack. As always, Nima had worked a miracle, though now she, too, looked exhausted. She sat in a chair beside Kai’s bed, her head in her hands. But when she saw the Grand Master approaching, she stood up and bowed respectfully. Kai also nodded in greeting.

Robin broke away from the group and grabbed Kai’s robes again. «Where is my Master? What did you do to him?»

Thal forcibly pulled her back. «Do not question the actions of a Jedi Master, Padawan.»

Robin turned her eyes toward Kai. Nephyl had never seen that expression on her before—she was desperate and furious.

She almost looked…

Yes, she looked like she hated Kai.

Hot tears streamed down her cheeks, but she didn’t avert her gaze for even a second.

Naitsirk stepped forward and placed his hands on her shoulders. He whispered something in her ear, but Nephyl was too far away to hear the words spoken so softly.

Robin, however, completely ignored him. She shoved Naitsirk’s hands off her, wiped her tears away in anger, and stood rigidly in place, fists clenched.

Kai met her gaze before murmuring, «He has fallen.»

Thal frowned. «Fallen? What do you mean?»

The Jedi Master lifted his head with effort to face the Grand Master. «Eriaar Shehol no longer exists. He has given in to the dark side.»

Eriaar?

Robin shook her head. «You’re lying!» Her anger and despair were evident in every word. «You all lied! I know who Selene was! She didn’t deserve to die!»

Robin… Shut up!

Nephyl watched in horror as Thal’s accusatory gaze landed on her friend.

Now that she thought about it, Robin had been the one who convinced Eriaar to join them on the mission to Nerathos. She had witnessed his research on the Dark Lord of the Sith and his reasons for targeting that planet in particular.

She must have read about Selene and the child the Jedi had mentioned.

She couldn’t let anything happen to her best friend.

She didn’t know what had happened to Eriaar or why he hadn’t returned with Kai, but one thing was certain—he would want Robin to be safe.

Forgive me, Robin…

Nephyl focused and easily shattered her best friend’s mental barriers, imprinting a precise order in her mind: stay silent and leave.

Robin abruptly stopped speaking. She turned and ran out of the infirmary.

Nephyl took a deep breath before following her. As soon as she reached her, she immediately released her mind from control.

Robin stopped in the middle of the corridor. Slowly, she turned, her desperate gray eyes locking onto Nephyl.

They stared at each other for a few seconds before Robin ran to her and hugged her, sobbing.

Nephyl held her tightly, patting her back affectionately. «He’ll be fine. He’s strong and knows how to hide. They won’t find him.»

Robin, however, shook her head. «No, Nephyl… I’m not afraid for Eriaar, because the Jedi won’t be the ones to find him. My Master will be the one hunting them all down.»

She pulled away, lowering her eyes, sad and exhausted.

«And he won’t stop until he has erased even the smallest speck of dust of the Jedi Order from the history of the Galaxy.» 

Coruscant - 20 Years to the Battle

Many months passed, and despite the Jedi's efforts to find Master Eriaar Shehol, his whereabouts remained a complete mystery. Robin was assigned to Master Kelan Dross, a brilliant idea from Thal to get rid of her, as she apparently knew far too much. Despite the daily dangers Kelan faced, Robin had been trained by the best warrior of the Jedi Order, had confronted the Dark Lord of the Sith and his horde of followers, and had survived—coming out stronger than before. Killing her and getting rid of her wasn't that simple, and in fact, she had already saved her new Master's life more than once.

Nephyl was almost certain that Robin had found Eriaar but was keeping the information to herself. She hadn't even told her, but it was easy to tell when her friend had come begging her to teach her how to reinforce her mental barriers. That day, she had also revealed that Master Kai-Dar Vantos was lingering too much around her, even if from the shadows. Every time she turned around, he was there. She feared that he wanted to infiltrate her mind to discover Eriaar’s location. Nephyl had taught her everything she knew about mental barriers and how to strengthen them. She hadn’t asked her any questions about her Master, even though she desperately wanted to know if he was okay, if he was injured, and what his next moves would be.

Nephyl shifted her gaze toward the rising sun. She had woken up just before dawn to train a little. By her side was her faithful white wolf, a creature she always conjured when she was alone. She sat down on the ground, and the animal rested its muzzle on her lap, allowing her to pet it. She had named him Artyx, a name that reminded her of the ice and snow typical of her home planet, Nydrion.

I wonder where Eriaar is right now…

Artyx lifted his muzzle and perked up his ears toward the door. Nephyl turned and made a small hand gesture—the wolf at her side became ethereal before vanishing like mist in the air. Just in time: the training room doors opened, and Thal entered, followed by Nima and Kai, with Robin and Naitsirk close behind. Her friend gave her a small smile, while Naitsirk greeted her with a wave of his hand.

