The Legend of Ussej Padric Bac
- Thread starter Brandon Rhea
- Start date
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2005
- Messages
- 67,946
- Reaction score
- 3,861
- Staff
- #42
It would have been completely random to have you appear there, as you had never appeared in the story before. Therefore, I gave your part to Remer, who was essential to the story.
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2005
- Messages
- 67,946
- Reaction score
- 3,861
- Staff
- #44
Indeed.
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2005
- Messages
- 67,946
- Reaction score
- 3,861
- Staff
- #45
<div align="center">A WALK TO REMEMBER[/b]</div>
“We have come together today in the presence of the Force to witness the joining of the Lord Darth Mantus and Laili Jeyna Rendar in Holy Matrimony,” the Dark Lord Ravinos said. “This is a special time of celebration that the Lord Mantus and Laili will long remember and, because of this, they are thankful that these two witnesses could come to share this moment with them.”
The Dark Apprentice of the Sith motioned to two Telosians that agreed to be the witnesses. As he turned back to face his sister and his soon-to-be brother-in-law, he could not help but think of the life he could have led had he not been so foolish before. He had made a deal with the devil herself and that destroyed his relationship with....no, he couldn’t think of such a thing at this time. This was supposed to be a happy moment for his sister and his apprentice, not a moment of sorrow and regret for one that had been twisted so far he could never return....or so he told himself. He regained his composure quickly and placed his eyes back onto the ceremony script that Laili helped him to prepare. The words were kind and gentle, words that he often would not associate himself with, but it was his baby sister’s wishes to use these words and he would grant any wish that she requested him to. It was the least he could do for flesh and blood.
Flesh and blood....those words would have a new meaning soon. Laili was due to give birth at any time and he would soon be able to meet his niece or nephew. Finally, he could try to be a good person and help care for a small child. Perhaps, in time, he could even teach the child a thing or two of what he has learned throughout his life. He would be able to make up for not being there with....no. Again he had to remind himself that he could not dwell on the past. Once more, he regained his composure and smiled, letting a worried Laili know that he was just fine.
“From the dawn of history,” Ravinos said, “it has been customary for the community to place its seal of approval upon the union of two persons in marriage. If these solemn vows that they are about to make are kept faithfully, the Force will bless their marriage.”
A blessed marriage, exactly what Mantus wanted and needed. He knew better than anyone that the past year had not gone as he imagined. A year ago he was a defender of the ideals of the Jedi. Just a few weeks later he was a defender of the ideals of the Sith. Today, he hated both ideals. He knew they weren’t for him, but what scared him the most is that he no longer knew what to do with his life. He could be a good husband and a good father if he could sort out his issues, but he would need something else to keep him occupied. Perhaps, in time, he would be able to find that something else.
“The Force, before which we stand,” Ravinos said, “look with favor upon this man and this woman who desire to make their vows before you and this small gathering of peers and may they forever walk the pleasant path. There is skill to a marriage, as there is to any activity people engage in. This art requires that we pay thoughtfulness to the little things as well as the big ones that are part of the closeness of matrimony. Develop the capacity to forgive and forget and heal the quarrels as they happen.”
Laili had forgiven Mantus long ago for what he had done and even forgave him for the things that he had yet to do. Some would have called this blind love. She called it faith, the faith that in time Mantus would realize his mistakes and admit to himself that he was wrong. From what he said to her in the medical center, he was well on his way to doing that. However, she would never forget what had happened, nor would she want to. The events of the past year shaped them both into two people who would be able to rise above petty differences and be better than most others. For that, she was eternally grateful.
“Say, ‘I love you’ and speak words of appreciation often,” Ravinos continued. “Do not come to take each other for granted. Demonstrate your gratitude in thoughtful ways. The Way of the Sith teaches that you are to always show yourself as the better of someone else, but when it comes to marriage both must be equal or the love will be lost. Never grow too old to hold hands. Do not expect perfection of each other, as perfection is only for the Force. Make your search for the good and the beautiful a common search. A good marriage evolves when two separate souls face life’s pleasures and sadness in harmony, not in unison.”
A wise woman once told the former Kit Rendar that once the realization is accepted that infinite distances continue to exist even between the closest of human beings, a wonderful life with the one you love can grow if they succeed in loving the distance between them. This makes it possible for each to the other whole against a wide sky. From the looks in their eyes, Mantus and Laili recognized their differences and loved them. If only the former Kit Rendar could have done that with the one he loved.
“The bride and groom will now each recite vows that they have written themselves,” Ravinos said. “Then they will place a ring on each other’s finger. Laili, you may begin.”
“I still remember the very first time I lost myself in your eyes,” Laili said. “You looked into me, as I unto you. What I saw there terrified me. Until that point, I had never seen two eyes say so much. The blue accent you laid upon me gave me a sensation of how delicate and fragile your heart was. Yet, the darkened outline and depth of the gaze showed me the power and determination of your soul. At that very moment, I knew my future had just stared me in the eyes. From that moment, you have continued to deliver me from despair and completely righted my wrongs. For this I pray. I pray that you accept my unconditional love and never ending devotion. I pray that you will take this ring as a trust of my unconditional love and devotion to you, the only man I will ever love. Do you, Ussej Padric Bac?”
“I do,” Mantus immediately said, smiling ever so slightly when she said the name of his true self. With that, he extended his hand and she slowly placed the ring onto his finger. The gold band shined brightly as the moon crept through the cracks in the ceiling above, casting it’s warm and comforting light onto their features.
“Laili,” Mantus said. “You have filled my world with meaning. You have made me so happy and more fulfilled as a person. We all know I have my many faults and, with help, perhaps we can all move past them. Listen to the way I speak, Laili. I am not Jedi, nor am I Sith. You have healed me. You have healed my twisted and broken heart. Maybe not completely, but you have done more than anyone else ever could. For two long weeks, I watched as you slept in a medical center knowing that it was through my actions you found yourself there. You brought me back from the brink of insanity. You helped me rid myself of the anger and hatred that I had within myself. You made me realize that the anger and hatred was not real, but that it was fear being channeled in the worst of ways. The anger and the hatred was what almost destroyed us to begin with. As of this moment, standing before the Force in the bonds of Holy Matrimony, I no longer fear death for either of us because I know that it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all and that if I was to lose you I would rather lose you to death instead of losing you to my anger and fear. That’s why we’re here, to pledge ourselves to each other until the angels of death bring us apart. I am a broken soul, Laili, and I thank you for taking me as I am; loving me and welcoming me into your heart even though I gave you so many reasons not to. I promise to always love you and respect you as an individual, rather than a possession, and to be faithful to you forever. I am on the road to redemption, and I have learned a fundamental truth. I told you this in our first training session together, but I never believed it myself. Redemption comes from the release of oneself, not the exhalation of oneself. It comes through compassion, not greed. One lone candle is enough to fight the darkness, but love is more than a candle. You are more than a candle. Your love is the answer to the darkness. Your love can ignite the stars.”
Tears began flowing down Laili’s eyes faster than she could have ever imagined them to. Rarely would she cry if she was happy, but the one she loved had always been able to find a way to do what she believed to be impossible. What he said amazed her. When he told her in the medical center that he was no longer Jedi or Sith, she could detect the skepticism in his voice. But, now, she knew it to be true. He had been tainted by the darkness for far too long and she never imagined that she would be the one to remove the taint. All she did was love him, and that seemed so simple to her.
However, it didn’t seem as simple to the Empress’ Apprentice. Love was something he was able to fathom long ago, but that ability had long since passed. Loving the woman he would have been proud to call his wife seemed so simple as well, but his growing disdain for everything around him changed that and the two grew apart until, eventually, he sided with Viea and gave himself over to the darkness. Laili had saved Mantus....or perhaps it was now Ussej again....from the brink of destruction. Perhaps, in time, she would be able to do the same for him. Perhaps, in time, his apprentice could do that for him.
