"F-Father! Please! Don't leave me!"
It started out as a simple possibility,one amongst the countless numbers of human responses available. But it is impossible to account for every possibility, every outcome, and just because the possibility exists does not mean that it is likely.
"Please, father! I'll be good!"
It was just one possibility, one, that, if it occurred, would be considered by reputable professors to be nothing more than a fluke, a sudden burst of activity in the brain, the stimulation of neural responses. It went against every likely outcome, it was statistically invariable, it was a one in a million occurrence that hardly ever happened.
"Father... please..."
But possibilities are meaningless, coming and going with the wind. When they become accepted, however, when they occur, they become more than possibility. They become reality, in this case, a child's reality.
"Father..."
And the reality of a child, is just as viable as the reality of anyone else, for there is no true reality, only perception of reality.
"FATHER!"
Tears dried, though they were ultimately meaningless in the rain. The fear of a child, leading to anger. Anger, however, must be directed. And it find a reason for direction.
"You're the reason mother is gone! YOU SHOULD HAVE STOPPED IT!"
When it is directed, it grows. It spawns into hatred.
"FATHER! I HATE YOU! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!"
Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to... suffering.
The child's name was Shinji Ikari, and his eyes, so young, so innocent, were already consumed by hatred. His suffering had only just begun, but his suffering, had led to self-loathing, to inadequacy. Inadequacy of the self.
"I-I'll become strong... I'll show you! I don't need you! I don't need anyone!"
Unbeknownst to the boy, this was his first step down a dark path. For many, this path would led to destruction. For him, however – it would lead to legend.
-SW-
Shinji's path began as many others did. With only hatred fuelling him, he delved into books and athletics. His guardian, a teacher, commented to another that he had never seen such drive in such a young child.
His talents weren't immediately recognised from the offset, however, and 'driven' was often not the word described by adults. Instead, most described him as 'delinquent', 'troublemaker', a rebellious young child who was notorious for beating up those who made fun of him or annoyed him. Otherwise, he was unusually quiet, preferring to read or play sports. In class, he often got in trouble for sleeping or for his snarky mouth. However, one year later, all these attempts to defy authority stopped, to the relief of many.
What they didn't know, however, was that Shinji had already learnt all he could from attempting to push the boundaries of authority. He had learnt, that he could not get what he wanted by direct force or subjugation, and when he needed to resort to it, he had to cover his tracks efficiently.
This realisation was put into use when Shinji was attacked by a local class bully. Shinji's response was brutal – he so put the fear of God in the boy, that, even when questioned later on in the hospital, he was so fearful of the consequences he refused to name who had done this to him or to even reveal that someone had hurt him. Against an older bully that attempted to harass a girl, a far more subtle approach – he silently left clues for each of his parents and began starting rumours, until there was such suspicion of infidelity between them that they had to split up, the father taking the boy with him.
Nevertheless, these incidents soon disappeared when his guardian realised Shinji's latent talents. It had taken some time, however events seemed to click in the teacher's mind and he realised the incidents Shinji got into were due to boredom, the boredom of a predominantly accelerated child. With that revelation in mind, Shinji began the next step in his path.
Personal one-on-one tuition (one of his tutors claimed the boy was the "most talented child he had ever met"). Sports, with an emphasise on martial arts, much to his guardian's chagrin – it had taken a lot of begging and in order to convince him Shinji had to promise only to use these in self-defence. He read as much as he could. He drew. He played music. Everything that was set before him, Shinji literally consumed, at a rate that made his peers jealous but was not completely due to inherent talent, but to hard work and perseverance.
However, in this expansive stage of Shinji's development, one thing dwarfed all others. A thing that, he realised, made him truly special, more special than anyone else.
Shinji realised that he had a special power.
His suspicions first began when he was being berated by one of his first teachers. The tongue-lashing she gave him roused his anger and left him fuming, and when she sat at her desk without warning her cup went flying up and smacked her in the forehead with so much force it shattered and knocked her off her chair.
