Chapter Ten

Warning: The following chapter contains mature subject matter, which may be triggering to some readers. Reading discretion is advised.

Shadie cleared her mind and sent her thoughts as an imprint in the Force to the others; it would soon be time. She wanted Brenum and Trylia to remain vigilant. She also sent a brief thought to the Sphere. Now with everyone allowed to be in their cells without any stasis holding them in place, it would be easier to gather what they needed when the time came.
            A monitor in Shadie’s cell came on. She looked up and her heart sank when she saw Knarf in stasis in his cell. She sighed; Relsor had trapped Knarf, probably to punish him for previously disobeying his orders. It didn’t matter, it was a minor setback. They would find a way to free Knarf. In fact, Shadie could use her powers now and go free him this very moment.
            Shadie marched to the door of her cell and gathered her arms close to her and used the Force to try to open it. Instead, a bolt of dark side energy flew towards her; she bounced back. She tried again, and again she was blasted with dark side energy emanating from the door itself. Shadie cursed under her breath; Relsor had set a very nifty trap for her, getting out would require more effort than anticipated.
            She tried focusing with the Force and found that every time she did, she felt ill and dizzy. She tried to use the Force to heal herself, to ease the malady she felt, but it only worsened. She extended her senses and realised that her entire cell felt like it was coated in the Force, coated with the malady of Relsor’s being. This was recent, this had been done the moment the holomonitor had powered on.
            Shadie hated feeling sick, but she would be sick before she gave up on freeing her husband-to-be.

