Dark Jedi Encounter

3 Years Later - 7035

Daimon: Age - 20

After deciding not to take Iko as a Padawan learner, the Jedi Council gave Daimon another Padawan. This time he didn't have any bad visions about them, nor did he sense any darkness surrounding them. Her name was Sera, a young Mirialan with a keen interest in the same path Daimon had chosen.

Despite how young she was, Daimon could see that she had an immense potential to be a Jedi Sentinel. Daimon took her under his wing and began to guide her along her journey and teach her the knowledge that he had. Sera was eager to learn and quick on her feet, surprisingly adaptable even for a Jedi in training.

After 3 years of training, she was now 15 years old, and she was already proving herself to be a competent combatant under Daimon's guidance and showed promise as a negotiator too. Daimon had already mastered all 7 forms of Lightsaber Combat and was using that knowledge to create his own style of combat combining the greatest advantages of each form into a single refined form that would suit his individual needs.

This combination technique was something he was passing onto Sera who was having trouble learning the form because of how complex it was, so instead he decided to create a different version of the form so that she could still learn a more refined technique.

In doing so, Sera developed a comprehensive fighting style that was fluid and unpredictable. She wielded her lightsaber as if it was an extension of her own body, flowing from one form to another with grace and ease.

During their training sessions, Sera often asked Daimon about his past experiences and his struggles, which he shared by using the stories of his early days as an initiate and his life on his home planet. He sought to instill in her the understanding that growth came with patience and courage, guiding her not just as a Jedi Knight but as a mentor and friend.

———

On Kattada, Daimon and Sera had arrived on the planet, on a mission which involved investigating the rumors of a Dark Jedi on the planet. Immediately upon arrival, Daimon felt a dark presence somewhere on the planet, but he couldn't pinpoint its location.

"Do you sense that Sera," Daimon asked trying to see if Sera could also sense the dark presence.

"Yes, Master, it's vague and distant but feels... cold." she replied as she tried to concentrate on the source of the presence.

"Be on your guard," Daimon instructed, "This presence might be the person we're looking for. We must tread very carefully."

Walking through the city streets of Kattada, Daimon and Sera navigated the bustling marketplaces and narrow alleyways, their cloaks blending into the crowd. The city was bright, colorful, and alive with the hum of commerce. Yet beneath that lively surface, Daimon could feel the disturbance in the Force gnawing at him like a shadow.

The presence he felt was subtle, but persistent. It was like an itch in the back of his mind that wouldn't go away. The Force was telling him that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite place what it was yet.

"Stay close, Sera. Trust your instincts. If this person is the Dark Jedi we've been sent to find, we need to be prepared for anything," Daimon said.

Sera nodded; her expression serious as she walked by his side. Although she had trained hard, and her abilities were sharp, she still lacked the experience that Daimon had. This mission would be a test of both her combat skills and her ability to stay calm under pressure.

Their journey took them to the outskirts of the city, where the towering spires gave way to quieter, more isolated areas. There, hidden behind the layers of buildings and underground, they came upon a series of abandoned warehouses. The coldness in the air intensified, and Daimon knew they were getting closer.

The buildings were old, probably abandoned years ago. The robes they wore did little to ward off the chill that they felt as they continued towards the abandoned structures.

"Sera," Daimon whispered, his voice barely heard above the whistling wind, "stay right behind me."

She nodded and drew her lightsaber from her side, not igniting it yet but ready to do so at a moment's notice. Daimon did the same, wanting to be ready for anything that popped up. Normally one would not draw their lightsaber considering the Jedi Order wanted it to be used as a last resort, Daimon thought otherwise and made sure to teach his Padawan the same. It was better to be prepared to defend one's life than to lose it without a fight.

Carefully, they entered the deepest warehouse. The smell of dampness and decay filled their noses as they could hear echoes of dripping water from far within. But there was also something else, a presence that sent ice through their veins. As they ventured further inside the warehouse, Daimon felt an overwhelming wave of dark power.

