"Arrogant, haughty Jedi," the Dathomirian Witch hissed. "I have killed many like you..."
I didn't wait to hear more, aiming my left hand at her and sending a strong wave of Telekinesis. The woman dodged aside, but I foresaw that and attacked her in mid-jump with a downward slash. She blocked the strike with her crossed swords, which indeed resisted the lightsaber blade. However, I took advantage of that, strengthened my body, and jumped behind her. A stabbing attack to the back almost caught her off guard... She ducked only at the very last moment and tried to impale me on her swords. I blocked the attack...
"Ataru," she correctly identified my form. "As I've said, I have seen many Jedi and I know all your combat forms!"
"I won't argue with that," I said calmly, activating my usual enhancement techniques. "But if you have really fought Jedi, and not just their Padawans, then you should survive my next attacks..."
I rushed toward her again. Surprise froze on the woman's face. That was because I had suddenly accelerated, and she clearly hadn't expected it from me. If we're talking about some Techniques — I really have something to be proud of. Enhancement, Telekinesis, Vulnerability, Precognition, Force Sense... These are the techniques in which I achieved the best results. And now I was demonstrating them on my opponent. The green blade flashed from side to side, giving her no time to rest.
Although she wasn't in debt and even tried to counterattack me. But gradually, her relaxed-surprised expression turned tense. Shilazh bit her lip, trying to hit me in counterattacks, from which I mostly preferred to dodge. This wasn't the place where Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon fought Maul on Naboo. The space didn't hinder my maneuvering, and I shamelessly used it... Jumping over her again, I ducked, falling to my knees, and slid right under her arm... And I almost finished it with one blow... Just a little more — and I would have cut off her legs. But she jumped up and caught a Telekinesis attack from me... Performing a somersault, Shilazh landed about five meters away from me.
I was starting to enjoy this... How awesome it was... Unexpected freedom and joy completely seized my body. I pointed my hand, and the Witch's body was caught by the Force and pulled toward me... A Shiak straight to the throat. In mid-flight, Shilazh formed an arrow from magic, shimmering green. I didn't know they could do that... The arrow shot straight at my head, and I chose to cancel my strike, dodging to the side from her attack. But I wasn't going to let her go... Shilazh bit her lip again. She wasn't wearing her mask today, which usually covered most of her face.
A slashing strike from right to left, aimed at her head. The woman blocked the attack with one sword and struck with the other. Moving slightly to the side and dodging her attack again, I struck with Shiak, but she managed to react and parried.
"How you've gotten on my nerves, Jedi! You are much stronger than you look!" Shilazh snarled angrily.
"I don't understand what you're complaining about," I aimed my blade at the woman's face. "After everything you've done, it's no surprise that the Council sent those who can actually handle you. And yes... Didn't you say that there are many defeated Jedi behind you? Plus you identified my stance... I thought I had to fight you seriously... Did I overdo it? My apologies," I said sarcastically. "I didn't know that such an ambitious woman is just offended at everyone, including those stronger than her..."
"Watch your tongue, you wretch! You are stronger than me? After I've absorbed so many Gifted?! You... Jedi... Sith... I don't care who! I will kill everyone and become the Strongest Gifted in the Galaxy!"
"Seems like you've got a screw loose," I said calmly. "A Sith Sovereign threw you across half the Galaxy by the throat with Force Choke. And you talk about becoming stronger..."
"You just don't understand! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! You don't understand power! Look," she returned her sword to its sheath and pulled a medallion from her pocket. "See?! With this, I can absorb Force Ghosts and process them for my own enhancement. The same awaits you..."
"Most likely, your current mental state is caused precisely by absorbing Force Ghosts," I concluded. "After all, it's not just a ghost with the appearance of someone who once lived; it can be quite sentient." "Shut up..." "And the more you use the Force... magic, in your case, the stronger it will manifest. Each ghost you absorb pulls the blanket to itself. That won't make you strong. What's the point of power if you can't even direct it properly? Strength and might are not a goal but just a means to realize ambitions... Neither you nor the Sith can understand that. I will show you what true power is..."
