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Tython – The Sith's Hunt Continues
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Night had fallen over the Twi'lek village, but the people were far from resting. Merah Asli had wasted no time in organizing a defensive perimeter, working alongside the Twi'leks to prepare for the inevitable return of the assassin. Barricades lined the main paths, armed villagers stood ready with whatever weapons they had—some with old blaster rifles, others with melee weapons infused with stun charges. The Force-sensitive elders had gathered at the center, weaving protective energy around the village with their limited but trained connection to the Force.
Merah herself stood at the highest vantage point, overlooking the village's main thoroughfare, her blaster pistol primed and ready. Despite the tension in her shoulders, she exhaled slowly, keeping her nerves in check.
Then the temperature dropped.
The shadows deepened, curling unnaturally along the walls of the village.
Merah's breath hitched. "It's here."
A moment later, the assassin materialized from the darkness.
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The assassin didn't walk. It glided forward, its very presence silencing the wind. The once-unknown Sith assassin radiated lethal intent, their crimson blade igniting in a slow, menacing hum.
The Twi'lek defenders opened fire.
Blaster bolts rained down from the rooftops, streaking through the night toward the assassin. But its movements were impossibly fluid—weaving between the shots with an elegance that defied logic. Each step was deliberate, and with a single flick of its wrist, the assassin redirected two shots back, striking one of the defenders in the shoulder.
A cry of pain. A staggered step. But no deaths—Merah had ordered all blasters set to stun. Showing how skilled it was.
"Hold your ground!" she barked, firing off a precise ion grenade.
The grenade detonated in a pulse of crackling energy, disrupting the air around the assassin. It staggered slightly—only for a moment—but it was enough for the Twi'leks to press forward, swinging stun batons and electrified staffs, forcing the assassin to engage in close-quarters combat.
The villagers fought bravely, but the assassin was too fast, too skilled. It danced between attacks, its crimson blade slicing through weapons with deadly precision, its mere presence radiating malice and superiority.
Then, the assassin set its sights on Merah.
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Merah barely had time to react before the assassin launched toward her, its lightsaber arcing down in a brutal slash. She rolled to the side, firing off a burst from her pistol. The Sith deflected it effortlessly, the bolts ricocheting into the village walls.
Then it was upon her again.
The assassin's blade came down, and Merah barely dodged in time, feeling the heat of plasma graze her side. She gritted her teeth, bringing up her boot in a swift kick to the Sith's chest, sending them skidding back several feet.
But she knew it wasn't enough.
The Sith recovered instantly, stalking toward her with deadly intent. The Twi'lek defenders tried to intervene, but the assassin lifted a hand, and with a devastating wave of the Force, sent them all sprawling backward.
Merah's pulse pounded in her ears. She had no more tricks left.
The assassin raised their blade, preparing to deliver the final blow—
Then a green-blue blur shot from the treeline.
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I landed between them just in time, my lightsaber clashing against the assassin's with a shower of sparks. The impact rippled through my arms, but I held firm, staring into the faceless mask of the Sith.
Its head tilted slightly, as if analyzing me. Then, without hesitation, it lunged.
Our duel ignited the battlefield.
The assassin was ruthless, their attacks calculated and precise, their footwork flawless. It was trained for this. Trained to kill.
But so was I to stop it.
I matched it step for step, shifting between Makashi's precision and Ataru's acrobatics, parrying its attacks while keeping myself on the offensive. The air crackled around us, each impact between our blades sending waves of energy through the village.
I feinted left, then spun into a counter-strike, but the assassin anticipated it, twisting mid-air and delivering a powerful Force blast to my chest. I was thrown back, rolling to a stop just before the village square.
The Sith advanced. "Impressive. But predictable."
I clenched my teeth, gripping my saber tightly. "Yeah? Let's test that theory."
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I launched forward, closing the distance in an instant. The Sith met me head-on, our sabers clashing in a flurry of sparks. I pressed harder, forcing it back, reading its footwork, its reactions.
Then I saw it.
A slight delay in its defense. A fraction of a second of hesitation.
I exploited it.
With a final, decisive slash, my saber sliced through its mask, shattering the metal apart, revealing a pair of burning Sith-red eyes beneath a cascade of black hair.
A woman.
Her eyes flashed with fury, but before she could react, I spun my saber in a tight arc and, with one clean stroke—
Decapitated her saber's hand. Then her head.
Silence fell over the battlefield. Her body collapsed, her severed hand rolling a few feet before coming to a stop.
Her saber and head at my feet.
The Twi'leks breathed in unison, the tension finally breaking.
The village was safe.
I turned to Merah, still catching my breath. "You okay?"
She smirked. "You took your damn time."
I chuckled, shaking my head. "Had to make an entrance."
She stepped forward, her expression shifting—something softer. Without warning, she grabbed me by the collar and pulled me into a deep, heated kiss.
It was quick, intense, and when she pulled away, she smirked. "That's for saving my life."
I blinked. "...You're welcome?"
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After some time, Shaak Ti's voice crackled over my communicator. "We just received word from Coruscant. The High Council wants to discuss reestablishing a Jedi Academy here. The Twi'leks may have a new purpose for the galaxy and protection too."
I exhaled, glancing at Tasky Vao, the newly revealed heir of Exar Kun's Kyber Crystal. She looked back at me, a silent determination in her eyes.
This wasn't just about surviving anymore.
It was about building something new.
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