Darth Torage's Lightsaber Construction

Darth Malus · Darth Torage's Lightsaber Construction

An overcast sky swept overhead, blwon swiftly by strong mountain winds. From this peak, the apex of the mountain on which teh Sith Temple was built, Malus could see for hundreds of clicks in any direction, but he wasn't there for sightseeing. His apprentice, Darth Torage, was expected soon at which point the young man and future Sith Master would begin construction of his lightsaber.

Darth malus stood in the snow up to his knees overlooking the path from which his apprentice would approach and fell into meditation. The wild rustling of his cloak in the maddening wind faded and ceased to exist. He closed his eyes and the light of day waas shut out of his mind. The feeling of cold stopped and was replaced by a hot fury that he kept within himself.

His apprentice now knew the basics of combat: speed, intensity - a devestating combination, but he would have to make use of that head knowledge. Darth Torage knew not of the frigid temperatures at the mountains summit. He had no idea that his master was going to force him into a fight in the deep snows once he had completed his lightsaber. Malus wondered briefly is his apprentice would be worthy of taking on a Harbinger title when the tame came, but the time had not come yet, and it was better to wait and see rather than guess and wonder about the future.

Once Torage's saber was complete Malus intended to bring the boy's anger and wrath to the surface; to fully immerse him in the dark side, as it were, but time for reflection and planning was up.

Darth Torage had arrived. The young Sith appeared as if he were already freezing.

Good, Malus thought. Let him endure the pain of the uncaring cold and biting wind.

Darth Torage

Finally Torage had made his way to the to the temple where his master, Darth Malus awaited him.

Freezing from the unforgiving winds and cold, Torage slowly walked up to his master.

"Don't let this freezing look fool you. It will take more than the merciless wind and cold to take me down."

Torage was some what suprised. While he was cold and shivering his Master was just there meditating, as if the cold had no effect on him what so ever. This shouldn't really be this surprising since he is a master.

It was now Torage's time. He would create a lightsaber and show the galaxy his might and power. And even some day be stronger than his master Darth Malus.

"I'm ready to create my lightsaber, my master."

Darth Malus

Malus smiled at his apprentice's brave words. "I'm glad to ehar it. Take the components of your lightsaber and aly them out on your cloak. It is imperative that they not have ice or snow mixed in with them. Water will ruin them at this point."

"Next take then cylinder you've chosen to be the handle of you lightsaber and align the components within it. They will only fit in one order so don't worry about not getting them put in correctly. They will only fit on way, the correct way."

He waited for a moment in silence then contintued.

"What color blade did you decide on?"

Darth Torage

Torage put down the cylinder and looked up at his master. "I went with red crystals." then continued in assembling his lightsaber pieces.

Putting a lightsaber together wasn't as hard as Torage thought it would be. But to keep his mind busy all he was thinking about was "Who would be the first Jedi to fall to my lightsabers?"

He would find out soon enough.

Darth Malus

"So be it, my apprentice. Give me one of your crystals." Malus walked across teh snow and took the offered crystal from Torage's outstretched hand and placed it in a hidden pocket among the folds of his dark robes, then withdrawing his own lightsaber he opened a small port towards one end and with deft fingers pulled out a red focusing crystal. That one, he placed in front of his now bewildered apprentice.

"But master," Torage said as he lifted the dense object in his hand. "I am not worthy of this."

Malus looked down at him from beneth his shadowy cowl. "No, Torage, you aren't worthy of it, but someday you will be and at that time my gift to you will be justified. I have forseen this." He then withdrew and left his apprentice once more alone in the cold to complete the construction of his lightsabers.

Torage remained a bit stunned at the mighty thing he had just been entrusted with: a crystal from his master's lightsaber. He looked across the small, open area towards his master, but he seemed not to notice, or at least gave no indication of noticing.

It had been a long time since Torage had begun this project. A few hours at least. The cold had slowed him, but his weapons were only moments from completion. Darth Malus eagerly awaited that moment.

Darth Torage

Torage was nearly done with his lightsaber. Though his master had told him that one day he would be worthy of using his crystal, he did not feel ready to take this.

But if it was what his master wished, he would become much more than worthy enough.

Torage had finally completed his lightsaber. Even though the cold winds tormented him, he finished it. Rising up, Torage put his cloak back on holding his lightsabers.

Eager to see his blade for the first time, Torage ignited them both looking upon them especially the one that held Master Malus' crystal. Now he was set and the sabers deactivated.

He then turned to walk over to his master. "The moment has arrived. I have completed my lightsabers." Darth Malus turned around to look back at the apprentice.

"Good, good."

Darth Malus

Darth Malus had heard when the lightsabers were ignited and when his apprentice turned them off. He now looked at Torage from beneath that deep hood and reached out with the force to see how his apprentice felt about his accomplishment. Malus smiled inwardly.

