The group of Jedi stumbled out of the Sphere. Lian struggled to move forward but insisted he could walk.  Fane joined Shadie to hold him up.
            ‘I’m fine, I can walk,’ said Lian.  He stumbled forward, dropping to one knee and cursed in Huttese.
            ‘You don’t have to prove anything to us, Lian,’ said Talyc.  ‘I’m sure if this Sith thinks you’re worthy, it won’t have anything to do with your strength here or lack thereof.’
            Lian looked up at the Mandalorian and smiled.  ‘I appreciate…’  He felt a pang of pain and grunted, clenching his teeth.
            Shadie put her hand on the door, and Lian saw it roll into the wall.  He had heard much about this place, yet never realised how heavy the dark side felt here, nor how dim it was.  He hoped it would not alter his being.   And yet, however strong the dark side was here, Lian did not feel stifled by it; whatever his fears, it seemed to allow for his light.
            Everyone hurried through each chamber and Brenum pushed the top of a sarcophagus.  The platform began to descend, turning slowly, as had been described to Lian before. 
            Brenum pressed his lips together.  ‘I should never have agreed to help rid the atmosphere of starfighters,’ he said.  ‘My place was by your side and I failed you.’
            ‘No one has failed me,’ insisted Lian.
            ‘If anyone’s to blame,’ said Fane, ‘it’s me.  I just don’t get it!  I’m supposed to be able to be immune to Relsor’s stasis attacks.  Now another Kloh will die because of me and my inability to–’
            ‘Fane!’ Lian put sternness in his voice.  ‘Stop that right now.  You and I were meant to work together within the Force, but you are not ready to defeat Relsor and that is not your fault.’  Lian had a bit more strength now, but he knew it wouldn’t last for long.
            ‘I can’t even connect to Relsor without you, Lian,’ said Fane solemnly.
            ‘That’s because the Force connects us; that does not make you weak,’ replied Lian.
            Trylia tended to Lian’s lekku; she had mended it in the Sphere. Though he still felt the wound tingle painfully, it was a lot less intense than it had been prior to their flight to the Crypt.
            ‘The wound has stopped bleeding but it’s still raw,’ said Trylia.  ‘Shall I change the bandage?’
            ‘No,’ said Lian.  ‘Remove it.  I want your Sith friend to see me as I am, in my full vulnerability.’
            They arrived at the bottom level and helped Lian to the chamber where sat the ancient Pureblood Sith. 

Lian struggles with a severed lekku (from Protectors of the Force, Story 7, Star Wars Fan-Fiction by Celinka Serre)

* * *

Continue Reading Chapter Eleven

Read the Epilogue

Catch up on previous Star Wars Fan-Fiction from the Shadie story series.

