"I'm sorry!!!!"
"Help me please help me!!!!"
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHUH!!!"
The mask covering his face began glowing bright red. Lines of crimson energy surged from the mask, burning into Vox's skin. His screams intensified as the mask violently fused itself to him. A blinding flash of red light erupted from Vox's body, and he collapsed limply to the floor.
For a moment, everything was silent.
Slowly, Vox's body rose upright. The mask tilted upward, looking directly at the gathered Jedi.
"A new era," came a deep voice from behind the mask, echoing through the temple.
Yoda stumbled back, his eyes widening as he sensed the wound in the Force standing before him. Cold dread washed over him; his worst fears had been realised, Darth Nihilus had been incarnated.
He turned quickly to the Jedi Knights and Padawans behind him.
"Knights and Padawans, leave now, you must!" Yoda shouted.
Yoda then drew deeply upon the Force, surrounding himself with a glowing barrier of protective energy. Master Fay followed, quickly enveloping herself in the same shimmering protection. The rest of the Jedi Masters joined them, forming a luminous shield around their bodies as the younger Jedi ran toward the temple exit.
"No," Darth Nihilus said.
The temple exploded.
Massive waves of energy ripped outward, obliterating columns and walls in an instant. Stones broke apart and fell heavily onto the fleeing Jedi. The ceiling cracked and huge pieces collapsed into the chamber. Jaden sprinted through the collapsing debris toward Aubrie and Zule. He dodged falling stone, leaping over obstacles as he moved. When he reached them, he grabbed their arms and pulled them toward Scout's position.
Scout was still unconscious beneath the rubble. Jaden knelt quickly and felt for her pulse, relieved to find it faint but present.
Another explosion rocked the temple, sending debris raining down toward them. Jaden raised his hand and projected a shield of Force energy above their heads. He strained under the intense weight, holding desperately against the falling rocks.
Across the chamber, the Jedi Masters struggled to maintain their barrier. They stood firm, holding back the collapsing temple, giving the younger Jedi precious moments to escape.
A final blast from Darth Nihilus tore through the chamber, overwhelming their barriers. The ceiling gave way entirely. Stones fell everywhere, burying everything beneath them.
For several long moments, nothing moved beneath the rubble. Then, slowly, the Jedi Masters began to lift the fallen stones away. They used the Force carefully, shifting debris to uncover those who had been trapped. They managed to save most of the Jedi Knights and Padawans, but some bodies lay still, crushed beneath the collapsed temple. With the temple now reduced to ruins, daylight poured freely into the chamber. The Jedi squinted against the sudden brightness. Standing atop a large, shattered stone in the middle of what had been the atrium was Darth Nihilus, his back against the sun.
A cold fear took hold of the Jedi. Every instinct told them to flee from this figure that radiated pure terror.
Suddenly, Master Eeth Koth leapt from behind Nihilus, screaming with his lightsaber raised high above his head. "Master Koth wait!!!" Master Fay shouted for him to stop, but he didn't listen.
Darth Nihilus turned swiftly, grabbing Eeth Koth with the Force. He pulled the Jedi Master close and drained the life from his body. Within seconds, Eeth Koth's lifeless form fell to the ground.
The Jedi stood frozen in shock, witnessing the death of a Council member so quickly and effortlessly.
Darth Nihilus shuddered visibly as he absorbed Eeth Koth's life force. He then turned toward the Jedi survivors, reaching out with the Force to pull the weaker Jedi toward him. Padawans and Knights desperately struggled against his grip.
Yoda and the Council acted immediately. Yoda, Fay, Shaak Ti, and Kit Fisto focused together, projecting Force Stasis to immobilize Nihilus. Mace Windu and Cin Drallig rushed forward to attack directly with their lightsabers, even knowing how dangerous it was to get close.
Jaden had already moved Scout safely away, healing her injuries. As he looked up, he saw Nihilus easily resisting the combined attack of the entire Council. Nihilus unleashed a Force Scream followed by arcs of red lightning, overwhelming them all instantly. The Council members staggered under the assault, trying to shield themselves.
