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mrneighbourlove · 4 years

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Burnt Heart: Ch 1. The Emperor’s Will

Emperor Zannah Gard Edel tapped her green fingers together in anticipation. Her and Annuciata’s plan to kill the Queen of Danjur’s child donor went off without a hitch. Her elite assassins reported to her of the King to be’s death from a tragic ‘bandit’ attack. The Queen’s official statement was ‘she’d need some time to grieve for her lover’s tragic loss, but thank the stars her baby child was on the way to continue the royal blood line’. Quite the tale to be spun. Her children were ecstatic to learn that they’d have a new sibling on the way. Annuciata’s first visit to the Empire she spoiled them rotten. The twins already considered her a second mother. Now, for the Queen’s second visit to the mainland, she’d bring the fruits of her labour. Quite literally.

Annuciata hated traveling by boat. She preferred her massive Sky Gliders. The machines easily sailed through the air without a care in the world. Bad weather was always a hitch, but luckily there was a safety mechanism for landing and maneuvering through violent storms. It was easy to announce her arrival to the Kikai Empire with a fleet of Sky Gliders in grandeur with flowing banners. Once near the palace, the captain landed the machine and rolled out the 'red carpet' for the queen. She strutted down the walkway with her little one at her side.

"All hail Queen Annuciata and Princess Eleonora!"

The Hasai guards bowed respectfully to the Queen as she walked the red carpet. In return, some advisors announced the arrival of their own leader. “All hail Emperor Zannah! We welcome Queen Annuciata and Princess Eleonora.”

The Emperor smiled graciously to Annuciata as she made her way closer. Both Prince Griffith and Princess Athens stood at their mother’s side, but just behind her. Each was excited to meet their newest sibling, yet respectfully held their tongues. Zannah’s voice was smooth and clear. “Queen Annuciata. Marvellous to see you once more.”

Appearances were important, so for now, Annuciata had to refrain from snogging Zannah within an inch of her life. That, and she had a little one in a sling wrapped around her chest. The little princess was a few months old, and was just a beautiful as her mother. She had dark emerald eyes and blonde hair, and little dimples. With a graceful courtesy, the queen smiled at the three.

"Empress Zannah, Prince Griffith, Princess Athens... it is so good to see all of you again."

“Ah... hello little princess Eleonora.” Zannah peered down with her golden eyes, smiling at the little baby. “Was your trip well Queen Annuciata?”

As they walked through the palace, Zannah’s children were very well behaved in keeping up appearances, despite the wish to explode with excitement.

"The Sky Gliders proved to be less nauseating rather than traveling by Sea Surfers," Annuciata's servant followed closely behind her, carrying her luggage and a cart of gifts. "I do recall you had a rather unpleasant experience of the same manner with one of the Land Riders."

“I prefer the sky myself.” Soon enough, the royals found themselves in Zannah’s guest sweet. “Thank you for carrying Annuciata’s luggage. May you excuse us?”

Once the servants left the guest suite, Annuciata threw her arms around Zannah and kissed her deeply. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that."

Zannah swirled her tongue with her lovers, one arm carefully reaching to squeeze Annuciata’s ass. “I’ve missed you too as well. My love, your child is adorable darling. She looks so much like you.”

Both the royal twins didn’t mind their moms making out. Once they patiently waited for them to finish, they were glued to their newest sibling.

“May we see here?”

“I always wanted another sister.”

"Did you really think I forgot about you two?" Annuciata bent down and hugged Griffith and Athena tightly and kissed both their cheeks. "Would you like to hold her? This is Eleonora, named after my mother. She was known as the mighty, beautiful lioness of Danjur. She was a captain in the navy before she married my father."

“Mother taught us vigorous lessons on how to hold and take care of a baby.” Athena, sure enough, carefully held Eleonora properly.

Griffith carefully felt her step-sisters hair. “Mothers? Would you like us to take our sister so you might embrace your love?”

"Not before you open your presents," Annuciata led Athena and Griffith over to the elaborately wrapped gifts. Inside of Athena’s was a new wardrobe from Danjur composed of the finest silks. There were flying dragons stitched into the fabric with golden trim and deep red in color. Griffith's present was full of knowledge, containing books of fighting history, tactics of the Danjuran navy, and of course, a single piece of clothing; a brand new robe with designs of ancient Kikai warriors. "I hope you like them. Eleonora was most helpful in selecting the colors. She has good taste, like her mother."

“We love them.” Both twins were happy with all their gifts, speaking in union once more.

Zannah smiled, brushing both their heads. “If you’re careful, you may run along with your new baby sister. Is that alright with you love?”

"Take Eleonora's bag. It has her diapers, blanket, and a few toys." Annuciata reminded them. "You'll have to bring her back in an hour for feeding."

“Understood. We won’t fail your trust.” Griffith bowed, carefully walking out with the baby while Athena took the supplies.

Zannah locked the door behind them, turning to her Queen with a grin. “They were highly excited by the news you were pregnant, insisting they be taught on how to properly care for a baby.”

"That is so cute." Annuciata gushed over what Zannah told her of the twins. "I'm sure they will be the best brother and sister to Eleonora. She will be happy having an amazing pair of siblings to play with her and teach her." She then told her lover. "And of course, I did not forget about you. I brought you a gift as well."

“Oh? Do show your Emperor what you brought my Queen~”

"Unfortunately, not want you're probably hoping for, but something nice still," Annuciata strutted over to the largest present and pulled the ribbon, undoing the bow. The sides of the present fell to reveal a beautiful jade sculpture of Zannah on her throne with a dragon wrapped around her. "Well? Do you like it?"

Zannah threw a hand to her mouth to quiet a gasp. “Annuciata! It’s marvellous! How did you accomplish this feat?! Such a passionate declaration of love.”

"You know I used to study mechanical engineering before I became queen," Annuciata then gestured to the sculpture. "Wasn't too hard to design a machine that would carve the stone exactly how I wished it. I ordered the jade from Al-Daida's mines and then set to work on this myself. It gave me something to do while I was on bedrest."

“... You never cease to surprise me Annuciata.” Zannah pulled her in for slow, deep loving kiss.

"Ah, I'm sorry to disappoint you, my love, but... well... I might have to wait a while longer." Annuciata halted Zannah's kissing. "I would like nothing more than to make love to you, but... I'm still healing." She undid the front of her glamorous dress and gently pulled it down to show Zannah her c-section scar. "Let's just say Eleonora was a little too big for me to deliver."

Zannah’s eyes widened, but no sound of shock left her. Instead, she merely traced a hand along the scar. “I see... I’m merely happy you both survived. You can’t let me simply kiss you? Or am I too much of a tease that way dear?”

"You are a tease, and you know it, don't play coy." Annuciata raised an eyebrow at her lover, knowing how sly Zannah could be. "I wouldn't mind a soft kiss, but unfortunately, I won't be able to make love until one more week. The scar tissue has to heal all the way."

“I understand.” Zannah softly rubbed her lovers belly gently.

A knock came at the door, followed by two more. “Query: May I enter?”

“Annuciata, perhaps you can be part of my council with Tod?”

"Though as soon as Wednesday hits, I'll be happy to have you all to myself." Annuciata winked at Zannah and then when T0-D announced his arrival, the queen inquired, "Council?"

“I have been thinking of a necessary expansion to the Empire. T0-D has led his calculations and opinions, but perhaps another set of human eyes and mind can be of use.”

"An expansion?" Annuciata asked. "Like another island? A factory? I'd be happy to look over the blueprints."

“T0-D, come in.”

The android unlocked the door with his finger acting like a pic lock. “Greetings: Wonderful to see you Queen Annuciata.”

“I already have acquired a new island recently. Quite large in size. Tod, bring up the life forms we’ve brought into our glorious Empire.”

T0-D nodded, and from his eye, a holographic image like a blue shimmering ghost appeared. The first images were rather short humanoids standing at 5.1 on average with monkey like tails, sharp fangs, spiky hair and thick beards on the males. “These are a people know as Dals. Primitive, yet skilled smiths, workers, and have a few excellent fighters. They gladly joined the Empire in exchange for protection from a sea monster that forced their tribes to make sacrifices to its hungry.”

The next image was of a scaly winged beast. They were the size of an average bathroom, so not terribly big. They had legs and wings, yet no arms. “On this island, I am also proud to say we’ve started taming local Wyvern’s. I know they’ll never be the scale or size of Hyrule or Lorliedi’s dragons, but they are making excellent mounts and companions. Great nimble flyers too due to their size and balance. The island is large enough to colonize my people and share recourses with the locals. I’m going to finish a city there soon. What do you think?”

Annuciata carefully looked over the specs for the island. While she was glad Zannah was expanding her empire, there were still a few red flags here and there. The queen pointed to the far side of the isle. "Here are the cliffs," She suggested. "You'd be better to colonize the Wyverns there instead of the inland. They would have a natural vantage point, and probably be happier. Since the Dals are primitive smith workers, they need to be away from the heart of the forest. If it would catch fire, then all your work would be for naught." The Danjuran queen then motioned to a small peninsula on the isle. "And here would be a great area to build a dock for import and exports. You'd need to check the depth of the coral and the surrounding sea life," And for a last point, Annuciata said, "And this area, in the middle of the island, this would be wonderful for development. It's rich with rivers, and most connect to the sea. You could have another city here."

“Thank you. All great points. Tod, log them for my lords to carry out.” Zannah rose up, going to the window to look down at her Empire. “Annuciata. The matter on my mind isn’t more land, but my people. More specifically, my tribes. The Waku in particular.”

"The Waku?" Annuciata thought for a moment and then replied. "Oh, Zizi's husband, Kahli. He's Waku, correct?" She looked momentarily puzzled. "You're going to... give their descendants an island?"

“In a way. But first, I need him to produce more Waku on a grand scale.” Zannah said so matter of fact in a monotone voice with no confusion or stifle of clarity.

