2549, Battle of the Temple (VI)
The instant Sariss was killed by Darth Sidious, Blackhole, who was fighting the mutated Hydra, suddenly froze. In that brief moment, Hydra pounced with bared fangs and claws, raking Blackhole's shadowy chest with one savage swipe and tearing the phantom in two!
Blackhole's shadow re-formed elsewhere. He cast a deep glance in Sariss's direction, his expression unreadable, though his movements had clearly become far more rigid. He continued unleashing Force lightning against Hydra, coordinating with the attacks of his clone, Fa-Zol.
It was obvious that Blackhole's Dark Side Force techniques did not possess much offensive power. Most of the time, he served as support, while Fa-Zol remained the primary attacker.
Sariss's sudden death dealt Blackhole a severe psychological blow. But because the one who had acted was Emperor Palpatine, he still forcibly suppressed the turmoil in his heart.
Yet in this shaken state, he was becoming unable to contain the increasingly crazed Hydra!
Hydra's mutations were growing ever more numerous. She was now almost unrecognizable as human, dropping to all fours and racing wildly about. She no longer used the two ice blades formed through the Force; instead, she condensed incomparably sharp ice claws from her fingertips.
Wherever she passed, frost continued to spread. Like Blackhole's shadows, these were Force abilities capable of influencing the surrounding environment. Both sides were fighting desperately within their respective domains. Once one side failed, they would fall under the other's control until defeat was inevitable.
Elsewhere, Jerec's face instantly turned deathly pale when he saw Yun and Sariss killed by the suddenly appearing Jan-Droga. Once he realized that Jan-Droga had actually been possessed by Darth Sidious, his expression shifted constantly. Overwhelmed by complicated emotions and boundless terror, he slowly backed away until he left the hall, then sprinted