|
Chapter 11: Loki's Inferno, Her Travels Through Hell |
|
|
|
|
|
|
[the final installment of The Meridean Twins Book. ^^]
Chapter Eleven
“Loki’s Inferno: Her Travels Through Hell”
“No, Loki, no!” Luke yelled, pounding on the door with his fist. No sound came from within but Luke knew it was already too late. He refused to accept his Apprentice, his first personal Apprentice, was going to fall. It wasn’t fair.
Luke hit the door again, siking to the floor.
“Luke,” Roki said, making him look out of the crook of his arm. His hands were covered in electric blue fire. Luke moved aside and pulled his comm. Roki fired a beam of concintrated energy at the door. It seemed to make the door yeild slightly, if at all.
“Mara,” Luke said. “We’ve got a situation.” The comm. shot out of his hand.
“Oh, you have no idea.”
Luke dreaded to look behind him.
Sure enough Xinix was there, red saber in hand. He must have slipped out a second door to the throne room after Loki fell . . . Another entrance!
Luke sent a telepathic message to Roki. Roki took one look at Xinix and bolted down the hallway, planing to double back and around, slipping into the throne room from the other entrance.
Xinix grinned, not connecting the dots.
“It seems you Jedi aren’t as galant as the stories hail,” he said. Luke deftly pulled his saber and stared Xinix down, hoping Roki would return the favor and save his sister’s soul.
“There’s still time for you, Xinix,” Luke said, although he wasn’t sure if that was the truth. Xinix had fallen so far.
“Please,” the boy scoffed. “You didn’t pull your saber to show me the error of my ways.”
“Oh?” Luke said, cocking an eyebrow. “Then why did I draw my saber?”
“Don’t play Master/Apprentice games with me, Skywalker,” Xinix snapped.
“No one has the right to play with people’s lives,” Luke returned.
“Then perhaps you should have thought before you played with mine,” he snarled. Luke’s eyes were cold fury. “Oh? You didn’t realize just how badly your pathetic family has ruined not only my life, but my family’s life? My people?”
“I do not despute that the Skywalkers and the Blacksuns have never been the best of friends and you can blame me all you want. I only ask you leave Lokina Meridean out of it,” Luke said, calmly.
“She helped!” Xinix yelled. “She killed my father under Vader’s orders! Then she shamed me in front of the academy and you stood by and watched!”
“You attacked me, Xinix, Loki was only protecting me,” Luke said, trying to make it through to the disturbed boy. “Please, it isn’t too late.”
“Too late for you, you Jedi ********,” the Faleen sneered. “In a matter of moments, you will be dead and the body of Palpatine’s daughter will me mine. And I hope your father will be watching it all from hell.”
“You disapoint me, Xinix,” Luke said, frowning. Xinix twirled his saber.
“Shall we then?” He asked. Then he lunged, going for Luke’s throat.
2
Loki fell to her knees before Revan.
I could see Anakin again. I could be with him again. Would he love me? Would he remember me?
“So, you accept?” Revan asked. Loki rubbed her face.
Was a lifetime with Anakin worth betraying everything I’ve worked for?
You’re always been a Sith at heart, Bloodfire.
No, I haven’t. I’ve been a Jedi. Always a Jedi.
Think about it, Bloodfire. You’ve loved Anakin. You’d do anything to know him better. To be with him for the rest of your years.
What about Luke?
What about him? He’s a fool.
“I . . . ” Loki said. She knew how a Jedi betrayed his or her past learning: to hand over their saber into the waiting clutches of a Sith, where it would be destroyed. This symbolized a new, darker beginning. Her hand inched towards her saber. “I . . . ”
“Yes?” Revan said, full of anticipation.
Luke is my friend.
A Sith has no friends.
This one does.
You are not yet complete in your Sith training.
Then shut up, damn you! I have to think. What about Rio?
He is a bigger romantic fool that Skywalker! Forget these people. They mean nothing.
What about Jaken and my brother?
How many love interests do you have?
Loki’s eyes darkened.
“What is your answer?” Revan asked, impatient. Loki’s hand gripped around her lightsaber. She was ready now.
“My answer is simple,” Loki said, not looking up. “It’s only two words, in fact.” Revan waited, expectantly. Loki looked up, eyes red with glowing fire. “******** you.”
