We step through the door into another memory, the air suddenly warm and close around us, a stark contrast to the frigid winds of Ilum. My first instinct is to orient myself, to figure out where we are now. The space is dim, cramped, with barely enough room for the three of us to stand without pressing against each other. I glance around—a small bed tucked against the wall, a tiny window overlooking the vastness of space, and in the corner, a narrow worktable cluttered with parts and tools. I furrow my brow. The environment feels strangely familiar, though I can''t place it at first.


    I feel Nikko shift beside me, clutching my arm tightly as her gaze sweeps the room. Llamiryl is already scanning the surroundings, and I watch as a flicker of realization crosses her face. "We''re back aboard the Right Hand," she whispers softly, her eyes narrowing as she focuses on the details. I feel a shiver run through me—not from the cold, but from the weight of where we are. This ship... this place holds such darkness for Ryu.


    My eyes fall to the figure seated at the worktable. It''s Ryu, hunched over, his entire body tense as he works. His back is to us, but I can see the strain in his movements, the way he''s focused so intently on the object in front of him. It''s clear he''s creating something, building it with the utmost care. Tools are spread out across the table, and sparks fly occasionally as he welds pieces together.


    Sparks light up his face for brief moments, highlighting the beads of sweat clinging to his brow. His fingers work with precision, even as they tremble slightly from exhaustion. I realize with a start that I''m holding my breath, captivated by the intensity of his focus. He wipes his forehead with the back of his hand, his movements slow but deliberate.


    Ryu is building something—something important, something powerful. And whatever it is, it''s taking everything he has to complete it.


    The room is so small that I can''t move without bumping into Llamiryl or Nikko, but I''m too absorbed in watching Ryu work to care. He''s using the tools on the table to shape a metallic object, each piece fitting together with delicate precision. It''s a hilt, long and sleek, with intricate designs etched into the metal. The shape is unfamiliar to me, though it vaguely reminds me of the hilt of a blade. I watch as he adjusts tiny parts, tightening screws and securing pieces with near mechanical efficiency.


    The atmosphere in the room is thick with tension and concentration. I glance at Nikko, who''s staring wide-eyed at her father, clearly in awe of what he''s doing. There''s an intensity in the air, a quiet reverence for the moment as Ryu continues to piece the hilt together, bit by bit.


    Finally, after what feels like an eternity, Ryu pauses, his breath shaky but steady. The hilt in his hands is complete. It''s beautiful, sleek, and elegant, with the weight of something far more powerful than a simple weapon. The metal gleams faintly in the dim light, and the craftsmanship is exquisite, unlike anything I''ve ever seen.


    A small compartment on the hilt slides open with a soft click, revealing a space perfectly shaped for the kyber crystal. Ryu''s hand moves slowly as he retrieves the crystal from the table, holding it with careful prongs. My breath catches as I watch him place it inside the hilt, his hands shaking slightly from fatigue. The compartment closes with a final, satisfying snap, and for a long moment, Ryu just sits there, staring at the completed lightsaber in his hands.


    Then, with a soft exhale, he presses a button on the hilt.


    A brilliant yellow blade erupts from the hilt, flooding the room with radiant light. I gasp, as does Nikko, the golden hue casting warm reflections off the metallic surfaces around us. The hum of the blade vibrates through the air, its sound steady and powerful. Ryu''s eyes widen slightly, a flicker of delight crossing his tired face. He holds the lightsaber up, twirling it slowly, and the blade cuts through the air with an effortless hum, leaving trails of light in its wake.


    As Ryu ignites the lightsaber, the yellow blade casting its brilliant glow throughout the room, I can feel a wave of emotion sweep over me. The hum of the blade is steady, powerful, and familiar. Nikko''s hand tightens around mine, and when I glance down at her, her wide eyes reflect the golden light of the saber. "Papa made it..." she whispers, awe and excitement in her voice.


