Coruscant. Level 1138. In the depths of the Undercity, where no natural light touches, Bhoc Vedmat carves his name in blood. The Trandoshan warlord leads the Quantum Shadows with brute strength and unearned pride, claiming dominion over the dark. He slaughters without strategy, wipes out important clan connections, and grows bolder with each kill. Power taken without discipline invites ruin—and the clan has taken notice. An encrypted message was sent to five specifically chosen assets.
The message was simple:
“Bhoc Vedmat. 1138. Eliminate him.”
No titles. No terms. Just a name, a level, and an opportunity. You’ve gathered in the smoke-choked ruin of a maglev platform five weapons drawn by fate or ambition. Whatever brought you here, the hunt begins now. Describe your arrival.
Sykes sighed as he watched the transport doors open. His fellow Clan members who had been called into Coruscant were finally arriving. I’ve got to stop being around the Core. he thought to himself. He had been conducting research on Corulag into a former Krath enclave when the message had come through from the Empress. “I always did hate this place.” He mumbled to himself as he put out the last of his smoke and looked around.
The maglev platform was dark and full of the random denizens of the galaxy. He could feel all the dark emotions of the lower levels. “This will get interesting.” He stood and turned towards the transport, placing the helmet of his ancient Sith armor over his head. The seals hissed as it set itself and powered on. “Let’s see who they sent me.”
A long way from her residence on Seraph, Elaine departed a transport with her nexu by her side. She had been abruptly interrupted while in the process of some personal training in the Kanynya forest from the alert to journey to Coruscant. More specifically… lower Coruscant.
The subtle fog supplemented the dim glow of the lights around her as it reflected off the dew on the streets, the air was stiffened with ambiguity, the hum of run down speeders and hovercrafts around echoed through the alleyways.
This place was quite the opposite of the forests Elaine had come to reside in and needless to say she was not a fan. However, she was here because she was told to be, and by the Empress no less.
“Let’s just hurry up and find the target so we can get back to our business,” she spoke quietly to her companion, whether he understood her or not.
The metallic stench hit him first—burnt oil, rust, and exhaust that seemed to becoming from every crack or crevice. Duk stepped off the platform without a word. The steam that hissed around him blew his cloak slightly exposing his jet pack, and gauntlet.
He said nothing as his eyes scanned the area for his contact. Sykes was already waiting. Allies, for now. He didn’t fully trust him, but this mission didn’t ask for trust. It demanded action. The message of the comm still buzzed faintly etched into his mind: Eliminate him. Duk didn’t ask for reasons. He didn’t need them. Bhoc Vedmat was loud, sloppy, and full of borrowed power. That made him prey. That made him weak.
Duk reached up and ran his new mechanical thumb along the scarred edge of his lekku, almost lost in thought before reaching Sykes. He just nodded at the Sith without a word.
Even under his hood and face covering, the distinct smell of iron, grease, and what could only be described as burnt circuitry found Kah’ri’s nose as he took in the all-too-familiar scent of his past. The sound of the maglev departing behind them drowned out all other sounds, until it didn’t. As the echoes faded, the low ambiance of 1138 began to replace it—the humming of electricity in the walls, muffled voices heard every so often, the consistent drip of something nearby. His eyes scanned past the group and into the poorly-lit environment—back alleys, corners of buildings, rooftops—looking for movement, however small. There were a few sets of eyes, but nothing out of the ordinary for this level.
Kah’ri remembered 1138 well. It was his playground once upon a time—though, not under this name. Kah’ri was sure power had changed hands since he was last here. You could even see it, if you knew to look at things like the layered paint on buildings, old gang signs carved over, or even the rushed rerouting of control cables.
Kah’ri watched as two rats—fat and skinny—fought over a scrap of food. The fat one fought hard, but its weight got in its own way. The skinny one struck low and fast. In the scuffle, a sound like a twig snapping cut through the ambient hum. The fat rat twitched once. Then stilled.
And so it was on 1138, especially with Vedmat on the loose. Even with the changes, the feeling was the same: unwelcome.
Sykes returned the nod to Duk then turned towards both of his former apprentices. Elaine seemed at odds with the current soundings and the creature that followed along behind was sniffing around anxiously. Ellac on the other hand was quite different since Sykes had seen him last. Ellac had become a grotesque shadow of what used to be a man. The surgically grafted armor on him had all the hallmarks of the Sith alchemists known throughout the Brotherhood. It was a shame but Sykes knew what that kind of treatment could do to a man. Ellac would constantly be on the verge of his anger and feelings. All the better I suppose.
Finally Kahri started to make his way to the little group. Sykes had never really had much interaction with the man but knew that he was capable in his own ways.
“Alright. We know the mission. Any ideas on where to start on this level?”
Kah’ri’s boots made little noise on the concrete as he approached. He looked toward the direction the maglev took off glancing in a few directions. He spoke lowly and more to the space around them than to the group.
“Start with power junctions. Data lines get looped in with the control panels. We should be able to get surveillance from a few of them. I know two that won’t be guarded… probably.”
He looked back at the group and met eyes with Sykes. It felt more like staring into the abyss for Kah’ri than someone’s eyes.
Duk activated his comlink on his gauntlet. “Proto, circle around and keep hidden. Make sure we don’t get followed.”
The was no response from the droid on the other end. None was needed. He turned to the rest of the group.
“You seem familiar with this place. Where is the nearest cantina?,” he asked Kah’ri.
Sykes’ eyes burned behind his mask. Few looked him in the eye. He nodded. “That’s fair.” His head turned to Duk and nodded again. “We need on the ground intel as well. Take Elaine to the cantina. Yall figure out what we can. See if our target has any followings.” The Sith turned to Karhri and Ellac. “We should hunt down your lead.”
An R5 unit pulled up next to Sykes and squealed. “Yes yes, you will be involved. I want you to go with Elaine, keep them safe. NO disintegrations.”
The droid whistled and beeped as if it was offended but Sykes ignored it. “Shall we?”
Kah’ri looked past the Togruta and gestured towards a street corner illuminated by colorful, flashing lights.
“Soochi’s is the closest, but you won’t find anything useful there. Half the clientele are too stupid to pay attention, the other half too self-absorbed. The staff might help, but it’s a longshot and the morons in there would want you to kiss their boots first, which I’m guessing would be…”
He looked back at Duk.
“…problematic. Your best bet is a small parts shop four blocks that way.” He said, pointing in the opposite direction. “Talk to Gunta. Tell him Varrin sent you to collect his credits. He’ll tell you anything after that.”
Elaine gave a nod towards her former master and turned to the Togruta. A low rumble of a growl sounded beside her.
“Let’s get a move on before my Nexu decides he wants a snack,” she spoke firmly as she made her way towards the nearby cantina.