She brought her saber around, the blade snapping to life in mid-stroke. Revan leapt over it, flipping back to about seven feet away. Loki got to her feet, blade crackling.
Revan pulled her black gown off, revealing a black body suit underneath. She had a black saber hilt at her hip. She lifted it with a finely manicured hand.
“Then we finish this now,” she said.
Revan attacked Loki head on.
3
Luke matched Xinix blow for blow. After all, Luke taught him how to hold a saber properly. Xinix aimed a blow meant to take Luke’s head off. Luke ducked, slashed forward with his saber, intending to cut Xinix off at the knees and flipped backwards, still in a half-crouch. Xinix had raised a shield around himself, much like Loki’s Force Fire, but raw, unrefined power is never easy power.
It disbanded, leaving his eyes dilated and unfocused, and leaving Luke with an open opportunity. He did a spinning slash, making his saber a green wheel of light. But Xinix raised his saber horizontally, blocking Luke’s blow.
“You’re getting old,” Xinix hissed at him from behind the hum and glow of his saber.
“Like a fine wine, Xinix,” Luke hissed back. “Your mother, on the other hand, she aged like bantha milk, didn’t she?”
Xinix roared and broke the lock. His attacks became sloppy and violent. Luke easily blocked them and sent them back at the Faleen.
Then Xinix gained some ground.
A stray slash grazed the soft skin of Luke’s inner elbow. He cried out, gasping in pain. Xinix sneered. Luke rushed to defend himself against the Faleen’s new onslaught, however fighting with his left arm instead of his right.
He only hoped Loki was faring better.
4
“I will never turn to the Dark Side, Revan,” Loki said, blocking a slash aimed for her head. “Not even if I could be with Anakin.” She pushed the momentum back at her attacker. “And you’re a cold hearted b***h for even proposing the idea!” Revan snarled at her.
“And you’re a fool,” she said, locking sabers. “For not taking the deal.” Loki broke the lock and took a swing for Revan’s temple with her right hand. Revan ducked down, bending her knees fast and sprung back up, slamming the girl with her left hand. Loki rolled with the hit, flipping backwards.
Her hands connected with the cool steel floor and she jack knifed another foot or so away. Loki glared down her opponent. She smirked, bitterly.
“I’ve fought against the most powerful Siths in the galaxy,” she said. “Vader, Palpatine, and Xizor, your lover; you don’t stand a chance, Iris. Give up now.”
“I think not, Lokina,” Revan returned. “Vader fought you once, he let you win because he didn’t want to crush your spirits at such a fragile state. Palpatine, your father, took your arm. And you’ve never been the same since killing Xizor. Taking his life, taking all the lives you have, has left you a broken little girl, hidden behind this shield of bravado and power. Your strength comes only from your spite and anger at Vader’s disposal of you.”
“No!” Loki shouted, gripping her saber so tight, it threatened to shatter in her fist.
“Yes! He rejected you,” Revan said. She was digging into Loki’s old wounds. “But it wasn’t your first time, was it?” Loki’s eyes threatened to blaze red. She blinked them, trying to put a leash around her anger. “You’ve been rejected before. You thought he loved you.”
“Shut up!”
“Ah, but we were wrong, weren’t we?”
Loki screamed and sheathed her saber in one motion. She thrust her arms forward, rapidly, hurling balls of Force Fire at the woman. But her aim was off, Revan could easily block them. Revan’s face split into a grin. Loki rested, her shoulders going up and down as she sucked in breaths. Her hands were numb from conjuring and releasing the fire so quickly.
“There were others,” Revan continued.
“I told you to shut up!” Loki screamed at her.
“The Draconic Prince,” the dark woman said. “He was the first. My, he broke your heart and killed millions of your people.”
“I’LL KILL YOU!”
Loki drew her saber and lunged. She swung up towards Revan’s neck. Revan blocked, twirled and slashed. Loki leaned back, Matrix style, and brought her legs up as well, in a perfect in-air flip. Her feet connected with Revan’s chin. She yelled and stumbled back, her chin bleeding. This just gave her more ammo.
