Hello there! This Halloween, I present to you all yet another Halloween Special Fan Fic, which is the fourth one of these that I have done. Before we begin, this story does have several spoilers and callbacks to my Dyad Fan Fic trilogy, so if you haven't read all three of those, I would highly recommend doing so to avoid confusion. But anyways, without further ado, have a very happy Halloween and let's begin! 

583.5 ABY - "The Ghost Falcon"

Onboard the Ghost Falcon, Jaden Korr, Emperor of The New Empire, sat just behind the hologame table, rubbing his fingers together gently. Just hours ago, he had dropped Tahiri Veila, the former Empress, off on Tatooine with her two children and said goodbye to her for the last time. And now, Jaden felt like he had nothing; he had lost The Jedi Empire that he once swore to die for centuries earlier, followed by his two best friends, Rosh Penin, and Anakin Solo. Though Tahiri was alive, she was too broken by the loss of her husband to stay with the Empire, leaving Jaden with only an empty, iron throne back on Mandalore. A throne he would not yet return to, as he was on a mission to Korriban, the ancient birthplace of the Sith, in search of an artifact he had previously heard about from Anakin's personal Holocron.

"My Lord, we are coming up on Korriban now." One of the Noxian Guard onboard the ship said. Jaden's gaze quickly shifted towards the guard. "Good." He replied, rising from his seat. Jaden proceeded to follow the Guard into the cockpit of the ship, his surgically reconstructed knees making small whirring noises with each step he took. Upon reaching the cockpit, Jaden could see Korriban up ahead through the window; a planet covered in bright, orange dust, almost like Tatooine. Just by staring at the planet, Jaden could feel eons of Dark Side energy rippling through it's core like the waves of an ocean. "Take us down." Jaden ordered. The other Noxian Guards piloting the ship nodded, flying the Ghost Falcon through Korriban's atmosphere. Jaden looked to his one remaining hand, and then back through the cockpit window. To him, it felt like the more they descended through the atmosphere, the stronger the planet's connection to the Dark Side of the Force became.

Once the Falcon passed through the clouds, Jaden saw what he knew to be The Valley of The Dark Lords, a place where the ancient Sith of old once ruled Korriban with their many academies and fortresses. Now, to all who visited the planet after The New Sith Wars, it was a graveyard; a graveyard for Sith Kings like Adas and Marka Ragnos, and Dark Lords and Ladies like Sorzus Syn and Karness Muur. Slowly and carefully, the ship touched down on Korriban's lifeless, dust-ridden surface, it's engines powering down slowly. Reaching towards the back of his cloak, Jaden pulled his hood up over his head. "Stay with the ship." He ordered. "I will go alone." The other Noxian Guards looked at their Emperor. "Are you sure you don't need assistance, my Lord?" One of them, the pilot, asked. "My predecessor once sought this same artifact years ago." Jaden replied. "I want to know what it was that made him vow never to return here."

Without saying another word, Jaden turned around and exited the cockpit, right when another one of the Guards lowered down the ramp of the ship. Stepping onto Korriban's surface, Jaden looked around, seeing the runs of the Valley around him in the blood-red sky. Taking in a deep breath, Jaden started marching away from the ship, walking to where he sensed the artifact was. As he walked, Jaden could hear his cloak fluttering behind him in the loud, yet soft winds. Suddenly, he heard several soft hissing noises, and looked down at the ground, seeing several black serpents slithering around his feet. His eyes darted forward, as the serpents started joining together, forming one, large beast with eyes as red as the night sky. Jaden looked up at the large serpent, unfazed. "We arrree..    The Sssithhhh..." The serpent hissed, it's eyes glowing brighter, while it leaned closer towards Jaden's face. 

"You think I fear you?" Jaden asked the serpent, a slight smirk coming across his half-scarred face. "I don't." He boldly declared. "Wee shall ssseeee..." The serpent replied, pulling away from Jaden for a moment. Then, the serpent pounced, opening it's fanged mouth to consume Jaden. Thrusting his arm forward, Jaden unleashed a Force Push on the serpent, instantly breaking it apart. The countless small serpents fell to the ground, hissing, as they burst into flames and turned to black, hot dust. From their corpses, however, several individuals dressed in robes appeared, glowing a stark, crimson red. Jaden looked at the individuals, recognizing them as Force Phantoms; for most Sith could not become one with the Force like Jedi could. "There is no life after death..." The Phantoms began, before they started swirling around Jaden, creating a cloud of red and black dust. "Nothingness awaits you, Jedi!" The Phantoms exclaimed, their voices echoing with madness like no other.