* * *

            Relsor entered Trylia’s cell, his Force energy felt invigorated, determined, yet calm. Trylia braced herself; she wanted to try to reach the part of Relsor that was vulnerable again, but she knew there would undoubtedly be much resistance from him. Trylia wanted to be his friend, she wanted to help him. 
            ‘Relsor, please, let’s talk.’
            ‘I cannot.’ His tone was apologetic. He extended his hand for her to take, keeping the other behind his back. She took it. ‘You will be pleased to know that I have made a sacrifice for you. I have sent away the only other person who fuelled remotely a bit of my passion. Jassahmi and I are no more but a lord and his follower. She will no longer be a problem.’
            ‘Was she another who could understand you?’
            ‘Yes, and no. Not like you. No one has ever penetrated my personal defences thus, and succeeded, and whom I did not kill for doing so.’
            ‘I guess that makes me lucky.’ Trylia smiled. ‘Or foolish.’ Relsor smiled back at her and she saw in him something she had seen in Shadie when they had first met: the longing of something to fill a void inside a heart that had been hurt, and the beginnings of a deep friendship. Trylia knew Relsor was not Shadie and that he could never turn to the light side, not unless he needed to. ‘You see, I can get you to feel those nice emotions that are of the light side.’
            ‘My dear, some emotions are not of the light side nor of the dark side, they merely exist.’
            ‘Right. Well I still want to help you,’ she said soothingly. ‘I see you are trying to be better than you are. When we first got here, you were practically forcing yourself on me, hurting me, hurting the others. Now, you are being truer, more genuine, honest, gentle. Why can’t that be who you always are?’
            ‘My powers are beyond measure and I’m afraid there is no place for me in this galaxy other than as a True Sith ruler.’
            ‘I think your ego is beyond measure.’ Trylia crossed her arms, letting go of Relsor’s hand. 
            ‘You act as though you do not fear that I might hurt you for speaking to me thus,’ said Relsor.
            ‘Because I don’t!’
            Relsor stepped closer and put a hand on her face. She felt surprised, yet she should have expected it.
            ‘You fear me now,’ he said, though his voice was soft and low. ‘What do you fear? Is it that you would betray the man I know you love? Is it that you might discover you feel something for me?’
            Trylia decided to be vulnerable as well. ‘I fear how it might affect you, how it might make you feel, how my tenderness and kind affection towards you might make you believe an illusion I may have been once willing to play around with. I cannot lie to you, not after that moment of closeness we shared, and I fear you would want this so much that you would be hurt to feel from me how I do not feel the way you want me to.’
            ‘Then there is only one way to find out.’
            Trylia was momentarily shocked, but she did not flinch and she would not step away. She no longer feared Relsor; she had seen a different side of him.
            She closed her eyes, imagining Brenum’s handsome face, as Relsor leaned in, gently kissing her. Then he pressed his lips onto hers, and she let him feel whatever it was he needed to feel. As for her, she felt sorrow, and she wished she could give him what he needed if it would heal him, but try as she might, she could not feel for him the passion she felt for Brenum, the love she felt for Brenum.
            Relsor’s lips parted from hers and Trylia opened her eyes. There was something desperate in Relsor’s expression and she wanted to comfort him while he was in his vulnerable state, reach towards him through the Force at the same time and show him what the light side can do.
            Trylia gently placed her hand on his arm. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, a black and green blur appeared before her and between them, pushing them away from each other.
            Jassahmi stood, hunched and angry. ‘This is why you had me go? So a Jedi could toy with you and take your power away from you as she drained the dark side that you have become?’
            ‘Jassahmi! I sent you away.’ Relsor’s voice was harsh.
            ‘I didn’t leave,’ Jassahmi replied in her sultry voice.
            ‘Then leave now!’ Rage flashed in Relsor’s crimson eyes. Jassahmi stood her ground, her black lightsaber humming, staring back at Relsor. He bellowed at her again. ‘Obey me!’
            Jassahmi lunged at Trylia; she bounced back, flipping into the air, landing a few feet away.
            ‘No!’ cried Relsor.
            Jassahmi came at Trylia who cast wind through the Force to push her assailant away. Trylia called her lightsaber to her hands and blocked the black blade as it came down on her. Relsor pulled Jassahmi away from Trylia. He switched on his wrist comlink and spoke into it.
            ‘Perce, Trylia’s cell, now! We have a situation.’
            Relsor ignited his two blades and blocked Jassahmi’s black blade, as Trylia cast a flurry with her purple staff. She stood next to Relsor, purple and red lightsabers glowing and humming together. Perce entered the room just as Jassahmi was using Force Speed to attack both Relsor and Trylia with such might, Trylia could barely predict where to block next.
            Jassahmi screamed as she was struck with intense lightning from behind her. Relsor pushed her away. His face was contorted with anger, his nose crinkled in disdain.
            ‘Leave now, or I will kill you myself. You have a job to do for me. Perhaps you’d like me to give it to someone else? Perhaps you want to die?’
            ‘No, my Lord,’ said Jassahmi. ‘I will obey you. But this will be the last mission I ever do for you.’
            ‘If you abandon your mission while it is still incomplete…’ Relsor left the threat hanging.
            ‘I won’t. I will await your orders of dismissal. And then you will never see me again.’
            ‘Good. Now go, fulfil your task. Don’t disappoint me or I will hunt you down myself and ensure you have been killed.’ Relsor looked at Perce. ‘Perce, escort her and make sure she leaves this time.’
            ‘Will do, Relsor.’ Perce sent another burst of lightning at Jassahmi as she walked out of the room.
            ‘We will have to continue this another time, my dear,’ said Relsor, lowering his head, as lightning danced at his fingertips. ‘I could not immobilize her in the vulnerable state I was in, but I do not blame you. I will not make you suffer the might of my dark side.’ Relsor closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. ‘I must go and release my anger on a deserving target.’
            ‘Please try to release it in a productive way,’ said Trylia, ‘it’s a lot better than just taking it out on anyone.’
            Relsor smiled, but this time it was a sinister smile that actually frightened Trylia. ‘Don’t worry, my dear, I know exactly how to utilise this rage.’
            Relsor left swiftly, leaving Trylia with a strange sensation of foreboding.

