Old Wound, reopened (Star Wars SI)

[Castage]

AN: A short thing I decided to write - the first of three chapters. Inspired by the old game and Dudufilm serries.

I put down the spoon and sighted. I was delaying... Because I was afraid. I leaned back on my seat and looked outside. The towers, the hover cars… Courscant made an impression.

I closed my eyes and listened. Just listened.
A businesswoman, negotiating a deal.
A lover's quarrel.
Mother chiding her son.

"You alright there?" I opened my eyes and looked at the owner.

"No Dexter. I'm alright." I got up and gave him the credits. "Keep the change… I have a feeling, you might need it." I said as I left the restaurant.

* * *​

The door closed behind me and the elevator started moving up. I stood in silence with closed eyes, waiting...

I felt a familiar presence.

'Think carefully on your choice. If you choose to fight, if you choose war, it is a path few turn from once the first steps are taken. It carries with it a terrible price.
And in the end, you may find you have nothing left to sacrifice.'

"...I already, have nothing left to sacrifice."

Bink!

I opened my eyes as the door opened and walked out.

"How can I help you?" the secretary asked as he looked at me.

"Jedi business." I said as I waved my hand, dominating the man's mind. I wasn't particularly gentle. It wouldn't matter much, anyway. He opened the door as I ordered.

As I walked inside, I came face to face with a surprised woman. I immediately spread my aura, making her and the majority of occupants gasp in surprise. She was so shocked, that she failed to do anything as I put a blaster to her forehead and pulled the trigger.

Before the dead Jedi even hit the floor, I switched to the next target and pulled the trigger, hitting Zabrak Jedi right into his chest. I pointed at the Iktotchi standing next to him – the man managed to activate his lightsaber, but my aura left him dazed – he tried to deflect, but the bolt hit his neck. He fell choking on his own blood.

I stepped back just as the lightsaber cut where I was, catching my blaster's barrel. I threw away the blaster and force pushed the Twi'lek Jedi Master – she flew to the other side of the room and hit the window. The impact was strong enough to break quite a few of her bones and knock her out.

I grabbed my lightsaber and ignited it, just in time to catch the purple blade with a blue one.

"Sith." The bald human growled.

A smile formed on my lips – that one comment was proof enough for me. I was going to win.

I could feel him reach out to the force – and so did I. As force guided him, I influenced the guidance he received.

He pushed me back and cut from overhead – I blocked it, guiding his blade to the side as I started spinning. His eye widened as he saw the second blade come to life. He was quick enough to avoid being bisected, but-

"AGH!"

Not fast enough to save him from losing both of his hands. I continued spinning, my blade cutting off his head.

I deactivated the double-bladed lightsaber, as Jedi Master's decapitated body fell to the ground. It wasn't even a minute after I entered, and there were bodies of four dead members of Jedi Council and one unconscious Jedi Master laying around.

I turned to the remaining occupants of the room.

"Senator Binks, Senator Amidala… Chancellor Palpatine." I greeted them as I called Windu's lightsaber with the force.

It was not the dark side you felt, Master Windu... It was a wound in the force, you felt.

AN: Because, the concept of 'Wounds' is hardly ever used... and Kreia, has not enough many stories that involve her.

 

[Castage]

Soon, all five lightsabers of Jedi were clipped to my belt.

"It's fascinating, you know." I said as I gripped Palpatine with the Force and lightly moved him away from his desk. He didn't resist, still keeping the appearances. I must applaud his control. "The first owner, of this lightsaber," I raised my weapon. "also held the chancellor of the Republic with the Force. He then proceeded to slaughter Jedi and then leave, unmolested. I've already done two out of three of these feats. I wonder if by doing the same thing as Exar Kun, I will make his weapon something as a symbol..." I said as I looked at the handle. Then I looked at the Chancellor and smiled.

I turned to his desk and started working on it – what I needed, was the access to communications.

ACCESS DENIED

I touched the screen and started channelling the Force.

"This is hopeless." The Sith Lord in hiding commented my attempts to break into his system. "You can't hope to get access to-"

ACCESS GRANTED

"How?" Palpatine asked, surprised.

"Force is a pathway to many abilities, many would consider, unnatural…" I smirked as I entered the data disk I prepared earlier and started uploading the program. The funny thing is, both Jedi and Sith, in their dislike to any kind of machinery, coding and artificial intelligence - never considered using it for hacking or programming.