“You have done well, Torage.” He said quietly, hardly audible above the fierce wind, “but the training of your knowledge is nearing its end.” As he spoke he reached behind him and withdrew his own lightsaber, sleek and glossy black with silver rings at the center and near each end of its two-foot length.

Torage must have been expecting such a test or at least suspected it and when his master pulled out his weapon Torage immediately stepped back and ignited his two crimson blades. A sudden burst of adrenaline launched through his veins along with a sense of dreadful excitement. Finally, a chance to fight with lightsabers and to test his skill. But against his master? Doubt edged its way in.

Darth Malus held his weapon in one hand at his right side. The red blade came to life with a venomous hiss. The sound of the wind died in his ears and all he heard were the low hums of the 3 blades. He took a moment to watch Torage and his dual lightsabers then slowly moved forward.

“The time has come, my apprentice, to move on to the next phase. Release your anger. Don’t fear destroying me. Use your hatred. Strike me down with it!”

Without a word the young man jumped forward closing the distance in the blink of an eye and started the attack, both blades reaching, slashing, thrusting, trying to find a way past his master’s single-bladed defense. Darth Malus, on the other hand stayed on the defensive, smoothly moving in a counter-clockwise circle around his apprentice in order keep Torage’s right-handed weapon away from him.

Divide and conquer, he thought with a grim smile.

Occasionally Malus would go on the offensive for a moment to force his apprentice to defend himself, but this game had gone on for long enough. It was time to show his young apprentice what it meant to be a Sith: fear, anger, hate… sacrifice.

He stopped moving around. Torage stood his ground and brought both lightsabers against his master: one to defend and the other to deliver constant, unrelentingly savage attacks. At each point master anticipated apprentice even as Torage sought to do the same and succeeded in large part if only to be thwarted again and again by the blinding speed and strength of his master’s defense.

In an effort to confuse his master Torage switched defensive and offensive blades and then kept switching to the point that each blade had a chance to deliver only one attack each, but the effect was mesmerizing. There seemed to be a sphere of red haze around him and then a lance here and there. Suddenly he saw a change in his master’s stance.

Darth Malus released one hand from the handle of his lightsaber to wield the blade one-handed. With a quick kick to the inside of his apprentice’s thigh he stunned him for long enough to grab the wrist of his right hand with vice-like strength and held it above Torage’s head. They were close now and their blades battled to their side. Malus drove his knee into Torage’s left side, parried away his left lightsaber, stepped back releasing his apprentices wrist and with a lightening quick swipe upwards severed his apprentice’s right hand at the wrist.

Darth Torage

Torage felt the burn. It was even worse than the lava's of Mustafar. Filled with the pain in his hand, Torage fell to his knees. But something else was happening. Under the pain, under the roar of the wind, and under the light laugh of his master, there was power running through him.

It was like a power surge. Feeling all that power, Torage stood up and ignited his last lightsaber, the one his master gave him his crystal, and slowly turned to see his master standing.

"You're up at last. You had better get used to the pain because if you intend to keep fighting, you are bound to feel it again." but under those words he wondered "Where was this extra power coming from?"

Malus then once again ignited his lightsaber. With fury and power now running through him, Torage launched attacks back at his master. As soon as the first strike came to Malus' blade he now knew, "So thats where I felt the power from. But where did he get it? Anyways lets see how this comes out shall we."

Darth Malus

As Torage hammered on his master’s blade again and again Darth Malus smiled beneath his hood. At last, it seemed his apprentice was allowing his fury to control him and to let go of restraint. For days Malus had worked to this end. His apprentice’s training was nearly complete. Now, to end any notion in young Torage’s head that he could defeat his master.

The Sith master began to force back his apprentice’s strikes slowly but surely putting Torage on the defensive. A heavy blow up high, blocked by Torage, two quick strikes each of his legs, also blocked, and finally an oppressive force push sent the boy skidding into the deep snow on his back. Malus was instantly standing above him, the tip of his lightsaber stopping a hair’s width away from his apprentice’s throat.

“You’ve done well, Torage,” he said as he extinguished his lightsaber and extended a hand to help up his wounded apprentice. “Your hate has made you powerful. Come now, it seems you need a new hand.”

Out of breath, pained, exhausted, freezing, and dismembered Torage summoned the blade back into the handle of his lightsaber and hooked it to his belt. He grabbed his master’s hand with strength and confidence, not the weak, pathetic pawing that some managed at the end of a fight. With a solid tug from his master he pulled himself to his feet and tucking his handless wrist beneath his left arm he picked up his fallen lightsaber.

Darth Malus nodded beneath his hood in approval. His apprentice was growing powerful, indeed. Soon he would make him more powerful. Hopefully it would not require another amputation.

On their way down the mountain path Darth Malus took the time to instruct his apprentice on using pain to call on the Force. He had earned it.

“…and remember, my apprentice. Pain lets you know you’re still alive. It is your ally.”