Marvel crosses Star Wars, and everyone attacks the galaxy

Chapter 462: Helping Asajj Ventres

The journey between the two was relatively silent. Wanda and Ventres crossed the deep valleys between the many mountains, passing several deserted ruins and abandoned villages forgotten by time. These villages were often lost because the clans migrated in search of more habitable places, or were forcibly taken away by the people of Zalem, as they had done in the past year or so.

Although the two were silent along the way, when they finally arrived at their destination, they saw a huge blue lake. The lake formed a sharp contrast with the red theme of their planet, and the mist above the lake was like a mysterious fairyland. Both of them could feel the powerful power emanating from the lake, as if they could touch this power as long as they stretched out their hands.

"Is this where it is?"

Asajj's eyes narrowed slightly, and there was anticipation in her voice, "Yes, it's here."

Wanda frowned in confusion, "So...what should we do now? Are we here just to stand by the lake and look?"

Asajj rubbed the bridge of her nose gently. "This is not the purpose of our trip." She explained, "Are you saying this to provoke me?"

"No, Baldy." Wanda explained, "I'm actually really curious."

Asajj retorted childishly, "Don't call me bald!"

Asajj turned her gaze away from Wanda, took a deep breath, and slowly walked into the lake, soon diving underwater. As she walked deeper and deeper, she finally activated her lightsaber, and the darkness of the road ahead seemed to swallow up the surrounding water light. She looked around, trying to find the target that Mother Talzin had pointed out, a deep blue aquatic creature that could help her master the unknown power in her body, which was the purpose of her trip.

She reminded herself that her mission was not to kill, but to take a part of its life without harming its life. However, this was not an easy task, and she needed to rely on the Force and her untapped potential to complete this challenge.

Wanda was a little bored waiting on the shore, and she tried to kill time by meditating. However, when she felt the familiar changes from the holographic dragon, she suddenly had an idea.

Traya and Satsuzo's spirits seemed to float around her, and they stared at the lake with a bit of curiosity, but also a hint of anticipation. However, the lake was calm and still.

"I thought this would be more interesting." Sakuran's voice revealed a hint of disappointment.

Traya commented: "You should know that this is a self-challenge, no one else needs to participate."

"I understand. Everyone is unique," Wanda responded.

She then asked Sado a question about the holographic dragon: "Can your holographic dragon work underwater? Or can it leave your control? If so, what are its limitations? Have you ever conducted similar tests?"

Sakuzo replied in a firm tone, "We have survived for thousands of years. Did you think that exposing our holographic dragons to water would destroy us so easily? Apparently, you are not as smart as we thought."

Traya suggested: "Have you ever considered connecting with the Force and exploring the bottom of the lake?"

Faced with Zuo Zang's provocation, Wanda chose to ignore it and turned to Traya: "Do you have any guesses about what is going to happen?"

Traya responded cautiously, "The age of the witches of Dathomir is thousands of years older than my own. I can only guess what the results of their trials will be."

Wanda stroked her chin and fell into deep thought. "Conquering or balancing the dark side of one's heart, is this the only way in life?"

"This is the essence of what all Force practitioners practice." Zuo Zang said frankly.

"Why are you always so obsessed with confronting Ventres?" Traya asked softly, with a hint of confusion on her face.

Wanda asked back, with a hint of provocation.

"Your attitude is too aggressive and unnecessary." Traya pointed out, with a hint of blame in her tone. "You should know what I mean."

Wanda rolled her eyes, expressing her displeasure. "You know why I'm like this," she said in a slightly annoyed tone.

“Judging others for their past, even if they are eager to change, makes collaboration difficult,” Traya explains. “You refuse to listen and understand, which can lead to stagnation.”

"Have you forgotten that she repeatedly tried to kill my friends?" Wanda demanded, anger and grief in her voice.

"Weren't you and your brother once enemies of your current team?" she asked.

"Pietro and I were deceived and made a stupid decision. And she was willing to kill my friend. Behind this was her desire for revenge for the humiliation of being beaten by a person without the Force, as well as her arrogance and conceit." Wanda's words were full of condemnation.

"But are you really willing to keep going like this? Not giving her a chance?" Traya asked in a softer tone.

All conversations came to a halt when they heard the sound of water nearby breaking the silence. All eyes were on Ventres as she surfaced. In the silence, there was a faint sound of splashing water. She swam to the edge and stepped onto solid, dry land.

"What did you find?"

Asajj lifted the remains of some creature with just one hand, and then walked slowly towards the docked aircraft.

"My goal has been achieved. The beast is still trapped, but there is still a glimmer of hope." Asajj stated in an almost detached tone. Her attitude revealed a calmness, as if everything was under control.

Wanda and the Sith Ancient Spirit witnessed the many scrapes and cuts on Ventress' body, which undoubtedly revealed that she had a fierce battle with the underwater creatures.

"How do you feel? Have any changes?" Traya asked in a concerned tone.

Ventres pondered for a moment before she could articulate the answer she could. "I feel... a little lost." Her eyes rested on her hands. "The dark side has shifted, and now it feels more natural, but I still don't know how to unlock the power that Master mentioned. I don't even know anything about it."

"So you have no idea about this?" Wanda asked with her arms crossed.

"That's not entirely true. I just can't understand the true meaning of this power." Asajj said loudly, her annoyance more at herself than in response to Wanda's question.

