Stellan shouted out a warning, but the Tholothian struck, burying her saber up to its hilt in Elzar’s chest.

“No,” Stellan yelled, calling on the Force to pull the woman away from him. She flew across the room, slamming into the wall, her lightsaber spinning from her fingers. Bell raced to Elzar who had his hand to his chest, but when the Padawan pulled it away there was no hole through Elzar’s heart, only bloodstains where the woman’s spiked hilt had punctured his skin.

“What?” Stellan breathed, keeping the Tholothian pressed against the wall.

“Look to your own lightsaber,” the Kuranu said, ridiculously animated considering the situation. “Light it.”

Stellan drew his lightsaber up to his hand and thumbed the activator. The emitter spat, but no blade extended from the hilt, the quillons remaining locked. None of this made any sense.

“Padawan?” Stellan asked, and Bell tried to light his own saber only to have the same result, or lack of it. Elzar’s was the same, all three weapons incapacitated.

“It’s the machine,” the Tholothian hissed. “It extinguished our blades before I struck the killing blow.”

“And you knew that would happen?” Elzar asked, pushing himself up.

“No,” the woman scoffed, and Elzar took a step forward before stopping himself.


Star Wars The High Republic The Rising Storm Chapter 25