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Shadie glanced from Fane to the direction where Lian and Relsor had gone.  Knarf and Perce were exchanging insults as they fought.
            ‘Fane!’ cried Shadie.  ‘What can you sense?’
            Fane was clutching his head.  ‘It’s another massive headache, and Lian’s in trouble, real trouble.  Relsor is using his full might and I fear for Lian’s life.’
            ‘That’s because your friend is about to meet his end!’ said Perce.
            ‘Not if I have anything to say about it?’  Shadie said defiantly.  She reached out to the Sphere and felt it was close and quickly approaching.
            ‘I’m surprised a pretender like you is still riding on someone else’s fame,’ said Usharr.  ‘A mere shadow of what your peers are capable of being.’
            ‘And he can’t even slice anything to keep me out,’ said Knarf.  ‘He’s a failed slicer and a failed Sith.’
            ‘Now seeing what you’ve become, Perce,’ said Usharr, ‘I realise I did well to kick you out of the academy!  The Sith Empire deserves better than a disgrace such as you.’
            ‘Shut up, Usharr!’
            Usharr opened his mouth to rebuttal something more but instead cried out in warning, lifting a hand up as Brenum and Trylia came flying towards them.  Shadie joined Usharr and cushioned their fall.
            ‘Let me guess: Relsor?’ she said.
            ‘He’s going to kill Lian, and I promised Lian I’d keep him alive,’ said Brenum, ‘and there we were flying around fighting starfighters when we should have been with him the whole time.’
            ‘Brenum, whatever happens, it’s not your fault,’ said Shadie, reassuring him.
            ‘You don’t understand, Shadie,’ her friend protested, ‘Lian knew, Lian felt it in the Force.  He’s going to die!  We have to do whatever we can to prevent that from happening.’
            As though on cue, the Sphere finally arrived and dropped down close to them.  Perce looked up and jumped into the air and disappeared from view; Shadie assumed he might have landed atop the Sphere.  It didn’t matter.
            ‘Come on, everyone!’ shouted Shadie.
            Fane, clutching his head, followed her in, the others all running behind him.
            When they entered the Sphere, they were met by an interesting figure: a tall and fully armoured Mandalorian.
            ‘Oh, hi there,’ he said, mildly waving his hand. He took his helmet off, holding it under his arm.
            Talyc shook his head in disbelief, yet he had a broad smile on his face.  ‘How in the kark?’
            The Mandalorian shrugged.  ‘One minute I was about to be spaced, wasn’t too sure how long I’d last out in space in this armour, then this Sphere thing appeared and swallowed me up.’
            ‘Wait, are you Mildred?’ said Knarf.
            ‘The very man himself,’ replied the clan leader.  He turned to Shadie.  ‘I suppose I have you to thank?’ 
            Shadie smiled but shook her head. ‘The Sphere was out of touch for a portion of the fight, it acted of its own volition, probably when Relsor’s illusion ended.’
            ‘Right place, right time for the Sphere, then, I guess, and for me. Makes me the lucky one all the same,’ said Mildred.
            ‘Emerick is going to be over the moon to hear you survived,’ said Talyc, exchanging a handclasp and shake with Mildred, who also shook hands with Knarf, in a more formal manner.
            ‘I wish I could say the others survived, but very few were left,’ said Mildred.  ‘All who could get to escape pods, did.  It was brutal.’
            ‘I know what Relsor is capable of,’ said Talyc, ‘I can imagine what his Sith did to you all.’
            ‘No,’ said Mildred, ‘there were very few Sith leading the assault.  Most of them were Imperial Officers.’
            ‘Imperial!’ said Brenum.  ‘I don’t know if that helps us or not.  Relsor was willing to sacrifice the Imps.’ 
            ‘Yeah, I don’t think they estimated their failure,’ said Mildred. ‘A lot that transpired wasn’t planned, good and bad.’
            As the Mandalorians kept on talking, Brenum and Trylia turned to Shadie, Usharr and Fane.
            ‘We have the recording, Usharr, it worked,’ said Trylia.  ‘Shadie, we recorded Usharr confronting Relsor regarding his alliance with the Empire.  Knarf can slice a broadcast across the entire galaxy to expose Relsor’s plans.’
            Shadie nodded.  She didn’t know the extent of whatever plan her friends had devised, but she trusted that it would help their cause and knew she would soon find out anyway.
            The Sphere arrived at Relsor and Lian’s location and opened up to let everyone out.  Perce jumped down from atop the Sphere, landing before them, and right away sent lightning to block their path.
            ‘My ship?’ cried Brenum.  ‘Where is it?’
            Relsor laughed.  ‘Autopilot!’
            Brenum scowled.  ‘You!’  Brenum jumped into the fray, leaping over Perce and his lightning.  Trylia joined him and they landed next to Relsor.
            Relsor smiled at them.  ‘We have an audience, Lian, many who’ve come to see your demise, and my victory.’

Continue Reading Chapter Ten

Catch up on previous Star Wars Fan-Fiction from the Shadie story series.

Perhaps you’ll also enjoy Stardust Destinies I: Variate Facing; fantasy action-adventure taking place in a realm strong with magic where prophecies are dictated by dragons. https://binkyproductions.com/stardustdestinies