Chapter Text
I woke up in a very soft bed. I could not remember the last time I slept in a bed this nice. Perhaps when I was sleeping back in my bed in the Jedi Temple? I could feel warm sunlight bathing on my face. I opened to find myself in a very plush and luxurious bed. “Is this heaven?” I wondered quietly. Last thing I remember I had barely managed to defeat Sigrun and passed out in her arms heavily wounded.
I felt my sides and the wounds had somehow healed overnight. I shook my head “That can’t be right. I must have been out for a while but how.” I gingerly got up out of bed and got a view out of the window. We were in what appeared to be some form of a Viking longboat shaped building and there was a lot of green grass and beautiful trees outside. It truly was paradise.
“So this is what Valhalla looks like?” I mused. I then noticed there was a fresh change of clothes (they reminded me of Thor’s outfit from the first Thor movie) for me on the bed. I then went and took a shower which felt absolutely amazing. The shampoo smelled wonderful. I couldn’t place the scent, but it reminded me of Yennefer’s lilac and gooseberries from the Witcher 3, but it had a bit more of a honey scent.
I got out of the shower, dried off and changed. I smiled when I noticed my lightsaber was on a drawer at the foot of my bed. I clipped it onto my belt. I presumed my robes had been utterly annilhated when I did the Gauntlet of the Valkyries.
The door opened to reveal Sigrun herself. What was astonishing to me was Sigrun was helmetless. She had a beautiful pale face with high arched cheekbones, piercing blue eyes and smoky makeup/eyeshadow on, ruby red lips and long lusicious red hair.
“Good morning your Majesty.” I greeted bowing. Sigrun quirked a smile. “How did you sleep young champion?” I smiled “I slept absolutely amazing m’lady. I have not slept that well in weeks, nay months.” She gestured me to follow her “We have much to talk about. Your performance yesterday is the talk of all of Valhalla.” I blushed slightly. “My performance I felt could have been better.” I admitted.
“It could have been but it was enough and your performance was impressive as it was.” Sigrun replied. “Where did you learn to fight like that?” She asked curiously as we wandered through the halls.
“From the Jedi Academy on Coruscant, my lady. I learned what I knew from Masters Obi Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu and Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. They were the true warriors of the Jedi Order and taught me all I know about offensive and defensive tactics.”
We were soon in a large mead hall of sorts, with lots of rows of tables with the warriors of Valhalla and the Valkyries sitting at them. Sigrun led me up to the front row and she stood by her throne and announced “Tonights feast is to celebrate the latest champion of the Gauntlet of the Valkyries and to offer Arjan here a choice, he can stay in Vahalla and serve in the Allfather’s army come Ragnarok or he can return to his home world of Tatooine as he requested. He will have until the end of the feast to decide. Raise your glasses to the cunning warrior known as Arjan Masan!”
And the whole hall erupted in cheers. Sigrun then told me I could sit next to her and the others at the Valkyries table, which made me feel special. Rota was leaning on my shoulder, already starting to get a little drunk. “So, what are you going to choose Arjan? You fought bravely you know.” Rota said, and did I hear a bit of flirtatiousness in her voice? Funny to hear that after her aggressive screams of “Valhalla, UNWORTHY AND WORM” over and over yesterday.
I looked at Rota, unmasked, she had a gorgeous pale face brown eyes and hair as black as midnight. “Part of me wants to stay and party with you all until Ragnarok comes, but my heart tells me I need to go back to my world and seek out other survivors of the Jedi Order and help them hide from the Empire and Darth Vader’s wrath.”
The Valkyries then all pestered me to tell them about the Jedi Order. “Well this will take a while ladies. I hope you’re all ready for a long tale.” I said smiling. “Quit yabbering and get on with the story.” Gondul snapped. I chuckled at her fiery response. “Alright alright….” I told them first about the Force, because in order to understand the Jedi and the Sith conflict it was essential to tell them about the Force.
I then went into the earliest Jedi and Sith schisim, how the exiled Jedi landed on Korriban, met the Sith people and then harnessed the dark side to enslave the Sith and eventually take upon their name. I went through the history of a few of the early Sith Lords Ajunta Pall, Marka Ragnos and Darth Annenedu just to name a few.
I switched back to the Jedi Order for a bit, talking about the fall of Revan and Darth Malak, the first Mandalorian-Jedi conflicts. Eventually I spoke about the Clone Wars and how I was apprenticed to Anakin Skywalker at the beginning of the Clone Wars, before being apprenticed to Mace Windu. I got to Order 66 and Anakin Skywalker’s fall. “I am one of the few Jedi Knights that was aware of Skywalker’s transformation into Vader. I had seen him in his dark suit post Mustafar only a few times.”