Slowly, more and more strange events seemed to occur whenever he was angry. A bully being thrown back by an unseen force. A pillow levitating, defying the laws of gravity. As more and more of these things happened, Shinji wondered if he could control it.
His first experiments, on adults, turned out futile. After that, Shinji tried on animals, and to his delight, his attempts began to work.
Shinji could make them do whatever he wanted. All he needed to do was summon his anger and impose his will on the animals, and it was like they were extensions of himself. He could control any animal he wanted, but the smaller and less intelligent it was, the easier it was for him to control.
And for humans, he resorted to the lessons he learnt in his earlier days, to be subtle, to cover his tracks well. Slowly, his intrusions got better and better, and as they did so, he began to acquire things – tidbits and broken pieces of knowledge, stray thoughts, fears and hopes. The better he got at intruding into other people's minds, the more complete his knowledge became. Soon, he was able to put pieces together, to learn things that those of his age-group shouldn't know.
However it was not enough, would never be enough. In order for him to walk the path to greatness, he needed a guide, a mentor. Though Shinji found his inspiration in great historical figures like Genghis Khan and Alexander the Great, he needed to study under greatness in order to achieve greatness.
And he would have his first encounter with a greatness that dwarfed all these men, when he was just seven years old.
-SW-
"It looks so strange, sensei. I don't recognise these markings but it doesn't look like an old artifact at all," Shinji commented as he opened his birthday gift. "Rather like something out of an old sci-fi horror, in fact."
What he held in his palm was a small plated metallic pyramid. There were many strange etchings on the sides, and on the top of the pyramid was a dark crystal. The object was unnaturally cool to the touch, and seemed to absorb the heat from his hand.
His guardian smiled. "I know. This little trinket is something that I received from a friend who acquired it in central Asia in a shop of curiosities. He was a Professor of Linguistics, and he used this as a paperweight and a good luck charm of sorts."
"That's interesting..." Shinji flicked it. "But why give this to me?"
"Because of the fact you've been doing so well. You're several years ahead and still top of your class despite your many commitments. My friend went on to become extremely well known, a master of his field. Perhaps, in time, you could have the same luck because of this."
"Thank you," Shinji said. "But I never knew you to be a superstitious person, sensei."
"Perhaps not, but we all need a little luck in life, don't we?"
"That's true." Shinji gave him a bow. "I'm going to go back to my studies now, so please excuse me."
Shinji's room was nothing at all like what a seven year old's should be. His wooden training sword was stored on a rack in the corner of the room, right next to his Kendo gear. His bookcase was literally stuffed to full of books on a variety of subjects, and right next to his bookcase was his cello and piano. Directly opposite them were his desk and laptop.
Turning his lamp on, Shinji narrowed his eyes as he held it to the light.
From the very moment he set his eyes on it he knew it was no ordinary trinket. The object gave off a dark aura and literally throbbed with energy, an energy that Shinji knew all too well, as it was the same energy he felt inside him whenever he tried to do something with his special powers.
Putting it on his palm once again, Shinji closed his eyes, and transferred a bit of his power into it.
The pyramid gave a hum and a whirr, glowing with a malevolent red energy as the markings were bathed in brilliant light. To the boy's astonishment, a large three-dimensional figure stood atop the pyramid, dressed in strange, almost organic armour.
The figure looked at him curiously. "Tell me child, was it you who activated my holocron?"
Holocron. That was a word Shinji had never heard before. Swallowing his surprise, he swiftly answered. "Yes, I did."
Sith holocrons were nothing like their Jedi counterpart. While their counterpart's avatar was nothing more than a knowledge keeper, the holocron a simple repository of knowledge, a Sith holocron required the maker to literally add their essence, the very thing which composed their being, into making them.
As a result of that, Sith holocrons were, in some respects... alive.
"Interesting..." The figure looked him up and down. "And what is your name?"
"When asking one's name, it is polite to give your own first," Shinji retorted calmly.
Instead of anger or a stinging insult, the figure gave off a harsh, barking laugh. "My, my! It seems you are as interesting as you appear! Very well, young one. My name is Darth Bane... Dark Lord of the Sith."