“Today,” Mantus told her, placing a hand on her belly, “I commit myself to you for the rest of my life. This child is the true miracle. It is a miracle that we created and a miracle that you could deliver any moment now. Ever since you told me that you were pregnant, I was afraid. I was afraid of what this child could do to us. But, now I enter into this marriage with you, knowing that the true magic of love is not to avoid changes but to navigate them successfully together. Let us commit to not only the miracle we created through our passion and our love but also to the miracle of making each day work together. Respect each other, we commit to live our lives together for all of the days to come as husband and wife, lovers and friends. I ask you to share this world with me, for good and ill. I ask you to be my partner, as I will be yours. For this I pray. I pray that you accept my unconditional love and never ending devotion. I pray that you will take this ring as a trust of my unconditional love and devotion to you, the only man I will ever love. Do you, Laili Jeyna Rendar?”
“I do,” she said, trying to hold back the tears. He leaned in and slid the large diamond ring onto her small and tender fingers. What came as a surprise to him was not her tears, but his. He had cried before, especially in the past year, but he didn’t think tears of joy would ever stream down his face. He welcomed them more than any other tears he has ever cried.
“You have now affirmed your love for one another,” Ravinos said. “You have come from very different background. You are different individuals. You have walked different paths, but tonight your paths become one. In the years before you, may the richness of your love always continue to bless your spirits. And now, it is my greatest honor to pronounce you husband and wife. Lord Mantus, you may now kiss the bride.”
He brought his lips down to the soft, golden skin that was on her cheek and kissed it softly before locking his lips with hers. As he kissed her softly and passionately, the goose-bumps rose on both of them in response to their gentle hands touching each other’s arms. For the first time since they created the life within her on Onderon, he was close enough to her to smell the intoxicating scent of her hair and perfume mingling in a scent far more pleasing than any flora the galaxy had to offer. They slowly pulled away, smiling.
As the Telosians left, Mantus watched as Laili hugged her brother tightly. It brought a warm feeling to his heart, knowing that they could be together and love one another. He knew, though, that Laili was still determined to save him fully, as was he. In time, he hoped that they would be able to do that. Perhaps that time would come sooner than they all thought, or perhaps that was simply wishful thinking.
“That was beautiful,” Laili told her brother as Mantus approached them both.
“I simply said what you told me to,” he said, trying to disguise his emotions. “But, I have to admit that I started to believe the words I was saying. I guess that’s a start.”
“I guess so,” Laili said, smiling proudly now that she could see large traces of her brother within the Dark Lord’s Apprentice.
“Will you be staying with us for a few days,” Mantus asked.
“No, unfortunately,” he replied. “I have to go back to Coruscant and speak with the Empress. The Macabre Alliance has gained a vast amount of troops, ships and resources and we expect them to attack us any day now.”
“You do realize,” Mantus said, “that you could just let it happen, that you could just let the Sith destroy themselves. You do have a choice.”
“I wish that were so,” Ravinos said. Without allowing so much as a reply, he turned and walked towards the docking bay where the Outrider was safely waiting for him. His apprentice’s words struck him in the heart. Did he have a choice? Could he simply allow the Sith to destroy themselves? No, of course not. That’s a foolish thought, one that led men to be executed. He worked long and hard to gain the power he possessed and he was not about to give it up.
As the Outrider flew off towards the galactic capitol, Mantus placed his arm tightly around Laili’s shoulder. He knew that what her brother had just said was a terrible blow to her, but he vowed long ago to bring him back from the darkness and he was not about to break that vow.
Laili turned to him and stood tall, kissing him on the lips. She had somewhat of a seductive look in her eye, one that he could recognize from miles away. She smiled and started to walk towards the bedroom that they had prepared for themselves and he knew full well what she wanted to do, though they both knew that they could not in her condition.
“I’ll go get changed,” she said.
He waited for a few minutes, thinking about all that occurred. But, what he could not stop thinking about was the impending birth of his child....their child. The birth of their child would be the proudest moment of his life. To be able to see his child grow up and become strong and handsome was amazing to him. Thinking about it only gave him a small glimpse into the future, as he had no idea what would really happen. For the first time in a year, he now felt a complete and utter sense of peace. Out among the stars there was a war going on, but right now, in the small world of the two newlyweds, everything was right with the universe.
He walked into the bedroom and Laili was already in her nightgown, lying comfortably in their bed. He pulled off his shirt and lied down next to her, kissing her softly on the cheek. Laili, however, wasn’t as subtle. She put both hands onto his face and their lips met for only the second time as husband and wife. This moment was long overdue. They probably would have been married sooner had they not been caught up in this war, though they both knew that it was well worth the wait.
“Oh,” she said as a small, strange feeling came from within her womb.
“What’s wrong,” Mantus asked, worried.
“The baby kicked,” she said with a proud smile on her face. She pulled the covers down and lifted her nightgown just below her breasts, exposing her large belly. She took his hand into her and placed it upon the home of the life within her. As his hand touched her, she felt an immediate comfort and a sensation of love unlike anything she had ever felt before. She smiled, feeling a strong connection between her child and its father.
She stared at him for what seemed like an eternity, gazing at his handsome features. He laid down next to her and brought her tightly into his embrace. The love shared between the two was amplified by the vows they shared earlier and, at that moment, they booth knew that they would be together forever. They sat up, gazing into each other’s eyes. Mantus placed a hand onto her cheek and she hugged it tightly. He leaned forward, meeting her lips in a passionate kiss. Anyone could have seen the passion and the romance the two shared.
The kiss lasted for what seemed like hours and neither of them was paying attention to what was happening just outside the window. The dark clouds in the distance had grown closer during it, now creating a large surge of snow and rain. Thunder clapped directly overhead and lightning struck just outside their window. Laili’s eyes grew wider and she pulled away, almost in shocked. She looked confused, worrying Mantus. Though he did not notice, Laili’s hands quickly moved to her belly. She thought that the child kicked once again, but a sharp pain soon followed. A strange feeling came from within the womb, as if something within her ruptured. A small gush of water then trickled its way onto the bed.
Ussej did not notice any of this, as he turned to realize why Laili had originally looked worried. There, in the doorway, stood a garrison of Sith soldiers, their weapons armed and set to kill. From behind them, one who the Lord Mantus wished to never lay eyes on again stepped forward, an abomination from the depths of Hell itself.
Darth Invidius
“We have come together today in the presence of the Force to witness the joining of the Lord Darth Mantus and Laili Jeyna Rendar in Holy Matrimony,” the Dark Lord Ravinos said. “This is a special time of celebration that the Lord Mantus and Laili will long remember and, because of this, they are thankful that these two witnesses could come to share this moment with them.”
The Dark Apprentice of the Sith motioned to two Telosians that agreed to be the witnesses. As he turned back to face his sister and his soon-to-be brother-in-law, he could not help but think of the life he could have led had he not been so foolish before. He had made a deal with the devil herself and that destroyed his relationship with....no, he couldn’t think of such a thing at this time. This was supposed to be a happy moment for his sister and his apprentice, not a moment of sorrow and regret for one that had been twisted so far he could never return....or so he told himself. He regained his composure quickly and placed his eyes back onto the ceremony script that Laili helped him to prepare. The words were kind and gentle, words that he often would not associate himself with, but it was his baby sister’s wishes to use these words and he would grant any wish that she requested him to. It was the least he could do for flesh and blood.
Flesh and blood....those words would have a new meaning soon. Laili was due to give birth at any time and he would soon be able to meet his niece or nephew. Finally, he could try to be a good person and help care for a small child. Perhaps, in time, he could even teach the child a thing or two of what he has learned throughout his life. He would be able to make up for not being there with....no. Again he had to remind himself that he could not dwell on the past. Once more, he regained his composure and smiled, letting a worried Laili know that he was just fine.
