Photo Novel Empire

Previously, on Dead Among the Living...

"I am the Hunter."

"The pests seem to grow more vibrant in numbers!"

"I think it's time we separated. I'm not fit to lead you. Not yet."

"The Dark Side is vibrant here. I feel...evil; tainted. I do not know if I am still part of the Light."

"We're gonna miss you, Zen."

"Do you have any idea what you re up against?"

"Of course not. But you don't either!"

"You show great promise."

"We don't have time to knock," Spar Tan-Du growled, "get in before the herd sees us!"

The fowl stench flowing in the air felt like walking and breathing in a fog.

"I'd give anything to walk into a room that didn't smell." Hanily Eman grumbled.

"I'd give anything to at least stay in a room." Spar countered.

There was no luxury in a world violated with blood.

There is no hospitality in a land where the living do not live.

There is simply: nothing.

"Let's move towards the back of the building." Spar offered.

"This looks like it was home to several Republic assets," Hanily observed, "the clone armor...the Naboo flight gear..." Spar noticed the Senate Guard robes hung over the railing of what used to be an office area.

"It used to be." the Jedi replied, "Not any longer."

Stepping into the room farthest from the front door, the three survivors scan the area. As always there was only destruction and death.

Piles of mutilated bodies, crumbled entanglements of debris, and pools of blood had become an everyday sight.

Sitting down beside the steps, Hanily forces the dirty air down her lungs.

Spar gazed numbly into the void.

The smell so strong that he could taste the blood in his mouth.

The sight so horrendous that emotion was beyond the point of expression.

"H1," Spar gasped, "Scan the facility of any cold signatures."

After a few moments, the astromech droid buzzed in response.

"It's been a while since we've been the only three without any...disturbances." Hanily stated.

"It has been too long. I miss the Republic." Spar grumbled.

"I miss living." Hanily countered.

"I sense a presence," Spar gasped suddenly, "We have to go."

Stepping back outside, the horde that had followed them had roved past their temporary shelter.

Save a straggler.

"I got it."

"Do you ever think," Hanly mused, "that eventually they'll all get killed? Down to the last rover, I mean."

"...No." Spar simply responded.

Frantically buzzing, H1-C4 communicates artificial and biological lifeforms headed there way.

"Maybe they're friendly?" Hanily offered,

"We don't know for sure..." Spar replied,

"Then this storage house will be enough to hide us." Hanily pointed.

Climbing on top of the house, the trio scramble for safety.

"H1, you too!" Spar ordered,

Propelling himself to the top, the droid joined the other two to safety.

For several minutes there was nothing but silence, save the few whirring of the gears inside the astromech droid accompanying the two.

Then they arrived.

"The signal came from this location. Trespassing on Confederacy territory will result in immediate termination." The outdated Aqua Droid reminded his team.

"Don't...breathe." Hanily murmured.

His steps boomed.

His armor clinked like durasteal against an ion canon.

"Hunter, we were uninformed that you're presence was-"

"My presence requires no notification, droid." the Hunter growled, "I have jurisdiction in all the hells of the galaxy."

""There is a Jedi here. I can feel it's presence..."

"...You will accompany my search for him..."

"...and you will aid me in his capture."

"As you wish my-"

Leaping into the middle of group, Spar takes out the leading droid...

...It's damaged, yet articulated head clanging against the ground!

"It's the Jedi! Blast-"

Before the droid could finish its sentence, it is blasted to the ground in a fiery shower of sparks.

Hanily's grip on the blaster tightens and her heart pumps violently inside her chest. Her mind struggles to grasp exactly what is happening.

However, Spar's mind is emptied and bathing in the Force. Spar is no longer in control of what he does. Only the Light Side commands him.

Soon there are no threats...

...save one.

"You are special, Jedi..." the Hunter gathered,

"I will give you one chance to surrender yourself..."

"...Or you will force me to-"

The threat is interrupted by a laser blast to the Hunter's chest!

Hanily Eman doesn't stop there as she continues to send charges down on the enemy.

The Hunter staggers back as he a plasma charge tears through the visor and into his skull...

Hanily pulls the trigger one last time...

Riddling the opponent in several blaster shots.

There lies The Hunter in a heap of broiling flesh.

Hanily could only stand and stare. He was the first living person she had ever killed.

The way he sprawled to the ground as Hanily shot him over and over and over again will continue to haunt her nights for years to come.

