TEoLAWKI- Chapter 1 Bittersweet Return

[Lady Zahra/Jules]

The End of Life As We Know It

Chapter 1: Bittersweet Return

Written by: Kelly (Kyra) and Blade (Damien)

As the war raged on, Arael traveled across the galaxy in search of Sable's storehouses of knowledge. She had all but destroyed one when her travels brought her near Nem'vaar. The solemn planet the Nem'vaah Order called home brought back memories of the man she had fallen in love with. Not knowing his fate after the war, she felt such sorrow. It had been ages since they had seen each other.

Bringing her ship down to the surface of the planet, she landed not far from Mt. Ashterton. The beautiful plains were aglow with the moonlight. Arael stepped out of her ship and pulled her cloak tightly about her weary form. Letting her gaze move to the tall, majestic mountain, she drank of it's beauty as the memories swept through her mind. A smile touched her lips as she remembered coming here with Damien and Paul numerous times. Much had happened here that had shaped their lives afterwards. Lowering her eyes to the grasses, she began to walk towards it. Arael wanted to see the moonlight atop it once more. Here, at least, she would feel close to Damien.

Atop the mountain, Damien stood at the entrance of the cave he had turned into a sanctuary while a pupil of Ranka Darkbroode. Placing his hand over the cold stone, he looked out across the landscape lost in his thoughts. Many Jedi's lives had been lost in the great battle of Coruscant. Part of him couldn't escape the feeling that he still had failed to repel the Sith forces to begin with. Such thoughts only reminded him of Arael. She had always been at his side throughout the exile telling him it wasn't his fault. How he missed her. It was this thought that soon took over in his mind.

Arael struggled up the side of the mountain as her wearied form protested from the effort. She had spent countless days within her ship without sleep as a new vision had come to her.

As she entered the building, darkness loomed about the place sending chills throughout her body. Never before had she felt so cold. Hopelessness and fear began to seep into her as she followed the familiar voice down the hallway. It was the voice of her mother, Kyra Maans. Finally reaching the door, she opened it and stepped inside to be greeted by an intense wave of dark energy. It swirled around her threatening to consume her as a beast it's prey. Hearing her voice yell something in return, the room burst into a bright white light. It continued pushing back the darkness until all that was left was the body of her mother on the ground. Hurrying to her side, she turns around only to see the twisted face of a dark spirit reach for her and wrench her heart out. Everything turns dark. She always awoke afterwards in a cold sweat.

Arael had spent countless hours pouring over the vision and knew what it meant. Selae would try to kill her again, but this time she would succeed.

Pausing near the top, she runs her hand across her forehead as if trying to wipe the memory of the vision away. She was here to relax and seek some comfort, not dwell upon the future.

Damien hears something and turns his moonlight gaze towards the source. A dark figure had just crested the mountain and now stood dusting his or her clothing. He stays within the entrance of the cave hidden in the darkness. There was something almost familiar about the person. Perhaps it was just a dream.

Arael steps from the darkness as the cloud that had covered part of the moon moved. As the moonlight shines down upon her, the reddish-gold locks catch the light and shine like polished gold.

Was this a trick of his mind or was she really here? He stepped out of the shadows to get a better look. "Arael?" he softly calls.

She turns her head towards the voice and smiles faintly. "Damien?" Had her eyes deceived her or her mind created this illusion? Or could this possibly be real? Slowly, she makes her way towards him.

The closer she comes, the more certain he is it is her. Damien also begins walking towards her. A smile of disbelief and joy was upon his face.

Her footsteps quickened until she found herself in his embrace. Tears of joy and relief fell from her eyes. "I didn't know if I'd ever see you again."

His arms wrapped around her protectively as if afraid she might disappear. Damien kissed her forehead and brought her closer in his arms. "I had no idea what had happened to you. Word came from Onderon of your disappearance during the war. Thank the force you're alright."

She pulled away to look into his tear filled eyes as her hands moved up to caress his face. Damien turned his head to meet her palms and kiss them lightly before bending down to meet her lips.

When he slowly pulled back and their lips parted, his eyes glanced over her with concern. "Are you hurt?"

She shakes her head no and breaks into a big smile as the concern filled h is face. "I'm fine. My only regret is not returning to you sooner."

He draws her into his arms again as if he still can't believe she's right there. Suddenly, a thought enteres his mind. Stepping back from her, he lowers his eyes to the ground. "This may be odd timing, but there's something I've been meaning to ask you for some time." His hands both go into the pockets of his robes as his face turns serious. He then raises his eyes to meet hers.

Her eyebrows furrow in confusion. "Ask me? What is it? Is something wrong?" The look of confusion was replaced with one of worry.

He smiles and shakes his head. He seems nervous about something. It was a trait she had never seen in him before except the time when he faced his father, Vortigern. Pulling a box from his pocket, he takes her hands in his own and kneels before her. Looking at her with love, he finally utters the question. "Arael, will you marry me?"

