Malice, once again, awaited the arrival of yet another apprentice. Lately, he had begun to question the desire and heart of current Sith hopefuls across the Galaxy. Not one, but two apprentices had now faltered and faded into the emptiness of the Galaxy. He only hoped this apprentice would renew his faith in what he believed to be a dying breed.
Her name was Adriel Jailene Tilar. She was a human from the world of Cerea. He saw a grit about her....rough around the edges. He could feel a certain wildness in her....could see it in her eyes. If she were only able to tap into this dark, primal power she would make a truly worthy apprentice and perhaps a notable Sith.
The Dark Master now sat, waiting for the woman to stand before him. He would push her to her limits and past. She would feel pain she'd never knew existed. She'd be broken and built back up to something stronger. If she gave herself to him completely, her eyes would be open to a world she would never have imagined.
Darth Suspiria
Adriel Jailene Tilar entered the training grounds. She had received a message to meet her new Master Darth Malice here. She walked slowly, yet purposefully. Her heart was pounding a bit and in the pit of her stomach she felt a twinge of trepidition. The fear of a new experience. The fear of failure. To fail a Sith master could mean death, or something worse. If the eyes of the soul could see, hers would be wide open.
This however was what she wanted. To be a Sith, to gain power. To learn the darkside of the Force. To understand it. To grasp it in her hand, that sable cloud of energy and turn it to her will. To serve her purposes.
She entered the training ground, her long cloak streaming behind her blown by a fitful wind. She approached Darth Malice. Here she could see would be a hard taskmaster but an excellent one. She would learn all she could, study all she could, take all that he would give and still want more. She would drain the well of knowledge dry to become a Great Sith.
She knew she would have to prove herself, and the days ahead would be difficult. So be it. Her entire life had been difficult. She had become like the granite that made up the spine of the surrounding hills and she would not break. Bow she would. He was the Master, she the apprentice.
She faced him, her wild wilful heart displayed in the shining of violet irises. In the appropriate manner she bowed.
All the while thinking to herself, Someday, someone will bow to me.
Darth Malice
The Dark Master stood tall before his kneeling apprentice. Her whole being was completely open to the Dark Side, something he'd never seen in an apprentice. There was no sign of uncertainty or fear. If she maintained this openness she would progress quickly.
"Rise, apprentice...." Malice sat back into the seat behind him. His cold and uncaring stare remained on the young woman in front of him. He was not simply looking at her, however, but delving deep into her being. He sorted through memories, good and bad.
"What is it you wish to gain here? Why are you standing before me....truly?" The question may have seemed simple enough, but Malice knew it to be more than that. It wasn't simply a matter of 'to gain power' or 'to learn the ways of the Dark Side.' He would need more from his apprentice if he were to really guide her. He would need to know everything about her.
Darth Suspiria
Adriel Jailene Tilar looked up at Darth Malice. Her eyes shown with malevolence. Not directed at him but at the past.
"My parents were murdered when I was a child. I would seek vengeance on their killers. My friends were imprisoned, and I would desire to free them and annihilate those who took them from me."
"But most of all my life within the Outsider Citadel was one of ridicule and humiliation. Hunger and cold. Filth and mockery. Thirst and pain. That I would avenge above all else."
"ONE DAY I WILL RETURN TO CEREA AND SANITIZE IT WITH FIRE. THE FLAMES OF RETRIBUTION WILL BURN IN THE HALLS OF THE OUTSIDER CITADELS. THEN I SHALL RAZE IT TO THE GROUND, AND CRUSH THE GOVERNMENT THAT ALLOWED IT."
Her chest heaved with the inferno of the hatred and anger which she felt. She looked at Darth Malice once again. Once her breathing returned to normal she said, "What more Master do you wish to know of me?"
Darth Malice
The fire Bane witnessed swirling through his new apprentice was truly something to witness. The only ingredient she needed to become a deadly addition to the Sith order was knowledge. With knowledge, TRUE knowledge, everything would be revealed to her. Everything she'd once thought impossible, would be within her grasp.