"Wait, you want Kahli to be a... donor?" Annuciata wanted clarification.

“I do.”

"Well, that is something you'd have to discuss with him." Annuciata did not look too convinced. "You do realize he's married to Zizi."

“I do. However, Kahli is not a citizen of Hyrule by legal decree. King Covarog does not allow it. He is a citizen of the Kikai Empire, though. What’s more, he has a life debt to me. Hasai must follow the commands of those they are indebted to. It is in our... coding, if you will.” Zannah carefully pick and choose her wordings. “I can’t force Kahli to physically have sex with other Hasai, but I can have him give me samples of his bloodline to disperse to individuals I deem strong to carry a child.”

"I'm... not sure this is the best idea, Zannah." Annuciata was honest with her lover. "If you hurt the sister of the queen, it could cause tension with your alliance. Not only that, but Zizi helped save your island. While I know the two of you don't have the best relationship, she does still consider you a friend."

“This goes beyond simple emotional attachments. This is to rebuild an entire culture. Zarazu would do the same if one of her tribes was reduced to a single finger she could count on her hand. There is already tension due to the boar king. With enough expansion, Hyrule won’t even be a necessary ally should they choose to depart due to foolish pride. If Zizi treated me with more respect, Tod with more respect, then perhaps she would have been included. Instead she thinks she can mock me, mock you behind my back without me knowing. Friend? Bah. Such nonsense.”

"Zannah, Zizi has never mocked me. She respects you; I honestly think she just doesn't like the robot." Annuciata then reminded her lover. "I will not go to war with Hyrule if this idea of yours cause strife. I told you and Queen Zarazu of that notion long ago before we started our relationship."

“No. She fears me. Kahli told me himself. And why? Because I happen to be the most powerful woman in the world? Because I took charge in saving my people?” Zannah scowled, looking out her window. “I don’t plan war with Hyrule over this plan to replenish the Waku tribe from the effects of genocide. Besides, Lord Malik and King Covarog, despite personal feelings, would never break off treaties due to some tantrum Zizi might throw if she ever discovered my architecture in rebuilding life Annuciata.”

"I won't stop you from carrying out your plan, though... I would suggest you not tell Zizi of it. Or have it where Kahli cannot tell her." Annuciata sighed, thinking this would not end well in the future. "She gave your island life because she wanted to do the right thing. Don't make her take it away."

“She knows I could burn what’s left of her precious island home left to ash if she dared try anything so foolish. Besides. She is a life giver, not a destroyer. The little green thumb might take life on a smaller scale as to preserve her own mortality, but she does not have the character to kill hundreds at a whim. But of course, as to give me less of an ear full, she will be kept in the dark.”

"I won't lie to you, love, I don't believe this is the best idea. Retaliation might be due later." Annuciata then placed her hands on Zannah's shoulders. "And even if Zizi fears you, I doubt she would ever try to hurt you. Just please be careful of your plan?"

“I will. The children will be kept on one of the colonized islands, to be raised far from the eye of Hyrule, and Zizi.” Zannah held Annuciata’s hand for support. “Some ideas can change the world for the better. But you have to steel your heart sometimes to make them work.”

"I understand, though... I just don't like hurting people." Annuciata then asked. "Please never let Zizi find out if you're going to do this. A woman scorned, well... hell hath no fury."

“Well, then Zizi would be far behind. My fury has burned brightly for years.”

Zannah turned to T0-D, tilting her head with a light sigh. “Tod. Go tell Kahli to come to the imperial palace.”

“Confirmation: As you wish master.”

Zannah started to disrobe, looking for her more powerful, armour attire. “Kahli and Zizi are actually here at the island on vacation. This no time like the present as they say.

"I still think this is a bad idea... just be careful, Zannah. While you have much fury yourself, Zizi is the earth sage." Annuciata kissed the Empress' cheek. "While fire can burn plants, earth can smother a fire." She then picked up the edges of dress. "I'm going to check on Eleonora. My breasts are about to burst. I'll see you in a bit?"

And her lightning would strike down like fury from god herself to make a final killing blow. “So soon? But the children just left. You sure?”

"I think it's just nerves, my love. I still don't like to be away from Eleonora for too long." Annuciata was honest with the Empress. "I trust Athena and Griffith with her, though it's like... this sense that I have. I have to see her and check on her or else, I feel unease. I suppose it's part of being a new mother."

Zannah smiled lightly, giving Annuciata a nod and kiss, now fully naked to the Queen mid dressing. “I understand that feeling well. Go see your daughter.”

"I'll return shortly." And before she exited the room, she made sure to give Zannah a harsh slap on the buttocks. "And that was for being a tease earlier." With that she strutted out of the bedroom.

Zannah growled lovingly back as the Queen made her way out with T0-D. Once alone with her own thoughts, however, she felt a bitter cold in her heart. The choices she’d come to shortly make would kill any chance of continued friendships... not that she ever has had true friends. Allies, advisors, rivals, enemies, a lover, family, but never friends. For the Empire, she would steel her heart and mind.

T0-D was rather quick in arriving at Kahli’s get away home. Only took an hour to sprint to the West side of the island. With a knock, he awaited compliance. “Statement: Kahli. Are you home? The Emperor requires your private attention.”

"You are being very naughty, you beast," Zizi giggled as Kahli kept kissing down her throat while she was trying her best to fix a cake. Yet, her husband, between nibbles on her neck, kept stealing cake batter. The two of them were celebrating Zarazu's latest gift to them; Hylian citizenship for Kahli. Her sister finally was able to convince Covarog to pull his head out of his ass and sign the official statement. "You have two sons, and three daughters, are you asking for another child---EEEK!" She jumped when he pinched her backside. "Okay, let's continue this in the bedroom---" And of course, there was an interruption. Her least favorite interruption from her least favorite mechanical nuisance. "No, he's not." she replied in an annoyed tone from inside the house. "Go away."

“Observation: I know you’re about to have sex. Your meat bag ritual can wait.”

Kahli had been cautious of his duel citizenship, not knowing how much validity it held. But the look he gave Covarog and him a geeky, yet meekly giving one of defeat in return was incredibly satisfying to relish. Perhaps Covarog’s unseen emotional blowout was the reason Zizi pushed for a vacation out to the Kikai Empire. At the Android’s interruption, Kahli sighed as well. “My dear Emperor can wait a little while, can she not?”

“Annoyance: An order is an order Kahli.”

The Waku walked to the door, getting his shoes tied.

"You'll come back as soon as you're done, right?" Zizi walked to the door with her husband. "Zarazu offered to look after our children until we return in a few days. Until then, I'd love to have you all to myself." She purred at Kahli, giving him a deep smooch on the lips. "Don't keep me waiting long."

“Of course, my dear. I’ll be back in a flash, so the expression goes.”

T0-D looked around inside the house, curious about their living arrangements. To be honest, he wasn’t impressed. “Assistance: Would you care for help with your baking, Zizi Slatki?”

"...? You? Bake?" Zizi wondered what foolish notion this was. She personally did not care for the robot. Yet, today, she was in a good mood. She supposed she could tolerate his company while Zannah spoke to Kahli. "Very well. If you'd like to help, I'm not going to turn down assistance. At least you won't eat all my batter like he does." She waved goodbye to Kahli. "Come on, you can help mix."

“Statement: Oh honey. I can do much more than mix.”

"Honey? Using pet names now? ... I'd ask if your wiring was messed up because this sounds too good to be true." Zizi motioned for Zizi to follow her over to the kitchen. "I don't suppose you know Zannah's favorite? Or Annuciata's? I heard that she was visiting and wanted to do something nice for them. Annuciata just had Eleonora a couple months ago, and a new baby is always cause to celebrate."

Kahli's journey to the imperial palace was about two and half an hours by horse, maneuvering his way through mountainous jungle path to reach the central territory. The Imperial Capital was a gigantic walled city now with its construction completed. Inside citizens of the Empire did industrial work, went to academies for learning, or trained in military drills. The Imperial Palace itself was a massive mansion, the size of two dozen city blocks in area sitting atop the mountain top with its own walls and gates present. By now, Kahli knew where to journey. Arriving at the throne room, Zannah awaited Kahli, giving him a smile. He in turn bowed respectfully. "My Emperor."

The Emperor sate on her silver throne, looking down at all who approached her. "Rise Kahli. I trust you and your wife are well."

"We are Emperor Zannah."

"Good. We won't waste one another's time, as I know trek amongst the island can be long on foot. I have summoned you here to give you a glorious task. The repopulation of the Waku tribes."

Kahli's eyes widened, surprise and shock being rare to him. Quickly, he narrowed his gaze, unsure how she would accomplish such a feat. "Zannah, I am all I know of my people left."

"I am acutely aware." She shot a pointer finger at him with the speed and intensity of an arrow. "You Kahli. You will repopulate them."

That surprised the man greatly. Kahli shook his head, even growling back at Zannah. "I have a wife."

"Kahli. We must all make sacrifices in service of the Empire. I made the sacrifice of my body to carry my children for the sake to carry on the royal line. You think you better than your Emperor?”

He shook his head once again, not meaning to be insulting. "No. I never did. But I can't do this thing. My bond to Zizi is the same bond you share with Annuciata. I cannot lay my hands on another woman." Turning to leave, he shook his head to cast away his inner disgust at the thought. Having his people back was something he never cared for. The dead could stay dead. "I can't do it."

"Kahli Slatki! Do you forget the life debt you owe me?" Zannah's words cut Kahli's departure clean in half, freezing his feet to the floor. "I spared your life when you came to kill me. In return, because of my generosity I allowed you to met Zizi. It was my will that allowed you to find love. It was my design that gave you the power of Exodrum. Now turn around, and take your place. Now."