I sense trouble.

The Force fluctuated strangely around the Jedi Masters. Whatever they had in mind, it was nothing good. Nephyl stood up and bowed in greeting to the Jedi Masters and the Jedi Grand Master, Thal. He had continued to train her, though he had become much stricter about using the dark side of the Force. Ever since Eriaar had disappeared, the rules regarding the dark side had tightened even further, to the point where even Grey Jedi were no longer allowed to use it—not even in desperate situations. Many Jedi Knights disagreed with this policy, but no one could challenge the Grand Master’s orders.

As she walked through the halls, she often heard Jedi whispering Eriaar's name and how much his absence was being felt. The Jedi Knights barely had a moment to breathe; they were constantly sent on missions to hunt down Sith… or supposed Sith. She knew that even the Republic was at odds with the Jedi Order—they were overreaching with their attacks on peaceful planets, hiding behind the excuse of some allegedly powerful and dangerous Sith. Only to then discover that the intelligence was wrong and that they had destroyed an entire village, if not entire cities, for nothing.

So, it was never a good sign to see Thal arriving, followed by two powerful Jedi Masters like Kai and Nima.

«We’re going on a mission, Padawan.»

Nephyl shot a worried glance at Robin. «Master?»

He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, smiling. «Don’t worry. As you can see, it’s not just you and me this time. It will be a simple mission, you’ll see.» 

Ryubin - 20 years to the battle

Far from a simple mission…

Nephyl, Robin, and Naitsirk were utterly exhausted. Nima had been injured, though not seriously, and Thal had forced his Padawan to heal her while he and Kai chased the witches halfway across the Galaxy. Nephyl watched as the lush green planet grew closer. There was a powerful disturbance in the Force—what they were doing was wrong. Thal had explained that these witches had harmed innocent people, using them as sacrificial creatures. Yet, once they arrived on the planet, the population welcomed them as if nothing was wrong.

She, Robin, and Naitsirk had wandered through the streets, gathering information about these so-called witches, but no one had spoken ill of them. They called themselves the Coven of the Black Circles, and since their arrival, they had been protecting the people from various threats.

Robin and Nephyl had been confused by this revelation, but they hadn’t had the chance to investigate further because Naitsirk had warned them that Thal was looking for them. Nima had found the witches. The group of Jedi had moved away from the city, and then all hell had broken loose. The witches must have sensed their arrival, because as the Jedi prepared an ambush, it was the witches who struck first.

Nephyl and Robin had only stunned them, avoiding any real harm, but the other Jedi had shown no mercy. Even Naitsirk had fought with fury. Thanks to their powers, the witches had managed to push them back and escape the planet. But the Jedi would never give up so easily, and now they were preparing to land on yet another planet—one whose future Nephyl feared for.

They disembarked in front of the only settlement on the entire planet. As soon as Nephyl set foot on the grassy ground, she was overwhelmed by the powerful energies that inhabited Ryubin. There were incredibly powerful beings on this planet, and they were not Jedi. They were witches—but not the ones they were hunting.

This wasn’t right. Not at all. There was a risk of a mass slaughter.

Panicked, she grabbed Thal’s hand. «Master, we need to turn back!»

The Jedi raised an eyebrow before yanking his hand away harshly. «Do not question me, Padawan. We move forward. We must finish what we started.»

The Jedi entered the village. Almost all the inhabitants had gathered in the central square, curious about the arrival of strangers. A man and a woman stepped forward from the small crowd. She was clearly pregnant, and he positioned himself protectively in front of her. They approached, and when the man spoke, Nephyl tilted her head—she didn’t recognize the language.

Fortunately, Nima was with them. She was the language expert—she could speak almost all of them. The man listened to the Jedi attentively before shaking his head and responding to her question. But Nephyl felt through the Force that he had just lied—or rather, altered reality to his convenience. He was protecting the witches.

Nima translated the man’s response, but it was clear that Thal already knew it was false.

«Translate these exact words, Nima,» Thal ordered. What he said next sent chills down Nephyl’s spine. «Hiding and harboring Sith is a crime punishable by death. Do not make yourselves accomplices to galactic criminals. Tell us where the witches are.»

Nima translated, and the man, clearly frustrated, straightened his back. «I don’t know who you are or why you’re here, but as the village chief, it is my duty to protect my people. You are requested to leave our planet and never return.»

