Leonardo Stovachi

Long ago he had learned to control his breathing. Even as he ran for miles, his breathing was steady, controlled, sure. During his training in the Force, Leo had learned even more about how to control his body. Through the Force he could regulate his heart, his muscles, and even the flow of blood through his veins. Through the Force he had become an incredibly warrior. With the aid of the Force, he had even taken the life of his own father. The Force had rescued him from the life of a Corellian noble. While he had enjoyed the life growing up, he had become increasingly frustrated by the meaningless of it. He had enjoyed true freedom andbeen given everything. But he had seen how those not of his lineage lived. They suffered every single day, searching for the least amount of shelter, hunting for the most basic of foods. So he had left. And he joined the Jedi. On the ice planet of Hoth he had met Master Stellar. His training began slowly, but the life of a Jedi was not to be his. He was taken by the Sith, trained by the Sith Lord Darth Pyre. And during his training, he had murdered his own father. And then he left the Sith. He tried to have a life with his family. But even that was denied to him. It seemed the Force was no more fair than his father. Never deeming him good enough. And now it had abandoned him. Since his capture and imprisonment on Myrkr, he had not felt the Forces comforting touch once. He was utterly alone. The leaves crunched beneath his feet as he slipped through the trees. The black boots he wore were not designed to be stealthy, but over the years, he had learned where to put the pressure to create the least sound. A stolen Imperial body glove covered the rest of him. Several pieces of various armor were attached to the body glove, protecting him from the elements and from the numerous natural dangers that lurked on Myrkr. The only thing he did not wear was a helmet. In the jungle it would only stifle his vision. Without a complete set of armor, there was no chance of piecing together a coolant system so a helmet would add an intensity to the heat he would already feel during combat. The vornsker skin coat he wore over his armor, was the only luxury he had afforded himself on this dangerous planet. The former Sith crouched to his knees as he watched the newest batch of Stormies march off into the jungle, just eager for the chance to hunt the native that had been planted here for them to kill. But just like all the others, they would definitely be surprised. The Imperial pilot had just finished checking the pre-flight data when he felt something behind him. He knew there could be no one there, but yet he felt it all the same. Just as he turned his head, he saw the gray metal of a sword slicing through the air before he saw nothing else. The group of four Stormtroopers made their silently through the forest. At least they believed they were silent. To someone who had spent three years on Myrkr, knew their foreign sounds like he would know the sound of an approaching TIE fighter. As he crouched on the branch of a large tree, watched as they slowly moved beneath him. Most men would allow themselves a small smile when they knew something would be so easy. But Leo did not. Just because he knew this would be easy, did not mean he enjoyed it. He hated these men for making him kil. He only killed when he had to and they were forcing this upon him. This decision was made by men who would never hunt him themselves. They would only sent younger, better men to hunt him and die. He held more respect for the men he was about to kill, than those who captured him. Sending a single crimson blast from his pistol, he watched as the first soldier dropped to his knees, smoke pouring from the hole in his chest. Before the man had fallen dead, Leo was among them, the sword on his back freed from its sheath and already arcing toward the second soldier. Throwing his right foot backwards he felt it come in contact with the breastplate of the third soldier. As he felt the blade bury itself in white armor, he felt a spurt of hot blood strike his face. Allowing his blade to continue its path, he swung it behind him, slicing through the E-11 pointed at his chest. He watched the weapon spark and brought it blade through a horizontal strike. His emerald eyes followed the flying helmet and wondered if the soldiers head still inside. Quickly turning to face the last trooper, he realized he was looking straight down the barrel of an E-11. His eyes narrowed. He knew the trooper was preparing to kill him. He knew beneath that anonymous helmet, the soldier was breathing hard, still somewhat shocked from the suddenness of the attack. Stovachi knew he would only have a fraction of a second to act before the trigger was pulled. Throwing himself to the side, and diving forward, Leo tossed his sword at the soldier, not with deadly intent, but just to distract him. Leo knew from experience that the soldier would be distracted for a single second but it was enough. Thrusting his hand forward, he gripped the barrel of the rifle and tugged forward. As he pulled the Stormie off balance, he slipped his leg between the soldiers and allowed him to fall to the ground. Throwing the E-11 into the jungle, Leo straddled the Stormie and wrapped his arms around the soldiers neck. Quickly jerking to the left, he heard a sharp snap and he knew his fight was over. Taking a look around, Leo watched as several vornskers began making their way towards the scene. He knew what they wanted, and he would allow them to have it. Lowering his head, but not his eyes, the former Jedi backed away from the scene, slowly grabbing his sword as he went. The last thing he saw before disappearing into the jungle was a vornsker tearing into the open neck of the decapitated soldier. Boarding the small shuttle, Leonardo Stovachi sat down at the controls and tried to remember how to fly. It had been three years since had seen the inside of a shuttle, let alone been able to fly one. Deciding he would rather switch to auto-pilot, the man, finally a free man, made his way into space.