"Your fear feeds our hunger for power!" The Phantoms exclaimed loudly. Right when Jaden turned his head, one of the Phantom's flew towards him, entering his body through his chest. Jaden staggered back, wincing. "You will die attempting to obtain what it is you seek, and your Guards will find nothing left of you!" The Phantoms continued, as they all pounced at Jaden, transferring their spirits into his body. Jaden dropped to his knees, feeling his body burn with raw, untamed Dark Side energy. Gritting his teeth, he looked back towards the Valley, standing up again and marching past the ruins; past bones, armor, and weapons that hadn't been touched in millennia. Entering into one of the collapsed buildings, Jaden finally took his Lightsaber off his belt, igniting the yellow blade in the darkness. 

Holding his Lightsaber outward, Jaden continued walking, this time more slowly. Several insects scurried past his feet with each step he took, blinded by the golden hue of his Lightsaber. Jaden looked around, seeing nothing but darkness while he descended further and further into the old ruins. Finally, Jaden saw something: a tomb. One made entirely out of the very stone that these ruins were made of. At least seven more tombs were huddled on either side of whatever chamber Jaden had just entered. Out from the lid of a tomb, Jaden saw several flames appear, seeping through the cracks, until a fiery man appeared before him; a man wearing old, tattered robes and a mask. "Why do you come before me, Jedi...?" The man asked, his voice echoing off the walls of what Jaden now knew to be his grave. 

"To learn." Jaden replied, holding his Lightsaber close to his face. "Do you know who I am?" The man asked. "Yes." Jaden replied. "Ajunta Pall, the first Dark Lord of the Sith, and leader of the original Dark Jedi that founded The Sith Order." He continued. "You know your history well...    Jaden Korr, Jedi Master turned Mand'alor." Ajunta said. "However, I sense you have come here for more than just knowledge, my dear boy..." He continued. Jaden's posture stiffened. "...You have come here in search of something that lies within my grave, haven't you?" Ajunta asked. Jaden tightened his grip on his hilt, before lowering the blade down towards his side, sighing heavily. "Yes, I have come here in search for something." He replied. "I have come here in search of The Eye of Shadows, as my friend, Anakin Solo, once did."

"Ah, yes...    Solo.." Ajunta began. "He too was in search of The Eye centuries ago, when he was known to me as 'Electus'." He continued. "For over seven thousand years, a great, many Sith have sought The Eye...      But all have been affected by it's power, including your friend.." Jaden's eyes darted to the tomb in front of him, then back at Ajunta. "What do you mean?" He asked. "..All who have searched for The Eye have either vanished, or had their souls corrupted beyond any hope of cleansing." Ajunta replied. "Solo was lucky not to have suffered either fate, though his experience with The Eye damaged him enough where he vowed never to return here again." He added on. "The Eye is buried with me for a reason; me and the other founders knew of it's capabilities, and safeguarded it from the old Sith species, until I was the last to fall on this world..      Then, once the Sith discovered why I hoarded it from them, they knew better than to use it further."

"Would I be so daring as to ask why you speak of The Eye as so dangerous?" Jaden asked. "That is something I wish for you to learn yourself, Jaden Korr." Ajunta replied, his fiery image beginning to burn out. "But beware...        You may not be able to handle it's power." He finished, fully disappearing into thin air. Jaden looked to the tomb, deactivating his Lightsaber and clipping the hilt back onto his belt. Reaching out with the Force, Jaden slowly and carefully lifted the lid of the tomb off, revealing Ajunta's decaying carcass, with a small, dirty cloth placed over his chest. Grabbing a hold of the cloth, Jaden pulled it off the carcass, revealing what was inside; within the carcass's ribs, where a heart would be, there was a dark sphere that gave off a slight crimson glow. In this moment, Jaden could feel the Dark Side radiating from the sphere, and knew it to be The Eye of Shadows itself.

"What are you hiding from me, Anakin...?" Jaden whispered to himself, reaching towards The Eye slowly and carefully. The Eye started crackling with red electricity, with small bolts striking his fingertips. Jaden winced for a moment, briefly taking his arm away from The Eye. Staring at The Eye, Jaden reached forward, grabbing it with his bare hand. In a flash, all Jaden could see was a flash of bright, red. Several noises started flooding his eardrums at once; the sounds of Lightsabers igniting, blasters firing, explosions going off, and civilians screaming. What followed was the sight of multiple lights flashing in Jaden's eyes, blinding him until he suddenly lost his footing, falling face first onto the ground. Jaden reached for his eyes, squeezing them shut, while they burned from all the lights that had just flashed before him. After a few minutes, Jaden reopened his eyes, seeing nothing but stars and constellations all around him. Where am I? Jaden wondered to himself, fully rising to his feet. Just a few meters away, The Eye sat perfectly still, glowing even brighter.

