The Battle of Coruscant -- The Jedi Temple: Main Gates

[Twisted Reality]

Drakus had been drawing the force to him, feeling it course through his veins. The fear that filled the planet, empowering his strength in the force. It focused him, and it was a simple matter to divert some of the power to deal with Yuunda's quick repulse. Reducing the telekinetic burst to a light breeze much like Yuunda had done before.

"NOW!"

He called to Sato as he raised off the ground, bringing his arms and legs inward just to throw them out. The telekinetic Explosion going off before Yuunda could even get close enough to strike. Having built up the power, it would be much more powerful then Yuunda's and would have a much larger radius. It would not only hit Yuunda but Ryloss too, Yunnda would just take the full force since he charged forward. As well, as deal with Ryloss's force attacks.

When his feet hit the ground Drakus turned his lightsabers back on, holding both in the reverse Shien grip. if Yuunda went flying, Drakus would pursue he would not let Yuunda recover. Bringing his lightsaber around looking to strike at Yuunda's fake arm. He was going to take away that advantage.

"Press the Attack Sato, i'll watch your back and make sure nothing to give you openings."

He spoke into Sato's mind again.
​

 

[Wanderer]

"Not bad," said the young Sith as he took a step forward, one that was slow and careful. His eyes fixed on Kin-Wan's with a shade of anger merely visible in them, much to Kin-Wan's amusement. THe took another step, and another as Kin-Wan watched. His body relaxed, holding his green lightsaber casually. To most people it would appear he wouldn't be ready for a sudden attack; those people would be wrong. This stance fooled people into making them think his guard was down, whether from arrogance or something else. Then the attack came as he closed in; grabbed with two hands, above the head, angled back. Almost as a whip, it was swung towards the higher chest of the man, fast and strong, enough to cause death, or at least drive to defeat. But Kin-Wan was more than ready. Quickly, almost lazily, he flicked the his blade from aiming down to a high guard. He caught the crimson blade, deflecting it and knocking it off it's trajectory. Saving him from what would have been a fatal blow. Kin-Wan's eyes narrowed. He almost had not reacted in time. He was still sore and exhausted from his fight with the Sith master. KHe couldn't continue for much longer without his opponent gaining the advantage. After the lightning strike, he saw the other man's blade re-take a defensive position.

Just as Kin-Wan was about to attack, he was warned through the Force that another attack was coming from the side. He quickly located his would be attacker, but was too late to stop him from firing two shots. As he didn't see the color of a blaster bolt he knew quickly it was a slug weapon. Still there was little time to react and he tried to stop the first shot with his lightsaber, hoping it would melt or be destroyed before it hit him. Unfortunantly it was. The half melted slug pegged him in his left shoulder and the second shot whizzed by several feet away. He must have a short nosed barrel. Not wanting to give the shooter or the Sith a chance to strike, he lifted two large chunks of debris and flung them with the Force. One headed for the Sith and one headed for the location the shots came from.

His wound wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. Luckily as soon as he threw the debris a stormtrooper stepped through the doorway closest to him. As he raised his rifle to fire at the green saber wielding man, he hesitated upon seeing his fierce expression and red eyes. "Are-are you a Sith?"

"Ha," smiled Kin-Wan. "I'm the closest thing to a true Sith you will ever see."

With that he pulled the trooper through the air and grabbed him by the throat. He then channeled his pain and anger. He quickly drained the life from the terrified man and let the lifeless husk fall to the ground. The slug had been forced from his body as the wound had healed using the life force of another. Kin-Wan felt much better in general as well; revitalized and reinvigorated. He turned to the Sith. "Had to call for back up did we? I can't really blame you though. I'd be afraid too. Now that I feel so much better...let's end this farce."

 

[Marf]

Continuing her focus, Satoryu closed her eyes in brief meditation, allowing herself to draw on as much power as a 4'9" Acolyte could. As she concentrated on gathering the energy around her, Sato was too distracted to pay attention to the Force strikes sent her way. Her concentration drowned out the noise of the battle and for a brief moment, it seemed as though she was back on the desolate sands of Korriban...

"NOW!"

Ryloss' blasts of energy came surging towards her, but were swiftly dissolved by Drakus. In surprise, her eyes shot open and she threw forward her palms, releasing a massive repulse combined with her strength and the that of the Sith Master. The explosion of energy surged in a point-blank direction towards Yuunda and Ryloss.