The man had long purple hair tied in an elegant braid. His eyes, the same shade of violet, were piercing, firm, and unwavering. He was not someone who could be easily intimidated. His wife, standing behind him, had long blue hair adorned in the same regal manner. She had remained behind him the entire time, clearly frightened by the strangers’ hostility.

Thal took a deep, slow breath and turned to Kai. «Find out where they’re hiding the witches.»

It was instant. Even Nephyl and Robin were struck by the Jedi’s mental assault. They clutched their heads, but both the man and woman collapsed to the ground. Their eyes became vacant as Kai delved into their minds, leaving behind a confused mess of memories and thoughts.

Nephyl recovered quickly and tried to lunge at Kai to stop him, but Thal pushed her away with the Force. She wasn’t fast enough to shield herself.

She got up immediately, watching as the village descended into chaos. She had to stop Kai! If he kept going, he would shatter their minds completely!

Before she could take a step, a blinding white flash struck Kai, sending him flying back several meters. Nephyl turned and saw the witches marching toward them with confidence.

Their leader raised her hands, her white eyes glowing with power. «We will not allow you to harm these people, Jedi!»

Nephyl barely moved out of their way in time. Kai, already back on his feet, lunged at them, immediately followed by Nima and Naitsirk. Thal approached slowly, observing the witches and intervening only to prevent fatal injuries to his comrades.

Nephyl ran to Robin, who was tending to the two village leaders.

«How are they?» she asked, helping her lift the man. «Sir, can you understand me?»

But his gaze remained empty, making her shiver.

Suddenly, the doors of the houses burst open, and the villagers rushed to aid the witches, attacking the Jedi with whatever makeshift weapons they had.

Robin struck the ground, sending two armed men flying backward.

If this kept up, it was going to be a massacre. But what could they do?

The woman grabbed Robin by the shoulders, shaking her and shouting something. Nephyl placed a calming hand on her shoulder through the Force, and the woman slowly collapsed.

At last, Nephyl understood a single word—a name, whispered by the exhausted woman: Jess.

«She said a name…» Nephyl looked at her friend. «I think it’s her daughter. We need to stop the others.»

Robin clenched her fists, trembling, on the verge of tears. «I… I can’t, Nephyl.» She stood up, turning away. «I’m going back to the ship. There’s nothing I can do. And if I did do something, I’d be in danger. I have to survive. I’m sorry, Nephyl.»

«What?!»

She had already run off before Nephyl could fully process her words.

«Robin…»

Screams drew her attention back to the battlefield. In their attempts to defend themselves against the witches, the Jedi had set a house on fire—and the flames had quickly spread throughout the village.

The Jedi had shown no mercy—at least, not the Masters. Naitsirk was backing away, clearly disgusted by the decisions of the elder Jedi. The witches were doing everything to protect the defenseless villagers, but many were gravely injured or already dead. They had been nearly wiped out.

Then, Nephyl saw it.

Kai struck down an innocent child.

Naitsirk turned and ran, passing by Nephyl. «Come on! Run!» he pleaded.

But she remained frozen, horrified by the Master’s senseless cruelty.

Rage overtook her, unleashing both her Force powers and her magic.

Her eyes glowed with power, and she screamed, letting it all loose.

Kai raised his lightsaber against a woman shielding her son, but before he could strike, fangs sank into his arm.

A moment later, Nephyl twirled her two lightsabers, forcing him back.

Then, something caught her eye.

Red veins crackled through the blue blades of her sabers.

«You too?» Kai sneered, shaking off her wolf’s attack. «Is falling to the Dark Side some kind of trend now? Then again… What else could we expect from a witch?»

Nephyl’s eyes burned with hatred.

A witch, huh? Very well. If that is what you Jedi fear, then I shall be a witch.

The power she had hidden and trained in secret for so long was now free to flow through her veins, unleashed and ready to be wielded. Her body lifted off the ground as the kyber crystals embedded in her lightsabers bled from the hatred and rage surging within her, until her face was bathed in a deep, dark red glow.

The Jedi had already taken care of the witches and the villagers—their entire focus was now on the Padawan. Nephyl let out a scream and crashed to the ground, releasing her power. From the earth, monstrous creatures emerged, roaring at the Jedi before attacking them.

She felt her body shift, her bones snapping and reforming until she had fully transformed into an enraged, massive white wolf. Snarling, she lunged at Kai, nearly sinking her fangs into his throat. She called upon Artyx as well, and soon, the Jedi were completely surrounded by enemies.

A powerful Force wave sent her flying back. When she lifted her gaze, Thal stood before her.

«You are a failure, Nephyl.»

I’m a failure? You decrepit Jedi mummy?!