"Whatever you plan to do, you will fail and the Republic will prevail!" I turned to the former Queen, who continued.

"Reckless pride limned by self-righteousness… you are just as I imagined. You believe that the Jedi will stop me?" At her defiant nod, I turned back to the console. "Destiny, doesn't choose good or evil, doesn't honor light, doesn't judge darkness." I looked straight into her eyes. "The future is not a river to carry us, it is the ocean in which we drown if we are not prepared… The galaxy changes and we must change with it."

"What are you trying to say?" Amidala asked, frowning.

"It's a quote. For thousands of years, the galaxy changed, but Jedi failed to change with it – and so, they will drown-" My head snapped in the door's direction as I felt a presence – it felt like a miniature sun.

The door opened and a man entered.

"Weren't you supposed to have left for the mission two days ago?" I wondered as I looked at the avatar of the Living Force. I choose this moment to strike because I hoped to avoid fighting him. Hero with no Fear was furious as he looked over the dead Jedi.

"You will pay for the deaths you have caused!"

He charged with his lightsaber. I spread my aura and-

"!" I tsked as the Living Force fought against my influence. Anakin Skywalker was truly the Force's Avatar.

Our blades clashed.

I couldn't influence his precognition or Force abilities. This fight was not going to be as easy as it was with the other Jedi.

I took a few steps back as Anakin's boot hit my chin.

On the other side, I was the Wound in the Force. A place where it's Will was denied.

The second blade came to life, yet despite the surprise, I barely managed to take a piece of the Chosen's ear.

We continued our dance, blade against blade, his speed and strength against my skill, his power in Force against my versatility. The battle between us, while short, was even.

Anakin dodged the Force lightning as – I growled as it shattered the window.

Too even for my tastes.

My head snapped to the side as I caught movement. Padme was running to the Chancellor's desk, probably remove my disk.

For most, it would be peril, but I was trained by one of the greatest Sith of her times.

As our blades interlocked, I reached out my hand, grabbed two senators and Chancellor and threw them through the window.

"No!"

I was impressed, that he managed to grab all three of them, before they plunged to their death – well, two of them to their death, the Chancellor would somehow survive, I'm sure. Unfortunately, holding his friends from certain death, left Anakin wide open.

"Aghhh!"

He fell on his knees as his mechanical hand fell on the floor, still holding the lightsaber – which I quickly called. For a moment I considered just killing now defenceless man but decided against it. The Force would find another Avatar, and Anakin was a known agent... That didn't mean, I wouldn't mess with him.

I used the Force, to block the young Jedi, not allowing him to bring inside, the three people that were still hanging outside the window. Then I knelt next to him.

"How does it feel, to betray everything you stood for?" I asked as I looked into his eyes. "Once you were a slave. Then, when you were freed, you swore to return and free all of the slaves… and now?" I shook my head "You cooperate with the Hutt slavers. Your Jedi Order is one of the biggest slave owners in the galaxy – for this is, what the clones are – slaves. Little Ani went far. From slave to slaver. Your mother would be proud."

"Clones are not slaves." He hissed in anger. Ahh... young adult, but still teenage at heart.

I turned to look at the desk as I saw a blinking light – a light signalling the success of the operation.

I looked back at Anakin and smiled.

"And now, Anakin, you will become a man known, for putting down the greatest slave rebellion in the history of Republic." I released my hold, allowing Anakin to bring Padme, Palpatine and Jar Jar inside.

As I walked up to the window, my eyes landed on Aayla Secura.

...Maybe…

I grabbed her and threw over my shoulder and stepped to the window's edge. I looked at the senate building, as a pillar of fire rose from one of its windows.

"What have you done?" I turned to look at Amidala who looked at the senate building, horrified, as more explosions shook the senate building.

"I just dispatched contingency orders, to all of the clone forces, across the galaxy." I answered her.

"What orders?" She now looked at me.

"...all that included some form of fighting or extermination." I smiled sadly. "Kill all Jedi. Kill the Chancellor. Kill all senators. Exterminate GAR's High command. Take over Kamino. Capture wanted individuals by executing populations. Bombard cities. Burn worlds…" I looked into her eyes. "The greatest and bloodiest rebellion in the history of the Republic has begun… a lesson, as to why slavery is something that shouldn't be allowed, will be inscribed in the Republic annals with the blood of its citizens and slaves..."

