Chapter Three: The Brush Fire Wars

[Akirapryde]

Siege of Origin
Lejár Az Idő Kerület
Eredet
Date: 2921 AOK
 
The Shadow Repulse, a Venator Class Star Destroyer, slipped silently and slowly in to orbit high above Origin. As if walking on glass, Duncan stood beside Lysire as they watched this massive warship slipped in to orbit. Its bright lights as well as its red and white markings told all that beheld it, that this mighty ship of war was proud member of the Grand Republic Navy.
 
“Behold,” Lysire said motioning at the ship. “The true corruption of Chancellor Syrdash,” The great seal of the Republic lit up proudly across the nose of the ship. Abeloth’s forces were hiding in plain sight. The ship held the same markings that belonging to the Chancellor’s personal guard.
 
The ship slowly maneuvered, turning on its wide wings toward the planet. Tiny flames from its maneuvering thrusters burst to life as the ship slowed and finally stopped in a low orbit over the northern hemisphere of the planet. Normally when a ship enters orbit, it aligns it nose in the direction of travel for its orbit. The Shadow Repulse instead maintained its orientation with its nose pointed downward as it drifted over the planet. As the ship slipped behind the planet and in to the shadows of the world, its lights became the only visible parts of the ship for the moment.
 
“This is when it all changed,” she said with a frown. “It is one thing to place yourself and those around you in harm’s way. Can you place an entire culture in to harm’s way?”
 
Then without warning, the ship lit up in reddish colors as its energy based weapons opened fire on the world below. Repeatedly the turbolasers and other heavy weapons from the Shadow Repulse ripped downward causing untold damage and suffering with each new blast. Far below, small blooms of energy indicated the points of impact. For nearly thirty minutes, the ship moved across the world targeting different settlements. As the night sky glowed red, the Shadow Repulse fired its engines once more. It slowly descended to the world below.
 
Slowly the Shadow Repulse slipped through the clouds and smoke from the fires as it made its way towards a burning village. Through the clouds, tall spires of a great temple slowly came in to view. As the mighty warship continued to descend, the ship fired more at the village causing massive explosions. The ship overflew the village before turning and making its final landing ten kilometers from the outskirts of the village.
 
“This is our end game,” Lysire said calmly, “this world has no name. However, we have come to call it Origin. It is the origin of all energy. Energy that you have been taught to see as the Force. This world, is where our strength is its strongest.” She frowned as the ship slowly landed. She continued, “Never before has this world seen conflict. It was hidden from Abeloth and her twisted children.” A ramp extended from under the ship. “We brought war to this world so that Abeloth will finally be defeated.”
 
Duncan watched Abeloth slowly walked down the ramp. The form that she had possessed had a name, and that name was Rose Sheridan. He fell her power surging as it started to corrupt this pure world. Behind her, he saw hundreds of force users. Some he knew were Jedi, others he knew were Sith. All had fallen to Abeloth’s temptations. Two of them, stood out to Duncan. He saw Orchid and her Kel’Dor friend. He knew that the two were deeply in love. He could read the Kel’Dor’s thoughts as if they were his own. Her was called Lotus and she was completely devoted to Orchid.
 
Abeloth stopped at the foot of the ramp and motioned them to stop. She smiled as she turned to her minions. “Today we shall have the Sword of Ravin,” Abeloth said. “Tomorrow we shall rule the entire galaxy.” With that, Abeloth step from the Shadow Repulse and on to the sands of Origin.
 
As her foot hit the sand, a loud crack of thunder was heard and lighting flashed high in the sky announcing the arrival of the storm. Duncan felt the powers of Origin surge against Abeloth as the monster’s foot sank deeper in to the sands. Abeloth let out a scream of victory as her own energies continued to corrupt Origin. She took a full step off the ship as she motioned for her minions to hold back.
 
She stumbled a bit as the world continued fight back against her. She slipped down to a knee as her hand landed on the sands. Her flesh started to burn and smoke started to raise from her body. Finally, she let out a laughter. She rose up to her feet and lunged her arms outward as she screamed, “this world belongs to me!”
 