“How can I use this half-knowledge?”

“Power is often tied to an individual’s past, and even if you don’t know where it comes from, it’s still hard to hide its influence,” Sakurazaka explains. “You only need to solve your own little mystery to see the bigger picture.”

Ventress kept these words in mind, and only hesitated when she lacked clues or finer details.

Meanwhile, Traya was silent for a few seconds, pondering the fate of the Dathomir hybrid. Then, she turned her gaze to Wanda.

“What if…what if you looked at this from the wrong perspective?” she asks a thought-provoking question.

"Hmm?" Ventres responded with a hint of confusion.

"From what I've observed and understood, you seem to be looking at this untapped power with familiar eyes - your teachings in the Force, whether it's light, dark, Jedi, or Sith." Traya further elaborated, hoping to bring new inspiration to Ventres. "Perhaps there is a different path behind this ability. Or perhaps, can we try to abandon the use of the Force completely?"

Deep within, find harmony with your actions and the unknown. Let go of your obsession with control and allow your body and soul to float freely in the unknown to find what you truly desire.

Traya pointed at Wanda and said, "Think about Wanda. She is a being outside of the Force, and she relies on her own abilities and powers that are beyond our understanding of the Force. These Avengers that you are fighting have powers, abilities, technology, and knowledge that have nothing to do with the Force, which gives them many advantages over the likes of us."

Ventres stared at Wanda with a firm, analytical gaze, Traya's words echoing in his mind.

"Balanced letting go?" she whispered to herself. "Letting go of what I was taught?"

It seemed as if an invisible force was surging out of her thoughts.

"There are no extremes of darkness, nor of light. There is only the Force. I will do everything in my power to maintain this balance. There can be no good without evil, but evil must never be allowed to run rampant. There is the burning of passion, and there is the tranquility of peace. There is the surge of chaos, and there is the regulation of order. I am a dancer of fire, a keeper of balance."

"This is the creed of the Grey Jedi," Traya explained, "but remember, indifference is the beginning of death."

Wanda asked confusedly, "Huh? What do you mean by that?"

"We'll talk about this later," Traya said, "but before that, we have more important things to focus on."

"Yes, Asajj has shown her latent potential," Sado said after a moment's contemplation. "Why not let her completely break away from her reliance on the Force? Maybe cut off her connection to the Force and see what results emerge."

Asajj hesitated when she heard this. She took a step back, quickly reached for her lightsaber, and said impatiently: "The Force is the power that gives all life its existence..."

"We are not like that..." Wanda turned her gaze to Traya, "Do I have the Force?"

Traya and Zozo exchanged a glance, and the tattooed Sith soul responded first: "It does not exist in the way we know it, but... it is reserved."

Asajj argued, "It makes no difference. The Force is the gift of all life in the galaxy. If I were separated from it, it would probably take my life."

"That won't happen. I've had this experience before." Traya responded calmly.

This puzzles the three women around her, who all stare at the mysterious spirit.

"How is this possible?" Sado asked in confusion.

Traya slowly recounted her experience: "Nihilus and Sion ruthlessly humiliated and beat me. They quickly deprived me of my connection with the Force, exiled me, and left me to fend for myself. But I persisted and regained what I had lost. However, during the time when I lost contact with the Force, I gained a whole new perspective. Looking at the galaxy in a world without the Force, the voice of the Force no longer lingered in my ears, and my every move was no longer affected by it. I experienced true freedom."

Traya looked directly into Asajj's eyes and said, "Perhaps, by clearing the Force with you, and letting it not affect you for a while, you can find your true self."

Obviously, they could all see Ventres's fear about this proposal and action.

Isolating yourself from the Force is undoubtedly a huge challenge, at least to some extent.

"If you hope to find what you seek, you must learn to let go," Traya continued. "Yes, you may become weak, but it is through this weakness that you will eventually recognize the strength of your will. In comparison, your hidden, untapped potential may seem insignificant."

"That's easier said than done," Ventres said, her voice trembling. Her expression revealed deep confusion and anxiety.

Wanda's thoughts unfolded like ripples. She captured the essence of the conversation at the moment and said slowly: "You are afraid of weakness. It drives you to become who you are now."

Wanda's words were like a sharp sword, piercing the heart of the dark Jedi.

"How do you know what it feels like? That state of being powerless and having nothing," Ventres questioned.

A gleam of determination flashed in Wanda's eyes: "Until recently, that was exactly how my life was." She said frankly, "Do you think I always have such power?" As she spoke, psychic red energy began to vibrate around her.

Wanda went on to explain: "I have had this power for just over a year, but before that, I had nothing. I remember being in a corner of the world, a forgotten place, destined to be unknown. When I gained these powers, it was because I was ready to sacrifice my life for something greater than myself. My growth and my changes are all because of my unremitting pursuit. This is what Pietro and I believe in, and now, we are practicing it."

Asajj was lost in thought, overwhelmed by their words, unable to find a suitable response.

"After the Nightsister ceremony in the village, we can help you gain the power you desire. The gift of the Force always comes with sacrifice." Traya's words hit her heart like a hammer, because she had never considered such a concept unrelated to the Force.

She walked silently to her speeder, ignoring the others. Wanda glanced at the two Sith souls before they returned to the holographic dragon's realm, lifted up by telekinesis and floated into Maximoff's hands.

The two of them were speechless, leaving only silence. They got on the speeding car and sped away.