1,578Author's Notes
Hello. I have done it. I have made a new chapter before 2025. yay.
It does help that a lot of this and the next like ten chapters are planned out and I know what happens in them. I just have to actually write the chapters.
Also, if you have read this story this far then I take it you are a fan of mine. Unless you are just hate reading this then thank you for your gift of salt, it feeds me. But if you do like my work here, then I invite you to watch me bum around on Twitch. At the time of me posting this chapter, I will be there playing Warhammer 40k Darktide right now. My Twitch handle is Enzinthebro. I look forward to any if at all coming to hang out.
Climbing out of the ruble, Rathari looked ahead to see… three Gods of the Force. On one side he recognized, based on their looks it was no doubt the Maiden and the Warrior. A dainty woman with innocent yet beautiful features posed gracefully on the shoulder of her grim giant guardian. But opposing them? That was a imposing figure that the Sith did not recognize. There was only one logical answer to just who it was, but Rathari could not believe it.
"I shall forgive thy trespass, for to stand 'fore a monarch is a grievous sin, yet one for which I shall extend mercy. Ķ̵̨͕̤̭͚̗͍̣͓̩͍̉̑́̀͐̈́̈́́n̶̢̪̤̯̞̳̲̜̬͋͗̉̇̈́̂͌̓́̊̌͘͘͠ẻ̴͔̳͉̠̻̦̖̜̱̳̣̟͔̗̎͋̂̂̄͂̌̔͛̂̒̂̌͜͜ͅe̸͔͈̗͔̰̺̹̺̳̗̻̣̟̞͕̍l̷̮̼̫̗̠̦̯̩̥̭̪̖̲͌̂̽͝͠͝͠." Its voice was the embodiment of authority, deep and commanding. Echoing across the entire realm of the Maiden, the utmost urge to follow its orders shuddered deep in the soul of all things both living and construct. But the two Ones before it were not shaken.
"Kneel! K̴̝̝̭̀̍͗̿̈́ͅņ̷̬̮̺̞͉͛͝ë̸̞͎́̿͌͋̂͘e̴̢̘̪̞̥̻͒̈́̅̒̑ĺ̶̗͌͑̅̄͛?! I will never kneel to anyone ever again! Least of all you!" The soothing and calm voice of the Maiden was replaced with a bitter, repulsed, and angry shrill howl.
Floating before both the ancient Ones was the shape of a man but more like an outline of one. A bright white outline that shown so brightly it made the normally ashen hues of the Maiden's realm look stained in comparison. Inside the outline was a void of darkness, hungry and ever pulling at the edge of its confines. Madness and power in equal measure snapped and twisted in the darkness. Beyond the border of dark and light, whips and whisps of light rolled off the being much in same way plasma does on the surface of a sun. The only other defining feature of the being was three small golden circles in the head of the being that simulated eyes.
"Thou darest, A mere courtier to defy her lord? Nothing but a prattling harpy vain and naïve to all that is around her. A brat who must be disciplined by her betters." The being held up its hand the air itself seemed to still at its demand. The Maiden smirked thinking that it was above this thing's authority, she was not. "Stand before mine throne and submit thy to mine j̷̘̦̮͖̗̱͈͆̀́̔͊͑̾̈́̀u̸͙̭͆͐͑d̵̢͙̮̦̘̬͓͜͜͠g̸̛̩̙̠̰͎̫͈̺̀͑̂̈̓̃͜ẽ̶̘̭̜̿̈̿m̶̢̹͙̬̟̣̦̟͂̈̑̆́ḙ̷̝̝̣̹͙̓̓̓͋̌̌̊̚n̵̨͕̦̪̫͕̅t̴̠͍̳͖͉̜̏̃͊͂͝."
The maiden one moment was on the shoulder of the Warrior and the split second next she was on her hands and knees in front of the monarch. She could not move and was beyond the sense of self control over her body and soul, only her mind remained in her possession and it was terrified. This should not be happening. She was a One, the very height of existence in the Force and just moments ago this thing was a dying fool who thought he could challenge the gods themselves.
"M̸̧̡̛͖̭̙̥͙̥͙̯̫̊̓̇̉̽̿͐͜Ì̷̝̘̜̹̦̠̲̺̺̣́̈͑̽́̀͐̌͆̚̕N̸̢̛̘̣͔͔̪͍͕͓̖̞̯̈́̀̍E̷̛͇̩̤̙̳͙̟̼͇͙̬̠̳͒̀̓̂̿̓!" The Warrior roared as it leapt to save his sister. The tower that it had been standing on cracked and blew apart as the god like being jumped into the air. Blackened spears formed from nothing and shot forward as they did before to end the Bringer of Balance, this time they did not find their mark.
"Mine own foot soldier forgets its place?" The golden eyes of the being looked up from the Maiden to the howling beast clad in armor raising against it. The hundreds of spears that it had summoned did not move from their place, unable to attack the true authority here. But the Warrior continued on, intent on wrapping its hand around the throat of the creature that dared take what was his. "Thou fanciest thyself a Knight? To name thyself a Warrior? Nay. Thou art but a soldier, to clash and perish at the command of thy lords. Mine time must be sullied with reminding thou were thy belong."
The Warrior stood in place, frozen midair by the gaze of the being. Then in the next second the new god stood before the Warrior, head to head. With a knowing irony, it grabbed the armored neck of the Warrior in its hand. Rending and tearing at the metal shell that covered the beast. But it would end strangle the Warrior as the Warrior intended to do to it. Instead it threw the beast further up and appeared in a flash above it, only to kick it back down. The sound was a crack across the land and further destruction to the Maiden's core, her castle was to come.
"Brother!" The Maiden shouted but then found a blade to her throat. Three golden armored knights wearing armor of an empire of a forgotten time formed from nothing and each held a halberd's blade to a vital spot at her body.
"Thy judgement has not yet finished. Stay in p̵͇͔̝̟̂͊̊͠e̶̢̺̳̰͗n̸̟̺̂̀̚͝ã̶̪̭̞̋̇n̸̜̼̪̭̍̄̑c̵͚͐͜e̷̯͈̪̳͠ until I finish." The Warrior roared as it flew back up to the being and they resumed their fight. Both trading blows, though only the Warrior was receiving any hits as all of his never landed.
