A legion of shadows crept upward from the depths, an army that blazed a trail from the planet's surface, straight toward Freyyr’s village. Dan let the old Wookie lead the way, while he and Jolee followed behind. It was better to have the Wookies deal with their own issues, at least on the surface.
Venom’s clones would follow Freyyr’s commands, at least until Czerka and Chuundar were dealt with. Eventually, after he collected the Starforge, he would collect the possessed wildlife for later experimentation. Before that, they could add weight to Freyyr’s case against his son. From an outsider's perspective, the old Wookie had rallied the forest itself to repel the planet’s invaders.
“You’re sure about hanging back?” Jolee eyed the monstrous spiders and lizards that made up the bestial army, headed by the Terentatek as they forged ever closer to the Wookie village. “Even with all these creatures, it’s possible Freyyr’s crazed son could kill him from afar…”
“Don’t worry,” Dan shook his head as the village poked its head through the cover of the trees. “The old man is well protected, and I’ll be taking other measures.”
Dan seized the hermit by the back of the robes and rose into the space above the village. They settled into the crook of one of the massive trees that supported the structure, while Freyyr and his temporary army poured over the walls. After Jolee was secure in their perch, Dan turned his gaze to the central building below.
“Warn an old man, before you haul him through the air like a sack!” Bindo huffed, eyes widened as he clung to the rough hewn bark. He followed Dan’s line of sight and shook his head. “What do you plan on doing from up here?”
The hermit went ignored as Dan focused his mind. Spellcraft wasn’t his greatest strength, but he’d practised enough mental control runes that Merlyn gave him a passable grade when it came to mind magic. Even from such a distance, he should be able to influence Chuundar and force the truth from the Wookie’s mouth for all to see.
“There you are…” A pair of dense runes surfaced behind Dan’s eyes, aimed at the traitorous Wookie within the village's main hall. The slaver chieftain flinched and spun around, as if he could detect his watcher. “Let’s see about making you more agreeable.”
Dan's spell travelled along his gaze, a small formation of script that nestled into Chuundar’s mind and stayed beneath the surface. One of the first ‘offensive’ spells he’d learned, it would activate the moment the Wookie tried to lie. For the next several hours, only truth could pass the target's lips.
“What did you just do?” Jolee rubbed his eyes and squinted close. “I thought you weren't force sensitive…”
“I’m not, but Midi-Clorians aren't the only way to connect to the world’s will…” Dan maintained his focus on Chuundar, just in case he needed to blitz in and rescue Freyyr from any unexpected dangers. “The Force is available to anyone with the talent to bend it to their will, if you know the right techniques.”
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“I’m starting to understand why the Force isn’t your biggest fan…” Jolee shook his head and settled back against the bark. “Not only are you outside its normal methods of influence, but you can manipulate its power without its consent.”
The hermit’s words forced a chuckle past Dan’s lips. Jolee had a point, though both Merlyn and May - not to mention Anakin - used the same kind of spellcraft. The Wizard’s teachings had no room for anything but the will of the caster. The Force was semi-sentient fuel in his teacher's eyes, a stubborn moneygrabber that had to be ‘convinced’ to share its wealth of energy.
“Maybe,” Dan shrugged. Down below, Freyyr had forced his way into the building with his son. The confused father faced his wild eyed progeny, engaged in a bizarre conversation. “Chuundar is spilling out the truth about his sins against his fellow Wookies, the final nail to prevent him from ever attaining martyrdom.”
Venom’s clones would record the entire confession, then add it on to the files they’d seized from Czerka. Dan squinted below and sighed. Few of Chuundar’s supporters remained, most gave up when Freyyr led a tide of Kashyyyk’s beasts over the walls. A small group of diehards had managed to keep their weapons and moved toward the central hall.
Thin red lines connected Dan’s eyes to the Wookie’s bowcasters and swords. If these few remnants wished to fight, they would have to brave the animal hoard unarmed. A quick scan of the village showed no more threats, and Freyyr’s work was done by the time Dan had finished. The old Wookie walked from the hall, both of his tribe's relics in hand.
“Chuundar the traitor is dead…” Freyyr held up the relic blade and its matching hilt, pressed together to show them as one. Dan sent an order to Venom, a signal that activated huge projections of the collaborator’s crimes to punctuate the Wookie’s words. “His guilt is plain for all to see, a disgrace to all that we stand for.” Freyyr faced the growing crowd and waved to the many Venom possessed animals. “Kashyyyk has rejected him, and it will reject the foul masters he served… join me and march upon Czerka’s stronghold, together with the creatures of the forest, we shall bring an end to the enslavement of our people!”
A great roar broke from the tribe to wash over the old Chieftain, a cry that devolved into a mad charge. Freyyr in the lead, the Wookies launched themselves up and over the walls, headed for Czerka’s base. Dan let the army of beasts follow in their wake and offered a hand to Jolee.
“My work on this planet is finished, but my offer still stands,” Dan met the grey Jedi’s self-reflective gaze, no doubt the will of the force had much to say to the man. “Join me, see more than the Force ever cared to show you… our next stop will be the Jedi temple on Dantooine, then we’ll visit the unknown regions and eventually beyond!”
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“Who are you, to make such claims?” Master Zharr tilted his head and curled the tips of his brain-tails. He examined the runes in May’s eyes, a hint of worry in his gaze. “Revan was a Jedi who fell, it is the Order’s responsibility to pass and enforce judgement upon her…”
“She might have been a Jedi, but now she’s with me and my people,” May let a smile drift onto her lips as magic coursed through her veins. One Jedi Master hadn’t been a challenge, but maybe with four against one they could help test her powers. “No one can pass judgement over her but us, and her score was settled the moment you enslaved her mind.”
“We had no choice,” Master Dorak swept his hand at Revan and shook his head. “She had become a symbol… the Revanchist drew too many into the dark, our intention was to return her and her influence to the light!”
“My influence…” Revan flinched at the Master’s words. “And now that you have failed, what other choice would you hope to force on me?” She balled her hands into fists and held the Jedi’s gaze with one born of fire. “You sit and congratulate yourselves on your neutrality while millions die, blind to the real dangers in the galaxy by your own hubris…”
“We…” Master Vrook raised his voice, only to be interrupted by the tone of a bell.
“I’ve heard enough…” Green-gold light filled the air as May floated between the council and their target. Runic scripture wrapped itself around her body and formed a circle at her back, filled with the image of a tree. “We’ll be leaving the temple now, unless you’d like to try and stop us?”