Kah’ri hesitated for a moment, considering his options. A passage below them was the quickest way to the junction, but also the easiest way to get ambushed.
“This way,” he said, eyes ever forward toward the shadows. He shoved his hands into his jacket pockets and dropped from the platform with a soft thud.
The air was thicker—both in steam and stench. The slick road was mildewed from the excess humidity especially near the ground vents. Grime and trash gathered along the dimly lit walls. The clicking of barely-functioning lights flickering was nearly the only sound that reverberated through the corridor.
BD-12 gave a low worried chirp. “I know,” Kah’ri muttered, partially to himself, “I don’t like it either…”
“This way…” he said to Sykes and Ellac, hopping down to the street below.
Ellac followed silently as Kah’ri led them through the shadows. It was no surprise that someone like him knew these streets well, and yet, Kah’ri was more on edge than either Sykes or Ellac. Then again, maybe it was that familiarity that made him anxious.
The further they moved from the platform they had arrived on, the quieter the street became, until you could clearly hear the dull hum of the electricity that surged behind the panels beneath their feet. The thought of how much energy had to be coursing through the planet at every moment made Ellac think of the cybernetic replacements for his limbs and the power that had been made to draw from him just to make them move.
It was a sick joke on Noch’s part, fusing his life-force to the very parts that had been grafted into his bones to rebuild him, forcing him into a state of agonizing hunger, his body constantly on the verge of death just keep him alive. The growing ache in his head reminded him that he had gone too long without refueling, and Ellac knew that he needed to find a suitable fuel source soon.
Elaine spearheaded the way to the cantina as the small group of her colleagues formed behind her.
As they crossed through several nearby alleyways and streets, they caught the attention of a few passersby’s.
As they approached the entrance of the cantina, the sound of music steadily increased until they were in the room. The dimly colored lights shone all around, refracting off the glasses on the tables.
Elaine looked at Duk. “How do you want to play this?”
They stuck out like a bright light in a dark cave. A nexu, an R5 series droid, and scarred up togruta, and a young woman. “We are like a punchline to a bad joke,” Duk commented. “Stay here by the entrance and keep your beast ready in case anyone tries to bolt.”
Elaine didn’t like being told what to do especially by him. However, his command made strategic sense. “Fine.”
“Droid, you’re with me. Let’s ask the bartender if he knows where this Gunta is.” As they approached the bar, the Zabrak bartender gave a worried look. He knew the new arrivals could mean trouble. “Have you seen Gunta around?” Duk asked.
“Here it is,” Kah’ri said, coming to a stop at the end of a dimly lit alleyway. With a snap of his fingers, his BD unit hopped down from its perch on his back, scurrying over to a nearby junction panel as it activated the flashlight on its head.
Kneeling beside the panel, Kah’ri activated the blade in his vambrace with a flick of his wrist, wedging it behind the panel to pry it loose. “Alright, let’s see what you’ve got for us,” he mumbled as he slipped his datapad out from under his cloak. “There’s got to be thousands of data streams running through here… This might take a second,” he said to Sykes and Ellac who were already standing watch at the mouth of the alley.
Sykes nodded at Kahri as he scanned the area. “Just do what you can.” The Sith stretched his senses out to feel everything around them. He could make out the people moving around, the granite slugs below them, chewing through the buildings. Oh how he hated this place. He had been here during the age of the republic, through the Imperial era and now with this New Republic he knew nothing truly changed down here in the lower levels.
He turned to Ellac. “When did the new prosthetics come in, My Apprentice?”
Ellac turned to face Sykes. “Kalsunor. I tried to kill Kamjin.” he said dryly, his voice filtered by his helmet. “I lost. He took my legs, my arms, even my other eye, and then he left me to burn.” Ellac lifted a clawed metal hand from under the cover of his cloak. “A Sith scientist took what little was left of me and turned me into this.”
Ellac turned his attention to the streets as the ache in his head turned into a throbbing. His skin had taken a pale shade as his body weakened from the strain of the cybernetics syphoning his life force; He needed to refuel, and quickly.
Stepping out from the alley without a word, Ellac grabbed up a lone and unsuspecting Duros from behind, dragging him back into the alleyway.
Digging his clawed fingers into the Duros’ throat, Ellac called on the powers of the Dark Side to absorb his victim’s energy. Slowly, the color began to drain from the Duros’ green skin, while simultaneously returning the color to Ellac’s, until in a matter of moments, the Duros’ once lime-green skin had faded into a dull grey.
Releasing his grip, the body slumped to the ground at Ellac’s feet as he rolled his shoulders, welcoming back the strength he had lost.
The Zabrak bartender’s tattooed brow furrowed as he set down a glass with a faint clank. He didn’t answer immediately, but rather just studied the Togruta’s ruined face, the hungry eyes behind it. “Depends who’s askin’,” he said at last, voice low, wary. “I don’t give up names to people lookin’ for blood unless they’re wearin’ a badge or got credits fat enough to make me forget what I saw.”
Duk didn’t blink. His agitation rose and the silence hanging in the air was tangible. The R5 unit beside him gave an annoyed chirp, but the Togruta raised a hand to silence it. “If I wanted him dead,” Duk growled, “I wouldn’t be asking. I’d be dragging bodies out the back until I found one that squealed.” He leaned in slightly, his breath slow and venomous. “Now. Say it again. Be concise.”
The bartender swallowed hard, nodding toward a booth in the far corner. It was half-shadowed and half-visible. “He comes in most nights. Drinks the same swill, plays the same sabacc game. If he ain’t there now, he will be.” He wiped the same spot on the bar over and over. “You didn’t hear that from me.”
Duk didn’t thank him or respond. He turned on his heel, cloak trailing behind him like a living shadow. “Proto and Elaine,” he muttered into his comlink, “if he runs, break his legs. I want answers before screams.” He turned his attention to the R5. “I hear you are good at interrogation. You might have your chance yet.”
“Got it,” Elaine replied shortly, “He won’t make it out of the building.”
As Duk made his way through the cantina towards Gunta, the Abyssin caught wind of the approaching Togruta. Gunta began to shift in his seat and look for an exit.
Elaine carefully watched as she leaned against a wall beside the door, her nexu residing beside her in wait.
Duk reached his hand forward as the Abyssin in question began to rise from his table, lifting him up with the Force. Gunta began to struggle in the air as his airflow constricted.
After a moment of Duk slowly approaching while holding the subject suspended, a stranger ran passed the Equite, bumping firmly into his shoulder, breaking his concentration. After the release, Gunta fell to the floor and onto his knees. A brief moment passed before he ran as fast as he could towards the nearest exit.