The attack overwhelmed Sato and she stumbled back a little in exhaustion. Her breathing heavy and her hair dishevelled, she remained by Drakus' side as she detached her lightsaber and ignited it once more.

 

[Galad J. Victus]

The man was tired, he was giving it away in his eyes, his movements. His attack brough a better result than he hoped, and as soon as he took his defensive stance, the fallen Jedi made his move, about to st-

A message flew to him from the Force. Two blaster bolts passed him and striked at the man, causing further injuries. Galad was surprised. Keeping his face emotionless all the same, he took a step back and turned around, his attention slipping from the fallen Jedi and turning on the direction which the bolts came flying from. After a moment of brief observation, he saw the man, a young Mandalorian. Galad was about to close in, yet another warning, one far stronger came to him. This time, he was under threat.

He qucikly surrondered himself to the Force, manipulating it and channeling his passion, his anger. As the Force flowed through him, he raised his both hands, letting out a massive Force wave at the fast-approching targets, breaking the charge and causing them to spread in every directions. His face expression didn't change, only difference was the waving cloak, caused by the Force wave. As strong as it was, it did not reach the fallen Jedi, it was just enough to save Galad. He had to react fast. Now that was dealt with, he turned over his heels, it seemed as if he had already forgotten about the fallen Jedi, acting like he wasn't there at all. His face as impassive as ever, he stopped in the middle of the two, the Jedi and the Mandalore.

[COLOR="#Crimson"]"By what right do you interrupt this duel, Mandalorian?"[/COLOR]

Lifting the crimson slayer and pointing it's tip towards the man, his eyes fixed on him, an eyebrow slightly rose.

[COLOR="#Crimson"]"This is discourteous. I may not continue this duel under such circumstances. You both should consider yourself lucky. You,"[/COLOR] he looked at the Mandalorian, [COLOR="#Crimson"]"for standing as an ally in this field, and you,"[/COLOR] and at the Jedi [COLOR="#Crimson"]"for he is a scavenger." [/COLOR]

He turned around, walking away. He wasn't here for an easy kill. Someone spoke behind him, yet he did not halt for it. A scream. A stormtrooper voice. The fallen Jedi spoke again.

Galad turned around. There was a fair distance between all three of them now. He unleashed blade, an empty smile taking shape in his face. A pause made sure the silent was only broken by the battle still waging around them. Other than that, it was awfully quiet. Almost as if he was isolated from everything else, Galad spoke.

[COLOR="#Crimson"]"So be it, if that is what you desire."[/COLOR]

Suddenly, his hand rose, towards the Jedi, and he made a grab and pull move on the air. A Force wave was set free. It would draw the Jedi away from the entrance violently, flying him through the air, bringing him right in the central, landing roughly a few steps from the Sith. It wasn't cast to be strong, the Jedi could establish a balance and manage to land on his feet. But it was sudden.

Galad held the hilt both-handedly, he was ready.

 

[T.J]

Delmon let out a short chuckle as his short run to the two force users came to its end. One of his warning shots that he was quite sure would have gone far and wide from their intended target had actually found its mark. This mind amusement was cut short however, as before he could even raise his pistol to fire another round a quite large chunk of debris had found its way on a collision course right for the Mandalorian. If that hadn't already been worse enough, his target began seemingly draining the life out of an unfortunate stormtrooper who had strayed too close to the fight. Cursing under his breath Delmon had begun to see why the Mandalorian populace as a whole shunned force powers.

All at once his muscles tensed, preparing to dive out of the way of the stone before it crushed the life out of him. Before he could however, both were pulverized in mid air, raining much smaller harmless chunks onto the ground. He let out a sigh just as the one he had determined to be Sith addressed him. The Sith warrior that stood before him appeared young, much younger than himself.His voice was cold and empty, seemingly a shadow of what it once must have been like. He was slightly taken aback, did all force users stop mid fight to converse with one another? The concept seemed odd to the Mandalorian, but seeing as he had never actually seen force users fight before, he shrugged it off and responded it the Sith.