Darth Bane... what kind of a name was that? "I'm Shinji Ikari."
"Well met, Shinji Ikari," the figure answered in its harsh baritone. "Now, tell me... how is it you came to possess my holocron? Who is your Master?"
"Master? What are you talking about?" Shinji asked in confusion.
"Your teacher, then. Few have managed to activate my holocron. Without the right aptitude for the Force, it is nigh-impossible. And even then... to keep your own mind, one must have tremendous force of will," Bane sneered.
Shinji unconsciously slipped his hand away, which had been trembling the entire time he had activated this 'holocron'. It was true – the dark aura that the object possessed before had nearly doubled, and it seemed to simmer in the air, like this ominous, black energy. Shinji was taking deeper breaths in order to compensate for the seeming lack of oxygen, such was the intensity of the malevolent energy. He was deeply thankful that his room was on the second floor, far away from his guardian. "I don't know what you're talking about..." Shinji came to a sudden realisation. "This... Force you speak of. Is that the reason for my powers?"
Now Darth Bane's avatar was even more curious. This boy, of all things, had managed to activate his holocron, when he, his lifetime, had added security precautions to prevent those too weak from ever being able to do so. Furthermore, it was evident he had no knowledge of the Force. "Explain yourself."
"Ever since I was little... I've always been able to do things, see things, that others can't," Shinji explained, his expression aloof and cold. "I can learn things about other people that they don't want others to know. I can make animals do what I want... I can lift small objects off the ground. Are you saying they all stem from this... Force?"
Extraordinary. This boy was no older than his apprentice when he had taken her under his wing, and already he boasted unbelievable raw potential. Never before had he seen such aptitude, even Darth Bane himself could not control his powers until he attending the Sith Academy.
And yet, he already saw in this boy a smouldering hatred, eyes filled with cold fury. If he was alive, the boy would be the perfect apprentice – no, more than that.
He could be the greatest Sith to ever come about in their Order, greater than the ancient Sith Lords, greater than Revan or even Naga Sadow. He could even be the Sith'ari, the chosen one of the Dark Side, the one prophesised to break the Sith in order to make them stronger.
All he needed, was to be properly moulded.
-SW-
Thus, for the next seven years of Shinji Ikari's life, his Sith training began in earnest.
By day, he continued to attend school and do sports. By night, he learnt all he could from Darth Bane's holocron, consuming everything he learnt with frightening hunger.
Though Shinji didn't continue to jump year streams as he had been doing earlier in his childhood, it wasn't because he was incapable of doing so, but rather he didn't want to or need to. He still easily scored consistently high marks and was almost always at the top of the class, but now, he had something else to aspire to, something greater than his petty need to prove he could be independent of his father.
The ambition of a Sith.
In his first lesson, he learnt the most important tenet of being a Sith, the Rule of Two – one to have power, and one to crave it. He learnt of the history and wars in the Sith Order, both internal and external wars, and furthermore, learnt more about the extraordinary galaxy Darth Bane once lived in. He also learnt of the Jedi, the Sith's eternal enemy, the ones that they had sworn to vanquish so long ago.
Even without a physical teacher, Shinji quickly proved Bane's earliest predictions and excelled in all that he did. His prowess in the Force grew, but the lack of a physical trainer posed a problem as Sith prided themselves not only on their mental and Force prowess but also physical and martial.
In order to combat this, Shinji did endless repetitions of the saber kata Bane himself had once learnt. He pushed himself as hard as he could in sports and martial arts clubs, refusing to rely on the Force in order to make himself physically stronger and harder. And in order to facilitate what he had learnt he began fighting not just against his peers, but against those bigger and older than him who possessed the advantage physically, to make sure that his technique was perfect. He was praised endlessly by his martial arts teachers as he learnt the powerful hand-to-hand combat styles Sith employed, a melding of the best parts of different techniques from different races and orders all over the galaxy.
