The walk through the desert is grueling. Every step feels like a battle against the oppressive heat. The sun blazes down on us, relentless and blinding. Nikko is struggling the most—her small frame isn't built for this kind of environment. I glance back at her, and her tail twitches sporadically, her ears flattened against her head in frustration. Her tongue lolls out as she pants heavily, sweat dripping down her face. But despite the harsh conditions, she keeps pushing forward, occasionally giving me a determined nod when our eyes meet.

  The water we've been rationing is now down to half a pouch between all of us. The food we packed, inexplicably, has gone bad—it's strange. Almost as if the desert itself is working against us. But we can't stop. We have to push on. The closer we get to the temple, though, the darker it becomes. It's eerie—like the desert itself is being swallowed by something unnatural. The sun remains high in the sky, yet it seems as though the very light is being drained, leaving only shadows that stretch longer with each step.

  After hours of grueling marching, we finally reach the edge of the desert city. It stands ominously before us, the temple rising in the distance like a cursed monument. Dark clouds swirl above the city, as though they are alive, twisting and curling, blotting out the sun. Thunder echoes through the empty streets, and bolts of lightning split the sky. The air crackles with tension.

  I glance down at my gauntlet and pull up a scan of the area. Still no life signs. The city and the temple are completely empty—or at least that's what the scan says. But I have a bad feeling about this place, and I can sense that the others do too.

  I grab my lightsaber, feeling the weight of it in my hand as Talia pulls out her energy bow, unfolding it with practiced precision. The pink energy string hums into existence, casting a faint glow. IG-22's photoreceptors spin rapidly as it scans the area, its E-5 blasters drawn, ready for whatever is coming. Apollo shoulders the A-23 heavy rotary blaster, and Rebecca pulls out her dual blasters. Nikko clutches her own small blaster, her ears twitching as she glances around, clearly anxious.

  We're all on edge, waiting for the trap to spring. But nothing happens.

  I step forward, leading the group into the city, the sandstone streets eerily quiet under our feet. My heart pounds in my chest, each step echoing off the empty walls. I expect the cloaked figures to materialize any second, but the streets remain barren. No followers, no traps, no ambushes. Just silence.

  We reach the entrance of the dungeon—still nothing. That's what makes it worse. The lack of anything happening makes the tension unbearable.

  ?????

  Then, suddenly, I sense it—a foul presence, dark and malevolent, crawling from every corner of the city. I stop, gripping my lightsaber tighter as I sense the incoming danger. The others feel it too, and before I can warn them, they appear—stepping out of the buildings around us, as if pulled from my worst memories.

  Clone Troopers.

  They're adorned in their familiar Phase 2 armor, blue markings from the 501st—soldiers I once fought a long time ago. But there's something wrong. A dark aura surrounds them, twisting their appearance, making them grotesque caricatures of the soldiers they once were. The anger rises within me, a familiar fury building as I ignite my lightsaber.

  The troopers open fire, blue blaster bolts screaming through the air. Apollo and IG-22 return fire immediately, mowing down the twisted figures. The sound of blasters fills the streets as Rebecca and Talia crouch behind me, firing with precision while I deflect the incoming shots. Nikko clings to me tightly, her small form pressed against my side as.

  The troopers dissolve into black goo as they fall, but more take their place, pouring out of the buildings like a relentless tide. Apollo's rotary blaster roars, cutting down trooper after trooper, while IG-22 moves like a machine possessed, fluid and deadly, dodging blaster fire with mechanical precision as it unleashes volleys of firepower. Its movements are swift and calculated, spinning and twisting with precision, dealing with the enemies efficiently.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  But despite our efforts, they keep coming.

  "Get ready to run!" I shout over the chaos, stomping the ground with the Force, erupting sand around us, forming a massive cloud that obscures everything. The blaster fire becomes erratic as the troopers lose their visual on us. I switch off my lightsaber and make a break for the dungeon, motioning for the others to follow.