"Welcome, Master Jedi." A voice, more demonic than Ajunta's, said. Immediately, Jaden stood up, his hood falling from his head, while he reignited his Lightsaber. "Who's there!?!" He shouted in demand. "I suppose there are no records ever documenting my existence..." The voice replied. "...Or the existence of this place, for that matter." Jaden tightened his grip on his Lightsaber, entering into a defensive stance. "What is this place!?" He asked, still shouting. "The place you find yourself in is a place I like to call..    Erets." The voice replied. "The Plane of Erets, to be just a touch more specific." It continued. "As for what I am, I go by many identities...      The Master of Evil, The Architect of Destruction..      Even my old name of Aon." Jaden's gaze shifted back and forth between his left and right, sensing something was near. "What should I call you, stranger?" He asked. The voice chuckled for a moment, right when Jaden began to feel a small wind brush up against his cheek. "You may call me Nakhash, The Father of Shadows." The voice replied.

Jaden quickly turned around, sensing something was standing behind him. Before his very eyes, there stood a being bathed in pitch-black fire, with a skull for a face and glowing crimson pupils, just like The Eye. Jaden almost trembled at the sight of the being, noticing that he stood over eight feet tall; furthermore, he had never felt so much evil radiating from this being as he did now, even compared to the likes of the late Darth Sidious. "W-What are you..?" Jaden asked the being, stumbing over his own words. "I am the perpetrator behind what you call 'the Dark Side', boy." Nakhash replied. "I am responsible for every monster..." He continued, pacing around Jaden slowly. "...Every enemy..      ..And every opponent you have ever faced." Suddenly, the tall, dark figure transformed into something else...      A Muun. An old, decrepit Muun with a transpirator mask and dark, Sith robes. "Darth Plagueis The Wise, a Lord of the Sith who could influence the Midichlorians to both create life and escape death itself."

Nakhash transformed again, this time into an elderly man wearing gold and violet armor, with greying black hair. "Roan Fel, a former Inquisitor of The Galactic Empire turned Emperor of The Fel Empire." Nakhash said, transforming into yet another form; a Twi'lek with red skin, black tattoos, and attire that exposed much of her body. "Darth Talon, a disciple of Plagueis that sought revenge against The Galactic Federation of Free Alliances." Nakhash added on, smiling, before he transformed again, this time dawning a face Jaden knew from his childhood. "Kyylo Ren, clone of the Supreme Jedi Emperor, Ben Solo, and ruler of The Union Order." Jaden almost lost his footing at the sight of Kyylo. He remembered facing the clone of Emperor Solo on Exegol fondly. More specifically, how he had taken Anakin's dominant arm from him, along with Rosh Penin's eyesight and everything that Jaden stood for at the time.

Nakhash's crimson pupils soon turned black, as he shifted into another form; more monstrous than the rest, much like himself. "Abeloth, the Mother of the Mortis family turned Bringer of Chaos." Nakhash said, changing into another form almost before the words could escape his mouth. Now Jaden found himself staring at a ruined man clad in all-black armor, with only a fraction of his scarred face showing. "Darth Wredd, formerly Jagged Fel, son of Roan Fel and Prince of The Fel Empire." Nakhash continued. Wredd's image quickly faded, shrinking down to that of an old, deformed man with ghastly pale skin and large, black robes. "Darth Sidious, more publicly known as Emperor Sheev Palpatine to the wider galaxy." Nakhash changed forms one last time, now bearing a face Jaden knew all too well. "Darth Electus, descendant of Sidious and otherwise known as your deceased friend, Anakin Solo." He finished, his eyes glowing even brighter.

Jaden's jaw hardened, as did his gaze towards Nakhash. "So you're the reason why so many Force users fall from grace?" Jaden asked, his eyes briefing darting to The Eye, which lay perfectly still a few feet from Nakhash. "You're the reason why the Force constantly falls out of balance?" Nakhash, still wearing Anakin's body, smiled devilishly. "Precisely." He replied. "I rebelled against the wishes of The Maker eons ago, from a time when he was still creating the galaxy itself. I created the Dark Side of the Force and ensnared many in my grasp, including the future Lords of the Sith." Nakhash continued. Jaden briefly looked back at Nakhash, pointing his Lightsaber in his direction. "And what became of those who disappeared seeking The Eye?" He asked. "Did death fall upon them as soon as they peered into your eyes?" Nakhash let out a demonic cackle. "Oh, no...     At least not completely." He coldly replied. "Though I'd rather let you see for yourself what line of fools you followed here."