“From the dawn of history,” Ravinos said, “it has been customary for the community to place its seal of approval upon the union of two persons in marriage. If these solemn vows that they are about to make are kept faithfully, the Force will bless their marriage.”
A blessed marriage, exactly what Mantus wanted and needed. He knew better than anyone that the past year had not gone as he imagined. A year ago he was a defender of the ideals of the Jedi. Just a few weeks later he was a defender of the ideals of the Sith. Today, he hated both ideals. He knew they weren’t for him, but what scared him the most is that he no longer knew what to do with his life. He could be a good husband and a good father if he could sort out his issues, but he would need something else to keep him occupied. Perhaps, in time, he would be able to find that something else.
“The Force, before which we stand,” Ravinos said, “look with favor upon this man and this woman who desire to make their vows before you and this small gathering of peers and may they forever walk the pleasant path. There is skill to a marriage, as there is to any activity people engage in. This art requires that we pay thoughtfulness to the little things as well as the big ones that are part of the closeness of matrimony. Develop the capacity to forgive and forget and heal the quarrels as they happen.”
Laili had forgiven Mantus long ago for what he had done and even forgave him for the things that he had yet to do. Some would have called this blind love. She called it faith, the faith that in time Mantus would realize his mistakes and admit to himself that he was wrong. From what he said to her in the medical center, he was well on his way to doing that. However, she would never forget what had happened, nor would she want to. The events of the past year shaped them both into two people who would be able to rise above petty differences and be better than most others. For that, she was eternally grateful.
“Say, ‘I love you’ and speak words of appreciation often,” Ravinos continued. “Do not come to take each other for granted. Demonstrate your gratitude in thoughtful ways. The Way of the Sith teaches that you are to always show yourself as the better of someone else, but when it comes to marriage both must be equal or the love will be lost. Never grow too old to hold hands. Do not expect perfection of each other, as perfection is only for the Force. Make your search for the good and the beautiful a common search. A good marriage evolves when two separate souls face life’s pleasures and sadness in harmony, not in unison.”
A wise woman once told the former Kit Rendar that once the realization is accepted that infinite distances continue to exist even between the closest of human beings, a wonderful life with the one you love can grow if they succeed in loving the distance between them. This makes it possible for each to the other whole against a wide sky. From the looks in their eyes, Mantus and Laili recognized their differences and loved them. If only the former Kit Rendar could have done that with the one he loved.
“The bride and groom will now each recite vows that they have written themselves,” Ravinos said. “Then they will place a ring on each other’s finger. Laili, you may begin.”
“I still remember the very first time I lost myself in your eyes,” Laili said. “You looked into me, as I unto you. What I saw there terrified me. Until that point, I had never seen two eyes say so much. The blue accent you laid upon me gave me a sensation of how delicate and fragile your heart was. Yet, the darkened outline and depth of the gaze showed me the power and determination of your soul. At that very moment, I knew my future had just stared me in the eyes. From that moment, you have continued to deliver me from despair and completely righted my wrongs. For this I pray. I pray that you accept my unconditional love and never ending devotion. I pray that you will take this ring as a trust of my unconditional love and devotion to you, the only man I will ever love. Do you, Ussej Padric Bac?”
“I do,” Mantus immediately said, smiling ever so slightly when she said the name of his true self. With that, he extended his hand and she slowly placed the ring onto his finger. The gold band shined brightly as the moon crept through the cracks in the ceiling above, casting it’s warm and comforting light onto their features.
“Laili,” Mantus said. “You have filled my world with meaning. You have made me so happy and more fulfilled as a person. We all know I have my many faults and, with help, perhaps we can all move past them. Listen to the way I speak, Laili. I am not Jedi, nor am I Sith. You have healed me. You have healed my twisted and broken heart. Maybe not completely, but you have done more than anyone else ever could. For two long weeks, I watched as you slept in a medical center knowing that it was through my actions you found yourself there. You brought me back from the brink of insanity. You helped me rid myself of the anger and hatred that I had within myself. You made me realize that the anger and hatred was not real, but that it was fear being channeled in the worst of ways. The anger and the hatred was what almost destroyed us to begin with. As of this moment, standing before the Force in the bonds of Holy Matrimony, I no longer fear death for either of us because I know that it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all and that if I was to lose you I would rather lose you to death instead of losing you to my anger and fear. That’s why we’re here, to pledge ourselves to each other until the angels of death bring us apart. I am a broken soul, Laili, and I thank you for taking me as I am; loving me and welcoming me into your heart even though I gave you so many reasons not to. I promise to always love you and respect you as an individual, rather than a possession, and to be faithful to you forever. I am on the road to redemption, and I have learned a fundamental truth. I told you this in our first training session together, but I never believed it myself. Redemption comes from the release of oneself, not the exhalation of oneself. It comes through compassion, not greed. One lone candle is enough to fight the darkness, but love is more than a candle. You are more than a candle. Your love is the answer to the darkness. Your love can ignite the stars.”
Tears began flowing down Laili’s eyes faster than she could have ever imagined them to. Rarely would she cry if she was happy, but the one she loved had always been able to find a way to do what she believed to be impossible. What he said amazed her. When he told her in the medical center that he was no longer Jedi or Sith, she could detect the skepticism in his voice. But, now, she knew it to be true. He had been tainted by the darkness for far too long and she never imagined that she would be the one to remove the taint. All she did was love him, and that seemed so simple to her.
However, it didn’t seem as simple to the Empress’ Apprentice. Love was something he was able to fathom long ago, but that ability had long since passed. Loving the woman he would have been proud to call his wife seemed so simple as well, but his growing disdain for everything around him changed that and the two grew apart until, eventually, he sided with Viea and gave himself over to the darkness. Laili had saved Mantus....or perhaps it was now Ussej again....from the brink of destruction. Perhaps, in time, she would be able to do the same for him. Perhaps, in time, his apprentice could do that for him.
“Today,” Mantus told her, placing a hand on her belly, “I commit myself to you for the rest of my life. This child is the true miracle. It is a miracle that we created and a miracle that you could deliver any moment now. Ever since you told me that you were pregnant, I was afraid. I was afraid of what this child could do to us. But, now I enter into this marriage with you, knowing that the true magic of love is not to avoid changes but to navigate them successfully together. Let us commit to not only the miracle we created through our passion and our love but also to the miracle of making each day work together. Respect each other, we commit to live our lives together for all of the days to come as husband and wife, lovers and friends. I ask you to share this world with me, for good and ill. I ask you to be my partner, as I will be yours. For this I pray. I pray that you accept my unconditional love and never ending devotion. I pray that you will take this ring as a trust of my unconditional love and devotion to you, the only man I will ever love. Do you, Laili Jeyna Rendar?”
“I do,” she said, trying to hold back the tears. He leaned in and slid the large diamond ring onto her small and tender fingers. What came as a surprise to him was not her tears, but his. He had cried before, especially in the past year, but he didn’t think tears of joy would ever stream down his face. He welcomed them more than any other tears he has ever cried.
“You have now affirmed your love for one another,” Ravinos said. “You have come from very different background. You are different individuals. You have walked different paths, but tonight your paths become one. In the years before you, may the richness of your love always continue to bless your spirits. And now, it is my greatest honor to pronounce you husband and wife. Lord Mantus, you may now kiss the bride.”
He brought his lips down to the soft, golden skin that was on her cheek and kissed it softly before locking his lips with hers. As he kissed her softly and passionately, the goose-bumps rose on both of them in response to their gentle hands touching each other’s arms. For the first time since they created the life within her on Onderon, he was close enough to her to smell the intoxicating scent of her hair and perfume mingling in a scent far more pleasing than any flora the galaxy had to offer. They slowly pulled away, smiling.
As the Telosians left, Mantus watched as Laili hugged her brother tightly. It brought a warm feeling to his heart, knowing that they could be together and love one another. He knew, though, that Laili was still determined to save him fully, as was he. In time, he hoped that they would be able to do that. Perhaps that time would come sooner than they all thought, or perhaps that was simply wishful thinking.
