บท 28: Unlimited Power
Jaden frowned as he looked at the man's red lightsaber. "You're a Sith Lord?" he asked. He didn't know much about them, just what Satele had told him, but then again, that information was over 3,000 years out of date. What he did know was this man was dangerous; he felt it, the sheer power radiating from him. From what Jaden could sense, the Force didn't flow through him naturally—he gripped onto it greedily, as if trying to dominate it.
"I am Tol Skor, a Sith Acolyte in service to Count Dooku. Tell me your name so I may know whose lightsaber I present to my Master," the man said as he shrugged off his black cloak.
Jaden did the same, also unholstering the rifle from his back, though he kept his blaster in its holster. "I am Jaden Katarn, a Jedi Knight."
Tol Skor frowned. "I do not remember such a knight being in the Order... not even a Padawan of the name," he said, narrowing his eyes at Jaden. "No matter, you will be dead soon anyway," he said, gripping his lightsaber with both hands and raising it above his head.
Jaden ignited his own blue lightsaber, adopting a Form III stance. He wasn't very experienced with this form, but from what he sensed from the Sith before him, it would be wise to focus on defence.
Tol Skor ran down the platform, jumping when he reached the middle and bringing his lightsaber up before slamming it down at Jaden. Jaden twirled his lightsaber, parrying it off to the side, but Tol simply spun, bringing another powerful swing that Jaden blocked.
Tol backhanded Jaden, making him stumble back a few feet. Twirling his blade, Tol slammed it down again. Jaden blocked the slash, but the force drove him to his knees, giving Tol the chance to kick him in the chest, and sending him rolling backwards. Jaden rolled away just as Tol's lightsaber stabbed the ground where he had been. Jaden slashed at Tol's hand, but Tol spun away, bringing his lightsaber in a powerful arc. Jaden intercepted the strike, moved it over his head, and struck Tol in the face with his hilt. Tol, enraged, attacked faster and harder.
Jaden, though unused to Form III, blocked and parried most strikes, dodging the rest. Tol found this frustrating and feinted a downward slash. Jaden blocked high, leaving his midsection exposed. Tol kneed him in the gut, grabbed his neck, and threw him to the ground, nearly tossing him off the platform.
Tol jumped with his lightsaber aimed to impale Jaden, but Jaden reached forward, throwing Tol away with the Force. Tol rolled backwards, coming to his knees with a scowl. Both on their knees, they ran at each other, lightsabers clashing with sparks flying. Tol began using more advanced moves, his attacks becoming more precise and aggressive. Jaden struggled to keep up, his defences starting to falter.
Tol swung his lightsaber in a series of rapid, complex strikes, forcing Jaden to move quickly to block. Jaden parried a high strike, but Tol twisted his blade, making Jaden's lightsaber go wide. Seizing the opportunity, Tol thrust his blade toward Jaden's chest. Jaden dropped to the floor, grabbing Tols arm and flipping him over the platform's edge. Tol managed to flip and land on his feet below.
Breathing heavily, Jaden scrambled back to his feet as Tol glared up at him, his yellow eyes burning with anger. "Who are you, really?" the Sith growled.
"What do you mean?" Jaden asked, eyes narrowing.
"Exactly what I said," Tol replied. "You are no Jedi. I've fought them countless times; I'd recognize someone trained in the temple. You follow the forms, but you don't follow the basics taught when you're young. So I ask again—who are you?"
Jaden looked at him for a moment before shrugging. "Does it matter?" he replied.
Tol scowled and spat on the ground. "You've dirtied our duel. The person I fight is not even a Jedi, just a pretender. I was going to honour you by killing you quickly, but you no longer have that right."
As Tol began to charge, a large explosion sounded much closer than the one before. Then another, and another. Jaden smiled. 'The bombardment must've begun,' he thought.
"What have you done?" Tol shouted.
"Me? Nothing. My men, however, are going to turn this city into rubble," Jaden said with a smirk.