"Whatever tricks you plan on using against me will not work." Jaden shot back. "I will find a way to destroy The Eye, and you with it." A wide, devilish smile quickly came across Nakhash's face. "Then you will meet your destiny..    Jedi." He replied. Before Jaden could have time to react, Nakhash dashed towards him, transforming into a black cloud of dust and phasing straight through Jaden's heart. Jaden winced, staggering back and dropping his Lightsaber. A hot, searing pain then shot through his face, where his scars were. Crying out in pain, Jaden collapsed, feeling his neck burn from the inside. In an instant, Jaden's surroundings turned to the color of blood. He turned his head to where his stump was, only to no longer see any stump; instead, Jaden saw a new arm, soaked in the same black fire as Nakhash's true form and crackling with electricity as red as Jaden's vision.

Unable to bear the pain of Nakhash's power inside his body, Jaden fully collapsed onto his back, roaring in pain. Slowly, his surroundings began to warp, the stars around him spinning around in a rapid motion. Fighting the pain as best as he could, Jaden forced himself back onto his feet, pulling his Lightsaber back to his hand. Reigniting the yellow blade, he began to march towards The Eye, hearing it chant things he couldn't understand. Gripping the hilt with his new, corrupted hand, Jaden raised the weapon high above his head, striking The Eye with all of his strength. Almost as soon as the blade made contact with The Eye, however, a blinding light flashed in Jaden's eyes, blinding him. At that moment, Jaden began to hear voices; some familiar, others not. "I won't fight you anymore, Jaden!" He heard Tahiri exclaim, her voice echoing. "Mom!" Two other voices added, ones that Jaden recognized to belong to two young children. "Keep the prisoner stabilized!" Osha Aniseya, Anakin's old Padawan, yelled. 

Soon, the light faded, and Jaden found himself turned over onto his back. He could sense that he was no longer inside The Plane of Erets, but judging by the fact that he saw a night sky, Jaden knew he was anywhere but Korriban. Sitting up, Jaden looked down at his body, noticing his dark robes were no longer there; in their place, he wore rugged-looking mercenary attire which he hadn't worn in centuries. Not since...     Not since the fall of The Union Order and the destruction of Coruscant. "What...?" Jaden whispered softly, immediately rising back to his feet. Looking to his left, Jaden saw a massive Palace right in the middle of a large, seemingly infinite city. From the entrance, four large, red flags hung, all bearing the symbol of The Union Order. "It can't be..." Jaden said to himself. Lightning crackled in the sky, illuminating The Union Order Palace. Jaden took a single step back, his heartbeat rapidly increasing not with the sight of the building itself, but with what it stood for and what went with it into the flames of Coruscant's destruction.

At that moment, Jaden felt a disturbance in the Force, sensing someone was standing behind him. Acting quickly, he reached out with the Force, pulling his Lightsaber back to his hand. Before the hilt could come into his grasp, however, Jaden felt a blast of electricity spike through his back, hitting him in the spine and sending him crashing against the ground. Wincing in pain, Jaden looked up and gasped with horror, seeing a face that had been consumed by flames long ago; a face that wore the same robes Jaden wore earlier, with a black and red visor welded onto where his eyes should be. "R-Rosh!?!" Rosh Penin said nothing back to Jaden, igniting a red-bladed Lightsaber at his side and lunging towards Jaden, unleashing a Force Scream as he did so. Jaden quickly leaped out of the way of Rosh's attack, igniting his own Lightsaber and parrying a flurry of Rosh's attacks. Rosh struck quicker than Jaden could remember, becoming nothing more than a crimson blur in his line of sight whilst they fought. "You should've boarded the Falcon when you had the chance!" Rosh screamed over the sounds of their blades clashing. 

Just then, Jaden swung for the visor welded to Rosh's eyes, but Rosh quickly caught the blade, entering into a blade-lock with Jaden. "When I had the chance???" Jaden asked, pressing his saber up against Rosh's defenses. "Rosh, what are you talking about!?" Jamming his hand into Jaden's chest, Rosh instantly Force Pushed him backwards, sending him skidding into the Palace. Reaching for his visor, Rosh pressed a button on the side, firing a large, red beam of plasma energy towards Jaden. Raising his Lightsaber in front of his face, Jaden deflected the beam, watching it strike the ceiling up above. Deactivating the visor, Rosh thrusted his free hand forward, now blasting Force Lightning in Jaden's direction. "The planet was about to blow..." Rosh began, marching towards Jaden and pressing his attack. "Me and the others ordered you to get onto the ship, but you wouldn't listen! You shot the cable, and left us no other choice but to abandon you!!!"