"Before we get to the heart of your training there are a few formalities we must address." Malice's voice was void of feeling, though he almost felt a sense of excitement towards what this new pupil may bring........almost. "What Order do you wish to serve IF accepted into this Great Empire? Once you've decided which Order would best fit you, tell me why."
Darth Suspiria
Adriel Jailene Tilar looked steadily at Darth Malice. Her voice did not waver as she answered him.
"I have been told that due to my skill in thievery I would be a good assassin. I can sneak up on just about anyone. I have been known to slip through windows in the darkness before dawn. Then the house's inhabitants awake to wonder if they have been visited by a wraith. I can reach into your pocket, before you know it and relieve you of your credits. But the assassin's trade is not my heart desire."
"My heart's desire....Is the military. To lead armies. To crush those who oppose the Empire. Who oppose...ME. To grasp the enemy by the neck and squeeze until I feel it crack. Weapons I can use. I can fly a shuttle. I have been fighting since I was a child. The hard-scramble fighting of the alleys of the Outsider Citadels. I have had some training in other forms of fighting with hands and feet. It is what I want to do in the Empire."
"I know Master that I have much to learn. I know that there is power waiting for me among the Sith that I can barely imagine. Power I want. Power I desire. Power I am willing to bleed to obtain. Are you willing to teach me?"
Darth Malice
"Do you question me apprentice?" Malice's voice was still even, stone-cold. He looked blankly at the raven-haired human in front of him. "Do you believe I would approach you if I was not prepared to teach you?" The large Sith now stood before Adriel, towering over the girl.
"You say you are trained in combat. You believe you can sneak up on anyone......take what you wish from their possession? This I must see." With that, Malice retrieved his lightsaber hilt from his belt and held it in his open palm before her.
"Take it.....If you believe yourself capable, take my weapon from me and strike me down with it." Malice simply stood there, arm outstretched to his apprentice. There was no indication of anticipation in his posture or gaze. Would this bold apprentice attempt to relieve her Master of his most prized weapon?
Darth Suspiria
Adriel Jailene Tilar stared at Darth Malice. He was daring her to attempt to take his lightsaber. She knew enough to know that Sith Lords had skills, talents, and abilities beyond the usual people she would steal from.
If I refuse the challenge he will think me cowardly. If I make the attempt he will either harm or kill me perhaps. Adriel thought to herself.
What should she do? Take the blow that would surely come, or try to talk her way out of it? She considered her options carefully.
She made her choice. She would take the blow. With blinding speed she moved her right hand as though to grasp it. Then she moved her left. It moved so swiftly it was as though a tree branch had blown, rippling the sunlight for a brief moment.
Her hand was on his lightsaber hilt..........
Darth Malice
The image of Malice's hilt in hand seemed to remain stationary as Adriel grasped it, but once she really looked she could see there was nothing there but air. The hilt was still attached to Malice's belt and his hand had now somehow returned to his side.
"You made the bold choice I knew you would. It is the choice I too would have made." Malice turned his back to Adriel and circled around the chair he had been sitting in earlier. "You wish to join the Military? That is correct, is it not?" Gabriel turned back to his apprentice briefly, before continuing.
"Then your choice has been narrowed to two within the Sith Military. You may choose the route of space combat. The streaking fighters and overwhelming Galactic firepower of the Imperial Navy or the mean and unmerciful ranks of the Imperial Army. Where does your heart lie? Do you wish to wipe entire fleets from existence or take your enemies lives with your own hands?"
Darth Suspiria
Adriel stood silent for a moment. It had been an illusion. She now knew that she had much to learn. She looked forward to it. To being able to do what Darth Malice had just done.
Adriel's eyes seemed to see far off for a brief second then she spoke. "I would choose the army. I would destroy my enemy with my own hands. I wish to feel the triumph and exhilaration of vanquishing my opponent."
"I will scream the battle-cry of the victor, and watch as the lights go out in the eyes, heart and spirit of the one whom I cast down. No retreat, no surrender, no mercy."
"It is from you I hope to learn the skills necessary to accomplish this." Then she bowed her head once again.
Darth Malice
Malice smiled on the inside as his apprentice spoke. Purpose and dedication laced each of her words. He could feel the desire behind them. With her confident yet open demeanor, he would be able to mold her into an untamable weapon of destruction. She would be capable of leading any number of Sith once he was finished with her.
