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Chapter XXXI Part I

  I open my eyes, and blinding sunlight floods my vision, forcing me to squint until it softens into clarity. The sharp, sweet scent of grass fills my nose, carried by a cool, familiar breeze. I rise slowly, and as I look around, the landscape around me comes into focus—lush grasslands, vibrant and endless, rolling softly to the horizon. Majestic mountains stand in the distance, their peaks crowned with snow, and the air... it's different. It feels crisp, peaceful. Too peaceful. I check myself, half-expecting to find bruises, wounds—pain—but there's nothing. No cuts, no aches. I feel... fine.

  Getting to my feet, I scan my surroundings, an uneasy feeling settling over me. This place is too familiar, like a half-remembered dream I can't quite place. I turn slowly, and there it is—the old cabin, my cabin on Alderaan, just as I remember it. But before I can fully process the sight, a soft chuckle drifts through the air from the porch, a sound that makes my heart stop. I know that chuckle.

  I turn to see him, sitting in a rocking chair, as if he's never left. August. He leans back with a pipe in his hand, smiling as he rocks gently, his milky eyes somehow fixated on me. He looks exactly as I remember—calm, wise, and maybe even a little smug, that infuriating smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

  "Hello, old friend," August says, his voice smooth, familiar, comforting. He chuckles, blowing a puff of smoke that lingers in the air.

  I feel my body tense, instinctively reaching for my lightsaber, but my hand comes up empty. A quick glance down reveals that none of my weapons are on me. Not even my armor. I'm dressed in simple dark brown robes—the robes I wore back then, on Alderaan.

  "Is this a trick?" I ask, eyes narrowing. "Something conjured by Vitiate?"

  August raises a brow, a smile tugging at his lips as he taps his pipe. " No."

  I roll my eyes, a reflex I didn't know I'd missed, and laugh despite myself. "Yep, that's August, all right."

  He chuckles, then grows quiet, watching me with that familiar look, as if he knows everything I'm about to ask.

  "Am I dead? Is this my afterlife?" I ask, my voice barely a whisper.

  A smile curls on his lips, a knowing glint in his gaze. "No."

  "Can you for once, even in death, not be so damn vague August?" I sigh. Yet, my lips curl into a smile.

  A warmth fills his face, and then he stands, reaching for me. Without another word, we embrace, and it feels so real, so tangible, the roughness of his tunic under my fingers, the smell of pipe smoke lingering in the air. "It's good to see you again, Ryu," he murmurs. "Come, sit down."

  He gestures to an empty chair beside him, and we sit in silence for a moment, rocking gently on the porch. I look out at the grasslands, and there, far off in the distance, stands the capital of Alderaan, untouched and whole, as if the Sith Empire never descended on it.

  "You must have questions," August says, his voice calm, the words almost expected.

  But I shake my head. "I do, but... right now I just want to say thank you, August. For reaching out to me when I needed you the most."

  He chuckles again, taking another drag from his pipe. "I didn't do anything. That was all you." He sighs contentedly, gazing out over the landscape, his eyes soft. "I am proud of you Ryu. You've come a long way. You finally found your path, forged it yourself—without needing me."

  I nod, letting his words sink in. But there's still a question nagging at me, and I ask it before I can stop myself. "Is it over? Has the eternal Sith Lord truly been defeated?"

  A shadow passes over August's face, but his tone is steady. "For now," he says. "You've confined him, but he's not gone. You stopped him but remember—darkness often finds a way back."

  Relief washes over me, but it's tinged with doubt. Is this peace just an illusion, some brief respite before something darker? I was about to ask if I'm really gone, really dead, but the thought dissolves when I hear the creak of the cabin door behind me and I sense a familiar presence.

  I turn slowly, and there she is—Lyra. Her red hair tied back, bright green eyes wide, brimming with tears. She's wearing her old jumpsuit, smudged with oil stains, the faint scent of metal and grease lingering around her.

  "Ly... Lyra?" I breathe, my heart pounding, a lump forming in my throat. Slowly, I get up, drawn to her, afraid to blink in case she might disappear.

  Her lips curl into a smile as she steps forward, her voice thick with emotion. "Hi, August... I mean Ryu." She laughs, a tear slipping down her cheek as she reaches for me, and then we're wrapped around each other, holding tight, as if nothing has changed.

  Her scent fills me, and for a moment, I'm back in the workshop, working on the Crucible, sharing stolen moments, laughing over bad jokes. It's her—it's really her.

  I pull back just enough to look at her, a tear slipping down my own cheek. "You're really here. But... how? Why?"

  She laughs, her eyes twinkling as she playfully shakes her head. "Does it really matter how or why?" Her tone is soft, her touch warm.

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  I swallow hard, shaking my head. "No... I guess it doesn't." I reach out, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, her warmth anchoring me. "Lyra, I... I'm so sorry."

  She pulls back, a serious look now on her face. "Ryu, listen to me. It wasn't your fault. I never blamed you for what happened to me." She hugs me again, and I can sense true joy and happiness radiating from her. She isn't lying. "Those years spent with you, the planets we traveled to, the adventures we had? I wouldn't change a single thing."

  A tear slips down my face, and she reaches up, gently brushing it away. "The years I had with you were the best years of my life, Ryu. I wouldn't trade them for anything." She squeezes my hand, grounding me. "I thought you've moved on."

  "I have," I murmur, struggling to keep my voice steady. "But... now I get to apologize to you. Properly."

  She squeezes my hand tighter, her expression soft, forgiving. But then, a glow begins to spread over the grasslands, faint at first, then brighter, like sunlight breaking over the horizon. I look around, a sinking feeling settling in my gut as the brightness grows.

