Fragments of the Dark

Chapter Forty-Two

Din landed on the rocky ground of the cavern a half second too late.

His scream died on his lips as he watched Celene drive her own lightsaber through her torso.  Her body went slack and she dropped to her knees.  He surged forward, only to be barred from going any closer by two of the crimson-clad guard and their humming sabers. 

On his throne, Celene's master, the Emperor himself, only seemed to sigh with disappointment.  "You are foolish and weak.  Unworthy of your power."  He held up his hand, raising Celene's limp form into the air, her chest heaving as she struggled to breathe from the fatal wound she'd inflicted.  "You underestimate the power gathered here.  The power that can heal even a mortal wound." 

"No," Din heard her choked voice as light emitted from the wound on her stomach.  She gasped, the skin stitching together.  The Emperor dropped her to the ground.  "The ancient Sith here serve me," her master snarled.  "With their aid and power, I am unstoppable.  Your fate in inevitable."  His gaze turned to Din, who was subsequently shoved forward by the guards.  He frowned.  "You do not belong here."  His milky gaze looked to his apprentice.  "Do you know this Mandalorian?"

Celene was crouched on the ground, keeled over, panting.  She didn't even look at Din.  "No."

"Do not lie, apprentice."  Lightening shot from his hand slamming into her body.  She arched, fingers scrabbling at the ground as a scream tore itself from her throat.  

"Stop!"  Din roared, the word condemning them both.

The Emperor left Celene and turned to him.  "Ah.  You are here for her."  He turned to her heaving form.  "Does he even know what you are?"

Celene didn't answer but Din said, "It does not matter who or what she is.  She belongs to no one."

"Din, don't..." Celene's voice was hoarse, full of warning.

"Foolish boy."  The Emperor spat.  "She belongs to the Empire.  She is my apprentice and her role to play is inevitable." 

Behind Din, the circle of guards drew closer, the glow of their sabers filling the space.  The Emperor smiled.  "And I will not have anyone tampering with my belongings."  He raised his hand, lightning dancing on his fingertips.  Din closed his eyes, knowing these were his last seconds. 

Lightning sparked and light exploded.  Din opened his eyes and stumbled backward as Celene blocked the arc of power with her saber.  

Her feet braced on the stone, teeth gritted as she gripped her blade.  "You will not touch him," she snarled, a voice Din had never heard from her before.  The black robes she wore fluttered around her on a phantom wind.  

Her master cut off his attack abruptly.  "You have no hopes to defeat me.  I have the strength of all the Sith at my disposal.  I am all the Sith."

Celene stood in front of Din, swinging her saber as the guards around them closed in.  "Not all the Sith," she said.  For the faintest second Din glimpsed a second tall figure standing behind Celene, orange eyes glowing.  

The Emperor drew back.  "Darth Plagueis... Master." 

There was no time to dwell on this as the guard nearest Celene leaped for her, blade raised.  She ducked shoving him away with the Force as a second took his place.  The heat of a saber striking his Beskar brought Din from his stupor and he rolled to the side to avoid the second blow.  The pair of guards advanced and Din retreated, dodging their blows.

He may have been a Mandalorian but these were the Emperor's personal guards and Din was sorely outgunned and outmanned.  They alternated blows, driving him back further to the edge of the cavern.  A lightsaber sliced the exposed skin of his thigh, one of the only places the Beskar didn't cover.  

He growled in pain and went down on one knee.  He raised his blaster, intent on dying a warrior's death when a black-robed figure leaped in front of him, shielding him from the next strike.  The guards drew back momentarily distracted.  The figure looked back at Din and he realized it was not Celene.  It was a Sith ghost, the edges of the apparition slightly blurry.  One intent on helping him and Celene.

The Ancient Sith here serve me, her master had declared.  I am all the Sith.

Din had assumed the Emperor had been referring to six red-clad warriors that now attempted to kill both him and Celene.

Not all the Sith, Celene had said.

Din cast a glance toward the shadows of the caverns, to the massive stones that appeared to be rows of seats.  Whatever the hell this place was, Din realized then, there was more ancient power here than anywhere else in the Galaxy.  And living or not, the Siths' power was still rippling through the planet, through the Emperor.  

And now... he looked to Celene.  She appeared to be imbued with power, and sure enough, the shadowy figures of other Sith melded with her form as she easily cut down the last of the Emperor's guards.  She turned to Din as if sensing his glance.

He started, for there was nothing human in her face and her eyes...  colored as a burnt amber and as orange as the setting suns on Tatooine. 

You will not like what you find.  Luke's warning rang in Din's mind.  

The three guards focused on Din again surging forward but Celene flung out her hand and they scattered like leaves in the wind.  She vaulted forward, further than humanly possible, impaling one of the guards through the chest as she did so.  She spun, robes flying, and sent her lightsaber flying through the air, decapitating the second guard.  

His head dropped, rolling on the ground.  

Din shoved himself to his feet, using the distraction to fire off a shot from his pulse rifle, disintegrating the last guard where he stood.  Celene nodded to him, shoulders heaving.  The power radiating off her figure felt as if it were coursing through him.  He limped to her side and they both faced the Emperor.  

He was seething on his throne.  "You would all betray me?"  His words echoed off the cavern.  

Voices filled the silence and Din risked a look behind him.  Indeed the rows of seats lining the walls seemed to be full of shadowy figures.  But on the ground, slowly appearing one by one behind Celene were silent, hooded figures.  

"They no longer wish to serve a powerless fool."  Celene's saber hummed as she pointed it at the Emperor.  "Your reign is over."

Her master smiled a cruel smile.  "The only way for you to strike be down is to become truth Sith," he hissed.  "The only way they will give you their power and aid you in killing me is if you fully embrace the Darkside."

Din's stomach dropped but Celene deactivated her saber, the hilt disappearing into the folds of her cloak.  The line of Sith behind her grew, a few removing their own hoods to reveal species of all kinds.  But each had one distinguishing feature.  The glow of their amber-colored eyes stood out from the shadows, matching Celene's and the promise of power and chaos and darkness that lurked in the depths.  

"I already have."  She said simply, both hands raised. 

Power hummed filling the space and Din had a split second to brace himself before everything exploded.