She spoke to him in a low, scolding voice, lightly pointing her finger for him to take his place. A psychological command, a mental force in Kahli's soul compelled him to obey. Kahli turned around, his fingers squeezing into his palms, nearly bleeding them with his nails. "I cannot physically touch another woman Emperor. The mental strain alone-"

"Will be bypassed altogether. Kahli, you will simply provide the seed. I have planned this well." Their golden eyes stared one another down, a mental battle taking place between them. "Do you know what they did to me? Once I was forced to select a mate, doctors took a turkey baster, a turkey baster of all things, and they forcibly injected me. You see, we lacked proper medical equipment during the first decade after the war. I had to carry two children, children that nearly killed me at child birth, all for the sake of tradition. All you will need to do is be a provider of a sample."

"What then?" Kahli's chest felt heavy, his mind numbing him from lashing out or running away. A life debt was a part of honour, and honour was practically coded into the DNA of Hasai. He was compelled to hear her out.

"What then? You will have the benefit of never seeing the children. I know this necessary act would never fly with your stubbornly emotional wife."

"You would break her trust?"

"But not yours. Tell me Kahli? Am I breaking any code of ethics you hold? Any honour? Do you fail to see the significance of this project?"

Kahli searched deep, wanting to spit the most vile bile at her. Yet all he found was the truth. "No..."

"As an order, you will never reveal this project to any other living soul, let alone your wife. This is the command of your Emperor."

"I will obey." The most defiance Kahli held was a small, weak growl.

"Kahli. You are my subject. You are the future of the Hasai people within the Empire. Waku, Skorge, and all others in unity. Imagine that future. A tribe that could once again fuel the might of the Empire by giving it its spirit back. This is your role in the Empire Kahli. The resurrector. Not the killer."

Zannah truly believed her cause was just, and Kahli somehow knew she wasn't doing this out of spite, or pure cruelty. He sighed, already feeling the burden of keeping this secret from his wife even before he began. "How long must I do this?"

"Your life debt will be repaid when you help give birth to 1,579 new Waku." Kahli stared at her stunned, but Zannah simply continued. "Those are the amount of lives that were left when you came to assassinate me in the Empire. 1579 lives that'd been thrown to chaos and perished without my leadership. Once that task has been complete, you will have no further obligations to me, except to fight for the Empire in times of war."

"Zannah, that will take years. I can't-"

"You will. Or perhaps you will consider giving me all of your children once they reach the age of fifteen?"

"No! Anything but that!"

Zannah nodded, raising a palm for Kahli to be still. "Then you will comply. Your offspring will be taken to the colony islands where you and Zizi will never have to worry about them. Now, you will begin the process immediately, Kahli Slatki. I am sorry if this brings you any distress. I truly am. But this is for the greater good of the Kikai Empire."

A doctor in a white mask made herself know. With the rest of her medical equipment, Kahli couldn't tell what tribe she hailed from.

"This is Doctor Mercellus. She is one of five who will know the true origin of this plan. Accompany her, and by the time you are done, I will have invited Zizi over for a dinner."

"Yes, Emperor Zannah..." Kahli could barely remember what came next. He followed the doctor in a mental haze, arriving to a medical facility. She left, telling him to drop his pants and to fill the vials best he could. Next thing he knew he felt Zizi shaking his arm as they were in the palace dining hall. "What?"

"Kahli?" Zizi looked concerned. Her husband had been out of it since she arrived at the palace. There had been word sent to their home that Kahli would be occupied longer than usual. She figured it was paperwork or something tedious of the sort. "Are you sure you feel all right?" She put her hand on his forehead. He felt... clammy. "Are you feeling ill?" She whispered to him. "We don't have to stay for dinner if you don't feel up to it."

"Huh? Oh... No, I'm fine. The journey here and all the running around took me out of it for a moment." Kahli smiled, sounding like his normal self. A little dark, but honest.

"...? If you say so." Zizi still sounded worried.

"It's been quite a day for all of us," Annuciata spoke as she sipped on water, not drinking wine or fancy alcoholic beverages since she was still breastfeeding. "If you need to retire, we understand, don't we, Empress?" She turned to her lover. "After all, you know about how it is nice to have a break from the usual everyday life."

Zannah looked to Zizi, raising an eyebrow as she bit into a cookie. "You and Tod truly made these?"

"Conformation: I amazed the little Zemlja. Together, the kitchen was no match for our combined skill." Was the first time he called her by her tribe title, not opting for meatbag.

"He's actually pretty good at being an amazing helper in the kitchen. Though I told him we really didn't have to count how many chocolate chips were in a pound, but he insisted." Zizi told the Empress with a wide smile. "Who knew? Baking helped us turn over a new leaf. He's not too bad. I guess he views me as I view him. Tolerable. Right, Tod?"

"These are a delight, mmm." Annuciata nibbled on a cookie. "You should go open a bakery together."

Kahli stared at the cookie for a while. The look he received when he glanced at Zannah told him to enjoy his life. That this changed nothing between any of them. He nodded, taking a bite. "Hmmm. Incredible my dear."

"Too bad you can't eat of these." Zizi noted. "Makes me feel a bit guilty that you put in all the work and can't enjoy the outcome."

"At least you enjoyed making them?" Annuciata asked the robot. "You do feel 'joy', right?"

T0-D looked down to Zizi, his fingers tapping together in contemplation. There was suddenly a part of him that regretted making sure she stayed put at her home. It took only an instant to calculate his feelings. He was allowed to regret it, but for Zannah's vision, he'd do anything required. "Statement: You've never felt bad before for me. No need to start now. I feel joy in knowing that you enjoy the pleasantries of food."

"At least you two have called a truce." Annuciata remarked. "That's for the best."

"Like I said, he's more so tolerable now. Must be because Kahli and I have five children that can drive us up the wall sometimes." Zizi laughed. "But we do love them so much. Manaco, Ahusaka, Keira, Urboro, and Miku are all growing so fast. They'll be fine men and women one day. Just like your little Eleonora."

"She's already demanding." Annuciata mused. "Squeals when it's time for feeding or cries when she doesn't get her way."

Zannah chuckled, drinking mango juice to be fair to her lover. "I don't know if I'll ever have more children myself."

"Kahli has always wanted a big family, so we'll see if we have anymore." Zizi held her husband's hand. "Though the most important thing is that we are happy."

"Of course, my dear. You are my treasure." But after today, the weight of how many children Kahli would have weighed with the force of a sleeping giant on his mind. One that he wondered would ever awake to cause tragedy.

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Next Ch. https://mrneighbourlove.tumblr.com/post/611234309094948864/burnt-heart-ch-2-trust-thunderstruck

Co-Written with @ridersoftheapocalypse. Written for @s-kinnaly and all you passionate readers.

#Crossover #ridersoftheapocalypse #triggers for infidelity #D.R.A.M.A #Kahli #Emperor Zannah #zannah #Annuciata #Zizi #Hasai #Waku #T0-D

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dalekofchaos · 6 years

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Star Wars Legends Fancast

My other Star Wars fancasts

Canon Fancast

my KOTOR fancast

my KOTOR II fancast

The Force Unleashed

Shadows Of The Empire

Darth Plagueis

Boba Fett

The Thrawn Trilogy

Prequel Trilogy

Original Trilogy

Patrick Stewart as Naga Sadow

Ian Mckellen as Marka Ragnos

Ben Kinglsey as Ludo Kresh

Ken Watanabe as Tulak Hord

Chadwick Boseman as Ajunta Pall

Bryan Cranston as Freedon Nadd

Keanu Reeves as Exar Kun

Chris Pine as Ulic-Qel-Droma

Mark Strong as Darth Bane

Margot Robbie as Darth Zannah

Ralph Fiennes as Darth Plagueis

Tom Hiddleston as Young Sheev Palpatine

Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker

Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa

Harrison Ford as Han Solo

Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian

Riley Keough as Mara Jade

or Jessica Chastain as Mara Jade

Odette Annable as Jaina Solo

Anthony Ingruber as Jacen Solo/Darth Caedus

Finn Wolfhard as Anakin Solo

Sebastian Stan as Ben Skywalker

Dean Ambrose as Cade Skywalker

Christian Bale as Corran Horn

Liam Hemsworth as Kyp Durron

Lucas Till as Finn Galfridian

Diana Rigg as Vergere

Theo James as Ganner Rhysode

Rose Leslie as Tenel Ka

Chloe Grace Moretz as Thairi Veila

Travis Fimmel as Lowbacca

Olivia Wilde as Danni Quee

Michael Douglas as Garm Bel Iblis

Auli'i Cravalho as Ailyn Vel

Robert Downey Jr as Talon Karrde

Chris Pratt as Dash Rendar

Luke Evans as Kyle Katarn

Temuera Morrison as Boba Fett

Lee Pace as Prince Xizor

Jeff Bridges as Jorus C'baoth

Lars Mikkelsen as Grand Admiral Thrawn

William Hurt as Captain/Grand Admiral Gilad Pellaeon

Elodie Yung as Lumiya

Guy Pearce as Darth Krayt

Natalie Dormer as Darth Talon

Katie McGrath as Abeloth

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galacticshq · 2 years

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ANONYMOUS SAID: any ideas for loey lane?

i don’t think i can properly express how much i would absolutely love to have loey on the dash ! here are several ideas for her:

canons: beru whitesun/lars, bria tharen, evaan verlaine, eirtaé, komari vosa, darth zannah, juno eclipse, viqi shesh, amilyn holdo, alecia beck, danni quee

ocs:

a HOLOSTAR REBEL who typically works within holodramas but wants to break free from the mold and branch out. what they didn’t expect was to have the empire force them into being a famous propaganda piece. the joke was on the empire though since they follow the rebellions creed.

a SYNTHWEAVER during the time of the galactic war between the republic and sith empire (~3640bby). while they officially work for the republic and create armor for their side of the war, they fell in love with a sith, who offered to recruit them for better pay and convinced them that the sith are going to win the war after all. however, when they refused an order from another sith, they were killed. with the emperor’s rift bringing them four thousand years in the future, they are lost but want to put their skills to use somewhere.