I attacked, instantly closing the distance. My strikes were brutal and fast; I pressed her, and she barely managed to parry my blows. Returning the medallion to her pocket, she armed herself with swords again, but it didn't help much. I pressed on more actively, changing the direction of attacks, jumping around her, using Ataru... Realizing everything that its adepts and masters value in this form — maneuvering and improvisation. Each of my strikes was unpredictable, and I saw how hard it was for Shilazh, who found it increasingly difficult to parry my attacks. But she only got angrier... We darted around the hall, mostly due to my maneuvers...
"WHEN WILL YOU DIE, JEDI!" A powerful wave of magic knocked me off my feet. That was something I didn't expect from her. Falling onto my back, I saw her standing over me, preparing to strike. But she didn't have time; I kicked her with my foot and knocked her back a bit. "BASTARD!" She jumped back, and I returned to a normal stance...
The floor around me literally churned and began to shimmer with green color. That was her burial trick. Not a pleasant thing... My legs were captured almost instantly... Centimeter by centimeter — the floor, even though it was not earth but steel, was enveloping me.
"It takes time to saturate something with magic," Shilazh laughed. "And you gave it to me. You were too weak to kill me immediately, and you gave me time to set up such a trap. Pathetic Jedi..."
I focused, releasing the Force around me... "One lightsaber is not enough to defeat me, Shilazh of Dathomir!"
The cocoon that was about to bury me failed to achieve its original purpose. Because I abruptly released the Force in the form of a barrier, she couldn't complete the technique.
"One lightsaber is not enough," I repeated her words, waving my left hand. "That's why I have two with me."
The woman's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't lied when she said she knew about Jedi abilities. At least she understood she'd been fighting me… I'd been pushing her back without showing all my abilities. Though she didn't know the truth — I hadn't actually been practicing Jar'Kai for very long. Still… It would be enough for her, I was sure. Another green blade entered the fray…
"Well, how long do I have to wait?" I asked her. "Quiet now? Then I'll start!"
I covered the ten meters separating us in an instant and crashed down on her like a wave breaking against cliffs. Not at the same speed as when I used Ataru, though. I still wasn't experienced enough, and I sometimes caught myself watching the blades too closely during a fight. But what were my years? I'd catch up. A double strike… Shilazh blocked one sword aimed at her legs with one blade and the strike to her head with the other. That wasn't all… I didn't try to overpower her — I just threw her back with Telekinesis. Leaping up, I attacked from above; she guided my strike with her blades, letting me slide past her, and tried to stab me in the neck… Foolish. As an Ataru adept, I knew that tactic well. Catch an Ataru user at the end of a maneuver and hit the spine. I ducked, swept her legs, spun, and kicked her in the face…
"HUTT! Inorganic Reanimation!" I'd seen this somewhere before. It wasn't a classic burial — she turned part of the floor into makeshift spears that chased me like writhing monster tails. I jumped back, spinning in midair and cutting through many of those spears with my lightsabers, then landed and surged forward again… Three more improvised spears…
"You don't have a single ability that gives you an advantage over me, Witch," I said, cleaving through one of the spears and leaping up. They kept pursuing me; I dodged in the air, jumped onto one of them, and using the Force and a bit of gravity — slid down it straight toward Shilazh. She tried to shake me off by creating new spears, but I could feel her filthy magic perfectly, along with the directions of her attacks. Blocking each one was easy… Finally, I closed in again, knocked her to the ground with a kick, and stood over her body. "Rest in peace, monster." My right hand readied to take the Witch's head as she lay there, but… I had to use my grapple hooks to leap away. I hooked onto a support near the stairs to the second level… "Monster," I hissed. "Have you lost your mind?"
She'd tried to hit me by creating a spear from the flooring — straight through her own body…
"These tools…" the woman groaned, getting up from the wound she'd inflicted on herself. "Light Flyingstar. I thought your voice sounded familiar. How are you, Padawan?" she asked mockingly. "I see you've changed your style… And not just your clothes."
I jumped down… Holding one of my swords before me with Telekinesis, I pushed my hood back with my hand.
"You recognized me after all, Shilazh," I said calmly. "But that changes nothing."
"On the contrary, Light," she said, twirling her blades. "Do we have to fight? You understand too… You understand what power you could attain if I help you with Arrogant's Medallion, don't you? You're not just another Shadow — you've studied this topic alongside me and Jarps… Join me, and you'll grasp a power no Sith or Jedi has ever achieved!"