He couldn’t help but notice the ripple of energy surging out from that single point. The ripple reached out far from Origin and across the entire galaxy. In that moment, Duncan felt darkness on the raise as light dimmed across the entire galaxy! The balance had been broken with very real consequences. Battles and conflicts slowly shifted as darkness gained the advantage.
 
Abeloth turned to four of her commanders, “Spread your forces out and engage what enemies you find. I need that village secured by dawn.” With that, more ramps dropped from the ship as tens of thousands of droids started to file out of the ship. Abeloth turned to Orchid and Lotus, “assemble your commands and move on the village.”
 
She then turned to another force user. A man that Duncan knew was a member of Ariel’s Sith Kingdom. His name was Nerus. “Keep your troops close to the artillery. Protect them with your life!” Duncan knew that the man would fail his mission.
 
Abeloth and the rest of her followers started to walk towards village. After a few steps, she stopped and turned to one of her droid commanders. “Protect the landing site at all costs,” she ordered. On that she turned and continued to walk away.
 
As Lysire and Duncan followed the battle, she explained who these people were. “The First Ones, the Architects, the Ancients. Regardless of what you call them. These people are their direct descendants.”
 
Despite the orbital bombardments, the battle for the village was still intense. While these simple people were hunters, and farmers, they fought back with a fierceness that impressed Duncan. He watched a group of farmers wave their hands and a large rock rose from the ground. They continued to move their hands and the rock twisted and crushed inward on its self. Within a moment, the rock became a large crystal-like stone. Three villagers almost danced and then pointed at the stone.
 
At the end of the dance, and from the fingers of these three villagers, Duncan watched blue lightening rip towards the stone. Once the lightening hit the stone, it amplified the energy. A powerful electronic wave of energy washed over the advancing droids and their supporting armor. Duncan realized that these people were drawing on the energy of the world and using it on levels he never dreamed possible. Despite their use of these energy, the orbital bombardment had taken its toll on these people.
 
What didn’t help was Abeloth’s corruption of the world. This limited the power the defenders had access to. This didn’t faze them as rocks flew, fires balls blasted, razor sharp hail fell from the skies and hurricane strength winds blew. What impressed Duncan the most was when a group riding large two-legged lizard rushed forward. They charged the droids, as they created long rods of energy from their bare hands. The rods greatly resembled lightsabers without the hilts. Duncan knew in his heart, he was looking at the origins of the Lightsaber.
 
These rods, cut through the droids and deflected blaster bolts just like any lightsaber. A wave of force users, welding their own lightsabers halted the counter attack in its tracks. Led by Orchid, the villagers were cut down in waves. These invaders were unstoppable! No matter where Duncan and Lysire walked, the scene was the same. The defenders did their best but there was no stopping death which walked among them.
 
Abeloth and her minions calmly walked in to the heart of the village. She smiled as she saw the large pyramid and its spires standing against the storm filled sky. Black lighting flashed behind it causing it to illuminate with a sense of eerie dread. This was the world that she had spent her whole existence searching for. This was it, this was the moment that she would bring the entire universe under her control. There would be no one left to oppose her. She started to move for the large pyramid, knowing that this was where the sword was hidden.
 
However, within seconds, a storm of razor sharp hail slammed down onto her and her minions. Many fell to the attack. Abeloth on the other hand moved her hands to block the incoming shards. Her hands danced across the air shattering them before they could hurt her. Before she could recover from that attack, a powerful gust of wind slammed in to her. The force of the wind was so powerful that it moved Abeloth back as she struggled to resist the force.
 
Half way up the pyramid Abeloth saw a small group of local warriors led by some woman in a green dress, painted face and a golden head piece. Duncan knew that this woman was their queen, and a powerful Force Bender. Her name was Lara. She had a daughter who was hidden within the Temple named Kitti.
 