Sigrun said sighing “That is a tragic tale and doesn’t make what we are going to tell you any easier. When you do return to your world and you meet your friend Boba Fett again he will not remember you. Dare I say the next time you meet him, he will be on a mission for this Empire and Darth Vader and will capture you or try to, to bring you to Vader.”
I sighed. This would put me in the tough position of having to fight and possibly kill my old bounty hunter friend who I had spent some time after Order 66, traveling the galaxy and then the God of War realm of Midgard with. Or I could just spent the rest of eternity here with the warriors of ages past and the lovely Valkyries..
I took a gulp of the Valhallan mead and weighed my options carefully. If I returned to my galaxy, how long could I evade Boba Fett and Darth Vader himself? I pondered where I could safely hide. Ach-To remained a good possible choice. I wanted to fight the Empire and bring my former master Vader to justice, but yet I knew the Jedi numbers were few. Should I try and locate survivors and launch an all out assault on the Emperor himself on the Death Star?
I knew I was not powerful enough alone to do this, but perhaps with many? It was either that or run to the safety of Ach-To and wait the Galactic Civil War out. Another option was to join the Rebel Alliance and become an X-Wing pilot. I was a great stick in the Jedi Starfighter and I was sure I could get my skills back in no time. However hiding my Force sensitivity would become a great challenge and I feared running across Vader and him sensing it.
It felt like an eternity while I pondered those questions. Eventually I made my mind up. I was going to go back and face an inevitable confrontation with Fett and Vader. Running and hiding from my fears was not the Jedi way that I had been taught. Confronting them head on and not giving into my fears was the Jedi Way.
“As much as I want to stay here with you all and enjoy your lovely company ladies, I feel I must do what is right rather than what is easy. And I will not run from the Empire or Vader or Fett but rather if they come to me, I will confront them. This may result in my death, but I will die knowing that I bought myself a noble death rather than death in cowardice or disgrace. I will trust in The Force.”
Sigrun rose from the table with a pleased expression. “You have come to the right choice. If you should fall in your battle with the Empire, you will be welcome here in Vahalla. I have no doubt you will fight most nobly against the Empire.”
I was hugged by Rota as I stood up. “Good luck my brave Jedi warrior and may the Force be with you.” She said smiling, planting a kiss on my cheek. One by one the Valkyries all came up to give me hugs of support and kisses on my cheek. Sigrun gave me the tightest hug of them all and the strongest kiss on the cheek.
A glowing portal opened up in the middle of the room. “Safe travels, it was an honor to spar with you Arjan. May the Force guide you in your quest to resist the Empire. I propose one final toast, to Arjan and his mission to fight the Empire, may it be successful!” Sigrun called as I walked towards the portal.
I turned around and heard the room erupt into loud cheers. I raised my hand in thanks and said “Thank you all for your hospitality. I hope to see you again, but not too soon!” And with that I stepped into the portal and departed Valhalla.
I landed on the harsh sands of Tatooine, not far from where Fett and I had our fateful confrontation with Cad Bane and his lot that triggered our adventure. Not far away from where I lay was Cad Bane’s corpse. What an adventure this had been. From Ord Mantell to Tattooine to Midgard back to Tattooine.
I stood up and got my bearings and heard the jingling of spurs. I recognized those as Boba’s. I then heard a rhythmic breathing that I recognized as Darth Vader’s. I spun around to see Boba Fett walking towards me with his EE-3 Blaster in his hand and the 6’9 figure of Darth Vader standing behind him.
“Arjan Masan, we have caught up to you at last. I suggest you surrender and we will grant you a peaceful death.” Darth Vader’s voice boomed menacingly. Fett nodded as if in agreement. “Why my old friend Fett, you are working with that same Empire you once told me you despised. I am not shocked, a bounty hunter is all about the money and nothing about morals.” I spat.
“I have never met you in my life, so I could never have been your friend.” Boba Fett spat. I shook my head “You were once my friend and you..” I turned to Vader. “You were once my master. Obi Wan would be disappointed into how vile you have truly become.”
We stood about 6-7 feet apart from each other. I sighed. I hated to be the one to initiate the duel but this would be my best chance of surviving. “Only one of us will walk away from this confrontation.” I announced “And I intend it to be me.” I said glaring at Vader and Boba Fett.
With that I ignited my lightsaber, the blue blade hissing to life. The red blade hissed to life and I heard the EE-3 blaster fire a shot….
To be continued in the Sequel As Dark as Night…