“That was beautiful,” Laili told her brother as Mantus approached them both.
“I simply said what you told me to,” he said, trying to disguise his emotions. “But, I have to admit that I started to believe the words I was saying. I guess that’s a start.”
“I guess so,” Laili said, smiling proudly now that she could see large traces of her brother within the Dark Lord’s Apprentice.
“Will you be staying with us for a few days,” Mantus asked.
“No, unfortunately,” he replied. “I have to go back to Coruscant and speak with the Empress. The Macabre Alliance has gained a vast amount of troops, ships and resources and we expect them to attack us any day now.”
“You do realize,” Mantus said, “that you could just let it happen, that you could just let the Sith destroy themselves. You do have a choice.”
“I wish that were so,” Ravinos said. Without allowing so much as a reply, he turned and walked towards the docking bay where the Outrider was safely waiting for him. His apprentice’s words struck him in the heart. Did he have a choice? Could he simply allow the Sith to destroy themselves? No, of course not. That’s a foolish thought, one that led men to be executed. He worked long and hard to gain the power he possessed and he was not about to give it up.
As the Outrider flew off towards the galactic capitol, Mantus placed his arm tightly around Laili’s shoulder. He knew that what her brother had just said was a terrible blow to her, but he vowed long ago to bring him back from the darkness and he was not about to break that vow.
Laili turned to him and stood tall, kissing him on the lips. She had somewhat of a seductive look in her eye, one that he could recognize from miles away. She smiled and started to walk towards the bedroom that they had prepared for themselves and he knew full well what she wanted to do, though they both knew that they could not in her condition.
“I’ll go get changed,” she said.
He waited for a few minutes, thinking about all that occurred. But, what he could not stop thinking about was the impending birth of his child....their child. The birth of their child would be the proudest moment of his life. To be able to see his child grow up and become strong and handsome was amazing to him. Thinking about it only gave him a small glimpse into the future, as he had no idea what would really happen. For the first time in a year, he now felt a complete and utter sense of peace. Out among the stars there was a war going on, but right now, in the small world of the two newlyweds, everything was right with the universe.
He walked into the bedroom and Laili was already in her nightgown, lying comfortably in their bed. He pulled off his shirt and lied down next to her, kissing her softly on the cheek. Laili, however, wasn’t as subtle. She put both hands onto his face and their lips met for only the second time as husband and wife. This moment was long overdue. They probably would have been married sooner had they not been caught up in this war, though they both knew that it was well worth the wait.
“Oh,” she said as a small, strange feeling came from within her womb.
“What’s wrong,” Mantus asked, worried.
“The baby kicked,” she said with a proud smile on her face. She pulled the covers down and lifted her nightgown just below her breasts, exposing her large belly. She took his hand into her and placed it upon the home of the life within her. As his hand touched her, she felt an immediate comfort and a sensation of love unlike anything she had ever felt before. She smiled, feeling a strong connection between her child and its father.
She stared at him for what seemed like an eternity, gazing at his handsome features. He laid down next to her and brought her tightly into his embrace. The love shared between the two was amplified by the vows they shared earlier and, at that moment, they booth knew that they would be together forever. They sat up, gazing into each other’s eyes. Mantus placed a hand onto her cheek and she hugged it tightly. He leaned forward, meeting her lips in a passionate kiss. Anyone could have seen the passion and the romance the two shared.
The kiss lasted for what seemed like hours and neither of them was paying attention to what was happening just outside the window. The dark clouds in the distance had grown closer during it, now creating a large surge of snow and rain. Thunder clapped directly overhead and lightning struck just outside their window. Laili’s eyes grew wider and she pulled away, almost in shocked. She looked confused, worrying Mantus. Though he did not notice, Laili’s hands quickly moved to her belly. She thought that the child kicked once again, but a sharp pain soon followed. A strange feeling came from within the womb, as if something within her ruptured. A small gush of water then trickled its way onto the bed.
Ussej did not notice any of this, as he turned to realize why Laili had originally looked worried. There, in the doorway, stood a garrison of Sith soldiers, their weapons armed and set to kill. From behind them, one who the Lord Mantus wished to never lay eyes on again stepped forward, an abomination from the depths of Hell itself.
Darth Invidius
Kit Rendar
SWRP Writer
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2005
- Messages
- 657
- Reaction score
- 0
Damned good job so far dude!
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2005
- Messages
- 67,946
- Reaction score
- 3,861
- Staff
- #48
Indeed. There's only six chapters left too!
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2005
- Messages
- 67,946
- Reaction score
- 3,861
- Staff
- #49
<div align="center">THE PROMISE OF LOVE[/b]</div>
“Macabre,” Mantus spat as he saw the Lord Invidius standing before him. The abomination that once held the rank of Grand Admiral in Viea’s Empire had been a thorn in his side for nearly a month now, considering he almost killed Laili on Korriban in a vain effort to anger Ravinos. In a sense, it worked.
In a flash of light, Mantus ignited his crimson blade and stood to the side of Laili, though he was still oblivious to the pain that she was in. His attention was focused solely on the pawns of Apocalus who were now standing before him. The soldiers raised their weapons, though Invidius stood still. Surprisingly, the weapons were not pointed at Lord Mantus. He turned to see them pointed at Laili. She was lurched forward, tightly holding her belly. He noticed a small pool of water between her legs and only then did he realize that she had gone into labor. He lowered his weapon and stepped towards her, placing his arm on her shoulder.
“Step away from her and lower your weapon,” Invidius ordered, though Mantus obviously was not going to comply. “Step away from her and lower your weapon or else I will kill her and your soon to be born child.”
“How do I know you’ll keep your word,” Mantus asked.
“I have given you no word to keep,” Invidius shot back, igniting his own blade. Mantus was not prepared to step away, but Laili placed her hand on his arm and began to push him to the side. He looked down to meet her gaze and she smiled, nodding to reassure him that everything would be alright. Ussej stepped in front of the Sith Lord, deactivate his blade and threw it to the side, just as the abomination had ordered.
“I thought so,” Invidius said just before sending Mantus flying across the room. Laili screamed and Mantus groaned in pain. Before he could stand, the Sith Lord had grabbed his hair and had started to lift him up into the air. “The codes. Give them to me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Mantus told him somewhat honestly, as he had an idea as to why the Sith Lord had sought him out of all people out.
“The codes to the Korriban Defense Network,” the dark one replied. “Any moment now, my fleet will arrive in orbit of the homeworld and destroy all those aligned with the Empress unless they swear allegiance to us. If you don’t give me the codes, any forces I try to land will be destroyed and my fleet will take serious damage trying to destroy the network by force.”
“Looks like you’ve given me all the reasons not to give you the codes,” Mantus grinned.
“You don’t fool me,” the dark one told him. “I know how much you loathe the Empress and her Empire. You would be doing the galaxy a favor.”
“I’m not going to help turn a ruthless Empire over to an even more ruthless Emperor,” Mantus told him. “If you can’t see that then obviously you didn’t do your homework very well.”
“Fine,” Invidius said, dropping Mantus to the ground and stepping back over to his troops. With a wave of his hand, one of the soldiers stepped out of formation and towards Laili, placing his gun at her head. “If you don’t give them to me, she dies.”
Seeing the gun at Laili’s head was one of the most painful things he ever had to see because, at that moment, he knew full well that if she died it would be his fault. Of course the soldier would be at fault for pulling the trigger and of course Invidius would be at fault for ordering him to do so, but they never would have been placed into that situation had it not been for his own recklessness and arrogance over the past year.
Remembering the vows he spoke to her, he realized that it was foolish to think that just because he had acknowledged what he had done wrong no harm would ever come to them again. Perhaps he could move on from the past but others, such as the Sith Empire, could not.
