Jared Sullivan

I quickly regained feeling in my body but was still unable to see anything. With my feeling returned, I was able to feel air rushing past me. I then realized that I was in freefall. 

I reached out to try and grab onto something but there was nothing. I couldn't feel the walls. 

As I fell, a mist started to tickle my skin. The air was cool and damp. 

I looked down and finally saw light again. It was at the end of whatever hole I was falling through. 

In a panic, I checked my tactical vest but realized that I had put aside my rifle. It was gone and the light was rapidly approaching. 

I fell through the opening. Before I could even catch a glimpse of my surroundings, I was pelted with water. The powerful stream threw me to the side before dunking me into a deep body of water. 

Air. I needed air. I cooled my head and oriented myself. Then, I swam towards the light. 

Upon reaching the surface, I sucked in air and coughed out a lungful of water. I had nearly drowned. 

I wiped my eyes with my hand and then looked around. I was now in a massive rotunda the size of the roman coliseum. It must have been deep underground as all the water in the temple was flowing out of channels in the walls. 

There was a center platform with chamfered sides that sloped down into the water. This water was crystal-clear and unfathomably deep. It covered half of the diameter of the room 

In the middle of the central platform was a cylindrical pedestal with a stone box on top of it. As soon as my eyes landed on the box, I knew that this was what brought me here. 

I then focused on what was happening on the platform. There were five individuals. Three of them were the unknown Sith from earlier and the other two were Lyle and Olivia. She was alone against a large blond man while Lyle was fighting the Asian woman and the familiar man. 

Knowing that I needed to help, I swam over as fast as I could. Once I reached the chamfer, I got on my hands and knees and took a moment to catch my breath. Swimming was much more tiring than running. 

The shouting and grunting from their fights was interrupted by a loud scream and a thud. My head shot up to see Olivia falling to the ground with her leg horrifically damaged. It was bent in a nauseating way and a bone had pierced her skin. 

The man who was fighting her walked over and smirked as he raised his foot. She was helpless as she writhed in pain upon the ground. He was about to crush her head with his foot. 

My eyes widened as I came to this realization. I couldn't let this happen. "NO!" 

I raised my right hand and thrusted it out. I put all my will behind the force as I beckoned for it. 

The man was shoved back several steps. Water splashed as his heavy feet planted into the ground to stop his involuntary retreat. He nearly fell into the water. 

Suddenly, a black flash exploded from the water. I followed it until it stopped. It was Leighton, katana in hand and outstretched. He was on one knee and had a solemn expression. 

He raised his blade and flicked it to the side. Blood splattered into the water. Then, he slowly moved it back to his left side and slid it into its sheath. 

As soon as the sword was fully inside, the man's head slid off his neck and splashed into the water. His headless body soon followed. Blood began to cloud the crystal-clear water. 

Leighton clicked his tongue. He looked irritated. Was he not satisfied? 

Out of the corner of my eye I watched Lyle suffer a kick to the stomach. It was quickly followed by a punch to the side of his head. He crumpled to the stone unconscious. 

I quickly stood up and drew my pistol. I aimed it at Lyle's attackers. 

The familiar man sneered at me. "Oh, Kyle. You should know just as well as I do that guns won't be of any use." 

I hesitated as some puzzle pieces began to come together in my mind. Then, my eyes widened. I knew who this man was. As I put my gun away, I glared at him. "Jared Sullivan." 

Jared smiled enthusiastically. "Ha! The celebrity knows who I am! How exciting." 

His eyes showed a hint of yellow through their brown. He was still a fledgling Sith. The short brown hair on his head did little to obscure his face. He was a bit taller and larger than me, but nothing I couldn't handle. 

I reached up to my chest and pulled my combat knife from its sheath. My knife of choice was an M9 bayonet with a serrated rear facing edge. I held it in a forward grip and readied both my hands as I slowly approached Jared. "I have no interest in speaking to you. Your mistake in coming here will be your last." 

Jared smiled wickedly. "Your confidence will make you even more satisfying to kill." 

I glanced towards my padawan and found that he had forced the Asian woman away from Lyle. He had positioned himself between her and him. She was holding a karambit knife in each hand. 

With my concerns for him gone, I turned my focus back to Jared. He had taken out a long dagger that was about the same length as mine. He grinned at me. "I think it's time to play." 

From his right hand, he tossed his knife in the air. He grabbed at it with his left hand. At the same time, his right hand shot out. 

A bright light converged on his fingertips before exploding outwards in arcs of lightning. My eyes widened as I realized that there was force lightning coming straight at me. This was a first... 

Was he not actually a fledgling Sith? Was he actually powerful? 

Acting on pure instinct, I threw myself to the side. With a roll, I barely avoided the stream of lightning. 

I landed on my feet and started sprinting towards Jared. I had to close the distance. My knowledge of the force had yet to extend into force lightning. 

As I ran past the stream, the water exploded behind me. The pure energy contained in that strike was enough to fill the rotunda with steam. Everyone's visibility was hampered but the force allowed us to continue. 

The lightning cut off as I approached. Once I had closed in, Jared readied his knife. 

I outwardly slashed my knife at him. He aimed for my strike and deflected it upwards. 

Using my momentum, I kicked out with my left leg. My foot landed true on his left side. He stumbled but quickly reset. 

He responded with a stab. I easily swatted away the knife with my own before replying in kind. 

Jared attempted to step back but my blade had already pierced his skin. There was a decent wound stretching across his chest. The red blood dribbling forth began to stain his black clothing. 

His response to the pain was a look of euphoria. He loved it. 

My face twisted in disgust as I lunged at him once more. I stabbed at the sick bastard. 

He slashed and hit my knife to the side. Despite the slight setback, I continued pressing. He was forced to backpedal. 

Suddenly, I saw Leighton rushing in from the side. Jared took notice of this and leapt backwards. He performed multiple back handsprings as he retreated. 

He and I both looked towards where Leighton had come from. The Asian woman was on the ground. She was covered in blood. 

Jared clicked his tongue and glared at me. "This isn't over." 

He flicked his knife into the air and caught it by its blade. Then, he threw it at me. 

I scoffed at his meager attempt to strike me and moved my knife to intercept. At the last second, I noticed a second glint of metal. Unfortunately, it was too late. 

I blocked the larger knife with my own. The second one pierced my left shoulder. 

With bated shock, I looked down and gripped the knife with my open left hand. It had missed my jugular by mere thousandths of an inch. 

When I looked back up, I found Jared soaring through the air towards an opening in the wall. For the second time in one night, he had gotten away. 

My padawan rushed towards me. "Master!" 

I carefully sat down on the cool and wet stone, taking deep breaths as I did so. I was careful not to move. "I'm fine. Just help me grab some gauze."