"So," a voice said echoing around the room, "The Jedi have arrived." Daimon's grip on his lightsaber tightened, his senses on high alert. The voice was deep, almost melodic, but there was a sinister edge to it.

Sera looked at him, her expression showing the unease she felt. She hadn't been in many direct confrontations with the dark side yet, and Daimon could see the subtle tremor in her hand. Still, her stance remained firm.

"I take it you know who we are," Daimon called back, their mission was to find the Jedi who had fallen to the Dark side and bring them back to the Temple if it was at all possible. "If you're the one we've been hearing about, then know that our goal is to help you."

"Help me?" The voice echoed, seeming to surround them from all directions. A figure then slowly stepped from the shadows; his face obscured by a hooded cloak.

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions, Jedi Knight," the figure spat, "The order says good things, but in the end, they are blinded by their own ideals. If the Order truly wielded its power, the Republic…no…the Galaxy could be at the palm of our hands, and nothing would be able to stop us."

Daimon's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening around the hilt of his lightsaber as the Dark Jedi slowly emerged from the shadows. The cold air seemed to intensify around him, swirling with an intense oppressive darkness. This was the first time that Daimon would face a Dark Jedi. This was a man who had once been a Jedi, yet had fallen far into darkness, convinced that his path was the only way forward.

"You speak of ideals," Daimon said, his voice calm but firm, "but it's your choices that have led you to this. Blind the Jedi may be. But they believe in hope, in redemption." He took a slow step forward, his eyes never leaving the hooded figure. "You don't have to walk this path."

The figure's laugh was dark, almost maniacal. "Redemption? Hope?" The Dark Jedi's voice hissed with disdain, his eyes glowing faintly from within the shadows of his hood. "You Jedi are all the same. Full of empty words and weak promises." He stepped closer, his presence in the Force becoming more oppressive with each movement as the darkness thickened around them. "You think you can save me? you think you can stop this?" He ignited his lightsaber which cast a red glow in the surrounding area.

Daimon didn't flinch. Igniting his own lightsaber, a blue blade which was the same one he had since his Padawan days. Behind the Dark Jedi, shadowy figures began to emerge, all clad in similar dark robes, their eyes glowing with malice.

Daimon immediately recognized them as followers, Dark Jedi who had chosen the same twisted path as their leader. Sera's grip on her lightsaber tightened, her stance shifting into one of readiness. Daimon could feel her nervousness, but she didn't back down. Her training had prepared her for moments like this, even if this was the first time she had been confronted by such overwhelming darkness.

"Sera," Daimon said quietly, never taking his eyes off the leader, "stay close. Trust yourself and trust me. We fight together."

The Dark Jedi's mouth twisted into a grin. "How touching," he sneered, "but you're already outmatched. The Jedi were weak when I left them, and now... now the darkness has only made me stronger."

Without warning, the first of the Dark Jedi followers lunged at them, his lightsaber flickering to life as he swung at Daimon's side. Daimon was quick, sidestepping the attack and parrying the next strike. His blade danced in the air as he executed a counterattack, his form flowing like water, graceful but deadly.

But his movements were not without purpose, each strike was calculated to create openings for Sera, to give her space to engage and grow. He'd taught her the importance of balance, of timing, and now he would put that teaching to the test. Despite their current situation, Daimon saw this as a good opportunity to test what he had been teaching her for the past few years.

Sera reacted immediately, taking advantage of the opening Daimon had created. She moved with lightning speed, her lightsaber flowing in a series of unpredictable angles that left her opponent with little room to recover. He tried to block, but Sera was relentless.

Meanwhile, the Dark Jedi leader turned toward Daimon, his eyes filled with fury. "You really think your training is enough to stand against me?" He raised his hand, sending a violent surge of Force lightning toward Daimon. The blue streaks of energy arced through the air like venomous snakes.