Elaine crouched down next to her furry companion and waited a moment before sounding a unique whistle. With no hesitation, the nexu pounced upon the target, taking him to the floor. Callé dug his claws into the chest of the target, drawing a substantial amount of blood while aggressively snarling inches away from his face.
Blinky whirred at the Togruta, his dome spinning around to track the running subject. The little droid began an earnest chase of the target, a laser sight showing up on the targets back and as one of the droids compartments opened, it saw the target go down by another one of the meat things. It gave a shrill screech in frustration. It had been so long since he had disintegrated an organic. Soon he would have to call in Trip if these insufferable organics wanted answers from this target. It whirred again as it got close, its electro prod extended and zapped the target in the leg for good measure
Sykes sighed as he watched his apprentice conduct his wanton murder. Still, he reveled in the fear that had come from the Duros, himself feeding off of distress of the poor creature. “You have much to learn about feeding, my Apprentice. How to be much more subtle.”
Ellac heard the rebuke from his Master and seethed. “Not all of us can disappear into the shadows and feed on defenseless girls.”
The Anzat smiled behind his mask. “Indeed. Though at least I don’t leave mine where other can find them.” He turned towards Kahri and called out down the alley way. “How’s it coming?”
Duk stormed forward as Gunta hit the floor, pinned beneath large claws. Blood soaked into the cantina’s grime caked tiles. Shit! He is loosing too much, too fast. He needed answers, not a corpse. The Force pulsed violently around him, seething in waves that cracked lights overhead.
“GET OFF OF HIM!” Duk barked. He grabbed the nexu and wrenched it back with inhuman strength, dragging Callé off the bleeding target with a snarl of his own. He turned to Elaine. “I said alive, not half-devoured! Fix this before he dies without giving us any information!” He snapped.
The nexu hissed, but backed down. Swishing his tail like a whip. He seemed to be waiting for his master’s command to shred the togruta that manhandled her.
Blinky rolled up beside the downed Gunta, his dome twitching with manic glee. He spoke in binary with a combination of chirps and beeps. “Target: damaged. Integrity: compromised,” the droid chirped with sharp static. “Next time, I disintegrate first. Less mess.”
Duk turned his glare on the droid, but it wasn’t Blinky he was angry at. It reminded him of the sarcasm he would normally get from Proto. He loomed over Gunta now, blood soaked and wheezing. “I need information and you are going to provide it,” Duk directed, kneeling beside him. “Where is Bhoc?” He had no time for diplomacy. If Gunta died they would be right back where they started.
“Hey!” Elaine exclaimed as she drew the vibro dagger from her belt, grabbed Duk by the collar of his robes and placed the blade firmly against his neck. “Don’t ever touched my Nexu again! If you do, I assure you it will be the last time you feel anything with your last biological hand,” she spoke sternly in a quiet volume.
Duk aggressively pushed her hands off of him and opened his mouth to speak right as Elaine shoved him away from the target. He stumbled back a few steps.
Elaine crouched down beside Gunta and stretched out her hand and placed it on the targets wounds. Using the Force and a moderate deal of concentration, she began to heal the damage done to his body.
Duk paced once, then stopped just behind Elaine. The rage beneath his skin continued to boil. Watching her work was agitating. He was good at breaking things and was more or less helpless when it came to piecing them back together.
“Do it faster. If he dies after all this, I will happily turn both of you idiots to the droid.” He snapped.
Blinky whirred up at the suggestion and let out an eager chime. He ignited the sparks of his electro prod in excitement.
Duk looked around to check for any unwanted attention. Gunta coughed wetly which drew his attention back. Color began returning to his face. Duk crouched beside him again and spoke in an unforgiving tone.
“Speak! Otherwise I’ll make the nexu’s claws seem more desirable.”
A chirp came from Kah’ri’s datapad almost as if replying to Sykes.
“Got it,” The man said, focusing on his task so he didn’t have to wonder what the other two were doing. “Let’s see… looks like we only have live footage… BD?”
Very dutifully, the little droid hopped off Kah’ri’s back and sat, ready for a download. Kah’ri pulled cable from BD and clamped the end on two points of the data line. Instantly, the droid’s holoprojector came alive and displayed several different surveillance feeds in parallel. A small flashing icon at the bottom of the projection indicated that the feeds were being recorded.
“Buddy, can you overlay this on a map of the area?” The man asked.
BD-12 gave a compliant warble and the feeds fell down to their respective locations on a three dimensional map of level 1138.
As much as Ellac hated to admit it, Sykes’ was right: Leaving a trail of bodies is a good way to get someone’s attention, but it wasn’t great when trying to avoid it.
Jaw clenched, Ellac bit back his anger as he grabbed the dead Duros at his feet, dragging it deeper into the alley before tossing it behind two large waste containers.
Behind him, Kah’ri had just finished tapping into the surveillance systems. “Okay. This is us right here,” he said, and from his tone, Ellac guessed he must have been pointing to a spot on the map display. “And this is Duk and Elaine. Looks like they found Gunta, too.” Kah’ri pointed again to a different area.
Ellac leaned against the wall at the alley’s entrance while Sykes and Kah’ri studied the map for clues. Without his eyes, reading was out of the question, so instead he focused his senses on their immediate surroundings.
Besides the three of them, the street had remained mostly deserted. Every couple of minutes, one or two people would pass through, but to no surprise, they never lingered, always leaving as quickly as they came. He hadn’t spent much time on Coruscant, but from what he did remember, it was easy to find yourself at the wrong place at the wrong time, especially in the lower city; Just ask the Duros buried between the dumpsters.
The Abyssin began to frantically ramble, as he coughed up small remnants of blood, “I-I don’t know where he is, I swear!” ’cough, cough’ “I only know where he w-will be!” He ranted.
“Where?” Duk growled.
“That’s all I know! I swear I don’t know anything else!”
Elaine swiftly drew her dagger from its sheath once more and plunged it into Gunta’s shoulder.
“Arghhh!” Gunta writhed and screamed in pain. “Alright! H-He’s meeting someone at an abandoned warehouse a in the w-working district!” He exclaimed. “That’s— that’s it! That’s all I know, just please… please spare me!
Duk, both surprised and pleased with the blade sinking into Gunta’s shoulder. Dying wasn’t helpful, but pain is. Pain had a way of loosening tight lips. Normally, Duk would be the one inflicting pain, but this time Elaine struck first. He leaned in close enough for the Abyssin’s one eye to see the intricate scarring on the togruta’s face.
“Lucky you! You’ve just won yourself a few more measly house of breath,” Duk muttered. “Where exactly in the working district? Coordinates. Landmarks. If I show up and find nothing…” He glanced briefly at Blinky, whose prod buzzed with anticipation and then to the lightning arcs in his own hand. “You’ll wish it was the nexu that finished you.”
