Chapter VII- Training
Darkness shrouded Revan's nightmare, the recurring dream that always plagued the Sith whenever sleep overcame her.
Revan and Malak stood in a dark room, it's appearance to the liking of a factory, with sharp pieces of metal sticking from the walls, connected to tubes that led to the center of the large room. Revan and Malak tightened their grips on their lightsabers, stepping forward with no small amount of courage.
Malak turned around, making sure their flank was secure as Revan kept her attention forward, a dark shape ahead of the two Jedi. Revan squinted behind her mask, trying see what the shape was, before stopping abruptly fifteen paces in front of what appeared to be a large throne. The Jedi Knights felt an overwhelming presence of darkness surge before them.
Revan activated her violet blade, Malak drawing his azure one. From the throne, the Jedi heard a deep masculine chuckle sound out and echo into near-empty room. A dark figure stood from the black metallic throne.
Revan and Malak tensed as the figure descended the stairs of the throne, standing before the two Jedi. The figure was of average height and build, standing just over six feet tall, with a lithe muscular physique. Revan tensed, she could feel the power that cascaded off this figure in waves of dark energy. With the amount of darkness residing in the room, Revan concluded that this was the Emperor of True Sith, thought to have perished in the Great Hyperspace War.
The Sith Emperor now stood only five paces from the two Jedi, raising his arms to his sides in what looked like a greeting.
"Welcome Revan and Malak." The Emperor said, his face concealed by a black, Durasteel, Sith mask. "I am so pleased you could join me." The Sith said, his tone sounded welcoming, but Revan detected deceit behind it.
"Sorry if I don't shake your hand, Sith." Revan spat, raising her lightsaber to a fighting stance, Malak following her lead silently. The Emperor merely laughed.
"Really, is this anyway to introduce yourselves to your new Master?" The Emperor asked, Revan's grip on her lightsaber tightened.
"You're no master of mine." Malak said defiantly, Revan nodded in agreement with her friend.
"We're not her to submit to you, Sith. We're here to end you." Revan declared, the Sith Emperor stood in silence, before flicking his wrist, the doors to the throne room slamming shut. The Sith Lord held out his hand, in an instant, a lightsaber made of black Durasteel was in his hand.
"Have at thee then!" The Sith snarled, before activating his lightsaber and leaping forward at the two Jedi. Revan met the Sith's strike, violet meeting crimson as she stood her ground. The Revanchist pushed off of the Emperor's lightsaber as Malak moved in to strike, his blue blade meeting the Sith's.
Revan moved back into the fray, holding her lightsaber overhand for a strike at the Emperor's back, only for a torrent of white force lighting to meet her half way and send her flying back. The Jedi Knight grunting as she crumpled against the floor, her skin burned from where the lightning had struck her. Revan rolled onto her front, pushing off of the ground to a kneeling position. Looking up, the Jedi watched as Malak did battle with the Sith Emperor, the other Jedi barley held his own.
Jumping to her feet, Revan activated her lightsaber and leapt into the air, coming down towards the Sith Emperor. The Emperor kicked Malak in the back, sending him to the ground, the Sith turned, meeting Revan's lightsaber with his own. The Sith Emperor fell to his back, kicking Revan off of him before leaping to his feet once again.
Revan rolled to a stand, charging the Sith again, clashing blades with the Emperor. The Jedi and Sith fighting in what seemed like a dance more than a duel. Every time Revan struck, the Sith countered. Every time the Emperor attacked, the Jedi dodged and struck back.
Revan was thrown to the ground by the Sith's kick to her midsection, raising her blade just in time to block the Emperor's blade. The Jedi Knight kicked at the Sith's legs trying to unbalance him, but no such luck. Revan felt fear begin to overcome her as her own blade gradually came closer to her throat due to the Sith Emperor's strength. Revan pushed the bladelock back with all her strength, despite her efforts, all she could do was pull the Sith's blade away from her body and to the side.
"Give in Revan." The Emperor said, his voice distorted due to his mask. "Surrender to the Dark Side." The Jedi Knight felt herself begin to fall into the darkness she had long tried to resist, starting on Malachor V, to now. Always the Darkness called to her, and she resisted. Now, it felt useless.
Suddenly, a memory flashed in Revan's mind, the day she met the Padawan Bastila in the Jedi Enclave on Tatooine. A Jedi untouched by the horror of war, innocent to the darkness of life. A spark of light in a dark abyss.
Revan's eyes snapped open behind her mask.
"NO!" Revan yelled, kicking the Sith in the chest with all her might, sending the Emperor to his back in surprise. Revan leapt to her feet, calling her fallen lightsaber to her hand.
The Jedi Knight stood before the Sith Emperor, determined not to fall, nor die. The Sith chuckled darkly, his vocalization of amusement soon turned into a bellowing, maniacal laugh of a power-crazed Warlord.
"You were stronger than I predicted." The Emperor complimented, pacing back and forth across the walkway. "Impassioned, strong-willed, determined, intelligent, and dedicated. All traits worthy of a Sith Lord." The Emperor mused, suddenly raising his hand and unleashing another torrent of white lightning. This time, however, Revan was prepared, the Jedi raised her violet blade, absorbing the lightning, barely. Even with her lightsaber absorbing the Sith's lightning, Revan could feel stray arcs of energy strike her, it wouldn't be long before she fell. Revan gritted her teeth from the pain she received, determined not to fail. Upon looking up, Revan saw Malak approach the Emperor from behind, intending to use the element of surprise.