"As I already told you — your only goal is to attain power and might. But it's all pointless if you see power only as an end. Or whatever you're declaring now? Destroy the Sith? The Jedi? How petty — using power not to teach, to show, to create — but only to take away and destroy everyone you don't like. It disgusts me, Shilazh. I've seen how you treat allies… I've seen what happens from actively using Darth Arrogant's Medallion. Because of you, I lost beings who were extremely dear to me." I raised both lightsabers, settling into an attack stance. "And after that, you want me to help you? Become your loyal little dog so you can defeat Sidious and Plagueis?"
"How do you know… About the second one?" the woman asked, stunned.
"And that's all that bothers you? How I know about that pair — none of your dog's business! The fact is, I'll play only as I choose and as I see fit… Neither you, nor especially Sidious or Plagueis — are any authority for me. Though it's too early to say that; let's wait until the end of the Clone Wars, if they happen at all." I grinned unpleasantly. "But never mind… You won't even live to see tomorrow. So from now on, enough. Really enough, Shilazh. We've said enough to each other… It's time to kill you!" I attacked her again. Conversation mattered, after all — Dun Moch doesn't apply itself. But I could only win now with a blade… When I gutted this carrion…
Gradually, I picked up the pace, attacking with both swords at once, actively driving the woman back. Another wave of Telekinesis. She was thrown into the console she'd used to contact Damask. Pyrokinesis… A small fireball should have hit her, but she dodged, and it struck the communication computer, destroying it…
"How clumsy, Light," Shilazh sneered. "Since you're not with me, you're against me. And since you destroyed the communication computer — no one will contact Plagueis. That's actually more convenient for me…"
Well, I didn't have to say I'd aimed the Pyrokinesis at it on purpose. There was still the civilian who had seen Plagueis. Still, the Order would trust me more if I said Shilazh acted on her own. Plus — maybe I could try to erase that girl's memories? Why not… Better she never tell anyone about the Sith, guaranteed. The galaxy wasn't ready to fight them yet. I wasn't ready myself… And if you're not ready to fight, you don't fight at all.
"Worry about yourself," I bared my teeth. Spinning with the Force, I started landing strikes using the Rising Whirlwind technique. A series of mostly improvised, unpredictable, lightning-fast attacks. Shilazh was weakening; I hit the vulnerable points I spotted with the Force Technique… If at first she tried to counter, when I reached full speed — she began to retreat…
"It seems… I need to teach you one last lesson." She connected her swords into a staff.
"No matter how you resist — the outcome is the same," I said with a smirk. "You'll die…"
She lunged at me, swinging the staff. I lazily stepped aside, dodging the blow. The staff nearly embedded itself in the floor; I struck at her exposed side, but she shifted the staff quickly enough. She wasn't hopeless… A few moments later, she even tried to repeat Maul's move against Qui-Gon — stunning me with the staff's pommel — but I backflipped, kicked the pommel itself, and knocked it aside… Vaulting over her attack, I spun again, using the Force, blocked her strike and… A kick straight to the face…
The woman jumped back, slightly dazed — I'd used the momentum, amplified by the Force. After the kick, I landed with my back to her, and while she was stunned, I moved right in front of Shilazh… Double Shiak. About the same way Sidious had once caught Savage Opress, Maul's younger brother. Two lightsabers pierced the woman's body…
"KHA!" she gasped painfully and went limp… My strike was cleaner than Sidious's — it hit her heart and lung precisely.
"Rest in peace, Shilazh," I stepped away from her, turning off the lightsabers. I didn't feel any lighter… Though I was grateful for the excellent fight and the emotions the battle had given me… As a sentient being, I just felt sorry for her. A victim of her own ambitions, she'd put herself in the line of fire and met an inevitable end.
Neither in the Legends, nor in, forgive me Force, the New Canon — was there such a notorious figure. If there had been, I'd have known… So she died unknown, never becoming the strongest anyway… And I think I understood why. She'd wanted the wrong things, so the galaxy didn't even remember her. Bending over the Witch's corpse, I felt her body. There it was… The medallion that had caused so much bloodshed… Darth Arrogant's Medallion pulsed with the Force, ready to serve a new master.