#star wars rp #oc rp #appless rp #active rp #scifi rpg #character ideas

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baraste-legacy · 4 years

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Star Wars/SWTOR Fan Art Collection Masterlist

A collection of SWTOR Fanart and Fanon-related reblogs, and a few fully attributed reposts (tentatively adding Tumblr-only orphaned art, too). Entries may contain adult themes. Each post’s last tags show the artist or author of the original work. More of their art in this blog can be found by clicking on or pressing their tags.

If tagged as "orphan art", it means the original artist is no longer reachable on Tumblr or elsewhere (or that my Google-fu has faltered. I'm eager to be corrected about those 🙂).

Searches might yield less results than tags, due to how Tumblr works. I suggest that, when you find something interesting out of a normal search, you look for such tags and use them immediately for more complete results, especially while using the mobile app.

In the case of popular characters such as a Darth Maul, Feral Opress, Asajj Ventress, etc., it's better to use their name tags, or their species tags without the "art" word (I'm sort of favoring OCs in the "art" ones).

These masterlists are a work in progress. If you can't find some XYZ term or item in them, try a tagged search (preceding the search term with a "#" hashtag character) such as "#XYZ art" (or without the "art", too).

Remember that, while in a custom themed blog (baraste-legacy.tumblr.com instead of tumblr.com/baraste-legacy), you can show the results of those links or any tag search in chronological order by adding "/chrono" to the end of the URL.

HELP THE ARTISTS: REBLOG THEIR ART!!! 🙂

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OTHER FAN ART REBLOGGERS AND COLLECTORS

SWTORpadawan: lots of SWTOR fan art, including great "orphaned" material they are saving from extinction.

SWTOR Fan Art Appreciation

SWTORHUB

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SWTOR COMPANIONS ART

(This section has been moved to its own post due to having reached the links per post limit)

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ART BY SPECIES

Indeterminate Species · aleena · anacondan · anomid · anzati · aqualish · arkanian · arkanian offshoot · arthurian · balosar · besalisk · bith · bothan · cathar · cerean · chagrian · chakrata · chandra-fan · chironian · chiss · clawdite · codru-ji · covallon · cyborg · dashade · defel · delphidian · devaronian · diathim · dug · duros · echani · elfish humanoid · er’stacian · espirion · evereni · evocii · ewok · falleen · farghul · feeorin · ferroan · firrerreo · fleshraider · fosh · gabdorin · gamorrean · gand · gank · gen'dai · gonk droid · gotal · gran · gryphon · gungan · harch · herglic · houk · human · hutt · hybrid · iktotchi · ithorian · jawa · kage · kaleesh · kalleran · kallidahin · kaminoan · karkarodon · kel dor · kessurian · kiffar · klatooinian · krish · kushiban · kyuzo · lannik · lasat · lupr’or · mikkian · miraluka · mirialan · mon calamari · mortis celestials · mouse droid · muun · nagai · nautolan · neimoidian · nelvaanian · nightbrother · nightsister · nikto · noghri · noorian · omwati · ongree · ortolan · palliduvan · pantoran · pau'an · pa’lowic · pyke · quarren · quermian · rakata · rattataki · reigat · rodian · roonan · samuac · sand people · sarkhai · selkath · selonian · sephi · shistavanen · sith pureblood · sugi · sullustan · sylphe · talz · tarsunt · taung · theelin · thisspiasian · tholothian · tholotian · tognath · togruta · trandoshan · trodatome · twi'lek · umbaran · vahla · voss · vurk · weequay · whipid · wookiee · wroonian · zabrak · zelosian · zeltron · zygerrian · Original Species Creations

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ART BY CREATURE SPECIES

(This section has had to be moved to its own post, too)

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DARTH LORDS OF THE SITH ART

Darth Acina · Darth Arkous · Darth Bane · Darth Baras · Darth Caldoth · Darth Cognus · Darth Jadus · Darth Maladi · Darth Malak · Darth Malgus · Darth Malora · Darth Marr · Darth Maul · Darth Plagueis · Darth Revan · Darth Sidious · Darth Talon · Darth Thanaton · Darth Tyranus · Darth Vader · Emperor Vitiate · Darth Vowrawn · Darth Wyyrlok · Darth Zannah · Darth Zash

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POPULAR CHARACTERS ART

Clone Wars characters · Darth Maul · Savage Opress · Feral Opress · Asajj Ventress · Obi-Wan Kenobi · Ahsoka Tano · Anakin Skywalker · Clones

Aayla Secura · Adi Gallia · Agen Kolar · Barriss Offee · Eeth Koth · Luminara Unduli · Mace Windu · Quinlan Vos · Shaak Ti

Star Wars Rebels characters · Kanan Jarrus · Hera Syndulla · Ezra Bridger · Garazeb Orrelios · Alexsandr Kallus · Arihnda Pryce · Grand Admiral Thrawn

Thrawn stories' characters · Thrawn · Ar'alani · Eli Vanto

KOTOR stories' characters · Revan · Malak · Bao Dur

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3D ART

Star Wars/SWTOR 3D Art

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SUNDRY STUFF

Interestingly tattooed characters and tattoo designs Star Wars Miscellanea

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WORLDBUILDING

All Worldbuilding Reblogs

The Sith Order · The Sith Empire

The Jedi Order · The Galactic Republic

The Devaronian Species The Sith Pureblood Species The Togruta Species The Twi'lek Species The Zabrak Species

• BadSithNoCookie's Worldbuilding Master Post. • FluffyNexu's Worldbuilding Master Post. • InquisitorHotPants's Worldbuilding and Constructed Languages Master Posts.

MY SWTOR LEGACY

All Legacy Posts Baraste Legacy Masterlist

SWTOR 3D ART

STAR WARS/SWTOR 3D Art My SWTOR assets-based 3D Art (Images produced through the use of 3D assets extracted from SWTOR) A guide on how to extract and auto-assemble your SWTOR characters' models in Blender It's far easier than you think! 🙂

A SWTOR ARTISTS DISCORD SERVER (NOT MINE!)

This might be of interest to both SWTOR/Star Wars fanartists and fan art appreciators: it's a Discord server that started life in 2019, hosting both fanartists you surely know by now (Spaceling, Moonlitalien, Luniara, Ahuska, Swevenfox, The Archnerd, Aphroditenx… Sorry to omit a ton of other great people there) and their patrons and admirers, plus folks that are dabbling at this or just giving it a try:

It's a nice place, well moderated. The usual detours aside, the theme is Star Wars/SWTOR art and artists-centric. You can interact with the artists, ask for advice, post your own art and your commission data if any, or use the directory and galleries to find who to commission for art. (I'm just an admirer there that was somehow invited and later allowed to start a little 3D corner 😅)

#swtor art #swtor fanart #star wars art #star wars fanart #masterlist #swtor 3d #swtor #star wars #fan art #fanart #worldbuilding #masterpost #art #3d swtor #swtor oc #swtor artists discord server

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rex-shadao · 4 years

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My headcanon for the Emperor’s Return in Episode IX.

Darth Sidious, the Emperor of the First Galactic Empire, knew that he was not immortal. Though Sith Sorcery prolonged his life, the Dark Side of the Force ravaged his old body. Although Darth Vader was to be his successor for the throne of the Empire in the event of his death, Sidious had no intention of dying.

During the era of the Galactic Empire, Sidious spent his days in the Imperial Palace experimenting with the Dark Side. He was never seen in the public eye, save for ceremonial and important events for the Empire on Coruscant. Nearly all of the management in the Empire was left to his Imperial Court, Darth Vader, and the regional Imperial Governors. Unbeknownst to everyone including Darth Vader, Sidious found a means to anchor his evil spirit into the physical realm and prevent his conscious from being absorbed into the Cosmic Force. It was a Sith Holocron that he embedded a portion of his soul inside. The Sith Holocron was taken into the Unknown Regions, to a planet called Exegol.

Exegol was a secret, unknown world colonized by the Sith after their defeat against the Jedi a millennia ago. Because Moraband (Korriban) was under the watch of the Jedi Order, which resulted in the death of Darth Bane, Darth Zannah journeyed into the Unknown Regions along with her apprentice to find a planet where they can learn more about the Dark Side. Exegol, a cold desert planet, was chosen to be the new home for the Sith. It was on this planet where Darth Plagueis the Wise sought the power to cheat death and create life.

No one knew if Plagueis discovered that power, but his Dark Side experiments twisted the planetary environment. The landscape was ridden with unnatural formations, consuming each other as they piled up to the sky. It was as if you were looking at a cancer, a planet-sized tumor with the atmosphere of death. When Sidious killed Plagueis in his sleep, he only knew partial knowledge of what Plagueis found (as his master kept the rest of the knowledge to himself). That knowledge was the price of resurrection.

While the Sith Holocron could preserve some of the Sidious's spirit, it would not be fully whole until the rest of the Sith's spirit was drawn back from the Cosmic Force. And because the Sith were selfish by nature, the rest of Sidious's spirit would be lost in the Force, unable to rejoin lingering dark spirit in the physical world without dragging back other memories and souls of the deceased. If not done carefully, the identity of Sidious would cease to be.

But Sidious was not concerned about that risk. He trained himself to become the embodiment of pure evil. Any little goodness inside him was forcibly purged to make the resurrection all the more smoother (in theory). Ironically, by making himself the living incarnation of the Dark Side, his skills as a master manipulator grew weaker in the process, to the point that he was unable to sense the innate goodness in people, including Darth Vader.

When Vader killed the Emperor during the Battle of Endor, the last contingency plan went into effect. Sidious survived through the Sith Holocron left on Exegol but the process was imperfect. Though much of his conscious was retained and he managed to regain the memories of his fateful demise, the intrusion of memories from other deceased Sith Lords left Sidious more unstable. No longer would he be content to rule the galaxy under an iron fist as Emperor Palpatine. He would instead consume the entire galaxy like a cancer, and rule as the living calamity foretold in the prophecies as the Sith'ari (meaning "perfect being" or "god" in ancient Sith).