" I need no permission to engage an enemy. This is open battle. Save your duels until after the day is won. "

Delmon deftly holstered his pistol and pulled his saber's twin from its scabbard. They were a stark comparison to the light sabers the others wielded. The twin blade's were a matte black in color save for the actually edge, nearly identical in all aspects save for their composition.

Before he could even continue however, the Sith turned and simply began walking away, as if nothing had happened. However when the Jedi responded the Sith seemed to reconsider their engagement. Delmon took a step forward with his blades at the ready, waiting to see how the Jedi respond before reacting.

 

[Wanderer]

A sudden wave of energy tried to draw Kin-wan forward, a Force Pull most likely. He called on some of his newfound strength and planted his feet firmly. He narrowly managed to avoid the sudden pull, holding his ground with a grim smile. He had only moved a few inches. The crimson eyed 'Jedi' looked between the dark man and armored warrior. He was not fully healed, and while the life force of the stormtrooper had healed his most recent wound, he knew wouldn't be able to last much longer in sustained fighting. He was powerful but sounds of other battles were drawing close. He looked and smiled at them, no warmth hidden behind it. "As much as I would like to crush the life out of you insolent fools, I have an appointment I must keep."

Looking up to the ceiling, weakened from bombardment and battle, he released a blast of crimson lightning. The roof began to fracture and with a thunderous sound, it fell. Enormous chunks of stone and debris rained down from above. Kin-Wan turned from the collapsing stone and used what little energy he had left to speed his feet. Not caring whether the two he left behind died or not. It was time for him to leave this world behind. He disappeared into the war torn, darkened alleys...

 

[Ush]

Ryloss felt the force from the telekenetic explosion. In fact, it almost blew him off his feet. He used it's momentum to flip head-over heels and land seamlessly. It hurt, but he didn't retreat. Instead, he reached into his clothing and pulled out a lightsaber hilt. Yuunda would have to fight his own battles. For now, Ryloss had to hold the Sith off. If he could keep them out of the temple...
No, no, he couldn't. He could dam well try, though. In his left hand, he ignited his green saber. His constant companion, the blade had never let him down. He then drew his blue blade, the feeling of the Dragon Pearl inside it calming him. He held the green blade horizontally in front of him, setting his feet apart. His right blade was held up, in a one-handed version of a standard Ataru starting position. This was his element, now.
He didn't move for a moment, but his eyes widened when Yuunda almost had his arm chopped off. So he extended a hand, the one holding the blue saber, and used the Force to drag the man back, just behind Ryloss. No harm done, except now Ryloss was basically alone against two Sith. Ataru lacked in this position. He had no one to cover him. He'd repel them once and then retreat, if he was even given that chance. He watched the girl ignite her blade. He tried to meet her eye, his own completely calm. He was showing no fear. None at all.
Of course, showing and feeling are two different things. On the inside, he was only being consoled by the Dragon Pearl. Once. All he had to do was drive them off once.

 

[Wit]

Kain looked down as the Sith approached Luthair and felt his touch in his mind, feeling in that moment a connection with his father that he had never felt before. Go, his voice reverberated in his head, go my son, live. He could feel the tears rolling down his face, but he nodded, reluctantly agreeing to his father's last wish though every fiber in his body wanted nothing more than to run down to him. But he too was a Jedi and he knew that doing that would only result in his own death along with his father. He had to survive, he had to live for the both of them now. He felt his father in his mind once more, urging him with the strength of the Force to run away, not wanting him to see what was to come. So he ran, ran away from his father, leaving him to die, vowing to honor his sacrifice, vowing to survive and live for the two of them.

There is no emotion, there is peace.​

His mind was clear as he reached out to Kain, no fear of death even though he knew already that he was within its grasp now. You fear what you don't know, but he knew what was to come, and because of that he did not fear death. He was not scared for his son because he knew that like him he walked in the Light and the Light was stronger and greater than the Dark could ever be.

There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.​

He no longer had anything to fear, for he knew that his son would survive, that he would one day champion the Light in his stead. He knew that the Sith would one day be defeated, the Galaxy would one day know peace, and through it all life would go on.

There is no passion, there is serenity.​

He was not scared, or angry, or sad, he was at peace. He had lived a good life, a life he could be proud of, he had brought enough time for at least some Jedi to get away safely, his son among them. He could go now to the Force, he had made his peace.

