Chapter 23: Sometimes when you dodge a bullet, it’s best to keep dodging.

Satele looked at me with wariness and caution while also keeping an eye on the Sith, Darth Malgus if I remember correctly.

Satele: "Who are you?"

Nova: "Taunt: You will know in time. For now, let's play a bit shall we?"

I shatter into butterflies and appear in front of her, fist raised to strike her head. Her eyes widen, and she raises her double bladed lightsaber to defend. As I didn't apply anything to myself for this attack, my shields flared up and pushed her blade back.

Satele stumbled back, but quickly corrected her stance and swung her lightsaber at my face. I batted the blade away with the back of my right hand and punched towards her chest with my left. She quickly countered with a Force Push, and I was sent flying.

Shattering into butterflies, I reappeared slightly above her performing an axe kick downwards with my right leg. She jumped back using what I assumed was a burst of Force Speed, and had to block a strike from some random Sith grunt. After she blocked the strike she Force Pushed him away.

I instantly appeared behind the flying Sith, and caught him by the neck before he could travel too far.

Nova: "Annoyed: How dare you interrupt my fun, Organic. [Abyssal Earth]."

The random Sith screamed for a few seconds before he was fully petrified. I tossed the new statue to the ground like the garbage it was.

Satele: "By the Force…"

Malgus: "What in the world…"

Nova: "Anticipation: Now, where were we?"

Once again, I shattered into butterflies and appeared in front of Satele with my fist raised. But this time, I had coated it with [Energy Field]. It seems Satele was able to tell something was different this time, because instead of trying to block my attack she evaded it.

Following the momentum of my failed attack I turned and attacked her with one of my tails which she again dodged. I increased my speed, and followed with a kick. This sudden increase caught her off guard and she took the kick to her side and was sent flying.

Before I could follow her though, I was assaulted by Force Lightning causing my shields to flare up.

Malgus: "I know not who you are, but she is mine."

Nova: "Taunt: If you wanted to play as well, all you had to do was ask."

As I was rushing through his lightning I took notice that my health was flickering faster than when Sinya had used it. Impressive, honestly. Arriving in front of him, I went for a right legged kick to his sides. But before my kick could connect, I was shoved away by a Force Push.

I slammed into the side of a stone cliff. While the impact did no damage, that Force Push actually managed to take off 4% of my HP. Pulling myself out of the cliff side, I looked to who helped Malgus, and was surprised to see it was Satele.

Malgus glared at Satele and asked, "Why did you help me, Jedi?"

Satele: "We need to work together, as much as I dislike it. When she kicked me away, I received a short vision from the Force. It was not pretty."

Malgus: "I am Sith, Jedi. Do you think I will so readily accept help from a Jedi, and your Light side so easily?"

Satele: "You will if you want to make it out of this alive."

Nova: "Glee: You two are going to team up? This should be good. And it seems the Force tattled on me, huh? That's no good, but what is a girl to do?"

'But, why are my instincts not working properly right now? I didn't sense that Force Push at all...'

Shrugging, I shatter into butterflies and appear behind Malgus with a right leg axe kick coming down. He blocks with his single red lightsaber, and I am once again pushed away by Satele.

(A/N: Any mention of teleporting from now on will be via her [Butterfly Shift].)

Before I move even a centimetre though, I teleport behind Satele and clothesline her. To her credit though, she used a burst of Force Speed to duck the attack. Unfortunately for her, she couldn't avoid the tail slap that sent her flying instead.

As I was about to chase after her, I was once again assaulted by Force Lightning. But I was also taking some blaster bolt fire from some troopers behind me. Turning around to deal with the pests, I caught an object that was thrown at my face.

Looking down, and doing a quick scan confirmed it was a thermal detonator. It exploded shortly after in an impressive explosion for something so small. I actually heard one of the troopers ask if they got me.

Teleporting behind said trooper, I rammed my hand into the back of his chest and ripped out his heart.

Nova: "Cruel: Never raise a flag like that."

Dropping the now useless organ onto the forest floor, I turn to the rest of the troopers.

Nova: "Mockery: You should have left my fight very well enough alone, Organics. [Abyssal Ice]."