* * *

            Shadie felt weak, her energy was low, she felt queasy, though she had not let herself be sick. As much as using the Force had caused these sensations of illness, she had also used the Force to heal herself. There was a constant loop of sensations running through her body, but now she was drained. 
            The door swung open and a bolt of lightning caught Shadie square in the chest. She flew across the room, hitting her head on the wall. She looked at Relsor, who stood with his hands extended towards her. He shot more lightning at her. Shadie shouted in pain.
            ‘Bow to the dark side that is your Lord!’
            ‘I will never bow to you!’
            ‘I don’t think you understand, Shadie, I am giving you no choice. You will use the dark side to defeat me or your lover will die.’ Relsor pointed at the monitor and Knarf began to choke. Shadie came at Relsor and was pushed back. She sent lightning his way, and he caught it with his own, which came towards her, and she received both his and hers. ‘Stop using the powers the way the Jedi taught you to use them. Use the powers Kromus taught you to use.’ Relsor released his grip on Knarf. Then Knarf began reeling in pain, shouting out, jerking this way and that. ‘Come at me, Shadie.’
            ‘Not with the dark side. You will not break me!’
            Shadie felt ill. Relsor grabbed her with one hand and sent dark side energy into her body. Shadie screamed; she felt such pain. She tried to drain him of the Force or of life, only to realise she was draining herself. She stopped the attempt, falling onto her hands and knees. Relsor lifted her into the air with the Force and immobilised her.
            ‘Only the dark side can defeat me, Shadie. Now use it or Knarf will die and so will you!’
            Relsor sent Shadie more lightning. Shadie tried to move, but he had her in stasis, not the one from her cell, but one caused by his Force powers. Relsor paced to and fro, watching her, sending bursts of lightning every now and then. His hands weren’t even up to hold her. It was like when Knarf had fought him on Mandalore’s flagship; Relsor could keep anyone immobile through the Force with a mere thought. 
            ‘You won’t kill me,’ said Shadie, ‘you need me for something. Tell me what it is.’
            ‘Not until I can sense the dark side take over you.’
            Relsor used the Force to cause Shadie pain, it felt like a thousand needles were pricking her skin; it was excruciating. She felt as though her insides were boiling, as though she was bleeding; she screamed. Lightning struck her and Relsor extended both hands, he lifted her even higher above the floor, the lightning hitting her and dancing across her entire body in a continuous stream.
            Shadie reached within, she would not turn to the dark side just to find out what Relsor needed her for, but she reached out to her friend at the Crypt. It was time to unleash her full power. She tried to use her newfound powers to break free from Relsor’s stasis grip, but she could not, perhaps both light and dark were needed here. She reached within using the Force.
            ‘I need you,’ she thought in her mind. ‘Hurry, lend me the power of the dark side so I can break free from Relsor’s grip on me.’
            She felt the Sith’s powers fuel her and fill her nerves, lightning danced on her fingertips, as she felt his powers enhance hers. The illness alleviated briefly and she tried to spill lightning out from her fingertips, but mere flickers that died out quickly was all she could manage. Again they tried, harder this time, just to break free, focusing on Relsor, on his malady, on the grip he had her in, tried to push, tried to pull. Nothing would do.
            ‘Why is this not working!’ she screamed out loud.
            ‘I don’t know,’ came the reply through the Force. ‘He is too strong, he is breaking the Force, and it is damaging the Crypt.’ The Pure Blood Sith sent an imprint through the Force, and Shadie could see, feel and hear the tremors shaking the Crypt, as though an earthquake were causing it to shatter from within. ‘I cannot allow this to continue; I must break free from the bond. I cannot allow him to destroy my hold on the Force, or the entire galaxy might be destroyed along with it.’
            ‘I understand, you are a focal point in the Force,’ Shadie whispered.
            Shadie tried to use what little bit of strength she had left to create a barrier, to shield herself, but that too did not work. It seemed as though nothing could break the grip Relsor had on her.
            Only one who is destined to destroy Relsor can break free from his grasp, Shadie heard the Sphere tell her. My Master wishes he could do more but he must preserve our domain. I can speak between you, but I cannot lend you such power as he can. There is only one who can be unaffected by Relsor’s grasp.
            I guess that means it’s not me.
            Shadie closed her eyes. Was this how she would die then, with pain, lightning, dark side energy, illness, all coursing through her body? She began to spasm as the pain became unbearable, as though she had to run, yet she could not move. She felt strange inside of her own body, as though something needed to be unleashed, needed to get out. She could not flee, she could not fight, she could not quell her spasming muscles. Tears streaked her face as she realised she was helpless against Relsor and she feared for her life.
            Suddenly the lightning stopped and Shadie fell, hitting the ground with a hard thump. She shouted out in alarm. Panting, she tried to get up, but could only manage to prop herself up into a sitting position, leaning against the wall.
