Legacy of the Shadow of the Jedi | REMAKE |

37. A Fallen Defender

|| Location: ??, ?? , ??||

|| Timeline: 23 BBY ||

The air in the training chamber was thick with tension. The dim lighting cast long shadows across the cold, metallic walls, reflecting the flickering crimson glow of the synthetic lightsaber crystals held by the recruits before me. I stood silently, the weight of my own newly bled red blade hanging at my side, a stark contrast to the red crystals they now wielded with pride.

My mind, once filled with the ideals of the Jedi, had shifted. The torture had left me hollow, a vessel ready to be filled with the dark power that Dooku and Sidious promised. My thoughts no longer wandered to the past, to Liora, to the daughter I had hidden away on Chandrila. Those memories were locked away, buried under the weight of what I had become. Now, there was only the mission, only the power I had to harness. The Dark Side had become my ally, and I would use it to its fullest extent.

Dooku stood beside me, his presence commanding the attention of the recruits. These were the early disciples of a new order—Acolytes, drawn to the dark side for their own reasons. Artel Darc, a brooding figure with a fierce determination in his eyes; the Dark Acolyte trio, their identities concealed but their hatred for the Jedi palpable; Karoc and Vinoc, the brothers whose bond seemed as strong as their blades; Kern and Ror, the Zabrak whose double-bladed lightsaber hinted at a deadly skill; Saato, the Dathomiri witch with an aura of ancient power; Trenox, the human male who exuded a calm menace; and Sev'rance Tann, the Chiss whose cold gaze spoke of a ruthless intelligence.

"These," Dooku began, his voice smooth yet firm, "are the first of many. They are the vanguard of the new order we will establish. Each of them has been chosen for their potential, for the darkness that already stirs within them."

He turned to me, his eyes narrowing slightly as if to assess what I had become. "Mortifex will be your instructor in the art of lightsaber combat. His reputation precedes him—one of the most skilled duelists the Jedi Order has ever known, now reborn in the shadow of the dark side."

I felt their eyes on me, a mixture of curiosity and wariness. They had heard of me, of course. My techniques were renowned, feared even. But this was different. I could sense their doubts, their questions. What could a former Jedi teach them of the dark side? How could someone once dedicated to the light now instruct them in the ways of destruction?

I stepped forward, letting the silence build for a moment. My mind was clear, a sharp focus honed by the trials I had endured. I no longer feared the darkness—it was mine to wield.

"The Jedi," I began, my voice even, betraying nothing of the turmoil that had once plagued me, "believed that restraint and defense were the highest virtues in combat. They were wrong."

I ignited my lightsaber, the red blade humming to life, cutting through the air with a sharp, distinct sound. "Soresu, Djem So—these forms were taught to me as tools of protection. But here, you will learn to twist them, to use them not just for defense, but for domination. You will learn to lure your enemies into a false sense of security, to make them think they have the upper hand. And then, you will strike. You will overwhelm them with power they never saw coming."

The recruits watched, their faces reflecting a mix of anticipation and skepticism. I could feel their emotions, their eagerness to prove themselves, to embrace the dark power that had brought them here.

"There is no room for hesitation," I continued, pacing slowly before them, my lightsaber casting a fiery red light on their faces. "The Jedi hesitated. They clung to their outdated code, and that is why they will fall. You, however, will learn to act without hesitation, to strike with precision and overwhelming force. You will become weapons, sharpened to perfection, guided by the dark side."