Star Wars: Power of the Dark Side

Star Wars: Power of the Dark Side
Chapter XXI: Within the Confounds of Shadow

Their hoof falls echoed loud over the obsidian walls as they rushed through the wide chambers. Running through the tunnels, Vesper lead them through various twists and turns. Either to avoid the various Varnok patrols and to find a route to their destination. Vesper breathed heavily as they ran, Rarity voicing her growing exhaustion as well. As they hung a right Rarity asked in between hard breaths, "Do you-know where you're-going?"

Vesper nodded her head quickly, "Yes."

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"No."

"Excellent."

Rarity silenced herself as they rushed along, hearing in distant chambers the echoes of marching hooves, looking for the interlopers that dared invade their hive of Jikunn. Vesper did not care, in fact it was only a matter of time before she would have had to deal with the Varnoks considering that they used a demented version of Sith teachings and it was prophesied that she would have to purge all forms of sith training in order to restart and make a new way of training. Vesper already had an idea of what she would change, but tucked it away in her mind as she saw a patrol block their path in front of them.

They were halted by a long line that stretched from one side of the tunnel to the other. Their weapons raised and when Vesper and Rarity skidded to a halt they let loose a massive barrage of red bolts. They scrambled as they dodged the incoming fire and hid behind cover of a giant stone formation. They continued to fire and Vesper growled, "What in Celestia's name are they using?"

Rarity answered, being very close and pressed up against the wall and Vesper, "Those weapons are called slugthrower blaster rifles. They shoot concentrated light beams much similar to a bolt spell cast by a unicorn or alicorn."

Vesper said angrily, "How do they have such sophisticated weaponry?"

Rarity shrugged, holding her lightsaber close and away from Vesper, "I don't know, maybe it has something to do with Vilinistha. Maybe he knew how to make those weapons and taught his hive how to make them."

That was very possible, but then where did he learn to make such high grade weaponry. Blaster bolts continued their seemingly endless barrage of fury. While Vesper had done much to try and increase her physical output, she could feel the exhaustion begin to overtake her. She took in a deep breath to be ready, trying to listen to a break in their blaster fire.

She opened her eyes and found Rarity stepping in the break of the blaster fire. She raised her free hoof and Vesper could feel the resonate force summon from the very pit of her being and the air seemed suffocating around her as she pulled her hoof back and in a punch a wave of concussive force burst from her hoof and launched to the line of Varnok's that shot at them. It was wide and Vesper peaked over the stone and saw the line and every Varnok blast away. They clicked and clacked in a language unknown to Vesper, not pleasant words Vesper knew that.

They blasted against the stone and sprawled out, it was not hard enough to cause too much damage. This was just powerful enough to knock them on their backs. These were less equipped and had smaller spears, almost javelin like, of course these were of smaller stature. There were perhaps fifteen of them, Vesper calculating how many she would face.

This tunnel was perhaps even larger than the others. It was circular and sixty feet all around, with various small tunnels scattered amongst the area. Distant skittering called her attention but did not fully make her move her head in that direction. The entire hive knew that they were invading them. Vesper raised her sword to charge them.

Rarity leapt to some who were nearly standing. Her lightsaber hissing and clashing with a various javelins, war cries rippled amongst the Varnok and Vesper charged towards a small pocket of defenders that were still stunned. With all the strength she could muster she charged towards them with lightnings speed. The world around her becoming a blur as she moved with such speed and agility, using the speed that the armour offered her. In a quick slash she cut one in half, recovering quickly and parrying a blow from one of the Varnok. In a quick flourish of sparks and clashes, she dazed the Varnok defender and decapitated the hive guard. She continued parrying and dodging the well practiced strikes of the Varnok defenders but what drove Vesper seemed to be stronger. She was so close to the artifact that she could nearly taste it.

She looked deep within herself and drew on the dark side that was within. She felt the air crackle and spurt with coming power, her eyes crackled with dark lightning and the air grew heavier as she allowed the dark side take the form she knew it could be. Force lightning danced along her form and leapt towards the defenders, it felt excellent. She could taste their sudden fear, as they have witnessed power like this before and they knew how powerful she was. A cruel smile and maddening eyes painted the perfect face of fear as she could feel the electricity spark and blast outwards towards them. It felt great, it felt amazing. She wanted more.