It was at that moment he had to ask himself the most important question anyone could ever ask: why? Why did he do what he did? Was it to win a war? To lose a war? To walk away, to accuse, to ask why, to forgive, to not forgive, to die? Why was the only thing that was on his mind a lust for revenge, when really it should have been love? Even then, he knew that if Laili was to die he would seek revenge on every Sith in the galaxy, but why? It was as if he had done all the wrong things for all the right reasons, and he could not even fathom what things could have been like had he not let his emotions overwhelm him and get carried away.
Though he never should have used force against those that had wronged him over the past year, he had reached a point where using force was inevitable, such as this moment. Invidius would not simply back down, so he would have to be made to back down. All he could think of was Laili and his soon to be born child. He looked towards her, seeing her lying in their bed trying to deal with the pains of childbirth. After today, he may never see them again, but at least he knew that if he died that he would have died saving them from enslavement or death.
Invidius was indeed a worthy foe, one would was worthy of the title of Dark Lord as well. But, he had a fatal weakness that all Sith have: arrogance. Mantus had that once, and to an extent he still did. But recent events opened up a new field of vision for him, one that allowed him to see the universe more clearly and in color, rather than black and white. He once thought he could live forever, but after the past year he finally was able to understand what Master Kefle once tried to teach him: all things die. Eventually, even the stars burn out.
Of course everything he had done with the Jedi Order and the Sith Empire was wrong, and he knew that now. But what he also knew was that both of their philosophies conflicted with his own and he did not belong with either of them. He belonged with Laili and his child and he would go wherever they would go once all of this was over, because that’s who he was. He was not Darth Mantus or Master Bac. He was simply Ussej Padric Bac, one who would be proud to call himself a good husband, a good father and a good person. That was his name now. That was his name again. That’s what his name would always be and that name would go down as a name that represented truth, freedom and justice. That was what it meant to be Ussej Padric Bac, forever.
“What will it be, Lord Mantus,” Invidius asked.
“My name,” a now standing Ussej said while walking towards him, “is Ussej Padric Bac!”
Ussej called the crimson blade into his hand and with a quick snap it came to life. Kicking the very air around him to send him towards the soldier that stood before Laili at an abnormally fast speed. Once there, the blade flickered towards the soldiers like crimson lightning, sizzling through air, through flesh and through bones until the soldier’s body went limp and fell to the ground. Ussej turned and began stalking towards the dark one, ready to face eternity.
The Sith Lord watched the former Sith Lord stalk towards him with utmost scrutiny. Finally he had a foe that was worthy of his attention, someone who could truly test his mettle. In a swift motion, he threw away his cloak and stood there in the seemingly deserted fortress. Silent and motionless, he stood watching and waiting until his voice billowed outwards like the sound of a thousand war drums beating with the utmost precision.
“Step aside, soldiers,” he ordered. “This one is mine.”
Invidius raised his weapon and triggered the power control and the blood-red blade crackled to life. The lance of pure mutilating energy boiled forth, hissing and crackling in crimson loops that began and ended at the aperture on the end of the device. He gritted his blackened teeth, awaiting his opponent’s move.
“Don’t make me do this,” Ussej told him. “I have no desire to kill you anymore, but I will do what I must. Know that even if I fail -”
“- which you will,” Invidius interrupted, his black teeth grinning widely.
“Even if I fail and you succeed,” Ussej continued, ignoring him, “I will have no regrets over what has happened today, for I will have died doing what is right.”
His crimson blade, a color which he would love nothing more than to forget, swung into a defensive position, allowing the abomination before him to make the first move. If there was to be a battle, Ussej was certainly not going to be the one to move first.
The Dark Side of the Force raged inside the Sith Lord, greatly sharpening his senses and augmenting his years of training. He clenched his fists in anger, allowing the hatred of the Dark Side to seep from every pour of his battered body as he unleashed a vengeful wave of dark Sith lightning upon the fallen Jedi Knight, sending him crashing into the thunderous snow storm just beyond the walls.
Ussej jumped up and thrust his blade out in front of him, a second wave of lightning quickly striking against it. The wave of terror began pushing the blade towards his throat, as he was already in a weakened position from the previous attack. However, using most of his strength, he managed to push his blade out in front of him, sending the wave into the outer wall of the mountains.
The soon to be Dark Lord’s Apprentice ran towards him at a tremendous speed and began to move his blade in a blazing a lethal arc of terror, channeling all of his hatred into a single devastating blow aimed directly for Ussej’s chest. Invidious wouldn’t lose this fight, not against him. It was now only a matter of time until the once-Darth Mantus would be defeated and he and his master would rule over the Sith and the galaxy with an iron fist.
Crimson blades crossed and lightning began to strike the ground around them. When one attacked, the other parried. Blade-to-blade, they were identical. In every exchange, Ussej gave ground. He knew that if he kept the Sith Lord moving it would only be a matter of time until the abomination weakened and made a fatal mistake. Leaps were sideswiped or met with flying kicks, ankle sweeps skipped over and punches parried. Sith vs. a man who did not know who he was, they made their way towards the edge of a cliff, careful not to make the long descent downwards.
The Sith Lord’s hand suddenly became aglow with blue sparks as he quickly unleashed another vengeful blast of lightning at the fallen Sith Lord. Ussej, however, was expecting it. His blade quickly moved into the path of the lightning and shot it out into the oblivion.
Knowing they were equally matched, Invidius gathered all the energy of the Dark Side, channeling all of it’s power into a tight spiral of crimson energy in a last ditch effort to knock the former Lord of the Sith off of the ridge. He gritted his blackened teeth and charged towards Ussej at tremendous speed. Ussej was unprepared for the foolish assault, though Invidious was unprepared for his over calculation. They both fell off of the side and were now both falling into a sight unseen.
Ussej managed to grab hold of a ledge to hang on, but Invidius hanged from his leg. Ussej took his free foot and plowed it into the Sith Lord’s face, though he did not fall. Losing his grip, he knew that he had little time. He plowed his foot into the Sith Lord’s face until it was a bloody mess and, finally, the one who could have been the Dark Apprentice of the Sith Empire fell and fell and fell, screaming bloody murder as he slipped into the shadows of the night.
--------------------------------
In front of the vast window at the front of the bridge on the flagship of the Macabre Alliance stood Darth Apocalus, the one who would become the Dark Lord of the Sith by day’s end. Coruscant, the current capitol of the current Sith Empire, took over the entire view outside the vast glass window. Just outside the vessel, a battle was beginning. Sith forces attacked one another in the greatest battle of succession that the galaxy had ever seen. Soon, he would set foot on the vast cityscape and tear the flesh from the bones of the Empress. It was his way. It was the only way.
The deck shuttered sharply, followed by a shift in the vector of the behemoth of a vessel’s artificial gravity computer that would have sent any mere mortal to the ground. With the Dark Side maintaining the eerie solidity of his tall stance, the effect was only the disappointment he held for his men in his mind.
In an instance, everything changed. Things went cold, silent and dark, though only figuratively. The stench of death was in the air, the stench of failure. It was the stench of his now fallen apprentice. The year of training him to be better than he was had all been in preparation for this battle, yet now he was dead. It would be necessary to replace him, but with whom he knew not. One thing, however, was for certain. Ussej Padric Bac, the one who he assumed murdered him, would be held responsible for his death. All, however, would be made to pay.
“Commander,” he said, speaking to the man sitting behind him at a tactical station.
“Yes, My Lord,” the soldier responded, quickly standing at attention.
“If anyone resists down there,” Apocalus told him, “slaughter them like the pigs they are.”
“Of course, My Lord,” the commander responded, saluting.
The Dark Lord’s eyes narrowed in anger. The only thing that kept him sane at that moment was the knowledge that he was about to get what he so desired: absolute power of trillions. Even the loss of Darth Invidius was worth that. A small smile was etched across his lips. The day of reckoning was now at hand.
