Prologue : Flight of Foresight
So, in the meantime between those lulls in my creative process for ANP, I've been writing out smaller side projects while my muse rests and prepares for another major writing session. This one is probably the most flushed out, even though it wasn't the first that I started with. Therefore: It will not update nearly as often as ANP will, although I will attempt to devote time to it as I can. Please Review, especially this soon in the story it will be most helpful with ideas.
Harry Potter
The Power of the Dark Side
Prologue
Flight of Foresight
Darth Cognus, Dark Lord of the Sith, watched in disappointment as her apprentice's Sith Infiltrator sped away from the ruins of the Dark Force temple of Dromund Kaas. Instead of standing for what he claimed to have believed in, and fighting his master for the mantle of Sith Master, Darth Millennial had chosen to flee, abandoning his infant religion of the so-called 'Prophets of the Dark Side'. Darth Cognus had known of her apprentice's disagreements with the Rule of Two, but she had not expected the human mutant to actually break away from the Sith Order and form his own branch off of Dark Side users.
Cognus had, as soon as she heard of the insurrection, immediately come to Dromund Kaas and wiped out the pathetic Dark Jedi and fledgling Sith that her apprentice had started to train, her immense knowledge of the Dark Side and her twin crimson lightsabers making quick work of the far weaker followers of her wayward apprentice. She would have killed the three eyed human as well, but Darth Millennial had taken the opportunity caused by his supporters attempting to slay his master to flee to the hangar of the Dark Side temple he had claimed on the planet, and flee, jumping to hyperspace before Cognus could track him.
But it was of no consequence. Either Darth Millennial would return and finish what they started, the final conflict that would decide the new Sith Master, or he would disappear from the universe and Cognus would train a new apprentice in his place. No matter what, the Sith Order would survive, as it always had, and must, until the Jedi were defeated and the galaxy fell to their might. 'But still,' Darth Cognus thought as she returned to her shuttle, 'Millennial had so much potential for our Order, and such a gift with foresight.'
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Darth Millennial, Supreme Prophet of the Dark Side and apprentice to the Dark Lord of the Sith, breathed a small sigh of relief as the star lines of hyperspace surrounded his Infiltrator. Escaping from the tracking powers that his Iktotchi master possessed was not a simple task, and only his own mastery of the Dark Side was keeping him one step ahead of his master's wrath. Unbeknown to his master, however, it was more than mere cowardice that drove Millennial to postpone the final confrontation with Darth Cognus. No, the true reasons for Darth Millennial and his supposed departure from the true Sith Order were all part of an elaborate plan wrought by foresight and prophecy.
The Force was calling to Darth Millennial, urging him to seek out something, or someone, far away from the known aspects of the galaxy and deep in the unknown regions. Naturally, Millennial knew that Cognus would be overly suspicious if he just up and left to search out this call from the Dark Side, so he fabricated the false Dark Side religion to force his master to 'drive' him away to the destiny the Force was making for him. And now his plan was realized. The poor fools that thought he would give them unlimited power and knowledge of the Dark Side fell before his master's blades as he prepped his ship for his departure into the unknown.
Finally, as the call of the Dark Side spiked in his mind, he manually pulled out of Hyperspace, drifting through a small solar system, with only eight planets orbiting a bright golden sun. The Force was strong in the outer regions of the system, but the brightest pull to Darth Millennial, woven as part of his Sith trance, came from the third planet from the yellow star.
A provincial scan of the planet showed no technology close to what Millennial and his starship possessed, so he activated the ship's cloaking devise and followed the Force down onto the planet, finally settling down his craft in a grove of trees, departing what appeared to be a park, and shrouding himself in the power of the Dark Side, Darth Millennial searched for his new apprentice. The trail of darkness led Darth Millennial to a set of dwellings that all appeared completely identical as they stretched along a paved roadway. The Force was only truly present around the fourth house away from Millennial.
Approaching the residence, the Sith Lord felt a powerful wave of energy, not the Force, but something else. It was almost like a shield surrounding the house in a glowing light, preventing the Dark Lord from entering the property. Irritated, Millennial began to probe the foreign presence with the Dark Side, looking for any weaknesses or deficiency in the ward to grant him access. It was completely baffling; the shield had no flaws, and rejected every attempt the Sith Lord made to gauge the power of the barrier withholding his future apprentice from him.
