Chapter 9: Blades in the Dark

The crimson blade thrust forward at Viren. He managed to dodge it, but the strike was fast enough to clip against his shoulder, though the armor protecting it spared him from the blow.

But Viren knew he was too weary to keep up this resistance.

Then the old Jedi returned to the scene, leaping down from the hilltop, but bearing down not on Viren, but on the shrouded darksider.

Their blades clashed several times, allowing Viren to slip away to a safer distance and survey the battle. Retreat would surely be necessary, but nonetheless Viren felt it more to his benefit to see what might be learned of his enemies. Fortunately, that could be done from beyond the range of any attacks.

The moonlight intensified around the two duelists, exposing their faces to each other, and allowing Viren to see the features of the newcomer. It was a woman, who, like the man she fought, was past her prime, with a tangled mess of silver hair and a scarred and lined face, the most prominent feature of which were the eyes which shone yellow.

Blue and red sabers stilled as the two individuals stared into each other's faces. The woman's eyes grew wide, and her grip and her saber faltered somewhat, while the man took a few steps back, blinking several times and looking with equal, if not greater awe at his opponent as she did at him.

Something was amiss here.

There was some variable in place that Viren was not aware of...one that perhaps could be exploited.

"Estalla..." the Jedi whispered, barely loud enough for Viren to make out. "What...what has become of you? He said you were lost...but never did I expect you to have fallen this far."

"It is not I who have fallen but you, Ben. It is who took shelter with the Sith Lord and gave our children over to him. For him to-" Estalla's voice cracked and her head lowered.

"Toran and Taera are alive and well," stated the lightsider, Ben. "My Teacher is no Sith...not anymore. He is no danger to the twins."

"Lies!" Estalla screeched, though to Viren it seemed as if she was hiding behind that disbelief, and not fully convinced herself of it. "You wish only to deceive me. What else have you come here for but to deliver the crystal to your master?"

"Do not claim that you are without designs for it yourself. But please, cease this needless hostility. Come with me. Come home."

Estalla hesitated for several seconds...then a few more. Viren's own mind was racing, processing everything he had heard and fitting it all together. A Sith who was no longer one...assuming Ben was speaking the truth...yet the Sith were extinct, according to the Jedi archives. Except for the traitor: Darth Vader. So he was still alive, and had sent this apprentice of his to take the crystal from Viren. There was now a target. The Five from Viren's dream were still a concern, but not so much an immediate threat as this reformed Sith.

Viren once again had an objective.

Before he could work on how it was to be achieved, Estalla finally moved. Her flickering eyes grew brighter and she lunged forward, her blade plunging into the chest of the man before her. Even Viren blinked in surprise at the sudden turn of events and how quickly the lightsider, who had proved such a capable opponent, had fallen.

Such were the ramifications of allowing oneself to become distracted in the heat of battle.

But as the killer turned away, two new figures entered Viren's line of sight and charged after her.

Another battle was about to begin.

o0o

It all happened so fast.

Before Hazel or either of her companions could do anything, Ben Skywalker was stabbed through the chest, his body collapsing into the pale stalks around him. Cries rang out from either side of Hazel and Toran and Taera sprinted down the hill, in pursuit of their father's murderer. Hazel felt for them as she, too, had seen a loved one fall before her eyes, but there was something that needed to be done.

Viren was still at large, and Hazel knew he would be making his escape...but not if she could do anything about it. And that would require stealth. Not an easy task, considering the open landscape and Hazel's inclination for loud, frontal assaults. Still, she crept through the high grass as best she could while keeping some speed in her movement. Problem was, she had now lost Viren. It seemed Hazel wasn't the only one trying to remain hidden. Worse, Hazel felt her danger senses pricking at her.

This was not good. Not at all.

Hazel had lost track of Toran and Taera...likely they were chasing after that Sith, but that left her alone in the night-swept plains. Alone with Viren, hidden in the darkness. Hazel attempted to press on in the direction she had last seen him, but she was now jumping at every sound and constantly glancing around. Saying it was unnerving would be putting it way too lightly.

After some indefinite span of time, Hazel stood up and ignited the lightsaber in her hand. Hers was unfortunately still with the Fosh, but she had managed to grab a spare from Guardian's house before leaving it. If Viren really was hunting her, he would be able to detect her regardless, and the familiar glow of a lightsaber comforted Hazel. At least, she no longer felt quite so helpless. If a fight was going to happen, it would not take place in the dark.

Hazel's eyes focused on a sudden motion and spotted something whizzing towards her through the grass, forcing her to dodge to the left to evade its aim with enough speed. More projectiles flew at Hazel, keeping her in motion and preventing her from properly concentrating, for the barrage of missiles did not halt, yet continued to swarm her from all sides. Then something slammed into her, lifting her off of her feet and sending her skidding into the scratchy grass. Of all things, it had been a Force Push that had outfought Hazel.

Hazel felt her left arm trapped underneath her body, her hand now empty of the item it had held. Hazel rolled to the side, reaching out for it but she was too slow. The dark, cubical object rose from the field, flying straight into the hand of Ketzel Viren. Various expletives leaped to Hazel's mind as she scrambled to her feet and sprinted of pursuit of Viren, but his headstart was too great. Hazel saw the armored figure leap into the air and land in front of the starship she and the Twins had taken from Mustafar. A few moments more and he was flying way in it, and Hazel had no means of following.

The venture from Mustafar had been about as unsuccessful as it could get. Now Toran and Taera had lost their father, while Hazel had had the box, the key to Viren's crystal, stolen from her. Of all the dangers emerging, it was hard to see which was the most to be feared.

Even though the immediate danger had passed, Hazel felt no more at ease. Something was out there, and at some point she was going to have to confront it.