“Then there was the boy you met working with Vader, towards the end of that loving relationship. Before Daddy took away your arm.” Revan said. Loki’s eyes blazed freely this time. “Now, let’s see. What was his name? Oh, yes. Feyd Scorpio. A dark little b*****d, wasn’t he?” Loki glared. “He hit you once, didn’t he?” Loki said nothing. Her mind brought up the memory.
She had said the wrong thing. He had swung his arm around, hitting her hard enough to send her sprawling. It was a closed fist, splitting her bottom lip open and bruising the corner of her mouth. He stood over her, shouting and spitting as she stared up at him, eyes wide.
“That’s why you reacted so when the Prince struck you,” Revan said. “He was so much like him. So much like Feyd. Well, here’s a little secret.” She leaned forward. “Feyd was Jaken’s cousin, on his mother’s side. Guess who had him killed after he found you the next day, beaten and scarred? Just, take a guess. The man who never loved you, but gave you one last pity.”
Anakin.
Loki closed her eyes, filled with despair. Revan was right, she thought. Anakin never loved me.
She was slowly losing her battle with the Dark Side.
5
Luke slashed at Xinix again. The boy was too good. He was graceful and was able to dodge like a Twi’lek. There he was, more than one close-call marring his body with fine red, burning, slash marks, like that of a nerowhip, and there was the Faleen, grinning at him like a fool. Xinix sheathed his saber, clipping it to his belt.
“Now, now,” he said. “I’ve laid mine down. It’s only sporting you do the same, Master Skywalker.” Luke did so. He waited for Xinix to make his next move, while listening to the commotion in the throne room. “Come, Skywalker. Let’s see how you fight, hand-to-hand.”
Luke raised his fists, as Xinix raised his hands, the fingers splayed, like the mouth of a viper. He took a quick step, lashing out with that hand. Luke darted back, but not quick enough.
He raised a hand to his cheek. It was cut and bleeding, as if it had been bit. He looked at Xinix. He was licking Luke’s blood from his finger nails. Luke raised his hands again, ready.
Again and again Xinix struck, this time in rapid succession. Luke tried to raise his arms to protect himself, but the b*****d had already hit him a good seven times before he was even halfway up. Finally, Xinix backed up.
Luke was a bloody mess, small cuts and slashes covering his body and face. He ran through an easy Jedi healing trick and they began to heal. Xinix took advantage of his preoccupied mind and drop-kicked him. Luke rolled and got to his feet before Xinix reacted.
Xinix snarled, angry at Luke’s skill.
“You know she’s not going to come out of there alive,” Xinix hissed. Luke’s eyes narrowed to sapphire slits.
“Glad you’ve already gotten over Revan’s death.”
Xinix roared and rushed forward, so fast he was a blur. Luke felt his upper cut into his stomach and yelped. He fell to the ground. He heard the snap-hiss of a saber and closed his eyes. This was going to hurt.
He arched his back, flipping off his back and unto his feet, much in the same way he watched Jaken and Constantine do in mock battles at the Academy. But they were young bucks. Luke had a few years on him. His spine popped in a kind of pain that was bitter sweet. Xinix noticed this. Luke brought his arm down just in time into the back of the urchin’s knee, causing him to crumble.
Luke pulled his saber and aimed it at Xinix’s throat.
Both froze. Luke kicked the saber from Xinix’s hand.
“You know,” Luke said. “You’ve caused the Jedi a lot of trouble lately.”
“What? You’re going to kill me now or something?” Xinix hissed up at him.
“No, but you do have a date with the Galactic Alliance Council over your criminal record,” the older man said. “I know it was you who murdered those three people on Magrathea. You framed Roki for it when you used his saber. And that,” letting his mild anger dribble to the surface, Luke dug his heal into Xinix’s shoulder making him wince, “was just plain vindictive and evil, wasn’t it?” Xinix spat up at him.
“That was for being such a pompous a*****e at the Academy,” he said. “And this . . .” Without warning Luke was slamming into a far wall with a blast of colorless, shapeless Force Fire. “That was for trying to kill me.” Luke realized he was pinned there. Xinix got up at his leisure, picking up Luke’s fallen saber hilt. He examined it. “I think . . . I think I should kill you know.” Luke didn’t allow his fear, however minute to rise to the surface. “And what better way for a Jedi to die than if it was brought about by his own lightsaber.”