    My heart races as I watch Ryu hold up the blade, its yellow light dancing along the cramped walls. I know this weapon. I''ve seen it before, in the heat of battle, when Ryu saved us from that terrible undead dragon in the depths of the dungeon. The memory flashes before my eyes—the blinding yellow light cutting through the dark, the surge of hope I felt as Ryu stepped in to protect us. He had wielded that very weapon with such skill, and now here it is, newly crafted in his hands.


    I swallow hard, the mix of emotions swelling within me. Relief. Pride. But also fear. This lightsaber, powerful as it is, has a darker history behind it—one tied to everything Ryu has endured.


    Nikko''s expression is nothing but pure wonder. She gazes at the blade like it''s something magical, something she''s seen before but never quite understood until now. "Papa''s so amazing," she murmurs softly, her voice almost reverent.


    But Llamiryl... her reaction is different. She stares at the glowing yellow blade, her eyes narrowing slightly, as though trying to comprehend what she''s witnessing. "What... what is that?" she asks, her voice low and cautious, as though the weapon itself is something foreign and dangerous. Her tone makes it clear—she''s never seen anything like this before.


    "A lightsaber," I whisper, my voice barely audible as I struggle to explain. "Ryu''s weapon."


    Llamiryl tilts her head, her gaze never leaving the blade. There''s a flicker of understanding in her eyes, but also a trace of wariness. "I''ve never seen anything like it. It feels... alive." Her words hang in the air, and I can see her trying to make sense of the weapon that has saved us all but carries so much more than she can possibly know.


    Ryu, now visibly exhausted, twirls the blade slowly, the yellow light spinning in arcs through the cramped space. The hum of the blade fills the room, the sound vibrating deep within me. But as I watch him, a flood of memories overwhelms me—the sight of that same glowing weapon slicing through the darkness, the relief that washed over me when he saved us, the way he stood between us and danger with nothing but that light to protect us.


    I feel my throat tighten, but I quickly shake the thought away. This is no time for reflection. This is Ryu''s moment, and he''s earned it.


    Llamiryl, her usual calm demeanor slightly shaken, steps forward, her voice soft but steady. "The Shadowfell isn''t here," she announces, pulling me from my thoughts. With a flick of her wrist, she summons another door, its glow bright and inviting against the small room''s darkness.


    I glance at Ryu one last time, watching as the yellow blade slowly deactivates, leaving only the quiet hum of the ship around us. His face is a mixture of triumph and exhaustion, and though he can''t see us, I feel an overwhelming sense of pride for him. For what he''s accomplished.


    We step toward the door, and I feel Nikko tug gently on my sleeve. I offer her a small smile, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. One last glance at Ryu, and we slip through the door, leaving the memory behind, but carrying the image of that glowing blade with us.


    ?????


    We are suddenly thrust into a chaotic, war-torn world. Towering trees loom over us, their thick trunks and sprawling branches creating a dense canopy that barely lets any sunlight through. The air is thick with the sharp, acrid smell of smoke, and the sounds of an intense battle surround us. Bright blue and red beams of light zip past, striking the trees and the ground with explosive force. Soldiers in various armors clash amidst the natural beauty of the forest, their movements frantic and deadly.


    In the distance, I spot soldiers in sleek white and red armor, their helmets gleaming under the dim light filtering through the branches. Their black-tinted visors give them a faceless, intimidating appearance. They carry strange, advanced-looking weapons that shoot beams of light with deadly precision. These soldiers are coordinated, efficient, moving with an unsettling precision that fills me with unease.


    Nikko clings to me, her eyes wide with fear. "Talia, what''s happening?" she asks, her small voice barely audible over the chaos.


    "I don''t know, Nikko," I whisper back, struggling to keep my voice steady despite the growing panic in my chest.


    Llamiryl stands beside us, watching the scene unfold. Her eyes narrow as she takes in the battle. "We''re on a world engulfed in conflict," she says, her voice strained, likely watching this horrible conflict. "Those soldiers... they''re fighting for control."