Jaden pushed back against Rosh's lightning, trying his very hardest to fend off the attack. "It was you who we had to leave behind, Rosh!" Jaden shouted. "You refused to come aboard and shot the cable, not me!!!" In response, Rosh let out another Force Scream, firing one final blast of lightning towards Jaden. Jaden just barely managed to maintain his footing, as his Lightsaber absorbed the electricity. Using Force Speed, Rosh dashed towards Jaden, resuming their duel. Through the halls of the Palace they went, blurs of gold and crimson clashing against one another. Finally, Jaden got into another blade-lock with Rosh, backing him into the turbolift that led to the spire. "You're not real!" Jaden exclaimed. "You are an illusion of Nakhash! This is all a lie!!" Rosh snarled at Jaden, driving both of their blades into the turbolift walls and causing them to spark with electricity. After a few seconds, the turbolift door reopened, and Rosh blasted Jaden backwards once again. Jaden winced, as he smashed against the table where The Union Order Council once sat, sliding towards Kyylo Ren's old throne near the edge of the window.

Holding his Lightsaber at his side, Rosh marched towards the table, seeing Jaden beginning to get back up. Reaching out, Rosh hurled one of the chairs at Jaden, watching it strike his face with a loud, violent crack. Jaden fell over onto one knee, wincing in pain. Rosh hurled another chair in Jaden's direction, but this time, Jaden sliced it in half with his Lightsaber. Fully rising onto his feet, Jaden leapt at Rosh, raising his Lightsaber high above his head as they clashed. Balling his left hand up into a fist, Jaden drove his knuckles into Rosh's mouth, backing him against the window. Jaden threw his arm forward again, but Rosh quickly leapt out of the way, causing Jaden to strike the glass instead. Acting quickly, Jaden blasted Rosh backwards, cracking more of the glass around them. Using the Force, Rosh pulled another chair in front of himself, right when Jaden jumped towards him for the killing blow. Rosh backed away slowly, whilst Jaden jammed his yellow blades through the backrest of the seat, melting it from the inside out.

Thrusting his arm forward, Rosh blasted Jaden back into the window again, sending the seat with him. He then poised to stab Jaden through the chest, but Jaden caught Rosh's saber with his own, driving both of their weapons against the window. In an instant, all the glass in the chamber shattered, with small shards raining down on the two men like hail. Breaking the blade-lock, Rosh leapt forward and struck one of the pillars holding the ceiling together, just barely missing Jaden's shoulder. Jaden quickly rushed to the opposite end of the table, noticing Rosh reaching for his visor to fire another plasma blast. Right when he activated the visor, however, Rosh felt one of the fallen chairs knock his feet out from underneath him, causing the plasma blast to slice through the entire Palace. Jaden quickly grabbed a hold of the table, feeling the ground shake beneath his feet. Off in the distance, in the night sky, Jaden could see a large Dreadnought looming overhead; the Eclipse. The very thing that destroyed Coruscant centuries ago.

Rosh reactivated his visor, immediately firing a large plasma blast in Jaden's direction. Ducking under the blast, Jaden thrusted both arms outward, launching the rest of the chairs and the table at Rosh. Yet again, Rosh fell over backwards, his visor still activated, whilst it sliced through the entirety of the Palace. Growling, Rosh tried to stand up, turning his head to continue firing the plasma at Jaden. Jaden, however, acted faster; ducking under the blast, Jaden gripped his Lightsaber with both hands, swinging at Rosh's face and striking the base of the visor. Rosh howled in pain, his visor exploding in his face. Jaden poised for another attack, but before he cut strike Rosh down, he heard a loud, booming noise from afar. Snapping his head to the left, Jaden watched, as the Eclipse's superlaser fired up on Coruscant's surface, instantly tearing the planet's crust apart in a massive explosion.

At that moment, Rosh struck back, stabbing Jaden through the thigh with his Lightsaber. Jaden screamed in pain, caught off-guard by the attack, before Rosh seized him by the wrist, yanking him towards the edge of the shattered window. As the explosion from the Eclipse's superlaser spread towards the Palace, the ground beneath the two finally caved in, causing the spire to tip towards the edge. Thrusting his free arm outward, Rosh fired several more torrents of Force Lightning towards Jaden, who managed to deflect the attack in midair. Letting go of his Lightsaber with one hand, Jaden let out one final Force Push, sending Rosh flying further away from the spire towards the flames. Deactivating the weapon, Jaden quickly looked around as he fell, noticing the flames getting closer. He outstretched both of his arms, poising to shield himself from the fire, but it was too late; by the time he began tapping into the Force, the flames of the planet's destruction consumed him, just as they had consumed Rosh before him.