Nephyl growled and charged at him, but suddenly, her paws froze mid-air, and she tumbled to the ground, shifting back into her human form. Her body felt unbearably heavy, as if an immense weight was crushing her, making it hard to breathe.

Thal Marun’s cold, exasperated face appeared within her fading vision. She saw him shake his head and click his tongue in disappointment.

Nephyl struggled against the overwhelming exhaustion, but she couldn’t move a single muscle. Her eyelids began to shut against her will, her vision blurring.

The last thing she saw was Nima being thrown into the air by what looked like a massive shadowy hand—and Thal’s arm reaching past her—before she lost consciousness. 

Coruscant - 20 Years to the battle

She woke up with a start. She felt something cold tightening around her wrists, and when she lifted her hands, she saw that she was chained. She looked around: why was she in one of the cells of the Jedi Temple? She barely had time to ask herself that question before the memories flooded her mind: they had destroyed an entire village, massacred innocent people, and killed Witches who had never harmed anyone.

Something inside her had changed. She remembered her lightsabers shifting color, turning red. She had made her kyber crystals bleed, but no matter how much she wanted to feel guilty, she couldn’t. This time, when her powers demanded to be unleashed, she didn’t hold them back, and along with them, the dark side of the Force began to flow through her veins.

She had to get out of there. She had no intention of becoming the Jedi’s next victim. She got to her feet and looked at the chains: they had made a mistake by not using Force-blocking cuffs. She used her powers and began to freeze the chains.

«Nephyl?»

She shifted her gaze to Robin.

«Come back. What the Jedi did was right. They just want—»

«Shut up!» she snarled, tasting the distinct bitterness of betrayal on her tongue. «How could you allow them to do all that? Do you realize those were innocent people?»

She paced back and forth outside the bars of her cell as Nephyl slowly froze her chains completely, until the metal began to give way.

«You… you don’t understand, Nephyl. I had to do it! The Force has foreseen that I will have a daughter, and that child will be kidnapped by the Sith.»

She gripped the bars and looked at her, desperate.

«That child is innocent too.»

«Those Witches weren’t Sith!» Nephyl roared, shattering the chains and grabbing Robin’s wrists, stopping her from pulling away. «Those people weren’t Sith! You’re complicit in a massacre committed in the name of a child who doesn’t even exist yet! You’re nothing but a cowardly hypocrite, Robin Serijala.»

The more she spoke, the more her rage fueled her power, slowly freezing the entire cell, turning the bars beneath their hands to ice.

«I’m not the one who needs to go back, Robin, you are the one who needs to leave. The dark side is powerful and free. It blends well with our powers. You know very well that if they ever discovered your true identity—that you’re a spy for the Nightsisters—they would kill you on the spot.»

Robin’s face drained of all color, and at that moment, the bars shattered. The Padawan collapsed to the ground and backed away, her back hitting the wall.

She only needed to retrieve her lightsabers from Thal Marun’s ship. But to do that, she would have to get through quite a few corridors full of Jedi.

She cast one last glance at Robin.

«Goodbye, my friend.»

She left the cells and ascended the stairs, gathering power with every step. She sensed the presence of two Jedi guards on the other side. She flung open the doors leading to the main corridor, startling the two Jedi, who immediately ignited their yellow lightsabers. Nephyl raised her hand, focused on the minds of the two Jedi, and shattered their mental barriers, branding a command into them like fire: kill each other.

The ability of Psychic Bond, which Eriaar had spent years teaching her, came to her effortlessly and was highly effective. The two Jedi looked at each other, then drove their blades into each other’s chests. Nephyl walked past them and summoned Artyx, who ran ahead to clear her path. Until she recovered her two lightsabers, she needed other weapons to fight the Jedi. She spread her arms, opened her palms, and her power forged twin blades of ice.

Two Jedi guards rushed toward her, and she faced them without fear. The dark side was far stronger than the light. It told her how and when to dodge their strikes and where to drive her blades. If they were too many, she used Psychic Bond on one of them, turning them into a temporary ally, only to plunge her blade into their heart the moment they were no longer useful.

In this way, she reached the hangars, and in front of the ship, standing between her and her lightsabers, was Thal Marun, the Grand Master of the Jedi.

Artyx stood by her side, his bared fangs dripping with blood.

Nephyl marched confidently toward him as he unclipped his lightsaber from his belt and ignited it. His old and weary face was illuminated by the green glow of his blade.

Nephyl reinforced the power surrounding her twin ice blades, then lunged at him. She aimed for his side, but he parried with his lightsaber… Too bad she had two blades.

Nephyl smirked and, with the other blade, severed the tendons at the back of his knee, sending him crashing down. She adjusted her grip on her weapons and drove one into his armed forearm. Thal howled in pain and lost his grip on his lightsaber, which clattered to the floor and powered down.