--------------------------------
With one final reach of his bloodied arm, Ussej finally was able to claw his way back up to the top of the cliff. He got to his feet, his robes billowing in the cold, harsh breeze as the thunder moved back into the distance. He looked down, sensing that the dark one had finally hit the bottom and died. He grinned, thinking about how far of a fall it was.
“Talk about the fall of an empire,” he quipped.
He turned and began making the short trek back to ancient Jedi Academy. However, his attention soon turned to the east. A large, cloaked figure ran through the snow, wearing a cloak and hiding her face. It wasn’t until he got closer did he realize that it was Laili, as her hands covered her swollen belly and her face made him think she was in panic. Was the baby ready to be born already? She had only gone into labor a few minutes ago, so it didn’t make sense to him. However, all soon became clear. Another dark, hooded figure was approaching from behind with three Sith Troopers following him. Ussej began to run towards them, although he no longer had his lightsaber.
“Laili,” the hooded figure shouted. “Come back, please.”
“No,” she shouted. “Get away from me. I’ll take my chances out here, Sith!”
He instantly recognized the voice of the hooded figure, which was what didn’t make sense to him. As the figure noticed Ussej, he pulled back his hood to reveal the face of Damien Nightblade. Ussej ran up to him, though he wasn’t entirely trusting considering the Jedi Grandmaster was being flanked by three Sith soldiers.
“What are you doing with the Sith,” Ussej demanded to know.
“They’re not Sith,” Damien told him, motioning for them to remove their helmets. With the helmets removed, he immediately recognized who they were. They were Estamme Eerar, Enishi Xagan, and Aarma Madet, all Jedi Masters. Ussej still had no idea what was going on and that did not go unnoticed by Damien.
“They took the armor from the Sith soldiers we killed back in that academy of yours,” Damien told him. “We figured it might come in handy, considering we’re probably going to be here for awhile.”
Damien pointed to Laili who had just fallen over into the snow in pain. Ussej ran over to her and checked her pulse. The cold was having its effect on her and she needed to get back into the warmth. He pulled her into his arms and started walking back towards the academy.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “We’re almost there.”
“I’m not worried,” she smiled. “How could I be worried when the man I first fell in love with has returned and is holding me in his arms?”
He hugged her tightly, ecstatic that she was alright. When they stepped back into the ancient academy, he set Laili down softly onto the bed. She kept a tight grip on his hand, as she was in the middle of another contraction. Her breathing was slow and steady, just as it should have been, and a line of sweat rolled down her face. At long last, the contraction ended and she was able to put her head down on the pillow. Ussej looked over to see Damien standing in the doorway. He kissed Laili’s forehead before standing once more.
“I’ll be right back,” he told her, stepping out of the room and closing the door behind him.
“I take it you’re on our side again,” Damien asked.
“In a way,” Ussej told him.
“I can tell that the taint of darkness has left you,” Damien said, “but it will take some time before it is safe to say that you’re healthy enough to be promoted to Master.”
“I’m not going back to the Jedi, Damien,” he told him. “Quite frankly, I don’t know what I’m going to do. All I know is that I just don’t fit there.”
“Fair enough,” Damien said, not wanting to push the issue. His comlink beeped. Pulling it off of his belt, he turned to answer it. “Nightblade.”
“Our forces are in position, sir,” the voice on the other end told him.
“Good,” Damien responded, obviously pleased. “The word is given, captain.”
“Aye, sir,” the captain replied as Damien placed the device back onto his belt.
“As we speak,” Damien said, “a joint Jedi and Republic task force is invading Coruscant in an attempt to retake the capitol. I have to go.”
“No,” Ussej protested quickly, knowing that it was his responsibility. “You’ll never make it past the Sith forces in your ship alive. However, I can. I have their codes.”
“You should be with your wife,” Damien told him. “She needs you.”
“I know,” Ussej said, “but the Republic needs me more.”
Though Damien had recognized that Ussej truly had turned away from the Dark Side, what he said took him completely by surprise. For the past year, Ussej had done nothing but obsess over Laili and speak of how he always needed to be with her or else he would be incomplete. Now, he was talking to a reborn Ussej Padric Bac, one who had finally learned to do what was necessary to survive and to succeed.
“Okay,” Damien said, “but you’re going to take Eerar, Xagan and Madet with you. They’ll act as your personal guards as you enter the Imperial Palace. They can block their Force signatures long enough for you to make it past the real guards.”
“Agreed,” Ussej said as he turned to walk back into the room. He kneeled down at the side of the bed, kissing Laili softly on the cheek. This truly could be the last time he ever saw her and he savored the moment. It broke his heart to leave her while she was in labor, but it broke his heart even more to know that he could miss the birth of his child. However, if there was one thing he learned it was that in life you have to make sacrifices. This would be the greatest sacrifice he would ever make.
“Laili,” he said, “I have to go.”
“Go,” she asked, her voice filled with worry. “Go where?”
“To Coruscant,” he told her. “There’s a battle going on that could potentially end this war and the Republic needs my help. I’m the only one that can get close enough to the Empress to kill her. If I’m lucky, Kit will be there too.”
“I understand,” she said, taking his hand.
“I feel horrible for leaving you now,” he said, a tear rolling down his eye. “You’re in so much pain. I feel helpless not being able to change that, and even more so now that I have to leave you. I don’t even know if I’ll ever see you again.”
“I’m a survivor,” she told him. “I always have been. You will return and I’ll be waiting for you. I’d wait forever for you.”
He kissed her on the forehead before standing up. He placed his hand onto her belly, saying goodbye to the child he might never know. He nodded to the Jedi Masters who turned to go towards his ship, though he stopped and placed a hand on Damien’s shoulder.
“Watch over her until I get back,” Ussej told him.
“I’ll delay the birth as long as I can,” Damien said. “I’d hate for you to miss it.”
“Thanks,” Ussej told him, turning to leave the room.
“Ussej,” Laili shouted, prompting Ussej to turn back towards her. “Bring Kit back alive.”
“I will,” Ussej told her as he turned to leave once more. “I promise.”
He was not about the break that promise. Long ago, he told Laili that he would help her bring her brother back from the Dark Side of the Force and free him from the bonds of the Empress. She had done more than he ever could have, using only her love for him. Now it was his turn and he knew just how to do it. This mission would not fail because he promised the woman he loved that it would not and the promise of love was stronger than any bond, anywhere in any place. That, as he now realized, was a fact.
“Macabre,” Mantus spat as he saw the Lord Invidius standing before him. The abomination that once held the rank of Grand Admiral in Viea’s Empire had been a thorn in his side for nearly a month now, considering he almost killed Laili on Korriban in a vain effort to anger Ravinos. In a sense, it worked.
In a flash of light, Mantus ignited his crimson blade and stood to the side of Laili, though he was still oblivious to the pain that she was in. His attention was focused solely on the pawns of Apocalus who were now standing before him. The soldiers raised their weapons, though Invidius stood still. Surprisingly, the weapons were not pointed at Lord Mantus. He turned to see them pointed at Laili. She was lurched forward, tightly holding her belly. He noticed a small pool of water between her legs and only then did he realize that she had gone into labor. He lowered his weapon and stepped towards her, placing his arm on her shoulder.
“Step away from her and lower your weapon,” Invidius ordered, though Mantus obviously was not going to comply. “Step away from her and lower your weapon or else I will kill her and your soon to be born child.”
“How do I know you’ll keep your word,” Mantus asked.
“I have given you no word to keep,” Invidius shot back, igniting his own blade. Mantus was not prepared to step away, but Laili placed her hand on his arm and began to push him to the side. He looked down to meet her gaze and she smiled, nodding to reassure him that everything would be alright. Ussej stepped in front of the Sith Lord, deactivate his blade and threw it to the side, just as the abomination had ordered.
“I thought so,” Invidius said just before sending Mantus flying across the room. Laili screamed and Mantus groaned in pain. Before he could stand, the Sith Lord had grabbed his hair and had started to lift him up into the air. “The codes. Give them to me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Mantus told him somewhat honestly, as he had an idea as to why the Sith Lord had sought him out of all people out.