His diet changed as he began to consume a larger variety of food other than the basic Japanese meals. He now ate a variety of meats, including plenty of fish to speed up optimum muscle growth and build a healthy physique.
Unlike Jedi holocrons, Sith holocrons held no restrictions on the Force powers that could be learnt by the user. Nothing was too dangerous for a Sith, after all. And Darth Bane himself was a master of many different powers, powers that Shinji eagerly learnt.
-SW-
It was on a perfectly inconspicuous day that Shinji received a letter that would soon be, once more life-changing.
A letter from his father. There was nothing in it except for blacked-out classified information and a NERV ID enclosed, and nothing personal from his father, other than the word 'COME'.
"So, it is time," Darth Bane mused. "Your father has called you. For what purpose? To what ends?"
"My father is part of an organisation called NERV," Shinji said calmly, though on the inside, his fury smouldered as long-dead feelings began to resurface. Feelings of bitterness, hatred, rejection – feelings that were unnecessary. He hadn't been a child since his father had abandoned him, what use did he have now for these childish feelings? "Information on it is classified, at the very highest levels. All I know about it are Internet rumours – that it is directly funded by the United Nations, that it has leeway to do whatever it likes in the defence of 'humanity'."
"Indeed... it is pathetic that your planet is so fragmented, even despite such devastation." Bane mused. "What do you think is his motive for this sudden action?"
Shinji ignored the slight, instead focusing on Darth Bane's question, a subtle test of his deductive reasoning. "It's simple. My father's found a use for me, and that's the reason he needs me. It isn't going to be some happy reunion," he stated cynically.
"Be mindful of your feelings, apprentice." Bane warned. "Anger and hatred are powerful tools, but you must make them your allies, not your enemies."
"I understand, my Master," Shinji replied.
"Elaborate on his motive."
Shinji closed his eyes, searching out with the Force. "All those years ago, when he abandoned me, I believe he expected it to break me. Because of this, when he calls me back, he expects me to return, starving for love and affection – namely, his." The corner of his lip curled slightly. As much as he hated to admit it, it was a masterful plan. "And so he expects me to be easily malleable... a tool."
"Yet a tool of value," Bane pointed out, "if this has been his plan all along. Few puppet masters would want years of planning like this to go to waste. You will not be so easily cast aside."
"Perhaps... most importantly, I did not break as he predicted," Shinji smirked.
"Do not be so proud in your own ability. You were but a fragile child. That you did not break was not due to your own capacity, but the will of the Force."
"You sound like a Jedi, Master," Shinji said sarcastically.
"You are lucky that I am not present in physical form, otherwise you would be punished for your cheek," Bane warned. "Nevertheless, you have learnt well. Despite your youth, there is little more I can teach you."
Shinji looked on eagerly. "Then am I ready, then?"
Bane snorted. "Though you indeed have the power and the potential, you are far from being the Dark Lord of the Sith. However, you have been taught all that you need, and from here you will receive no more guidance. From here, you must learn how to utilise your own power in the manner you see fit... and in order to even be worthy of a challenger for the mantle of Dark Lord, you still have two trials."
"What trials?" Shinji pressed.
"It is quite simple. You must conquer and subjugate this planet to your will, and acquire the means to travel through Hyperspace," Bane stated.
Pfft. Simple my ass. Shinji mused. Neither of these things would be easy, but the first was made considerably easier by the fact he already possessed a platform to reach power – through NERV and his father. Also, there was already mass civil unrest and tension, a tension that had only increased in the years after Second Impact. The climate was ripe for an ambitious and charismatic persona to unite Earth, and put to end the status quo that had been maintained for years, even before Second Impact.
The second task would be much more difficult. Earth was light-years away from the technology of Darth Bane's galaxy. He didn't even know where to start, in fact. Furthermore, he had no means of recreating a lightsaber, the most important weapon in a Sith's arsenal and the symbol of his power, even though much of his physical training had centred around swordsmanship rather than projectile weaponry like blasters, or rather guns. He was familiar with how to use one, having competed in a rifle club, but being a swordsman was the very core of Sith combat.