She sheathed her sword in their sudden dread and raised her hooves slowly to the sky, the wind beginning to pick up as she gathered more and more dark side energy. She felt her veins fill with more power as she raised the Varnok around her and specifically choking around their throats. She could feel the corrupting power overwhelm her and she loved the power. She released a maddening scream that echoed off the walls. The Varnok around them rose in fear as she sensed their lives beginning to slip away. She tapped deep inside of herself and found the small spark of magic that was left over after she had severed her horn from her head and cast a spell with a force technique she had in mind.

Her magical and force output increased sevenfold, the air burned and could sizzle skin and flesh with how much power was being used. She felt her skin begin to crack and burst with lightning. She used the combined chaos and pushed dark side energy inside of them and sift through them. Reaching deep inside them she viciously yanked out their pathetic excuses for souls, and devoured them like she did with the ghosts. She felt them give her power and she let loose the loose meat bags and she had been hovering slightly without her knowing.

She looked around herself and saw seven of them dead around her. The power was sustained, she felt lighter and more in tune with herself. She turned and saw Rarity cut down her final one in front of her. As Vesper turned she saw one behind her raise their javelin. Time slowed as she reched out her hoof and using her small font of magic and her large fountain of force she pulled the Varnok towards her. Violently it was sent flying towards her.

As it sailed through the air, she unsheathed her blade and as it came fully out the Varnok came into range and with little effort it was impaled on her blade. Dark ichorous blood spilled over her hooves as she raised it higher, it grunted in pain and spurt the same blood out of the corner of its mouth. It looked directly in her eyes as if it wanted to communicate to her, Why are you doing this?

She growled as if to answer, using the power within her that was like a beacon to resonate and increase the volume of her voice, "Because I am Sith'ari. Your very existence makes me sick, die as a disgrace to your Sith legacy."

Vesper pulled out her blade and it slumped to the ground in death, no muscle to stop it and no show of resistance or life. Its eyes curled into the back of its skull. Vesper looked down at her hooves and saw that they held a darker purpled complexion, where once they had a light lavender color, they had a deep purple like a grape. She looked closer and underneath her fur she saw slightly shriveled skin with deep dark black veins. She focused and her mind had delved deep and dark, she peered past her hooves, past her hind hooves, past the ground beneath her, and peered deep into the abyss that was the power of the dark side of the force. She looked and stared long into its churning darkness. There, in the seemingly endless void, she saw the true power of the dark side. What she had wielded was but a fraction of what the dark side can really do.

She felt herself thrust back into reality, as she did she keeled over and puked all over the stone floor, her vision becoming bleary.

Rarity watched in horror as her friend brutally murdered and desecrated these now lifeless Varnok. She looked on, stunned, to see her once cool and controlled friend now drunk with the power of the dark side. Everything that Rarity had feared, she looked at her friend in crippling fear. There was a mad look in her eyes that was unmistakable, that she had seen in many eyes of the villains they had faced over the years. She held her lightsaber down, its blade thrumming and buzzing as she sheathed it. Twilight looked over at her friend as Rarity barely whispered the words, choking back a fearful lump, "Twilight..."

She thrust her head towards her stunned friend and the maddening gaze began to soften slightly as she stared into her friend's eyes. She raised her hooves, as they raised they began to shake. Her veins transformed back into their normal state instead of the sinister black they had taken on, but her coloration remained the same. Her once gentle lavender fur, now transformed into a deep violet color. Her eyes as well did not lose their yellow orange tint, making them look as though they were raging suns. But in her eyes she saw remorse. She saw the image of Twilight bursting out in spades and fear marked her face as she looked down at the ground with her hooves raised. Where there was once fear, there is now hopelessness. She leaned over and released what she had eaten, Rarity remained silent as she stood back up and took in a deep breath.

She breathed, "It...it is done...let's...let's continue on."

She sucked in a breath and shrugged off the ordeal as if it was nothing, Rarity shook her head as her friend stepped over the bodies and went to continue onwards, "Twilight-"

"I said," Twilight snapped, "Let's continue on."

Rarity raised her hoof, "Darling...you can't..."

Rarity for once in her entire life does not know what to say. She is at a lost for words as to what she has to say. Words of comfort? Words of scorn? She had not the slightest idea. But where words failed, actions take a greater hold. She saw Twilight carry a bigger weight on her shoulders. Twilight had seen something, something that haunted her. As much as Rarity wanted to pry and prod her friend for answers she knew that Twilight would just get angrier.

