Luke walked down the halls, no resistance at all had come for him. Not yet. Though he expected something, all he saw was a wrecked tomb. He noticed inactive mines, but they were disabled quite a long time ago from the looks of it. He continued to walk across a long bridge, and noticed disabled, and destroyed turret droids. Just to be safe, he blasted Sith Lightning at them, just to be safe. He felt confident using the technique now. These trials were to push him to his limits. Force him to use powers he never thought possible, at the same time as making sure he was worthy of the mantle of Dark Lord. It was ingenious.
As he walked into one of the final rooms, he noticed something odd. He sensed another presence. He looked behind him to see a fading image of a man in Sith robes.
"Ajunta Pall." Luke realized outloud, and ignited his emerald green lightsaber.
"Ah... A human. What are you doing here? None have come to see me since Revan..." Ajunta Pall said in a depressed tone. Luke was suprised by that answer.
"You should know why I'm here, I'm here for your trial!" Luke shouted, aggrivated.
"Oh, none come here for Sith Trials anymore. This is nothing but a ruin. This is where I reside in my constant agony. The last one who came here was Revan. Dark Lord of the Sith. It was a long time ago... a thousand years perhaps. Two thousand maybe. Possibly more. It's hard to keep count..." Ajunta Pall said despairingly. Luke was not satisfied.
"Your blessing is needed if I am to be Dark Lord! What is my trial? Is this some kind of trick?" Luke growled. Ajunta just looked at him without any particular emotion.
"Then you have my blessing. I have no trial. This tomb's defenses have been destroyed. There is nothing for you here. All that resides is regret..." Ajunta said. Luke was actually angered. He came expecting a trial, something to make him stronger, and he was greeted with such a weakling. Was this Ajunta Pall truly one of the greatest Lords of the Sith? The first fallen Jedi?
"You are a dissapointment. A pity they called you Dark Lord of the Sith" Luke growled at him. Ajunta screamed with rage.
"If that is how you would have it, I still have power left!" He yelled, as he used the force to open his coffin, and used Force Pull to grab a two-sided blade.
"So this is my trial." Luke said with a smirk, as he dashed toward the Sith Master. He unleashed his mastery of Form V upon Ajunta, who was able to block every attack with this powerful sword. Luke knew that he had to watch out for both sides of the weapon, but he had never faced an opponent with such a blade before. He lunged for an attack when Ajunta's guard was down, and right before the saber reached his head, he felt a sharp pain in his leg and fell to the ground.
"Behold the power of Ajunta Pall! Revan knew better than to fight me, you are a fool!" He bellowed, as he brought his arm up, preparing for the final blow, but before he struck down, Luke quickly blasted him with his Force Lightning, causing the Sith Lord to fall to his knees in pain, and drop his sword. Luke then grabbed the famed sword of Ajunta Pall, and brought the back blade to the legendary Sith Lord's throat, threaghtening to behead him.
"I have nothing to live for any longer. All that is left is regret. Kill me, please!" Ajunta pleaded, and closed his eyes, waiting for the blow to come. But it didn't.
"Sorry, I still need you, your blessing will make me one step closer to being Dark Lord of the Sith." Luke said confidently. Ajunta looked up at him with hatred.
"You are indeed worthy of being Lord of the Sith. My blessing is yours young one." Ajunta Grunted, as Luke, satisfied, left the room, though the pain in his leg still resided, it wasn't deep. It seemed Ajunta's Sword was poisoned somehow. Whatever it was, the intense pain faded, and Luke dropped Pall's blade, picked up his lightsaber with the Force and left the tomb.
"The tomb of Tulak Hord, Sith swordsmaster" Luke chanted, and the doors opened.
"Sith swordsmaster eh? Marka Ragnos' trial taught me of my powers with the force, perhaps Tulak Hord's trial will teach me in skills with a lightsaber." Luke said as he walked inside. As he walked down the first room, he could already feel the presence of the Dark Side. But not in one thing. There were many. He proceeded forward. There was no other way. He continued to walk down the dark hallway until he noticed something in the corner of his eye. Something in the darkest shadows of the halls. He didn't have time to call out to it, as it charged towards him. A horned hound, with atleast 3 rows of teeth, and deadly claws. It charged at Luke with such speed that his only reaction was to blast it with Force Lightning. Expecting it to fall dead, Luke was very suprised when the lightning didn't effect it, in fact, it started running faster, it was nearly upon Luke when he ignited his lightsaber and slashed it in the stomach, falling backwards in the process, and instead of entrails, a cloud of black smoke came out of the creature. It let out a yelp, and fell to the ground, and around it, came a pool of pure black blood.
