Keldon's Purge: Prologue

James and Nicole fought beyond the speed of recognition, silver and amethyst plasma lighting the darkened gymnasium in flashes of power. James was the superior fighter of the two, but Nicole was using her prior martial arts experience to keep herself alive, barely.1

Andrew and Henshaw were stuck in a Force Stasis over by the extended bleachers on the east wall, looking on in horror. James broke away, spinning his lightsaber so rapidly that he created a sphere of purple energy around him. He leapt over Nicole, striking four times in succession, Nicole barely blocking the first three blows, the fourth slid off her right arm, burning her badly.2

James landed and stabbed backward sharply, but his depth perception was off just a tiny bit, so he missed her by micrometers. He did hear her shirt sizzle off a little bit, though.3

He spun around quickly, sensing an attack coming from the side. He blocked it easily and as Nicole retracted from the parry, he grabbed the wrist that was connected to the hand that had her silver-bladed lightsaber. He raised his own purple-bladed lightsaber, waving it so dangerously close to her face that she could smell the ozone.4

"I just have one thing to tell you," James said slowly, methodically, squeezing her wrist so hard that he snapped the bones to dust, her lightsaber clanging to the floor. "Thank you for dumping me. It made me who I am right now. Everything that is going to happen is all your fault."5

He picked up Nicole casually by her useless wrist, throwing her up to the second level of the gymnasium, about a 5 meter flight west, give or take. James heard a sickening thud but he wasn't all that satisfied with it. She was hurt bad yes, but not bad enough. He initiated the Force and gently glided up to the second level.6

James saw Nicole crumpled by a wall, the dark blue padding having done nothing to absorb the blow. He deactivated his purple sword and hooked it to his belt, pulling out his other weapon, the crimson fire. The blade extended hungrily, casting a menacing red glow as he took steps toward the downed Jedi.7

Manipulating the Force, James lifted her up sharply against the wall, her back fracturing and gasping with pain. The red glow intensified as James walked closer to her near paralyzed form, dread filling Nicole's mind.8

He took his lightsaber and jabbed the crimson blade toward her stomach, but stopped just a hair breadth from her flesh. James turned away partly, but swiftly turned and unleashed a barrage of lightning, the terrible electricity engulfing her body. After a full minute of torture, James moved the Force around her and shot her across the gym like a missile. Nicole's head slammed into the metal grating about 8 meters away, her neck snapping gruesomely and her life ending.9

"All to easy," James said, flicking his hand with a ripple in the Force. A tube of metal, anodized aluminum melted with titanium, flew through the air and floated gently into the former Jedi's left hand. With a simple push, silver plasma burst forth from the simple tube.10

James dared a glance down to the lower level and found that Henshaw and Andrew were still frozen in place, not a change of expression. James grabbed onto the rail and flipped himself over the edge, seeming to free-fall the 5 meters.11

With a simple control of the Force, James turned his fall into an elegant Force-glide, touching down gently on the plastic-rubber floor. He took slow, methodical steps toward the frozen figures of his former allies, the sliver plasma still in his left fist.12

As he stepped to the frozen men, he drew in a sigh. It was a genuinely sad sigh, full of grief and remorse. As James raised the silver weapon, he said, "I'm sorry, my old Master and friend." As the last word left his lips, he cut them down.13

As he deactivated the weapon and hung it on his belt, James felt the presence of another in the gym. His sense was confirmed as he heard this presence clap loudly.14

"Very good James. I knew you had it in you all along," a clipped Spanish-accented man said.15

"Niza de usted a demostrar para arriba, asno," James said, kneeling down to pick up the weapons of the fallen Master and apprentice. He placed them on his belt as he stood and turned around to face the man. He was clad in a traditional Sith garb, minus the elaborate hood.16

"James, there is no need for demonstrative wordings; we're friends now." 17

"Look, Chris, just because we're Sith Lords, doesn't mean I have to like you." James took two steps toward Chris and lit his own lightsaber, amethyst energy bubbling out.18

Chris wasn't fazed by James' drawing his weapon; he seemed to be expecting it. "Well, at least call me Zaine. It is my proper name, after all. Speaking of, what shall we call you?"19

The seventeen-year-old warrior didn't even blink as he said, "Keldon. My name will be Darth Keldon."20

"Okay then. I'll be seeing you, Darth Keldon." Zaine turned and briskly left the gymnasium.21

James lowered his weapon, a small grin forming on his lips. "The next time I draw my weapon to you, it'll be the last thing you ever see."22