As his friend vanished into shadows, Leo smiled and shook his head. He could remember a time when that trick used to amaze him. Some of things Dagon was able to do in the Force still amazed him. But for some reason, Leo felt like he should be joining his friend in the trip through the shadow. As if he himself could walk through the darkness like his oldest friend. Taking off into the depths of the base, Leo entered a small room and laid down on a soft bed. Closing his eyes, he allowed sleep to overtake him.

"The Arach'tar. I thought they left this galaxy years ago." Leo had heard of the Arach'tar. they were people who had long ago abandoned organic flesh and bodies in favor of the life of a droid. They were more machines than men. Twisted by the electronic devices in their body until they were literally a war machine. It seemed to him that there was no reason behind their slaughtering. They simply killed to be kill. Even during the height of its madness, the Empire had a reason behind its insanity. Several star systems have been wiped out since their original strike in the Corellian star system. Corellia. His home. Where his parents lived. Where everything about his childhood was. the Arach'tar had chosen that system to strike at first. Why? using his Imperial training, he put aside his personal feelings and focused on the larger picture. The galaxy needed soldiers, needed warriors who could fight these monsters of metal and energy. And he just happened to be one such soldier, one such warrior. "So what is the plan old friend? Are we going to use our newfound freedom to destroy them?" As the words left his lips, he felt a small twitch before pain exploded in his mind. His blood was boiling and his skin felt like it was melting off his bones. His eyes bulged and his fingers curled. Reaching towards Dagon for help, he felt a slight connection between his own mind and the Sith Lords only to bring more blinding pain into his body. "What is happening to me?"

As the world came back into focus, Leo shook his head to clear out the effects of what the man had done. As he turned his gaze forward he saw no longer the face of a man who had abducted him. It was no longer a stranger who presented mysteries to a man who knew nothing about his past. It was the face of his oldest friend. A man he had known since his earliest days as a stormtrooper. A man who helped him advance quickly through the ranks, eventually becoming the captain of a Star Destroyer. A man who had practically helped him raise his children when his wife passed. And now here he was, having restored Leo's memory, he was his only friend. ”œHow are you old friend?”

Without warning, pain erupted from within his body. Once again his muscles spasmed and his voice echoed from within the tank. The healing liquid splashed over the side as he thrashed in the bacta. Every muscles in his body was on fire. The doctors rushed to the charts and computers surrounding the tank to find the problem. Only there was none. There was no medical problem with him. It was deeper. Something deep inside was causing him pain beyond belief. Turning his focus inward, he watched as a darkness grew within him. The pain he felt in his flesh building its strength, in a way shielding it and him from any harm. Within moments the pain had once again dulled, although its remnants were still their, causing his fingers to twitch, and his face to grimace. "You can get out of the bacta now." Climbing from the tank, he felt a chill envelope him and his mind immediately returned to Hoth. He thought had had escaped from the cold, but apparently this planet was cold as well. Taking several tentative steps forward, he felt a blanket wrap around him, warming him instantly. An thanks was whispered from his lips as he was guided to a large room. "You can rest here. Dagon will see you soon." Within moments, his eyes had closed and darkness over took him.