“You kill me,” Luke said. “I’ll only become more powerful.” Xinix snorted.
“Okay, Obi-Wan,” he said. “At least your last thoughts will be an idiotically happy one.”
The green blade erupted into being. Xinix held it as one would a hyperball bat. Luke opened himself into the Force and said a few happy things to himself.
I love you, Mara.
Leia.
Han.
. . . Loki . . .
6
She had seen him again.
She hadn’t meant to, but she did. She was standing on the side of a road in Florakane’s only real city, Mirkwood, and she watched the parade go by. The little boy of six she had met, Max, was by her side, craning his neck, trying to get a view. She lifted him onto his shoulders. Her brother was beside her, also holding a child, Gabrielle, who they picked up on Paradise Moon, among a pair of smugglers, a Vamp and a guy with a goatee. They were headed to Skip One, where they would meet up with a few others and plan for the future. An Azerathian Girl stood beside her brother and beside her, a tall Corrillian, both of whom they had met on Naboo.
He hates parades, she thought, watching the clones march past. And yet there he was, marching with some governor and Admiral Piette.
On cue, he turned to her. For a moment, the rest of the world melted away.
It was just her and him.
He watched her and she heard his thoughts: Can that really be Loki? My, she’s grown. I’d never imagine her to be this beautiful one day. And she has . . . children?
Not mine, she thought. My new friends. And guess what, Master? All Force Sensitives! Her lavender eyes never left his hollow black orbs of the mask he was cursed to wear.
I can’t allow the Jedi to rise again, he thought.
Who said they were Jedi? She thought back.
Don’t make me regret allowing you to live, Lokina.
Don’t make me regret living, Master.
Silent tears brimmed in her eyes. She blinked, suppressing them.
I did love you, you know. And I always will.
Vader bowed his head and trudged on, not responding to her.
She turned away from the road.
“Come on, guys,” she said. “We’ve got to get to . . .” She stopped, cocked her head to one side and turned back. The Imperials had captured two Rebel Soldiers and were dragging them along on metal leashes. Blood leaked from shallow digs where the metal bit them. They were going to be killed. Her eyes narrowed. She set Max down and gazed at the soldiers.
“Loki, what are you going to do?” Her brother asked, concerned with the look flashing in her lavender eyes. She grabbed her saber hilt and pushed through the crowd. “Loki!”
“I’m trying setting things right,” she said to herself.
She was on the road now, the onlookers casting her odd, curious glances. She ignited her saber and ran for the Rebels. She leapt into the air, tucked, and flipped over a group of clone warriors and landed, soundlessly behind them. They opened blaster fire on her, but she dodged gracefully. The crowd broke out in applause and cries.
She heard the governor order Vader to do something about her. She smirked. I’d like to see him try, she thought. Running forward, saber in hand, she brought her saber up and around in a slash that cut the Rebel’s chains. The crowd really cheered this time.
Then she heard his breathing behind her. She turned, rasing a shield of purple light to allow the Rebel’s to escape. He stared her down, red saber in hand.
“That was unwise,” he said. She didn’t quake, as most did under his gaze.
“No one ever said I was the brightest crayon in the box,” she replied. “But I’m clever enough to cause my enemies a whole mess of trouble while their backs are turned, huh?”
“Your enemies?” He repeated. “Suddenly I am your enemy?” She looked at him unblinkingly. Time to face the music, Loki, dear, she thought.
“You dismissed me,” she said. “We are no longer on the same side.” She raised her saber and twirled it once before taking an en garde position. “That can only mean one thing. I challenge you, Darth Vader, to a Duel of Fates. Stand and fight, or run and hide,” She spoke loudly, loud enough for everyone to hear. He did the same, drawing his saber.
“You will regret this, Little One,” he said. She smirked.
“Somehow, I don’t think I will,” she replied. She slashed and his shoulder-armor smoldered. “And never call me ‘Little One.” She lunged, feinted left, and slashed. This was like a well choreographed dance for the two of them, having rehearsed and rehearsed the steps in combat rooms. Vader struck, she parried. Strike, parry, block, slash, stab, parry, they exchanged blows. She locked sabers with his. She realized it might end in a stalemate. Or in death. For him.