Right when the brightness of the explosion overcame Jaden's sight, however, he now found himself somewhere else. Immediately, he stood up, noticing he was in a dimly-lit hallway, made almost entirely out of stone. He looked towards his shoulder, no longer seeing his organic arm from before; instead, he now had a rusty, yet seemingly functioning prosthetic. Outside the walls of the hallway, Jaden could hear cheering, followed by a voice over an intercom. "I know this place..." He whispered to himself, walking towards the exit door. As soon as the door opened, Jaden found himself walking into a massive arena, with hundreds, if not thousands of individuals watching. "Citizens of Cantonica, please give a warm welcome to the one, and only, VALEK KWAAD!!!" A woman over the intercom yelled. Immediately, the crowd erupted into cheers, which were loud enough to shatter eardrums. Jaden looked around, his eyes wide with shock, as he knew he was inside the Canto Bight Arena, where Cantonica's pit fighters fought.

Suddenly, Jaden could hear the sounds of multiple guitars giving off deep, reverberated rifts. He looked towards the opposite end of the arena, seeing a band performing up above. "And for Valek's challenger, we have his spouse..." The woman over the intercom began. "A living legend of the arena, who was won a great, many championships.." She continued. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to introduce you to the Sun Dragon of Canto Bight, RIINA KWAAD!!!!" Out of nowhere, the guitars grew louder, and smoke was fired in front of the other door. Jaden balled both hands up into fists, as a woman stepped forward through the smoke; a woman with black hair, black face markings, and a black jacket, whose hands were covered in blood-stained wrappings. "Tahiri..." Jaden whispered to himself. "Hello, love." Tahiri Veila, known to the audience as Riina Kwaad, remarked. "You seem..     Unsettled." Jaden raised both of his hands up, taking a fighting stance. "Only because the day we've been training for is finally here." He replied, almost stumbling over his words with confusion.

Tahiri chuckled to herself, shooting a brief smirk at Jaden, before entering into a fighting stance herself. Jaden clenched his own fists tighter, feeling a bead of sweat run down his head. Then, a loud buzzer went off, signaling the commencement of the fight. In an instant, Tahiri pounced, driving her right knee into Jaden's mouth. Jaden fell over backwards, feeling his front teeth go numb. He tried to stand, but Tahiri acted faster, punching him in the face and grabbing him by the back of his jacket, before pinning him against the ground. Throwing his leg outward, Jaden felt his heel lock against Tahiri's ankle, knocking her off-balance. He then proceeded to drive his artifical elbow into her ribs, as he rose back onto his feet, a bruise forming on his cheek, where his scars were. Tahiri stood back up as well, taking off her jacket and throwing it to the side. "I've been looking forward to this." She remarked, smiling as she took her fighting stance once again.

Acting quickly, Tahiri threw three punches towards Jaden's face, but Jaden raised his forearms out in front of himself, before throwing his ankle out in front of Tahiri's foot, causing her to trip over herself. At the same time, Jaden locked both of Tahiri's arms between his forearm and bicep. "I have my share of tricks too, love." He said, headbutting Tahiri twice in a row. Tahiri staggered back, reaching for her forehead, where her own scars were located. Balling his prosthetic hand up into a fist, Jaden drove his knuckles into Tahiri's abdomen, sending her back against the arena wall. Jaden went to throw another punch, but Tahiri ducked underneath it, causing Jaden to strike the wall instead. Tahiri then threw one arm outward, striking Jaden in the ribs; and then the chest, and then the jaw. Leaping forward, Tahiri drove her knuckles through Jaden's face, instantly breaking his nose. Jaden collapsed for a moment, feeling the blood gushing down from his nostrils, before he tore his jacket off, tossing it to the side. 

Charging towards Tahiri, Jaden threw another punch, striking the arena wall once again. Turning his head, Jaden threw his leg forward, kicking Tahiri square in the abdomen. The crowd erupted into cheers, as Tahiri stumbled back, winded. Jaden then proceeded to seize Tahiri by the throat, lifting her up off her feet and pinning her against the floor. Tahiri squirmed on the ground, gasping for air and trying to break free. Jaden, however, only tightened his grip on her throat, as he dragged her across the arena floor. Lifting Tahiri off the floor, Jaden slammed her against the wall on the other side of the arena, grabbing her throat with his other hand and preparing to throw another punch. Before he could execute the attack, Tahiri drove her knee right into Jaden's abdomen, winding him for a moment. Jaden gasped, reaching for his ribs, before Tahiri jammed both of her elbows into his back, grabbing him by the hip and throwing him against the wall. Jaden bit his lip, getting back up and entering into a fighting stance yet again. "Having fun yet?" Tahiri asked, over the loud cheers of the audience.