Luke recognized this creature from stories. It was a Tuk'ata, a hound of the ancient Sith. It was a creature born of the Dark Side. Luke then remembered how the Lightning only made the Tuk'ata faster. It must have absorbed the Dark Side energies, meaning that the Force would be of no help to him here. He stood up, held up his lightsaber, also using it as a light, and walked forward only three steps when he heard a flurry of yelps. He then heard and felt footsteps. Fast footsteps. Lots of them. The halls were rumbling. Luke knew that the one Tuk'ata was nothing compared to what lay ahead. He prepared to fight an army, and he got no less than that from his foes. He then saw that he wasn't fighting three or four Tuk'atas, he was fighting at least twenty. As they filled the halls, Luke ran back in fear to a the first room, in hopes of having more space to fight. He was unable to calm himself. He was sure he would die here. He was backed up against a wall, and just as anticipated, a hord of Tuk'ata charged into the room. The odds felt like one on a hundred.
In utter fear, and distress, Luke yelled as he charged at the Tuk'ata pack, and sliced through a few of them, but was then jumped by a good 5 of them, tearing, and clawing at him. He sreamed in pain and terror, and slashed his lightsaber aimlesly, kiling Tuk'ata everywhere, there was a violet blood on the floor now, a mix between the Tuk'ata's and Luke's own blood. He hadn't even killed half of them, and they continued to fiercely claw, rip, and shred at Luke, as they met their fate at the end of his lightsaber, until he was toppled over by a group of four Tuk'ata, and was barely able to hold on to his lightsaber, as the large fangs of one of the Tuk'ata sunk into his arm, causing him to scream in pain, he thrashed his limbs around in utter and complete fear, within his fear, he found that he couldn't control his own body. As the Tuk'ata ripped and shredded, he sunk into the deepest level of fear. Most, while under such fear go immobile, but Luke, in his fear, without even realizing it turned it into his weapon. He used his fear of the Tuk'ata to bring anger at them. His anger transformed into hate, and his hate gave him power.
He brought up his lightsaber, and slew the Tuk'ata that were on top of him, and was able to force up his torn body through pure strength, hatred, and direness alone, using the force as adreniline, he swung his lightsaber and sliced down all Tuk'ata in his path, and the final group attempted to swarm him, but he swiftly, and skillfully manuvered his lightsaber to slice through the layers of foes. With his hatred, he was able to call upon true power, his skillfull movements went lightning fast, just as they were when he fought Vader, his attacks were strong enough to kill every Tuk'ata with one swing, and his determination to live was stronger than ever. He yelled with victory after slaying the final Tuk'ata.
Though he was victorious, Luke knew that he would die if he didn't get medical attention quickly. He was bleeding in several places, and his arm was gashed by the Tuk'ata's fangs. Thanks to the Dark Side, he could keep moving on, but he had to complete this trial. He may have not survived had he any more injuries before fighting the Tuk'ata. He feared each Tomb would be more and more difficult. With his current injuries, he could barely fight. He certianly couldn't take much more. How many more tombs were left? He had gained the blessing of Marka Ragnos, and Ajunta Pall. It seems after he gains the blessing of Tulak Hord, only one will remain.
Unsure that he would survive his trials, he slowly walked down the halls, waiting for more resistance, but none came. It seemed that all of the Tuk'ata had gathered to face him already. Confident that he was correct, he walked as fast as he could to the core room. As expected, there was no resistance at all. He waited for Tulak Hord to show himself, but he failed to do so. Luke opened his coffin, like he did Marka Ragnos', but all he found in there was a few medical suplies and a stone tablet on a rotted corpse. Luke quickly applied all of the medical suplies, and aspects, but it was very little. Not enough wounds like his, but it was better than nothing. He then turned his attention to the tablet. It was in that same language that had been written on the tombs entrances. Luke prepared for the worst, and read the words on the tablet outloud.
"Oh great spirit of Tulak Hord, I summon thee to the world of the living, from the realm of the dead!" Luke chanted, as a powerful Dark Side presence swept over Luke, and another spirit formed, in a bright blinding light.