There is no death, there is the Force.​

As the two blades plunged towards him all his pain momentarily vanished as he welcomed the embrace of the Force. He would soon be with the Force, one with the Force and everyone who ever touched it, one with his son. He did not flinch at the thought of death, for there was no death, only the Force.

 

[Defiance]

Twin blades pierced the Jedi from his back with the hiss of his burning flesh. Avlis' wicked smile lay fiendish upon his face, a billow of darkness crawling upon his dying body. His voice whispered from within it, ringing clear in the Jedi's slipping consciousness. "Am I really the villain, Jedi? Our conflict has been bred and borne by your Order, and with your life so dies your foolish ideals." He twisted the hilts deeper into al'Thor's chest, savoring his kill just as the fight. He felt at peace, an incomprehensible serenity blessed by the rage of battle. The terrible strike felt so right within him, a primordial instinct that only continued to applaud war. An encore was in place, an insatiable desire to purge the unfit and to crush the foolish. This was a lesson, to all the worlds, that those who lived were greater and those who died lesser. At some point one will succumb to the abyss, but this was the divine choice of who will prosper on through history, those who will be ridiculed by it, and those who are forgotten.

Death was but a natural principle of nature, a whimsical representation of endings. Avlis was raised by death, rather than defeated by it, and as a purpose he took it upon himself to cause it to become his ally. Explosions bloomed in the fulvous atmosphere, booming across the skyline and reverberating through the temple. Speeding battleships raced against each other, cannons ripping each other apart. Death was present at this time, speeding across Coruscant to reap the fallen. Avlis savored every dwindle of Force signature, whether it be Alliance soldier, Jedi, or Sith, he simply absorbed it. The feeling made it stronger, hardened him, and reminded him of his home. A ship detonated across from the temple, flaming in a brilliant scarlet ball of destruction. Fire began to creep upon the skyscrapers, eating through their foundations and toppling their infrastructure. Finally, Coruscant was being cleansed.

Avlis took it all within him, a state of perfect sangfroid, as he smelled Luthair's flesh cook from the beams of energy he still held within him. The fading Force that Avlis felt had now dwindled into nothing, and Avlis looked into the Jedi's eyes as he knew who reigned victory. Once the Jedi had become devoid, Avlis ripped the two lightsabers outward from his scorched chest, eviscerating the carcass in two. A ripple in the Force burst all around the temple, with Avlis at it's epicenter, catching the attention of any survivors. His voice boomed across the expansive room, the Force pouring into his words as to pierce every single being within earshot.

"You have lost, Jedi."

He held up the Jedi's azure lightsaber, and held his crimson blade at his side, two everlasting opposing forces. His pale, slender fingers grasped the cold steel hilt with conviction.

"Your masters have fallen. Your peers have fallen."

Cracks splintered on the hilt, and tendrils of energy snaked out from underneath the pressure. With a savage crush, it broke, the beam destroyed and the handle reduced to pieces of metal and crystal shards stained with Avlis' blood. He let the remains fall on the dead carcass in front of him, an insult, and a mocking of the person he once was, and yet also a respect for the battle he had offered.

"You foolishly toil and tarry, but now, my fellow Sith, we have emerged victorious, and the Jedi Temple is now taken."

His stained, raised hand began to crackle with vivid electricity, a dark cruel blue such as the eyes of a leviathan, reflecting off his pallid complexion. Avlis' victory was enforced by a mental strain upon the remaining Jedi, seeking to break them from within. Fear would echo within their minds, and their limbs would begin to be sapped by the jaws of their own fatigue, now reinforced by their growing despair.

"The Sith reign supreme."

This was not the end, simply the beginning, the first stepping stone in a greater plan. The ashes of Coruscant would form the roots of a newborn Empire to surpass all those of history, unrivaled and unlike anything the galaxy had ever seen. One by one, a cleansing of the Jedi would occur, and Avlis began to think of the perfection of the flaws already festering within the Order, a new dawn for the Order that would wash away the old idealists that idly frothed over their victory. Avlis would continue to take his rightful place, two steps ahead of those that named themselves his allies.

