Cale awoke suddenly. Beads of sweat ran down his forehead, as he desperately tried to cling onto the dream fading into the recesses of his mind. Faces, lights, a scream. He sat up slowly, letting himself relax. It was the same room, the same cold plasteel bed, the same darkness he'd known for as long as he could remember. Standing, he began to don his black robes. Worn from years of rigorous use, tattered and faded, he felt the familiar cloth slide across his back, and readied himself for the day to come.
No sooner had he pulled on his boots, his communicator beeped. His cell door opened and he strode out into the corridor. It was still dark; the other students of the Academy had yet to wake for their studies, but he was not a student.
He arrived in the training room to find his Master meditating. He looked up as Cale entered, and looked at him with piercing yellow eyes. "Lift your hood young one." He said calmly. "Don't remind me of your… heritage." Cale knew the rule, but the comment still stung. He lifted his black hood, covering the silver-white hair underneath, masking the trait of his mother.
"Your training today will have a slightly different focus apprentice. Choose your weapon." Cale was taken aback. Normally his weapon would be chosen for him, to ensure mastery of all forms of combat. He moved to the wall and selected his own sword. It had taken 4 days to construct, forging and shaping the metallic core, then weaving the cortosis blade to protect it from blaster bolts and the strike of a lightsaber. It was far smaller and lighter than most Sith weapons, and much more refined, Cale thought.
Master Kaosa stood. "Today, you will face me, in single combat. I will refrain from using my Force abilities, but you must defeat me, blade to blade."
Cale hesitated, he had never duelled his Master before, only simulation droids and occasionally Sith students.
"But Master, I am not re…"
"Silence. Do not question me. You are not ready, but I will take some pleasure in your humiliation."
Cale ignored the taunt. He dropped into a Makashi stance, the ideal form for melee duelling.
Kaosa snarled and drew his saber. The blood-red stream of light projecting from the hilt accentuating the red of his skin, and the empty black of his robes.
Cale dove into the first attack, seeking to take his Master by surprise. Sparks flew as sword met saber. Kaosa snarled and kicked out; Cale predicted it and swerved sideways, using his momentum to spin and throw a wide slice at Kaosa's right side. It was parried again, and countered by a flurry of flashing red strikes. Cale leaped up and backwards, out of harm's way, but the tip of the saber caught his thigh. The smell of burnt flesh entered his nostrils, and adrenaline surged through him. He had no time to counter as the red blade stabbed towards him. Swiftly sidestepping, Cale swung at his Master's off-hand, and felt it connect with flesh. Kaosa howled and attacked furiously. Cale dropped to his knees as blow after blow made contact with his defences, reverberating through his body. He had to change tactics fast. Quickly changing to a more defensive form, Soresu. Kaosa laughed, even as he swung. "Such techniques are unbecoming of you, apprentice."
Then Cale saw it. A weakness. Kaosa's unrelenting aggression showed its soft underbelly. He dodged one last time, and cut at it. Two halves of Kaosa's lightsaber hilt clattered to the ground.
"You. What have you done?!" his Master roared. Lifting up his claw, Kaosa propelled the Force into Cale's chest, throwing him backwards. Cale felt his life leave him as his throat constricted, cutting off his air supply.
"You insolent human. Pathetic child. You are no match for my power, the power of the Sith." Spat Kaosa. "You will pay for your actions with your life!"
"Stop this." A voice rumbled through his mind. Cale dropped to the ground, gasping for breath as he saw Kaosa cower. "You will not kill him Kaosa, he is far too useful a tool."
Kaosa grovelled and muttered incomprehensible words of apology.
"Leave apprentice, your training is completed for today." The voice commanded. Cale picked up his sword and ran to his cell, slamming the door behind him, and sat alone in the darkness.