"I'll deal with you later," I said, standing up. I walked toward the girl who'd become an involuntary observer of our battle. She hadn't even run away. "Are you all right, my lady?" I asked softly. "Sorry for the mess we made. Is everything okay?"
"You're a Jedi, aren't you?" The girl's voice was soft and resonant. "I broke my leg nearby, so I couldn't leave anyway… You… you… you killed her?" she asked me.
"She's dead," I nodded. "I understand you're scared, my lady. I wouldn't wish what you've been through on anyone. Can I help you with anything?"
"You can!" she said, suddenly serious. "Can you erase my memory? Or make me forget something? Jedi can do that, right?! I just don't want to remember what happened to me the last three days."
"Excuse me?" I asked.
"I want my memory wiped… I don't want to close my eyes and see that monster killing anymore… She was draining life! Right out of a person!"
Well, she wanted me to erase her memory herself. I wasn't exactly a master of Force Persuasion. But if the person didn't resist and sincerely wanted their memories erased, it was even better.
"Then I'll ask you to endure an ordeal, my lady," I said calmly. "Close your eyes and focus on everything you just went through. I'll try to overwrite all your memories with something that won't cause you such… reactions…"
The girl obediently closed her eyes. I pointed my right hand at her, channeling the Force. Carefully… As I'd said — I hadn't had many chances to use Force Persuasion. And erasing memories — never… But the patient wasn't resisting and genuinely wanted to shed the burden of what she'd endured… That factor helped me not turn her into another vegetable. Still, it was better to let her rest… I gently touched the girl's forehead with my index finger, sending her to sleep, and lifted her body with Telekinesis.
"I should probably have a drink for the departed too," I looked at Shilazh's body. A pleasant weakness spread through my body. The Enhancement Techniques stopped affecting my muscles, and I gradually shifted into "peaceful mode."
Also, I should take the girl to the medical bay. But right now, I just wanted to sit and rest for a bit. Suddenly, I sensed someone's presence on the second level at the opposite end of the hall.
"Knight Jord, Padawan Malcolm," I acknowledged them.
"Padawan Light," the Lasat jumped down to the first floor. "I take it — she ran into you," he nodded at the Witch's body.
"More like — I ran into her," I said casually. "We found out who was better… Though she didn't like the result. But never mind. The mission is complete, the Witch is eliminated."
"This is what you call mission complete?" Malcolm suddenly snapped. "Jedi don't kill! They protect…" The Padawan was abruptly dragged across the floor by Telekinesis.
"I thought so when I first saw you," I remarked philosophically. "You're one of those who can't see objective reality. Even Master Yoda said: when you take a sword, you become a warrior. And a warrior, in case you didn't know, might kill. More precisely — a warrior kills. Besides. We don't kill the unarmed, but she started it."
"How dare you…" my interlocutor wheezed, trying to get up. "I'll…"
"Malcolm!" Knight Jord suddenly called out loudly. "Calm down! He did what he could and got the result he could! You have the right to your own opinion, but not to judge him! The Council's task was to prevent the attacks. The culprit is dead, the mission is complete. The attacks will stop. I suggest we end this discussion here…"
"So you really did gain more than just muscle, Jord," came An'ya Kuro's usual sarcastic voice. "Glad to see you've picked up some brains too!"
"Someday — you'll answer for all your jokes, Kuro," Jord hissed. "Either way — it doesn't matter now. We need to get to another planet quickly. Malcolm! Follow me…"
The pair left, and Kuro jumped down beside me.
"Injured?" she inquired. "Good," she nodded after I shook my head, "good. By the way, do you know your victory over Shilazh might count toward your Knight Trials?"
"Now I do," I said. "But you know, mentor, all I'm thinking about right now is a shower and a solid dinner…"
"What about the girl?" she shifted her gaze to the girl. "Is she all right?"
"Shilazh tried to sacrifice her for the medallion, that one…"
"What about the Arrogant Medallion?" the woman asked.
"Destroyed. I pierced her heart with a lightsaber — the pocket with the medallion was right there," I answered, as Kuro sighed sadly.
"I see… All right, time to head back…"