Rise of a Legend

Chapter 42

 Darkness. Lot's and lot's of darkness. Jeffrey had come to know the darkness very well. But it hadn't been so potent since his run in with his shadow back in the Jedi temple on Lothal. He tried to reach out to the Force in this empty void but he felt too weak while in this state.

Jeffrey tried to think back to what happened but his head instantly throbbed with pain. Finally a light flashed before his eyes. It seemed to illuminate the dark void. It called to him. Jeffrey went towards the light before until it finally took over his vision. Slowly his eyes adjusted to the light.

The first thing he noticed was that his mask had been taken off. He saw it sitting right next to him but decided not to put it on yet. He was in a heavily fortified chamber, but oddly had no restraints. He heard heavy steps coming closer and then heard mechanized breathing from just outside the entrance to the chamber. The door opened to reveal the infamous Darth Vader. Jeffrey reached for his lightsabers which typically rested comfortably on his waist, but to his horror they were missing. It was at that moment that he remembered his battle with the Inquisitors, how he had been defeated and how his lightsabers had been destroyed in the process.

Finally Jeffrey looked at the Sith Lord who had been standing there, silently staring. 

"You...killed my master." Jeffrey forced out.

Vader refused to answer and continued to stare. "Do you continue to mock me and ignore my question. Do whatever it was that you came to do and then leave." Jeffrey muttered.

"What was she like?" The Sith Lord asked with a surprisingly quiet voice. Jeffrey couldn't tell for sure but he thought that Vader looked conflicted with himself. For some reason, he felt obligated to answer his enemy

"She...was a great teacher. She taught me much of what I know. She was one of the only friends I ever had. She often spoke of her master, said that he was influential not just to her but to all the Jedi. He must have been a great Jedi."

Jeffrey noticed a hitch in Vader's breathing but as soon as it came, it left. Without another word, Vader activated a hologram system in the back of the room. A hooded figure appeared and Vader knelt down.

"Master." Vader acknowledged.

"Lord Vader." The hooded person replied and Jeffrey realized he was staring at the Dark Lord of the Sith himself, otherwise known as the Emperor.

As if reading his mind, the Emperor turned to face him. "What is your name?" He asked.

Jeffrey refused to answer like he had to the Inquisitors all those years ago. "Your smart, figure it out."

The Emperor merely cackled. "My boy, I already know more about you than you do. Your name is Jeffrey and you have no last name because your family created a false last name for you in order to disguise who you truly are."

Jeffrey tried to keep an emotionless face, but found that becoming more and more difficult with each passing second. "And who am I then?" 

The Emperor cackled again except this time it sounded downright evil. "My boy, you are from the line of the great Sith who once wore the armor the you now wear. You are the last living descendant of Darth Revan and the destined heir of his legacy"

Jeffrey felt as though his heart had stopped. He turned to look at the mask just behind him as if it would explain everything. Revan?! He was the descendant of his mentor?! Destined heir?! "How...how do you know all of this?"

"The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities, but you already know all of this. My apprentice has told me that the Force is strong in you and that you know the power of the dark side. We are not so different you and I." The Emperor said.

"No. I let it fuel me not control me. We are nothing alike." Jeffrey stated.

"Well then perhaps I can persuade you otherwise. I wanted to speak with you because a position has opened up that I think you might be interested in." The Emperor smiled.

"And what would that be?" Jeffrey retorted.

"As you may know, my Inquisitors need a leader among them. That was the Grand Inquisitor. However, he was defeated by the Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus a couple years ago and ever since the Inquisition has been in disarray. I believe that with a little more training, you could be a far greater leader than the last Grand Inquisitor ever was." 

"Nice try but I'm not interested. I don't want to join your Empire nor do I want to serve under your tyrannical rule." Jeffrey crossed his arms.

"My boy, this is a huge opportunity. Think of the benefits!"

"No! You want me to think of the benefits, I'll tell you the benefits. Half the galaxy will hate me, I will turn my back on all of my friends, I will help strengthen this wicked empire, I will get to murder people in cold blood, I will get to help destroy towns and cities just because they have a mind of their own. This is not an opportunity for anything! I adamantly refuse your offer." Jeffrey finished his rant and realized he had been nearly shouting the whole time.

The Emperor's face shifted from one that resembled the old Chancellor Palpatine, to one that looked like who he truly was: Darth Sideous. "What a shame. Lord Vader, finish the boy." 

Vader ignited his lightsaber and slowly made his way towards Jeffrey. Jeffrey felt himself practically freeze in fear and felt like he lost control of his body. His eyes glazed over and before he even knew what he was doing, he knelt down in submission as Vader lifted his lightsaber into the air. Just when Vader started bringing his saber down, Jeffrey's eyes refocused and he tried to grab something that appeared to be fastened to his back. Time seemed to slow as Jeffrey finally found it and brought it up to meet Vader's strike. He felt his resolve strengthen as he looked at the crimson blade about to crash down on his head and he felt his fingers push a button on the object he was holding. 

Instantly a golden light illuminated the room as Jeffrey blocked the strike from Vader with a bright yellow lightsaber. Jeffrey mustered his strength and pushed Vader back.