Raising my left hand palm forward, I created a pulse of Abyss Ice magic that encased everyone in front of me in Abyssal Ice. They're not dead, but they will be soon. Ignoring them, I teleported back to Malgus and Satele.

Satele: "What have you done to them? That ice, and the Sith before… what is that?"

Malgus: "Truly, both of those give off a vile feeling."

Nova: "Amused: That is rich coming from a Sith."

Malgus: "The Dark side is natural, just like the Light. But what you have done. I can clearly tell it is not natural. You. Are not natural."

Nova: "Mockery: Awe, you're going to make a girl blush. But, I think it's time to wrap this up. I had fun, no really, I did. But I got things to do. I have no use for you Sith. So you'll be dying today. And in a way? So will you Satele."

They both ignited their lightsabers, and got in a ready stance.

Malgus: "I will not go quietly."

Satele: "Nor will I."

Nova: "Cruel: As if you have a choice in the matter. [Abyssal–"

Before I could finish casting my magic however, I was slammed with the hardest Force Push I have ever experienced to date. Since I wasn't expecting it I was sent through numerous trees and slammed into the side of a cliff, obliterating it.

'Why didn't my instincts go off again? I should have seen such an attack coming. That took 25% of my fucking health for Null's sake!'

Teleporting back to the two Force users, I quickly saw who had dealt such a blow to me.

Nova: "Annoyed: Well, if it isn't the Dark and Light side of the force personifications. Why are you two here Son, Daughter?"

Satele and Malgus were confused before the two mentioned revealed themselves fully. They were still faint on my sensors, meaning they were not truly here.

Daughter: "You must stop, Nova. These two have very important futures. If you continue as you are, you'll awaken Abeloth."

Son: "I am just here because Father told me to come. And, you seem interesting."

Nova: "Reply: I see. How unfortunate that I do not care if your Mother is released. I will be taking Satele. Over your dead bodies if I have too."

Son: "You are pretty cocky for a machine."

Satele: "Wait, she's a machine?"

Nova: "Amused: You couldn't tell? Truly? How are you even a Jedi?"

Daughter: "Will you not stop, Nova? We will destroy you if we must."

Nova: "Threaten: I'd like to see you two try. [Blessing of the Abyss]."

I activated my blessing at full power, netting me a 200% increase in all my parameters. This caused shadowy purple "veins" to appear all over my body as if I had blood vessels.

Teleporting behind the Son because after I buffed myself my instincts were screaming at me that he was the more dangerous target. I coated my fist with [Energy Field] and punched with all my strength.

Son: "Foolish little–"

When my fist connected with his face, his eyes widened, and just as he was about to shoot off from the impact, his presence vanished.

Daughters eyes were also wide as she looked at where her brother was only moments ago.

Daughter: "Impossible… how are you able to hurt us when we're only here as projections?"

Nova: "Pride: What can I say? My Creator knew what she was doing. Now, are you going to leave me–"

But before I could finish talking, I was assaulted by red Force Lightning. My Health was dropping a tad faster than it could actually regenerate.

Son: "You WRETCH! That actually HURT!"

Phasing out so his attack would just go through me, I was surprised it was still hitting me. But thankfully, it had lost a great deal of its force, and I could once again out regen the damage.

Nova: "Mockery: Impressive child, but not good enough. [Abyssal Fire]."

Covering my entire body in Abyss fire, I charged at him punching towards his chest. He tried to block, but his form was beyond sloppy and his defence laughable. Easily passing through, my empowered fist rammed into his chest.

Son: "Argh!"

Screaming in pain, the Son was shot backwards, and vanished again. Before I could do anything else though, a powerful Force Push slammed me into the ground, greeting a giant crater. While the hit took 20% of my Hp it was already almost all back by the time I removed myself from the rubble.

'I am honestly quite lucky they are not used to anyone being able to stand up to them. If they had any sort of real combat experience, I'd most likely have to retreat. It helps that they are semi holding back because of Satele and Malgus… well, I am having to hold back too as well to not kill Satele.'

Nova: "Amused: For the embodiment of the Light side, you sure can fight dirty Daughter."