Nephyl twirled her twin blades in her hands, then crossed them at his throat.

«You should have spent more time training your body, Master,» she mocked. «For a Grand Master, you’re truly pathetic, let me tell you.»

At that moment, Artyx descended from the ship, her two lightsabers clutched safely in his jaws.

Nephyl released her twin ice blades and opened her palms, letting her two lightsabers fly into her hands. She ignited them, lowered her gaze to Thal, then crossed the two red blades and slashed his throat.

The Force warned her of the many Jedi approaching. She had to leave.

She looked around: there weren’t many ships she knew how to pilot. Thal had never let her into a cockpit before, but right now, she needed one. Something small, something that didn’t require many pilots.

The Force guided her to a small ship. Nephyl climbed aboard. There was only a cockpit—perfect for a single pilot.

Artyx curled up behind her as Nephyl powered up the engines. The dark side guided her every move, and by the time the Jedi stormed into the hangars, she was already far from the Jedi Temple. 

Korravyn - 20 Years to the Battle

Nephyl landed near a very peculiar structure. She had no idea why the Force had brought her to this place, but so far, the dark side had not yet betrayed her… unlike Robin had. Nephyl shook her head, pushing away the painful thought of what had once been her best friend. She had to move forward and protect the Galaxy from the Jedi. Most likely, that was exactly what had driven Eriaar to convert to the dark side. Maybe he, too, had witnessed something terrible. It wasn’t hard to imagine, considering Kai was involved.

Artyx ran ahead, reaching the circle of gigantic monoliths. Nephyl could feel an immense energy surrounding her. This place was sacred to creatures like her. According to the Jedi archive on the ship, this was the planet Korravyn. It was said to have been uninhabited for over a thousand years, yet something didn’t add up. If there was truly no life, where was all this energy coming from?

At the center of the circle, there was something resembling an altar. Nephyl sat on it, crossing her legs before closing her eyes and focusing. Her power began flowing freely through her veins, and when she reopened her eyes, the whites of her irises shone with energy. She lifted her head toward the sky and, without her brain giving any kind of order, her lips moved on their own.

Rokh’mal veth’nash

Thar’kha val’dren

Kreth’loth nar’ashar

Vokh’nir val’zen

Shara’veth dor’nar.

(My ancient sisters

I call to you

Hear my prayer

Feel my call

Your sister awaits.)

Her power settled in her veins, and her eyes returned to normal. She felt slightly dazed. She didn’t know exactly what had just happened. She didn’t recognize the language she had spoken, yet she had understood every word. It was a summons—for beings like her, those who shared her kind of power.

She climbed down from the altar and stroked Artyx. Strangely, her mind drifted back to the attack on Ryubin. She had sensed other witches like her. Should she go back?

No, that’s not a good idea.

But… the last image she remembered was nothing short of unsettling: a massive shadowy hand throwing Jedi Master Nima Tol’var into the air, and Thal’s shadow stretching behind him. It was definitely dark magic. Whoever was behind it had the ability to control shadows. From what she remembered of Thal’s lessons, the ability was called Shadow Wielding—one of the darkest forms of magic. Controlling shadows meant controlling darkness, the night. Whoever it was, they must have given the Jedi a hard time… hopefully, they hadn’t been killed.

At that moment, a sonic boom echoed above her head as a ship entered the planet’s atmosphere.

«Damn it!»

It was the biggest ship she had ever seen. It circled a few times before finally landing near hers, which, by comparison, was as small as a bush next to a mountain. Nephyl approached without any fear—the Force was calm.

The ship’s doors opened, and a formation of women marched down the boarding ramp in perfect unison. They were beautiful, but above all, they were powerful. On their foreheads, they bore what appeared to be a tattoo: a series of black concentric circles.

The Coven of the Black Circles…

So, they weren’t all dead.

Nephyl took a deep, steadying breath. Their leader, at the front of the formation, raised a hand to halt her sisters before continuing toward Nephyl alone.

Nephyl froze as the woman stopped in front of her. She studied her for a few seconds before opening her arms.

«Poor child… You have seen terrible things.»

Nephyl buried herself in the woman’s embrace, which was incredibly warm and protective.

«Our sisters did not die in vain, if they were able to bring you to us.»

The woman gently pulled her away, cupping Nephyl’s face in her hands, wiping away the tears Nephyl hadn’t even realized she was shedding.

«Do not worry, Nephyl, you are safe with us. We will avenge our sisters together.»

Nephyl lowered her head.

«Yes, Sister.»