“I see you’ve not forgotten my teachings,” he said, as quietly as he could.
“Not by a long shot,” she hissed back. “I don’t forget things that keep me alive.” With a circular motion, she snapped his saber from his grasp. It clattered, dead, on the pavement, rolling meters away. She aimed the tip of her saber at his throat before he could call his saber.
Vader drew a breath.
“I taught you that trick,” he said, amazed. She could have smirked, but she didn’t.
“You taught me a great many things, Master,” she whispered. “I’m leaving soon. Going some place where you won’t bother to look for me. At this point, I’m just leaving to forget. I’ll leave you in peace, if you leave me the same.”
“Never lose sight of the ones you care about, Lokina,” Vader said, softly. “If you wish to forget, at least remember this last thing I say to you, my daughter, the nearest thing I have to a child who will not flinch at the sight of me: Never forget to fight for the ones you love.”
That’s right, she thought. He has a son. The boy he was trying to coax on Bespin.
“I’ll always fight for you,” she whispered, clearing her mind.
She disengaged her saber and turned away from him, walking back into the crowd.
She had a few people to meet on Skip One.
7
Loki opened her eyes, willing the vison to be gone. When it vanished, her eyes darkened. Revan stood before her, taunting her with memories of a past long forgotten. Loki drew her saber, wordlessly. Her lessons as a Sith came flooding back into her consciousness, more so than ever before. The Star Destroyer was a Super Imperial Class issue, an SSD, like the Executor. That meant the ‘throne room’ was always near the main generator, the heart of the ship itself.
“Let’s take this outside, Revan,” she said, throwing her right arm forward. Loki blew a hole in the wall behind Revan and ran past. Ran right into the belly of the beast. Revan followed.
The main generator room was hot and muggy and Revan didn’t like it one bit. This was a place for droids and other underlings, not for the future queen of the Galactic Empire. Worse, it was a maze of pipes and wires and heavy machinery. Places for Meridean to hide. Hide like the little mouse she was.
The only real light source was Revan’s own saber, casting a red glow. Meridean had disengaged her lightsaber, keeping herself in darkness.
“Where are you, Little Jedi?” Revan called. She did not get an answer. She felt as if she were being hunted.
No! She thought. This isn’t right! I’m the hunter! She is the prey! She bows to me!
Revan turned her saber down low, the blade slowly shooting into the hilt, cutting off light. If she had hers on, and the girl did not, she would stick out and be easier for Meridean to find. Revan drew a hand-held blaster from her belt and made sure charges were in it.
“Show yourself!” Revan commanded.
There was a shuffling sound and Revan turned to her left and fired.
A scorch mark marred the floor. It had hit nothing.
Get a hold of yourself, Iris, she thought. Only a mouse. Do not allow the girl’s games to take over your rationalizing.
Revan scanned the darkness. She was so intent on searching she did not see the girl hanging behind her, upside down. Her slim legs were wrapped around the pipe, hanging like a bat, just as harmless, just as deadly.
Loki’s eyes narrowed. She could so easily take Revan out now.
“Where are you, Jedi!?” Revan yelled.
“Behind you,” she whispered, barely audible.
Revan’s heart jumped to her throat. She turned and fired . . . at nothing.
Loki had pulled herself up in a split second. She sat, above Revan, watching her. Her wings were out, pressed against her back, against her sweaty back. Time to do some quick thinking. A sly smile came to her lips.
“Hey, Revan!” She yelled. Revan turned again. Loki jumped down, catching her hands on the cool pipe she was sitting on and swung forward like a gymnast. “Think fast!”
Revan was kicked back. She skidded a few feet and then got up, spitting mad and surprised. She spun around, looking for her, her black hair wild.
The girl was gone again! She was as quick and silent as a phantom!
“Fight like you have a backbone, Meridean!” Revan demanded. Loki smirked again.
“Now, why would I do that?” She said, her voice reverberating all around the room. Revan looked around wildly, like a cornered animal. “It’s much more fun to fight like a Sith.”
“So, you’ve Turned?” Revan asked, trying to hide the shaking in her voice.