Below, mere mortals watched this divine battle play out. The rest of the party that had come to reimprison the Maiden watch with differing reactions to what just happened. Fay was shell shocked, never expecting this was what her actions would cause and was still trying to come to grips with the situation. The witch of Dathomir was in sheer awe, the majesty of her god ascending to his full potential was a transcendent experience. Most stalwart of the Sith Rathari was horrified by the level of power at display, this was beyond even the titanic battles of the Old Republic era. Lastly, Jaesa couldn't look away. Her sight, her gift, told the truth.
"What is that?" She asked aloud. Her eyes never left the being that appeared in the same space her love and master had been in. It was not Naraiz, it was not her beloved master. His soul was now just as familiar to her as the Old Naraiz's was. The thing she saw now was alien, eldritch, but… it called to her memory. Some vague echo of something she knew and saw before.
"It is something that should not yet be." The still living reacted to the sight of the dead appearing before them.
"Lord Marr!" Rathari immediately fell to a knee in the face of one of the most respected and vital of Sith in the Order's history.
"Raise Lord Rathari, truly Rhyhall really should bestow a Darth Title to you already." He laughed and the small bit of levity in his emotions lessened the shock the others were feeling. "The situation is grave indeed, already Naraiz has fallen to the power of the One, he's being subsumed by its power."
"What did you two do?!" Jaesa screamed as panic filled her mind. Another one, another master was going to be lost and she felt powerless to do it. Fay shrunk as the guilt of what she did descended on her while Talzin stood straight and proud of her actions. They said nothing but the question was answered by another new comer.
"They fell for the One's schemes."
"You fucking cunt!" The second that Satele appeared in the ruins of the Maiden's castle, Jaesa attacked. Old grudges still held strong. But as Jaesa leapt into the air, daggers in hand, she froze midair as Marr held her in place with the force.
"Tsk-Tsk wild child, we have more important matters than your tangled mess of affairs of the heart." The Sith Lord chastised the Sith Apprentice before gently letting her down to the ground. Jaesa continued to glare at the former Jedi Grandmaster but then a smug smirk came over her and put a sour taste in Satele's mouth.
"What are you thinking about Sith?" It wasn't so much that Satele cared but instead just didn't like the fact Jaesa was smiling at all.
"While you slummed with your soldiers, having that bastard's bastard. I got the genuine dick and now have three cute little babies with Naraiz, I won." Jaesa added the childish gloat with pulling her mask down and sticking her tongue out. The other still living present were actually impressed that she showed her lower face. Satele meanwhile pulled all her connection to the Light Side of the Force to not react to the taunt, it was a strain on her.
"Enough of this, what has happened to Darth Nagash?" Rathari brought the group attention back upon the matter at hand. Above them the two gods were still fighting. The Warrior's armor had been torn to pieces and it was clear just whom was the losing side in the fight. It would not be long before the being's focused was back on the castle and possibly them.
"He has transformed into the Tyrant, the One of Absolute Authority and Cruelty." Marr answered as everyone left behind their personal issues and felt the immediate danger that statement held. "Though we hope that this process is not permanent given its forced upon implementation."
"How has Naraiz become a One? It's true that he was the strongest among us but he was nowhere near the level of a One." Fay had seen his defeat at the Warrior's hands. He had been in his most powerful state, no limits holding him back, perfectly aware of the foe in front of him. And still… the Warrior ended the fight in a single move. The gap between them had to have been as vast as Terra was from Tython. It was why she had caved in to the task given to her by the Daughter. But this was never what Fay thought would be the outcome.
"There are three Triarchies of the Force, three Ones for the Three sides of the Force." Satele began to explain as she walked as far away from Jaesa, who was still acting smug, as she could. "Long ago the Triarchy of Balance was filled, The Father, The Mother, and what you know as The Stranger. But, the Mother was killed and thus a spot has remained open since then. Naraiz has been on track to fill that spot as the One known as The Emperor, the One of Leadership and Duty. But clearly something has gone wrong."
"The Dark Side has pulled on Naraiz during his transformation, twisting The Emperor into the Tyrant." Marr continued to explain as he looked up at the last stages of the fight, The Tyrant was finishing up the battle. They would have to act soon. "The Father, The Son, and The Daughter have likely gotten restless and with the increase in power of the Balance they thought they could hurry the process. The Ones do not see mortals as people, only actors on the stage of the Force and they the directors. The suffering and despair of those Naraiz would leave behind now would mean nothing to them. The risk vs benefit to this ploy apparently acceptable to them."
"If this is not stopped, The Warrior will perish and his spot taken by the Tyrant." A new voice, calm and reassure entered the fray. Every single one of the living in attendance shocked at just who it was.
"Ah, Lord Revan. A bit late are we?" Darth Marr chuckled as the First of the Balance had been quite insistent that they hurry while on the way here only for him to disappear in the latter half of the trip.
"I got a little sidetracked I admit." He smiled as he reached up to try and scratch the raven that had been perched on his shoulder. The Three Eyed Raven instead cawed at him and flew over to land on Fay's shoulder. "The rest of you, finish what you came to do. We shall handle Naraiz."
Before any of them could say anything, the three Force Ghosts vanished and reappeared at the three highest points of the broken tower. They watched as The Tyrant held the Warrior's face in his grip, slowly the new One squeezed until with a horrible crunch the head of the echo shattered. The rest of its body slipping into the very world they existed in until nothing was left than a slightly darker spot in the white sky. Three golden eyes looked down towards the nearest source of defiance it felt.
"What have we here? A Lord, A Lady, and Ų̷̧̧͖̼̤͎̒s̷͇̲̋͐̿̀̒̎u̶̹̬͋͝r̴̦̞͊̓̏̈́̿̊͠p̵̛̙̲͔̲̭̼̬̃͆̓͂ẻ̷̺̻̿̂̓̑r̷̪̘͎͖̓͗́̂̋͋͘ͅ?" It floated down, arms outstretched in welcoming posture. "Hast thou come to swear fealty? To yield unto thy superior? Within thine own souls, ye know well ye shall not triumph. Kneel. But methinks not, for instead of worthy servants, I find an ever-growing number of challenges to my reign."
