Chapter 9: Chapter 9: The Dark Lord’s Gaze
The twin suns of Tatooine had long dipped below the horizon, leaving the desert bathed in darkness. But Harry wasn't cold. The Force Nexus still pulsed beneath his skin, a lingering echo of the fragmented memories etched into his mind.
"I've been here before."
The words replayed in his head like a curse.
Zara sat nearby, her arm still bandaged, her amber eyes narrowed as she studied him. "What do you mean you've been here before?"
Harry didn't answer right away. His gaze was distant, locked on the ancient holocron he'd retrieved after defeating the Nexus guardians. The device glimmered faintly, sealed with encryption only the Force could unlock.
Finally, he muttered, "I don't know. But I'm going to find out."
[SYSTEM ALERT: Critical Quest Unlocked]
[Quest: Confront the Darkness]
• Objective 1: Unlock the Ancient Holocron.
• Objective 2: Discover the truth of your connection to the Empire.
• Bonus Objective: Survive the encounter with the Dark Lord.
• Reward: +10,000 EXP | Unique Force Ability | Alignment Shift Event
Harry's instincts screamed a warning before the danger even arrived.
The Force rippled—like the calm before a storm.
Then he heard it.
That mechanical breathing.
Slow. Rhythmic. Inescapable.
A shadow descended from the night sky, a Lambda-class Imperial shuttle landing silently on the outskirts of the canyon. The ramp lowered with a hiss, releasing a chilling wave of pressure as the figure stepped out.
Darth Vader.
His black armor gleamed under the faint light of Tatooine's moons. The crimson blade of his lightsaber ignited with a hiss, casting blood-red reflections across the sands.
Zara's hand shot to her blaster, but Harry held out his arm, stopping her.
"That won't help."
[BOSS ENCOUNTER: DARTH VADER – LEGENDARY CLASS]
• Level: ???
• Danger Level: Critical
• Objective: Survive
• Bonus Objective: Engage without succumbing to the Dark Side
Vader's voice cut through the darkness, distorted by his respirator. "Harrion Varyn."
Hearing that name from Vader's mouth sent a shiver down Harry's spine.
"You've been searching for answers," Vader continued, taking slow, deliberate steps toward him. "But you already know the truth."
Harry ignited his double-bladed vibrosword, the crimson glow reflecting the determination—and confusion—in his eyes.
"And what truth is that?" he shot back, masking the storm raging inside.
Vader stopped a few paces away. "You were created for a purpose."
Harry's grip tightened. "I wasn't created for anything."
Vader's lightsaber twirled effortlessly in his grasp. "We shall see."
Then he attacked.
The Duel Begins
Vader's assault was overwhelming—each strike heavy with purpose, fueled by both mastery and raw power. Harry barely deflected the first blow, the sheer force sending him skidding backward through the sand.
Too strong.
Harry rolled aside as Vader's blade carved into the ground where he'd stood moments before, molten rock hissing from the heat.
He retaliated, using the Force to hurl debris at the Sith Lord, but Vader dismissed it with a casual flick of his wrist.
Harry switched tactics.
[Skill Activated: Force Rupture (Level 3)]
Tendrils of dark energy erupted toward Vader, aiming to crush his armor.
But Vader was faster.
He caught the tendrils mid-air with his gloved hand, twisting the energy, reversing the technique, and slamming Harry into a boulder with bone-crushing force.
[HP: 38/160]
• System Tip: You cannot defeat him. Focus on survival.
Harry groaned, coughing up blood as he struggled to stand. His mind raced.
I can't win this…
But maybe he didn't need to.
Zara's voice echoed faintly through the chaos: "Harry—RUN!"
But he wasn't running.
Not yet.
Harry reached deep, tapping into the darkest part of himself—the part that had thrived in battle, that had crushed the Wraith Commander without mercy.
The Force exploded around him, a shockwave of pure rage mixed with desperation.
Vader staggered slightly. Just enough.
Harry sprinted forward, his blade meeting Vader's in a clash of sparks. Their faces were inches apart, Vader's emotionless mask staring into Harry's furious eyes.
"You're afraid of me," Harry growled.
Vader's grip tightened.
"No." His voice was colder than space itself. "I'm disappointed."
With a final surge of strength, Vader unleashed a devastating blast of the Force, sending Harry flying through the canyon wall.
[CRITICAL CONDITION: HP 12/160]
• Objective Updated: Escape
Harry's vision blurred. He could hear Zara shouting, dragging him to his feet. The taste of blood filled his mouth.
Vader advanced, unstoppable.
But just as he raised his lightsaber for the final strike—
A sudden explosion erupted between them.
Smoke and debris filled the air. Rebel ships swooped overhead, blasters raining down on Imperial forces emerging from the shuttle.
Zara dragged Harry into the chaos.
"Hold on, wizard," she muttered through gritted teeth.
Harry's world faded to black.
[QUEST FAILED: Defeat Vader – Objective Incomplete]
[QUEST COMPLETE: Survive Vader – Objective Achieved]
• EXP Gained: 10,000
• Level Up! (Lv. 8)
• Skill Progression: Force Rupture (Level 3 → Level 4)
• Alignment Shift: Dark Side Influence Increased
Later… Somewhere in a Rebel Outpost
Harry awoke in a dimly lit room, his wounds bandaged. Zara sat nearby, her blaster resting on her lap.
"You're lucky to be alive," she muttered. "And unlucky enough to have Darth Vader's attention."
Harry didn't respond.
His mind was on Vader's words.
"You were created for a purpose."
But what purpose?
He was going to find out.
No matter who—or what—he had to destroy to get his answers.
To be continued…