“Not to join you, no,” Loki said, leaping gracefully, soundlessly to another pipe. “But, it is much more fun, I must admit. Now, Revan.” Loki powered up her Force Fire. “Let’s see you think on your feet!” She lobbed a few fire balls at her. Revan, outraged, leapt up, igniting her saber in the process. Loki drew her own as well.
“Time to fight and die, Daughter of Palpatine!” Revan screamed.
“Oh, this should be good,” Loki said, moving, catlike, for the other.
8
“Get ready to die, Skywalker,” Xinix muttered.
Luke closed his eyes and waited for the blow.
There was a yell of pain and a gasp for the similar.
Luke’s eyes snapped open.
Xinix stood before him, eyes wide. Luke’s saber hilt slipped from his hand and clattered to the floor. Luke’s feet connected with the floor. Xinix’s hold on him was gone.
And an electric blue lightsaber was sticking out of Xinix’s chest.
Roki could be seen over his shoulder. His blue-and-gold eyes were narrowed.
“That was for what you did to Loki,” he said softly.
Xinix made a few babbling sounds, as blood splattered out of his mouth, dribbling thickly down his front, and Roki pulled his saber out of his back.
Xinix went rigid and slumped forward, hands grabbing at Luke’s robes. He looked up at him, blood oozing from his mouth, with begging, pleading eyes. Roki placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled back. Xinix hit the floor, eyes staring at the ceiling.
“‘Though I walk through the Valley of Death . . .’” Xinix tried. Roki shook his head.
“Have a good time in hell,” he said. Xinix pulled in a few violent, racking breaths. Luke knew his lung was punctured, perhaps even his heart. Xinix was as good as dead.
His body stopped shuddering and he lay still. Luke kneeled by him and closed his eyes.
“Into the Force, we deliver you, Xinix Blacksun,” he muttered. Then he rose and looked at Roki. “Well, I suppose you made up for the whole Loki incident.” Roki’s eyes widened.
“Oh, s**t!” He said, turning to the door. “Loki!” Luke looked at the pad and palm scanner. He punched in a command. The pad flashed red. Roki blasted it with Force Fire, but it seemed impervious to it.
“Roki,” Luke said, thinking. “Are you and Loki Genetic Twins?”
“Nah, we’re Fraternal, you know, not identical? Like you and Leia.” Roki replied. He kicked the door, leaving a dent, but no real change.
“No, I mean Genetic,” Luke said, studying the pad. “Genetic Twins are extremely rare. These are twins who share the same genetic imprint. Not the same DNA, but the same finger print, the same hand print, the same blood type. If you are and Revan programed this to accept Loki’s palm-print, then it would accept yours as well.” Roki blinked.
“But you said they were extremely rare,” he said. Luke cocked an eyebrow.
“You two aren’t exactly normal,” he said. Roki grinned.
He kneeled by the pad and pressed his palm to the scanner.
9
Loki aimed a blow at Revan’s skull. Revan blocked and bowed low, slashing for Loki’s feet. Loki flipped away, throwing a fire ball in her first rotation. She landed gracefully and stared at Revan. She held her saber at her side, ready.
“Show me what you got, Revan,” she said. Revan flew at her, saber pulled back in a waiting blow. Loki ducked and swivelled, now looking at Revan’s back. She landed her elbow into the dark b***h’s spine and Revan went down fast. She landed, stomach down, on the metal floor below with a grunt and a cry. Loki, meanwhile, flew back up to the pipelines. Revan got to her feet shakily. She stared up at Loki with wide black eyes.
Loki’s face did not change from her cold indifference. She spread her ivory white wings and flew down, landing soundlessly feet away from Revan’s form. The woman snarled and raised her saber again. She strode up to Loki and struck for her head. Loki leaned to the left. Revan aimed and struck again. Loki leaned to the right. Revan slashed her saber around in a semi-circle and Loki ducked down, swinging her legs around, catching Revan’s knees and bringing her down.
Loki straightened. Revan flipped to her feet, her black hair in her face, breathing heavily, sweating profusely.
“You think you can beat me?” Revan asked, gasping for breath. “You think you’ll ever be stronger than I am? Do you? Well, you are wrong! YOU’RE WRONG!”
Loki’s left hand burst into purple flames, but she said nothing, her face did not change.
