The deep hum of the Maleficent's engines filled the silence as Kael stood before the viewport, staring out at the vast expanse of space. His mind was not on the endless stars or the countless systems stretching beyond the galaxy. No, his thoughts were consumed by the Force, the power he had long since claimed as his own. The recent mission had been a test—a test not only of his skills but of his very nature. The holocron he had retrieved was more than just a relic. It was a doorway to an ancient power, a power that might one day rival even that of the Emperor himself.
Kael's fingers twitched, a low crackle of Force energy running along his skin as he called upon the dark side. His connection to the Force had only grown stronger, sharper, and with each passing day, his control over his abilities deepened. His lightsabers—his twin blades of crimson energy—were always at the ready, but it was the power of the dark side that truly defined him now.
In the months since his last encounter with Vader, Kael had become more attuned to the subtleties of the Force. His mastery over basic abilities like Force Push and Pull had become second nature, while his skills in the more destructive arts—Force Lightning, Force Choke, and even Force Crush—had reached terrifying levels. He was no longer the unsure apprentice he had once been.
With the holocron safely stored away in his quarters, Kael felt the familiar stirrings of unrest. The Emperor's warning still echoed in his mind. Your true test lies ahead. You will face enemies more powerful than you can imagine.
Vader's words were a constant reminder of the path Kael had chosen. But there was more to it. The whispers of the Force, those subtle urgings, had begun to take on a more insistent tone. Kael wasn't sure whether it was the dark side speaking to him or something else, something deeper and more ancient.
His musings were interrupted by the shrill chime of the comm system.
"Lord Kael," a voice crackled through the speaker. "There is a situation on Tatooine. We've intercepted a transmission—there is a group of Jedi seeking refuge on the desert planet. The Emperor demands their capture or extermination."
Kael's lip curled into a smile. He had been expecting this. The Jedi were a dying breed, but they had a tendency to be stubborn.
"I will leave immediately," Kael responded, his voice cold and calculated.
The shuttle ride to Tatooine was uneventful, though the heat of the desert planet was suffocating. The sand dunes stretched endlessly, and the twin suns blazed overhead. Kael's senses sharpened as he landed in a secluded area outside the remnants of an ancient Jedi enclave.
There was no sign of the Jedi, but Kael could feel their presence in the Force—a faint but undeniable pulse, like a distant heartbeat.
The hunt was on.
Hours passed as Kael combed through the ruins of the enclave, his eyes scanning the horizon. The Force guided his every step, and he could feel the Jedi growing closer. They were skilled, but not skilled enough to evade him for long.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the desert in a reddish glow, Kael finally caught sight of them.
There were three in total—two males and one female, all dressed in the worn robes of exiled Jedi. They were not the trained warriors Kael had expected, their movements slow and measured, as though they had long since abandoned the ways of battle.
Kael approached silently, his lightsabers ignited and ready. He had learned long ago that his enemies never saw him coming.
Without warning, he launched himself at the group, his twin lightsabers cutting through the air with precision. The Jedi were quick to react, but they were not fast enough. The female Jedi attempted to deflect his first strike, but Kael's blade danced in the air with unnatural speed, slashing through her defenses and sending her sprawling to the ground.
The male Jedi tried to intervene, but Kael's hand shot out, and with a forceful gesture, he used the Force to pull the man into the air, suspending him above the ground.
"You should have stayed hidden," Kael said, his voice a low growl.
The second male Jedi lunged forward, but Kael spun around, using the Force to push him back with a surge of power that sent the man crashing into the ruins.
The first Jedi, still suspended by the Force, struggled in vain. Kael's lightsabers hovered near his opponent's throat, ready to end the fight.
But the man managed to gather enough strength to unleash a desperate attack, using the Force to break free of Kael's grasp. With a roar, the Jedi launched himself at Kael, his lightsaber flashing in a series of wide, aggressive slashes.
Kael's movements were fluid, his lightsabers moving in perfect harmony as he parried and countered the Jedi's strikes. The Force surged through him, guiding his every motion. His dual blades became an extension of his will, cutting down his opponent's attacks with deadly precision.
In a blur of motion, Kael used Force Push to send the Jedi flying backward, and before the man could regain his footing, Kael was on him. His twin lightsabers sliced through the air in a flurry of strikes, cutting through the Jedi's defenses and severing his arm.
The Jedi fell to the ground, blood spilling from his wounds. Kael stood over him, his red lightsabers humming with dark energy.
"You're weak," Kael spat. "The Jedi were never meant to survive."
The final Jedi, the woman who had been watching the battle unfold, hesitated for only a moment before charging at Kael with a battle cry.
Kael extended his hand, and with a flash of lightning, he unleashed a bolt of Force Lightning that arced toward the woman. She screamed in agony as the energy coursed through her body, her movements becoming erratic and uncontrollable.
The Force Lightning continued to crackle, and the woman's body convulsed before she collapsed to the ground, her body twitching involuntarily.
Kael stepped forward, his boots crunching against the sand as he approached the fallen Jedi.
"You should have surrendered," Kael said, his voice low. "You have no place in this galaxy."
With a swift movement, Kael raised his hand and summoned the woman's lightsaber to his grasp. She had fought valiantly, but her strength had faltered in the face of his power.
The battle was over. The Jedi were dead.
As Kael turned to leave, he felt a sudden disturbance in the Force—a ripple that spread through the desert like a wave. Someone had sensed his victory. Someone was watching.
He narrowed his eyes, sensing the presence of another.
The hunt was not yet finished.