 

[Twisted Reality]

Drakus had felt the pull which kept him from landing a decisive blow against Yuunda but that was no matter. This Fool wished to take on Drakus and his young friend then so be it. He knew that the Repulse had taken it's toll on Sato, it was apparent when she didn't press the attack. Drakus stopped his advance and turned his helmeted face to peer through the darkness that was the mask's eyes. Also towards the other sith who had killed his enemy. A sinister smirk crossed his face which was hidden, twin Cyan blades switched off and were placed under his black cloak. A single more sinister hilt was pulled forward, the snap hiss giving birth to the more sith Crimson red. Drakus turned his body and with a flex of his fists forced his knuckles to pop while keeping his senses open encase Yuunda decided to rejoin the fight.

"You are a fool to take on two of us, this will only lead you to same fate as your comrade there."

The violent hum of the crimson blade pointed to lifeless body of the freshly killed Jedi, as Drakus lifted his free hand fingers curled as he reached out with his will. To wrap the telekinetic forces around Ryloss neck in an attempt to constrict to cut off the fools airway. Drakus was a master of telekinesis. He did not specialize in powers average sith did. He did not care for force Fear, he liked to instill that all on his own. Telekinesis was much more versatile, and could be applied in almost any situation. Drakus would walk forward, eyeing Sato and Alvis First he would bow his head to Alvis a sign of a good kill. And acknowledgment that they had won the day, the fear caused by the battle here on coruscant fed there power. And it was something that he would have to take stock off once the battle ended.

"I left this planet a Jedi, and i return a conqueror. A new tale in the story of a conflict bred by the foolish narrow minded Jedi."

With that he would look toward Sato and reach out telepathically.

"Do with him as you will young Acolyte, enjoy the victory you have helped bring about. From Tython, Empress Teta and finally the fall of the Galactic Alliance and the Jedi Order."

Drakus However was sure the force of his Repulse had knocked Yuunda clean out, not even Drakus could withstand the force of a repulse that powerful without losing consciousness. It just angered him that this fool decided to get involved and bring the power of a Sith Master down Upon his head. He was more than happy to choke the life out of him. But he was Sato's enemy as much as Ryloss was Drakus'. So he was going to let Sato decide what to do with him. Finish him off, or let those that still lived live with the shame of knowing that no matter how hard they fought. A Jedi could not stand up to even a Sith Acolyte.

 

[Marf]

Ryloss was the only one left. Here he stood, a grey Force user facing down four Sith and a Mandalorian warrior. One last ember of hope still flickering for the dying Galactic Alliance. That ember would now be extinguished. The only ill-will Satoryu held against the Alliance was the threat they posed to wipe out everything she knew. The Sith Order was her only family, without it, she had nothing. She would not allow even this one fool to scar her brethren.

She understood that the very same scenario applied for those fighting to defeat the Empire and allowed herself some pity for those who had lost everything they held dear. However, one would inevitably defeat the other and Satoryu was a survivor. Those who did not kill, were killed. She had learned by now to be the oppressor, never the oppressed. For the nature of existence did not allow the impossible perfections of equality and peace.

"I will not allow you to taint our glory. Your foolish ally gave his life, the more intelligent ones have fled." She said to Ryloss.

"There are five of us and one of you, we shall see now what you you value more, your honour or your life."

She took a moment to feast her eyes on the corpse of the Jedi Luthair. Sato had never encountered the slaying of a Jedi this close and personal, she was in total admiration for Avlis' prowess. Her eyes moved back to Ryloss. With a flick of her wrist, she threw her arm outwards by her sand and snapped her fingers. Dazzling sparks of violet and blue entwined her appendage.

 

[Galad J. Victus]

Galad reacted quickly, forming a solid wall of Force between himself and the falling death, covering it all, and when it touched the energy wall the boy cast aside each and every one of the stones, towards an empty corner of the opening before the Temple. Pulling his hood over his head, he sended an unimpressed look towards the Mandalorian before walking away from the gates.

When he reached the exact central, he suddenly stopped. Turning around as his robe brushed the ground, he stared into the damaged and seasoned temple. Fire and ashes. It was burning. The smoke rising towards the dark skies were declaring the victory of evil, the heart of the Alliance, cast into flames and defeat. The boy stared further, not merely with his eyes, but with every inch of his soul, he wandered into the structure. There were memories to be found. Of pain and suffering. The exact moment he stood before those Jedi Masters, his fall. The corridors, chambers, halls, they all had their voices. They all spoke to him. Galad did not hate the Order itself. Not it's ideals, not it's teachings. They were not that he wished ill against so strongly. But something deeper within, the very soul of it. Their masters and learners.