“The Jedi Academy and its students are being destroyed as we speak, they’re all be dead when the sun rises over Yavin,” Revan said, truly insane. Loki shook her head.
“The students and the masters have been evacuated, far away from Yavin,” she said. Revan’s face melted to disbelief and shock. She shook her head.
“No,” she said, in a high voice, a broken voice. “No, no the Jedi are dead! I’ve won! I’m the Sith Lord! I won! I always win!” Loki shook her head.
“Not this time, Revan,” she said. Revan snarled at her.
“This will end in death for one of us, girl,” she said. “And it will not be me.”
You are mistaken, Revan, Loki thought as Revan charged her again. Both of us will die.
10
The door slid open and Roki and Luke rushed in.
The room was totally empty.
No Loki. No Revan. No nothing.
Roki touched Luke’s arm as he scanned the room.
“Look!” He said, pointing to a large, gaping hole in the wall. Steam billowed out of it, and, in the white haze, Luke saw two shadows fighting and a flashes of red and purple.
“They’re in there,” he said, making for the hole. Roki followed, a pit settling in his stomach as he did.
He prayed his sister was still alive.
11
Revan hit Loki’s saber hard. She pulled back and struck again and again and again. Loki didn’t even have to move her saber hand. Revan’s moves were sloppy, the motions of a being in desperation. As Loki’s horizontal saber shuddered with each blow. The time was coming.
Loki’s eyes snapped open. They were all purple. Revan had backed up and was preparing to run forward. Loki leapt up, with a brief flutter of her wings and landed on a pipe again. It was easier to fight on the higher ground, anyway. But Revan was still tensed, her eyes crazed. Loki realized she was still going to rush forward, to jump and try to take her.
“Don’t do it, Revan,” Loki said. “I have the higher ground. Don’t do it.”
Revan yelled and ran at her. She jumped into the air, slashing at Loki.
Loki’s saber hummed as she slashed in a J motion, barely missing the other saber that grazed her body. Revan’s eyes widened, her mouth opened in a silent scream. The saber cut a jagged slash in a water pipe and a fine spray of water matted Loki’s hair and wetted her face.
Revan hit the metal floor with a thump and Loki closed her eyes, her mouth clamped shut, her will iron, trying to not vomit from what she had just seen.
Lady Revan’s body hit the ground after her legs and her right arm did, a series of sick thumps and wet slaps as hot blood and flesh hit warm steel, and hissed. Revan’s torso and left arm lay there staring up at the ceiling, her saber still clenched in her right hand, laying several feet away. Loki jumped down, blood blossoming over the front of her shirt. She covered the wound with her non-saber arm, and walked around the body. Revan’s voice appeared to be lost as well as three of her limbs.
“Into the Force, I deliver you, Lady Iris Revan,” Loki said, reestablishing the grip on her saber hilt in a sweaty palm, blade pointed down over Revan’s heart. Loki closed her eyes and tilted her face to the ceiling.
“NOOOO!” Revan screamed. Her scream echoed off the walls.
Loki plunged her saber down and Revan’s scream was cut off. Loki sank to her knees and sobbed to herself.
My Master, she thought. I have finally fulfilled your last wish. I remembered to fight for the ones I love. I do love you and I always will. But this, this was for my family. The Jedi.
But I’ve killed again. I’ve killed . . .
Loki sobbed again and lay down, totally exhausted. A thin stream of blood leaked onto the steel floor from the slash below her left breast, a fatal wound. The tip of Revan’s saber had grazed her heart, cutting some artery. She may have killed Revan, but Revan will also kill her.
Forgive me, Anakin.
She heard footsteps and yells, but she didn’t care. Someone shook her. Loki slipped away into darkness. Distinctly as her consciousness and life force faded, she heard Anakin’s voice.
No, forgive ME, Lokina.
12
Loki knew when she died. That wound on her chest was deep enough to break that artery and, ultimately, kill her. Someone was carrying her, in the same way as she was pulled down from a weather vane.
Who cares, she thought. It’s about time the Force caught up with me, anyway.
A light portal opened before her as she was no longer being held, at least, not physically. And there he was. Anakin, all blonde hair and blue eyes. He opened his arms to her and she ran to them. He held her. Voices of somewhere murmured about her body.