            Relsor was looking at his hands, as he balled them into fists, his mouth clenched tightly, and then his hands relaxed again. He looked at her, his expression difficult to read.
            ‘Shadie?’ He sounded unsure all of a sudden.
            ‘Relsor?’
            Relsor shook his head. ‘No, not Relsor.’ Relsor gave Shadie a side smile, a familiar smile that only one person she knew did in that specific way. Shadie felt confused.
            ‘Fane?’ she asked. He nodded.
            He walked to her and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. He shook his head. ‘I don’t know how long we can keep the connection, we probably don’t have much time.’
            ‘I don’t understand. Who’s we?’
            ‘Lian has been helping me. Turns out my connection was never to Gourd, but always with Relsor’s malady.’ 
            Shadie then realised what this meant. ‘Then you are meant to defeat him,’ she said. Fane, within Relsor’s body, nodded. ‘Relsor is trying to break me.’
            ‘I know. I’ve been here a while. I’m sorry, I had trouble taking control of his mind. This isn’t easy and it takes its toll on me. But I had to try to tell you.’ He paused, cringing.  ‘Head aches. I feel my own head ache, even from within Relsor’s head.’
            ‘Can he hear us?’
            ‘No. He thinks Lian is trying to connect with him. He’ll blank out.’ Shadie nodded. Fane wiped a tear from Shadie’s face with his thumb. ‘Looks like I arrived just in time to save you.’ He smiled gingerly. ‘That’s twice now, even if the first time was after I myself had tried to kill you.’ Shadie smiled back at her friend. ‘Relsor has the remains of Kromus’s holocron,’ Fane continued. ‘He’s pieced them together and wants to turn you to the dark side so that you can summon Kromus’s spirit. He needs it for secrets, something to do with the Crypt, a secret apparently not even you know about. A secret he believes your ominous exiled friend might know.’
            ‘Then I guess I can pretend,’ said Shadie. ‘I’m so stupid to try to resist his attempts and not even play along. I thought I could defeat him.’
            ‘You’re not meant to.’ Relsor’s eyes were soft, as Shadie knew Fane was seeing her through them. ‘You couldn’t know what you needed to do, don’t blame yourself for anything.’ Shadie nodded; Fane knew exactly what she needed to hear. ‘Tell me, did Knarf manage to…’
            ‘Yes.’
            ‘Good. I know someone who’s eager to reveal himself as alive.’ Fane wiped more of Shadie’s tears from her face with his hand.
            ‘Emain is well then?’ she asked.
            ‘Yes, he is on Tython with us.’ 
            Shadie smiled. ‘How is Talyc?’ 
            Fane as Relsor smiled fondly. ‘Healing. Almost back to his usual self.’ 
            Shadie nodded. ‘I’m glad.’ She felt joy, for Fane had grown so much in the Force, yet she felt dread, for Fane would have to defeat Relsor and she feared for his fate.
            Fane’s expression changed, the red eyes narrowing.
            ‘Relsor is trying to regain his mind, he has sensed Lian, but he has not found me.’ Fane helped Shadie up. He hugged her. ‘I’m sorry you had to live all this.’
            ‘None of this is your fault, Fane.’ Shadie smiled. ‘Don’t you blame yourself either.’
            ‘Give him what he wants, Shadie. Pretend he’s broken you.’
            ‘Then prepare for an exciting showdown.’
            ‘See you back on Tython.’
            Fane stepped back from Shadie and smiled one last time, before the expression on Relsor’s face hardened again. 
            Relsor looked around, inclining his head when he saw Shadie in her standing position.
            ‘How did you break free?’
            ‘Do you not remember what just happened?’ Relsor shook his head. ‘I’m not entirely sure myself, but I reached into myself and towards all the rage I felt towards you for what you were causing me.’ Shadie let lightning dance on her fingertips; even though she was weak, she tried to look strong. ‘I am weakened now. Look what you’ve done; you’ve made me use the dark side. And now you’re stuck with it. Is that what you wanted? To unleash Darth Shadie onto the galaxy?’ Shadie let rage seep into her voice. Relsor sneered at Shadie.
            ‘What is it that you want from me?’ she insisted. ‘Let’s get his done with while I still have that rage living inside of me. To be honest, I’m not sure if it’s here to stay or if it will fade, so we might as well utilise it while we can. And while you’re at it,’ she pointed at the monitor, ‘release him.’ She put command into her voice to sound as Darth Shadie would have sounded.
            Relsor laughed. ‘Well, well, welcome home Darth Shadie. I think we can come to some sort of arrangement. Allow me to make preparations and I will return to you very shortly. This ordeal was very fruitful.’
            Shadie pulled Relsor towards her with the Force, casting lightning, and she began to drain him, just enough to convince him of her ploy. She held him steady and she took his life energy into herself. This time the draining worked. She began to feel a bit better. Relsor grunted.
            ‘You almost killed me and caused me to weaken,’ Shadie said, ‘it’s only fair that I take back some of your life energy to refuel my strength. I’m going to need it for whatever task you have for me.’
            Relsor used the Force to pull himself away from Shadie. There was amusement on his face.
            ‘If it means that Darth Shadie is on my ship and not Jedi Eidahs, then a bit of draining is no big deal. Besides, you’d have to drain me a long time to actually cause me any damage.’ Relsor chuckled. ‘And I admit, you do raise a fair point.’
            ‘Then give me a target to drain, give me a target onto whom I can unleash my rage!’
            ‘Just hold tight, Shadie. Allow me to ensure all is in place.’ 

