"Welcome to Vorrangar," the blond Sith said with a practiced smile as Ali and his companions approached him. His red eyes briefly studied the group, though his focus remained primarily on Ali.
"I am Sith Warrior Jask," he continued, his voice carrying a mix of faux hospitality and veiled arrogance. "What is the purpose of your visit here, friend?"
"Vacation," Ali replied simply, his tone casual as though he were discussing the weather.
"Vacation?" Jask's smile faltered, confusion etched across his face. "What do you mean, vacation?"
Ali didn't bother explaining. Instead, he gestured behind him toward Drogath, whose towering figure was impossible to ignore. Jask, having been focused solely on Ali, now took notice of the giant.
His eyes widened slightly as he observed Drogath's sheer size. 'He's massive…' Jask thought, his mind racing. Though he had lived among Drogath's species for years, Drogath was the largest he had ever seen.
"He's a Sith apprentice," Ali explained with a dismissive wave. "This is his home, and we're staying here for a week. Any other questions?"
The curt tone made Jask's jaw tighten, his forced politeness slipping. A faint twitch at the corner of his mouth betrayed his mounting anger, though he quickly composed himself. "No… Let my assistant lead you to your quarters," he said, the strain in his voice barely concealed.
"He'll do that later," Ali interrupted, brushing past him. "For now, we'll take a walk outside."
Renella followed closely behind, her green-tattooed arms crossed as her disdainful gaze lingered on Jask. The look made his red eyes narrow in irritation, but he held his composure, even as Drogath lumbered past without so much as a glance in his direction.
As they walked toward the hangar's exit, Renella leaned closer to Ali. "Are all Sith so bad at controlling their emotions?" she asked, her voice laced with mockery.
"Yes," Ali replied dryly. "You never know—I might attack you any second."
"And I'd beat you like last time," she shot back, a smirk tugging at her lips.
"What last time? All I remember is carrying your unconscious body back with me," Ali mocked, his voice calm but cutting.
Renella's retort was cut short as Drogath strode ahead of them, his large hands pushing the heavy hangar doors open. The sunlight flooded in, revealing a sprawling, impoverished village.
The structures were crude, made from mud and wood that looked ready to collapse under the weight of a strong wind. The streets were unpaved, lined with the footprints of the many who struggled to seek out a living in this harsh environment.
Ali's eyes scanned the area, taking in the sight of Drogath's people. The streets were filled with towering figures, all purple-skinned like Drogath. Their sizes ranged from seven feet upward, yet even among them, Drogath's size stood out.
'So, only the males have horns', Ali noted as he studied the crowd. 'And he's massive, even compared to his species.'
Drogath seemed lost in thought as he walked slowly into the village. Whispers erupted among the villagers as they caught sight of him.
"Who is that?"
"Is he a Sith?"
"Is he here to help us?"
The murmurs spread quickly, and heads turned to follow Drogath's every step. Yet the giant paid them no mind, his focus elsewhere. His eyes scanned the streets, searching for something—or someone.
'Where are they?' he thought, his heart heavy with anticipation and worry.
Renella's voice broke the silence between her and Ali as she walked beside him. "This is what your Empire does to every planet," she said quietly, her tone serious. "I can feel it… This planet is dying. It wails from the machinery tearing into its core."
Ali's gaze followed hers to the horizon, where massive drills stood in the distance, tearing into the earth like mechanical parasites. "Yeah, I can see it".
In another part of the village, a tall, purple-skinned woman hefted a large bundle of wood from her shoulders, dropping it outside a small mud house. She breathed heavily, sweat dripping from her brow as she wiped her face with the back of her hand.
"Zerina," a voice called from behind her. She turned to see a slightly taller male with a sharp horn approaching her. His gaze was intense, filled with a mixture of greed and lust.
Zerina sighed heavily. "I've already told you—I'm not marrying you Drag."
Drag stepped closer, his posture radiating confidence. "You can't live like this forever, Zerina. You know that. If you agree to be my wife, I'll help take care of your family. I can get your father the medicine he needs."
"With the credits your father stole from our village," Zerina snapped, her tone cutting. "Or have you forgotten that your family left us to rot while they bought their way into the Empire's protection?"