  We sprint through the storm of sand, the entrance to the dungeon just ahead. Blaster bolts zip past us, but none find their mark as we dash inside one by one, narrowly avoiding the fate that was almost ours. I'm the last to make it through, but not before I turn and stomp the ground again. The earth beneath the entrance responds, a pillar of stone rising from the ground to seal us in.

  The darkness swallows us whole, and for a moment, I can only hear the sounds of our heavy breathing.

  Talia summons a ball of light, the chamber we now stand in slowly illuminated by the glow. The sandstone walls are carved with ancient runes, worn from time but still holding power. A sense of dread permeates the air, thick and suffocating.

  Rebecca's voice trembles. "What were those white soldiers?"

  I take a deep breath, calming my mind. "Soldiers of the Grand Republic," I say, the words bitter on my tongue. "The last time I saw soldiers like that, it was during a very dark time."

  Talia looks at me, her brow furrowed with concern. "Since the Shadowfell can create beings like that from your memories... what else can it create?"

  I sigh heavily. "Many terrible beasts," I say quietly. "Be prepared for the worst."

  Rebecca grips her blasters tighter. "Wherever you came from, Ryu, I really hate that place."

  I can't help but agree.

  I kneel beside Nikko, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

  She nods, though I can sense her fear lingering beneath the surface. "Stay right beside me, understand?"

  She nods again, this time with more determination.

  The chamber around us is massive, with multiple staircases leading down into the depths of the dungeon. Rebecca approaches one of the staircases. "Which way?"

  I activate the hologram from my gauntlet, displaying the dungeon's layout, scanning it for the quickest route. But I know navigating all these floors will take too long. I step forward to the edge of the chamber and focus on the ground beneath me, shutting off the hologram.

  ?????

  I raise my arms, concentrating with everything I have. The temple begins to shake, the floor cracking open beneath us, splitting apart all the way down through the levels. The strain is immense, my head throbbing as I part the very earth beneath us. I can hear the others shouting, but their voices blur into the background as I focus all my energy.

  Finally, the ground splits wide enough, revealing the deepest part of the dungeon. My arms drop, and I stumble back, dizzy and exhausted. My vision blurs as I drop to one knee, breathing heavily. Talia, Nikko, and Rebecca rush over, helping me steady myself.

  "Ryu... are you okay?" Talia's voice is filled with concern.

  I nod, but the fatigue weighs on me. The spinning in my head finally ceases, and the throbbing pain dissipates as I push myself to my feet. I take a deep breath, grateful for the clarity that returns to me. Talia is watching me carefully, her eyes full of concern, but I offer her a small nod to reassure her. We all gather near the edge of the opening I created, staring down into the darkness below. The air feels different down here—heavier, almost oppressive.

  Rebecca looks at me, her voice laced with apprehension. "Now what?"

  I glance at Apollo, and he immediately understands. With a single fluid motion, Apollo sweeps Rebecca into his arms, who shrieks in response. Her eyes widen, a confused and startled look spreading across her face. I turn to Talia, who is about to say something, but I scoop her up as well. She gasps in surprise, and I gesture for Nikko to climb onto my back.

  "Ryu, what are you doing?" Talia asks, a mixture of shock and curiosity in her voice as Nikko climbs onto me, wrapping her arms around my neck tightly.

  "We jump," I say simply.

  Rebecca's reaction is immediate, her eyes wide with disbelief. "We what?!"

  Without giving them a chance to protest, Apollo, IG-22, and I leap into the darkness below. Talia and Rebecca screech as we fall, their grips tightening around us. I focus, using the Force to sense the approaching ground and preparing for the landing. The rush of air tugs at my robes, and I feel the velocity of the descent increasing, but I keep my mind calm.

  With a loud thud, Apollo lands solidly on the stone floor below, holding Rebecca securely. IG-22 hits the ground with similar force, its servos absorbing the impact effortlessly. I slow our fall with the Force, feeling the energy surge through me, and we float gently to the ground before softly touching down.