  "What's going on?" I ask, panic creeping into my voice as the glow intensifies, bathing everything in a surreal, golden light.

  August's face softens, a gentle smile on his lips as he watches me. "It was good seeing you again, Ryu."

  "Wait!" I reach out, desperation clawing at my chest. "What's happening?"

  "Goodbye, Ryu," Lyra says, her voice gentle, her smile unwavering, as if this moment is everything.

  The light envelops them, and I feel a surge of emotion rising within me, but then it fades into acceptance, into peace. I smile, my heart full, the gratitude overflowing. "Goodbye, Lyra. Goodbye, August."

  The light then engulfs me, warm and endless.

  I gasp, my eyes flying open as the dim ceiling of the chamber comes into view. Every muscle aches, a dull throb pulses in my head, and my chest feels heavy as I push myself up on my elbows. "What... happened?" I mutter, disoriented, glancing around until my gaze settles on Talia and Nikko, their faces frozen in shock and... is that relief?

  "Is something wrong?" I ask, my voice rough. But before I can even blink, they're on me, throwing their arms around me, and I stagger back, nearly toppled by the weight of their embrace. Their warmth seeps into me, melting away the residual chill left in my bones. I let myself sink into the embrace, savoring the comfort of having them close, safe.

  "You bastard," Talia whispers against my shoulder, and I can hear the relief in her voice, thick and raw. Nikko holds onto me even tighter, her tiny body trembling against my side, her face buried in my chest. I realize just how much they must have feared the worst.

  "I thought I was a goner," I murmur, the reality of the ordeal hitting me in waves. "How am I back?"

  "It's thanks to Talia," Nikko says. Her voice is small, shaky, as she lifts her head to meet my eyes, wiping away her tears. "Talia gave you so many healing potions and applied so much healing magic. They must have worked." She sniffles, a tiny smile breaking through her tears.

  I smile softly at her, my heart swelling with gratitude. But just as I begin to express my thanks, Talia's hand flies out and cracks sharply across my face. I freeze, stunned, the sting of her slap making my eyes water for a moment as I look back at her in shock.

  "Don't you ever do that again!" she shouts, her voice breaking, her eyes blazing with anger and fear. Tears stream down her cheeks, her breath coming fast and uneven, her face flushed with the intensity of her emotions. "I thought I'd never see you again." Her voice trembles, vulnerability flashing in her gaze.

  My voice is soft, remorseful. "I'm sorry..."

  But before I can say more, her hand reaches out to me again—this time, gently, as she leans in, her lips pressing against mine, grounding me in the moment. Her kiss is tender, a wordless reassurance, and I feel her love and relief wrap around me like a warm blanket, washing away the last remnants of fear. When she pulls back, there's a strength in her eyes that makes me want to promise I'll never leave her side.

  A strained cough echoes behind us, and I tear my gaze away from Talia. Rebecca lies sprawled against the cold stone, blood pooled beneath her, her skin frighteningly pale. Her right arm sports a deep, ugly wound, and her left arm... it's missing, ending in a raw, jagged stump that bleeds steadily. I feel my stomach twist at the sight as I rush over, kneeling beside her.

  "Welcome back, Ryu," she grunts, managing a weak, pained smile, though her eyes are dull with fatigue.

  I nod, guilt gnawing at me as I extend my hand over her severed arm. "I'm so sorry," I whisper, summoning a small flame to cauterize the wound. She tenses, a strangled cry escaping her lips, before her body goes limp, her eyes fluttering closed as she slumps unconscious.

  "Ryu!" Talia gasps, horror creeping into her tone. "Is she...?"

  I shake my head, my voice steady. "She passed out from the pain. But we need to treat her quickly." My gaze shifts toward Apollo, still embedded in the wall, his metallic frame partially crushed by the impact. Extending my arm, I focus on the wall, shifting the stone with a wave of my hand. With a loud thud, Apollo falls from the wall, landing heavily on the ground as his joints creak and groan.

  "How are you?" I ask, crouching beside him.

  Apollo raises his head, his voice distorted with static. "I-I am fu-functioning at-at forty-three percent eff-efficiency." His voice glitches, each stutter carrying a hint of strain from the damage he's endured.

  I nod, determination setting in. "Let's fix that." I raise both arms, concentrating on his frame, pouring every bit of strength I have left into mending him. Slowly, his metal plating begins to glow, the dents smoothing out, the joints realigning, the fractured wiring reconnecting. Each second feels like a weight pressing down on me, my breath growing shallow, my body trembling with exertion.

  Finally, I release my hold, slumping back as exhaustion floods through me. Talia catches me, her arm firm around my shoulders, worry etched on her face as she steadies me. Nikko moves close, her little hand reaching for mine, her face tight with concern.

  "I'm okay," I say, offering them a reassuring smile between breaths. I turn back to Apollo. "How about now?"

  Apollo raises his arms, flexing them, testing each joint carefully before retracting his vibroblade and extending his wrist blasters. He moves his head, nodding with gratitude. "Thank you."

  A faint smile tugs at my lips, but it fades as my gaze shifts to the pulsing crystal resting on the ground—the final, silent prison of Vitiate's essence. The crystal glows ominously, a dark aura swirling within, its energy contained yet undeniably potent.

  Talia steps forward, her face hard with resolve, her blaster trained on the crystal. But I reach out, lowering her hand gently. "We can't risk Vitiate escaping. For now, he's trapped." I focus, summoning the crystal into my pouch of holdings. Its ominous glow fades as it vanishes into the confines of my bag.

  "What will you do with him?" Talia asks, her voice steady but curious.

  I smirk, pulling my mask from the ground with the Force, and slipping it back over my face, feeling its familiar weight settle around me. "I have an idea," I reply, the words carrying a hint of purpose, of certainty.

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