But as long as he remains trapped inside the Sith Holocron, he can never again terrorize the galaxy as he did as the Emperor. The balance of the Force will remain intact. But should his followers find Exegol and successfully resurrect him, it will be the galaxy's darkest hour.

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sociopath-analysis · 4 years

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Hi. New follower here. I was wondering. It seems to me that you've covered a good chunk of Disney Star Wars Sociopaths, but have you considered doing a list for Legends Star Wars? It has no shortage of vile sociopaths. Darth Zannah, Darth Bane, Exar Kun, Darth Krayt, and Emperor Vitiate all spring to mind off the top of my head, but I know for a fact that I'm missing countless more. It would certainly be extensive. Maybe make it a May the 4th special?

It would be a difficult one to organize, but I can definitely try to come up with something. I actually did cover Zannah a while back. I just haven’t moved her profile here. And I was planning on doing one with Bane as well before moving things to this blog, but I never got around to it.

I’ll see what I can do, and thanks for following! :)

#Star Wars #Star Wars Legends #asks #anon #Anonymous

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ultraericthered · 5 years

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Imagine, if you will...

The Star Wars trilogy ended with Episode VI, Return Of The Jedi. Over a decade later, George Lucas goes back and makes the Prequel Trilogy, an inferior set of films where only Episode III, Revenge Of The Sith, really matters to the story told in the original trilogy.

But then instead of Episode VII being The Force Awakens a literal decade later, Episode VII comes out while all the Clone Wars stuff is going on elsewhere in the franchise. It takes place some time after RotJ, when the Galactic Empire has been toppled and a New Republic is on the rise. While Leia is busy putting together said New Republic, Luke and Han are called upon by the ghost of Yoda to start a new Jedi Order. See, Leia’s Force sensitivity has been totally forgotten about, as Yoda now claims it was Han, not Leia, whom he was referring to when he said “No, there is another” back in Episode V, meaning Han is actually Force-sensitive and a potential Jedi. But before the two men can start a Jedi Order, they need Jedi training of their own via a complicated Midichlorian Exam. During this Exam, a young clone of Sheev Palpatine keeps popping up, making cryptic remarks about how he’s up to no good.

Elsewhere, Boba Fett emerges alive from the Sarlak Pit. He suddenly remembers the existence of the Clone Troopers, whom he’d forgotten all about during his bounty hunter career, so now he embarks on a quest that sees him being revealed as Force-sensitive as well, getting a Lightsaber of his own, and seeking a way to bring all the Clones back to life.

Towards the end, Clone Palpatine reveals he was created ages ago with the ability to travel not only space, but time as well, and he’s saved the souls of several fallen warriors of the Dark Side with his own Dark Side powers so that they can all be resurrected in clone bodies at a certain place and time. Old Palpatine himself is then revived, except he looks like this again. Palpatine explains that he was able to pass onto his clone the ability to save souls from death because he, all along, has been a conduit for Darth Plagueis, who’d at one point sent his apprentice Darth Sidious back in time in order to turn a young Sheev Palpatine to the Dark Side, leading to Sheev becoming Darth Sidious and Darth Sidious becoming the conduit for Darth Plagueis long after Plagueis’ physical existence had ended. He also reveals that everything that had transpired over Episodes I to VI had all gone exactly according to his master plan - he first acted as a Senator/Chancellor towards the end of destroying the old Jedi Order, then as Emperor, he turned the Old Republic into the Galactic Empire and acted towards the end of destroying that Empire. That’s right, he planned on the Empire falling. It was all so that when he came back to life due to Darth Plagueis’ power saving him, he could create a new Galactic Empire, one made up entirely of Dark Side sensitive Force users who belong to the Sith - a Sith Empire! The reason he couldn’t do that before is because the rule that the Sith can only come in twos was preventing him. He reveals that in the age prior to him and Plagueis, there was no such rule of two, as the Sith was an order just like the Jedi but devoted to the Dark Side. After he and Vader (and in a sense, Darth Plagueis) died, he can now reset things back to the way they were, so we have Darth Maul, Darth Tyrannus, Darth Revan, Darth Malak, Darth Bane, Darth Zannah, Darth Nihilus, Darth Vader himself, and a whole bunch of other Darths serving in this new Sith Empire. And his ultimate goal is to forge the Dark Saber, which can only be forged when a Jedi-controlled Republic on the Light Side of the Force clashes with a Sith-controlled Empire on the Dark Side of the Force. With the Dark Saber, Palpatine desires to control or destroy the Whills, the very heart of the Force itself, so that he may recreate the Force anew in his own image. Luke, the newly named Jedi Master Han Solo, and all their friends and allies must band together to fight a new war.

George Lucas states that Episode VIII and Episode IX would continue this story and bring the larger narrative of “the Lord of the Sith Chronicle”, or “Sith Lord Saga” that encompasses Episodes I to IX to a close. Yes, the story that was originally the Hero’s Journey for Luke Skywalker but then turned into the Tragedy of his father, Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, is now really all about Darth Sidious/Palpatine. Episode IX even reveals that all along, Palpatine was seeking a way to bring balance to the Force in his own way, hoping to recreate the Force so that weak hearts will never more be seduced to the Dark Side and Dark Force energy won’t plague the galaxy anymore. Oh, but the series would continue with a new saga, still starring Luke Skywalker as the hero, and following the reveal that the bounty hunter Dengar, having already been revealed to be a Sith Lord, was actually a morally ambiguous old Jedi doing the bidding of some other morally ambiguous old Jedi who’s our next main antagonist.

Say what you will about the direction actually taken with the new trilogy, but this direction I’ve laid out here sounds completely asinine, ridiculous, retconny, over-complicated and hard to follow, and just plain stupid, right? Well, that’s exactly what the Kingdom Hearts series did! This is why the post-BBS narrative and the entire idea of the Dark Seeker Saga did not work.

#Star Wars #Disney #Kingdom Hearts #parody #references #anti nomura #anti square enix #anti kingdom hearts

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babbushka · 3 years

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Zannah my loooove, what does Ancient Emperor Kylo do to cool down on a hot day? 👀 (please and thank you, I adore your writing)

Naboo is a place of pleasant weather, for much of the year. The winters are not too harsh, and the summers are not too brutal, making it the ideal place for many of Kylo's Empire to live. Making it, in turn, the ideal place for Kylo to situate his palace.

However, on the occasion in summer where it does get more hot than usual, you can almost always find Kylo down by the water's edge near the sea.

It is a seaside kingdom, Naboo, something that every citizen who lives there takes advantage of. There are always ships in the harbors, people dotting the beaches, enjoying the taste of fresh shellfish as they walk atop soft sand.

Kylo too takes advantage of this island's spoils, and will often post-pone any or all work to instead simply exist outside of the throne room or the senate halls, instead shedding the majority of his clothing and allowing the salt water to cool him down.

On days like these, he brings his children out with him, knowing how much they love to swim and play in the shore. Matthias particularly loves the beaches, spending most days there, befriending the large dolphins who chirp, collecting the seashells which wash up.

And when Kylo brings his children to the shore, he too brings you, for what would a family outing be without his most beloved of mistresses? The woman who holds a higher place in his heart than the wayward Empress herself? The woman who, by all divine right, deserves that title more than anyone alive?

He will call you from whatever it is that you're doing, although you are never too far away, and the group of you will carefully make your way down the steep cliffs, down ancient carved stairs in the rocks, until the leather straps of sandals are untied and the laughter of his heirs rings through the coves.

Kylo is no fool, he knows that he cannot control the forces of nature, he a mere mortal. Emperor yes, but not otherworldly, not in the manner that you are.

The ocean entertains the children with small games, displays of your powers, when you ask the Goddess of the sea if she might be so kind as to let the water play with the children, small waves splashing their little hands.

Kylo watches as you scoop water into your hands and hold it out for the young ones to touch unafraid, for even though they are too small to swim just yet, all Nabooians know not to fear the sea.

And on some occasions, Kylo will ask you to accompany him just you two, where he'll lay you down in the shore and ravage your chest and throat with bruising kisses, grasping and moaning against one another.

But most days like these, where the temperature climbs so high that seemingly the whole Empire needs a break, are spent together as a family, to cool off, and enjoy one another's company.

Tagging some Kylo loving friends! @mochabucky @sacklerscumrag @artsymaddie @bitchydecisions @direnightshade @reyloaddict55 @thembohux @kylorenswhxre @sunflowersinthesnow @babayagakeanu @safarigirlsp @steeevienicks @materialisthicc @lovinghufflepuffgirl @hswritingrecs @han68000 @rosi3ba3z @chapterhappygirl @schopenhauerdeathsquad @loverofallthings @groovetoob @bxnnywriting @glassbxttless @angel-bxby3 @smallgirlbigpersonality @lovelyyy-luna @2000andwhat @raddo1975 @cornmousequeen @metsienmenninkainen @caillea @painttheskylineforme @holding-on-to-starwars @kylo-ren-is-alive @caitlin-was-here @icarusinthesea @princessflip

#kylo ren #kylo ren x reader #kylo ren/reader #kylo ren x you #adam driver fanfic #adcu #ancient emperor kylo #ancient emperor au #emperor kylo ren #kylo ren headcanons

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chaos-of-the-abyss · 6 years

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I Just Loved You (Sith!Luke Skywalker x Reader)

Note: Inspired by the love story of Seo-Hwa and Wol-Ryung in the K-drama Gu Family Book.

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Darth Sidious was pleased. Very pleased.

The old, decrepit, wizened old man smiled on his throne as he mentally reviewed how flawlessly his plan was coming to pass. Soon, he would have a younger Skywalker under his thumb, with far more potential than Vader, more machine than man, could ever hope to possess.