"Anyone have any idea where he got this weird accent from?" Satele said aloud what all on they were thinking. But The Tyrant paid it no mind.
"Naraiz! I know that you are still in there, it is not yet your time to join the ranks of the Ones! Free yourself!" Revan shouted in a hopeful plea to the man underneath the divinity. Only to be met with cruel laughter. The realm shook as parts of it began to twist and ebb into something more golden and ridged.
"Thou dost mistake me for thine own feeble flesh; I shun not power but embrace it." The sky shattered with several large pieces falling out and a brilliant golden light shone through. Winged men dressed in the same armor as before flew down and began their assault upon the Maiden's realm. Havok and chaos ensued as an One began attempting to consume another in its greed. "A new order must be forged; the Father hath his servants, soon shall I have m̶̬͙̞̥̐̄i̶̤̜̩͑̿̚n̵̞̝͝e̸̥̫͉̰̚. Those two who bestowed upon me my divine semblance shall serve well as my concubines."
"It's no use, he's to far deep in the Tyrant to hear us." Satele was mature enough to admit to herself that it hurt her to see Naraiz like this. What small glances the Force had blessed her with concerning the material world and Naraiz in particular were bittersweet. He seemed to have grown so much more into a respectable leader, if only he had been this way back when they fought the Eternal Empire.
"Then let us wake him, it would not do my ego well to lose to a mere hedgehog." Marr spoke aloud enough to be clearly heard by the One. Only to find a lacking reaction. Most troubling for the Sith Lord. In truth that nickname came from him, though Naraiz never knew it. Marr simply found the young Wrath to be adorable in that way, prickly on the outside but soft underneath. Unlike many other Sith, Marr did not see this as a weakness but a strength.
"We shall, I'm not about to let my heir fall so spectacularly." It had been a long time since Revan spoke with Naraiz, and it wasn't exactly a good time for them to chat and get to know one another. But still, Revan knew that the man had taken his teachings to heart and genuinely saw the danger of the current order of the Force. For all the work that Naraiz did in his name, Revan planned to reward that meditation.
"Okay. We all are seeing that right?" Jaesa looked up as the party moved through the shattered ruins of the Maiden's castle. Above them were the three legends and the thing that had once been Naraiz. It still didn't feel real to Jaesa, what she saw in that monster wasn't Naraiz and it scared her just how little she saw of him now.
"What I want to know is just how do they think that they can do what the Warrior couldn't?" Fay voiced their worries as it was a concern. A glance upward and one could see Revan and Satele both with blades in hand pushing down on either side of the Tyrant. It held them both back with its bare hands as it looked like it didn't use weapons himself.
"Perhaps the Warrior did more than it first appeared, whatever the case we have the chance to bind the Maiden once more. After that we can leave this forsaken realm." The Three Eyed Raven spoke as remained on Fay's shoulder. Talzin's willingness to go along with the Son and Daughter's scheme and apparent jubilation at the Tyrant's manifestation had clearly put him off of the witch.
"You can't be serious?! We can't just leave Naraiz like that!" Jaesa shouted but it was Rathari that responded, by grabbing ahold of her neck. The Sith Assassin choked as his mailed fist tightened around her.
"Think. What could we do? A struggle is only worth it if you can come out of it." He pointed back up to the sky where all three of the Force Users were rapidly going in and out with single attack before the Tyrant could counter them. A whirlwind of deadly clashes on a razor's edge over one of the them being a half second too late and getting butchered by the One's own hit in. "We are so far below them that to compare us as insects to them would insult all insects across the galaxy."
"You do not have the blessing of being a Native of the Force, merely guests. You could not hope to harm a One or survive their attentions for too long." They all looked to the Three Eyed Raven and suddenly felt very alien to the very air that surrounded them. It was undeniably true, their bodies still existed outside the Force and the ones they controlled now were in essence extensions of their souls. What could happen if they were damaged? Unbelievable suffering and trauma that no bodily injury could compare to. "Lord Rathari, please release her."
"Very well." Jaesa dropped back to the ground, holding her neck and the numb feeling it had. It had been a long time since someone had gotten the drop on her like that, and last time it costed her half her face.
"We must return to our task, sealing away the Maiden." They all looked up at the ruins they had been heading towards, a section of one of the towers that had been cut clean in half by one of the attacks of the Warrior. That had been where the golden soldiers of The Tyrant had taken the Maiden.
The party ran upstairs and jumped over ledges to get to the top. Silence existed between them now, only the continuing chaos from below and the fight above filled the air. Several cracks of power echoed in the sky as enormous shifts in the Force fought. Time was not on the living side as the longer they stayed the more likely it was that some errant blast or deflected blow would hit them or the castle itself. Climbing up to the top of the tower they could see the golden guards of the Maiden still holding her to blade point. The five outsiders of the realm stood back as they observed their final obstacle.
"You said that we just need to get her confined in order to re-chain her? Isn't this good enough?" Fay asked as the all watched from behind the largest of the fallen pieces of ruble on the floor.
"The Tyrant has interfered with my connection to the Weirwood Network and the Maiden, we have to remove his presence near her." It was easier said then done from the way the Three Eyed Raven described. The three Golden Guards of the Maiden all radiated power and cruel authority. It was simply a feeling in their souls to submit to their wishes as they were extensions of Authority itself.
"Do these constructs feel familiar to anyone else?" Neither Fay or Talzin knew what the Sith Lord was talking about but Jaesa spoke up having been having the same thoughts.
"They look like Naraiz's household guard droids, they were some of his favorites." She certainly remembered Old Naraiz's giddy look on his face as he personally built them. One thing the new and old Naraiz had in common was their love of tinkering with things. In fact, Jaesa hoped that this might be a sign that Naraiz was still in the Tyrant somewhere.
"Well does anyone have any idea on how… okay?" Fay started but stopped at seeing Talzin walk on out casually and walk up to the guards as if it was the most natural thing in the world. The rest expected her to be torn to sheds only to find the Guards pulling back and taking a knee to the approaching witch.
"My Lady, We Serve!" The shouted in a garbled mess of sounds. It was only thanks to the Force that anyone could understand the intent of their words.