"Very well. It is ground combat we will focus on. You will learn to strategize troop movements and use your surroundings to their utmost benefit." Malice reached for his overcoat and slid it on. Turning back to Adriel, he motioned for her to follow.
Darth Suspiria
So for now I have passed the test. Adriel thought. How often though would she be tested? Did she have the strength?
Adriel believed that she did. She remembered the days of running from other children. Children bigger than herself who would chase her and pummel her into a bloody pulp.
She remembered the gnawing hunger and how even a scrap tasted wonderful when one was to be had.
She remembered the blanketless cold of sleeping near a wall with only her own arms to warm her.
Yes she remembered.
Never again would she allow those things to happen to her. She would scale the highest cliff, fight the most fearsome monster, face the darkest of the darkest pit of the netherworld to ensure her climb to the heights.
This Sith Lord could teach her what she needed to know to achieve her goals. Adriel followed him.
Darth Malice
Malice's pace was somewhat swift as he wound his way through the training grounds of the Sith Academy. They passed the Dojo, where Adriel would soon come face to face with a living breathing opponent. Likely another apprentice or perhaps her Master would step in. They also passed one of the Military command posts. It's intimidating, yet graceful structure spoke volumes of the Imperial forces. Finally, they passed what seemed to be the last building and headed into a rather dense area of forest.
"As a soldier among the ranks of the Army you must not only develop your phyiscal skill, but more importantly, especially as a leader, you must master your mental skills." Malice continued to walk, his apprentice slightly behind and to the right. "You must predict your enemies weakness, which could very easily be what they consider their strength. You also must win the respect of your own soldiers. It is easy to relay oders, to rule by rank, but it is far more efficient to have your soldiers WANT to follow you....WANT to give 110% every time they're under your command."
Now the two Sith stood at the center of a clearing. It was bordered by trees on the South, East and West and by a 20ft mound of rock on the North. Malice surveyed the area for only a moment before turning to Adriel. "You are a Squad Commander leading a group of ten. Your mission was to infiltrate and assume control of a strategic defense bunker. Your men were initially successful in that you infiltrated the structure, however, you were overwhelmed by unexpected enemy numbers. You're being pushed North by an enemy numbering between 20 and 25, when you're flushed into this clearing. Another group of 15 have been radioed and are closing from the East and West. You've contacted your extraction team and they'll arrive in approximately 20 minutes. What is your plan of action?"
Darth Suspiria
Adriel weighed her answer to this strategic scenario carefully. She wanted to give a good answer, but also a right one. She pondered and then answered a bit hesitantly at first.
"I am significantly outnumbered on three sides. The fourth side the north is a high hill. You have 20 minutes before help arrives. The object is to hold off the enemy until the extraction team arrives."
"Generally the high ground is the strategic place. But not in this case. Your number is only ten, and you will be exposed to enemy fire. I say the group of ten should go south into the trees, take cover and hold their ground until situational relief arrives. Not particularly bold, but that direction should be utilized for retreat. Bravery is good, but staying alive is better."
She knew she could have said "fight to the death, run, climb a tree" but this seemed the best response to her. Retreat into the woods and hold your ground until help came. She felt that she had achieved the appropriate answer. She looked to Darth Malice. Would he think so?
Darth Malice
"You're leading a group of ten, with you being the only relatively strong force user. Do you honestly believe you can simply lay low and hold off a group of up to 40 armed infantrymen? Is this your strategy.....or would you like to reevaluate the situation and perhaps show some creativity?" Malice was looking down upon his apprentice with his always present stolid expression. His gaze seemed to be capable of beating down even the greatest of apprentices.
Darth Suspiria
Adriel thought upon things for a few moments and reached a decision. It was best not to be untruthful. She had been taught that Sith knew when someone was being untruthful.
"To be honest Darth Malice I was not considering force abilities into the equation. I was thinking of myself as an average military commander and what I would do to get my troops out of a bad situation. To fight did not seem like a good idea against overwhelming opposition. I apologize for forgetting about the force capabilities."