Yoda desperately used the Force to lift large chunks of debris, hurling them toward Nihilus. Nihilus simply waved them away.
Master Fay fell to the ground, injured by a blast of red lightning. Jaden cursed under his breath, turning quickly toward the girls.
"Run!" he shouted urgently to Aubrie, Scout, and Zule. "This time, I mean it—go!"
He rushed off immediately to reach Master Fay before Nihilus could finish her. Nihilus extended his hand toward Fay, dragging her body across the broken ground toward him. Jaden reached out desperately through the Force, trying to break Nihilus's grip. Although he couldn't stop Nihilus completely, he distracted him enough that Nihilus turned sharply, raising both hands toward Jaden instead.
Aubrie screamed "No!" as Nihilus unleashed red lightning directly at Jaden. Jaden was caught completely off guard and screamed in agony as the red lightning tore through his body. The force of the blast lifted him from his feet and threw him violently onto the ground.
Red lightning was the deadliest form of Force lightning, and its effects were immediate and brutal. Jaden's body lay still where it had landed.
Aubrie sprinted desperately toward Jaden, but she was caught by Nihilus's Force pull, which continued relentlessly drawing Jedi toward him. Aubrie struggled in panic, screaming helplessly as she saw Jaden lying motionless, unable to reach him.
Yoda moved forward, gathering every ounce of his strength. He halted Nihilus's pull on the Padawans and Knights, stopping Nihilus in his tracks. Yoda leapt onto a large boulder opposite Nihilus, facing him directly.
"Stop you, I will," Yoda said, projecting his full power. He fought directly against Nihilus's control, forcing a stalemate between them.
Master Fay regained consciousness, breaking free of Nihilus's weakened grip. She immediately saw Jaden lying nearby and rushed to his side. She dropped down beside him, quickly checking for signs of life. There was no pulse, and Jaden's body remained still and unresponsive.
"Jaden, wake up," Fay said urgently. She placed her hands on his chest, trying desperately to heal him. Healing wasn't her strength, but she poured every bit of her limited skill into the attempt.
It made no difference. Jaden didn't move.
...
"AHHH!!!" Jaden screamed as he sat up quickly, only to realise that the pain he was just in a moment ago wasn't there, he looked down at his body in confusion, his clothing was different too. He then looked up, there was no temple to be seen, the only thing he could see were endless rolling hills with beautiful swaying grass.
*BOOM*
Jaden looked up as he heard a loud echoing sound come from the sky; yet he saw nothing when he looked up, only a beautiful blue sky. "What is this place?" He muttered to himself.
"I'm sure you know by now," he heard a familiar voice say from behind him.
Jaden whipped his head around, his heart skipping a beat. The sound wasn't just familiar it was one that he'd never forget. One that was etched into his very soul. When he turned around his suspicions were confirmed when he saw a beautiful purple skinned Twi'lek with a massive smile on her face.
Jaden felt his heart clench. "Velea..." he said, his voice cracking as his emotions threatened to overwhelm him.
Jaden..." she said back. Never had he known he needed to hear something more than right at this moment. Her simply saying his name was something so simple and yet before he would've given everything he had to hear it again.
Jaden rushed over to her engulfing her in a hug, one that she gladly returned. With his emotions overwhelming him Jaden couldn't help but sob; he thought he'd never see her again. 'How are you here?' He wanted to ask, but before the words even left his mouth he realised he didn't care, it only mattered that he was here.
So instead. "I missed you so much," those were the words that came out instead, uttered with every bit of love that Jaden had for her.
"I never left," Velea said as she rubbed his back.
For a while Jaden just held her, he didn't know whether it was for minutes or for hours. He didn't care. He wanted this moment to last forever.
Eventually it was Velea who drew back, the beautiful smile still erected into her face. She ran her hands up his arms. "It brings me such joy to touch you again, to feel you, to hold you," she said.