“Oh, Anakin,” she said. Anakin kept on holding her. “I get to stay with you forever now.”
“You have to go back,” he whispered to her. Loki knew this. She knew Luke was laying her down and getting ready to kiss her. Kiss her and let her live again.
“No,” she whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I want to stay here, with you.”
“But you can’t,” he whispered back. “You have so much more destiny to fulfill.” Loki stepped back from him and looked into his eyes. He looked sadly back. “You don’t belong here, Lokina. You belong with your family, your loved ones. Not with me. I’m gone. I’m sorry.” He stroked her cheek. “You are so precious to me.”
“I love you,” Loki said.
“I know,” Anakin said, huskily, drawing her up in his arms again and kissing her with so much passion, Loki fainted. But not before she savored that kiss for all it was worth.
13
Loki opened her eyes. She was on Endor. On Endor? She thought. It was dusk, the air was warm and thick with smoke and the sounds of celebration. She sat up. Loki was in front of a large fire. Luke sat beside her. She smiled to herself. She knew what day it was. The End of the Empire, celebrated by the little Ewoks and every other being in the galaxy.
“I had his funeral pyre here,” Luke told her. Her friends were there, around other large bonfires, dancing and cheering. Gaby was on Constantine’s shoulders, Juniper flew around the fires, full of joy. Kagome and Nikolai swung arm in arm, a bottle in Nik’s fist. Max and Mara were dancing with each other. Jaken, Trilian, Fina, Vyse, Xaqi, and Riku were dancing at the second fire and Roki and Aliea were snuggling by a tree trunk. Rio was near, but she could not see him.
“So,” Loki said, bringing her knees up to her chest. “How’d I do, Master?” Luke sighed.
“You’ve caused surmountable damage to several ships, nearly got other apprentices killed, risked your own life, and killed a Senator,” he said. Loki smiled at him and he smiled back. “All and all, you did your job, I suppose.” Loki leaned against him.
Seeing her friends so happy, Loki realized how much she laid on the line by even contemplating turning to the Dark Side just to have Anakin back.
“She offered to bring him back for me,” she said. “I almost accepted.” Luke nodded. “I think he’s happy right where he is.” Luke hugged her and she hugged back. It was a cherished moment, one Loki hoped would last forever. Luke’s embrace was so much like his father’s. He buried his face in her neck, but Loki’s eyes were still on the fire.
Behind it, she saw the blue entity of Anakin Skywalker, looking as he did in the In-Between Realm. He smiled at her and nodded. Loki smiled back.
Luke pulled back and made eye contact with her. For some reason, they felt the need to inch their faces towards one another, slowly, each knowing what came next and wanting it . . .
Just then, Gabrielle Starchild, Maximum Aster, Juniper Comet, Constantine Angel, Kagome Renadli, Nikolai Damian, Trilian Soriel, Jaken Crane, Sophina Crane, Vyse Dyne, Xaqueenia Rendar, Riku Crane, Aliea Moonbeam, Rokion Meridean and Rio Solo ran over to them. The entire Sweet Sixteen were whole once again. Luke and Loki rose. Rio grabbed Loki and spun her around. He tilted her back and kissed her, passionately.
Loki was Loki again, vowing to begin to live in the present and not in the past. Yes, her heart belonged to many different, brave men, some she can never have, but she had one man, one very important person now. One important person for the rest of her life. Rio let her breathe and she punched his shoulder playfully.
“I got ten bucks says that Meridean can’t drink me under the table after coming back from the dead twice,” Nikolai said, taking a swig from the bottle. Loki blinked.
“You’re on!” She said. “And it was three times!” The Sweet Sixteen, the entire sixteen, raced off, towards a far bonfire, yelling and carrying on like all hell, just a bunch of teenagers again, and not galactic heros.
Luke smiled and shook his head. He looked to his father as Mara came over as well and nuzzled her face into his neck. He gave his father a small salute. His father mouthed something that looked like: Your mother and I are so proud.
Anakin kept on smiling.
All was right within the Force. Finally, all was right within the Force.
 Blakaize · Mon Jun 30, 2008 @ 06:25pm · 0 Comments |
|
|
|
|
|