"Good Servants of the Tyrant, leave me to this wayward child. I have come to correct such disrespectful behavior to our merciful and just lord." Jaws dropped as Talzin ordered the constructs so confidently. Instead of retaliation the constructs merely slipped away back into the fabric of the Force from where they came. The Maiden immediately attempt to flee only to be chained to the floor by green and golden tendrils coming from the ground. "The Stained Dove has been encased by my power emboldened by the Tyrant, you may begin her imprisonment."
"You are all fools! I'm the only one that can save you, if the lock me up then she'll-" The One was cut off as the Three Eyed Raven dropped upon her head and with a single caw the Maiden vanished. It was that simple in the end. Much to the shock and slight disappointment of the rest. But none had time to voice their thoughts as they were immediately pulled out of the Maiden's crumbling realm and awoke back in the Great Weirwood tree.
"Wake up Naraiz! This isn't you, don't make me regret actually giving you credit for a change." Satele didn't know how much she had left in her. With ever strike, with every counter, and ever close call she could feel her grip on individuality slip further. Being a Force Ghost was a eternal battle against the Force that wanted to subsume you back into its depths. And fighting a One? An embodiment of the Force, it made staying yourself so much harder.
"Thy folly is amusing my Lady, but tis nothing but a farcical jest in the face of thy monarch." It reflected back her strike with a casual flip of the hand. At least on the surface that's what it looked like.
All three of them had noticed that there was a growing strain on the Tyrant's movements. Despite the fact it looked as if it wasn't taking their fight seriously and was simply playing with them, that wasn't true. It was the Tyrant's very nature to appear as if it was on top of everything, it did understand the very concept of recognizing another as worthy of effort. So by its own constraints it couldn't go all out even as it hid the fact it was growing weaker. Only been birthed recently and inorganically at that. It was cannibalizing the Maiden's realm to further fuel its manifestation for that very reason.
"A joke? What about everyone that relies on you? Your people, your family?" A desperate plea as she held back a tidal wave of invisible mass as the Tyrant attempted to Force Push her back down to the ground. The omnidirectional fight they were in right now afforded the side with the greater numbers more tactical advantages but against a foe like this that was only a small gift to them.
"A God has no f̷̡͉̜̺̍͋̀̊̉̊͠a̴͖͖̺͉͚̼͆͆̀m̷̯̰͎̞͔͚̠̲̫̝̈́̋́̀̉̎͂̇í̷̻͖̠͍̟l̷͇̬̫̪͖̹͖̲͆̐̈́͘͜ͅy̸͚̏̿̈́͝." Spoken as it clenched its fist and created a monochrome shockwave right in front of Satele. The former Grand Master of the Jedi was sent spirally back down to the ground. The Tyrant's face lacked any form of facial features to denote its expression, but it was quite pleased with its latest attack. But that did not lessen its guard as without looking back it blocked another attack by Darth Marr.
"Such an inelegant way to fight us Lord Wrath, have you forgotten all that you learned at the Academy, under Darth Baras, and the lessons only war can grant? I know you are better than this, a brute using his fists. Come, let us spar as we used to under the shadow of the Dark Temple as peers." Slash after slash with every word in the Sith Lord's speech. Effortlessly dodged by the Tyrant but each time the blade in Marr's hand grew ever so closer to the inverted form of the being. Until finally the side of the blade danced across its cheek. The next strike however, was caught between the One's fingers.
"Every word from thy lips, honeyed words, to every ear. That has been thy power. But now? None shall hear your s̴͎̲͉̏̀̆͋͠c̸͎͙̻̬̺̎̏r̷̢̨̡̛͙̞͕̳̣̺̄͗̓͂̍́e̴̢̛̛͙̩͕̰̩̖͔̔̓̔́͑͘ä̷̢̲͓̮̯́m̷̼͙͇͚͈̀̈̐͆̄́́͗̀̈́̕s̵̨̛̗̤̗͖̬͇̏͊̈̍͋̔͊͜͜͝." Marr could feel the Force shift and change and saw what was coming. Both figures raised their free hands and arcs collided between them. Force Lightning met something else entirely, like onyx veins in in a gold mine they spread out from the Tyrant's finger tips and crashed against the blue and white of Marr's own power. But it was not enough. The arcs of Force Lightning broke and the blackened tendrils spun around the Sith Lord's body, cradling him in a cage that solidified and then fell out of the sky. "And at least, we come to thee."
"You are getting weaker Naraiz. You felt it right? They did it, they imprisoned the Maiden once more. Her realm is shrinking and soon there will be nothing left for you to feed upon." Revan goaded but it was a lie. If anything if the Maiden's realm vanished that would mean the Tyrant would have access to the Force proper. It could form its own twisted realm or more likely go off to find the Warrior's unguarded realm to turn it into his own and further supplant the Warrior's place in the Dark Triarchy. Revan was only hoping that the Tyrant didn't know that yet.
"Dost thou deem thy endeavors fruitful? You are Master of Ǹ̷̛̠̜̞͚̭̩͓͉̅̀̓̓̐͝ỡ̴͉̫̪̪͖͇͕͓̘͔̪̼̐̿͒̈́̑̅̊̍̅̕̚͘͝ͅt̶͚͕̰̣̞̫̋̎̄̉͝͝ḩ̴̞̫̝̹̞̭̜̜̣͖͕̜͛̈̋̓̍͌̾̑͘͘͘͜ĭ̴̛̝̣̰̙͈̰̱͚͖̦̗̼͑͋̓̍͌̏̊̌̈́͘͝n̶͖̪̼̆̌̇͑̽́́͂̀̅̋g̷̢̼̹̖̫̥͉͚͚͈͉͎̃̏̅ͅ and always will be R̴̢͕͙͕̜̣̠̻̠̤̃̆̈́͊͊̚̚͘̕̕͝è̷͚̺́̎́̐͛͒̿̊̋̄͝͝ṿ̵̧̨̛̭̰̭̰̫͙̟̝͔̪̼͑̅̿̔̊̓̔͋͗̇͝͝͝a̸̡̪͖̟̠͈̜͈̮̙͕̹̭̥̟͐̎̒̾͛̃̍̅̆͋͆̄̆͝n̶̜̫̮͕͍̓͑̀̎̉́̒͝!" For the first time since the start of the battle the Tyrant showed a different emotion other than arrogant superiority, rage. It flew towards the First of the Balanced, hand distorting into a clawed version of itself as it lunged at Revan.