* * *

            Fane was hunched over and looked very pale. Lian and Talyc held him in place; had they not caught him, he would have fallen on the floor.
            ‘Fane?’ said Talyc, a bit unsure. 
            Fane opened his eyes and looked around. ‘I feel like I’m going to be sick.’
            ‘Use the Force to calm yourself.’ Lian’s voice was soothing.
            ‘Just try not to be sick in my lap, eh?’ said Talyc. Fane laughed. ‘Ah, there’s the smile, my man. You’re all right, everything is all right.’ Talyc took Fane in his arms; he was shaking.
            ‘It took me a while to take control,’ said Fane.
            ‘Does that mean you succeeded?’ asked Lian.
            ‘Yes, I told Shadie. I arrived just in time. Relsor was torturing her and… It was difficult to watch.’
            ‘She’s all right now, thanks to you,’ said Talyc.
            ‘Yes, and we might want to let Emain know that things are about to go down over there. He might want in on the action.’
            ‘Well, let’s let Lian take care of that,’ said Talyc. ‘You just rest up and gather your strength, and I’ll make sure you’re okay.’

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“Healers of the Force” is written by Celinka Serre (2021).

Disclaimer: The Characters in this Fan-Fiction are new and have original names. The story is an original written work. The story is derivative and consistent of Fan-Fiction since it borrows the franchise world of Star Wars. Certain jargon and places, or concepts mentioned, along with the SW Old Republic universe belong to Lucasfilm Ltd. and Disney. No characters or story lines from the films are used. No story lines or characters from the games or books are used. A handful of characters from the games may be referenced, but are not the main focus in this fanfic story.  This fan-fiction story falls under Fair Use.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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