ONE AGAINST A WORLD. Jedi Knight ENO CORDOVA must risk his life to uncover the secrets of the Dark Temple on Ontotho…while the fearsome Ontothon army approaches! Can Padawan CERE JUNDA alone stop them from taking the temple for themselves? And who are the deadly TEMPLE GUARDIANS and what are they protecting?
The Inquisitor starts her own search of the temple
Around 14 BBY, an Inquisitor and two Purge Troopers enter the temple on Ontotho to discover a strange language and a number of pieces of debris. The Inquisitor sees En-Threelo covered in rocks, with some of his wiring exposed, and turns the droid on. En-Threelo malfunctions slightly and claims some had gotten him killed. The Inquisitor asks who that would be and En-Threelo says the Jedi, claiming that they were the ones to cause all of what surrounded them.
Years earlier, Eno Cordova asks his Padawan Cere Junda to stay outside and keep watch whilst he enters the temple. Cere tries to argue that she should occumpany the Jedi Master but Eno doesn't argree and continues on his own, distracting the couple of Fylar Freedom Fighters who stand guard at the entrance to the temple. En-Threelo approaches Cere as she stands outside but is quickly left alone as Cere leaves her given post to follow her master into the temple as well.
Inside the temple, Eno is fascinated by the language displayed on the walls of the temple as a statue appears to activate. Eno inadvertently sets off a couple of booby traps and notes that they appear not to be a part of the original design of the temple. Cere makes her own way through the entrance of the temple and comes across a group of Daa Corporation commanders and their security droids. Cere reveals herself as they give away their plan to follow Eno and kill Cere's master. Cere dispatches the droids with ease but a commander manages to point a blaster directly into her back.
Before anyone can react, a statue crashes through and attacks the commander. The other Daa forces open fire on the statue as it delivers its own attack that Cere barely escapes from as it lands on a droid. Cere attempts to protect the lives of the Daa personel as they escape the statue, but the commanders run away from Cere as well, including attempting to throw a grenade at the Jedi. The grenade begins to suffocate Cere and the commander who threw it as they are trapped behind a heavy door. The Jedi attempts to lift the door but can only get a small gap at the bottom before the door becomes too much. The commander refuses to help and simply contacts the Daa forces outside the temple, claiming Cere attacked him and to send all the forces they can into the temple.
To Cere's surprise, the door gives way and opens up fully. She looks up to see the face of her master, guiding her to safety. Cere and her master argue over whether she should have stayed outside or came in to help Eno but the older Jedi reminds her that they are not on the planet to protect each other, but protect the inhabitants of the planet. With more Daa forces on their way, Cere leaves to slow them down and allow her master to find out the reason for both sides fighting over an old temple.
Dylanto Daa collects his forces for a final attack
Later, Dylanto Daa consolidates his forces and plans to enter the temple as soon as he can. He is soon met by Cere and a number of the Fylari as they attempt to stop Dylanto entering the temple and further breaking the peace. Not many words are exchanged until Dylanto orders his men to open fire on Cere and the Fylari. A battle ensues and Cere thinks about going straight for Dylanto to end the fight as soon as possible, but Neralli argues she needs a distraction to get into the temple, and then she may be able to help. Fess is against the idea but as they are backed into a corner, Cere tells her to go and try it.
Back inside the temple, Eno continues to search and explore the temple, muttering to himself about sending the data back to the Jedi Council to get the language translated. He hears a noise, suspecting the Daa forces to have reached him but is soon attack by Neralli who apologises and claims she can't let anything get in the Fylari's way.
- UPC 759606094721; November 13, 2019; Marvel Comics; First printing