Snarling in anger, Millennial switched tactics. Thrusting out his hands, the three eyed mutant dove into the power of the Dark Side and sent waves of it washing over the shield, striving to overpower it with brute strength. Against the power of a Dark Lord of the Sith, this primitive shield was no match, which was clearly proven as it shattered, granting Darth Millennial entry at last.
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C1: Passing of Power
So, doing something I had not planned to do, and updating before the next chapter is finished, but I'm confident that it will be finished soon enough; with all the ideas and inspiration I got for it over the last 3 weeks. Anyway, thanks a lot for your patience and special gratitude to those who reviewed the prologue! Please keep up the reviews!
Chapter One
Passing of Power
Harry winced as massive pain shot through his head, causing him to drop the dish he was cleaning. It shattered with a resounding crash on the clean floor, immediately attracting the attention of his Aunt and Uncle. "BOY!" Vernon roared, stomping towards him, his fists raised. The four year old knew what was coming before it happened, but it stopped nothing as the massive hand collided with the side of his face. Crumpling to the floor, Harry's head spun wildly, but he refused to cry out. That would only incite his uncle more.
"HOW DARE YOU BREAK OUR DISHES, YOU INGRATEFUL FREAK!" Vernon screamed in his face, before settling down to pummel Harry's body. Harry bit his tongue and withstood the pain, refusing to show emotion even when he felt and heard the crack of ribs. This was by far the worst beating he had had in his life, and there was nothing he could do about it.
'Someone please help me,' Harry thought desperately.
Suddenly there was a new voice in the room, speaking eerily calm for the scene Harry knew must be in front of him, "Might I inquire as to why you feel brutalizing this child is required?…"
Harry looked blearily through his eyes, swimming in pain, up at his rescuer. The tall man had a short graying beard and piercing blue eyes, and some sort of mark on his forehead, nearly covered by his large hood. The last thing Harry registered in slight horror before passing out was that it was a third eye, with a deep red orange hue to it.
Millennial looked at the scene with cold calculation. The fat human was beating a tiny child without mercy for, apparently, the tiny accident of breaking a dish. As a Sith, Millennial approved of severe punishment for mistakes, but this was completely unnecessary. This was pure rage without purpose, being venting on the weak without rational reasoning. Thankfully the boy lost consciousness, so he wouldn't be further broken from what Millennial was about to show to his tormentors, the full power of a Sith Lord.
"Who in the bloody hell are you, barging into MY house?!" the fat one bellowed, fists balling up and the veins of his neck bulging as he swung to glare at the Sith Lord. "Who do you think you are?"
"A far more powerful being than you," Millennial replied, meeting the madman's eyes, "now, BE SILENT! "
The man froze, terror and the Force holding him in place and stilling his incessant tongue as Millennial swept past him, into the room. Unfamiliar machines lined the walls, but the Sith Lord paid them no mind, his focus completely on the immobilized man and woman who cowered before his presence.
Millennial calculated his options. He could kill these fools and take the boy now, but that would alert whoever placed the shield over the house of something being wrong, or he could make it so that the boy wouldn't be missed while he took him…
He chose, and dominating the minds of the two weak humans before him, he erased his visit from their minds and made it so that they wouldn't notice or miss the small boy for a good long time, or until Millennial himself removed it. The Sith lord figured that whoever placed the shield, as it couldn't have been either of the two weak creatures before him, wouldn't be fooled forever with the boy's disappearance, so he intended to return after his master was dealt with and see about trying up the loose ends of his apprentice's past as well as beginning his training in the ways of the Dark Side.
Leaving the man and woman in their state of stupor, Darth Millennial lifted the small boy into his arms and began the short trek back to his Infiltrator, depositing the boy in the medical center before taking off, setting a course back to Dromund Kaas. After setting them into hyperspace, he returned to the medbay to find to his surprise that the boy had regained consciousness, and was in intense pain from his wounds.
Harry awoke in considerable agony, startled by the sounds of someone above him, but unable to see clearly to determine who exactly was there. "My my, you took some damage, didn't you, little one?" said the oddly computerized voice as a needle pierced him in the arm. Harry moaned slightly at the sharp pain, and immediate burning as something was pumped into him. "Oh, you're awake… well, this will help with the pain, somewhat. I'm not programmed to give too much in the way of anesthetic but in your case, Master Millennial gave an exception. Hold still if you can, this will hurt considerably more if you struggle…"
Finally, after several agonizing minutes of silence, Harry's eyes finally cleared, allowing him to look up and see… a metallic silver person? No… Harry blinked several times, it wasn't a person, but some sort of robot, small and floating above Harry as it maneuvered around, checking this and that part of Harry's body, holding a multitude of items in its six different hands. Eventually, the little robot floated away, out of Harry's line of sight.