“By all means! Let’s fight!” Abeloth yelled out as she slammed her foot in to the ground unleashing a powerful wave of Force energy in to the ground. This dislodged a boulder and thrust it in to the air. On that she leaped up in to the air next to the rock that hovered just off the ground. With a powerful round house kick to it, she sent it flying at the warriors. A few dodged the attack but the woman in green stood against the attack and used a force skill that Duncan was not familiar with to shatter the boulder in to dust before it could hit the others. Abeloth waited for their attacks, she was not phased or impressed by them.
 
A man with a pair of hammers rushed forward while bending forward. He spun his arms in a backward motion causing them to slam in to the ground sending massive rocks racing towards Abeloth. He let out a battle cry as he continued to rush forward.
 
Abeloth waved her hand and the rocks flung harmless away from her. He continued his charge much faster than the others who were behind him. He let out a scream as he swung his hammers at Abeloth. She bent backwards as she watched a them pass harmlessly over her body. As she continued to bend backwards she reached over her head with both arms and planted them. Once her arms were planted, she leaped her legs upward driving her feet in to his chest and face. He went flopping backwards on to his back while she flipped head over heels back to her feet.
 
Once back on her feet she rushed him while he leaped back up to his feet. He brought both hammers down at her from over his head as she rushed in for the attack. Abeloth reached up and grabbed both his arms at his wrists as she smiled, he was dead and he knew it. Holding fast to his wrists she lurched him forward as hard as she could while leaping upward towards his chest. She drove both feet in to his rib cage while using the Force to increase the power of her attack. His rib cage crushed under the impact causing bones to rip through his tunic and sides. She landed back on her feet as he toppled backwards, dead.
 
Wasting no time, she slipped to the side as a flaming sword just barely missed her head and upper body. Abeloth saw a woman dressed in deep brown almost red outfit with some type of long fingerless gloves on. She welded a curved broadsword that seemed to be burning as she used it. The next attack from the woman came in fast. Abeloth was faster as she twisted her body to dodge the attack and land a powerful side kick that send the woman stumbling back. Seeing the other three closing fast, Abeloth wasted no time. She spun forward with another kick, this time to the woman’s lower body causing. This caused the woman to double over.
 
Abeloth continued with her momentum as she half spun to the side of her landing another kick to the woman's lower body. As the woman was leaning heavily forward, Abeloth leaped up and kicked her as hard as she could in the woman's throat. The blow sent the woman flying up and backwards causing her to nearly fly horizontal to the ground. Needing to finish the woman off, Abeloth leaped up as the woman landed and on her downward travel, she slammed her open palm in to the woman's face. Blood shot out from under Abeloth's hand as she felt the woman's skull caved in under the blow.
           
Even before Abeloth could move from her current stance, a second woman with a pair of swords swung on her. Like the other sword, these two were also on fire. Abeloth was just barely able to dodge the incoming attack by rolling forward over the dead woman's body. Abeloth had made a fetal mistake and she knew it. She lost track of the woman as she dodged the attack. Finishing her tumble Abeloth leaped up back to her feet searching for the woman. The sound of slicing and the smell of burning flesh signaled the successful attack on her. Lightening danced across the sky as the sound of thunder echoed.
 
Abeloth let out a grunt as she felt the two swords ripping through her body. The moon was fully visible as the light of the sun had become hidden behind the thick storm clouds. Abeloth stumbled backwards and Duncan knew it was a faint to get the defenders off guard. The woman was soon joined by her companions. Behind them, the queen of Origin watched with caution in her eyes. Everyone knew that this attack should have been lethal, if it wasn’t Abeloth.
 
Abeloth let out a laugh that echoed in the thunder. She moved her hands to reveal the twin red lines where the blades cut her deep. The lines slowly healed before their shocked gazes. Abeloth continued to laugh as the defenders started to move backwards. Instead of taking advantage of the confusion, Abeloth only laughed. She slowly righted herself as she reached for the sky. The storm reached out for her with a pair of lightning strikes. Each hitting her one of her hands, filling her with immense power. “I have reached my destiny,” she yelled.
 