"But in order to make external conquest, you must conquer yourself internally. Do you remember the first lesson that you learnt from me?"
"There can only be two Sith – a Master, and an apprentice," Shinji stated.
"Yes," Bane hissed. "Remember it well. It is the central dogma of Sith rule, and the foundation of our strength over the Jedi. The apprentice must succeed the Master in strength – by doing this, the Sith Order can grow stronger as a result. And you, my young apprentice, must show that you have indeed surpassed me."
Shinji, instead of being surprised by this declaration simply smirked. "I knew it. You're not just the holocron's knowledge keeper aren't you? You actually possess a fragment of Darth Bane's very soul."
From the very moment Shinji had learnt about the intimate details of making holocrons, he knew there was something unique about the holocron he held. The avatar of Darth Bane was alive, in more ways than one. Even if the crystal contained Darth Bane's very essence, it was capable of reasoning things beyond what even a Sith holocron should have been able to do. It was as if capable of true thought, much like Darth Bane himself had been in life... too much.
Not to mention that when he activated it for the first time, Darth Bane had spoken to him in Japanese, a language not stored in the holo-banks or even existed in his galaxy. When Shinji activated it by pushing some of his power into it, he had also unknowingly passed on his knowledge of the language, however childish his grasp was, and Darth Bane had filled in the gaps using his own knowledge and mastery of the Force.
"Yes... that is correct. Good," Bane rarely praised him. Most of his compliments were not really compliments at all, but observations that he was doing as he had expected for someone with his potential. "When I created this holocron, I feared that my current apprentice, Darth Zannah, was too weak, too incapable of taking the mantle of Dark Lord away from me by proving her strength. So, I searched for methods to prolong my life, not for fear of death, but to wait, to make sure that when I was defeated, it would be a true overwhelming of strength, rather than a cowardly betrayal of the weak."
Shinji nodded, expecting as much.
"Because of this, I learnt the power to transfer my spirit from body to body, a dangerous and painful Sith technique. This holocron was yet another precaution, as I transferred part of my spirit here."
"But... by transferring your spirit, you'd be weakening yourself if you actually performed the technique," Shinji pointed out.
"If Darth Zannah managed to overcome this technique, even without being at full-strength, then she has already proven her force of will to be great enough to bear the mantle of Sith Lord. And now, I will perform the technique once more. If you win, you have proven yourself worthy of bearing the title of 'Sith'. If I win, I return once more!" Bane cackled. "Prepare to face your fears, and the full power of the dark side!"
With that, the holocron gave off a blinding burst of light, so bright that Shinji had to step back and shield his eyes. His body began to shake from the power being exuded, and he summoned his own command of the dark side in order to counter it.
A dark spirit rose from the holocron, cackling harshly as it flew towards him at inhumane speeds. Shinji's eyes widened before he flew backward, hitting the ground and blacking out.
-SW-
"F-Father, please don't leave me!"
Shinji opened his eyes once again, finding himself in a familiar scene. Before his eyes, he could see a younger version of himself, weeping the tears of a scared young child as his father left.
You have so much pride in what occurred next, don't you, Shinji? That you decided to become strong, that you did not break as other children did. But the truth is, you are still no more than a child. And you broke, just as the others did.
Suddenly, the scenes changed, flashing through sequences in his life, key memories that he once had – however, unlike the memories he held of these past events, these were... wrong.
He saw himself being bullied, a hollowed, pitiful expression on his face as he was tossed aside with a tear-filled face – he saw himself, coasting through life, merely doing what he was told -
The truth is, Shinji, you DID break! You are nothing more than broken child, a pathetic, snivelling worm craving the love and affection of a parent! You have no power! You are weak!
The scenes began flicking through faster and faster, and Shinji's eyes widened as he was presented with each.
Him attending school...playing cello... eating dinner with his guardian...
All with that lost, broken look on his face...
And then the memories shifted, becoming more and more unfamiliar of things that had never occurred -
Being rejected by a girl... going to college... getting a job...
And then -
CRASH!