"Master, the boy is completely healthy, and the sedative will wear off in the next two point seven six seconds."
A new voice that Harry recognized answered, "Thank you Geeaych-Seven, you may return to your usual duties."
Craning his neck as best he could, Harry saw the same man he had seen at the Dursleys. The same third eye gleamed red against the steel-white of the room. The man glanced at him as the robot floated away, before striding over to Harry, black robes billowing around him with an aura of menacing power. Sitting in a chair across from Harry, the man motioned for him to sit up, and as Harry did so, the bed conformed and bent into a form fitting chair, supporting him completely as he righted himself.
"So," Harry started hesitantly, "I take it you… um… rescued me from Uncle Vernon and took me to the hospital?"
The man watched Harry for several uncomfortable seconds, before finally speaking, "In a manner of speaking, yes. I took you from their clutches, and brought you here yes, but this is not a hospital ," the man seemed to momentarily struggle with the word before continuing, "it's my starship."
Harry gaped at the man. "No…way…" was all he could get out of his mouth. He started looking around again slowly, focusing on the smaller details. The large computer-like panels and monitors on the walls, the robot, and finally the small sealed window high on the far wall that displayed a strange series of bright lines flowing out of view.
" Entering Dromund system, exiting hyperspace ," an oddly feminine robotic voice announced from somewhere far overhead. Harry jumped up and dashed over to the window, ignoring the slight pain and tightness in his muscles. He watched wide eyed as the lines of light slowed and turned into stars. Into view came a large blue-green planet that was definitely NOT Earth. "…incredible…" Harry breathed, turning back to face the man who had taken him away from the Dursleys. That's when it hit him: he was free from the Dursleys, forever. Gone were the days he had to skirt around the fat lazy whale men and the spiteful shrieking woman, he was able to do as he pleased, even… dare he think of it, take revenge on them.
Standing there, dazed by the prospects of his newfound freedom, Harry noticed that the older man was smiling just as wickedly as he was thinking up ways to torment the Dursleys back for the years of cruelty. "Yes boy…let the hate flow through you…" Harry did, seeing no reason not to, letting all the rage against his relatives boil beneath his skin. Before he knew it, small objects were floating around him, as if held by wires. Harry was so shocked that he lost his train of thought and the objects clattered to the floor again. But the other man, Millennial, if Harry's memory of what the robot had said was correct, only smiled wider. " Good …" he said, drawing out the word, and Harry could feel some sort of power behind it, "the Force is strong with you, Harry Potter…you will become a powerful Sith, whatever master is left to train you."
"Err, what?" Harry asked, finally returning to the present and registering what the man was saying, "Force? Sith? Left to train me?" he said, trying to wrap his mind around what was going on.
" Approaching Dromund Kaas …" the computer voice announced again.
"We haven't much time, and therefore I can only explain so much, young one," Millennial said, eyes darting to the window as the planet grew closer, "but the Force is a power source that radiates off of all things, both living and nonliving. The Sith are one of the many organizations of beings that can wield the powers of the Force to their own ends…"
"Beings? You mean there are things out there other than humans?" Harry interrupted.
Millennial regarded Harry coldly, "Normally I do not permit others to interrupt when I am talking, consider yourself warned…"
Harry froze himself from the next round of questions. Had he forgotten so soon that this man was clearly something dangerous, if he was able to overcome the wrath of Vernon Dursley. "I…sorry…"
"As I was saying," Millennial continued, "the Sith, of which I am a member, one of the only two in existence, survive in secrecy from the rest of the galaxy. We are in a tricky stage of pulling strings and shadows to increase our power, while those who would destroy us for merely being different wallow in their glory at having defeated us for all time. To ensure that only the strong will lead, only two Sith Lords exist at a time: a master and an apprentice. The time has come for myself and my Master, Darth Cognus, to determine, in a fight to the death, whether I am ready to take the mantle of Master of the Sith Order. However, no matter the outcome, you will have a master to train you in the ways of the Dark Side of the Force. And yes, there are more creatures out there than humans. My master, as an example, is an Iktotchi, a strong race in the Force with a powerful gift of precognition, or limited foresight."
"Oh…" Harry said, struggling to absorb the information. "But, isn't something called the 'Dark Side' of anything… well… evil?"