Jaden smiled and pushed his head against hers. "I never want it to end."
"You've been through much since the last time we saw each other," Velea said as she looked up at him.
"At least it's over now," Jaden said as he looked around at the rolling hills.
"Is this it?" He said, having a suspicion of where he was.
Velea nodded. "The beyond," she said.
*BOOM*
Jaden heard the noise again, but he ignored it this time. It's beautiful," be said with a small smile. He then took Velea's hand. "How about you show me around?" He added with a grin.
Though when he tried to pull Velea didn't move. Jaden looked back, a frown forming on this face. "What's wrong?" He asked.
Velea smiled sadly at him.
Jaden instantly understood what that smile said, he'd never needed words with Velea.
He shook his head. "I don't want to go back," he said, his voice breaking slightly.
Velea stepped up to him and put her hands on his chest as she looked up at him.
Jaden looked down at her, his eyes tearing up. "I've done enough for them... I've given it my all, can't I rest now?" He asked.
*BOOM*
Jaden looked up again. "I want to stay with you..." he said.
Velea pushed up on her feet and kissed him on the lips. "I'll always be here waiting for you," she whispered.
Jaden didn't want to go, he wanted so much to stay here with Velea. But both of them knew that even if he could stay he wouldn't. Not when the others were in danger, in the end he wouldn't have been able to bring himself to do it.
"He's so strong..." Jaden said. "I don't know how I can injure, let alone defeat him."
Velea shook her head. "Jaden you are the only one who can defeat him."
Jaden looked at her with a confused expression on his face. "What do you mean?" He asked.
Velea ran her hands down his arm. "You're different Jaden, you've always known that." She then grabbed his hand and turned it around. "Your blood is special."
"Special?" Jaden said with a confused expression. He knew having black blood wasn't exactly normal, especially for someone who looked human, but he just assumed he was a hybrid.
Velea nodded. "You have the blood of the Far Outsiders."
"Who are they?" Jaden asked.
"They are also known as, the Yuuzhan Vong."
Jaden had never heard of such a race before; were they some obscure race from the outer rim?
"They aren't from your galaxy, they come from far far away," she said as if reading his thoughts.
Jaden nodded slowly. "Even so I'm not sure how this is supposed to help me beat Darth Nihilus."
Velea smiled. "The Vong live outside of the force, they are not affected by it, you could say they are immune."
Jadens eyes widened in shock. "How is that possible, I thought all living things had the force in them?"
"The universe is a lot bigger than you can imagine," Velea replied.
"But wait..." Jaden said as he thought for a moment. "I've been affected by the force before, I've been thrown around and I was just hit by force lightning."
Velea nodded. "You are a perfect hybrid, you're able to use the force while still maintaining outsider blood."
"However they cannot coexist at the same time," Velea stated.
"When you truly use your heritage it will cut you off from the force, rendering you unable to use it, but in return you become immune to its effects, even becoming invisible to a force users senses," she explained.
Jaden was having trouble believing it, but he knew Velea would never lie to him. "How do I do it?" He asked.
Velea smiled. "It's your body Jaden, you will know what to do."
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
The sky started to crack and the world starts to fall away around him.
"It's time Jaden..." Velea said with a sad smile.
Jaden looked up at the sky. "Will I ever see you again..." he asked.
Velea grabbed his cheeks in her palms. "We are connected by threads that go beyond our world," she whispered.
"Whether in this life or the next, we will find each other again..."
Jaden and Velea shared one more kiss before the world fell away and Jaden saw her for the last time.
(AN: Damn so Jaden finally got to see Velea again, sadly not in the way he would've liked to, but at least he got a proper goodbye. We also now have confirmation on Jadens heritage and why his blood is black and also why his midichlorian count can't be read. My pseudo scientific explanation is that the plasma effectively masks his force signature at times. Doesn't make sense when you think about it too hard so just don't think. Anyway hope you enjoyed.
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