Her mouth opens in surprise as he opens the box with the diamond ring inside. Arael's hands pull from his own grasp as she covers her mouth and the tears fall down her face once again. Never had she thought their relationship would reach this point. Her eyes move from the ring to his eyes. Seeing the love within them, she nods her head while struggling to find her voice. "Yes. Yes, of course. Oh, how I love you, Damien."

He rises to his feet taking her in his arms as they kiss. Her head then rests upon his shoulder as she whispers yes again in his ear. Relief flooded over him as well as joy to her answer. "I love you, Arael," he whispers back to her while holding her tightly in his arms.

It was then that the thoughts of the vision began to creep back into her mind. How could she marry him while knowing their time together would be short? It wouldn't be fair to him. Damien already had so much heartache in his life. Yet, she also knew that to refuse him would devastate him as well. She tried to push the thoughts away and hide them from him. As she closed her eyes, the thoughts seemed to lessen. They were together now and that was what was important. Still she couldn't put the sadness away. Time was against them.

"Did you have a specific time in mind?" She hoped the question would throw him off from sensing her worries.

He felt her thougthts of worry weaken, which only made his own grow. There was something she didnt want to tell him...

"You know I'm no good with plans. I'm happy with whatever you'd prefer." He allowed a silence to overtake them after he'd spoken, in order to decide weather or not to question her now about her troubles.

Her blue eyes looked upon him with such love as she felt the tears fall from her eyes and down her face. At such a happy moment she shouldn't be feeling such sadness. What was it she had always been taught? The visions of the future aren't always true since the events haven't occurred yet, but it was hard to let go of it. Her days were numbered as well as the time with him. She swallowed and moved a hand to brush her tears away.
She smiled at him hoping to offer reassurance. "The sooner the better. We've been apart for far too long as it is. I want to spend as much time as I can with you while it's still possible."

It was then she realized a slip of what she had said. Hopefully he didn't notice the hint yet the worry flooded her anew as her heart beat wildly against her chest. Please don't take notice of it, she thought. Just relax. The more you concentrate on it, the more obvious it will be. She does some quick thinking as her smile seems a little more forced. "It seems the peace never lasts very long," she quickly utters.
He took a step back, and grasped her hands firmly, to gaze into her eyes, and attempt to see the truth of all this. Her blue eyes were filled with emotions, stronger than he had ever seen in her before. He ran his hands slowly up her arms and when they arrived at her shoulders he pulled her close again...She was trembling and the teardrops were only more apparent now, as the cloth of his clothing slowly became more moistened.

"Please...Tell me of your vision, Arael....I can help, The Jedi are gaining stability and Traycin is keeping order on Shaderon. The war is over, and now all thats left..is this, you and me."

A silent sorrow swept over them like the gusting currents of the wind, and although it was to be expected, it was the most terrible pain he had ever experienced. He knew what was going to happen and that brought him to the a decisions of crystaline purity. He would do everything he could to change it. Once before he had been too late, he wouldnt do it again. Damien knew he could not stand for it to happen again.

His voice now was of a softer tone than she had ever heard though on the inside he was an emotional horror. It was on the outside where he held firm.
He whispered in her ear quietly, "please...".

To Arael, his tone was soft and comforting. It was easy to be lost in his embrace and let the worries of this world just melt away, but this was something that couldn't melt away. The pain of knowing he had just proposed and was expecting to live the rest of his life with her only wedged the dagger of sadness further into her chest. Closing her eyes as she clutched to him, she tried to shut out the vision's memories but knew she could never do that. Whether she wanted to believe it or not, she knew like before it would come to pass.

"This isn't the time. This is a happy occassion, Damien. Can we focus on it, please?" she pleaded with him wanting to stem the tide of emotions being held back.

Leaning her head back to look into his eyes, she already saw the sorrow there. He was holding it all within. She knew the path of a Jedi was that of controlling one's own emotions. Damien had already been through so much....losing his mother and brother...killing his father....the loss of even Paul... He didn't deserve this; and now, now she was only bringing more heartache to him. It was when she saw those eyes, she knew she had to tell him. He didn't need to know all she had seen.

"It's Selae. She's out to destroy the Republic and all of the Jedi. I will stop her but at a great cost. It's something I am destined to do. This is why I joined the Jedi, to fight evil. I can't ask another to confront her. She's my mother afterall. I can save her and end Selae's madness."
He blinked hard attempting to hold back the tears that he knew were coming. Damien knew what facing Selae meant. It was now that his greatest fears had been exposed. Never before in his life had he felt this way. Even throughout all the years of his hardened Jedi Training, fear was consuming him. Quickly, controling, deadly, this fear was like a plague. In his heart he knew, that even a plague could be halted in his tracks. He would stop at nothing to keep this from happening.

"Arael, your mother is a great challange, even for myself. When she's being controlled by Selae...." he paused before speaking again. "You saw first hand what Selae did." He turned his head away, in order to keep his composure, though it appeared to be failing slowly. "Arael, please. Send someone else...anyone. You have an entire planet at your disposal, and I have the entire Jedi Order at mine. You don't have to do this."
*She shakes her head no at this suggestion. "This battle isn't Onderon's. Besides, Onderon can do without me. They had to survive this long while I've been away. Damien, you don't understand all that's in play right now. Selae would have killed me long ago if it weren't for another Sith confronting her instead. I know there's Kyra inside her still somewhere. Selae has taken control over her. I have to try to rescue my mother. It's the one thing I owe her after the years of heartache I put her through in rejecting her. The Jedi need to help the Republic rebuild now. You're too important to the order to face her. They need you. Besides, you've trained me well. I may not be a master, but I can reach Kyra inside of Selae."