It could be better, he though. Everything. If not for them. The Order was corrupted from within, poisoned snakes consuming it from inside out. They had to be wiped out, exterminated, their temples destructed, their lifes taken. The Order had to die now, so it could be resurrected later. He knew this was the beginning. The chaos could never end things, it could only launch yet more chaos. There was no victory to be found here, except one. His own victory. With the falling of this Temple, his vengeance was complete and utter. The brain of the Order, that he feeded his wrath against, were slain. Now, one was last this had to die. Their lair.

He raised his hands towards the gateway. He approched the Force, sucking power from within it. The Force was endless, there were no limits. He could draw as much as he needed. So he did. Until he could feal it running through his veins, he enslaved. He whispered his anger, he explained why the deed had to be performed. The Force would aid him. He knew it.


He grabbed the massive pillars, he grabbed the very soul of the fallen structure. He held it within his grasp. The Force worked through it, mixing into the thick walls. He pulled it down. He pulled it down until there was nothing left. The massive thing coming down, a huge noise, the foul thing was one with the ground, the dust, ashes, the flames spread. The part which held the gate within it was the attack directed at. The gateway, a slice from the temple. He used the weakened parts to his advantage, the overpowering Force was mainly directed at them, strategic points. He wasn't using the Force until now. Realizing how much it was satisfiying to go over his limits, bring down the invisible walls that were built by the hidden cowardice and hesitation, crushing them down. He had never used the Force truly until know. How grand things were possible. A dagger shaped smile appeared in his face, demonic.

It had to be done. The place had to be destructed, it had to be distant as the memories, it had to be one of them. The entrance was closed. No one could get in, no one could get out. The gate area was down. The place was reduced to a fading memory. His revenge was now complete. His victory unleashed and his war won. Despite this, there were yet no emotions. No celebration. No satisfaction. All was silent. The battle waging around him, the city, fires, battlecries, ships over him hunting each other. All were absent. It all was in darkness.

The boy walked away, into the shadows and nothingness which he first appeared from.

In the end, all was silent.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

Across all means of communication, be they nearby HoloNet screens, personal communication devices, military communication systems, and more, a small hologram of the injured Alliance Chief of State, Nathanaeu Bastele, appeared before everyone who could see it. His face was shredded, with one of his eyes practically hanging from the socket. His body was torn apart, with his insides visible. It was a gruesome sight, showing just how bad the battle was. If the Chief of State could be this hurt, anyone could. Anyone could be killed.

But he had a message to send, one more important than what happened to him. It was garbled, with the chaos of the battle and Sith jammers preventing it from fully being reached, but there was enough to understand what Bastele was saying:

"This is Nathanaeu Bastele. A Sith warship… descending… Jedi Temple. I don’t know… planning but... If you can hear… evacuate or head underground… all costs. Coruscant… gone. The Alliance is falling. Save yourselves and… Force… with you."

With that, the transmission faded away. The end of the Alliance had come.

 

[T.J]

With little warning the battle seemed to wain, as if something substantial elsewhere had turned the tide in the Sith's favor. Even his own combatants quickly fled the field, the young Sith he had fought alongside destroying a portion of the already damaged temple structure before departing as well. Before he knew it Delmon found himself eerily alone among the broken bodies that had melded with the broken pieces of debris, he knew the battle had been won but not the cost for such a victory. The alliance and their Jedi dogs had been utterly crushed, but he had no knowledge of how his own people fared during the battle.

Such thoughts quickly fled, there was still a temple to secure and stragglers to be detained or destroyed. Somehow he found himself uncaring of the prospect however. Finding a familiar face seemed much more important than hunting down strays. He would let the Sith and their hunting squads sort that out on their own. Sheathing his twin blades and wiping some of the grime off his armor Delmon began the trek through the rubble back into the city at large. With any luck the Mandalorian would find some of his own people among the burning city planet.