    I glance around and see more soldiers in black and red armor, similar to the ones we''ve seen before in Ryu''s memories. They fire back at the white-armored soldiers with equal ferocity. Amongst them are large, spider-like droids, their metallic limbs skittering unnervingly as they fire at the enemy.


    "This is madness," I murmur, my heart pounding. "Why are they fighting?"


    Llamiryl shakes her head, clearly unsettled. "I can''t access Ryu''s memories fully right now for some reason, but this... this is a war. A brutal, senseless war."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    We move cautiously through the battlefield, trying to avoid the chaos around us. Suddenly, I see figures wielding glowing blue and green blades, their movements graceful but deadly. Their weapons—lightsabers, I realize—cut through the soldiers effortlessly. Each swing is precise, every step calculated. But even these warriors fall. Their lifeless bodies scatter the ground like broken dolls.


    Nikko''s voice trembles as she watches them. "Those weapons... they''re like Papa''s."


    "They are," Llamiryl responds quietly, her eyes filled with awe.


    Amidst the chaos, I spot another figure—a dark, looming presence moving through the battlefield. This one is different. Clad in black robes, with a menacing mask obscuring their face, they wield a red lightsaber and cut down the warriors with brutal precision. Their movements are swift, almost too fast to follow, and my heart skips a beat.


    The battle rages on, and the ground is soaked with blood. Nikko buries her face against me, trembling. "Stay strong, Nikko," I whisper, stroking her hair. "This is just a memory. We''re safe."


    But even as I say it, I''m not sure I believe it.


    Then, without warning, a figure crashes down in front of us with a forceful impact. The shockwave from the landing sends nearby soldiers flying, their bodies tumbling like ragdolls. I stagger back, eyes widening in fear. The figure rises slowly, standing tall amidst the chaos.


    My heart hammers in my chest, uncertainty clawing at me as I try to process what—no, who—this figure is.


    The figure stands tall, draped in tattered, dark robes that billow slightly in the wind. A hood conceals most of his face, but what little I can see is enough to terrify me—an armored mask, sharp and angular, with golden markings etched into the dark metal. The red visor beneath the hood glows menacingly, casting an eerie light. No trace of humanity remains behind it.


    The figure exudes a cold, predatory aura, like death itself has taken form. His black, weathered armor is scarred from battle, but even with the wear, it''s menacing. A long, torn cloak drapes over his broad shoulders, the edges frayed and torn, telling tales of countless wars. His gauntleted hand flexes as it reaches down to the lightsaber hilt hanging from his belt, the sharp metal fingers reflecting the dim light. He moves with precision, like a predator stalking prey. And the battlefield feels it—every soldier knows something dark is about to unfold.


    For a moment, everything is still. Soldiers from both sides stand frozen, their weapons ready but their minds paralyzed by the sheer presence of this armored figure. It''s as if everyone is waiting for the first drop of blood, unsure which side this terrifying being will strike.


    "Who... who is that?" I mutter, my voice barely above a whisper. Fear clenches at my heart, making it hard to breathe.


    The figure ignites a yellow lightsaber, and I freeze. That lightsaber. My heart sinks as realization hits me.


    It''s Ryu.


    "Papa..." Nikko whispers, her voice trembling with confusion and fear.


    ?????


    For a moment, the entire forest holds its breath, as if waiting for Ryu to make his move. His armor—dark and imposing, with jagged edges and a visor that gleams menacingly—only adds to the terrifying image he presents.


    And then, Ryu moves. Faster than I can follow, he darts into the fray. His yellow blade slices through soldiers from both sides. His strikes are swift, precise, and merciless. Bodies fall in his wake, lifeless and cold. Each motion is calculated, and his face beneath the mask is unreadable.


    "Ryu, stop!" I shout, but my voice is lost in the chaos.