Looking around, I couldn't see or sense the Son.

Nova: "Query: Is the Son looking for another cheap shot?"

Daughter: "No. Whatever you hit him with, did a great deal of damage to him. Father is looking after him right now."

Nova: "Reply: I see. So, do I need to do the same to you? Or will you let me have my prize?"

Daughter peered at me for a moment, mulling over the options she had for herself.

Daughter: "It is clear we can not beat you without being physically here, or without great collateral damage. But after what you have displayed, I am hesitant to be near you truth be told Nova. A compromise then. Take Satele, but leave Malgus alive."

Nova: "Glee: That is fine with me."

Daughter: "A warning though, Nova. Father may deem it necessary to dispose of you. Regardless of the damage the fight would cause."

Nova: "Reply: I'll take it under advisement."

With that, I started to float towards Satele. Seeing me turn towards her, she came out of the daze she was in from watching what was happening.

Satele: "If you think I will just let you take me, you're sorely mistaken, Nova."

Nova: "Amused: It is cute you still think you have a choice or stood a chance."

Raising her up with anti-grave, and covering her in a shield I teleport us to outer space. The greatly startled and disturbed look she had gave me a bit of a kick. Grabbing her by the back of her neck like a cat, I opened a Hyperspace portal, and flew through.

Arriving back to Dantooine seconds later, we left hyperspace. Looking around, I could see the scattered remains of the Jedi ships that came. Spreading my senses around the galaxy, I didn't see any fleets making their way here yet.

'Did the Republic just give up on the planet? Seems likely honestly.'

Finding the ship that had Sinya on it, I teleported us to it.

Mother: "Welcome back Creator. How was your trip, fruitful I trust?"

Letting Satele float beside me, I lifted my left hand and cast [Abyssal Earth] to create a small prison for Satele to stay in. It was a very tiny room with nothing in it, and the only breaks in the walling were a few solid looking bars about head high on one wall.

Removing Satele's lightsaber, I teleport her inside and let her drop to the ground.

Nova: "Reply: Yes, it was Mother. Got myself a new convert as you can see. Or, she will eventually be, I mean."

Turning off my [Blessing of the Abyss], I turn to Mothers hologram and ask for a report.

Mother: "The strike team of Jedi was fully wiped out. Among the 20 Jedi, none managed to catch my attention for preservation."

Nova: "Dismissive: Oh well. No loss. Have you created a new battleplan from the new variables I gave you Mother?"

Mother: "Yes, Creator. It was an easy thing to change for. Aside from everything that fights back, the army will now try to keep collateral damage to a minimum and preserve as much Organic life as possible for you to convert."

This seemed to get Satele's attention as she finally opened her eyes and looked at me.

Satele: "Convert? What does she mean?"

Nova: "Dismissive: You don't need to worry about that Satele. Now, how are you feeling?"

I eye her, and do a deep scan. Already I can detect the Abyss corruption seeping into her body. It is incredibly slow though, and I have to wonder if she is fighting off the corruption somehow.

Narrowing her eyes at me, she says, "I very much doubt you care for my well being."

Nova: "Assure: Oh, I most certainly do Satele. If I didn't, I would have dealt with those two Force projections faster."

'Or, they would have forced me to retreat faster… Anyway, her corruption is really slow. What would happen if I fed her food that was corrupted? Better test this on some other Organic, don't want to ruin the opportunity to have Satele as an eventual companion.'

Nova: "Statement: Well, you do whatever you want for now, Satele. I'll be back soon enough."

Ignoring Satele for now, I scanned the planet for a settlement that is under my full control. Finding one, I teleport myself into the middle of it.

Looking around, I see several organics going about their new daily lives with my droids standing around in various places. My droids are also the only ones creating any of the facilities or buildings the Organics will use.

'Good. Don't let them do anything important and keep them to their farms is the right choice Mother. They can't sabotage anything this way. Well, anything kind of important that is.'

I then created two candy bars with as much Abyss corruption as I could. While also creating two more with low but noticeable corruption. Scanning the settlement, I find my first test subjects.