About half a year ago, Sidious had decided that he had had enough of fretting over the Sith line of succession. He knew that Vader was not powerful enough to defeat him, and he never would be powerful enough to defeat him. This troubled the emperor. Bane’s Rule of Two decreed that the apprentice must surpass and kill his or her master in order to be named the one Dark Lord of the Sith.

Following that, said Sith would take his or her own apprentice to train, and that apprentice would overthrow the Sith, and so on and so forth.That way, Bane had ensured that each generation of Sith would be more powerful than the next.

“This is the way of our order,” Darth Zannah, Bane’s apprentice, had said. “An individual may die, but the Sith are eternal.” Palpatine could not have agreed more. And yet, with his apprentice, the progress that Bane had steadily been building via his Rule of Two, the progress that the Sith Order as a whole had been building, was under threat of collapse. His foolish, foolish apprentice had allowed his overconfidence to best him. More than twenty years ago, Darth Vader had let down Sidious in the worst possible way – he had become weak. Too weak to succeed him, to weak to ensure that the next line of Sith survived.

He had needed a new apprentice, and then the young one, the son of Anakin Skywalker, had emerged.

Sidious’ eye had fallen upon the young man like a hungry eagle fell on a mouse. Luke Skywalker was just what he had needed. The slim, slight Tatooine farm boy possessed all the potential that Anakin Skywalker had been brimming with, and only a minuscule sliver of the setbacks of mechanical body parts.

The Emperor had determined that he must have the boy. He must turn Luke Skywalker to the Dark Side, he must rid himself of his cumbersome old apprentice, the one clad in black armor that had disappointed him in every way.

Only there was a problem.

Luke Skywalker seemed incorruptible, and it frustrated and enraged Palpatine to no end. He could sense no hatred behind the clear blue eyes of the young Jedi. All he saw in Luke’s cerulean orbs was a quiet pleading towards Darth Vader to return to the Light, to become Anakin Skywalker once again.

Palpatine had to drive the pathetic sentiments out of Luke. He had to force Luke to feel the flow, the power, the euphoric rage of the Dark Side. For, he knew, once one felt the pull of blackness, it was never to be escaped.

And thus, he had begun to look into different ways to corrupt the Jedi. He had spent hours mulling over old Sith scrolls, reading texts left behind from the generations of the ancient Sith, and researching artifacts, monuments, abilities, that could grant him enough power to seduce Luke Skywalker to the dark.

He had found it.

The Unnamed Sith Artifact was the only name that the artifact had, and ever would have. When Palpatine had discovered what it was, what it was capable of, he had nearly caused his chambers to implode in his malicious glee. Never had he imagined something so perfect for the job.

He had found the way to corrupt the young Skywalker to the Dark Side.

The artifact was a mere orb of writhing blackness. It was small, being easily enclosed in Sidious’ palm, but he could feel the malevolence radiating from the one, tiny black sphere. It was not physical, but simply hovered and bobbed up and down over Sidious’ outstretched hand.

“We have the girl in our custody, my master,” a mechanical voice signified the attention of his pitifully loyal apprentice, the only one that Palpatine held the slightest, slightest hint of affection for. Vader, Anakin, both were, after all, a creation of Darth Plagueis.

Alas, apprentice, I will soon have to discard you. Palpatine mused. Outwardly, he merely responded, “You have done well, Lord Vader.”

“Thank you, my master.”

“You may take some time off after your efforts. Stay in one of the castles that you own. I will allow you one month of your own devices.” One month. That would be enough. By the time Vader returned to duty, he would no longer be Sidious’ apprentice. Oh yes, he would be fooled into believing that he still was, all the while training the son that he so wanted, but he would have no inkling of his inevitable fate – to die at Luke’s hands.

The man made machine bowed deeply, though Palpatine knew that his crudely fitted metal joints pained him, and left in a great flourish of his black cloak. Palpatine smiled under his deep cowl, displaying his cracked and yellowed teeth. His plan was being set into motion.

He only had a few more tasks at hand. First, he would need to insert the orb into the girl’s spirit. She, combined with the artifact, would lead to Luke Skywalker’s turn to the Dark Side. The Unnamed Sith Artifact, if implanted into the one that the target cared most for, would transform that beloved person into a catalyst for the target’s fall from grace. Essentially, the Unnamed Sith Artifact forced its target to fall to the Dark Side and remain imprisoned by the Dark Side. It took about a week to take root in the girl’s soul, and then Palpatine would allow the rescue operation that he knew was coming enter his ship and retrieve her. They would not, however, get far.

Sidious was certain that Luke Skywalker would be part of the group. He understood that the young man “loved” the girl that he was currently holding prisoner. It made the old man scoff to think about. Soon, he would force Luke to discard the cheap sentiment. A Sith’s sole craving should always be power.

He was confident that, when Skywalker turned to the Dark Side, his lover would be horrified at what he’d become, and violently reject any attempts of interaction. This was good, for it would serve to push Luke further into the abyss that was the Dark Side.

As long as the orb remained in the host, the target could never break out of the hold of the dark. The orb had to be removed, or the host had to die, by his or her own hand or someone else, but Sidious knew that would never happen. He would never extract the artifact from the girl, he would never let someone so useful be killed, and she was far too cowardly to take her own life.

Soon, Luke Skywalker would be his apprentice. Luke Skywalker would be his apprentice, and he would overthrow him, taking on and training an apprentice of his own. One day, that apprentice, too, would overthrow Luke, and the cycle would continue.

The Sith would reign eternally.

(Three Weeks Later)

“Luke, please!” you pleaded desperately, clutching your lover’s hand tightly, tears threatening to fall from your eyes. You couldn’t believe this – you couldn’t believe that this was happening. Things had been this way for over a week, but you still could not bring yourself to terms with the new reality that you were facing.

Luke had promised you that he would never leave you – he had promised that he would never give in to the Emperor and allow himself to fall prey to the Dark Side.

And yet, in front of you he stood, with his glowing, Sith amber eyes. They were like two fiery orbs that burned holes through your body, but you refused to back down. You didn’t think you could back down. It was unbearable, the scorching fury that emanated from the man you loved, the man you thought you knew. He had fully surrendered himself to the dark.

“What’s wrong, (Y/n)?” Luke cooed in that voice. It was still his voice, and it still rang familiar to your ears, and yet, your heart had never heard someone so foreign to you before.

This was not the Luke you knew. This was not the Luke you loved.

“You love me, don’t you?” the blonde questioned, catching you off-guard. It was not something Luke Skywalker would have said. He had always expressed his adoration for you in other ways, and never had he demanded that you confirm in words your love for him. Luke had been too strong, too sensible, too good to doubt your love.

This man that wore Luke’s face was not Luke.

“Don’t you?” ‘Luke’ demanded, taking your small hand possessively in his.

For the first time since the two of you had been captured together, you gave up on Luke. With a snarl, you yanked your hand away from his grasp, glaring up at him. Your fear and sorrow had vanished, replaced by anger. Luke, that liar, had broken his promise to you. He had been weak, and he had let the Dark Side rule him.

Luke was no longer here. No matter what this blonde man of Luke’s stature, face, and voice tried to claim, Luke had been devoured by an abyss.

“Don’t touch me,” you spat, the tears in your eyes now streaming freely down your cheeks. “Don’t you dare touch me, you – you – “ You found that you were unable to find the words to express just how much he had disappointed you, how betrayed you felt, and your sentence was left hanging in the air.

“I hate you.” the words slipped from your mouth, and you meant them.

‘Luke’ glared with his hateful amber eyes, and you knew that you’d made a mistake.

Silent, unnoticed, unheard, Palpatine looked on with a gleeful smile.

(Two Months Later)

“You know, my dear girl,” the Emperor commented in a treacherously friendly, fatherly, kind voice as the two of you strolled through the ship together. Your skin was itching every second that you were in the presence of this monster, but you didn’t have a choice. He had “invited” you on a walk with him earlier, but you weren’t so stupid as to think that you had any choice.

“What?” you growled unintentionally. A spike of fear flared as you realized the insolent tone in your voice, but you refused to let it show. You were afraid, yes, but you refused to cower like a weakling. You would keep your head up, high, and strong.

Palpatine seemed nonplussed by your anger, even pleased. Whatever feelings he had towards it, he did not touch on the subject, instead getting straight to the point.

“It is your fault.”

You could only gape at the practically decaying old man with shock, your spunk leaving you thanks to the emotional blow. It took a few seconds to regain your composure, or rather, just the ability to speak.

“What are you talking about?” you burst out. “How is any of this my fault? It’s you who turned Luke to the Dark Side, Your Royal Majesty, and it’s you who corrupted him and turned him into that!”

“Ah, child, but you see, I could not corrupt young Skywalker at first. What I needed to do…” he stepped towards you, and, fearful of being anywhere near the Emperor, you stepped back. A look of annoyance flashed across Sidious’ face, and you couldn’t move, an invisible binding that you knew to be the Force holding you firmly in place.

Palpatine reached you and brought his lips to your ear to whisper in them. At first, you didn’t pay attention to his words, too busy trying to pull away, but what he was saying dawned on you as you stopped struggling, realizing that you couldn’t get out of his hold.

After he finished educating you on the path of Luke’s turn, Palpatine gestured to two stormtroopers standing near a door. “Escort her back to her cell,” he ordered. The two soldiers stepped forward, but you hardly paid any attention to them, your eyes wide with despair and you sank to your knees.

The stormtroopers had to carry you back to your cell, where you buried your face in your hands and wept.

So, it was your fault, after all.

I hate you.

Luke Skywalker couldn’t let go of those words. He swung his red lightsaber back and forth, hacking up the training droids almost unconsciously, for his mind was back in that room where he’d asked if you loved him, and your response had been “I hate you.”

I hate you.

Gritting his teeth, Luke felt his chest ache as what you had said to him echoed in his ears over and over and over again. The Emperor allowed the two of you to meet once a week, and every time, nothing but hatred and vitriol was spewed from you, and nothing but fury, frustration, and rage from him. It would usually end with Luke losing control of himself, prompting the Red Guards to interfere and separate both of you.