“H-head down the main thoroughfare until you get to Flippo’s meat processing plant. Turn down the narrow alley to the north and the warehouse will be right there. Just let me go…. Please…. I’ll pretend I never saw you!” Gunta was shaking in fear and flinched at the slightest movement.
Sykes knelt down next to Kah’ri and studied the map and video feeds produced by the droid. “Hmmm…” he pointed to a section of the map. “There. See the symbol on the wall?” He pointed to an image that looked the three stripes with a claw making them. “That’s their little gang symbol. Looks like a small speeder repair shop. Could be a front for something else. I say we start there.”
The Anzat stood and typed something into his wrist computer. “Let’s head that way.” He looked around one last time in the street and started to make his way down it towards the shop
The further group progressed through the streets, the quieter it got. By the time they arrived people had closed their windows and locked their doors.
No one in the group said a word - they didn’t need to. The tension and silence in the air was too obvious for anyone to call it out. Ellac, especially aware of the atmosphere, reached out with his feelings. Fear filled the buildings lining the street, but there was something in the shop ahead of them.
On sheer instinct, Ellac leaned to his side narrowly avoiding a blaster bolt coming from his front. The group took cover as a barrage of blaster fire immediately barrelled down the street at them.
“I’ve got three on me behind the speeders and two inside the shop!” Sykes called out.
“Four on my side!” Kah’ri called back. A shot from above hit right next to Kah’ri’s head. “KRIF!”
“Two snipers up top!” Sykes yelled.
Behind them, a speeder rounded a corner its occupants unloading on the three sith.
“Aaand there’s more of them!” Kah’ri groaned.
Elaine withdrew her dagger from Gunta’s shoulder, wiping the blood off of it onto his shirt before encasing it in its sheath once more.
She stood up and looked at Gunta. “If I find out you lied to me, you will have wished my Nexu finished the job.” Gunta shook his head vigorously in frightful acknowledgment.
Elaine looked at Duk. “Let’s get out of here,” she said plainly. She turned and began to walk towards the exit. With a swish of her hand, her Nexu swiftly came to her side and walked beside her. As she pass by the last few tables, she swiped a drink from a tabletop and downed a strangers drink. She firmly put the glass on the next table as she continued walking. The stranger she had stolen the drink from arose from his seat.
“I hope you plan on buying me another one!” He said to Elaine but she kept walking. “Hey! Pal! I’m talking to you!” He said as he grabbed the Equite’s shoulder. Before the Nexu had a chance to react, Elaine drew her lightsaber, ignited it, and plunged it beside her into the man behind her. Not even a moment passed before she retracted the crimson blade and kept moving forward through the exit. The man laid on the floor in her wake.
As blaster fire tore across the street from all angles, Ellac allowed himself to be swept into the swelling tensions of the Dark Side, his mind honing in on his attackers with the ease of a man all too at home on the battlefield.
Lightsaber in hand, Ellac sprung from his cover, the double-blades igniting in a flash as he surged at the three unloading from the speeder. Bolts of green and red hissed off his blades as he instinctively deflected them to the side.
With a twirl of his hilt, Ellac drove one of his blades through the chest of the first and nearest man, before pivoting on his heel, slicing the head of the second assailant clean off.
As the second man crumpled to the floor, Ellac dove at the last man, brandishing his metal claws as he tore through the man’s esophagus.
Blood dripped from Ellac’s prosthetic fingers as all three bodies lay lifeless at his feet in a matter of moments, but this fight had only just begun.
Sykes looked up at the shots coming from the balcony above them. “I got up top.” His jetpack lit off with a roar and carried him up to the balcony. He landed in a roll next to the first attacker, his silver lightsaber blade lashing out and sliced through the legs of the man.
As the Sith came up the four others turned in shock, hearing the screams of their compatriots. Fear soared through them as the armored warrior made its way through them. They fired at him but the warriors blade caught each bolt, sending them back in wild direction.
Sykes moved forward, his blade flashing and sent a bolt back into the face of one shooter while a wide swing popped the head off of the closest one. His anger flowed through him for how dare someone fire on him. He spun, ducking low to avoid a bolt before bringing his blade up and robbing the arm of the next in line. The man screamed and dropped to his knees. Sykes right arm came down, pointed at the man’s face and fired the wrist blaster into the mouth of the screaming man.
The last assailant watched what happened and began to turn to run but was caught around the neck by a cable. Sykes yanked back and pulled the man back towards him and shoved him over the side of the balcony. The shooter screamed as he fell but was stopped short from the ground as the cable tightened. The man’s neck snapped with a loud crack. Sykes tied off the end of the fibre cord to the railing before turning towards the door and entered the second floor of the shop.
Kah’ri pulled his lightsabers and stilled for a moment behind cover, focusing his feelings on the seven firing on them from the ground level.
“Krif! They’ve got jetpacks!” One shouted to the others.
“Just focus on the ones on the ground. We’ll take care of that one later” another responded.
“You won’t get the chance.” Kah’ri said in his ear.
The man spun around to see the unfamiliar voice, but there was no one there. Suddenly a crimson blade plunged through his chest and the man slumped to the ground. The others looked at one of their own falling, but watched as the sith splintered into 4 identical figures and charged them.
Blaster fire filled the street, this time erratic. To an onlooker, it would almost look random, Kah’ri weaving through the men. He deflected bolts from his targets while his projections “dodged” all the others. One by one, the shooters were eliminated until Kah’ri stood over the decimated bodies. His reverse-gripped lightsabers crackled and hissed, as if hungering for more.
The two inside had stopped shooting and Kah’ri couldn’t see them anymore.
Upstairs? Kah’ri considered, proceeding inside.
As Kah’ri and Ellac stepped into the shop they could hear screaming coming from upstairs. They could feel Darkness radiating from where the Anzat Sith was. “What is happening?” Kahri asked of Ellac.
“My Master is know for sadism and sorcery. Don’t expect a pretty sight.” The cyborg replied before a head rolled down the stairs, the eyes wide and mouth of the human in a silent scream.
They came up the stairs and looked around. Blood streaked the walls and pooled on the floor from four different bodies. One screaming Quarren huddle in the corner, scratching as the skin of his chest, leaving torn and bleeding wounds. In the center stood Sykes. The black armored Anzat was speaking in ancient Sith language.
Ellac shuddered as he remembered his own experience with this form of sorcery. He knew the Quarren was dealing with some incredible fear that was overpowering him.
Sykes turned and looked at the other two. “This is the owner of this fine establishment. I think he may have a clue of where our little quarry may be. I’ve called in some assistance.” He reached up and removed the helmet from his head. His eyes were not the usual striking blue but had taken on a black tinge from the use of his sorcery.