I teleport near them, and I appear in a family's home while they were having a meeting it seems. I didn't have to worry about rebellion, because Mother implanted a chip in their necks that records everything they say, see, and hear back to her. It also has an explosive component.

Nova: "Order: You, elderly one. You will eat this. Now."

I hand him a relatively standard size candy bar from my old world. This was one of the heavily corrupted ones. He hesitantly took the bar from me. It was a dull ash grey colour, like most things become when corrupted by the Abyss to such a level.

Looking at his concerned family, he swallowed the lump in his throat and took a generous bite out of the candy bar. His eyes lit up, and he took another big bite.

???: "That was delicious! I was honestly skeptical from the colour of it, but no! It was really good!"

Taking a deep scan of him, I can see the corruption spreading at a slow, but nice rate. Nodding my head, I turned to a preteen looking boy. I could tell he wanted one as well after the old man's words, and who was I to deny such a desire.

I tossed the other heavily corrupted bar to the kid, and waited.

???: "T-thank y-you."

His eyes lit up as well after his first bite, and I began my deep scans. I noticed however that the corruption was progressing at a markedly slower rate than with the old man. Focusing in on the why, I discovered it was because the Abyss was taking a longer time to convert the younger cells.

'This makes sense, if the Abyss really does purge "Creation" from whatever it corrupts. A young life will have more lifeforce, and energy than an older one most of the time. Would also explain why mundane inorganic material is extremely easy to corrupt.'

Looking at the mother and father of the family, they seem to be around 30 years old.

'Good, that'll do to help confirm.'

I created two more candy bars with the heaviest corruption I can, and gave them to the parents. Everyone's eyes were wide at seeing me create something from nothing, and it gave me an inwardly smirk. Having taken the bars, the two eat them and follow suit about how good they were.

Scanning the corruption, I confirmed it was faster than the boy's, but still slower than the elderly. Confirming that eating corrupted food doesn't poison, but corrupts, I was satisfied with the findings. I destroyed the two lightly corrupted candy bars, and created 4 more heavily ones. Floating over to their table, I set them down.

Nova: "Statement: Enjoy."

Teleporting back up to the ship with Sinya and Satele on board, I returned to the front of Satele's little prison. Looking at her face, she had a bit of a frown.

Nova: "Query: And what seems to be the problem, Satele. Besides the obvious."

Opening her eyes she looked at me and said, "What have you done to the Force? I can barely feel it. It's incredibly hard to connect to it."

'Seems like she doesn't realise that this prison is nearly cutting her off. This is also a good discovery, I don't need Force shackles; I can just use [Abyssal Earth].'

Nova: "Inform: As an entity of the Abyss, I have no need for something like the Force. And eventually, neither will you, Satele."

She narrowed her eyes at that and said, "You are mistaken if you think I will ever give up on the Force, Nova."

Nova: "Amendment: You are wrong about two things, Satele. First, the Force will give up on you. And second, you will be pleased that it does."

Satele merely closes her eyes and says, "The force will never abandon me, Nova."

I create a wrapped candy bar and teleport it into her cell on the floor in front of her.

Nova: "Confidant: I guess we'll see then, won't we?"

Nova: "Order: Mother, keep a scanner on her. I will be down planet side. Contact me if anything happens."

Mother: "As you will, Creator."

Teleporting down to the planet's south pole, an idea forms in my head.

'If [Abyssal Earth] spreads the corruption, then I should use it to infect large deep sections of the planet. I want it to progress fast, without me having to destroy the planet after all.'

After quickly thinking of a new spell formula, I place my hands down on the ground, and go to cast my spell.

Nova: "Intrigue: I wonder if this will work as I want it too. [Abyssal Earth]."

As the spell flows from my hands down to the earth, I take deep scans to track it. And exactly like how I designed the formula, the spell is replacing the dirt, stone, crust and everything else it touches with the same material but with as much corruption as I can force in it.

The spell went down two kilometres into the crust and ten around me.

'This should do for now. I don't want to ruin this planet somehow. I'll have to experiment slowly on more Worlds as I conquer them.'

Nova: "Glee: One point down, three more to go."