All around them it was crumbling, the two duelists fighting one another in a decaying land. The Force moved to help one of its champions in an effort to dispel an aberration in its fabric. But the Tyrant was a master of the Force, an embodiment of it and thus there was only so much that could be done. Revan felt the Force itself empowering him and slowing down the Tyrant as the bubble around the Maiden's realm cracked and fell apart. It was still not a equal fight but it no longer was a hopeless one.
The traded blows and strikes at one another, each of Revan's blades made no wasteful movements as a single one meant death. The Tyrant's claws sought any opening in its enemy's stance and routinely made feints and seemingly on purpose mistakes to try and trap its foe. The more the two fought, a deep sense of unease built in Revan. Something felt personal to this fight, more-so it felt like Revan was fighting a ghost. Then… the horrifying truth dawned on him. With a great shoving slash he sent the Tyrant flying back to give them some distance.
"I'm beginning to see just why the Tyrant stands before me. A crowded soul, unknown to us all. But how? How is it possible that a body can hold such a contradiction?" It baffled him, there was a piece to this that the Force did not grant him wisdom on. Could it be that the Force did not know, that somehow its vision was blinded beyond its power?
"Thy understanding of mine existence is futile. I have existed and will continue to Ẹ̸͍̲́̑x̷̨̛̦̌̎͆̂i̴̢͌ş̸̛͕͋̆t̵̟̮̏͒. I am without Ẹ̴̡̡̢̹͈̼̈̆̾ͅn̶͔̥̻̬̣͍̝̦̦͊͐̾̎̔̑͝ͅḑ̴̡̛̫̞͎̯͎̱̟͉͖̞̰̋̈͆͂̌!" Its fists smashed behind him and cracked reality itself creating a gapping Wound in the Force. Revan looked on in horror as the Tyrant had deliberately connected the Maiden's realm to that of Chaos. The screams and echoes of Dark Side Users flooded in and something even more powerful watched from the deeper shadows. The shades of the damned cried out in their desperate hope to escape the endless mayhem.
"Are you mad! Chaos cannot be allowed to infect the Maiden more than it already has!" This was lunacy, the delicate functions of the Inner Workings of the Force was already shaken. The Loss of the Mother. The imprisonment of Four of the Ones. The disappearance of the Stranger. And the continued swing between Dark and Light for millennia had all disrupted the Force to such a degree that reality itself had been thrown off course. At long last they had the chance to fix it, to end the cycle of Dark and Light and bring a new order to the Galaxy. Perhaps even mend the three Triarchies of the Force.
"It matters not, I shall remake the Force itself in my image as its Master. The Light and Dark Sides of the Force are powerless to resist me." With a thunderous clap of its hands the hole in the Maiden's realm stabilized and golden bands stitched themselves along its edges. A veil was placed between Chaos and the Maiden's crumbling Realm. But it did not stop there, something began reaching out from Chaos. First a taloned claw, and then a scaled maw. A dragon of gold and black and white pulled itself through the portal. "In the end you all will bow to me! Servants! Slaves! Weapons! It matters not! For I am the R̶̛̙̠͎͙̪̺͓̘͙̹̽̍͋͋̏͂͂̐̒u̷͚̜͚̻͕̓͋͑̏̓͌̏l̶̙̰͖͖̅̈̈́̔͐̃̎͂ę̸͖̭͙̬͈͍̥̬͑̂ͅr̸͍̥̭͎͔͎̰̭̣̳̗͌̃̌̀̈͘ͅ of All Things!"
Revan feared for the worst as the dragon roared and he peered further into the portal. Souls of Dark Side Users were being clad in Golden Armor and assembled into Legion. Untold millions of the damned were being drafted into the Tyrant's army of Domination. They had failed. Because they did not understand the true threat that was before them. Of its nature and true name. But he would not stop fighting. The First of the Balanced prepared himself to make one last stand, hopeful that the heroes of the galaxy can succeed where he failed.
"Let this be our final battle Darth-" He stopped, bringing a stilled sense of confusion to the Tyrant who had not yet seen what had appeared next to it. First there was one. And then another. Then seven more that made Nine.
"What is this?" The Tyrant felt its body unable to move and with all the effort it had to sense around it in the Force. Nine Black Rings had formed in a vertical circle around him. They spoke to deep inside its core, penetrating deeper than any words that Satele, Marr, or Revan could give. They connected to the soul of one who dwelled inside the One.
"Naraiz, where did you come from?" Revan was in disbelief, these rings somehow held pieces of Naraiz's very soul separate from his own. Or… more accurately they held tethers to his soul. Then he watched as they all were connected by one last golden ring, stronger than any of the others.
"You fool! Do not reject me! I am your master, your L̶̢̖͕͙̳̪͍̞͚͓̓̓̐͆̾͒̈́̿̕͝o̴̙̰̗̿̅̔̒͆̓̅͐͌́̑̒̚ŕ̷̠͕̣̰̰̤̘̚d̴̨̯̺̯̬̟͔̦͇̟͊̈́̓̀̋, as it was always so!" Looking back to the Tyrant, Revan watched as one of its claws were digging deep into its own flesh. Ripping and tearing something out of it. The dragon that had been almost out of the land of Chaos glitched and sputtered in and out of existence. Meanwhile the Circle around the Tyrant began to spin.
"Get out! Get out! Get out of my body!" That was his voice. Revan knew this was the moment to act and fast as he could he grabbed ahold of the Tyrant's rebelling arm and pulled with all his strength. Something was coming out; he could see them. The two blades that had been given by the Son and Daughter. Red blood trailed down the wound in the Tyrant's chest as its claw grasped the two blades tight. They had to remove them. Disconnect Naraiz from the divine spark that had transformed him into this being.
"Fight Naraiz! I can only help, you must be the one to exorcise him!"
With a tearing howl of defiance and then an agonizing roar of promised retribution it was done.
"He's waking up!"
"Naraiz! Please be you!"