“Who?” Kahri asked, a shudder running down his spine from looking at the older Sith. He had worked with Sykes before and had heard rumors of him but normally kept clear of him when he could. He had never seen the man use this form of Sorcery before.
Sykes nodded towards the door and an evil grin crossed his face as the two turned to the staircase, hearing the whirs of servos.
A black 3PO unit was making its way up the stairs, its red photoreceptors blazing. “Master Sykes! So good of you to include me! I truly enjoy the decorations you have placed in this room!” Its tinny voice trilled before it turned to Kahri and Ellac. “They are friendly.” Sykes said quickly and the droid seems to almost slump for a moment. “Greetings. I am Trip. Human-Cyborg relations. -
I am fluent in 6 million forms of communication, Etiquette, customs and Torture. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
Elaine, Duk, and their three companions, all left the cantina and made their way towards the working district where Gunta had said the warehouse was.
Elaine looked at <@111293136042504192> as they walked.
“How do you want to proceed? Brute force as per your usual or quietly observe for a moment before proceeding in?” She asked the Togruta.
Duk glared at Elaine. “We watch and then we get the information we need. No killing until that information is obtained. Got it?” His eyes darted to the nexu beside her. I really hate that beast.
“Blinky, find a terminal and see if you can download the schematics for the area.” The droid zipped away as if waiting for the command. “See, Proto? Why can’t you be a ‘good’ droid like Blinky here?”
Proto dropped down behind Duk from the pipes above. “Wouldn’t be as fun. Ready for some carnage?,” he asked before running in.
“WAIT, YOU IDIOT!” Duk shouted. His blood started to boil as he began to physically tense up.
“That’s the spirit!” The IG-100 shouted back.
“Let go!” He barked at Elaine and her pet, not caring if they followed. “Blinky, change of plans. We are heading in.”
And he thought I’d be the problem, the young Equite thought and she and her nexu followed behind the impulsive droid and his master.
Stepping past Trip, Ellac approached the corner where the Quarren rocked back and forth on his heels, clutching his head with blood soaked hands as his tentacles jerked sporadicly.
“He’s unraveling; Better make this quick before he loses himself completely,” Ellac said, turning back to the droid. “Can you get anything useful out of this one?”
.
Kah’ri looked at the droid then back at Sykes. He seemed to be eagerly waiting for what was about to happen, like a kathhound about to eat.
Trip tottered over to the shop owner. “Now then! Let’s see what’s beneath all that noise, shall we?.”
The droid held out a finger which opened up to reveal a needle. Very sharply, the droid’s arm plunged the needle into the man’s shoulder. In a brief moment, all of his limbs and tentacles went limp.
“WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!” he yelled, clearly still able to speak.
“You’re in good hands. Most subjects remain conscious for this part,” Trip replied joyously.
The poor owner’s eyes widened as the interrogator’s hands reached for his skull. The sound of electricity arcing between its fingers drowned out every sound the Quarren could hear.
Kah'ri turned to step out of the room as the man began to scream in agony.
“Where are you going?” Sykes called, very aware of the unease inside of the man.
Kah'ri’s eyes met the sorcerer’s. What stared back sat behind the black in his eyes was a hunger in its purest form and Kah'ri knew enough to not show weakness in front of its penetrating gaze.
“To look around.” He said evenly. The door hissed shut, cutting their stare and leaving Kah'ri in the hallway with nothing but darkness and reverberations of muffled squeals. Kah'ri closed his eyes, but wished he hadn’t. His imagination showed him terrible things.
He began to move down the stairs, but his mind trailed behind, seeing things only a moment after he had been looking at them. He came into the open shop bays and paused to scan the area. Disassembled speeders stood in most of the bays, with tools and fluid tanks lining the work areas. Blood appeared to drip from one of the speeders onto floor, until Kah'ri realized it was oil. He moved through the shop, briefly inspecting the crates and workstations for anything that seemed out of place, until he found a blinking light in the supervisor’s office. Kah'ri found the source of the blinking to be a datastick, the contents of which made the Palatinean hold his breath…
The doors to the upstairs room hissed open and Kah'ri marched back in. The two sith and the droid stood together and while he never looked at it, he could tell the body in the corner was merely a body now.
“Ah! Mr. Marru! You missed a wonderful torture session!” The torture droid cheered.
“Yeah yeah, hey we have a problem.” Kah'ri said to Sykes and Ellac. “The Brotherhood has a mole…”
Sykes reveled in the pain as his droid worked on the Quarren. His spirit soared with each scream, reinvigorating as the waves of pain reverberated through the Force.
The subject slowly passed and Trip slumped. “What a shame. So little.” The droid had just come up to Sykes and Ellac when Kah’ri came back in.
The Anzat looked at him as if the man was weak. A Sith without the fortitude to embrace the Dark Side the way Sykes had done was always looked down upon by him. “Mole? What did you find? We were able to figure out Bhoc has moved down to a safe house on level 1038. But what about this mole? Where from?”
The idea that there was another traitor in the Brotherhood was nothing new to Sykes. There were many beings throughout but the very idea sickened him.
Duk rushed in after Proto, but the chaos he expected never came. The warehouse was silent. At the sight few flickering lights, the smell of smoke, and the scattered bodies it became clear that this place had become a tomb. Whoever attacked this place moved fast and left nothing standing.
Proto stood near the center, head tilted, and looking frustrated. “This time it wasn’t me. You would know.” He paused. “Cause his arm would be over there and that guy’s leg would be up there.” The droid pointed at the rafters.
Duk didn’t answer at first. His boots crunched over broken glass as he walked forward, eyes scanning the carnage.
This was a message.
A wet cough from behind some crates caught his attention. Duk moved fast, but Proto go there first. The droid dragged a wounded Devaronian into the open by his leg. The other leg was mangled, his shirt charred from blast fire. His horns were chipped. Still breathing, but not for long. Proto hoisted him up in the air upside down by his leg.
The Devaronian laughed mockingly through the pain.
“You’re too late… Bhoc knows you’re coming. Your friends at the speeder shop… they’ll be dead before you get there.”
Duk snapped. He stared at the wounded man like he was already dead. His fingers twitched before quickly becoming a fist as crunching sounds came from the Devaronian’s neck. Proto dropped the now limp body.
He looked at Blinky.
“Contact Sykes and tell him Bhoc is on his way. Now.” Then he turned toward the exit, voice growling. “Proto, find me the quickest path to the others.”
Elaine was already running. The nexu at her side let out a low growl. Proto followed with a metallic chuckle. Duk didn’t say anything else. He just ran. His anger and rage at the boiling point now. He hated feeling like he had been outsmarted.