Tol roared and jumped back onto the platform, swinging his lightsaber down and entering a series of exchanges with Jaden. He managed to create an opening, allowing him to slash at Jaden's side, carving a gash that made Jaden hiss in pain. Tol followed it up with another swing, but Jaden parried it single-handedly, gripping his side. Tol didn't stop, spinning his lightsaber and thrusting again. Jaden dodged to the right, into Tol's hand, where he was grabbed by the throat and slammed into the ground, forcing the air from his lungs. Tol then force-pushed him off the platform, crashing into a console.
"A Jedi Knight... Pah! What a joke. You are barely above a Padawan," Tol spat as he flipped off the platform in front of Jaden.
Jaden groaned as he tried to push himself off the console. Tol grabbed him with the Force, throwing him through multiple consoles into the wall. Jaden countered with his own Force power, preventing Tol from lifting him again. Tol grabbed a broken console, throwing it at Jaden, who rolled out of the way.
Ignoring the pain, Jaden rushed at Tol, flipping over another thrown console and slashing at him. Tol blocked, and Jaden switched to Form II, where he was more skilled. Tol noticed the change, finding himself on the defensive against Jaden's fast swings and quick thrusts. Tol slapped Jaden's lightsaber away with his own, trying to attack, but the bombardment unbalanced him. Jaden slashed across Tol's midsection and force-pushed him across the room.
Jaden pulled out his blaster and shot at Tol. Despite his injury, Tol deflected the bolts, forcing Jaden to block as they were sent back at him. 'Letting a damn nobody hurt me like this...' Tol thought angrily as he slammed into the wall. He channelled all his pain and anger into the dark side, increasing his power. Gripping his hilt harder, Tol rushed at Jaden with even greater speed, slamming his lightsaber down. Jaden parried, switching back to Form III, but Tol's aggression and ferocity began creating openings as Jaden was overpowered. Jaden flipped backwards over a broken console, force-pushing it at Tol. Tol slashed it in half, letting the pieces fly to either side of him.
Tol charged up a heavy slash, bringing Jaden's lightsaber down. He backhanded Jaden, arcing his blade around and slashing again, forcing the lightsaber out of Jaden's hand. Tol thrust, but Jaden moved out of the way. Tol expected this, and a torrent of Force lightning shot from his left hand, sending Jaden crashing into the wall, screaming in pain.
Tol grinned, walking closer. "Suffer," he said. Jaden felt the lightning tearing through him, every nerve aflame. His muscles convulsed, and his vision blurred. Desperately, he pressed a button on his wrist. The signal for the clones to detonate the charges.
A huge explosion rocked the building, unbalancing Tol and throwing him to the ground.
Jaden, breathing heavily, rose to his feet, clutching his side. The blast had shattered the room, debris flying everywhere. Tol growled, his face contorted in rage. "You will pay for this," he spat, pushing himself up.
Jaden used the Force to pull his lightsaber from the floor, igniting it just in time to block a downward blow from Tol. The clashing blades sent sparks flying, but before they could continue, the building rumbled violently, unbalancing both combatants.
They exchanged a glance, understanding that the building wouldn't hold much longer. Simultaneously, they thrust their hands forward, force-pushing against each other. The air crackled with energy as their powers clashed, creating a shockwave of thrashing debris around them. The struggle intensified, each pushing with all their might until the Force clash broke, sending Tol flying back against a crumbling wall.
Jaden didn't waste a moment, sprinting out of the room. Tol recovered quickly, leaping through the air and bringing his lightsaber down where Jaden had just been. Jaden sidestepped, their blades colliding in a flurry of sparks as they continued to fight while moving. The building's tremors grew more violent, chunks of the ceiling falling around them.
As they fought their way through the collapsing structure, Tol swung his blade in wide arcs, trying to overpower Jaden with sheer force. Jaden parried and countered, using the Force to enhance his agility, jumping over debris and ducking under falling beams. He retaliated with quick, precise strikes, aiming for Tol's exposed areas, but the Sith was relentless, blocking each attempt and countering with powerful slashes.
A massive support beam crashed down, narrowly missing Jaden. He seized the opportunity, using the Force to push the beam towards Tol. Tol slashed it aside, but the distraction allowed Jaden to close the distance, their lightsabers clashing again. They moved through a hallway, the walls cracking and buckling. Jaden kicked off a wall, flipping over Tol and striking downwards. Tol blocked, using the momentum to spin and slash at Jaden's midsection. Jaden blocked but was pushed back by the force of the blow, stumbling over a fallen piece of rubble. Tol pressed the advantage, attacking with a series of strikes that forced Jaden to retreat step by step.