Jaden said nothing back, throwing his leg outward in an attempt to kick Tahiri to the ground. Tahiri quickly parried the attack with her own leg, before striking Jaden across the jaw and bashing his head against the wall. Jaden winced, feeling the side of his head throb with agony. Backing Jaden into the wall, Tahiri threw both hands forward, punching Jaden multiple times in the ribs, and then the face. Grabbing Jaden by the shoulders, Tahiri drove her knee straight into his mouth, knocking him over onto his back. Jaden continued to wince, tasting blood. Fighting the pain, Jaden pushed himself back up off the ground slowly, almost stumbling as he did so. Meanwhile, the cheers of the audience and the rifts of the guitars seemingly only grew louder with every passing second. Finally, Tahiri charged towards Jaden, diving forward and kicking him in the chest, ending the fight. In an instant, the audience roared, while Tahiri threw her one fist high in the air, securing her victory.

Jaden groaned in pain, turning his body to one side. Right as he did so, however, a cracked skull appeared before his eyes. Startled by the sight, Jaden sat up, no longer finding himself in the arena; instead, he now found himself in a dimly lit, yet gargantuane chamber. He looked to his left, seeing a staircase larger than any other leading up towards the roof of the chamber, with hundreds upon thousands of skulls and bones piled around the steps. "So I see you have escaped captivity..." A familiar yet demonic voice remarked. "An impressive feat, given how long I've allowed you to suffer." Jaden fully stood up, looking up towards the top of the steps. Next to two large mounds of skulls, a cloaked figure wearing black and violet Mandalorian armor sat upon a massive throne, his eyes glowing under his hood. Though Jaden couldn't see the figure's face, he knew all too well who he was facing now. "Anakin...?" He asked himself, whispering softly.

Anakin rose from Darth Sidious's throne, fully removing his hood and locking eyes with Jaden. His once handsome face was now devoid of any and all color, with dark bags under his eyes and blisters growing from his scar. "Do you still cling to that name, after all this time...?" Anakin asked Jaden mockingly. "After I told you and Tahiri both that it no longer held any meaning for me?" Jaden took two steps back, trembling. "No..." He whispered to himself. "This can't be right! Me and Tahiri turned you away from the Dark Side on Byss!" Jaden then shouted in protest. Anakin outstretched his left arm, pulling a skeletal corpse to his left hand. Jaden's eyes widened with horror once he saw the body; it wore the same clothes as Tahiri, who Jaden had just fought with his bare hands. He didn't need to look for anything else to know it was her body. "That appears...      Untrue." Anakin remarked, swifting crushing the corpse's neck in his hand.

Anakin then threw his arm outward, hucking Tahiri's body down the steps towards Jaden. Jaden watched, as the corpse landed at his feet, with several cracks appearing in the bones. "She believed so much that she could 'save' me...   A belief that became her undoing, as it will become yours." Anakin declared. Immediately, Jaden ignited his Lightsaber, screaming at the top of his lungs and charging up the steps towards Anakin. Before he could deliver the first strike, however, Jaden watched Anakin snap his fingers a single time. In an instant, Jaden felt his body lurch backwards, before he found himself tumbling back down the stairs, dropping his Lightsaber. Standing back up, Jaden reached out with the Force, attempting to retrieve the weapon. Anakin, however, acted faster, pulling the weapon towards himself.

Jaden leaned backwards, feeling himself straining, whilst he tried to pull the weapon to his hand. Anakin soon turned his wrist in the opposite direction, watching the hilt explode from the center. Jaden quickly shielded his eyes from the explosion, seeing his Lightsaber fall to pieces, before Anakin reached out with the Force again, this time choking Jaden midair. Jaden gagged, feeling his body leave the ground and peering directly into Anakin's golden eyes. "Your feeble skills are no match for the power of the Dark Side..." He began, tightening his grip on Jaden's asophagus. "...And now you will pay the price for your lack of vision!" Anakin shouted, blasting several torrents of crimson-tinted Force Lightning in Jaden's direction. Jaden roared in pain, feeling the electricity burn through his body, until Anakin blasted him across the chamber with the Force, ending his suffering almost as soon as it had begun.