She knew what she was saying to Damien he would never go along with. Her hand reached up to his face and gently turned it to face her. Her thumbs brushed the tears that had fallen from his eyes away as she smiled at him and leaned in to kiss him gently. When their lips parted, she looked into his eyes. "I love you, Damien. You know this in the depths of your heart. All I want know is to be with you."
"Then stay. Please. Be with me, while we still can...." His voice trailed off, as he sadly and mistakenly repeated those dreaded words that he had heard not too long ago. Those words were like a poison slowly coursing through his veins. Its pain was worse than he ever would experience. It was the slow torturuous feeling of being torn apart from the inside out with nothing but your heart to control the intensity of the pain. Even with that in its desperate attempt to stop to the events that were to come, it was not enough.

"What about my brother, he can help you..." As soon as he said it, his mind discarded the idea. No, he couldnt, there would be no use. Arael wouldn't put even someone as cold hearted as Traycin in danger again so soon after war. It wasnt possible that he was in fighting condition let alone strong enough to face a Sith Lord.

"Arael, even countless years of Jedi training may not be enough, This woman was the Apprentace to the Dark Lord of the Sith. I know its your mother. She means a great deal to me as well, but there must be some other way." It was those words that furthered the dreaded feeling that was slowly overtaking his body. Kyra was there, the one who had always accepted him. She was always there. In the last encounter they had, he had put a gun to her back. Just great Damien. just great.
She could feel the pain in him. It even leaked through his words as she heard his plea. It only brought fresh tears to her eyes. She hated this. Part of her felt like all of this was her fault. Since even before they were together, she caused him heartache. First, her chosing Paul over him and staying with him...then her leaving Paul to be with Damien. She had to be the bearer of bad news to Damien of Paul's fate. As he mourned his close friend, the guilt of his death weighed heavily upon her. Then, there were the attacks of Sable and the Sith against her. Once again, Damien was caught in the middle. Things had quietened down after the war but not before her kidnapping and Selae's appearance again. The fates it seemed wanted to keep them apart. Perhaps now, during this time of peace, was a time they could settle down. All of the other establishments of Sable's had been destroyed save one. Arael knew the location and also how hard it would be for another to locate. It could wait for a time.

She gazed up at him and nodded her head. The torment that coursed through him was tearing him apart. He needed her to be with him now. Arael knew that she as well needed to be around the man she loved. The dark times were still closing in around them and she wanted to clutch to the only light and hope she knew...him.
"She loves you too, Damien, as a mother. I saw it in her eyes. I doubt she holds your actions against her. All of the betrayl she has wrought to the Jedi and even you caused you to act the way you did," she said softly while searching his face. Her words were doing little to comfort him. Reaching her hands reached down to clasp his, she interlocked her fingers in his own.*

"I'll stay, Damien. I promise no more talk about Selae." She smiled at him genuinely as his gaze met hers. He could see she meant her words. "Besides, we have a wedding to plan."

He held her hands tightly, constantly rubbing over them with his thumbs as if it were the cure for the poision that was consuming him. Nothing felt better than this did now, though at the same time nothing felt worse. He fought back the thoughts of Selae and began to set his focus on the moment. Besides, how could one plan a wedding with evil on their mind? And so, he hid the thoughts away. He couldnt get rid of them, as much as he wanted to, so he just kept them quiet. Like a sleeping dragon within his heart, he kept his mind quiet hoping not to awaken the monster within.

"You're right...plans...You said you wanted to have it on Naboo by the stream..." His features seemed to soften a bit.
She stepped towards him bringing her hands down to her side still enclosed in his own. Their fingers untwine as she wraps one behind him and the other rests over his heart. She leans her head against him letting his warmth and comfort wash over her.

"I don't want a huge wedding on Onderon. All that pomp and circumstance is too much. Just the two of us along with Bo and Mandalore as witnesses. We can finally have our vacation there as we've talked about for a long time. What do you think?" She hoped to forget the visions as well. Being here with him seemed to be all that mattered. Besides, they were soon to be married. The fates wouldn't rip them apart this time.
Damien rested his chin gently on top her head as he drew the soft sent of her hair in. His arms wrapped around her hoping to provide some comfort. "I think thats wonderful. I dont really enjoy the the overcrowed social scene of Onderon anyway. I wish Paul were here to join us though. But I'm sure he'll be watching."
She said nothing in reply as she closes her eyes. Paul surely was watching over them. She hoped he had found some peace at last. As the two held each other, the gentle breeze washed over them as the moon bathed them in its pure light. Everything was as it should be...or so it seemed.

[Veran]

Bravo, Bravo! Wonderful moment, in a wonderful place... Stunningly beautiful