"Hey baka! Watch it, will you?" His boss shouted, smacking him with her newspaper, despite the fact it was she who had crashed into him, breaking her laptop and spilling her coffee.
"Sorry, sorry!" Shinji cried, bowing his head as low as he could. He nervously adjusted his tie, quickly running away. "I – I have to get to my office!"
"You can forget about a raise! And I'm taking this out of your wages! Hey! Why aren't you cleaning this up! Come on, take it like a man!"
"W-Whatever you say," Shinji hurried to his office, sighing as he sat at his desk. Now it's time to start my work...
"Hey Ikari!"
SMACK!
"Ow!" Shinji cried, rubbing his sore head. "Watch it, Seigo. And what's with the ball? What happens if boss sees you?"
His unshaven partner grinned, picking the baseball up. "Hey, don't sweat it! Don't forget, we're dating, remember?" He sighed in satisfaction. "Man, I can't get enough of that ass..."
"B-But even if you're dating her, you k-k-know you have to get your work done or else she'll get on your case like she always gets on mine," he stuttered. "And speaking of which, what about the research I asked you to do? You know we're meant to be making a presentation at the end of the week!"
Seigo rubbed his head in embarrassment. "You know, about that... uh, well, my mum hasn't been feeling too well, and I've had to take care of her. Do you mind if you... well..."
Shinji sighed. "I've been working double shifts in order to compensate for you, Seigo. I'm absolutely exhausted, and you haven't been doing much work this entire year. Every time you need to do something, you always ask me!"
"Come on, dude, she's like, really sick!" Seigo begged. "Just this week, and I promise I'll help you out next time!"
"A-Alright..." Shinji relented.
"Thanks, dude! You're the bomb!" Seigo laughed, giving the lanky man a hardly slap on the shoulder that nearly threw him out of his chair.
"Hey Seigo!"
The man turned around in surprise. "Hey, Jenny! What're you doing here! This isn't your department!"
Jenny gave him a wink, hunching down in a whisper. Unbeknownst to her, Shinji could hear every word. "I was wondering if you're free this Friday. I really enjoyed last week, and I was hoping if you'd..."
"Say no more, the S-Man is on the case," Seigo declared. "You bringing your friends?"
"Of course! They really enjoyed your company, Seigo... if you play your cards right..." Jenny looked up to see Shinji in the corner, and hastily quietened down. "Alright, I'll see ya later!"
"Uh... wait!" Shinji called out weakly, turning around. "Jenny? H-Have you heard anything from Karin?"
"Um... no, I haven't," Jenny offered weakly. "You know how Karin is, she's always on the move... she's overseas or something, I haven't heard much from her."
"But you guys are best friends," Shinji pressed. "C-Can't you just..."
"The next time I see her, I promise you I'll relay your message," Jenny sighed. "Right, see ya Seigo!"
"Bye Jenny!"
Shinji sighed, shaking his head in order to clear the thoughts pervading his head. "Hand me that stapler, will you?" When Seigo made no indication he had heard him, still texting away on his Blackberry, Shinji sighed again and went to grab it.
"BAKA!"
Shinji yelped in surprise, falling out of his chair.
"What the hell are these?" His boss shouted, throwing a stack of papers at him – as they hadn't been stapled, they burst apart, flying everywhere. "Much of this has been copy and pasted!"
"W-What?" Shinji asked, dazed from his fall. "Copy and pasted? I wouldn't..."
"YOU WOULD AND YOU DID? Did you not think I would Google it?" She snarled. "Do it all again?"
Shinji picked up one of the pages. "But this isn't even my work!" He protested. "This is what you asked Seigo!"
"Don't make excuses or blame others! Now DO IT AGAIN!"
As soon as she had stormed out, Shinji spun around in anger. "Seigo! What the hell are you doing! Don't you know it's my job on the line?"
"Hey, don't sweat it. As long as I'm here she won't fire you."
"BULL SHE WON'T!" Shinji yelled, fed up with his partner's attitude. "You've always made me do all your work! Not to mention I'm always blamed for your failings! Am I meant to put up with all this!"