"Lord Nagash open your eyes."
Everyone was so loud. I could hear them all panicking around me. Was the fight with the Maiden really that hard? Everything is so fuzzy after we got into the city. I do remember going all out and summoning Midwan and Saarai but that was it. Opening my eyes I saw everyone however above me. All them looked so worried and afraid. Something happened. Fuck… what happened?
"I'm going to need everyone to back up about two feet okay?" They all sighed in relief and dear Force what did they think was going to happen? I pulled myself up on the medical bed and was satisfied with the fact I didn't feel emaciated this time. But something was off. Holding up my hand I could see all of my fingers had one of my Rings on them. "Why are these here and not with Rhaegar?"
"That is going to require a great deal of explanation." The Three Eyed Raven cut through the awkward silence as only a know it all oracle could. And then I got the most stressful and irritating stories of either of my lives. They left out no details of fucked up we had been in.
"I became a god? A One of the Force? And you two thought it was a good idea to listen to the Ones?" Looking at Fay and Talzin, they had differing degrees of guilt on their faces. Obviously my Jedi drinking buddy was very ashamed of what she did given the results of it. But my witchy wife in name only, she had far less guilt there and only looked partially ashamed.
"Yes, and very nearly destroyed the entirety of the Force in doing so." I am never going back into the Force after that. The first time I nearly died and let loose a divinely bitchy brat and now I nearly destroy reality. Nope, it's time to get even more controlling and paranoid because clearly the stakes are that high and I ain't taking chances. But more importantly…
"Lord Revan, I could have met Lord Revan and that is how it went." Perhaps I should have rephrased that as Old Naraiz did already meet Revan but I'm sure those not in the know about my extradimensional origins would simply pass it off as shock. Revan was one of the coolest characters in Star Wars and instead of shaking hands and talking shop I nearly destroy the universe and he had to stop me. The amount of embarrassment and shame I feel is indescribable.
"As for why your rings are here, we awoke several days ago finding that the time dilation wasn't as severe as your last time but still greater than we expected. So we had some time to try and formulate a plan of action to help you." Rathari was a calming rock for my mind. His steadfast belief in me and reliable nature guiding me through the unbelievable amount of shit happening right now. "We came to the conclusion that we needed to connect your soul with something not tainted by the Tyrant. At first we theorized Lyarra, Joanna, or Rhaella but that could lead to them becoming corrupted. We needed purely you, so we remembered your rings."
"Ha, Rhaegar must be shitting bricks since this little thing is on my finger now." Smirking, I played with the One Ring a bit. The Prince that was definitely not Promised by now must be fully addicted to its power and allure. It wouldn't pull a Gollum though the time frame I had for him wouldn't allow me to see if it could get that far.
"We left Rhaella with enough drugs to keep him under for now." Jaesa had spung into the bed with me at some point during the first explanation of what happened. Now she was all snuggly and it was refreshingly nice given the shit between us lately.
"Well that's good. So, two disasters averted. The Maiden is locked up tight again?" Looking to the man trapped in the roots of the tree, I sighed in relief as he nodded the confirmation. "I'm taking back the Circlet by the way."
"Very well. Given our recent adventure I have no desire to delve deeper into the Force than I already can." Nice to see that he's learned his lesson on that before it became a problem.
After some further talks, namely about Fay and Talzin's future punishment on listening to the Son and Daughter, we all left the great tree. I have had enough Force nonsense for the time and would like to get back to some more normal bullshit like politics.
"Most unexpected, but the results were the desired outcome regardless." The Three Eyed Raven watched from his unseen eyes as the Off Worlders lifted off in their craft to leave his snowy home. He shifted uncomfortably in his rooted prison, the wounds that the Maiden had given him were done to both body and soul. It would be very long before he could make a play again.
"Unexpected is not a word or concept that are in my nature yet it happened here." Out from the shadows of one of the tunnels came the Crone. Hobbling on her staff into the chamber of the last Greenseer. "The appearance of the Tyrant? Not in any of my visions was that to happen."
"It seems that is also the opinion of your kin as well, I could sense on the edges on your daughter's realm eyes filled with panic." He watched as she continued to circle around the room, never ceasing in her slow pacing among the roots and added panel floors.
"Fefefefe, hearing that does give life to these old bones. That cur Gilith and his offspring deserve far more than just panic for the stunt they pulled." The Force rippled and shook as the Crone spoke the True Name of a One. However none could hear it as the Force immediately distorted the sound beyond what any could decipher. Even as all seeing as the Three Eyed Raven's powers could be, all he heard was the crunching of bones and snaping of teeth when she spoke that word.
"Do you require anything else my lady?" He bowed his head in respect to patron of all seers and oracles.
"Not now. The appearance of the Tyrant has shifted the future in ways even I will have to spend time unraveling. Continue playing the part of helpful ally the Emperor's fetal form. I wish to see what move he will play now." Her final words echoed as she returned back into the darkened tunnel from where she came, the roots of the tree moving to cover the secret entrance up.
"Yes my lady, I am but your humble servant."
"Home sweet home." We touched down on the Tower of Revan's landing pad in the middle of the night. My kids were probably still asleep, the others had decided not to tell anyone else aside from Rhaella about what happened. Good. I don't need anyone else to know just how close the universe was to being either destroyed or placed under the boot of the Tyrant.
Thinking more on the matter it made me realize that perhaps I need to start getting more knowledgeable about the occult side of the Force. Not become a full practitioner or expert but at least not be ignorant of it to the extent I am now. All I knew was my meta knowledge, which was proving to be limited in use in this AU universe, and what Naraiz paid attention to when Nox talked about her hobbies back before they wanted to kill each other. It was in ways more than most but in others it was severely lacking. Clearly the Ones had plans for me, meaning I had to get wise to their shenanigans
"Welcome back my lord, a successful mission I take it?" Quinn spoke but I could sense he was anxious. Possible because he saw the rest of the team that went north return without me and then leave again just as quickly.
"I would say we accomplished what we set out to do yes." Calling what we did a success was grossly misrepresenting what happened. But the fact of the matter the Maiden was successfully chained back up and we wouldn't have to worry about her messing with our people anymore. That did leave the Smith and the Crone out there. But only the Latter was real threat right now. However… what little I can recall and what I have been told of my fight with just an echo of the Warrior disturbs me. All out, no limits, full Tsân released me was one shotted like it was nothing. That can not stand.