Captain.....Old friend.... Had he worked with this man in the past? Had they been friends before he slipped into darkness? Had he been a soldier in some military? One would think he would remember such things: combat, death, blood soaked battlefields, weapons, orders, soldiers. These were things people did not forget. Reaching deep into his mind, he tried to remember anything that would tell him he was a soldier. But the only thing he could remember was the darkness of nothing and the white power that covered the planet of Hoth. Looking down through the fluid filled tank, he watched as the man spoke to the others. He seemed to have a connection to all of them. But his connection to the the amnesiac was the only one that seemed mysterious.

What do you remember? These were the words the monster screamed as it chased him through the darkness. He did not know what it looked like for he was too afraid to turn and look. He knew the monster behind him represented everything that was evil in the universe. It was what took his memory. It is what caused him pain. And he knew it was all the evil that was inside him. It was everything he felt sworn to destroy. But he was afraid. Afraid that he could not stop it. Afraid to face the evil behind. And the evil within him. As his his mind ran from a monster, his body still reacted to the pain coursing through it. His back arched, his fingers spasmed, his toes curled. His eyes fluttered with attempts at revival, but he was nothing but a shell. His mind tormented by the very evil attempting to destroy his soul. As he ran, he spotted a light in the darkness. An orb hovered above the ground, beckoning him towards it. Within the orb he could see people, places, things he could not imagine, and then he saw it. He saw himself holding a blade of light. He was holding the weapon of a Jedi: a lightsaber. Turning towards the orb, he sprinted towards it. He could feel the monster mere inches from his back. But he spurred forward. He knew this orb held his memories and would bring back his whole life. If he could reach that orb, he would become who he once was. When he was within mere feet of the light, he leapt. He flew through the air, and he stretched out his arms. I remember........ At the last second, a wall materialized around the orb. Smashing into the steel, the soul fell to the ground in a heap. His hopes dashed at regaining himself. Turning his eyes to the monster, he watched as its jaws enclosed him. His eyes opened within the tank as a single word slipped through his lips. A single word that answered the question from the monster. A single word that told what he was, and showed how utterly broken he was. "Nothing."

The snow bit into his skin as he slowly made his way across the frozen ocean. The sun had fallen from the sky and night had settled upon the vastness like like a veil. The temperatures had plunged to far below freezing and snow that had once softly fallen to the ground had become dangerous ice storms capable of shredding skin within moments. Only creatures with this enough fur(and the sense to stay indoors) could survive for long in these conditions. But he dredged on. Blood flowed freely from cuts on his arms and feet. His lips had long since frozen together and icicles hung from his hair. Frost covered his face and skin. In appearance, he was a sickly snowman. But inside, pain spurred him forward. Each cut on his arm, merely a marker of pain that had existed within before the red slash had appeared. The freezing of his lips doing nothing but keeping him from making his pain known to all the the few creatures that scurried about. The damage done to his exterior was nothing compared to the pain that continued to rage within his mind. Each step brought forth more pain. It was a pain designed to destroy a mans spirit, leave him broken yet alive. A lesser man would truly have died given up amongst the frozen wasteland, allowed the pain to destroy him. But he pushed forward. He had been brought here for a reason. No pain, no harm, no weather would deter him from discovering that reason. Moments before he saw them, he felt them. Two travelers in the wasteland, making their way towards him. He could feel their strength. One seemed to radiate a arrogance, cockiness even, yet his strength paled in comparison to the other. While her mind seemed fragmented, her presence was a beacon. It called to him, beckoning him towards her. And for some reason he knew her. No name came to mind, no place of their contact, nothing of their past. But he knew her.

How can I focus in this cold. Reaching out with a shivering hand, the nearly frozen soul began to inch its way from the snow. Although his body screamed for a release from the pain, he knew it was the pain keeping him alive at the moment. Each movement across the ice scraped against his naked skin. Each inch moved tore his atrophied muscles to shreds. But he kept moving. His fingers began to bleed as he pushed himself further. His lips cracked and bled from the cold. The snow behind him began to flow with red. But the worst pain was in his mind. He felt like his mind would explode with each thought that entered his consciousness. But with each pain that came, he felt something growing inside him. Something that gave him the strength to push through the pain. Something that allowed to keep pushing his body past the limits of pain. Deciding to touch the strength inside him, the man felt an explosion of power and anger. Boiling anger erupted through his body, sending daggers of pain throughout his body. Allowing a roar to escape him, the young man rose to his knees, and clutched at his stomach. The pain was more intense than anything he had felt. But with that pain came the strength to resist it. It seemed as if the more pain he felt, the stronger he became. Confused as to how that could be, the young man rose to his feet and continued his walk.