WHAM! Shinji gave a cry of pain as he was thrown against the office wall.
"Yes, you are," Seigo sneered. The larger man grabbed Shinji's thin arm, twisting it back. "Let me make it clear to you. I'm the reason that the boss hasn't fired your pathetic ass. Show a little gratitude won't you? And I'm not the one with the attitude either. You always complain about your teensy little workload, and it's annoying. Grow up. At the very least I'm always cheerful and happy."
Shinji bit his tongue in anger. That's because you get everything you want without having to work for it. Just because you have a few muscles and are some sort of ladies' man, I'm meant to be pulling all the weight around here? "Screw you."
Seigo snorted in amusement. "As if. Let's face it, Ikari. You're a spineless coward that no girl in their right mind would date. I don't know how you even landed in this job in the first place other than the fact your father's some hotshot Government official or something. You're never going to be a leader. So go on with your meagre little existence and let guys like me, guys who know what real power, do all the talking and rolling."
"Y-You don't know the meaning of the word 'power'," Shinji retorted acidly.
"HA! I know plenty more than you. I might even clue you in a bit. Real power... is the power to win."
Power... win...
Slowly, gears started to click in Shinji's brain as a foreign sensation filled his body. "W-What did you say?"
"Did you not hear me numbskull? Real power is the power to win!"
Through power... I gain victory.
Through... power...
My... power?
HISS! "AHHHH!" Seigo shrieked in pain as he stumbled back, clutching his now stump of an arm.
Shinji smirked, raising a weapon with a glowing scarlet blade as his eyes gleamed yellow. "Through power, I gain victory." He twirled the lightsaber, lopping off his partner's head. "And through victory... my chains are broken!"
Shinji began cackling madly, the dark side of the Force fuelling his actions as his suit and lanky form shifted to black robes and a chiselled physique. He raised both his hands, lightning blazing to life. "The Force shall free me!"
With that, the world around him shattered, cracking like glass. He stepped forward, into an eerie cavernous world, filled with fog. Was this what his mind was visualised as?
Shinji looked to see Darth Bane, standing there waiting for him, before extinguishing his blade. "That was some illusion."
"It was more than an illusion – I used the Force to agitated your subconscious mind and direct it to your mindscape to enhance the effects. How did it feel?"
"It felt real. It really felt like I had lived my entire life as a weakling," Shinji confessed with a scowl. "And I don't like it. I could have been trapped in that illusion forever, couldn't I?"
"That man... Seigo. It was he who aroused you from your slumber, was it not?" Bane inquired. "And what he said. Tell me, did what he said make him a Sith, in any shape or manner?"
Shinji replied without hesitation. "No. He was a brute and nothing more, cannon fodder for the Sith at best. Patience. Subtlety. Cunning. He lacked all of these."
"That is correct. Remember this lesson well, apprentice. And further, remember the inequality you suffered, for inequality is the natural state of things. There are those with the power and will to lead, and those who lead meaningless, meagre existences."
Shinji paused, taking all this in. "So that's what I could have been like... in another life." He mused aloud. "Dominated by those stronger than me, even though they themselves lacked true strength."
"Indeed. And now, we come to the true test." Bane raised his hand, a lightsaber materialising as he activated it with a snap-hiss. "Show me your power, or I will destroy you!"
"Gladly," Shinji smirked, performing the Form II salute before shifting into an entry stance.
Bane leapt forward, bringing his blade crashing down over his head in an incredibly powerful blow. Shinji shifted back, twirling his saber as he parried it, deflecting it away from him. But he had no time to follow up as Bane with extraordinary speed brought his saber back for another blow.
The young Sith quickly found himself on the defensive, barely defending against the more experienced duellist. Even despite the wide arcs in order to gather momentum, Bane was unbelievably fast, and Shinji found himself hard-pressed to keep up. Gradually, Shinji was being pushed back, and he knew that he couldn't keep a prolonged defence indefinitely.