“The codes to the Korriban Defense Network,” the dark one replied. “Any moment now, my fleet will arrive in orbit of the homeworld and destroy all those aligned with the Empress unless they swear allegiance to us. If you don’t give me the codes, any forces I try to land will be destroyed and my fleet will take serious damage trying to destroy the network by force.”
“Looks like you’ve given me all the reasons not to give you the codes,” Mantus grinned.
“You don’t fool me,” the dark one told him. “I know how much you loathe the Empress and her Empire. You would be doing the galaxy a favor.”
“I’m not going to help turn a ruthless Empire over to an even more ruthless Emperor,” Mantus told him. “If you can’t see that then obviously you didn’t do your homework very well.”
“Fine,” Invidius said, dropping Mantus to the ground and stepping back over to his troops. With a wave of his hand, one of the soldiers stepped out of formation and towards Laili, placing his gun at her head. “If you don’t give them to me, she dies.”
Seeing the gun at Laili’s head was one of the most painful things he ever had to see because, at that moment, he knew full well that if she died it would be his fault. Of course the soldier would be at fault for pulling the trigger and of course Invidius would be at fault for ordering him to do so, but they never would have been placed into that situation had it not been for his own recklessness and arrogance over the past year.
Remembering the vows he spoke to her, he realized that it was foolish to think that just because he had acknowledged what he had done wrong no harm would ever come to them again. Perhaps he could move on from the past but others, such as the Sith Empire, could not.
It was at that moment he had to ask himself the most important question anyone could ever ask: why? Why did he do what he did? Was it to win a war? To lose a war? To walk away, to accuse, to ask why, to forgive, to not forgive, to die? Why was the only thing that was on his mind a lust for revenge, when really it should have been love? Even then, he knew that if Laili was to die he would seek revenge on every Sith in the galaxy, but why? It was as if he had done all the wrong things for all the right reasons, and he could not even fathom what things could have been like had he not let his emotions overwhelm him and get carried away.
Though he never should have used force against those that had wronged him over the past year, he had reached a point where using force was inevitable, such as this moment. Invidius would not simply back down, so he would have to be made to back down. All he could think of was Laili and his soon to be born child. He looked towards her, seeing her lying in their bed trying to deal with the pains of childbirth. After today, he may never see them again, but at least he knew that if he died that he would have died saving them from enslavement or death.
Invidius was indeed a worthy foe, one would was worthy of the title of Dark Lord as well. But, he had a fatal weakness that all Sith have: arrogance. Mantus had that once, and to an extent he still did. But recent events opened up a new field of vision for him, one that allowed him to see the universe more clearly and in color, rather than black and white. He once thought he could live forever, but after the past year he finally was able to understand what Master Kefle once tried to teach him: all things die. Eventually, even the stars burn out.
Of course everything he had done with the Jedi Order and the Sith Empire was wrong, and he knew that now. But what he also knew was that both of their philosophies conflicted with his own and he did not belong with either of them. He belonged with Laili and his child and he would go wherever they would go once all of this was over, because that’s who he was. He was not Darth Mantus or Master Bac. He was simply Ussej Padric Bac, one who would be proud to call himself a good husband, a good father and a good person. That was his name now. That was his name again. That’s what his name would always be and that name would go down as a name that represented truth, freedom and justice. That was what it meant to be Ussej Padric Bac, forever.
“What will it be, Lord Mantus,” Invidius asked.
“My name,” a now standing Ussej said while walking towards him, “is Ussej Padric Bac!”
Ussej called the crimson blade into his hand and with a quick snap it came to life. Kicking the very air around him to send him towards the soldier that stood before Laili at an abnormally fast speed. Once there, the blade flickered towards the soldiers like crimson lightning, sizzling through air, through flesh and through bones until the soldier’s body went limp and fell to the ground. Ussej turned and began stalking towards the dark one, ready to face eternity.
The Sith Lord watched the former Sith Lord stalk towards him with utmost scrutiny. Finally he had a foe that was worthy of his attention, someone who could truly test his mettle. In a swift motion, he threw away his cloak and stood there in the seemingly deserted fortress. Silent and motionless, he stood watching and waiting until his voice billowed outwards like the sound of a thousand war drums beating with the utmost precision.
“Step aside, soldiers,” he ordered. “This one is mine.”
Invidius raised his weapon and triggered the power control and the blood-red blade crackled to life. The lance of pure mutilating energy boiled forth, hissing and crackling in crimson loops that began and ended at the aperture on the end of the device. He gritted his blackened teeth, awaiting his opponent’s move.
“Don’t make me do this,” Ussej told him. “I have no desire to kill you anymore, but I will do what I must. Know that even if I fail -”
“- which you will,” Invidius interrupted, his black teeth grinning widely.
“Even if I fail and you succeed,” Ussej continued, ignoring him, “I will have no regrets over what has happened today, for I will have died doing what is right.”
His crimson blade, a color which he would love nothing more than to forget, swung into a defensive position, allowing the abomination before him to make the first move. If there was to be a battle, Ussej was certainly not going to be the one to move first.
The Dark Side of the Force raged inside the Sith Lord, greatly sharpening his senses and augmenting his years of training. He clenched his fists in anger, allowing the hatred of the Dark Side to seep from every pour of his battered body as he unleashed a vengeful wave of dark Sith lightning upon the fallen Jedi Knight, sending him crashing into the thunderous snow storm just beyond the walls.
Ussej jumped up and thrust his blade out in front of him, a second wave of lightning quickly striking against it. The wave of terror began pushing the blade towards his throat, as he was already in a weakened position from the previous attack. However, using most of his strength, he managed to push his blade out in front of him, sending the wave into the outer wall of the mountains.
The soon to be Dark Lord’s Apprentice ran towards him at a tremendous speed and began to move his blade in a blazing a lethal arc of terror, channeling all of his hatred into a single devastating blow aimed directly for Ussej’s chest. Invidious wouldn’t lose this fight, not against him. It was now only a matter of time until the once-Darth Mantus would be defeated and he and his master would rule over the Sith and the galaxy with an iron fist.
Crimson blades crossed and lightning began to strike the ground around them. When one attacked, the other parried. Blade-to-blade, they were identical. In every exchange, Ussej gave ground. He knew that if he kept the Sith Lord moving it would only be a matter of time until the abomination weakened and made a fatal mistake. Leaps were sideswiped or met with flying kicks, ankle sweeps skipped over and punches parried. Sith vs. a man who did not know who he was, they made their way towards the edge of a cliff, careful not to make the long descent downwards.
The Sith Lord’s hand suddenly became aglow with blue sparks as he quickly unleashed another vengeful blast of lightning at the fallen Sith Lord. Ussej, however, was expecting it. His blade quickly moved into the path of the lightning and shot it out into the oblivion.
Knowing they were equally matched, Invidius gathered all the energy of the Dark Side, channeling all of it’s power into a tight spiral of crimson energy in a last ditch effort to knock the former Lord of the Sith off of the ridge. He gritted his blackened teeth and charged towards Ussej at tremendous speed. Ussej was unprepared for the foolish assault, though Invidious was unprepared for his over calculation. They both fell off of the side and were now both falling into a sight unseen.
Ussej managed to grab hold of a ledge to hang on, but Invidius hanged from his leg. Ussej took his free foot and plowed it into the Sith Lord’s face, though he did not fall. Losing his grip, he knew that he had little time. He plowed his foot into the Sith Lord’s face until it was a bloody mess and, finally, the one who could have been the Dark Apprentice of the Sith Empire fell and fell and fell, screaming bloody murder as he slipped into the shadows of the night.