Jaden leapt onto a collapsing higher floor, using the higher ground to gain a brief respite. He reached out with the Force, pulling a section of the crumbling floor towards Tol. The Sith dodged, but the manoeuvre gave Jaden the moment he needed to jump down, slashing at Tol's exposed back. Tol spun around just in time to parry, their lightsabers locked in a fierce struggle.
The building shuddered violently, and a large section of the ceiling collapsed between them, forcing them to separate. Jaden dashed through the debris-filled corridor, sensing Tol close behind. He could feel the heat of Tol's blade as it slashed through the air, narrowly missing him. Jaden turned a corner, using the Force to pull a broken door from its hinges and hurl it at Tol. Tol sliced through the door effortlessly, continuing hi pursuit. As they neared the exit, a series of explosions rocked the building, sending shockwaves through the structure. Jaden stumbled, using the Force to steady himself. Tol was momentarily thrown off balance, allowing Jaden to launch a counterattack. He slashed at Tol's legs, forcing him to jump back. Jaden followed up with a powerful overhead strike, but Tol blocked and kicked Jaden in the chest, sending him crashing into a wall.
When Tol hit Jaden into the wall, he approached, saying, "You have much power. Count Dooku would be glad to train you, to show you real power. You could be more than you are. More than a nobody."
Jaden chuckled. "I've always been a nobody... it's not too bad." He feigned a thrust, then crouched and slid under Tol, coming up on the other side and crashing through a window. Tol wasn't far behind, and they both plummeted toward the ground, their lightsabers clashing midair.
They slowed as the building began to list, sliding down its side. The fight continued fiercely, with blades clashing and sparks flying. Jaden swung wide, but Tol parried and pushed him back, using the Force to maintain balance on the sliding surface. Jaden leapt, swinging his lightsaber in a wide arc. Tol deflected it and retaliated with a powerful downward strike, forcing Jaden to block and slide backwards from the impact.
Tol pressed his advantage, spinning and striking with rapid, powerful blows. Jaden parried desperately, feeling the force of each hit reverberate through his arms. Tol's strikes grew more aggressive, battering Jaden's defences. A particularly strong blow knocked Jaden's lightsaber from his hand, sending it skittering across the slanted surface. Before Jaden could react, Tol delivered a powerful kick to his chest, sending him sprawling onto the ground.
"You cannot win against me, boy! The dark side makes me invincible!" Tol shouted.
"Maybe so..." Jaden replied, getting to his feet. Being in the presence of a truly dark side user had shown Jaden he had been using it wrong. When he used the dark side, he simply fueled his power with his emotions. Time seemed to slow as Jaden watched Tol bring his lightsaber up. Jaden closed his eyes and reached within himself. He could feel the Force flowing through him, like a huge river. 'Stop,' he thought.
He stopped the flow of the river, forcing it to stay where it was. It tried to fight back, but he held it tightly.
Tol smirked as he saw Jaden stand still and close his eyes, seemingly accepting death. When his lightsaber was brought down upon him, it stopped right before it hit. Jaden opened his eyes, now glowing yellow. "You're right... I never realized I wasn't using the dark side the right way until I met you. It truly is powerful... or perhaps I am." He held out his hand, and Tol's lightsaber flew into it.
Tol's anger surged, and he unleashed a torrent of Force lightning at Jaden. Pain shot through Jaden's body, lighting every nerve. Gritting his teeth, Jaden held up his hand and returned the lightning, the bolts clashing in midair before quickly overwhelming Tol and sending him screaming in pain. Jaden lifted him with the Force and slammed him back into the building, the impact shattering the wall.
The building continued to collapse around them. Jaden took a deep breath, realizing he had to escape, he raised his hand and pulled his lightsaber to his hand throwing away the Sith one he had. He ran and jumped off the building, landing roughly on another structure and rolling multiple times. Taking another breath, he let go of the dark side, allowing the Force to flow through him naturally once more.