"We have to go, Hanily," the Jedi Knight hasted, "we don't know if more will come."

Silently, she climbs down the storage unit and follows her friend.

"Where do you think you're going, Jedi?" said a voice behind her,

"Come on, girl," the Hunter smiled beneath the mask,

"You really think a few lethal blows from a blaster can kill the Hunter?"

"How is that possible?" Hanily growled as she raised her blaster again...

Only to suddenly end up in his hands!

"I'm not here for you, girl..."

Flying through the air, Hanily disappears into the a thick brush along the side of an old facility.

Landing hard on her back, Hanily is still trying to recollect what was happening.

"Enough, Force-User!" Spar roared as he attacked his opponent brandishing his light saber.

Retrieving his vibro-staves via the Force, the Hunter responds in defense to the Jedi's furious advancement!

"You truly are powerful. I can see. I can see everything!" the Hunter mused,

"I understand your rage. You must have had such a rough time during the beginning of the Clone War, considering your mixed Human and Geonosian heritage."

Suddenly thrown off guard, Spar stands back in shock.

"How can you know this?"

"The Dark Side introduces abilities beyond fathom, you should try it sometime!"

Ramming the two staves directly into the Jedi's chest, the Hunter grins victoriously.

"Upon reaching the Battle of Geonosis, you had to choose, didn't you?"

"Fight alongside your friends and kill your brothers in the name of the Republic..."

"Or defend your people, and betray your fellow Jedi. But you didn't pick either of those choices didn't you?"

"How can...you know?" Spar whispered silently,

"That's right. You ran didn't you." the Hunter jabbed.

"Silence!" the Jedi bellowed in a hateful explosion of the Force!

Through the brush could Hanily only watch.

None of what it is happening makes any since. Who was this person? What did he want?

Hanily's thoughts are suddenly interrupted as a pest comes up behind her!

She struggles to keep the specimen off of her, bracing her hand against its slippery throat.

"Spar! Help me!"

The strength of the pest was surprising. Hanily was slowly giving under the power...

Just then, Spar's light saber blade burst through the pests' skull.

Slowly pulling herself to her feat, Hanily gags excessively.

"I have to stop him." Spar tells his friend.

"No you don't. You've beaten him. We can escape while there is still time!" Hanily argues,

"I sense that there is more to this "hunter" than meets the eye. He is connected to all of this somehow...I can sense it."

"What do you mean connected? To the dead?!" Hanily questioned, "You think he's the one behind all of this?"

"I'm not sure. But I do know is that you can't stay here. Go, take H1-C4 with you and get out of here..." Spar replied,

"I will see you soon, Hanily. I promise."

Spar followed his senses to the location of the Hunter. In some form or fashion, the Jedi Knight felt he was following his destiny, that this clash between two opponents might reveal the secret behind this entire epidemic.

But the sheer power of this being was extraordinary. Somehow, he knew of Spar's dark past. How can one be so powerful in the Force that he see the past of a complete stranger? It made Spar...curious.

Spar came to the source. There he stood.

Blue...

...versus red.

The two combatants collide in an epic clash of destiny!

Both of their attacks are swift and lethal, yet also managing to defend the wielder from the opponent's attacks.

Suddenly, Spar finds himself on the ground. The Hunter raises his weapon for the kill...

However, his attempt on the Jedi Knight's life is postponed as a pest comes dangerously close to the Hunter.

"Don't you see I'm busy?" the Hunter exclaims as he takes down the corpse.

Attempting to seize an opportunity, Spar prepares to leap in for the kill...

But yet another pest interrupts the fight and stumbles toward the Jedi!

But one lonely pest is no threat.

Yet meanwhile, more and more pests, obviously attracted to the noise of the duel, start pouring into the back alley.

Coming in from all angles, the pests shuffle their way towards the two combatants, not giving a care whose side they are on.

Struggling to find a strategic foot hold, Spar fights off the pests coming his way, yet also being aware of the Hunter's movements.

Yes, Spar could escape, and chance on the idea of the Hunter falling against the might of the dead, yet the Hunter's mysterious healing factor and skills as a survivor could prove to being his advantage in staying alive.

As Spar can notice, the Hunter hasn't left his spot since the fight between the two had begun. Spar admits to himself that the Hunter is far greater of a fighter than himself.

But the Jedi can't allow the Hunter to live. Not without telling him all that he knew. The Hunter knew things, that was for sure. He was connected to all of this somehow.