She spoke again. "Since I was a child I have been able to do simple things with the force. At the time I didn't know that was what it was, only that I could. I was able to choke people who bothered me, push objects and move very swiftly to avoid being pummelled by older children."
"I don't know as of yet what skills I will be able to accomplish with the force. If I utilized what I know now I would do the following. I would use force speed in an attempt to ambush and diminish the number of enemy fighters. I would force push objects like large rocks and downed trees into their path to slow them down. If I were able to get close enough to some of them, I would force-choke as many of the enemy as I could. I would continue to have the group of ten retreat in the open direction which is south until aid arrives."
"Is that more what you are looking for Darth Malice?"
Adriel stopped speaking and waited for his reply.
Darth Malice
Malice listened casually as his apprentice somewhat re-evaluated her situation and edited her response. He still faced the opposite direction, seemingly lost in thought, but aware of Adriel's thoughts and feelings.
"You're uncertainty in your own abilities are nothing out of the ordinary to one in your position. You have been exposed to Power beyond your comprehension in rapid succession. You constantly pass by beings of unmeasurable ability in your everyday routine here. It is your desire to understand and more importantly Master your abilities that I find intriguing." Malice was unconcerned with his apprentice's ability to successfully lead a squad of soldiers. It was something she would learn and perfect in time. For now it was her understanding of the fundamentals that he wished to expound upon.
"Never second guess yourself......it is something that can easily weaken you and in-turn reveal a definite flaw. Something a Sith must avoid to truly ascend to the greatest heights possible." The large Sith turned to face Adriel, meeting and holding her gaze. He was silent as he continued to look into her eyes. His stare seemed to cut through her physical body and open up the inner-most thoughts of the young adept. He had kept a distance between himself and his former apprentices and had failed. This time he would take a very different approach. In time, when she was ready....or more importantly, when he was ready, he would reveal things to her he had never revealed before. He knew this could likely backfire and possibly end his ascension as he knew it, but it was a chance he'd take.
"I see a scared little girl behind this facade you have spent much time creating. It is a shield that you have used for a substantial portion of you life.....it is something you will no longer need as a Sith." As Malice spoke he began to hear the truth in the words. They not only applied to his apprentice, but more suprisingly.....to himself. For his entire life he had hid himself from the world. His true self had never been revealed. He'd been living a lie.....even as powerful as he'd become...something had remained.....some piece of insecurity. It was this apprentice who truly made him see his own flaw. With that, he felt truly unworthy of everything he'd accomplished. Turning away, Malice walked towards the blackness of the forest around him, leaving his bewildered apprentice behind.
Darth Suspiria
Adriel stood in the clearinig with her mouth agape. Had a Sith really just opened his thoughts to her in that manner? Though it seemed a contradiction, she knew it was true. Darth Malice had just shown her a small but important piece of himself.
Was she insecure? Oh yes, oh yes. Her life had been about survival, not building self-esteem. No adult had ever pointed out to her what talents she had, encouraged her abilities, or helped her develop skills. What she knew she had learned herself and then from the thieves.
It had been necessary to create a mask. A mask of uncaring stoicness. Brusqueness. Viciousness at times. Total self-absorption.
Her thoughts became less intense. The facade had been necessary for self protection and self defense. To have the unpredictability factor in her favor had saved her more than once. Saved her physically, mentally and emotionally.
Yes, in some ways she was a fraud. In some ways the inner strength was very real. Many of the homeless in the Outsider Citadels perished, especially the children. Their lifeless, sometimes frozen corpses with grimaces intact, were found in the shadowed places where only the infrequent patrols went. The dead were carted away to be buried in shallow graves without benefit or either ceremony or grief. Yet against the odds SHE HAD SURVIVED! She was just as determined to survive here. Survival meant learning new skills.
I am determined to become a Sith. To use these ablities I have. Adriel said to herself. But what will it cost to get there? Will it cost me the mask I wear?....Will it cost me my sense of invulnerability?....Will the hidden places of my inner being be discovered?.....The secret garden of thought and desire for power and revenge have its thorn covered walls torn down?... She would not have thought it possible.