Twilight moved her head slightly, wanting to look Rarity in her eyes and tell her everything is alright. But Rarity knows when she is lied to, when somepony is hiding something. She knew the face well, she had done it to Twilight for nearly her entire life. Staying out of her line of sight so that she never knew about the Force. She kept secrets from her friend since the beginning. And it hurt.

Twilight whispered, "I said...let's continue on."

There was a crippling silence as they walked on, neither one wanted to address what had transpired, Vesper played it over and over again in her mind. She had lost control and reduced eight of them into ash. She alone. She had fallen into the dark side, quickly pulling herself back out but she had done it. She submerged herself in the dark powers of the force and now she was living with the consequences. She reminded herself that it was just in self-defense that they provoked the attack.

But did they really?

She was the one who invaded their home and was slaughtering them like dogs. She invaded their place of residence and began indiscriminately killing them. For what? An artifact that will make her abilities stronger? Truly she was lost and could never come back from what she has done. She must now continue on her path to destruction.

They were drawing near, she could hear the skittering of their insectoid hooves crashing against the stone caverns. She turned and saw the tunnel and felt the power beyond, the tunnel curved and made its way right and Vesper lead the way with Rarity close behind her. Shadows lessened and shrunk away, seemingly at her gait. She followed the curve and it opened up to a vast chamber within.

She stood at the threshold, eyes straining to see what was her saving grace. What could bring her the power she had once had and her only salvation against the dark lord of the sith himself, Darth Venator. The mere thought of him made her lip curl in anger, she has never wished so much death and pain onto one pony before.

The dark apprentice hesitantly stepped forward, eyes straining against the dark as a single silver beam of light shined on a pedestal with something on it. The chamber was cloaked in shadows, all except for the single sliver of light that peeked through the stone. She guided one hoof in front of another and heard Rarity do the same, though at a slower pace as she undoubtedly was trying to analyze what this artifact cold be. The holocron in her cloak pocket felt cold and distant. It refused to thrum with power now. Knowing now what she was encountering. She glided her way through the shadows and made her way to it.

All the while she heard in her mind the memories that she deeply regretted her most recent action and her killing of Applejack. The words that were spoken by her echoed in her mind. Distantly, she could feel a familiar cold presence. It was faint, but she could feel it.

It felt similar to the crippling dread she had felt when she had seen King Sombra. The dark magic she had used to traverse his castle and the mind numbing corruption that she had staved off, it all had come flooding back to her. Though, why? Why those feelings? Why that memory? Vesper stood on her hind hooves and continued guiding herself through the shadows to the pedestal, a free hoof sparking and crackling with dark electrical energy and the other resting on the hilt of her sith blade.

She stepped onto the platform in the middle of the dark chamber and she stared long at what was bathing in the cool pale light.

There, on the pedestal was a small crown looking thing. But there were no prods or jutting pieces of metal that signified it to be some manner of crown. No, this was much more sinister. A band of dark ebony metal curled around and formed the basis of it. But there, jutting out with a slight curve to it, was an artificial horn. Similar to the dark red and black tipped horn of King Sombra. But this one, was blue and it held just as much dark magic as anything she had ever sensed before.

Her free hoof draped to her side and the sparks ceased, her other hoof leaving the hilt of her blade. The air had grown colder as she looked at the pseudo horn. Her breath caught as she looked at it. Vesper listened as Rarity stopped behind her and without a doubt settled her eyes on the dark horn and said, "By all that is holy...what is that?"

Vesper simply answered, "It...it is my salvation."

She stopped as she moved closer and stood directly over the horn and continued, "This is my last hope of keeping my sanity and remaining of who I used to be..."

Her voice trailed as she gently shook her head to find her words once more, "The Twilight you once knew is long gone, Rarity. She died when she lost her horn. You have been communicating with Vesper. Any shred of Twilight was missing, calling out desperately. Now with this...with this her pleas can be heard."

Rarity shook her head in fear, "Twilight, this...this is madness...truly...we must leave, now."

Vesper did not answer as she rested a hoof on the cold ebony metal loop. She felt the untapped residual magical energy beneath. Then lifted it off and ran over the patch of skin that had healed over where her horn had once been. She took a deep breath, "No, we have come this far and we must finish this. This is the key to my survival in this new Equestria. This is my lifeline. And it is my protection against Darth Venator, when I kill him."

"That's what this is about? A power play?"

"I am Sith'ari, he believes that he can wield the Kaiburr without it corrupting him. But in reality, they already have. He wants to rule Equestria with an iron hoof. And I am the only one who can stop him. I am the only one powerful enough to do it. I must."

