TWISTED.
❝ i'm not a jedi, but I'm not a sith. i'm me, and that's what matters.❞
Despina Anseris never asked for her mission. She never asked to see the place she called home get torn apart because of her best friend's rath. She never asked to see...
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"Ben! BEN!"
The Jedi Praxeum was burning, lit from the monstrous storm circling above it. My eyes watered from being in close proximity to the flames and from the terror of my current situation as I tripped over fallen bodies, some being peers I never considered friends but knew I could turn to if something went south. A few still held their lightsaber hilts in their hands, the rest scattered across the cement tiles. There was a painful tug in my gut every few seconds, a reminder that more continued to perish for an unknown reason.
"Ben!" I screamed again, the rain causing my soaked hair to fall over my eyes but somehow not slow the spread of the flames. In the distance, I saw a group of hooded figures huddled together, trying to escape the fallen Praxeum. I was relieved to at least see someone; I didn't care at the time how stupid it was to announce my presence to a person I didn't yet know to be a friend or foe. "Hey! Help! Help! I-"
I felt an unseen force wrap around my waist and pull me forward, causing me to stop mid-sentence and yelp as I was painfully dragged in their direction. I could feel my skin scraping as I slid across the concrete and to the group's feet, but I barely had a chance to react to the pain before a green lightsaber blade was held under my chin. My chest rose and fell quickly as I glanced up at the person holding me hostage, a pale teal Twi'lek with narrowed hazel eyes. I recognized him instantly: Cael Gutalla,
"Despina Anseris," he snarled, lowering the blade barely an inch. I glared up at the Twi'lek, hoping my tears looked more like raindrops from the storm. Based on our past history, I didn't need him to see me scared. "Where's your boyfriend?"
"I think it's clear I don't know," I shot back, and his lekku shook in rage. "What's going on here? What happened?"
"Luke Skywalker is dead," one of Cael's associates spat. I felt my blood run cold. "Solo killed him... and he's turning us all against each other. What lays behind you are his dead followers who begged for mercy after attempting to murder us."
"No... no!" I shook my head, my body beginning to shake. I placed my hands on the ground in attempt to stabilize myself, almost kneeling to the Twi'lek. "You're wrong... you're lying! Ben wouldn't-"
"You two have always been close," Cael continued, rage burning in his eyes. "Don't pretend that you didn't know about this!" My eyes widened as I realized what he was hinting at. "Where is he hiding?!"
"I- I don't know," I stammered, my breathing becoming more erratic as I feared what the Twi'lek would do. "Cael- please, I-"
"Stop lying!" he screamed, lighting lighting up the sky behind him, and he swung his lightsaber above his head to make a fatal blow. I only had a few seconds to think of my next move. I rolled to the side before the blade could cut through me and ignited my weapon, the two purple blades looking more menacing than friendly. Cael grinned darkly as if he had managed to make me reveal some terrible secret I had been keeping from him. "Take care of her, boys," he told the three hooded figures behind him. "I have a killer to hunt down."