As he lay on the rooftop, he watched the command centre crumble. Jaden pushed himself up, wincing from the pain that shot through his side. He moved to the edge of the building, scanning the cityscape below. His communicator beeped urgently. Frowning, he answered it, knowing he had ordered radio silence unless it was an emergency.
"Jaden," came Aubrie's staticky voice. "Scout and Zule are really hurt. We're pinned down."
Jaden's heart sank. "I'll be there soon. Try to hold them off," he replied.
Receiving the coordinates from Aubrie, Jaden took a deep breath and started running. He leapt to the next building, landing heavily but maintaining his pace.
...
Lock stood on top of The Hammer, his rifle in hand, watching as a few thousand droids with tanks and other artillery made their way towards them. "Half bombardment, focus on sector 2234," Lock commanded.
"Yes, sir!" the clones shouted, immediately initiating the bombardment. The clones targeted the tanks first, utilizing their longer range to gain the upper hand. Explosions ripped through the enemy ranks, tanks erupting into flames, and droids being torn apart by the blasts.
As the enemy closed in, their artillery began to retaliate. Shells exploded around The Hammer, shaking the ground and sending debris flying. Lock's rifle barked, picking off droids with precise headshots. "Jaden is a damn good general!" he laughed, admiring the chaos unfolding below.
Just then, Jaden's plan came into effect. Mines hidden throughout the battlefield detonated, causing massive explosions that sent droids and debris soaring through the air. The separatist advance faltered, confusion spreading through their ranks as the mines continued to explode, decimating their forces.
The ambush was overwhelming. AAT tanks emerged from the flanks, their cannons blazing as they tore into the droids' ranks. The surprise attack from the sides caught the enemy off guard, their formations crumbling under the onslaught. From behind, the speeder squad launched their assault. They weaved through the enemy lines, blasters firing rapidly and cutting down droids with deadly precision. The droids, caught in a deadly crossfire, struggled to mount an effective defence.
Tanks exploded in fiery bursts as the clones' artillery continued to target them. Droids tried to regroup, only to be met with fire from all sides. The battlefield was a mix of explosions, blaster fire, and the metallic clatter of destroyed droids. Lock's laughter mingled with the sounds of battle, his shots taking out droids with every squeeze of the trigger. The clones around him fought with ferocity, their ambush proving devastating. Droids fell in waves, their numbers thinning rapidly under the relentless assault. As the last of the droids fell, Lock lowered his rifle, surveying the battlefield. The ground was littered with smoking remains of tanks and droids, the air thick with the smell of burning metal and ozone.
Lock stood atop The Hammer, watching as the tide of battle shifted. With the artillery neutralized, the Jabiimi forces charged in from both sides, overwhelming the remaining droids. The sound of blaster fire and explosions filled the air, creating a chaotic symphony of war.
The Jabiimi, armed with blasters and slugthrowers, engaged the droids with ferocity. They moved swiftly, using the terrain to their advantage, cutting down droids with precise shots. The clones provided covering fire, taking down any stragglers attempting to regroup.
Lock directed his troops with precision. "Focus fire on those remaining tanks!" he shouted, pointing towards a group of AATs attempting to retreat. The clones unleashed a barrage of fire, causing the tanks to explode in fiery bursts. The droids, now outnumbered and outgunned, began to falter, and it wasn't long before they found themselves utterly destroyed, even the droids that surrendered were torn apart by the natives.
Lock looked upon the battlefield with satisfaction as he let his rifle rest on his shoulder. Once again Jaden's plan had worked flawlessly, he honestly didn't know how the man did it. "Especially for a Jedi, he muttered to himself," before he jumped off the Hammer. He then saw his communicator start to light up, he activated it and saw Jaden's face. "Lieutenant I need you to push into the city, a couple hundred droids stayed behind when an alarm was triggered flank them and destroy them," Jaden instructed.
"Yes General," he said before the communication ended. "Come on boys let's go," he shouted.
(AN: So the battle is done, kind of. All that's left is a little hero time. After this we will be cutting to someone else and exploring the background of Jaden a little bit. By the way a lot of the stuff Jaden said in the transmission is a lie made to enrage Alto just in case it confuses any of you. Anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter.)
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