Duncan knew that Abeloth had reached a power level that no one could hope to beat. Almost on cue, Lysire, turned to him. When we crossed over, we realized that this battle would have to take place. We choose then that the best path would be to split who we are. This allowed each of us to gain in power separately as we plotted out this battle.
 
Abeloth stepped forward as she reached her hand out towards them. “The sword will be mine!” she said as a powerful thunder clapped right before them as a black lighting flashed overhead sending a shock wave of thunder crashing about them.
 
The woman with the twin swords leaped in to the air as she screamed out her battle cry. She flew forward as she went on the attack once more. Abeloth spun to the side as she pulled up a large stalagmite. The point of the stalagmite ripped through the woman, killing her instantly. Her lifeless body hung from the stalagmite as blood dripped from arms. Her swords slipped from her grip and on to the ground.
 
A man with a pike attack as well as the Queen of Origin. The Queen was using energy created fans.
The attack was highly coordinated as the man swung the blade end of the pike at Abeloth while the Queen moved in close with her energy fans. It was a bold and fearless attack, but Duncan knew it would fail. Abeloth was more powerful than these people. They couldn’t stop her.
 
Abeloth spun as she knocked the end of the pike away with her forearm. Continuing her spin, she watched the razor-sharp fan narrowly missing her face. The second fan cut through her arm. Abeloth felt her arm being removed just below her shoulder. The tail end of the pike caught Abeloth’s leg and knocked her to the ground. The next attack from the man was to drive the tip of the Pike through Abeloth’s leg and in to the ground.
 
Abeloth leaned forward and snapped the pike with her elbow. With her other hand, she unleashed force lighting on the man with so much power that the man flew backward over twenty meters away. His body pulsated with darkside energy. The Queen moved in for her attack, as Abeloth’s arm had already reattach itself. A fact that the Queen was unaware of.
 
Abeloth used her renewed arm, Abeloth grabbed the Queen through the force and tossed her like a rag doll through a nearby building. Abeloth reached forward and pulled the pike from her leg. She slowly rose back to her feet as she heard the man cry out, “Királyném!” The man rushed Abeloth with all his anger. Abeloth barely gave him any recognition for his bravery, or stupidity. She took the Pike end, and throw it at him. She guided it with the force and planted it in to this chest. He stumbled forward and landed on his knees. His eyes fixed on the strange invader as he flopped over to the side.
 
The Queen screamed as she attacked with all that she could. Using her force created fans and her control over the elements the Queen unleashed the power of Origin on Abeloth. The power of the attacks was something that any Sith would envy. The Queen’s control during her attacks would make any Jedi Master proud. She was in prefect balance with everything around her. Duncan realized that these people had to be the ones that first taught the Jedi about the Force.
 
Duncan watched the two women exchange blow after blow as the storm raged overhead. Black lighting crossed the sky as thunder crackled. It was if the world its self was waging war deep within its own core. In that moment, he realized that that was the truth. The very core of this world was being battled over. Abeloth meant to corrupt this world, and the Queen meant to protect her world.
 
The Queen leaped up and Abeloth caught her in midair. It was over! Abeloth unleashed a powerful force lighting in to the Queen’s throat and head. Her head glowed blue like a orb as lighting danced over her skull. Abeloth pumped all that she could in to the lighting to make sure that this woman would be dead. Within a few seconds, the deed was done. The Queen’s body went limp in Abeloth’s hands. With disgust in her eyes, she let the body go. It flopped and coiled to the ground at Abeloth’s feet.
 
Duncan knew, for the first time in Origin's history, the world was without a Spiritual Leader. He also knew that this loss was felt across the galaxy as light siders all felt their connection with the force slip and fade. The flow of Force from Origin had been disrupted as Abeloth’s corruption of Origin was near complete. She turned to the pyramid as a black lighting flashed across the night sky and struck it. Large stones were ripped from the pyramid as dark energies continued to assault the temple. Abeloth yelled out with all her might and darkness, “WHERES MY SWORD!"