//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4: 
// Story: Star Wars: Knights of the Celestial Republic 
// by VinylScratch1382 
//------------------------------//

Final barely slept that night. The nightmares started right off the bat. At first they were off the events on Nar Shadaa. She kept seeing the battle with the two stallions when she hesitated. The difference in the dream was that she died horrible deaths every time. Archangel never saved her and she always failed. Then she was forced to relive the battle with the sith. Every time she never helped Archangel and they both always died. All the time during her dreams she could never wake up. She tried and tried again but the nightmares continued as they had.

The worst of the nightmares she experienced, was a deep menacing voice that rang through her head and seemed to come from everywhere. The voice ranted on and on about her weakness and how she should be dead. The worst part of it was Final had started to believe every word the voice had said. Its told her of the riches of power she could have if she helped him. In her heart she knew it was a bad idea the wrong choice that bad thing would happen is she helped this voice in any way. Her mind however thought very differently, why not help this voice it speaks sense and is offering to help her. It took all her will to say no to the disembodied voice. As she made her decision the voice called out about war and how every weak being shall die.

The nighmares were finally broken when Archangel shook her awake. Archangel had the same look as if it had been a very long night for her too.Two armored mares escorted them to the armory. They gave Archangel her weapons back along with her armor. Surprisingly they gave Final her gear back two, They must think they can stop a little pony if I tried anything, Final thought to her self. Truth was she was still young. She was technically underage on many planets and she was rather small for her age too. Any of the Maredalorian warriors could squash her with a single hoof. Only the Maredalorian snipers such as Archangel were anywhere near her height. More surprisingly they gave her back the lightsaber that she had acquired on Nar Shadaa.
They walked silently until they were within eyesight of the small clearing the battle would be taking place in.

“If I die, run, just simply run get as far away as you can. If its possible try to get your ship and leave don’t even think about saving me, You hear me?” Archangel said under her breathe. Final nodded her head to acknowledge her. When they came into the clearing they where already surrounded by warriors all thirsting for a bloody battle. They took Archangel to the center of the ring and lead Final to a sectioned off area for her and Kex’s high ranking officers.

Kex came out into the clearing with her bloodstained armor on and with a massive vibrosword in a sheathe on her side. She wore no helmet,as did Archangel for she gave Final her helmet when they left the armory. She stood opposite Archangel at the center of the clearing. The mare next to Final pounded her hoof on the stone. Both the mares drew their vibroswords and bowed to each other. They each backed up slowly wanted to get as much power on their first strike as possible. Kex was fast and started  her charge first blade raised to to strike down on Archangel’s neck. Archangel was faster raising her blade to parry to oncoming overhead cut Kex was planing on using at the last second. The speed on Archangels parry and her own weight behind the charge sent her off balance sprawling forward. Kex recovered quickly and raised her blade for another charge.
The quartermaster who stood next to Final during the battle tensed with every clash of the vibroswords. The Mare was obviously used to being in the thick off battle and running through enemies like all Maredalorians do. Archangel with each clash seemed to gain more of an edge over Kex. Being one of the snipers for the Maredalorians no one suspected Archangel to be a good swordsman let alone hold her own against the battlemaster Kex. The battle waged on for the better part of an hour with Kex using just about every sword swipe she knew trying to cut down Archangel. Fear started to creep into the mind of Kex, as she realized her muscles were slowly wearing away and fatigue replaced her strength. 

After a powerful desperate charge Archangel made her finishing move, A side cut scraping along side Kex’s body, seemingly perfectly tracing the scar that previously ran across it. Kex doubled over in pain as the wound tore through her side. She was sent spraling into the grass her blood staining the ground beside her.

Final watched with glued eyes as Archangel crippled Kex. Archangel walked over to the prone body of the Maredalorian battlemaster. She raised her blade up directly over the head of Kex. Final realised that the quartermaster had her side and had advanced on Archangel quickly. The warning cry reached Final seconds to late. The quartermaster broke into a gallop yards away from Archangel. The quartermaster drew her sword feet away and drove it into Archangel’s side.

Final’s side burned painfully in the same spot as the sword wound on Archangel. As realization dawned on the both of them the pain flared into a blinding fire. Archangel crumpled to the ground bleeding heavily. Her words echoed in Final’s head. Run! Final however through all those thoughts away. Archangel was the only thing she had in this world and she was not going to loose her. She ran forward to Archangel’s body. The quartermaster had already helped Kex up and the both saw Final running.

“End that filly, will you?” Kex ordered the quartermaster. Final was now feet away so she brought her blade up and rammed the hilt into Final’s temple. The hit knocked her out and she crumpled next to Archangel’s body. 

Final awoke with her head screaming as a loud ringing in her ears. She looked around the clearing, all the Maredalorians left once the fight was won. The slight movement of her head sent waves of nausea at her. She closed her eyes willing the planet to not spin violently. She opened her eyes to the sight of heavy blood stains. The nausea restored worse then before she willed her self to look up at Archangel. Her body lay there, the quartermaster’s sword still in her side. Final’s heart crushed as she realized her only friend was dead. Then she moved. Not a large movement but she had moved. Archangel was still breathing. 

Final moved over to her body. The sword was deep inside her. Most likely causing irreparable damage to her organs. Final decided to remove it and try to kill the wound. She grabbed the hilt with her teeth and pulled. the sharp blade exited nearly as clean as it entered. Final discarded the sword and stared at the wound. It was bad to say the least. the cut was extremely deep and rather wide. Final felt a sense of hopelessness as she realized there was nothing she could do. She continued staring at the wound willing it to heal wishing she could do more than this to help her friend. Then it happened. At first slowly but then gradually it got better. The wound started to stop bleeding then altogether it stopped. Final at first toke this as Archangel bled out and it was over, but then Archangel shuddered in pain restoring Final’s hope. She continued looking at the wound willing it to heal and gradually it did. However, once the bleeding had stopped she willed it to start closing and healing but she felt it gradually drain her strength as the wound healed. She pushed through trying to get the wound to fully heal over. By the time it returned to a scar and  it eventually nearly disappeared Final passed out exhausted and drained.