Adriel was often a volcano of flowing magma. The fire that burned within was unquenchable. The stony roots of the volcanic escarpment went to the core of who she was as the real volcanoes went to a world's center.
The flames seared, an inferno of ambition. She would do what she must, learn what she must, give of herself as she must. Only her inability to be open would hinder her forward momentum.
Adriel smiled a grim smile. She had been told that Sith did not make friends. Would Darth Malice be a friend? To that she had not the answer. She would certainly work hard to prove herself to him. She turned and followed his path through the hoary trees.
Darth Malice
Malice stood facing the never-ending darkness of the forest that stretched ever further in front of him. He'd been walking for hours it seemed, and his apprentice had fallen further behind. No words were uttered throughout the entire trip. He wasn't even sure he wanted to young apprentice to follow, but his mind was too consumed to even bother stopping her.
Now he could hear Adriel approaching. His back was facing the direction she came from so she couldn't see that he had torn to masquer from his face. For the first time in his life he could feel the cool breeze on his own skin.....the skin he'd been hiding for as long as he could remember.....the skin his 'father' before him had tried to hide. But now, now he was revealed to the world around him. For the first time he truly felt free. Free from the prison his 'father' had created.......free from the chains that had bound him.....now his chains were broken.
"It seems we have taught each other a lesson in acceptance, my apprentice. Malice's face remained hidden from Adriel, but there was something different and she could sense it. "For too long I have kept my true identity hidden from the world. You see.....I am not of your kind.....nor am I even of this Galaxy." Malice stood from the rock he'd been perched on and slowly turned towards Adriel. "I am Vong, son of Nom Anor."
Malice's self-inflicted scars were now visible. Stretching from his sloping forehead down the entirety of his face. He had discovered this thirst for pain some time ago and in the privacy of his personal quarters he had begun a ritual so reveered among his native people. He'd broken his own nose not once, twice, or even three times......but five times in total. Now he had come to terms with all that had developed. He'd reveal himself to not only his apprentice, but the entire Sith Empire.
Darth Suspiria
Adriel was out of breath. She had moved as quickly as possible to keep up with Darth Malice, but he had outpaced her. Like a zephyr his swift passage through the trees had left the ground cover undisturbed.
Eventually his pace had slowed and she had done the same behind him, not knowing how closely to approach. He seemed almost to desire his solitude. Yet if so why had he not turned and commanded her to go?
Darth Malice had sat down on a large rock. His back was towards her and she had stopped for a few moments to give him his privacy. He seemed to be almost upset about something, and she moved closer. After some time had passed, he turned his profile in her direction.
Her gasp was inaudiable...her eyes flew wide open. His forehead sloped to an occipital bun at the rear of his head. His face was a mass of scars. Scars that were either self-inflicted or the action of a truly evil person.
Her inner-sense told Adriel that they were self-inflicted wounds. But why? She knew enough of life and its sorrows to know that the true cause of such scarring was internal pain. The knife cuts run deep to the heart and soul. The outward scars are superficial. She had met many unusual beings in her travels with the thieves. One was missing an eye, ear and part of his nose. Darth Malice's scarring was horrific but she had seen others almost as terribly mutilated. In the twilight places where thieves tended to congregate, you could see almost anything.
She moved forward so he would not think that she was revulsed. Adriel tipped her head to the side and looked fully upon him. No cringe....or blinking of eyes..... or grimace of distaste touched her features. She smiled at him. Daringly she asked in a voice full of the sadness of a fellow cosmic being who also understands suffering....Why did you do this to yourself? She stood in rapt attentiveness waiting for his reply.
Darth Malice
Malice paused only a moment as Adriel asked the question, then the emotionless appearance returned to his face and body. He straightened up and looked directly upon his apprentice. There had been more than enough light shed on this unfamiliar Master/Apprentice relationship. The large Sith had never let someone in on that kind of emotion. Not since.....
"It is not of any concern as it pertains to your current training." Malice had covered up any exposed personality in mere seconds. There was no evidence of his cover-up, he simply appeared as calm as ever. His apprentice was unable to sense any true emotion. "Back to your training, apprentice." Malice walked back in the direction which they had came, towards the training grounds.