Daimon reacted in an instant. He twisted his wrist and raised his lightsaber, creating a barrier in the Force that absorbed the energy, deflecting the lightning away from his body. The Dark Jedi's eyes flashed with anger. "You'll regret defying me, Jedi."

With a sudden burst of speed, he closed the distance, his lightsaber flashing with deadly intent. Daimon was ready. Their blades met and the sound of their struggle spread throughout the warehouse.

The Dark Jedi moved with relentless aggression; each strike filled with the fury of his fallen soul. His blade was fast and vicious, designed not for defense, but for offense. He was determined to break through Daimon's defense, to prove that he was stronger than Daimon.

Daimon, though, was ready. His movements were sharp and calculated, each parry pushing back against the onslaught. His experience and training allowed him to read his opponent's intentions, to anticipate each move and counter with precision. Yet, as they fought, Daimon could feel the Dark Jedi's power growing.

"Stay focused, Sera!" Daimon called, his voice rising above the clash of lightsabers. "Don't let him break your resolve and training, stay focused!" He yelled out. Despite some thinking that this might distract her from her fight, he would likely disagree as if she can listen to his words while maintaining focus then that would show that he was training her well.

Sera, her brow wrinkled in concentration, moved to intercept one of the other Dark Jedi followers who had attempted to flank Daimon. With a swift turn of her lightsaber, she deflected a powerful strike and countered with a rapid series of slashes, her movements graceful but deadly. Her blade flashed in the dim light, forcing the Dark Jedi to retreat in a flurry of sparks.

But the leader was not finished. His eyes glinted with malevolent energy as he raised his hands again. This time, a more sinister dark wave rippled through the air, reaching out to envelop them in a shroud of suffocating darkness. The Force itself seemed to warp around him, bending to his will.

"Now you will see the true power of the dark side!" he bellowed, the air around him crackling with dark energy. His eyes flared with an unnatural glow as he unleashed a full Force push toward Daimon and Sera, sending them both stumbling backward.

Sera cried out as she was thrown against a stack of crates, but she quickly regained her footing, gritting her teeth and pushing herself back into the fight. Daimon, however, began channeling the Force within him, and with a swift motion, he summoned a powerful burst of energy that met the Dark Jedi's wave head-on forcing his followers to the ground as they were overwhelmed by the sheer force that Daimon had released.

The warehouse trembled as the two forces collided, shaking the very foundations of the building. For a moment, it was as though time had slowed, the raw power of the Dark Jedi and the disciplined force of Daimon were in a deadlock.

"Enough!" Daimon shouted; his voice filled with intensity.

With a focused strike, Daimon broke through the Dark Jedi's energy field and leapt toward him, his lightsaber cutting through the oppressive darkness. The Dark Jedi barely had time to react before Daimon's blade found its mark, striking a deep wound across the chest.

The leader stumbled back, his lightsaber flickering as he gasped for breath. His eyes, filled with shock and rage, locked onto Daimon one last time. "You... you will regret this," he snarled.

Daimon didn't hesitate. With a swift motion, he disarmed the Dark Jedi, sending his lightsaber flying across the room. The man fell to his knees, his hands raised in surrender, but the dark energy around him still pulsed with the rage and despair that had driven him to this point.

"You don't have to die," Daimon said, his voice firm yet filled with a trace of compassion. "You can still come back. There's always another way."

But the Dark Jedi only sneered. "There is no coming back from this, Jedi. The darkness has already claimed me."

With a final, defiant growl, the Dark Jedi reached out, attempting to draw upon the last of his power, to unleash one final act of destruction.

But before he could complete the motion, Daimon's blade cut through the air and ended the conflict in a heartbeat.

The dark presence faded in an instant, and the warehouse fell eerily silent. The battle was over.

But even as he looked down at the fallen Dark Jedi, a gnawing sense of unease lingered in his mind. The threat was ended, but the Dark Jedi's final words echoed in his thoughts. The darkness has already claimed me.

This was the fate that had befallen those claimed by the Darkness. While had had seen it many times through a screen, this was his first time seeing it in person.