Those little encounters had been filled with negative emotions, bitter emotions. The once lovely relationship that the two of you had had turned utterly upside down, and this knowledge fueled Luke’s anger.

I hate you.

He couldn’t believe how much those words stung him, even now, and he couldn’t believe that you’d said it to him. Why couldn’t you just accept him the way he was? If you loved him, you should be able to do that, right?

Luke could not deny that he still loved you, but he wasn’t sure if the two of you saw eye-to-eye on the definition of “love” anymore. Without you, his heart could not be quenched – without you, he could never be satisfied, no matter the power that he gained. However, Luke couldn’t bring himself to let go of the newfound power of the Dark Side for your sake.

You meant so much to him, but you didn’t mean quite enough.

I hate you.

Luke’s scream of frustration and rage reverberated throughout the surrounding hallways. If that’s so, (Y/n), then I hate you too.

And Sidious smiled.

(One Year Later)

Your eyes opened, you took a deep breath, and you were ready.

For months on end, you’d worked on the small, jagged piece of metal that you now held in your hand. During mealtime many months ago, you’d managed to salvage a single spoon. Initially, you hadn’t been sure what to do with it, knowing that it wouldn’t help you escape or fight back. The utensil’s purpose had hit you eventually, though, and you had begun to work, scraping away at the sides of the fork until it formed one dagger-like projectile.

In fact, you’d finished sharpening it adequately just today.

Staring at the shard, you considered just going through with it right now, but staved off your trepidation. Before that, you wanted to see Luke.

Luke.

No matter what had passed between the two of you, you could not deny that you still loved him. Perhaps it made you weak, loving a man for who he used to be, and not who he was now, but you had never been one to shy away from your own feelings. You didn’t consider yourself to be particularly brave, but your feelings you refused to be afraid of.

Speaking of being afraid, right now, you were. Very much so.

You took a calming breath, reminding yourself that it was the only way. After you’d realized true reason behind everything, you’d known what you had to do, even if the thought wasn’t particularly pleasant.

Today was another scheduled meeting between you and Luke. They had gotten to the point where Palpatine commanded Darth Vader himself to be in the area with the two of you, lest the situation become out of hand. He was never in the room with the two of you, but he was always within your sight, monitoring to make sure nothing broke out. To be frank, it was rather unnerving.

You knew Luke’s parentage, and you supposed that if things had gone differently, Darth Vader would be your father-in-law. The concept was too strange to be expressed in words, so you dropped it completely from your mind. You had enough factors preoccupying you at the moment.

You needed to free Luke.

Behind his volatile outbursts, behind his amber eyes that burned you with loathing, you glimpsed wild desperation and pain. You knew Luke. You knew the expressions on his face, in his eyes, when he was under certain circumstances, and you knew what the desperation and pain meant.

Luke was trapped.

Always, always, when your Luke was trapped, his face expressed desperation and pain.

You needed to set the love of your life free.

I hate you, you’d told him, and you’d regretted the words ever since. At the time, you’d thought you’d meant them. You’d really convinced yourself that you hated him, but it didn’t take long for you to regain your senses. You didn’t hate Luke. You could never hate Luke.

You still loved him, and although your love wasn’t enough to stop you from saying such a horrible thing to him, you were determined to prove to yourself that it was, at least, enough to liberate him from whatever torture he was enduring under that mask of anger.

I can do this.

“(Y/n).” Luke greeted you cordially as you stepped into the room. You felt exhausted just hearing those words. This was always how your little meetings began – with Luke greeting you politely and tenderly as if things were still the same between the two of you.

Usually, the peace was broken because of you – you’d either treat him with hostility, give him the silent treatment, or simply blow up on him. Whichever way it began, it resulted in, at best, both of you hollering at each other in fury, and, at worst, physical violence occurring. The realization of what your relationship had come to, and how it would most likely end, broke your heart.

“Hello, Luke,” you replied softly, not missing the surprise flashing across his face for a brief instant, as he had most likely expected another negative reaction. The fork that you’d sharpened was placed carefully under your sleeve, concealed among the layer of fabric. Still, you could feel it pressing against your skin, making your palms damp.

“You’re nervous,” stated Luke matter-of-factly. Damn him. He’d known you, your traits, your character, your personality, all too well, and because you hadn’t changed, he still knew all of them like the back of his hand. There wasn’t much you could hide from Luke. You only prayed that you could keep the fork a secret long enough. If you failed, Luke was doomed, and you would not allow that to happen.

“Why do you say that?” you asked, feeling unfamiliarly awkward around the young man. There had never been time for such sentiments when the two of you were screaming at each other, but now that an attempt to be civil was going on, it felt strange to converse with Luke like this. Calmly. Without emotion. Without tears.

Tears did well up in your eyes, though, at his answer. Your heart thirsted for the old days, the days when you knew who Luke was, you knew that Luke loved you, and you knew that the two of you would always have each other, even if it was you and him against the entire world. His response reminded you of days gone by, days that would never come again.

“I know you.”

[Please listen to this from here on out: Best Wishes To You]

You gazed into his amber orbs that seemed so forlorn, even though he’d had them for over a year. You could never get used to the fire that burned in them, not after imagining Luke’s naturally blue eyes as water – water that flowed from a stream, bubbling and murmuring, bringing coolness to the scorched and satisfaction to the thirsty. The kind that swept over you during the sweltering desert heat and enabled your body to relax.

Luke had been your salvation once, but now, you would have to be his.

Abruptly, Luke spun away from the eye contact, as if he couldn’t bear the intensity of it anymore. He turned his back to you, facing the door that he’d come in through, and stalked towards it a few paces. For a moment, you thought he was going to simply leave, but he halted about half of the way, seemingly staring and lost in his own thoughts. It pained you to, again, see just what your relationship had degraded into. The two of you could no longer even communicate for a long time without fighting.

You seized the sharpened fork in your small hand, clutching it so tightly that your fingers turned white and trembled. Your heart was pounding so fast that you were afraid it might burst from your chest and splatter into the cold metal ground in a pulsing, twitching mess.

This was it.

You had to do it now, but before that, you wanted to talk to Luke.

“Luke!” you called. He turned back to you, a seething mass of agonizing emotions hidden thinly behind a cool veneer of indifference. He looked so lost, so broken, nothing like the selfless, confident, determined man that you had fallen in love with.

Still, it was Luke, and still, you were going to do this for him. Your eyes watered, contemplating briefly back on all the wonderful times you’d shared with the man in front of you. No matter how he changed, those times could never be separated from you. Despite that solace, it was painful knowing that those times weren’t coming back.

“I’m sorry,” you told him, voice trembling. A questioning look passed over his eyes, which quickly turned to concern, genuine, selfless concern – something you hadn’t experienced in Luke for a long time – as a tear traced its way down your cheek.

“I’m sorry that I told you ‘I hate you’,” you whispered. “I never meant it. And I’m sorry that you’re in so much pain because of me.”

“(Y/n)?” he asked, starting to head in your direction. “What’s wrong?”

“I might not have meant nearly as much to you as you do to me,” your voice was escaping you in a remorseful sob now. “but still, please don’t forget me.”

“(Y/n), what are you – “

You drew the metal, the wicked, jagged, lethal piece of metal out of your sleeve and, pushing past any hesitation, any fear, any doubt, that you felt -

“No, don’t - !”

- you stabbed it into your heart.

Luke’s agonized roar of “(Y/N)!!!” was the only sound that didn’t fade from your world as you fell. You fell, yes, but you never hit the ground, because he was there in an instant, catching you in his embrace, preventing you from collapsing.

Your vision was blurring from pain, but you could make out Luke’s face above you, his expression one of horrified shock and pain. Desperation seeped from his eyes – his still amber eyes, but they were now very slightly lighter, very slightly cooler, taking on a golden hue. His arms around you were fervent, frantic, as your body seized and quiet whimpers of pain escaped your mouth. From the corner of your eye, you saw that Darth Vader was moving from his observing position upstairs, but you didn’t care, your attention switching back to Luke.

“No – no, (Y/n), you can’t…” his voice cracked. “(Y/N)!”

You were in so much pain that you could hardly keep yourself from screaming, much less speak. All you could do was stare up at him with eyes that pleaded him to understand why you had done what you had.

“(Y/n)…” Luke murmured, briefly almost sounding calm. “(Y/n) – (Y/N)!”

It was almost pitiful, you thought, how all he could say was your name, over and over again. What had happened to the Luke who was training to be a Sith, the Luke who had attacked you viciously with words whenever you tried to reason with him?

“(Y/n) – (Y/n), please, you can’t – (Y/n)! (Y/n)!!”

You dragged in a breath, feeling as though your entire torso was being stabbed with the movement. You wanted to whimper, to cry, because the pain was so great, so consuming, but your need to speak to Luke was stronger. Your need to assure him of your feelings was stronger than your desire to lessen the agony.

“I – I love you…Luke,” you managed to rasp out, the sound of your own voice, weak and feeble, shocking you. It was almost astonishing – the experience of death. You could feel the life seeping out of you, little by little, and numbness creeping ever-so-slowly up your body, turning you cold, unmoving, and stiff. Before that numbness consumed you, you had to say goodbye to Luke. You had to. You wouldn’t allow yourself to die without doing so first.

“And…” your lungs were unable to draw a full breath, to get enough air, but you could not gulp in oxygen like you needed to, thanks to your gradually weakening muscles. “…I’m sorry - ” you choked, using the meager oxygen that was left in your body.

“ – that my love…only amounts to – this…”

Gathering the final vestiges of strength, the last that you would ever use in your life, you raised a trembling hand to Luke’s cheek, feeling the familiar warmth and smoothness of his skin, the skin of the Luke that you loved – this Luke. Because, you admitted only now, as you died, Luke was Luke, and you could never bring yourself to not love him, no matter what he did, or what he was.