Jaden skidded across the ground, groaning, as the pain of Anakin's Force Lightning faded. Soon, he looked around once again, finding himself back inside The Plane of Erets. "Have you had enough, boy?" Nakhash asked, his voice echoing in Jaden's mind. Jaden rose to his feet, finding himself dawning his black robes once again, alongside the black and red arm that had grown from where his shoulder should be. "I should've killed you when I had the chance!" Jaden exclaimed, pulling his Lightsaber to his hand and reigniting the blade for the umpteenth time. "Kill me?" Nakhash asked in reply, chuckling to himself. "You couldn't even touch me if you tried." He soon remarked. Jaden looked around, gripping his Lightsaber with both hands in a defensive stance. "Where are you...?" He asked himself. Suddenly, Jaden began to hear a faint noise; a noise that mimicked humming..     The humming of a Lightsaber nearby.

Turning his head, Jaden raised his Lightsaber in front of his face, just narrowly blocking the attack. Before his very eyes, a crimson blur began to lash out at him, slamming against his defenses with fury unlike any other. Jaden acted quickly, trying his hardest to defend himself from the stranger's attacks, until he felt a hand drive straight into his mouth. Jaden staggered back, tasting blood from his teeth, before the same hand seized him by the throat, yanking him off his feet and onto the ground. Gasping for air, Jaden swung his blade at his attacker's shoulder, only for the yellow blade to screech against a metal it couldn't cut through. Jaden's eyes soon widened, as he stared at his attacker's face; it was a Mandalorian. One who wore all black armor, which had several orange-tinted cracks from the helmet downwards. 

Acting quickly, Jaden jammed both of his feet into the Mandalorian's chest, kicking him away. Reigniting his Lightsaber, Jaden charged the Mandalorian, but the Mandalorian acted faster, firing several Whistling Birds directly at Jaden. Reaching out with his corrupted arm, Jaden reflected the Whistling Birds back at his attacker, locking blades with him once again. The Mandalorian soon drove his knee into Jaden's ribs, and then knocked him off his feet. Balling his cybernetic hand up into a fist, the Mandalorian threw his arm forward, firing two small razorblades at Jaden's neck. Slicing the razorblades in half with his Lightsaber, Jaden got back up, Force Pushing the attacker backwards. Skidding across what should be the ground, the Mandalorian threw his arm forward once again, this time shooting several flames out from his forearm in Jaden's direction.

Extending his on arm outward, Jaden successfully began to absorb the flames into the palm of his hand, marching towards the Mandalorian. But so too did the Mandalorian began walking, breathing heavily under his helmet. Then, the Mandalorian, still using his flamethrower, threw another punch towards Jaden. Jaden acted faster, catching the Mandalorian's fist with his own arm. The Mandalorian looked to his hand first, then back at Jaden, who redirected the flames back into the Mandalorian's flamethrower. The Mandalorian's breath quickened, and he raised his Lightsaber high above his head, attempting to decapitate Jaden. Jaden swiftly blocked the attack, entering into a blade-lock with the Mandalorian. Grinding his teeth together, Jaden blasted the Mandalorian backwards yet again, right as the flamethrower exploded in his eyes, instantly eviscerating them both.

Once the light from the explosion faded, Jaden looked around yet again, finding himself completely shrouded by the darkness of Ajunta Pall's tomb. His left arm was gone too, as it had been when he entered the tomb. "My Lord, are you alright?" A helmeted voice asked. Jaden turned his head, seeing one of his Noxian Guard towering above him, with a flashlight connected to his mask. "I'm fine, soldier." Jaden replied, rising back to his feet. "We noticed you didn't return and came looking for you." Another Noxian said from a few inches away. Jaden's eyes soon darted to the open casket, where he had grabbed The Eye; in the place where Ajunta Pall's heart should be, The Eye rested gently in the corpse's ribcage, still glowing a bright shade of crimson and still whispering things Jaden couldn't understand. 

"What shall we do about the artifact, my Lord?" The first Noxian Guard asked. Walking up to the open casket, Jaden seized The Eye with his one remaining hand, slowly pulling it away from Ajunta's corpse. For a long moment, he stared at The Eye in his hand, remembering all that Nakhash had brought upon him; between the alternate versions of Rosh and Anakin he had faced, and that black-armored Mandalorian. "We're going to bring The Eye back to Mandalore." Jaden said, turning his attention to all the Noxians inside the tomb. "I wish to learn more about it's power." One of the Noxians looked at The Eye for a moment, then back at Jaden. Though Jaden couldn't see the soldier's face, he could sense that, underneath the mask, he was hesitating. "Is this..    'Eye' dangerous, my Lord?" The Guard asked. Jaden shifted his attention back to The Eye, allowing a soft smile to creep across his face. "No..." He replied. "It won't cause any harm to anyone...     I will make sure of it."