Elaine ran not out of concern but fear. Fear that if she did not get there in time, Sykes would do far more to her than a reprimanding. Being a Sith, Sykes was not a very tolerant master. He did not allow her to make mistakes.
She made great haste, using a little bit of aid from the Force to increase her agility and speed. Callé was lagging behind her but still managing to keep a steady pace and distance between him and his master.
It didn’t take long for Elaine, Duk, and their fellow comrades to reach the scene. It was evident there was a fight that occurred by the bodies and bloodshed throughout the immediate vicinity.
Elaine held her arm up towards her mouth.
“Sykes, where are you?” She asked into a comlink on her arm.
-No Response-
“SYKES,” she exclaimed into the comlink. She did not speak with concern but instead with urgency.
Sykes’ comlink squawked and he listened to Blinky. “Get here as soon as possible.” He turned to Ellac and Kahri. “We have a more immediate problem. Apparently Bhoc knows we are here. He is sending his gang here. He may even be coming himself. Apparently we kicked a hornets nest.”
The Sith settled his helmet back on his head and did a systems check on his armor. A few button presses later and his entire armor sealed itself.
“The others are on their way. Trip, stay out of the way. Blinky will shut down in a corner and be ready to ambush their enemy.”
He handed a vial of green liquid to Kahri. “This will refresh and provide you a boost for everything you do. The Dark Side will take hold. Be cautious but take it when you are ready.” The Sith smiled under the helmet. The potion was a Sith alchemical liquid that would take any Dark Sider deeper into the Force. It could slightly refresh someone but it would drive them deeper into the Force and increase everything they did.
The Sith went to his knees and started to move his hands in a sequence that seemed random as he spoke incantations. To the view of the others a black portal began to open next to the Anzat. He stuck his hand into the ethereal portal and when he withdrew his hand, a large lightsaber hilt was in his hand. He stood back up and looked at the eyes of Ellac and Kahri who seemed to recoil from the sheer amount of evil that flowed from the Sith.
“I’ll be outside.” He said as he moved towards the exit, hitting a button on his gauntlet causing the visual cloaking device to make him disappear to them in a shimmer.
Let them come. he thought to himself as he jumped down to the lower level and took a place just outside against the next building. His comlink squawked again and he heard the call from Elaine.
“Inside. Set up down stairs. Ellac and Kahri are upstairs. I’ll be ready when the time comes.” His voice was cold and calculated as he settled into a place where he could not be seen.
“Yes, Master,” she replied into her comlink. Elaine and her Nexu proceeded into the adjacent building and remained on the ground level. She took in her surrounding and began to set up a defensive position as Duk and the others of their troop came rushing in.
The Dark Side of the Force had grown stronger than ever among the clan mates, responding to the carnage that had fallen upon the garage, and the anticipation of the blood yet to be shed.
Ellac’s senses felt electrified, heightened by the concentration of power of the Force that surrounded around him. In the back of his mind, he could feel that primal hunger returning, groaning from the depths to be satiated. And why shouldn’t he listen to what he knew he wanted most?
The high-pitched whine of approaching speeders called his mind to the scene.
Opening himself to the rush of the emotion, the young Sith stepped down into the main floor of the shop, allowing the passion to flood his body.
“Ellac, you might want to find some cover,” Kah’ri’s voice came over the comm in his ear.
“No,” Ellac said abruptly. “Get ready to surround them; I’ll take them from the front.”
Duk stormed in behind Elaine, eyes burning as he took in the wreckage. The blood was still wet.
Were we late? he thought to himself. No. This is the work of Sykes.
The hum of approaching speeders in the distance snapped his attention.
“Make sure your pet stays out of my way,” he said as he pushed past Elaine. His scrunched up face softened for a brief moment as a mischievous smirk appeared on his face. He turned his head just enough to see Elaine out of the corner of his eye. “I’ve been wanting some new fuzzy bedding.”
Sykes’ gave his command over the comlink to Blinky. The droid lit up, then shot forward without a word, disappearing in the corner with a piles of speeder parts. Duk motioned for Proto and took position near the edge of the entry making sure to stay hidden. He clenched his hand around the hilt of his lightsaber and readied his MM9 wrist rockets. Bhoc wasn’t walking away and was about to feel real fear.
The whine of speeder engines gave way to an eerie silence that filled the alley and the shop. Men in Iron Legion armor unloaded in formation in front of seven larger figures. Among them was a large Trandoshan that stood a head higher than all of the other men. The other six wore cloaks and hoods - not uniformly tough. Each cloak hid a distinct personality underneath it which reflected in their physiques, postures, and body language. Bhoc marched up to the line of soldiers.
“We know you’re in there, Sssith!” he shouted in a booming, slithery voice, “I’m here to make a deal with you: throw out your weaponss and come out with your handss up! Do thiss and I will probably let you live! Don’t, and well… let’s just sssay you won’t regret it for very long!”
Silence hung in the air for a moment. Small stirrings in the building informed Bhoc that he had been heard, but not acknowledged. He held out a hand behind him which one of the soldiers filled with a datapad. Bhoc’s eyes looked down to read.
“Conrat, Ellac! Conrat, Elaine! -# Oh look, there’ss two of them. Jade, Ssykess! Marru, Kah’ri! And…. -# Is thiss right? -# Are you sure? -# Huh. Well alright then. **Dukwtape!
I am offering you a chansss to surrender. It’s your lasst one too.”**
Duk’s mind raced as he heard his name from Bhoc’s hissing mouth. Last on the list and he can’t even get my name correct. The ‘w’ is silent. I’ll kill him.
“Proto, flank wide. Grab the attention of the others. I will make sure Bhoc is focused on me.” He spoke just barely above a whisper. Proto knew when to be quiet and this was the time. He nodded and disappeared into the shadows without hesitation.
Okay. Here we go. He thought to himself as he cracked his neck once.
Duk stepped out through the entryway, saber unlit but ready. The Iron Legion took position, but Bhoc pushed his way through the line to stand front and center. Duk walked slowly, deliberately, every movement meant to draw attention.
“Excuse me. I don’t think you s-s-sssaid my name correctly.” Duk mocked this hissing noise Bhoc made when he spoke. “You see the ‘w’ is silent. Don’t worry though. Once I cut out your tongue you won’t be able to make such a mistake again.” A menacing grin slithered its way across Duk’s scarred face.
Proto skulked his way behind the line just beside the speeders. He didn’t have much time. Duk may be good at taunting, but tends to swing first. The droid quickly sabotaged one of the engines before reaching into the driver’s seat to start it up. The speeder started up and drew the attention of the enemy group as they turned to see Proto full sprint into the nearest alley.