    He can''t hear me. He is trapped in this memory, swallowed by the darkness of his past. The Ryu I know—the one who stood by us, who cared for Nikko—seems to have disappeared, leaving behind only this merciless force of destruction.


    The warriors with the blue and green bladed lightsabers rush toward him. Ryu meets them head-on, his yellow lightsaber clashing with theirs in a brutal display of power. He counters their attacks effortlessly, his movements fluid but deadly. One by one, they fall, unable to withstand his overwhelming strength.


    A young woman falls next, her blue blade flickering as she clutches a deep wound on her chest. She looks up at Ryu, her face twisted in pain and confusion. "Please! Don''t!" she pleads, her voice filled with anguish.


    Ryu steps closer to her, his yellow lightsaber casting an eerie glow over her pale face. She tries to crawl away, pleading for her life, but Ryu raises his blade and, with a swift motion, ends her suffering. I gasp, my hand covering my mouth as the horror washes over me.


    "This isn''t the Ryu I know," I whisper, tears stinging my eyes. "He wouldn''t do this..."


    Llamiryl''s voice trembles as she speaks. "This is a dark chapter of his past. But remember... it''s just his past."


    Ryu continues, undeterred by the bodies piling up around him. He moves through the battlefield with ruthless precision, cutting down anyone who dares to challenge him. Soldiers from both sides fall before him, their screams echoing in my ears. The vibrant forest becomes a graveyard, littered with death and destruction.


    As we follow him, we find ourselves in a clearing. In the distance, a massive temple rises, its ancient stone walls weathered by time. Above the battlefield, strange flying machines engage in fierce combat with each other, their colorful beams streaking across the sky like falling stars.


    "This is... overwhelming," I mutter, my voice barely audible.


    My breath catches in my throat as I stare up and notice a massive silhouette hovering ominously above us. The colossal ship, dark and menacing, stretches across the sky, its underside a web of cold metal panels and enormous, glowing engines. The low hum of those engines vibrates through the ground beneath us. I recognize this ship—I''ve seen it before. The angular shape, the sharp edges—it belongs to the Sith Empire, a warship from Ryu''s past, a vessel that exudes nothing but destruction and power.


    Nikko''s grip tightens on my arm. "It''s so big..." she whispers, her voice trembling. She looks up at the behemoth, her small frame shivering with both fear and confusion. I can feel her uncertainty, and it mirrors my own.


    But as I lower my gaze from the dreadnought looming overhead, something else catches my eye in the distance. It''s another ship, far behind the temple, sleek and massive, but unlike the one above us. Its shape is different—more curved, smoother, as though it were designed with a completely different intent. The hull gleams with a metallic sheen, almost crescent-like, with large engines glowing faintly at the rear. There''s a certain elegance to it that feels completely alien compared to the brutal design of the Sith Empire ship. This new vessel—this warship—feels different. It inspires something other than fear.


    "What... is that?" I murmur, unable to tear my eyes away from the strange, crescent-shaped ship.


    "I''m not sure," Llamiryl says, her gaze fixed on the distant vessel. Her voice is calm but carries the weight of realization. "I think... it belongs to the Republic. The Republic and the Sith Empire—they were always at war."


    The words hit me hard, like a sudden wave of cold air. The two ships—the warship looming above us, and the crescent-shaped one in the distance—are locked in a conflict I can''t fully understand. But it''s clear they''re enemies. Titans, waiting for the moment to strike.


    And that moment comes all too quickly.


    A blinding beam of light erupts from the Sith Empire ship above us, cutting through the sky. I gasp as the fiery blast rockets towards the distant vessel, the ground shaking beneath our feet. The crescent-shaped ship retaliates, firing its own barrage of glowing projectiles back at the Sith warship, their power crashing into each other with devastating force.


