[Fic] End of a War; Beginning Anew

[Darth Visillius]

This folllows up the events of "The Wrong Path", and based on feedback will be the determining factor of whether I should continue the tale or leave it where it is.

Any criticism, positive or negative, is good criticism in my book

 

As always thanks for taking the time to read, and I hope you enjoy.

 

 

 

END OF A WAR; BEGINNING ANEW

 

 

 

 

The Republic rejoiced. It had been a long and hard fought war, inevitably, though, the light prevailed, and after 5 brutal years of battle, The Republic remained, and The Sith had yet again been pushed back to the Outer Rims.

 

At the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine, Karla returned to talk to her master, Master Vixius.

 

“Master,” She started “Marcus is dead.” She finished.

 

“And what of Darth Morte?” Master Vixius asked.

 

“We didn’t encounter him, Master” she said, as she went down to her knees in a sign of respect, being humbled by her failure before her master. “We thought we had him trapped on a downed warship, but it wasn’t him” Karla finished.

 

“It’s alright. We are around to fight another day, at least. That’s a small victory.” He replied, placing his hand on her shoulder.

 

“We felt a strong Dark Side presence, which is why we explored the war-ship, but it was only his apprentice.” She said, bowing her head.

 

“And what happened?” Master Vixius said. “Did he identify himself? Did he call himself Darth Morte’s Apprentice, or did you just assume such?” Master Vixius asked.

 

“No, no, Master.” Karla started, shaking her head. “He identified himself as being Darth Morte’s Apprentice, and said his name was Mewta Lader.” She said, looking up.

 

Master Vixius blanched at that statement.

 

“Is everything alright, Master?” Karla asked, standing up.

 

“Yes, yes…” Master Vixius said, waving his hand towards Karla, indicating that she clam down. “Mewta Lader was a Jedi at one point. One of the best I’ve ever seen, actually.” Master Vixius said.

 

“He was very powerful, Master” Karla said, remembering her encounter with the scary man.

 

“Yes, yes he is.” Master Vixius said, nodding. “Him and I were pretty good friends, actually. He left, however, at the beginning of the war. The Council sent a handful of Jedi to aide The Republic. All volunteers, mind you. Mewta Lader was more than willing to go.” Master Vixius said, chuckling a bit. “I remember, he used to tell me that: ‘there was no point being a Jedi if you weren’t going to defend the people that most needed to be defended.” He added.

 

“We thought he died in the initial assault. Of the 14 Jedi we sent, only one returned, and she said the rest of them had been slaughtered.” Master Vixius said.

 

“That’s horrible, Master.” Karla said.

 

Master Vixius looked at her, then, all of a sudden, as though he just realized something. As though some otherworld sense had led him to discover something.

 

“You-you are not the same as you were before you left, Karla. There is much passion I feel about you. Much unchecked aggression. Is there something that happened that we should talk about?” He asked her.

 

“No Master,” She said. “I’m dealing with it.” She added.

 

“Dealing with what, Karla?” He asked her.

 

His tone of voice told her that he was truly concerned about her well being.

 

“Well, Mewta Lader pointed something out to me. Something I hadn’t realized. He showed me that I loved Marcus” She said.

 

“Love? Jedi should know no love, Karla. You know this. Mewta Lader is a powerful adversary. He probably just made you believe that you did.” Master Vixius reasoned.

 

“No, Master,” Karla said. “He proved it to me. Marcus was unconscious, and he kicked me across the room. Then he told me: ‘Watch as I take away your life. Watch as I kill the one you love.’ Then he killed Marcus. As Marcus died, I could feel my heart stop, as though a part of me had died with him. As though, now, after his death, I feel incomplete.” She said.

 

“Death is a regrettable thing, Karla. But what you felt wasn’t love or regret or sadness, it was only his life becoming one with the Force.” He said.

 

“Ma-maybe you’re right, Master.” She said, as she started to walk away, adding: “Or maybe, maybe you just don’t understand”

 

 

 

 

 

**********************************************************

 

 

 

The doors opened with a swoosh as he walked to the bridge of his Masters ship; The Defector.

 

“Ah, my Apprentice,” Came the cold, almost emotionless reply from Darth Morte. “You’ve killed, I feel the rush of death pouring off you” He said.

 

“You made a mistake.” Mewta Lader said. “How could you forfeit so easily to The Republic? This wasn’t part of the plan!” He finished.

 

“Know your place, Apprentice!” Darth Morte snapped, turning abruptly to face his pupil and longtime friend.

 

Darth Morte wore a long, flowing robe customary of a Sith Lord, only dark red in color. His mask, which he was most known for, was black, with midnight blue runes etched over it, that completely covered his face.

 

“No.” Mewta Lader said. “You’ve become drunk with power. You forgot why we’re doing this!” He yelled, in reply.

 

“This coming from the boy who just killed a Jedi.” Darth Morte said, cackling.