Rarity breathed, Vesper did not move but felt a gentle hoof rest on her shoulder, "I am sorry for what you have had to go through. Truly I am. But...nothing is worth connecting yourself to dark magic just to protect your home. You are pushing yourself farther and farther away from us."

Rarity gave her a gentle squeeze and breathed, "Come home. We can figure out how to kill Venator another way."

Vesper shook her head and shrugged off her hoof, "It's already too late for me. I have devoured enough ghosts to fully grasp the dark side. You saw what I can do, now I must take hold of my birthright and become the Sith'ari."

Grabbing the horn quickly and before she could be stopped she quickly said, "There is no other way."

"Twilight don-" Before the rest of her sentence could come out Vesper had rested it on top of her head where her horn would be. She lowered her hoof waiting for what would happen. She had never known what it was like to have one of these and to where it lofty like a crown. There had come nothing, nothing but her normal senses. It was off putting to say the least, but she supposed that it was better than nothing. She took a deep breath and accepted defeat.

And then, the pain had come.

She felt a drill bore deep into her skull, where the root of a horn should be and ground into her head. With her recent training in resisting pain she clenched slightly and leaned over. Resting a hoof on the pedestal for support, she breathed deeply to draw in more energy to try and ease the crippling pain in her head. Rarity was near for support, her words were lost and she appeared to being saying things but Vesper could not hear her.

She stared off into the darkness and thought of everything that had transpired. Everything fell into place. Everything had happened the way it happened. Nothing felt more clear than her purpose now, there is no pure side of the Force. Everything made sense, every purpose. Every motive that might have thrown her off. What she could see now was providence.

Her eyes and mind ever clear, she turned to her friend, who stepped back in sudden fear of her friend and asked in a jittery voice, "Twilight...what happened to you?"

She rolled her shoulders and answered with a sly smile that could kill a devil, "I...my world has opened up before my eyes. I can see the world in a vastly different light, I see a world where magic and Force works together in harmony."

Rarity asked, "How do you feel?"

Vesper clenched her hooves and replied, "Like...like I am a whole new mare itself. I am not detained by the corruption of both the dark side and the light but suspended in a limbo-"

"Yes, but this will be a luxury that you will not have for long."

Vesper unsheathed her sword fast and enveloped her blade in a combination element of both force and magic. It thrummed with untold power and she readied in a three point stance. Rarity did the same, igniting her lightsaber in reaction to the sudden deep and reverberating voice. Light had barely enveloped the area around them and they saw shadows coalesce into a pony form blocking their way to the only exit.

Standing on his hind legs, covered in chitin carapace armor and one of his hooves was not that. It had digits and held a lightsaber hilt tight in its grip. Part of his lip curled up from the chitin that dotted his still real fur on his face. Revealing sharp and long canines and rugged more teeth. There was dark power welling inside of this one, equal to the one she had sensed when she sensed her master Venator. But this was Vilinisthia.

This horrible grotesque figure lumbered close to them, clutching what Vesper could only assume was the hilt of a lightsaber. His chitinous form was dry and was layered, scolded as if it was singed from the tongues of flames. His mouth all but covered from the chitin, and his pale red eyes staring acutely at Vesper as if his gaze was only fixated on her. Vesper felt the residual dark side present in the form and it was ancient, not old and out dated or powerful just ancient. Eons old and beyond Vesper's vague understanding of the power of the force and how long it held reign over their planet.

He spoke with a chorus of cacophonous voices, all wishing to speak as one entity, "You invade my home. You kill my kin. And you steal my relic. I can sense your hybrid power and your prolific identity Sith'ari...you will not spread your crusade to my tunnels. You will either leave without the relic, or you will both die."

In a horrible hiss his lightsaber ignited, a deep crimson that crackled and churned as if it was cheeply made and with little care to take care of it. Vilisinthia hissed, "I will not warn you again."

Vesper had come thus far, be ridden of so much that she was not going to lose her only shot at leveling the playing field between her and Venator. She was not about to stop and give that up to a rogue Sith who wishes seclusion than helping their Sith allies. Even though it did not affect Vesper in any way, in terms of allies and the responsibilities that come with it, it still made her angry that such a being could be so cowardice.

Vesper stared the imposing and fearful form and defiantly growled, "I will not let myself be weak again."

Before he charged he threatened, "Your pride will be your downfall."