He had greatly underestimated Bane's mastery of Form V, and was now cursing himself for doing so. Shinji had thought that by using Form II's footwork and fine precision, he would be able to take advantage of Form V's wide, sweeping blows, but not only was he being pushed back he was being forced to directly block Bane's slashes and thrusts. He was unable to time his attacks correctly to take advantage of any openings, but Bane himself was providing none.
As he was being pushed back, Shinji found himself hastily resorting to Form III moves, the most defensive of the lightsaber forms, in order to defend himself. He was quickly tiring out, and against Form V's raw kinetic power he had no answer.
This isn't working! I have to take advantage... but how he would do so was the question. Darth Bane considered himself a master of lightsaber combat, and even though his attacks so far had been part of a furious physical onslaught Shinji knew that if he changed tactics Bane would do so to match. He knew that Bane was proficient in virtually all the forms and knew of their strengths and weaknesses. In order to have a chance he needed to take this out of a pure lightsaber duel.
Quickly Shinji racked his options, even as he narrowly dodged another sweep that came dangerously close to his shoulder. Changing to another form would accomplish nothing, unless he attempted to meet aggression with aggression – against Darth Bane, that would be tantamount to suicide. None of the Force techniques he had learnt would work since the opponent he was facing was extremely strong-willed and more skilled in the Force than he was. The only thing he could think of was Sith Sorcery, with Bane himself admitting he lacked an aptitude for it – however since Shinji's knowledge had originally been Bane's knowledge, he had no idea on how to perform it.
Things were looking bleak. If Bane had been at his full power and against him in physical form, there was no doubt in Shinji's mind that he would never have lasted this long. He would have died in a few blows. It looks like I've still got a lot to learn.
Suddenly it came to him. Wait. This is my mind, isn't it? Shinji smirked, using the Force to flip back, landing gracefully on a rock even as he closed his eyes and focused.
Bane raised his eyebrows warily before his eyes widened as a literal copy of him materialised out of thin air, activating its lightsaber.
And that wasn't all. Everywhere he looked, he saw hundreds of copies of Darth Bane materialising, activating their weapons, approaching him with the same, confident air he himself possessed, shifting into the Form V stance he himself favoured.
With this, Darth Bane laughed, deactivating his weapon. "Using the environment against me – in this case, your mind. Very well played."
"Not the most original ploy, I know, but I was running out of time," Shinji confessed as Bane suddenly found himself strapped to an iron rack. "I wanted to go for a Sith warship but knew you wouldn't give me enough time to visualise one, so I went for the person whose abilities and appearance I was the most familiar with."
Bane nodded his head approvingly. "To visualise hundreds of me... that takes a considerable amount of mental discipline. You have passed this test, though rest assured you have a long way to even attempt to contest the title of the Dark Lord of the Sith."
"I know. If each Dark Lord has become successively stronger, as you yourself wished... then the current Dark Lord will be even stronger than you are," Shinji stated.
"Nevertheless, you have done well. Kneel."
Shinji did so, as Bane now found himself in an obsidian throne, albeit one he was still strapped down to.
"You have completed your Sith training, and will be given a new name. From this day forth, you will be known as Darth Terros."
"Darth Terros..." Shinji tasted the name in his mouth. "Yes... that is fitting." The newly dubbed Darth Terros stood, looking at his Master calmly. "I've learnt all that I can from you. If I allow your soul fragment to leave, it could prove to be a problem in the future. But if I eradicate you through my mind, you could leave an unwanted imprint upon me."
Bane smirked when he realised what Terros had in mind. "Oh? So this is the choice you make, eh? Ambitious, aren't you?"
"But you agree, because doing so will only strengthen myself," Terros answered. "And by doing so, we will see whose will is greater – my will to become the Dark Lord... or your will to survive." He bowed. "Thank you, Master."
-SW-
Terros opened his eyes and stood up.
He felt more alive than he ever had before. The power of the dark side throbbed painfully through his veins, aching to be unleashed upon his victims, and he was eager to do so.
But he would be patient. He would be cunning.
And when the time came, he would show this world the true wrath of the Sith.