Legends of the Stars

Chapter 12: The Beast Cometh

Chapter 12

The Beast Cometh

The Champions continued down the mine shaft until completely darkness surrounded them. Revan focused his suit's energy into the palm of his hand, illuminating the tunnel with its white glow.

They all followed Revan down the mine track stretching deep into the cavern. Their eyes dotted around the cave as they ventured further into the shadows. Rats scurried across their path as they desperately fled from the light. Mauled corpses of Imperial soldiers were piled up in front of them, clutching swords and guns covered with rust. Beyond them all was a large doorway held up by wooden beams. This led to a large grotto standing above a massive pit forged from lava streams long ago.

The cliffs were connected by long, wooden bridges stretching across the rocky chasm. The entire chamber was like a forest of stone trees branching out over a black abyss. Only a thin set of metal and wooden bars forged the path over a fathomless void.

Balancing themselves across the bridge laid before them, the Champions watched each step they took to avoid a fatal plunge. Even so, they tried to stay as quiet as possible to avoid alerting any demons of their presence. They eventually reached the other end of the cavern, where an ancient staircase rose up towards the ancient city. While everyone else started climbing it, Jaden noticed Darek trembling next to him.

"You okay?" Jaden asked him,

"Not really," he answered softly. "This place brings up a lot of bad memories."

"What do you mean?"

"When I was a kid, the Empire sent me work in a hole like this. After they invaded my village, they sent all the children away to do slave labor. We were forced to mine for crystals nonstop for the entire day. When we were done, they would make us sleep in these small, cramped cages. I couldn't even stand up straight. I was willing to do anything to get out of there. So when they started enlisting men for the Imperial Army, and they picked me, I was thrilled. But after my first mission in Astrelm, I just couldn't fight for them. And so, by some miracle, I managed to escape, but not in one piece."

Darek looked down on his bionic arm: a constant reminder of what the Empire took from him. He could feel that phantom pain shoot through the end of it once again. It felt all the more real now that he stood in the kind of Hell he was forced to grow up in.

"I never wanted to see the Empire again, but I couldn't just sit by and let them ruin people's lives. I knew I had to help put a stop to them. But I sword I'd never end up in a place this again."

Darek's heartbreaking story left Jaden dead silent. He always thought he had a hard life, but sometimes, he forgot how much worse some people's lives were. Even though he's had his fair share of suffering, Jaden still grew up in a comfortable home with a loving family. Compared to Darek, he was one of the lucky ones.

But even after living a life of slavery and misfortune, Darek still gave whatever he could to support his fellow man. Jaden couldn't help but admire him for it.

They both caught up with the others after climbing the stone staircase. The Champions walked through a grand archway leading into an even bigger cavern. And lo, they beheld an entire city literally buried in time.

"This is it," Revan said in marvel and awe, "The ancient city of Mesadah."

* * *

The streets were lined with stone towers that pierced into the ceiling. All of these buildings continued until they reached the central tower. The city's layout was very similar of Arkrelm's, having both been born from the Old World culture. Jaden could've spent days exploring and admiring these wondrous ruins if it wasn't for the mission at hand.