You knew that tears were falling from your eyes, but you were in too much pain to feel their warmth against your face.

It hurt.

But what hurt you most of all was Luke’s expression. It was filled with complete helplessness, complete horror, completely shock, complete guilt, complete sorrow, complete devastation. And worse still, you knew that the very second those emotions left his eyes, they would turn flat and cold and never feel again.

Because Luke Skywalker loved you, (Y/n). You were his entire life, his entire death, his entire end, his entire beginning. You were everything. And with your death, you destroyed him. You freed him, yes, restored him, from the darkness, but you destroyed him.

Luke’s hand clenched ardently at your own, the one on his cheek, as if trying to preserve the fading hints of life in you, as if begging you not to go – not to leave him. You wanted to listen to his request, you wanted to stay with him forever, but the only thing you could do was smile painfully, trying to let him know that it was okay. That you were okay.

“(Y/n)…” the last words you heard were no more than a pained whimper.

Then you surrendered yourself to the yawning, gaping blackness that was death.

“No – “ Luke gasped, pleaded, as he watched the light die from your eyes, as he witnessed the life leave your body, as he felt you falling totally limp in his arms. “No – NO! (Y/n)…please,” he begged, clutching your hand, frantic for any signs of life.

“(Y/n), you – you can’t do this to me…” the young man implored the languid, cooling body of (Y/n) (L/n). He knew, he knew, that no matter how much he screamed, wished, entreated, that (Y/n) could not hear him. She was dead. She was dead.

She was dead.

“(Y/n),” murmured Luke, shaking her gently. “(Y/n), please. Open your eyes…please. You can’t go, (Y/n) – you can’t – (Y/n). (Y/n)!” his grip on her tightened, and his attempts to elicit a response, any response, from her, grew wilder and increasingly frantic.

“Please, (Y/n),” whispered the young man. “(Y/n), I’m begging you – open your eyes. Wake up. Wake up. Please. I – I’ll change, I promise. I’ll turn back from the Dark Side, I promise. Just don’t – don’t leave me. (Y/n). Wake up. Please!”

He could not comprehend the meaning of those simple three words. Luke could not grasp the full gravity of what was happening – he could not wrap his mind around the complete fact that (Y/n) was dead. He would never be able to speak to her, laugh with her, share nights of passion with her, or simply look at her, going about her business, living her life.

He did know two things, though.

He knew that (Y/n) had died in his arms, and he had been unable to do a thing about it.

And he knew that the reason (Y/n) was dead was him.

It was his fault.

“No.” Luke whispered, burying his tear-streaked face in her hair. “Please, (Y/n),” he beseeched, “please, please, please, (Y/n), you can’t – you can’t leave me here. You can’t – “ his voice broke, and a muted groan of pain erupted from his chest. Luke clutched her cooling, stiffening corpse to his chest, his body wracked with desperate sobs.

“(Y/n)…” he breathed. Any other words he tried to say were lost in his cries of misery. Even as the Dark Side’s hold on him was vanquished by the Light, thanks to the sacrifice of (Y/n) (L/n), Luke cried. He hugged you, gathered you in his embrace, and cried.

(Y/n), the woman he loved – the woman who brought him peace, happiness, and contentment – was dead.

Luke Skywalker mourned, realizing that, no matter how hard he’d tried to convince himself that (Y/n) was nothing to him, that he despised her, the fact that he was here now, sobbing, holding her, his heart shattered – was proof that he loved her.

“(Y/n)…! (Y/n)…no…(Y/n)!! You can’t – you can’t leave me alone – (Y/n)!!”

(Y/n)…I didn’t resent you. I just missed you so much.

I didn’t hate you…

I just loved you so much.

#star wars #reader insert #luke skywalker #luke skywalker x reader #tragedy #sacrifice #sith #feels #crying #apologies #redemption

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dcmaltbie · 7 years

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Top Ten Star Wars Legends Storylines

When Star Wars was sold to Disney, the executives had a decision to make. Will we bring the wealth of stories that populated the Expanded Universe (EU) or make new content? The decision was made to ditch the old story lines and create new and more relevant content for the consumers. For those devotees who read the series and plundered the knowledge bases of the EU it as if our world had been taken away from us. Having read all the series and novels, I thought it would be great to rank the Top Ten Legends Storylines.

10. Star Wars Legacy

Legacy is a Darkhorse Comics series by John Ostrander that was released in 2006. It centers around the grandson of Luke Skywalker, Cade. For the first time, a person who could use the Force wasn’t necessarily a Jedi. Cade is an outlaw who uses drugs and thrives off personal attachment. As the Sith make yet another bid to take over the galaxy, Cade must come to terms with his troubled past if he is to save the universe from evil.

9. X-Wing Series

This series was written by Michael A. Stackpole and Aaron Allston in 1996. In the initial offering Rogue Squadron, we were shown an entirely new set of characters. Legendary character Wedge Antilles, who flew in the first and second Death Star runs, is given a shot at teaching and leading a new host of Rebels into the fray against the Empire.

8. Knights of the Old Republic

This series by John Jackson Miller gave us our first look into the lives and times of the Jedi Order at its peak in power. Though it only ran for fifty issues this comic series was the first attempt, by then George Lucas, to make the franchise more transmedia. Several references from books, games and the movies all appear. The Zayne Carrick storyline is one of my favorite pieces from all of the Legends line up.

7. Jedi Academy Trilogy

Kevin J. Anderson wrote this trilogy about Luke Skywalker’s quest to rebuild the Jedi Order. As a child, these were the first Jedi books that I read. Luke searches the galaxy for able students to inhabit his new training facility on Yavin 4. When a dark spirit begins to influence one of his young trainees Luke must find a way to save his student and exile the spirit. As a writer, these books are important because later another book, I, Jedi, is written and inserts a new character and fixes problems that the readers had complained about.

6. New Jedi Order

This series of books made me love the EU. Luke has grown his group of students into a flourishing Jedi Order. In perfect timing, because a new and dangerous threat, the Yuuzhan Vong have appeared at the edges of known space. These new beings live outside of the Force, and their technology surpasses those of our heroes. Seeing the protagonists lose everything that they fought for in the Rebellion was a gut punch to fans. While the series has several page-turner novels, there are just as many that make reading them a chore.

5. I, Jedi

Michael A. Stackpole published the first hardcover of this book on Star Wars Day in 1998. I am especially interested in this book because it is written in the first person, making it one of only two drafted in the EU. Corran Horn is a Corellian Security Forces officer who is recruited by Luke at his Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4. Corran goes on to have a significant role in the New Jedi Order war with the Yuuzhan Vong, leading Jedi and New Alliance forces.

4. Star Wars: Republic

In 1998 Darkhorse Comics ran over 40 issues of this closer take on the events that take place between Episode II and III. The writing is fantastic, introducing classic Star Wars characters Quinlan Vos and Aurra Sing, just to name a few. What is most enjoyable about these are the intimate moments you read between Anakin and Obi-Wan. When I saw the films, it made the story more rich and engrossing.

3. The Thrawn Trilogy

During the great speculations on what exactly would transpire in the films to come, I placed my bet on this one. Set in the time after the fall of Empire, a Dark Jedi attempts to turn Leia, her two oldest children, and Luke to the Dark Side. It also introduces some very critical characters in the years to come. Mara Jade is a Force-sensitive assassin sent by the Emperor to kill Luke. The two form a bond and eventually marry, producing a son named Ben. Grand Admiral Thrawn is a tactical genius who was fighting in the Unknown Regions during the rise of the Rebellion. What remains of the Empire falls into lock-step behind him, turning the tide in their struggle against the New Republic.

2. The Darth Bane Trilogy

Drew Karpyshyn wrote these novels starting in 2012, with the release of Path of Destruction. A look at the humble beginnings of the man who would become Darth Bane. It follows his training as a Sith Lord and his eventual destruction of the Sith Order. The following novels, The Rule of Two and Dynasty of Evil, show his search for eternal life and the training of his apprentice Zannah.

1. The Dark Lord Trilogy

James Luceno wrote Labyrinth of Evil as the lead up to the novelization of Episode III. It follows Anakin and Obi-Wan on their search for the kidnapped Senator Palpatine. Luceno does an excellent job of showing the war’s effect on Anakin and how close to the Dark Side he has become. The action is nonstop with Yoda, Mace Windu, Dooku, and General Grievous all playing major parts in the warfare. Normally the novelization of the films are spot on from the script. This time Matthew Stover referenced the previous novel and introduced elements that weren’t in the movie. Possibly my most favorite Star Wars book is Dark Lord Rising by James Luceno. It goes into great depth about the inner turmoil that Anakin goes through as he transcends into Darth Vader. The final chapter shows something I have always been interested in, how did Obi-Wan know Anakin survived Mustafar.

In the years that have followed the demise of the EU, there appears to be great promise. Chuck Wendig has written a trilogy of novels about the events directly after Episode IV and leading into Rogue One. Jason Aaron has taken over the flagship Star Wars comic series and has pushed it into a top seller at Marvel. In the films, I see similarities between characters from the EU and I am excited about the potential of these stories.

REFERENCES

Bricken, R. (2014, May 09). The 10 Best Stories In the Star Wars Expanded Universe. Retrieved January 20, 2017, from http://io9.gizmodo.com/the-10-best-stories-in-the-star-wars-expanded-universe-1574103684

Star Wars Legends: A Look at 10 of the Best Non-Canon Stories. (2015, October 28). Retrieved January 20, 2017, from https://grizzlybomb.com/2015/10/26/star-wars-legends-a-look-10-of-the-best-non-canon-stories/

Star Wars: Great Legends Stories You Should Read. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20, 2017, from http://www.denofgeek.com/us/books-comics/star-wars/246066/star-wars-great-legends-stories-you-should-read

Kamen, M. (2016, May 23). The lost riches of Star Wars' Expanded Universe. Retrieved January 20, 2017, from http://www.wired.co.uk/article/star-wars-expanded-universe-best

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