Bhoc’s head snapped at the new distraction. “Turn that damn thing off you idiotssss!”
SKREEEE-BOOM
As one of the large figure approached the speeder the sabotaged engine exploded. Arcs of lightning bounced between the fingers on Duk’s left hand. In an instant he brought both hands up and unleashed crackling fury at the distracted group.
Shards of metal rained from the air as the speeder exploded, launching the figure closest to the blast into the opposite wall as flames engulfed him.
From the corner of his eye, Bhoc saw Duk hands raise for an attack. Reaching over to one of the armored men standing nearby, Bhoc grabbed the man by his breastplate, tossing him directly at the Togruta.
Blue streaks of electricity erupted from Duk’s hands, absorbed entirely by the body hurtling towards him. Acting on pure reflex, Duk’s lightsaber, still in hand, ignited instantly as he sliced through the man’s waist, the two halves rolling past him on either side.
“That was cold-blooded,” Duk said, lowering his blade.
“Thesssse sssscalessss aren’t jussst for ssshhow,” Bhoc said with a toothy grin that spread his reptilian lips high into his cheeks. “Get ‘em boysss!”
Stepping up past their leader, the Iron Legion imposters raised their blasters, taking aim at the Togruta who simply stood sneering at the firing squad.
“Duk, get out of the way,” Ellac’s voice came over the comm.
Behind him, Duk heard the familiar whum-whum-whum of a lightsaber rapidly spinning toward him, and had barely managed to dive out of the way as it spiraled past him and sliced clean through the center man of the Legion pretenders.
The surrounding men watched in horror as the remains of their comrade dropped at their feet. The rhythmic pounding of metal on metal hammered toward them, peeling their eyes away from the corpse and up to the cloaked figure that was barreling down the street at them.
Ellac extended his hand as he sprinted toward the gang, summoning his lightsaber back.
Feet frozen, the Iron Legion screamed as the Sith leapt at them, slicing through limbs and heads as his double-blade mowed them down.
“And they call me a butcher,” Bhoc hissed, his grin impossibly wider than before.
Rising back to full height, Ellac could barely think straight as his emotions overwhelmed him. His hands shook with adrenaline and his heart threatened to burst through his ribs with every pulse: His whole body burned with rage and hunger as he stood over the scattered remains of Bhoc’s men.
Forcing himself to suppress the shudder trickling down his spine, Bhoc reached behind his back, pulling a grenade from his belt. “Playtime’sss over,” he hissed, pulling the pin as he tossed it to the ground. Thick smoke bellowed out from the canister, swelling into the air until it had enveloped the whole street was filled with a dense fog.
Ellac’s senses, already in overdrive, reached through the smoke, feeling out every inch of the street for Bhoc and his men. The hair on the back of his neck stood tall, urging him to duck under an incoming attack.
A lightsaber streaked over his head through the smoke, and then disappeared as its wielder deactivated it.
Again, Ellac’s senses flared as he dodged another attack, the blade disappearing into the smoke as before.
To his left, the sound of a lightsaber igniting caught his ear. Facing the sound, Ellac sidestepped the blade as its wielder lunged toward him, igniting his own as he slashed through one of their hands.
The figure screamed as he staggered backwards, clutching his wrist where his hand used to be before he scampered back into the depths of the smoke.
Reaching down, Ellac plucked the hilt from the severed hand at his feet. “Watch your backs; It looks like someone’s been supplying these guys with lightsabers,” he said into the comm, clipping the saber to his belt as he turned his senses back to the hunt.
Looking out of the door, all Elaine could see was now smoke but she could sense a lot more than that.
Elaine slowly walked to the door, unclasping her double-bladed lightsaber from her belt and igniting it with a flourish as blood red beams of energy emerged from both ends of the hilt. Callé followed closely behind his master as she exited the building and became submerged in the dense gas.
Elaine sounded a unique high pitched whistle and in a quick movement the nexu was now in front of her, guiding her with his infrared vision to a small group of Bhoc’s men.
The platoon fired blinded at the growing red cluster of smoke in hopes of hitting the Equite. They had no knowledge of the nexu that accompanied her. Elaine dodged and deflected the blaster bolts as they flew towards her through the gas as they approached.
Once they were close enough, Callé leapt through the smoke at one of the men, digging his claws into the mans chest with striking force and locked his jaw around the man’s neck. With no effort, the man had died at the hand of the nexu as Callé released the now lifeless body and moved onto the next, picking the mercenaries off one by one.
Elaine had not just been idle while her companion did all the work though, she had taking out of couple of the troop members her self as the nexu picked them off.
The sound of a shattering window interrupted the intense thought that, for Kah’ri, had been drowning out the chaos outside. Now his thoughts were…halted. There was no railing of thought for him to follow, nor a need to follow one. Right now… all Kah’ri felt… was fear.
His head was in a fog and he didn’t know why but something clearly felt very wrong to him. The last thing he remembered…. Was…
what was it again? he murmured in his sluggish mind, There was glass.
The window? No. Another glass.. smaller… green… THE VIAL!
Fear found a way to settle deeper in him with this thought. It was definitely the source of this sense of terror. The feeling of a water droplet landing on his nose brought him back to the real world… sort of. He found himself perched on a light post with mo memory of how he got there.
From the shadows above, he looked down on Bhoc, his men, and the rest of the Palatinaen party.. well most of them. Who was missing? SYKES A hatred for the sorcerer took hold of him.
He thought to look around for him, but his body would not respond. His gaze was unreasonably intense and locked on the several imposters lingering inside the smokescreen.
They must die
That singular thought brought Kah’ri to the ground with vengeful speed and a deft landing. He walked into the fog, pulling his unlit lightsabers out to each side, as his body appeared to dissipate into vapor.
A trio of “Iron Legion” soldiers navigated the dense smoke in formation, one of them covering their six. The only thing they could see was the glow of the flaming speeder. Everything else was white smoke with the occasional blaster of lightsaber lighting up the thick atmosphere.
“Stay sharp boys. We ain’t outta this yet.” one said in a hushed voice.
“That’s not standard formation, soldiers.” a voice said out of phase with itself, as if echoing. “You **should be **here, **you **should be **here **and **you **should be **here”
As it spoke, the mens’ feet were drug underneath them until the three were facing each other about a meter apart. They stood alert, unable to move, and confused. They looked through the fog at each other, weapons raised and searching for a target. The smoke in between them spiraled into small vortex before revealing a twisted looking Kah'ri. His eyes were no longer green but a glowing yellow like hot embers just pulled from a violent fire. Weapons raised and fired at the man, but passed through him like a ghost made of mist.
“Krataa.” Kah'ri’s said. His voice was warped - distorted by something something dark and old. His speech sounded as a dozen voices at once and made one to feel as if the environment itself was aging 100 years in an instant.