I smiled seeing their shocked faces.

I turned and jumped through the window. I used the Force to slow down my descent.

I preferred to be in my shelter when the bombarding of the planet shall begin…

AN: One more chapter left.

 

[Castage]

AN: And the last chapter - here we go.

* * *​

I landed from the hover-car and lightly landed on the ground, unconscious Jedi still hanging on my arm. I looked around.

'To have fallen so far and learn nothing… that is your failing.'

I paused as I felt a familiar presence, then quickly resumed my march.

'This is what you have wrought.'

I could feel the echoes of death in the Force. In the city, in the orbit, in the galaxy. Countless lives ending, at this very moment.

'Countless murderers, Slayers, Assassins'

I stopped in front of the door and entered the code on the console.

'Born of war that has as always, taught the wrong lessons'

I entered as the doors opened. I closed the blast doors and started entering commands on the console.

'And instead showing them truth, Power.'

The defences came to life. The blast doors closed and locked, the shield came to life. Turrets and droids came online.

'All you showed them how the galaxy may die.'

I entered the elevator and pushed the button of the lowest floor.

"That is the choice that I made, that is the path that I walk… the very same path, you once walked upon… But unlike you, I am committed to seeing it through." I closed my eyes and my lips quirked in a joyless smile. "Besides, the Galaxy needs its betrayers."

The elevator's door closed.

* * *​

I put the Twi'lek on the floor and started putting shackles on her, binding her to the ground. Once I was fished, I put my hand on her forehead and started healing her.

"Easy, you are not fully healed yet." I said as she gasped and started waking.

I walked to one of the terminals and started looking through the holonet. The news of clones 'madness' has already spread. Countless battles were taking place along the Republic space and already, one of the colonies was bombarded by the clones, when the colonists refused to release their senator. The panic and chaos were spreading...

"What do you want, Sith?" I turned to look at the blue-skinned woman. There was defiance in her, but also fear. From what I remember, she had a history of being brainwashed. What interested me more, was her brief fall to the dark side and emphatic abilities. She had potential...

"Misdirected passion… such a waste." I smiled and shook my head. "Such an ignorance, typical of the Jedi – to only see the world in black and white, only see Jedi and Sith… Yes – ignorance. For, if you are to truly understand, then you will need contrast - not adherence to a single idea. Yet you, Jedi, only look at what you want to see in the Force, not all of it." I paused. "I am not a Sith. Through, their philosophy is closer to my heart than that of Jedi… yet, there are valuable Jedi teaching, that I adhere to as well..."

She frowned.

"Who are you?"

"You can call me Sorrow if you need a name… For I am a hub of Sorrows, of all the people that I killed and whose deaths I witnessed. I am the carrier of their will, their ambitions, and their memories and proof that they lived."

I walked up to her.

"As for what I am, I am Wound in the Force, a place, in which it's Will is denied. What you feel from me, is not dark side… but dead Force… Hmm, maybe instead of dead Force, I should say that you feel Will-less Force. There is no dark and no light, only Force... and me." I knelt in front of her. "And now, I will show you my truth."

"I will not fall."

"To Believe in an Ideal, is to be Willing to Betray it." I quoted automatically. "Don't give promises you cannot keep… besides..." I grabbed her temples. "I don't want you to fall. I want you, to see the truth and accept it. I want you, to understand.. and make a choice."

I connected us by Force. She gasped as she felt the deaths that were taking place.

I've known of three 'living' Wounds in the Force, that lived millennia ago – each one of those individuals possessed incredible powers.

Darth Sion, the Lord of Pain, was all but immortal. No matter how many wounds he received, he would continue living… until he chose not to.

Darth Nihilus, the Lord of Hunger, was able to leech the life force of living. His powers were of such magnitude that he devoured entire planets, living them barren.

Metra Surik, the Exile, was capable almost to instantly learn any Force technique. She was also known to create Force bonds with people around her.

And me, Sorrow. I possess incredible mastery over the Force, I could mould it and influence it anyway I wanted. That's why I was capable of masking my presence, of influencing the other Force users, manipulating their powers – like their precognition.