"Evil is a word used by the ignorant and the weak. The Dark Side is about survival. It's about unleashing your inner power. It glorifies the strength of the individual." Millennial said flatly, and Harry was forced to mull it over himself what that meant. If what he was being told was true, then everything Harry dreamed about was a real possibility.
"I can sense your fear young Potter, fear of what you do not understand, fear of what may happen. But I know what will happen when you accept our teachings. You will grow powerful, and all who oppose you will fall at you feet," The Sith Master said, "for this is the way of the Sith. Passion to Power, Power to Strength, Strength to Victory, Victory to Freedom, all wrought by the Dark Side of the Force…"
Harry saw no better choice. He was who-knew how far away from Earth, and had no purpose in life. 'After all, why not,' Harry thought, his own smirk returning. "Then… what must I do to become a Sith?"
The smile on the three eyed man's face also returned, "So, will you of your own free will pledge yourself to the Order of the Sith Lords, Harry Potter?" he said, rising and walking to stand in front of Harry. Inspired by the close proximity to the Sith Lord, Harry knelt before the mutant human, "I pledge myself to your teachings… Master."
"Good…"Millennial practically purred, "You shall be known forevermore as Darth… Veneficus… rise, Sith apprentice."
The newly christened Darth Veneficus rose, and following Millennial out of the medical bay and up to the enlarged cockpit, watched with unconstrained enthusiasm as the Sith Lord steered the ship to rest atop the colossal temple in the center of the swamps of Dromund Kaas.
"I'm warning you now, Veneficus," Millennial said, gathering himself and preparing for the upcoming confrontation, "this is a fight between me and my master alone. Any interference, and either of us will cut you down without a second thought." The young acolyte nodded, his face set and grave. Millennial knew the potential that existed in the boy for great power, but his nature must be tamed and purged of all inborn compassion if he was to fully embrace the Dark Side.
Knowing that he or Cognus would have no difficulty in breaking the boy from his innocent and detrimental ways, he grabbed the last two items he required to face his master before heading to the boarding ramp. The first was his Lightsaber, the gleaming black handle sporting an elegant curve to alter the trajectory of any swing or stab. The second item was an unusual item that Millennial had only recently mastered using: a Lightwhip. Similar in style and functionality to the saber, the Lightwhip projected a flexible energy beam that could prove quite unpredictable to the unwary opponent.
Clipping the two weapons to his belt, the Lightwhip out of sight for a surprise use, Millennial and Veneficus departed the ship to where Darth Cognus was awaiting them, most likely having sensed them both long before they physically arrived.
Stopping well away from his master, Millennial stood in silence as Cognus regarded the young boy. "So, you've brought an apprentice and returned to finish your training…" the Iktotchi Sith Lord said calmly, despite Millennial feeling her power start to build. "I have," he replied smoothly. Pointing to the boy he continued, "This is Darth Veneficus, who shall become the apprentice of the victor, thus continuing the line set forth by Darth Bane and his Rule of Two."
"So you never truly gave up the Order of the Sith, even with your small rebellions …"Cognus hissed, her hands slowly moving toward her dual sabers. Millennial knew that the conflict would begin as soon as she had the answers she desired, which was if he was indeed true to the codes of the Sith that he had been trained to.
"I did not, even during my rule as Supreme Prophet. The Dark Force religion was a mere ploy to confuse and distract you while I sought out the perfect apprentice." Millennial answered, drawing the curved saber and igniting the crimson blade. Darth Cognus didn't disappoint, having leaped and ignited her dual sabers as the answer was given. The first clash of sabers was given as she landed, trying to overpower Millennial's defenses and slam both her blades into his head.
Harry couldn't believe his eyes as the two Sith Lords dueled. Their hands were nearly blurs as they maneuvered back and forth across the top of ruined building, sometimes flinging hands at each other to blast their opponent with blue-white electricity or waves of pure power. All the hair on the young boy's body was standing on end at the display of true supremacy of their abilities. Cold sensations traveled down his body at the thought that he was promised to learn this very power, and small wicked thoughts crept back into his mind as he watched the conflict.
Cognus wasn't surprised at her apprentice's defensive tactics. The three eyed mutant always had leaned toward the third form of lightsaber combat, Soresu, and to counter Cognus chose to simply overwhelm Millennial with her Battle Master techniques and dual sabers, chaining strikes that constantly varied in target. Head, leg, arm, torso, other leg, back to head. Yet her apprentice doggedly kept blocking her attacks, not even trying to make an opening for any sort of offensive.