"Very good. And I am please to report that Paladin Buckwell performed admirably during his time as Steward of the Sith. The other titled Sith have left for their respective missions." It's nice to have good news to return to when you've just come back from a really bad day at work.
Hearing that Jarman did well was a no brainer, the kid was textbook reliable leader. No making waves but certainly competent enough to make executive decisions at a snap. Plus his moral code meant I didn't have to fear him doing anything too schemey while I was away. There was little doubt in my mind that he would go on to be the first Grand Master of the Sect of Manwë if he didn't shoot for the Sect of Revan.
Secondly, the others. Truth be told I sent Nikola and Thoren off to keep them busy. My plans for them were getting them off world to train them up a bit in the galaxy that they would help me conquer. For the little genius that would mean sending him to school, and for Thoren I planned on him working with the Dragoons for a bit. Now I knew I would have no issue getting Nikola on board but Thoren was still hung up on his dad. Now if he refused the mission to go back up then I'd dangle the carrot in his face of finding Smallwood senior in front of him. Perhaps its been long enough of a chase that he'd take the outside help. Though I'd first have to actually find his dad.
Victarion on the other hand, his mission I did need done. I needed to know the state of the Far North given what my murder machine has done. Beyond the Wall has been changed just about as much as south of the wall, Broonmark is kicking the wildings into the future just because that giant furry monster is lazy at everything but killing. So he's been forcing them to develop further so he doesn't have to work so hard. And since he's more deadly then anything else in that wasteland none of the wildings have been able to defy him. Victarion's job will be to check up on things and see just how it was going.
Last I heard the free folk were waging a guerrilla war on the White Walkers. Very different from canon where they were running from them. This was due to Broonmark's influence and the fact the Army of the Dead was seriously nerfed right now. The White Walkers knew I was here and more over I had access to the wider galaxy. Which meant if they really fucked with the wildings, which they knew was under my banner effetely, they'd be getting several plasma bombs dropped on them. But at the same time I wasn't going to poke that frozen bear any time soon as they still had a lot of zombies. And these weren't just ordinary Ice Wrights either now they were Cyborg Ice Wrights.
"Any sign of trouble regarding the Weirwood?" We all walked down the stairs of the tower as Quinn continued to give his report on the past month, not a long time considering the last time this happened but still a good deal of time. It was right of us to prep for a long period but we had all hoped that at most it would have been a week.
"Only for a moment as the Night Sister watch you assigned on it reported that for several days the leaves on the tree turned gold." Oh that's not good. No doubt we weren't the only ones to notice it. All of the North and I'm sure the South would have something to say on that. Quinn seemed to understand my growing apprehension of the subject and moved on. "Aside from that my lord, the city and keep remain at peek efficiency all other projects are on schedule."
"Wonderful, see to it that I won't be disturbed until tomorrow morning. I'd like to sleep and dream that doesn't involve being awake while doing so."
In the wasteland of darkness known as Chaos, it natural state is one of battle, competition, and strife. All souls that follow the path of the Dark Side find themselves here once they die. It is an inevitable fate they all but a select few share. These shades will fight their peers eternally, and no matter how powerful or cunning… they all fall under the machinations and weight of the whole. No single person has ever gained a single foot hold of power over the rest or the land itself resulting in the state it naturally finds itself in. But it not in its natural state.
For one brief moment all the Damned stood in line at attention, united behind a will that had summoned them. It was a moment that has never happened and likely never will again. But it happened. And that in of itself changes the equation of Chaos.
Most of the shades devolved back into infighting, their natural need for power and to control all around them drives them toward conflict with one another. But now there existed a oasis in the midst of it all. For five shades of great power assembled together in remembrance of that moment that Chaos had been united. There were other shades that now stopped fighting among the masses but did not take part in this assembly, their pride still preventing them from joining these titans.
"We were called, and we submitted. None of us can claim to have resisted the Call." Naga Sadow, undisputedly one of the most powerful Sith in all of galactic history. A twisting mass of writhing flesh bore out of the ground to make him a throne.
"Perhaps you can not resist it some of us are not as weak willed as you." Ludo Kreesh, rival to Sadow and ancient lord of the Sith barked out displeased as to have to be in the same place as him. The two had been in eternal combat, fighting no other shade but each other but now stopped here.
"You know hearing you two argue is almost annoying enough to where I wish I stayed trapped on Yavin 4. Another grudge to the Republic to list." Exar Kun, Dark Lord of the Sith during the Old Sith Wars muttered to himself as he lazily laid across the ground enjoying his renewed sense of freedom from bloodlust. He had been trapped for so long, first on Yavin 4 and then in Chaos, for the first time in thousands of years he felt free.
"More and more I am proven right, Sith are really the worst of people to have around." Creator of the Rule of Two Darth Bane sneered at the infighting between the two ancient Sith Lords. Truly Chaos was his perfect hell, nothing but other Dark Side Users to fight and build nothing upon.
The last of the five that stood in this circle of relative quiet said nothing, merely staring at all of them from behind a empty mask and cloak. For Darth Nililus had long since lost the capacity for human speech. Normally he would be out there, fighting among the endless shades and would be even now if not for the possibility that existed, a return to the mortal world. That was brought all of them together more than anything else.
"Enough Kreesh! We five have gathered here for one purpose, to discuss just what was that stilled the mayhem of Chaos. And to understand our reaction to it." They had each encountered each other to a degree in the roils of Chaos. Perhaps they never fought each other but certainly schemed against one another. Even in the nonstop fighting between the shades there was a underlying current of cunning of whom you fought and for how long. Tides among the madness and brief lulls in the intensity of the fighting.
"Do any of us know what it was? Powerful beyond anything I have experienced in the Force to be sure." Kun begrudgingly admitted though ego for all of them was placed aside for the time. Hell had a way of eroding even the greatest of pride. No matter what they were in life, now they were desperate men to escape their fates.