When you name the most powerful beings in the Galactic history, Wounds in the Force are among the strongest – along with beings like the ancient Sith Emperors, Dart Raven and Exar Kun…

During the Dark Wars, it were the Wounds in the Force, that decided the Galactic History. When the dust fell, the Jedi Order was left almost completely eradicated and was only rebuild by the students of one of the Wounds in the Force.

Aayla Secura struggled as she felt lives I connected her to. I could only imagine what it would mean to an empath. But I wasn't finished.

"There is no emotion, there is Force!" She chanted, trying to regain her control.

I tightened my grip and forced her to look at me.

"There is no truth in the Force… no Great revelation."

I wrapped myself with Force and started sending her visions of the past. Images, feelings, deaths, stories, lives of those involved…

Force Wars – one of the earliest conflicts I know of, involving Force users.

Yet at the same time, I did not cut off her from what was happening around us.

Rakatan Civil War – the fall of the Galaxy spanning Empire.

I forced her to live through some of the moments and allowed her to find comparisons in what was happening now.

First Great Schism, Second Great Schism and Third Great Schisms followed by Hundred-Year Darkness. The lost chance of the Jedi to stay neutral, the rise of extremists and eradication of those who would keep balance in the Force.

The Jedi cutting through countless soldiers, before being gunned down by them.

Great Hyperspace War – the emergence of the Sith, followed by Genocide of the Sith.

The space battles raging over planets, with thousands of hundreds dying every minute...

Great Sith War, Mandalorian Wars, Jedi Civil War, Dark Wars – the conflicts that mostly involved Jedi who fell to the dark side.

Jedi overwhelmed by what was happening around them, falling to the dark side.

Great Galactic War, Cold War and Galactic War – the return of the Sith Empire

The cities in the fire, civilians dying in crossfires.

Third Galactic War, Fourth Great Schism, New Sith Wars – the countless conflicts that raged through millennia.

Planets bombarded, entire cities disappearing with hundreds screaming into the Force.

Clone Wars – a conflict between the slaves of flesh and steel…

Aalya was screaming.

"Can you feel it? Do you see it? That is your purpose, servant of the Force! To repeat the cycle, again, and again, and again, and again, an-"

"AAAGGHHH!"

I grunted as the Force exploded pushing me away.

"!" I hit the wall with such a force, that my vision blurred. I got up and looked at Jedi…

and paused.

Her chains were scattered, she was lying in a fetal position, sobbing, and her connection to the Force was gone. The memories and deaths she experienced at the same time, were so strong that she scarred the Force itself. The culmination of the tragedies… She was now Wound in the Force.

'The path that you have taken – it's wrong. I walked it and I admitted that I was wrong.'

"You admitted that when you were about to die, and Force had its hold on you. Your mind was influenced. And now, when you are one with it – how can you speak anything different?" I turned to the Force Ghost. "Don't worry Kreia. I will kill the Force, and free you. Because, just like you, I hate the Force."

'You trust that Holocron to much. It doesn't contain all of my teachings.'

"…You are not listening to me. The path I walk, I choose to walk it. Your teachings were but a part of the reason I took it – not the whole reason for it." I looked at Twi'lek. "I choose that path because this galaxy is hell. Constant repetition, cycle after cycle. I know what happened in the past, and I can tell you it will continue happening in the future. Again and again, and again, while the Force uses us to achieve some form of balance… that's why I hate the Force. That's why I will kill it... and because I wonder Kreia, what would the galaxy look like, without it's Will." I turned from Kreia, as the Ghost left me and looked at the Twi'lek. First time in her life, she was alone – there was no Will directing her.

I walked up to the weeping woman and knelt in front of her.

"You are not alone." I said as I gently wrapped my arms around her. She hugged me tightly as if I was her lifeline and cried even harder.

Galaxy was in fire, Jedi scattered and millions dying – the stage was set. New Wounds in the Force would raise, as the Jedi and Sith would see the truth.

Second Dark Wars have begun.

But this time, there would be more than three Wounds in the Force.

I would ensure it.

* * *​

AN: This is my tribute, to Kreia's philosophy and Dudufilm's creations. It's also the first story I finished. I hope you enjoyed it.

 

[Castage]

I decided to toy a little and see where I could go with that story.
You will find continuation (starting with the second chapter) linked below:

Old Wound, bleeding (Star Wars SI)