Cognus drove Millennial backward, straining to keep him off balance as she pressed the attack, twisting and turning to steer her apprentice in the direction she wanted, toward the edge of the temple. Suddenly, Millennial jumped back from one of her attacks, rolling backward to put space between them, at the same time throwing his lightsaber at her.
The crimson blade came in a spinning arc aimed to decapitate her, but it was easily batted away by one of her sabers, and she prepared to leap upon her now foolishly disarmed opponent. Only the Force saved her, the time between the snap hiss of another weapon and the new beam of energy clashing with her hastily raised defense split by mere moments. Then was when Cognus realized something was wrong. The new weapon's energy beam was coiled around one of her sabers, tracing a direct line back to her apprentice. A Lightwhip, Cognus recognized as Millennial wrenched her weapon away, sending it clattering off the side of the temple.
Now it was Cognus that was on the defensive, trying to dodge and weave around the dancing strand of deadly energy, trying not to block or parry for fear of losing her remaining weapon. She had to admit that Millennial had been ingenious to create and master the rare and difficult weapon, as well as keep this advantage hidden until he could most utilize it.
Another lash came in, and Cognus couldn't dodge fast enough, the red energy gashing and cauterizing her left leg. Refusing to cry out Cognus rolled away on her good leg, coming up again and ducking a follow-up to her head. Only the Dark Side was keeping her from falling to the ground now, the pain fueling her rage to stay upright and move. Another strike, and finally Cognus was forced to block, struggling to maintain her balance and control of her weapon as the Lightwhip wrapped about the other blade.
Losing her last weapon was not an option, so Cognus reached out with the Dark Side, throwing bolts of lightning at Millennial, distracting him enough to yank her weapon, along with the Lightwhip, away, then spinning and leaping back to the fray. Millennial had at some point recovered his curved saber, and met her attack head on, deflecting and counter attacking Cognus as she landed. The mutant seemed to dance and he spun and struck, alternating from many quick one handed strikes to a handful of powerful two handed swings. Cognus recognized that her apprentice had not sacrificed his Lightsaber skills in the process of mastering the Lightwhip, and had added the second form of saber combat, Makashi, to his repertoire of knowledge. The dueling form greatly complimented his original defensive form, and was further augmented by his curved saber into a purposely deadly combination.
Millennial knew he had gained the upper hand, spinning and striking at Cognus' saber arm before backing off, feinting and stabbing to her torso. Both the surprise of the Lightwhip and his switching to the aggressive Makashi had thrown his master into slight disarray, not having expected this deception and brutality from him, but she was quickly adapting to the change. He had to end it quickly before she regained the offensive.
Lashing out with the Dark Side, Millennial started eating away at Darth Cognus, draining and devouring her life energy, while simultaneously disrupting her connection to the Force, a technique she herself had taught him. The reaction was immediate. Cognus cried out in rage, trying to lash back with lightning, but it was growing steadily feebler with the combination of distractions and Millennial's attacks. A wave of Force power erupted from her, but merely knocked Millennial back a step, allowing him to twist and come back at a different angle, slicing the Iktotchi across the upper arm, sending her Lightsaber falling to the ground.
Unfortunately, Cognus wasn't finished yet, using the Force to snatch the saber back and suspending it in the air, reactivating it and sending it back at Millennial, while sending off new waves of lightning. Millennial caught the lightning, absorbing it with his saber, while throwing out a hand, engaging Cognus is a duel of willpower over control of her saber. Slowly, the saber was still coming at Millennial, and it took all his concentration to keep the lightning away and continue struggling with the saber.
Making another quick decision, Millennial focused all his will on the floating saber, dropping his defenses to the bolts of electric power. Pain shot through him, but only for mere moments. Cognus dropped to the ground, impaled through the chest by her own lightsaber.
Harry watched as his new master recovered the fallen weapons, including the one from Darth Cognus' body. The smell of ozone was heavy on the three eyed human's robes, but otherwise he was relatively unharmed. Millennial held out Cognus' lightsaber to Harry, "In time you will build your own lightsaber, but for the time being, you may use Darth Cognus'. Now come Darth Veneficus, we have many things to do and time is of the essence.
Harry followed in silence as they boarded his master's starship and flew away from the murky world and into Harry's new destiny.
Notes: I have patreon for those who want access to my early story released is patreon.com/Chartso_ already have to second and third chapter up and also give me your power stones to keep the ranking high.