--------------------------------
In front of the vast window at the front of the bridge on the flagship of the Macabre Alliance stood Darth Apocalus, the one who would become the Dark Lord of the Sith by day’s end. Coruscant, the current capitol of the current Sith Empire, took over the entire view outside the vast glass window. Just outside the vessel, a battle was beginning. Sith forces attacked one another in the greatest battle of succession that the galaxy had ever seen. Soon, he would set foot on the vast cityscape and tear the flesh from the bones of the Empress. It was his way. It was the only way.
The deck shuttered sharply, followed by a shift in the vector of the behemoth of a vessel’s artificial gravity computer that would have sent any mere mortal to the ground. With the Dark Side maintaining the eerie solidity of his tall stance, the effect was only the disappointment he held for his men in his mind.
In an instance, everything changed. Things went cold, silent and dark, though only figuratively. The stench of death was in the air, the stench of failure. It was the stench of his now fallen apprentice. The year of training him to be better than he was had all been in preparation for this battle, yet now he was dead. It would be necessary to replace him, but with whom he knew not. One thing, however, was for certain. Ussej Padric Bac, the one who he assumed murdered him, would be held responsible for his death. All, however, would be made to pay.
“Commander,” he said, speaking to the man sitting behind him at a tactical station.
“Yes, My Lord,” the soldier responded, quickly standing at attention.
“If anyone resists down there,” Apocalus told him, “slaughter them like the pigs they are.”
“Of course, My Lord,” the commander responded, saluting.
The Dark Lord’s eyes narrowed in anger. The only thing that kept him sane at that moment was the knowledge that he was about to get what he so desired: absolute power of trillions. Even the loss of Darth Invidius was worth that. A small smile was etched across his lips. The day of reckoning was now at hand.
--------------------------------
With one final reach of his bloodied arm, Ussej finally was able to claw his way back up to the top of the cliff. He got to his feet, his robes billowing in the cold, harsh breeze as the thunder moved back into the distance. He looked down, sensing that the dark one had finally hit the bottom and died. He grinned, thinking about how far of a fall it was.
“Talk about the fall of an empire,” he quipped.
He turned and began making the short trek back to ancient Jedi Academy. However, his attention soon turned to the east. A large, cloaked figure ran through the snow, wearing a cloak and hiding her face. It wasn’t until he got closer did he realize that it was Laili, as her hands covered her swollen belly and her face made him think she was in panic. Was the baby ready to be born already? She had only gone into labor a few minutes ago, so it didn’t make sense to him. However, all soon became clear. Another dark, hooded figure was approaching from behind with three Sith Troopers following him. Ussej began to run towards them, although he no longer had his lightsaber.
“Laili,” the hooded figure shouted. “Come back, please.”
“No,” she shouted. “Get away from me. I’ll take my chances out here, Sith!”
He instantly recognized the voice of the hooded figure, which was what didn’t make sense to him. As the figure noticed Ussej, he pulled back his hood to reveal the face of Damien Nightblade. Ussej ran up to him, though he wasn’t entirely trusting considering the Jedi Grandmaster was being flanked by three Sith soldiers.
“What are you doing with the Sith,” Ussej demanded to know.
“They’re not Sith,” Damien told him, motioning for them to remove their helmets. With the helmets removed, he immediately recognized who they were. They were Estamme Eerar, Enishi Xagan, and Aarma Madet, all Jedi Masters. Ussej still had no idea what was going on and that did not go unnoticed by Damien.
“They took the armor from the Sith soldiers we killed back in that academy of yours,” Damien told him. “We figured it might come in handy, considering we’re probably going to be here for awhile.”
Damien pointed to Laili who had just fallen over into the snow in pain. Ussej ran over to her and checked her pulse. The cold was having its effect on her and she needed to get back into the warmth. He pulled her into his arms and started walking back towards the academy.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “We’re almost there.”
“I’m not worried,” she smiled. “How could I be worried when the man I first fell in love with has returned and is holding me in his arms?”
He hugged her tightly, ecstatic that she was alright. When they stepped back into the ancient academy, he set Laili down softly onto the bed. She kept a tight grip on his hand, as she was in the middle of another contraction. Her breathing was slow and steady, just as it should have been, and a line of sweat rolled down her face. At long last, the contraction ended and she was able to put her head down on the pillow. Ussej looked over to see Damien standing in the doorway. He kissed Laili’s forehead before standing once more.
“I’ll be right back,” he told her, stepping out of the room and closing the door behind him.
“I take it you’re on our side again,” Damien asked.
“In a way,” Ussej told him.
“I can tell that the taint of darkness has left you,” Damien said, “but it will take some time before it is safe to say that you’re healthy enough to be promoted to Master.”
“I’m not going back to the Jedi, Damien,” he told him. “Quite frankly, I don’t know what I’m going to do. All I know is that I just don’t fit there.”
“Fair enough,” Damien said, not wanting to push the issue. His comlink beeped. Pulling it off of his belt, he turned to answer it. “Nightblade.”
“Our forces are in position, sir,” the voice on the other end told him.
“Good,” Damien responded, obviously pleased. “The word is given, captain.”
“Aye, sir,” the captain replied as Damien placed the device back onto his belt.
“As we speak,” Damien said, “a joint Jedi and Republic task force is invading Coruscant in an attempt to retake the capitol. I have to go.”
“No,” Ussej protested quickly, knowing that it was his responsibility. “You’ll never make it past the Sith forces in your ship alive. However, I can. I have their codes.”
“You should be with your wife,” Damien told him. “She needs you.”
“I know,” Ussej said, “but the Republic needs me more.”
Though Damien had recognized that Ussej truly had turned away from the Dark Side, what he said took him completely by surprise. For the past year, Ussej had done nothing but obsess over Laili and speak of how he always needed to be with her or else he would be incomplete. Now, he was talking to a reborn Ussej Padric Bac, one who had finally learned to do what was necessary to survive and to succeed.
“Okay,” Damien said, “but you’re going to take Eerar, Xagan and Madet with you. They’ll act as your personal guards as you enter the Imperial Palace. They can block their Force signatures long enough for you to make it past the real guards.”
“Agreed,” Ussej said as he turned to walk back into the room. He kneeled down at the side of the bed, kissing Laili softly on the cheek. This truly could be the last time he ever saw her and he savored the moment. It broke his heart to leave her while she was in labor, but it broke his heart even more to know that he could miss the birth of his child. However, if there was one thing he learned it was that in life you have to make sacrifices. This would be the greatest sacrifice he would ever make.
“Laili,” he said, “I have to go.”
“Go,” she asked, her voice filled with worry. “Go where?”
“To Coruscant,” he told her. “There’s a battle going on that could potentially end this war and the Republic needs my help. I’m the only one that can get close enough to the Empress to kill her. If I’m lucky, Kit will be there too.”
“I understand,” she said, taking his hand.
“I feel horrible for leaving you now,” he said, a tear rolling down his eye. “You’re in so much pain. I feel helpless not being able to change that, and even more so now that I have to leave you. I don’t even know if I’ll ever see you again.”
“I’m a survivor,” she told him. “I always have been. You will return and I’ll be waiting for you. I’d wait forever for you.”
He kissed her on the forehead before standing up. He placed his hand onto her belly, saying goodbye to the child he might never know. He nodded to the Jedi Masters who turned to go towards his ship, though he stopped and placed a hand on Damien’s shoulder.
“Watch over her until I get back,” Ussej told him.
“I’ll delay the birth as long as I can,” Damien said. “I’d hate for you to miss it.”
“Thanks,” Ussej told him, turning to leave the room.
“Ussej,” Laili shouted, prompting Ussej to turn back towards her. “Bring Kit back alive.”
“I will,” Ussej told her as he turned to leave once more. “I promise.”
He was not about the break that promise. Long ago, he told Laili that he would help her bring her brother back from the Dark Side of the Force and free him from the bonds of the Empress. She had done more than he ever could have, using only her love for him. Now it was his turn and he knew just how to do it. This mission would not fail because he promised the woman he loved that it would not and the promise of love was stronger than any bond, anywhere in any place. That, as he now realized, was a fact.