 

“I did what had to be done to finish this!” Mewta Lader said. “Unfortunately, I’m the only one who remembers we have an ulterior motive!” He finished.

 

“In the ways of The Sith, then, we finish this spat.” Darth Morte said, pulling his light saber.

 

“If that is the only way to show you your faults, then apparently it’s time for me to usurp you. You’ve become blind, Morte, blind with all the power, blind with the unquestioned obedience.” Mewta Lader said, pulling forth his light sabers and igniting them.

 

It was an epic battle, one that hasn’t been seen before in the history of the Galaxy. Mewta Lader was a master of the blade, Darth Morte a master of the Force. So where one lacked, the other had an advantage, their advantages leading to a stalemate of sorts.

 

Darth Morte tried to use the Force to shock Mewta Lader, but Mewta Lader attacked first, coming in swiftly with his light saber, making Darth Morte have to focus more on deflecting the attack than shocking his apprentice.

 

The door to the bridge opened again, and Mewta Lader saw Darth Mortes guard rush in.

 

“Ah! Just in time” Darth Morte said, jumping back. “Finish him.”

 

There were three of them in all, two Sith Troopers and a Dark Jedi. There was a large gap separating them, and Mewta Lader used that to his advantage, throwing one of his light sabers at the first of the Sith Troopers, impaling him. He called forth his light saber as he charged the remaining one. Mewta Lader then used the Force to speed his movements as he rushed in towards the second Sith Trooper, reversing his direction at the last moment, catching the Dark Jedi off-guard, and coming in with a wide-arc of both his blades. The Dark Jedi recovered in time to dodge the attack, but realized it was only a feint as the Sith Trooper fired at Mewta Lader, who ducked the blaster bolts which hit the still recovering Dark Jedi. The battle shield he had equipped kept him from death, but he was certainly going to need a moment to recover, which Mewta Lader used to attack the Sith Trooper.

 

The Sith Trooper, seeing the incredible battle prowess of Mewta Lader, dropped his blaster rifle, and tried to flee the room. Mewta Lader was content to let him go, focusing his attention once again on the Dark Jedi who, miraculously, had recovered from the blaster bolts. The Dark Jedi swung his light saber in an attempt to disarm Mewta Lader, who shifted the angle of his left handed light saber slightly, which caused the Dark Jedi to graze it, running down it’s lens, as he went off-balance. Mewta Lader didn’t hesitate as he swung abruptly with a back-handed slash which ended his foes life.

 

Darth Morte was not so forgiving of his retreating Sith Trooper. The Sith were not supposed to show weakness, or fear. They both lead to death, as far as The Sith were concerned, and so Darth Morte’s release of the Force ended his life rather quickly.

 

Mewta Lader looked up to see the lightening bolt rebound off the Sith Trooper and head straight for him. He couldn’t do anything as the electricity hit his body and started to make its way through, trying to end his life.

 

Darth Morte was surprised to see Mewta Lader hit the ground so quickly. He started to chuckle despite himself until he realized what his pupil was really doing; grounding the energy.

 

Darth Morte walked toward his pupil, still trying to shock him until he got close enough to plunge his light saber through the still-beating heart of his betraying pupil.

 

Fortunately for Darth Morte, he saw his pupil move just in time, and was prepared when Mewta Lader again threw his light saber, which Darth Morte jumped out of the way to avoid. This broke his concentration of the Force, freeing Mewta Lader of the assured lightening death, who responded in kind by manifesting the Force as a spear and hurling it toward his Master. Darth Morte threw up a Force Shield in time to deflect the would-be-fatal-attack, but was left vulnerable upon the return of Mewta Laders light saber, which impaled Darth Morte in the back. Darth Morte dropped to his knees, clutching at his chest as he tried to breathe, but he couldn’t fill his lungs. He used the Force to push the light saber out, and tried even then to heal himself, but even as his lungs started to close up again, Mewta Lader was there, plunging his light saber through the black heart of his Master.

 

“Somewhere you lost sight of our true goal, our purpose," Mewta Lader said "this is what’s best, Morte, for everyone.” He said, ripping his light saber out of his Masters chest, and walking out of the room.

 

THE END!!!!!!

[Rev7]

Very nice job Darth Visillius! I can definately see the improvement! I really liked the battle scenes, and how you described the skills of both Darth Morte and Mewta Lader. I think that you did a great job. Are you continuing on with this story?

[Darth Visillius]

Honestly it depends on the feedback I get. I write for the readers, not for myself.

 

Probably, though, I think.

Having just one person enjoy my work is great, so I'll probably continue on, but I Honestly don't know yet.

We'll see how things are.

 

Thanks for taking the time to read and enjoy.

[Rev7]

^

You are very much welcome! I am sure that there are others that read your story, they just don't post.

[machievelli]

don't go by commentary from the board populace, DV, if I did the only thing you would see here is my Critic's column.