Drag's expression darkened. "Watch your—"
"Zerina," a deeper voice interrupted from behind Drag.
Zerina's eyes widened in shock. She knew that voice. She had dreamed of hearing it again. Pushing past Drag, she turned to see a familiar figure. Her brother, Drogath, stood there, dressed in the black uniform of the Sith.
Drogath took one step toward her before breaking into a run. Zerina hesitated for only a moment, but the sight of her brother rushing to her erased her doubts. She ran to him, her heart pounding. For a brief moment, she forgot the uniform he wore.
Drag, standing behind her, stared in disbelief. 'Drogath?' His mind raced. 'The most talented warrior of the village… The one who was supposed to be dead…' His thoughts spiralled. 'And he's returned as a Sith? Oh no…'
The siblings embraced tightly, holding onto each other as if to make up for lost time. They didn't speak for several minutes, only holding one another. Finally, Drogath pulled back slightly, placing his hands on her shoulders.
"Look at you," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "I've missed you so much, sister. I didn't think I'd ever see you again."
"I've missed you too, brother," Zerina replied, her voice thick with emotion. "But I still don't forgive you for leaving us." She gripped his arm tightly, as if afraid he might vanish again.
Drogath smiled sadly. "Come. Let's go see Mom and Dad." Zerina said eagerly but stopped when Drogath turned to the others.
"I want to introduce you to someone first," he said. He gestured to Ali and Renella, who stood nearby.
Zerina's eyes went to the man in the red mask. His presence was intimidating, and the bald woman at his side, covered in strange green tattoos, only added to the sense of unease.
"This is Ali," Drogath said. "He was with me when I was sent to the Sith Academy. Without him, I wouldn't be here."
Ali removed his mask, revealing his sharp, striking features. Zerina's eyes widened in surprise. She had never seen a human who looked like him before.
"I've heard a lot about you from Drogath," Ali said, his voice calm and polite.
"Um… Thank you for helping my brother," Zerina stammered, flustered.
Drogath turned back toward the house, his expression serious. "Come on. Let's go see our parents."
"Stay outside, and don't let him go anywhere", Ali whispered to Renella who looked at Drag trying to quietly walk away.
She touched the blue line around the collar of her uniform which was a shock collar before sighing and green covered her hand, Drag who was already behind another mud house suddenly felt something holding his foot.
He looked down to see a skeletal green hand clutching his leg, he was about to scream when another hand covered his mouth and dragged him away.
The interior of the small mud house was cramped, with only two rooms. On a thin sheet of fabric, an older male lay coughing violently, blood flecking his lips. Beside him knelt his wife, who dabbed his forehead with a damp cloth.
"Where is Zerina?" Drogan rasped between coughs. "She's late…"
The door creaked open, and Zerina stepped inside, her face glowing with happiness. "Dad, Mom… I'd like you to meet someone," she said, her voice trembling with excitement.
A large figure ducked through the doorway, and Drogan's eyes widened as he recognised his son. Tears filled his wife's eyes as she sprang to her feet, rushing to embrace Drogath.
"My boy," she sobbed, clutching him tightly. "You're back… You're really back…"
Drogan struggled to sit up, his frail body trembling. "How… I thought…"
"Father, I'm here," Drogath said, kneeling beside him. They touched horns, a traditional gesture of their people.
"Father, your condition has worsened," Drogath said softly, his eyes scanning his father's weakened frame. "They promised to help you."
"Once you stepped on that ship, they threw us out here," Zerina said bitterly. "They didn't give us anything."
Suddenly, the house began to shake, the walls trembling violently. Drogath's family looked around in alarm, thinking an earthquake had struck.
"Drogath. Calm down. NOW," Ali's voice came from outside, commanding and sharp. The trembling stopped immediately.
Moments later, Ali stepped through the door, his presence filling the small space. Drogan's eyes narrowed as he regarded the human with suspicion.
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Author here, don't worry this is only for a couple chapters before the finale starts….
Please donate some of your power stones, it would help my ff massively.
Five chapters ahead of webnovel on patreon.com/Rondo312