 

[Ush]

Ryloss watched the Jedi dwindle to just him. There were now four Sith and one Mandolorian. He looked down on Yuunda. As stupid as he had proven himself to be, Ryloss still couldn't leave him. Well, he could, but that would be as bad as killing him himself. Idiot that he was. Ryloss bit his lip so hard blood was drawn. He felt the pressure around his neck, but he didn't move from his combat ready position. The Sith had stopped to brag. Of course they had. If someone had a blaster to your head, pray he is an evil man. A good man will shoot you. An evil man will gloat. He won't notice you moving until it was too late. The Sith would raze Curoscant to the ground, allowing the Jedi and Alliance forces to flee and cause them problems later. If the Sith were pushed back to Ziost and Korriban, well, they'd be gone. Knowing the Sith, though, they'd just find a hole to crawl into and come back when they can kill the most people in the shortest amount of time.
Bastards.
But the next line made him sag and sigh. Idiot. The Jedi had been their first, and the Sith had wanted power. Greedy assholes that they were.
He listened to the girl speak. He looked down at Yuunda, and then the temple behind him. He sighed and looked at Sato in the eye.
"Sith think they know hate. Let me correct you on that: you do not know hate, not as the Jedi do, not as even I do. One day, we may stand much like this on a temple on Korriban, and you will watch as your planet burns. The Sith started this war, but they can't finish it."
He stood up straight and returned both of his lightsabers to their holders.
"Ah, well, I was never too pissed about honor anyway. Stupid thing. Gets in the way of winning."
He said all this in a deadpan, slightly mocking voice. Like a child would talk to a younger one when explaining something the younger one got wrong. He looked at the sparks on her arm with raised eyebrows. He was taunting them, now. But then the holo on the other side of the street flickered to life. Ryloss listened to what was heard, and then looked up.
"Oh... Dammit..."
Ryloss looked around, desperately. He used the Force to pick Yuunda up, just as the dust cloud from the fallen gates consumed them. When it cleared, the Sith would find the pair gone.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

Life itself was dying. Coruscant, in this moment, was the closest any mortal would ever come to understanding what it would be like if Death reached out its cold hands and reaped the Force, or God, or nature, or whatever it was that made the universe spin. On the surface, and even in orbit, every living thing felt the destructive power of what the two tiny figures atop the hull of a Star Destroyer were doing. Life was being drained, sucked into the blackened and decrepit soul of a curse called Skywalker.

Those adept in history might have drawn a comparison to the ancient Dark Lord of the Sith called Darth Nihilus, a devourer of worlds, and life, and all the energy around him. Like that Dark Lord of old, Andraste was a wound in the Force, craving all of its energy and devastating everything in her path. No being escaped feeling its impacts; they felt drained, weak, like even the simplest of tasks required strength of herculean proportions. Escaping Coruscant, or even hiding, would feel like an eternity.

The planet itself was breaking. As the Empress drained the life and energy from all around her, the Dark Lord Vereor was ravaging the surface. A storm of pure Force energy was growing; lightning, real lightning and not artificially created from satellites, struck down from the clouds from all directions, in all streets and crevasses in the city, tearing swaths through buildings and dirt. The energies even reached into space, tearing apart ships and disrupting systems on so many others. The wind howled all through the sky, and tornadoes formed to destroy the artificial world that they were touching down on.

The temperature was dropping. At once it felt sickeningly hot but also colder than the snowy wastes of Hoth. The rain falling from the sky froze, turning into shards of ice as it fell, stabbing through the heads and bodies of countless thousands, if not more. The carefully constructed weather of the once-great capital of the Republic and the Alliance was torn asunder. The planet itself was now just as much the enemy of the Alliance as the Sith.

Yet at the center of all this madness was something beautiful. At the Jedi Temple, above which the Imperial Star Destroyer sat, a beautiful aurora was forming. Dark and dangerous energy collided into a green display of dancing lights, one that could have been a calming sight were it not for the life being drained from everything below it. At the core of this beauty, though, was something rotten, for the light was not a mere byproduct of the attack. It was the attack itself. The dark energies and lightning being displayed was the eldritch energy sucked into the very heart of this labyrinth by the Dark Lord himself, a reflection of the souls being sacrificed for more power.

Anyone with any sort of psychic awareness, be they Jedi or anyone even remotely attuned to the Force, could feel as those souls were taken and twisted into a dark purpose for which the Force should never have been used. It was a warning, a reminder of what the Chief of State said across the HoloNet.

Leave or die.