Once there, Malice shed his overcoat and turned back towards Adriel. He reached out with his right hand and, with the use of the Force, summoned Adriel's lightsaber from her belt and into his hand. He examined the construction of the hilt and then ignited it's crimson blade. Holding it at an angle he allowed it to levitate into the air, taking in all of it's craftsmanship.
"Where did you receive this weapon?"
Darth Suspiria
Adriel Jailene Tilar felt as though she had been doused with cold water. Darth Malice had retreated behind the mask. She watched as her lightsaber floated from her belt to his hand, and then into the air. He was studying it intently.
"When my friend the thief Narina was taken into custody I retrieved her knapsack before the authorities could and fled with it. This lightsaber was in the bottom, covered and tied with silken cords and wrappings. There were rumors among the thieves that she had training. Dark or Light no one knew."
"She never spoke of it. Once when I asked her anger ran like fire. I felt as though I had been scorched so angry was she at me. I never asked again."
"She trained me in swordmanship with a regular sword. We used a foil with a pistol grip. She called the style she taught me 'Makashi-the Contention Form.' Some of the others helped me polish my hand-to-hand combat skills."
"I was the only one who escaped. All the other thieves were arrested. Narina was a good teacher. But now, I hope to learn even more from you."
Darth Malice
Malice listened to the girl's story as he continued to look over the saber. It was definitely Sith, or Sith hopeful, construction. It's simple, yet bold design gave much away. The crystal held within was relatively weak and not worthy of being the sorce of Power for a true Sith's primary weapon. He set the hilt down in front of him and walked back towards the rear of his personal chamber.
"Though you may feel your former 'mentor' was helpful in forming the being you are today, you must let go of everything you've ever known. You must give yourself completely to the ways of the Sith and the Will of the Dark Side." Malice re-emerged holding a black satin bag which was bound at the top with a deep purple rope. He set it down next to the saber hilt and then looked up towards Adriel.
"In this bag you will find three crystals. One of a deep purple hue, one of a deep crimson hue, and one completely void of any color. Each has it's own purpose and it's own potential. It is up to you to decipher which will truly be the best fit for you. The chosen crystal will then be incorporated into the construction of an entirely new lightsaber. The ability of this saber will exceed anything you have ever seen."
Darth Suspiria
Adriel took the sack Darth Malice handed to her and sat down with it. She untied the velvet cord sliding its soft silkiness between her fingers. She laid it aside.
Her face took on a look of wonder as she touched each crystal. She closed her eyes savoring the moment. She picked up the dark red crystal.
"This one is a synthetic crystal created by a Sith. Were you its creator Darth Malice? It is one of those that will make what is called a 'bloodshine blade'. I would be proud and honored to own a lightsaber that held this fine of a stone." She paused for a second, carefully placing the ruby-red stone back into the sack and picking up the second.
She held the deep-violet crystal and touched it to her forehead. "This stone is called Nextor and comes from the mountains of M'haeli. It is a naturally created crystal that has great power. The lightsaber tuned with this stone would be a truly fell weapon." She held it a moment longer, then returned it to the sack, retrieving the third.
"This crystal is called Rubat and comes from the planet Phemis. The wielder of a lightsaber that carries this crystal is a swift and deadly opponent." The clear stone seemed to shine in the lamplight of Darth Malice's chambers, a tiny star resting in her palm.
"All of these are fine crystals. The study of crystals is one of my favorite pastimes. If I close my eyes I can sense the resonance. I call it crystal-singing. All of these sing differently and they compose their own unique tune. I have had the good fortune to come across a great deal of information in my travels."
"I do not know how to build a lightsaber, but I would like to learn. I know that I must meditate upon the crystals to decide which one is best for me. At the heart of each one is a flame, as a flame burns within my spirit. The two flames must become as one. The lightsaber and I act as one. When Master should I begin?"
Emperor Shadow
Your master has appealed to me to promote you. I see no reason not to agree with his assessment and I confer upon you the title of Sith Master. Do you have a Darth title in mind?
Darth Suspiria
I thank you Emperor Shadow for the promotion which I accept. I shall be called Darth Suspiria. *Bows head in the appropriate measure of respect to the Emperor.*
