emile fischer

Xaash: For better or for worse

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It was dark... The air was humid as in the caves of Dromund, then two steps away it was as dry as the desert of Tatooine. However, one could see there, through the clouds of dust and the fumes which seemed to escape from the rocks themselves. Silence reigned, then was broken by the cries of other acolytes, by the wild howls of creatures, or by the whispers of departed ancient sith. Yes, everything was made to freeze the blood in the tombs of Korriban.

Xaash advanced calmly, his practice sword in hand, and watched for the slightest movement, the slightest breath that might approach. She wasn't afraid of the dark, oh no on the contrary, she had had many opportunities to get used to it, but this place was made to bring out the worst feelings, the worst nightmares. All the monsters hiding under your bed, ready to grab your foot at night, were hiding behind every rock, every wall, every statue. The 14-year-old girl had just left Dromund Kaas 72 hours ago. She hadn't seen Korriban for the first few days after he was born. How could anyone be born in such a place  ? She didn't remember, of course, but she felt that something here was linked to her. Surely the legacy of thousands of sith before her.

A crash of small pebbles was heard and echoed in the haunted corridors. Xaash turned around but nothing stood behind her. She was alone in a long dark hallway. She continued, and remembered the mission given by Overseer Tremel to her group.

“Korriban's tombs are made of stone. Whichever tomb you choose to enter, creatures of death will await you there. Your objective is to bring me a stone. Yes... a pebble. Any of them. But know that the deeper you go into the catacombs, the more the rock will be full of memories, knowledge, power. Those who bring me an interesting sample will have succeeded. To the others... I don't even advise coming back alive. »

It had been an hour since little Xaash had passed through the door of Naga Sadow's tomb. She knew his history of the Sith. If any tomb should hold interesting secrets, this was it. And Tremel was right, the more she engulfed herself, the more the rock whispered in her ear. She didn't want just any pebble. So she thought that a rock resting near an artifact or an ancient coffin might do the trick. She couldn't disappoint. Not her.

Suddenly, a Tuk'ata roars in the distance. And to hear it, it was not a small... far from it. Xaash hid around the bend, and at the beginning of the long corridor she had just left, the beast's head showed itself. This black Tuk'ata was well over 4 times bigger than any adult Tuk'ata. A little more and he would have trouble turning a bend here. His red eyes were ridiculously small, but could be seen from afar as they shone. His breath swept the dust and sand from the ground. Each step sent dust falling from the ceiling. Xaash couldn't believe it... what a monster.

The young girl detached herself from the wall, revealed herself in the corridor, and waited for the beast, her yellow saber in her hand. The Tuk'ata whipped its head around and glared at the sith with its small eyes. He opened his putrid mouth and let out a howl that mixed rage, sadism, hunger and despair. He charged.

Xaash was waiting for him, without taking his eyes off him. The enraged beast was rapidly approaching. In seconds she was halfway down the hall. The green-eyed girl didn't move.

The huge dark creature galloped, green slime escaping from its maw, then it lowered its head in an attempt to flatten the small pale creature, but at the last moment Xaash leapt aside and let the Tuk'ata s crash into the end of the corridor, shaking the entire tomb. Without waiting, she thrust her weapon with all her might into the monster's right eye - an obvious weak point - which moaned in pain. The sith yanked the sticky blade out, but the creature was invincible. She laughed like a hyena and got up slowly. His shadow gradually covered the silhouette of little Xaash, who only then felt helpless, naked, finally frightened, and began to run.

Xaash walked the other corridors, the many staircases, the countless turns of the catacombs, without looking behind her. The strange cries echoed more and more, the ribs of the skeletons on the ground tried to grab his feet, the dust mist thickened, and Xaash did not stop. His life depended on it. She wouldn't admit it today, but at the time she was scared. She raced down another flight of stairs, entered a new room, rounded a corner faster than lightning, and BOOM  !... She crashed to the ground after hitting something... or rather someone...

The young Sith lay there for a moment, almost stunned with shock. When she stood up, the monster was gone, but a completely different creature was sitting across from her. A creature with white eyes.

"Ow..." moaned the little thing in front of Xaash's still troubled eyes.

When she regained her sight perfectly, Xaash saw a little girl, slightly younger than her perhaps, shaking her head and dusting her shoulders. Her face, hidden under a magnificent snow-white hairstyle, straightened up, and looked into hers with the most beautiful eyes Xaash had ever seen.

A short moment of silence followed, but very quickly, Xaash knew what she had to do, and what this girl was there for. The sidekick was nothing more than a rival. Only one woman seemed to be able to come out of this tomb alive. She frowned in distrust, then in hatred... rage... gritted her teeth... But then, something totally unexpected happened. The little echanie, still seated opposite her, began to laugh.

Oh no, it wasn't a sadistic, sarcastic or even evil laugh. It was just a simple, high-pitched, pleasant laugh, something Xaash had never heard before. At least, not after the fire... And never a laugh like that.

The young creature slowly sat up, then walked towards Xaash, holding out her hand.

"I'm sorry…" she stammered.

what was that thing  ? Compassionate  ? It looked like it... But here, on Korriban  !? who was she  ? Poor Xaash didn't understand.

"I was terrified, I ran and I forgot to look in front of me...", continued the smiling échanie.

Intrigued but wary, the pale Sith straightened up without his help and took a step back.

" Who are you  ? asked Xaash.

"J...Jahnelthra..." she answered shyly. " And you  ? »

The sith hesitated for a moment, then continued.  : “Xaash. »

"Hmmm... You're from Tremel's band huh  ?... You too are here for the rock  ? »

Xaash shook his head in approval, then picked up his fallen blade without taking his eyes off the acolyte.

"Me too, I got lost a long time ago... I wanted to go too far to get a better stone but I don't know where I am anymore...", articulated the echanie picking up his own. "It's nerd...", she said, starting to laugh again.

Xaash couldn't believe it. This white kitten did not come from here. How hadn't he already been devoured  ?

“I am not lost. I'm just looking for the stone. she said.

The white acolyte looked around and answered with a shrug. “I think we're deep enough. There are plenty of stones here for both of us here. Look over there... and here... ohhhh..."

The young creature was bouncing around the room, staring at the rocks on the ground like a child looking for the perfect seashell on a beach. Xaash turned and stared into the darkest corner of the room...an old stone and wooden coffin lay in the darkness.

"And those  ?...” Xaash offered, not realizing that she was ready to share for the first time in a long time.

The faces of the two young girls lit up when, side by side, they approached the small shiny rocks arranged above the coffin.

" It's perfect  ! cried the little girl, grabbing hers, a small pale stone. “Here, take the big one, it suits you better  ! she said as she handed over the second rock, a red stone that was twice the size of the other. Xaash said nothing, took the rock and looked at the girl intensely... What a funny creature.

"Okay, I'm following you...Where's the exit  ? asked the little girl.

Xaash stepped forward without saying another word and drew his blade, just in case...

She didn't want to end up devoured by the Tuk'ata, or see her back skewered by a creature she would ordinarily have killed long ago. It was a first for her. Let someone... a rival sidekick... live. She tells herself that she would kill her when the opportunity presented itself. And then in the end a test will force them to kill each other, at one time or another...

Xaash was far from knowing that the rocks they had just picked were not ordinary rocks. That they would later power their own lightsabers. And above all, she had no idea that this meeting... would change their lives... forever...

For better and for worse.