**Chapter 621**
**Scene 1**
**Concordia – Death Watch Stronghold**
**Dagon POV**
The dimly lit room deep within the mining facility felt oppressive, the air thick with the scent of durasteel and old sweat. Rook Kast stood before me, arms crossed, her sharp eyes studying every movement I made. I had just finished explaining my plan — using the Darksaber, the Children of the Watch, and a public challenge to force a reckoning among the Mandalorian clans.
Rook stared at me for a long moment… then burst into laughter. It wasn't mocking, exactly, but it carried the sharp edge of disbelief. "You're serious? Even if your claim is legitimate, no outsider will ever rule Mandalore. The clans would tear themselves apart before accepting a Jedi holding the Darksaber."
I tilted my head slightly, the Wrath Shield's helmet still in place. "What about the Living Waters?"
Rook paused mid-laugh, her expression shifting to one of genuine surprise. The room seemed to grow quieter as she processed my words. The ancient Mandalorian creed — the sacred pools beneath the mines of Concordia — was not something outsiders usually knew.
"If you bathe in it," she said slowly, "you are technically a Mandalorian by the law of the ancients. But you'd need a miracle for the clans to accept that. Still… it's easier if you just attract them now."
I nodded once. "Very well."
Stepping outside the secured chamber into the wider mining complex, I activated the external speakers on my stolen Death Watch armor. My voice boomed across the facility, echoing through the tunnels and open bays.
"Mandalorians! I challenge you to a blood duel — one warrior to another! Only the strongest shall lay claim to the Darksaber!"
The reaction was immediate. A dozen Mandalorian warriors rushed toward me from various directions, jetpacks flaring as they drew blasters and vibroblades. Their war cries filled the air — raw, furious, and filled with the old Mandalorian spirit.
I moved like a shadow. Wrath Shield energy flared around my hands as I used precise Force chokes — non-lethal, but firm enough to cut off their air and render them unconscious without killing them. One by one, they dropped, armor clattering against the stone floor. I caught two mid-air with the Force as they tried to dive-bomb me, slamming them gently into the walls.
The rest of the warriors skidded to a halt, weapons raised but hesitation clear in their stances. They stared at their fallen comrades, then at me — the lone figure in Death Watch armor who had just dismantled a dozen of their best without spilling blood.
"Who are you?" one growled, lowering his blaster slightly.
I removed the stolen helmet, revealing my face. The red-and-black spiral in my eyes caught the harsh lighting of the facility. "Dagon Marek. I come not as a Jedi, but as one who respects the old ways. The Darksaber calls for a worthy bearer. Let the strongest claim it — in fair combat."
Murmurs spread through the gathered Mandalorians. Some looked furious. Others… intrigued. The Children of the Watch, hidden among them, began to shift subtly, their postures changing as they recognized the opportunity I offered.
The challenge had been thrown. Now the real test would begin.
**Scene 2**
**Concordia – Pre Vizsla's Residence**
**Satine Kryze POV**
The dinner at Governor Pre Vizsla's residence had been tense from the beginning. The table was set with elegant Mandalorian silverware and fine wines, but the conversation felt forced, like actors reading from a script they didn't fully believe. Satine sat across from Vizsla, Master Yoda to her right, the silent Temple Guard — Dagon — standing watchfully behind them.
"I must say it is an unexpected pleasure to meet such a Jedi of your caliber," Pre Vizsla said smoothly, sipping from his glass of wine. His smile was polite, but his eyes held a sharpness that made Satine's skin crawl.
Yoda remained quiet, his small green hands folded on the table, observing everything with calm wisdom. Satine, feeling the weight of the moment, did most of the talking — trying to steer the conversation toward security concerns on Concordia without revealing too much.
"Yes… it is wondrous, is it not?" Satine replied, forcing a smile as she gestured to the elegant tapestries on the walls. "Mandalore has come so far in embracing peace. We must ensure that progress continues."
"Hmm," Yoda murmured softly, his ears twitching slightly. "This play has gone on long enough. Time for true colors to be revealed."
Before anyone could respond, a Death Watch soldier — one of Vizsla's own guards — burst into the dining hall, armor clanking loudly. His voice was urgent and breathless.
"Governor! Dagon Marek has challenged you to a Trial of Blood for the Darksaber! The Mandalorians are gathering — even the Children of the Watch! You are required to respond!"
The room fell into stunned silence. Satine's face went pale with shock. Yoda remained perfectly calm, a small, knowing smile on his lips. Vizsla's expression twisted from surprise to barely contained rage as he glared at the Duchess and the Jedi Master.
Satine's mind raced. *Dagon Marek? Here? Challenging Vizsla?* The implications were staggering. If this was true, the fragile peace she had worked so hard to build could shatter in an instant.
Vizsla stood slowly, his fists clenched. "This… Jedi dares challenge me on my own moon?" His voice dripped with venom. "Very well. If he wants a blood duel, he will have one."
He turned sharply toward Satine, his eyes burning with accusation. "You invited this chaos to my world, Duchess. I hope you're prepared for what comes next."
Yoda simply closed his eyes for a moment, as if listening to the Force. "The future, uncertain it is. But face it, we must."
Satine felt a chill run down her spine. The dinner had been a trap — or perhaps the beginning of something far larger than she had imagined. As Vizsla stormed out to prepare, she turned to Yoda, her voice barely above a whisper.
"What have you brought to my world, Master Yoda?"
The small Jedi Master opened his eyes, his expression serene but grave. "Change, Duchess. Change."