In an instant the sith had moved to one of the soldiers, fog trailing behind as he lifted the man into the air by the throat. The others took aim, but held their fire for fear of hitting their man instead of Kah'ri. Kah'ri opened his mouth in a similar way that a snake unhinges their jaw and a thick whiny breath poured from it, adding to the fog in the air. The man began to yelp and scream as Kah'ri stared into his eyes. The sith relished in the soldier’s fear before closing his fist around his vitim’s neck.
His stationary allies watched in horror as Kah'ri dropped their comrade’s body to the ground, blood pouring out of his helmet. Their stomachs dropped when Kah'ri turned to face them. The same horrifying voice spoke to them now.
“Derriphan.. nu nuyak.”
The Anzat could feel the Darkness rise inside of him. He watched through the smoke with infrared as Kah’ri brought down several members of the gang. His senses had marked at least fifteen more targets. He rose from his crouch and ignited the lightsaber in his hands. The hilt shifted as a crossguard pushed the tines out and with a snap hiss an incredible white blade extended almost 6 feet in length extended from it. It crackled and spat as the unstable silver blade swung through the air. The whole gang turned towards this new threat and fired immediately at the blade. The sheer size of the blade prevented him from blocking any of the blaster shots but his armor took each blast. His body shook with all the blasters rounds, staggering him for a moment before his first swipe. Three of the gangsters dropped in varying degrees of dismemberment, he rolled and brought the blade up in another great swipe causing limbs the fall from another two.
As Sykes recovered, he brought his blade down in a swipe but the silver blade was stopped by a green lightsaber blade. The man behind the lightsaber twisted and brought his blade around, striking Sykes’ back and disabling his jetpack.
The Anzat turned back against the man. Two more blue and green sabers ignited in the smoke. The Sith smiled tightly underneath his helmet as he set himself against them, the overly large blade between them. “Get Bhoc.” He said into his comlink as his blade spun and struck at the first man in front of him. The block was expected and he ducked a strike from a second assailant, twisting his body to try to throw off the next attack from the third.
As the smoke in the air cleared, one could now see the bodies or parts of bodies strewn in the street. Above the dead soldiers, Kah’ri stood, his lightsabers on and in reverse grip. His focus now shifted to supporting Sykes as he continued to fend off his opponents with steady skill that displayed years of experience. Ellac and Duk both charged Bhoc while Elaine and her deadly companion finished off the remainder of the mercenaries.
As one foe lunged high - Sykes stepped into the blow, deflected with a vambrace, then countered with a brutal slash that opened her chest. She staggered - and dropped - just as Kah’ri blurred in behind her and severed her leg at the thigh in a savage, low sweep.
Another enemy flanked Kah’ri. He dropped low, sabers spinning in a flurry, forcing the attacker to jump back. Sykes made a clean jab through the kidney and the man collapsed, screaming as his saber hit the ground beside him.
Two left.
They advanced together: one targeting Sykes, the other Kah’ri. The alley lit up with every clash of blade, blue and red cutting through the residual haze.
Sykes pivoted, sharp and intentionally, adapting to each feint and flourish. Kah’ri fought close and messy, ducking under a spinning strike and dragging his blade up across his opponent’s thigh. He caught a slash across his left brow, blood now running down into his eye.
The dark side of the Force still had a hold on him. Though he felt the pain, it only added as fuel to his fire. He let out a low and guttural growl before his next strike took the attacker’s hand off at the wrist.
With no wasted movements, Sykes disarmed the last opponent with a step-in parry and drove his saber into the man’s chest.
The final enemy reeled, clutching his severed wrist as best he could under his other arm as he made a panicked swing. Kah’ri was already moving. Both sabers slashed in opposite arcs, sending the head went one way and the body another.
Bhoc greeted Ellac and Duk with a crimson saber already drawn and a reptilian grin too wide to be sane.
“Just you two?” he sneered. “Don’t you want a fair fight? We can wait for the others.”
Ellac’s saber ignited mid-charge and crashed down against Bhoc’s defense in a forceful overhead slash. He had his answer. Bhoc caught it barely in time, locking blades. Ellac’s eye covering must have loosened because the giant lizard watched as Ellac’s empty eye sockets stared back at him. Bohc’s smile dropped. In that fragmented moment, Duk was low behind him and made a quick and dirty swing, nearly taking out Bhoc’s knee.
Bhoc spun, snarling, and kicked Duk back hard before pivoting into a violent combo against Ellac. Each parried blow flooded the street with light, but Ellac never stepped backward.
“You hit hard,” Bhoc panted, impressed with the fractured man.
“You bleed easy,” Ellac spat.
Duk surged back into range, fingers shooting lightning in a rage. That lizard was as good as dead for that. It forced Bhoc’s guard high, scoring Ellac a shallow but scalding cut across Bhoc’s torso. Bhoc gasped, rage replacing precision.
He fought back wildly, his red blade spinning in wide arcs. One strike almost clipped Duk’s side, forcing him back. But the younger fighter rolled with it. He’d been cut before and metal felt no pain. As he blocked each attack, absorbing each hit with sheer stubborness. Catching a moment of weakness, Ellac managed to sever his saber hand and both fell to the ground. As this happened, Duk grounded himself and hurled Bhoc back with a focused telekinetic shove that slammed him into a pile of debris.
He rose slow — limping now, saber hand in sharp, excruciating pain.
He glanced past them and saw Sykes and Kah’ri finishing off the last of their opponents. The reality of his end now dawning on him, he ran.
Blood splashed beneath his boots as he fled down the street, His ragged and desperate.
Then Elaine appeared in front of him, eyes closed as if smelling a good meal. As she opened them, her face turned into that of a predator, her yellow eyes now unified in color and bloodthirsty intent.
He skidded to a stop, eyes wild. “No—” he rasped. “Not like this.”
Bhoc stammered, looking for a way out until he saw a set of four eyes slowly emerge from a the a pile of debris. A low hungry growl signaled his demise. Ellac and Duk’s footsteps drew near and he knew he was out of options.
He dropped to his knees, in utter defeat as the beast lunged from the shadows. In a blur of muscle and fur, he hit Bhoc full force from the front, jaws locking onto the exposed throat. They rolled once — a sickening, gurgled scream — and then silence.
When Calle rose, Bhoc was nothing but a broken thing beneath him.
Lingering smoke flowed around the dead.
Kah’ri stood still, sabers still humming. Blood streaked down his cheek, caught in the edges of a grim expression. His shoulders rose and fell with intense breath.
Sykes stood a few feet away - saber low and eyes scanning the area in confirmation.
Their gazes met across the battlefield and held without words. None were needed. The job was done.