"Can't say I have an idea, but perhaps our elders here might." Both Bane and Kun looked over to the two ancient Pureblood Siths who grew quiet. They both looked at each other an silently agreed that their shared theory was untested and thus unproductive. If it was true then it complicated things quite a bit. But for they had to give the two younger Sith something, so portion of the truth could be granted.
"Among the Sith and Jedi… rumors existed of beings of such great power they very well could be compared to the gods of lesser ignorant races." Sadow began with a sour look on his face, admitting that these stories could be true was not what he wished for. Because that meant that there was height that could not be reached, a domain exclusive the divine.
"Whatever it was that Called to us, it did. But what are we going to do about when it does so again." Despite his earlier boasting, Kreesh did not think himself above the power that had brought all of Chaos to their knees. No one was spared, the sheer magnitude of that fact dictated that it was above them all in such power that it destroyed pride.
"If we can not avoid the Call again, then we must ensure that we are not lumped into the mass but raise above it. Not soldiers but generals." The younger two Sith looked at each other hearing Sadow's words and agreed with them. When the Legion of the Damned came to be in Chaos for that brief moment, all were uniform. There was no hierarchy beyond them and their summoner.
"Then this shall be some sort of alliance? To ensure we five come out on top?" Kun cracked his neck a few times in slight anticipation. He was sure that they all felt the same way, if they couldn't be on top then best be as close to the top as possible. "What about you? Been pretty quiet this whole time."
Darth Nililus said nothing but continued to stare forward at them all. Behind the mask, the being that was the ancient Sith was debating it all over. Submit or be resigned to a mere foot solider. Unlikely that the latter would stay true for long as obviously the Caller of the Legion of the Damned would eventually pick out the most capable of killers for more elite positions. Thus his place on the front lines was secured and so his hunger for life would be sated. But working with these others could be entertaining watching them fumble and fail.
"Regardless if our silent observer is in agreement I most surely am." He was ever going to be trapped again, not to a single place especially. Kun's soul needed to wander now in freedom.
"I have little choice, its either this or return to that." Bane pointed to the endless fighting and mayhem of Chaos. At bare minimum he wanted to escape Chaos just to see if his Rule of Two had rose to their potential.
"Then it is an accord, a new Dark Council shall be formed here in Chaos. We shall prepare and await the return of our lord." Sadow knew that each and every one of them were plotting against the other. Perhaps even like him, plotting against the Caller of the Legion of the Damned.
In place unseen by everyone unless invited, beyond the galaxy. Existing between the real and unreal. Mortis, the home of the First Family of the Force. Inside this structure is a world in of itself, crafted to the whims of the Ones who live there.
At this moment all three of the Realms that existed in Mortis were in tribulation. Both the Dark and the Light twisted and contorted among each other as they struggled to regain their control. The once small piece that had been set aside for the Balance now expanded outward to control a sizable chunk of the land. Though the other two still dominated the whole of Mortis.
"A Tyrant?! One that sought to dominate the whole of the Force? Whom nearly consumed your cousin whole? What am I to expect, who could be to blame!" The Daughter hid away in a shadow as far as was allowed to be. Their Father was different now, emboldened by the ripple of Balance that his words caused he now held enough power over them to enforce his authority in the family now. And worse… there was no Mother to sooth his rage.
"It should not have been! It should not have been!" The Son just kept repeating those cries even as the Father walked away from the place of his Son's punishment. When he allowed his children to intervene in the Bring of Balance's efforts to rechain the Maiden, it was under the assumption that it would cause the Emperor to be born early.
It was an acceptable sacrifice to the Ones, they would have to guide their premature kindred though his power once he finished his work with the Maiden. It would take some centuries instead of years if he grew properly but they could weight. The work he had done already was more than enough. Speaking aloud the Words of Balance itself was all they truly needed out of his mortal shell. But now so much as been ruined. The Shell of the Emperor had been cracked and now the Shell was aware of their designs. What's more… the Force itself seems to acting against them.
"Is this your work old friend? Have we really grown that distant?" The Father looked up at the sky, beyond the trappings of Mortis. His lost companion, that who made the third of the Triarchy of Balance. They above any of the Ones knew the Will of the Force most of all. But they were lost now, without a word or note they left to wander the Force themselves.
"Father? What do we do now?" He looked back to his second child, his beloved Daughter. She was just as at fault as her brother was. For no other reason than the Father deemed it so.
"We wait child. The Shell of the Emperor has gained awareness of his destiny. We must wait and see if he runs towards it or attempts to claw his way from it." There was also the matter of the Tyrant. The undeniably possibility that the Son was telling the truth. That in fact the Tyrant was not one of his schemes. If that true… it couldn't be. I had to be his Son.
"Sister…"
A meek and rough voice softly called out in the darkness.
"Sister… you're hurt."
Following it was the sound of a body dragging itself across the ground.
"Who hurt you?"
In the birth land of Andals, exists a cave. Surrounding it was nothing but a salt flat for miles.
"Why are you crying sister?"
Hanging in heavy chains above the entrance to the cave is a great and mighty blade. Simple in its design, aside from its sheer size it would not look out of place from my great swords in Westeros. Only the chain connected to the bottom of the hilt and now held it aloft set it as different.
"I'll find them. I'll find who hurt you. I'll find who made you cry."
Something dragged itself out from the shadow of the cave.
"And k̸͚̭͐̔̌̈́̄͌͂͗͝ȉ̶͖̖͚͙̘̹̱̖̣͍̈́̓̊̉l̸̢̳̯͔̙̲̪̻̺͚͕̀̈́̒̎̄̏̓̐̽͂͠͝l̵̞͌̀̌͊͠͝ them."
Reviews
The current policy is still that I will respond to any Review that has a question or is detailed enough that I feel warrents a responce.
rowedillon - well not yet at least. Seems to be the plan of the Ones to get Naraiz as one of them but who knows if he'll go along with that.
rebornandlost - the chant was the word Balance in binary using verious replacements for one and zero. It took me a long time to make it. Also the reason why Naraiz's energy beams are all purple is because it is the fusion of the Jedi blue and the Sith Red... also I really like purple. Also for your last question its because Lord Dustin being alive really wouldn't have helped his plans all that much. Naraiz will only change something on purpose if it is in the service of his plan or one of his loved ones demand him to do so.