He charged and Vesper braced for it, now remembering that she had her magic connection back. As he closed the distance she teleported and blinked behind Vilisinthia. Taking the opportunity, Vesper slashed a deep gash across his back and stabbed deep inside of him. The chitin absorbed most of the damage. A series of clicks and clacks rang from Vilisinthia, causing Rarity to ignite her lightsaber at the engaging rogue Sith.

Within rapid succession of one another, Vesper and Rarity traded blows with Vilisinthia. He kept up well with the young and spry warriors of a newer age. But his movements and techniques were so strange and archaic that they could barely keep up with him. Vesper had finally found her opening and flicking her hoof a bolt of magical electric energy burst from her hoof and knocked Vilisinthia off balance. With connected synergy they both struck the rogue sith and in a horrifying cry he dropped his lightsaber.

Vesper thrust her sword through a niche in his natural chitin armour and Rarity cut upwards in a ferocious strike that obliterated his back chitin plate, allowing Vesper's thrust to penetrate all the way through. Pumping magic and force energy through her blade the blade began to singe and sear flesh. Vilinisthia groaned in pain and growled, "You have...achieved...nothing...but your downfall."

Vesper twisted her sword, a flesh tearing sound erupted the antechamber as well as a deathly groan. A final breath left Vilinisthia but he remained alive long enough to hear Vesper murmur in a low toned threatening voice, "I already have."

She pulled out her sword and flicked the blade aside, some of the blood flying over the edge into the large crevasse. Rarity sheathed her lightsaber, releasing a breath of relief. The air seemed to be less heavy and much warmer once Vilinisthia finally keeled over and died. Vesper sheathed her sword and knelt next to the body and collected the lightsaber. The weapon itself was nothing to boast and brag about, it was a simple metal canister that held many of the working parts for a lightsaber. Very archaic, in that it could pass off as merely a hoof held baton it was that large as well. However it was light and felt nice in the grip.

Procuring it away she looked to Rarity who seemed solemn, very neutral at the current turn of events. Nothing unexpected, but something to give Vesper cause for concern. She seemed equally relieved that her friend had returned to her in her full colours. Rarity had caught Vesper staring and asked, "What will happen to the hive? Will they die along with him?"

Vesper shook her head in response, "There is no longer an entity controlling their thoughts, keeping them from themselves. The most likely situation is that they have all fallen into sleep until another powerful being comes along and gains the position as king or queen."

Rarity nodded, it was a small nod and she moved her gaze as she turned away. Vesper stepped forward and grabbed her forehoof. The sudden action caused her to look back. Vesper stepped closer and said, in the all too familiar friendly tone that all her friends were used to, "Thank you Rarity...for standing at my side and being near me every step of the way."

Rarity turned fully to face her, seemingly lifelong friend, looking into her dark purple eyes and seeing the familiar spark of knowledge and friendship that she was always used to. Rarity smiled and rested her other hoof on Vesper's and replied, "It was my pleasure darling, all you need to do is ask."

Vesper swallowed hard and replied, "I just wish that...the others could be with us..."

Rarity sniffled in reliance, knowing full well what she meant by this, "I know..."

They embraced each other in a warm hug, the first hug that Vesper has warmly accepted in months. Her heart opened and she felt calmer, more collected and focused than she was before. Before, she was cold and calculated. A vicious sith killing machine that felt little else than pain, destruction, and rage. Now she saw everything in a new light, she knew that with true balance must come adaption and challenges that Twilight would have never faced. And it was this, it was this that warmed her heart.

She still had Rarity and Rainbow Dash, as long as they stayed by her side through this then she would keep her sanity.

But she had one more foe she had to face before she could take on what stood in the way of progress.

Vesper stopped hugging Rarity and looked directly into her aquamarine eyes, "Go to the north and wait for me in the crystal empire. It is there that we will discuss our further actions. I have one more obstacle to take care of before I devout myself to a revolution."

Rarity choked what ever she was about to say and gave a knowing nod. Vesper moved passed her and as she reached the door she turned as Rarity called after her, "Twilight!"

Vesper turned and locked gazes with the gray jedi and she nodded to the sith and said, "May the Force be with you."

Vesper replied, "May the Force be with you, as well."

With that she turned and left the antechamber, never to return to these shadowed tunnels to face the one who stood as a wall between her and her destiny. She had everything she needed to finally kill Darth Venator and take her spot as Dark Lord of the Sith. Or she would die, in protection of her friends, if the worst were to happen.