"I assume seems there is another who wishes to be Dark Lord of the Sith. I am impressed that you have been able to get this far. It seems you already have the blessings of Marka Ragnos, and Ajunta Pall. I take it you are Lord Vader's apprentice, yes, that was the name of the last one who went through the trials.
"No, I am apprentice of Lord Sidious, Vader is dead." Luke replied with honor.
"I feared as much. That would make you Sidious' fourth apprentice. There should only be one master, and one apprentice... No matter, hopefully you will be the one to succeed him then, as that is the way of the Sith. Sidious is the most powerful Sith to ever pass these trials, but I sense much power in you, perhaps you will be the one to surpass him." Tulak Hord said.
"I don't need your riddles, or your thoughts on my master, I need your blessing!" Luke yelled at the spirit.
"You are a spirited one. But my blessing is not one so easily earned. Come forth, Khem Val!" Tulak Hord chanted as the wall behind him collapsed revealing a large humanoid monster wielding a very large weapon. Luke could sense it's power with the Dark Side. He now knew that fighting those Tuk'ata was just to prepare him for this.
"Master Tulak Hord, it has been so long! May we once again rule the galaxy as the Dark Lords?" Khem Val asked eagerly.
"Khem Val, I have something to ask of you. Kill this boy, he is a pretender. He wishes to be Dark Lord in our stead!" Tulak Hord boomed. Luke knew why he worded it as such. It was evident that this monster was a Dark Lord of the Sith at one point. Rage will make him stronger. Luke readied himself for battle, attempting to again use his fear to his advantage.
"This boy, Dark Lord of the Sith! Ha! As If you could ever be as great as the profound Tulak Hord! Perhaps I shall teach you some respect!" Khem Val growled, as he dashed toward Luke. Luke raised his lightsaber, and charged at Khem Val, using his fear to increase his power.
Even though that even after using the medical kits, he was still badly wounded, Luke found his attacks to be ever faster and stronger. He dueled this former Dark Lord of the Sith on equal footing, which amazed not only Luke, but Tulak Hord as well. Luke went in closer, using Djem So to overpower the beast, but he may have acted too soon, as the much bigger and stronger Dark Lord used his own Djem So and overpowered Luke himself. Using the bit of Soresu he knew, Luke attempted to block all of Khem Val's attacks, but his constant strong attacks made it impossible to counter. Luke kept looking for a weakness, and his defenses began to weaken under the master of Djem So. Luke decided to evade, and jump over the large Sith Lord, in attempt to see how fast his reactions were. This was learnt the hard way, as before Luke even landed, Khem Val was already turned around, and was swinging ferociously at him. Dodging however many he could, and blocking the others with the amount of strength he had left, he had finally found one of the the monster's weak points. His own rage. Luke broke free of combat, and jumped back as the monster came rushing to face him. At that very moment, Luke used the force to collapse a bit of the ceiling on the Dark Lord, which only stunned him for a moment, as he attacked from above, enraged, and Luke used this oppritunity to use something that he had learned from Obi-Wan's journal, something that he could never apply in normal circumstances with his little knowledge of it. He used the speed and agility of Form IV: Ataru, slice through Khem Val, successfully defeating him.
The Sith Lord let out a grunt as he fell to the ground, and Luke stood over him, knowing that he was the obvoius victor.
"It seems my powers... Are mostly gone... To think that the great Khem Val... Would die... Fighting a brat like you..." Khem Val whispered, as his breathing faded, and his heart came to a stop. Luke stopped, and looked up at the spirit of the long dead Tulak Hord.
"Khem Val was a loyal ally... And now you have killed him... Even after thousands of years, he waited for the day that he could again fight by my side... You have impressed me, nonetheless. You are Sith Material. You have my blessing. Go now. Leave me to grieve over my lost ally."
"Of course, Master Hord." Luke responded, without any regret about killing the monster. He had dipped even further into the depths of the Dark Side. When he left the tomb, he was more powerful than ever.
"Only one more to go." Luke said with a cold smile.
[A/N] Sorry if this chapter was a bit to fast, or not as well writen as the previous two, I promise it will get better again. Also, Khem Val is only capable of being here if the events of TOR never happened, and it was more fitting that he be in the tomb of Tulak Hord than the tomb of Naga Sadow.
- XxScottPilgrim-RamonaFlowersxX