    Before I can fully comprehend what''s happening, smaller ships—hundreds of them—swarm out from both warships. They dart through the air, twisting and weaving in intricate patterns, each one engaged in its own furious battle. They''re smaller than the massive vessels, but they''re fast—so fast that it''s hard to follow them as they zip past, leaving trails of light in their wake. Explosions burst across the sky as they collide or are shot down, the sounds of metal tearing apart and the distant hum of engines creating a deafening roar.


    Nikko presses closer to me, her small body trembling. "Talia... what''s happening? Why are they fighting?"


    I don''t have an answer. My heart pounds in my chest, my gaze darting between the flashing lights of the battle above. "I don''t know, Nikko... I don''t know."


    Llamiryl watches the chaos unfold with narrowed eyes. "This is war. They''re fighting for dominance... or perhaps, something more."


    Ryu glances up at the warships, deactivating his lightsaber before clipping it to his belt. Slowly, he raises his hands toward the sky. His dark hood obscures his face, but I can feel the intensity radiating from him.


    The larger warship begins to shudder, smoke billowing from its hull. My heart pounds as I realize what he''s doing. Ryu''s body trembles with the strain, but his focus is unyielding. With a powerful motion, he brings the warship crashing into the other with a deafening explosion. Shrapnel rains down as the ships collide, their massive forms tearing each other apart.


    The battlefield falls silent as everyone watches in stunned disbelief. The warships plummet to the ground in a fiery wreck, the impact sending shockwaves through the forest. The ground shakes, and I struggle to stay upright.


    "What... what did he just do?" I whisper, my mind racing to comprehend the magnitude of Ryu''s power.


    Nikko''s grip tightens around me, her eyes wide with terror. "Talia, what did Papa do?" she asks, her voice small and trembling. I''m unable to answer, starring at the chaos Ryu has created with disbelief.


    Llamiryl looks equally shaken. "I''ve never seen such power," she whispers, her voice filled with awe and fear. "This... this is beyond anything I could ever imagine."


    Ryu staggers, dropping to one knee, gasping for breath. For a moment, it looks like he might stop, but then he pushes himself back up, his determination unshaken. He steps forward, emerging from the settling dust, a dark figure standing amidst the chaos.


    For a moment, the battlefield is still, everyone watching him in awe and fear. But then, with a flick of his wrist, Ryu lifts several dropships into the air. They struggle against his power, but they are no match. He crushes some of them mid-air, the metal crumpling like paper, while others are thrown to the ground, exploding on impact.


    The destruction is unimaginable. Soldiers close to the blasts are killed instantly, their bodies torn apart. The rest scramble for cover, but Ryu doesn''t stop. His movements are deliberate, each action precise and devastating.


    Ryu deactivates his lightsaber and begins moving towards the ancient temple at the edge of the clearing. His steps are slow, measured, as if the weight of what he had done is finally settling on him. I glance over at Nikko and Llamiryl, both of them equally shaken.


    "This must be what Ryu has tried to bury," Llamiryl murmurs, her voice heavy as she watches the carnage unfold. My heart clenches painfully with each strike Ryu delivers, each life extinguished without hesitation. The man I know, the man I''ve come to care for, is nothing like this. But as I watch, I can''t help but think, maybe this is why he tries to do so much good now. Maybe it''s his way of atoning for all the terrible things he''s done. The thought makes my chest tighten, and I wonder if anyone could ever truly escape such a past.


    Nikko clings to me, her voice trembling. "Papa''s not like this. He''s good. He would never hurt people like this." Her words pull at my heartstrings, and I stroke her hair gently, though my own feelings are a whirlwind of doubt and fear.


    I take a deep breath, looking at Llamiryl. "What matters now is that he''s been trying to change, to fight this part of himself. We''ve seen it in everything he''s done with us. That''s who he is now, not this." My voice is firm, but my heart still aches. I need to believe those words, and so does Nikko. She nods, agreeing, though her eyes remain wide with fear.


    Llamiryl glances at me, her expression softening, and she places a hand on my shoulder. "That''s right," she says quietly. "What we''re seeing is his past, remember that."