Star Wars: Sins of the Fallen (Timeline 1)

Epilogue

Epilogue

"I always marvel at humans ability to keep going. They always manage to stagger on; even with tears streaming down their faces." -Markus Zusak The Book Thief-

The ship shook violently as it was ripped apart and then was completely torn apart as a final explosion ripped through it. Aria watched with relief from her ship, glad it was over but wondering why the Sith hadn't put up a fight. Their army was completely scattered and had been mostly destroyed as they tried to flee the planet. It had been easy to stop them and that worried her. She had seen one ship get away and had sensed a massive Force power on board and hailed it immediately. The familiar face of Zacar appeared and he confirmed that Shain's life-long enemy was dead.

It was shortly after that that the small transport ships started coming off the Earth full of droids and their officers. Without hesitation Aria ordered them all destroyed and after a short battle that resulted in zero casualties on their side, the battle was over.

Now all that was left was to return to Earth and try and pick up the pieces. Everything would be different now that the whole world knew of the life that was in the rest of the universe. Steps would be taken to protect it, Aria knew, and she wondered how that would work in the hands of the leaders of the Earth.

She ordered everyone to return back to Coruscant and gathered those that had come with her who were from Earth. The group returned to try and rebuild what they had lost. Once Aria was certain things were moving smoothly, she returned to the search for Shain's sister that she had abandoned to defend her home

*****

The scorch marks on the side of the ship were the only signs that it had been through any sort of battle. Though they hadn't actually been in the heat of it, the ship had nearly been consumed by the ball of fire that ripped through the ship as it exploded.

Now they were home, Zacar thought as he looked out over Vanqor. Cynder was cradled in his arms and he felt the weight of the guilt and grief as much as he did the weight of her body. He walked calmly and expressionless down the ramp of the ship and into their home. He placed her gently on her bed and went back into the rest of the house. There he began to gather their furniture and the various things that were scattered around the underground home. He took them outside to one of the nearby hills and left them in a neat pile. He labored all day until the house was completely empty except for her body.

Zacar scooped her up into his arms and then brought her outside as well. He carried her over to the pile of things and set her down carefully on top of it, as if she was sleeping and might wake up if he was too rough.

If only, he thought bitterly.

He took her cloak and placed it over her body, covering her completely. Zacar then returned to the ship and emerged a few moments later carrying a lightsaber and a small container. He took the latter and dumped its contents - oil from the ship - all over the pile of clothes, books, chairs, shelves, and things. He carefully avoided getting any on Cynder before he tossed the container aside and stepped back.

The lightsaber he held was another of his own invention, though it had been confiscated by the Jedi not long after its creation. They had taken it and given it to Shain. After he had died some time back, Zacar had gone and retrieved it from his body. He hadn't used it much since then. The blade was extremely unique in that it used the elements as a blade instead of the typical blade of light. A pillar of fire erupted from the hilt and hissed softly as he brought it towards the pyre.

The fire ignited quickly on the oil and spread almost instantly across the pyre. Zacar quickly stepped back away from the searing heat and watched it burn. The flames licked up everything and began to take Cynder as well. 

Zacar sat down in the grass and watched silently, reflecting on all that had happened. He fully blamed himself for what had happened to Cynder. The brother and father were of no importance - they were as dead as she was. But if he had stopped Cynder or warned her of what was coming then he could have prevented this. She would still be alive and he wouldn't be so consumed with guilt and despair.

   Zacar sat down in the grass and watched silently, reflecting on all that had happened. He fully blamed himself for what had happened to Cynder. The brother and father were of no importance - they were as dead as she was. But if he had stopped Cynder or warned her of what was coming then he could have prevented this. She would still be alive and he wouldn't be so consumed with guilt and despair.

Even as he sat there watching the flames dance across her face, he could feel the hole that Cynder's death had created in him filling with darkness. Those shadows spread, reaching into the furthest reaches they could find and Zacar realized, his fists clenching tightly, that he wouldn't be strong enough to resist them.

He remained there until the sun had set and risen again, when all that was left were ashes and memories. Wordlessly he rose, taking the elemental blade and Ember's Light with him as he returned to his ship vowing to never again would he return to this place. All he brought with him were the lightsabers and the memory of Cynder.

The end