Who is Leo? The name meant nothing to him. It could have been his name just as easily it could be some stranger across the galaxy. While to some a name meant everything, to him a name was nothing. For he was nothing. He was but an existence. He only existed to exist. His life held no purpose. 'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH" Pain raced through his mind and soon took control of his body. His limbs spasmed as his nerves felt more pain course through them. Pain was the only thing he felt, the only constant, the only truth. His skin scraped against the frozen tundra as snow continuously fell against him, burying him in its depth. As pain ruled him, he felt something growing within him, a strength connected to his will. Touching the voice in his mind one more time, he used that will to speak again. HELP ME!

[Hello! Can you hear me?] The word erupted through his brain and pain raced through him. His back arched and his hands clutched at his temples. His muscles cracked as he used his body for the first time. Every nerve in his body screamed as the cold once again inflicted its damage upon him. Opening his eyes he watched as two powerful sets of legs carried tauntans swiftly across the snow. Concentrating on the voice in his head, he wondered who could be speaking to him. Who are you?

Who am I? Only you can determine that. You can be who you were. Or you can be born anew. A flash of white light spread across the eyes of the young man. Within moments, he watched as darkness emerged from the center of the light. It seemed as if the two forces were fighting for who got to control him. The light wished to send him back clear and brand new. To begin a new life. To once again choose his own path. The darkness wished for him to return to his past. To continue along the path previously chosen. But who would win. Ice. Snow. Freezing. Those were the only things he recognized around him. He knew things about the galaxy. He knew galactic politics. Knew about the Jedi, the Sith, and their never ending war. He knew where he was. He knew everything there was to know. But he had no clue who he was. Nothing about his past lingered in his mind. ”œWho am I?

"To be truthful, I am not quite sure. We can go wherever you wish. To the dining hall, to the training centers,......to the bedrooms." As the last words slid from his lips, he darted his eyes to her face, hoping to read some form of expression. As mental illusions had been his speciality, he decided to treat her to a little gift. As they continued to walk, Roiju began to create a mental picture within her mind, something only she could see, and something that would be almost as real to her as true passion. Within her mind, she watched as Leo stood before her stroking her arms and leaning down to kiss her lips. As his fingers reached the end of her hands, he slid them around her waist, pulling her closer to him. His lips moved from hers to her jawbone and kissed around her jaw, eventually leading to her neck.

"I thought I would be harder to convince as well. But recently I have been seeing things much clearly. I have a stronger connection to the Force than I Ever have. Perhaps that is what has allowed me to truly know your intentions." Lowering her hand from his cheek, he entwined his fingers with hers, rubbing his thumb across the back of her hand. Tossing his shirt across his shoulder, he used the Force to slide the door open to hallway and made his way outside. As they walked a smile graced his lips as he thought about his current task. It was already progressing much faster than he thought. Now he just needed to convince her of that his new foundation of power would bring them closer than ever.

"I should have known better. I should have known that. I am sorry for all of this." As she placed her hand upon his cheek he grasped her hand in his and sighed. Once again, he felt the electric shock that touching her always brought. But something was wrong. How could he still be feeling things for her? She had left him for another man. She had crushed his heart with a few simple words, turned his world from the brightest sun into the darkest moon. She had betrayed every vow they had made to each other, leaving him with no option but to flee to the Unknown Region, living out a meaningless existence filled with alcohol and poverty. That was until he had rediscovered his abilities. And now he was here, her hand pressed against his face and his covering it. As he allowed the moment to sink it, he felt the presence of Alora within the Temple. But he felt someone else with her. Someone strong in the Force, powerful. In the blink of an eye, he knew what he had to do. He had to prove to her he was the true apprentice she deserved. He had to complete his trials. Leaning in towards Mara, he pressed his lips gently to hers and pulling her body closer to his. He allowed all the emotions of the past to come rushing back through him, engulfing them both in the love they had once shared for one another. Before children entered their lives, before war erupted around them, before she was taken from him.[/i]