Revan watched as Malak raised his blade to strike the Emperor in the back, then she watched as everything turned to slow motion as the Sith drew his lightsaber and in a single strike, severed Malak'a lower jaw from his skull. Revan felt emotions rain down on her, everything from and anger to grief struck her, propelling the Jedi to action. The Jedi Knight leapt forward, the force augmenting her speed, the Sith Emperor turned just as Revan stabbed the Dark Lord through his abdomen, knowing it was not a killing blow. Revan then used the force to shield her fist as punched the Sith Lord off the platform.
Revan knelt down to Malak's still form, calling on the Force, the Jedi Knight was able to stabilize her friend, but it wouldn't last. Grabbing Malak around the mid-section, Revan hoisted her friend to his feet, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
Even as she forced the doors to the throne room open, Revan could hear the maniacal laughter of the Sith Emperor, he would not fall so easily.
Revan's green eyes opened with start, her breathing labored and her skin covered in perspiration. The Empress of the Sith tried to get up and head into the refresher, unable to due the other woman wrapped around her.
As soon as it had awakened her, the fear left Revan as she settled back into Bastila's form, her arms wrapping around the Jedi's back. Revan brushed back Bastila's bangs to get a better look at the younger woman's angelic face. Revan found herself lost as she studied Bastila's features, following the Jedi's high cheekbones, to her small node, down to her full lips. The Empress of the Sith smiled to herself, the only person that had kept Revan from falling into the sanity-shattering depth of the Dark Side had been Bastila, something about her had made her feel attached to the Jedi when they first met, as if it was meant to be.
Revan was brought out of her thoughts as Bastila began to stir.
Bastila opened her grey eyes, focusing on the face of Revan before her. The young Jedi smiled tiredly, pulling herself out of Revan's embrace and stretching in the bed.
"Sleep well?" Revan asked.
"Very." Bastila replied. "I'd dare to say better than I have in a long time." Revan nodded and smiled, though the Sith Empress was still troubled by her recurring nightmare. Unfortunately, the Jedi seemed to notice it. "Revan are you alright?" Bastila asked, concerned. Revan shook her head.
"Naw, just didn't sleep that well. I'll be fine." Revan said unconvincingly, Bastila seemed unbelieving, but decided to drop the topic. The Jedi loudly cracked her neck, sitting up in the bed, letting the blanket fall from her body and reveal her nude body. Bastila caught Revan's smirk out of the corner of her eye, somewhat unsure as to what to do at the moment, the Jedi pulled the blanket back over her body. Bastila didn't miss Revan's disappointed expression as she stood up from the bed and hurried to the refresher.
"Still a little shy, Princess?" Revan asked, as she stood from the bed as well, without a blanket to cover her form. Bastila averted her gaze, despite the previous night with Revan, the Jedi was still not completely comfortable with the Sith's nudity.
"Don't call me princess." Bastila said, trying to be angry despite her blushing cheeks. Revan smirked, sauntering over to the younger woman, who's eyes were set to the floor. Revan hooked her fingers under Bastila's chin, lifting her gaze.
"You're my slave now, i'll call you whatever I please." Revan said teasingly, although it didn't appear to translate to Bastila, who looked somewhat deflated. "Relax i'm joking." Revan said, Bastila looking somewhat relieved, if still flustered.
Revan could feel Bastila's uncertainty, stepping closer, the Sith lifted the Jedi's chin with her fingers, grey eyes locking with green. Bastila looked up uncertainly, her emotions ranging from fear to confustion across the force bond with Revan.
"Bastila, listen to me." Revan said, her hand caressing the younger woman's cheek, grey eyes flickered to Revan's. "You may be my slave, but that was a choice you made to me." Revan said, speaking honestly, her gaze never leaving Bastila's.
"If you're uncomfortable with this, i'd understand." Revan said in a concerned, sympathetic tone. "We can take this slow if that works." Bastila looked up a gracious expression on her face, before a faint smile appeared on her face.
"Are you always this generous to your slaves?" Bastila asked, Revan chuckled.
"Only with you princess." Revan teased, placing a kiss on Bastila's temple. "Come on, let's shower and get going." The Empress said, placing a hand on the Jedi's back.
"Get going?" Bastila asked. "What plans do you have for today?" Revan shrugged.
"Well, the Sovereign's damaged pretty badly, so shes going to be limping to the station." Revan explained, as she and Bastila walked in through the refresher door. "So I thought we should begin your training in the meantime." The Sith said, activating the sonic-shower, pleasant vibrations rolling over both women's bodies.
"Training?" Bastila half-asked, half-sighed. Revan nodded, stepping behind the younger woman.
"Yes, training." Revan confirmed, placing her hands on Bastila's shoulders and beginning to message the muscle. The younger woman jumped at the feeling of Revan's hands on her shoulders, before relaxing to the Sith's skilled hands. "I may not have been there, but I could tell that you barely beat Master Vrook." The Empress said as she kneaded the Jedi's sore muscles.
"I...Don't even know how I survived." Bastila admitted quietly.
"I do." Revan said, turning the younger woman around and looking her in the eye. "You opened yourself to your emotions, unlocking your heart to feel, and fight for what you truly believe, not what you've been raised to think." Revan said, Bastila looking at the Sith with an awe of realization in her expression.
Revan smirked, before leaning forward and pressing her lips to Bastila's, the vibrations of the shower enhancing the passion.
Revan stood in her meditation center, standing on the tan frictionless floor, her robes and armor covering her from head to toe. Opposite of the Sith was Bastila, wearing black and grey robes that were rather heavy and cumbersome. Both wielded lightsaber hilts, practice blades of course. Revan opted for a single blade, Bastila wielding a saberstaff. The Empress of the Sith ignited her lightsaber, a blade of violet springing out of the cylindrical tube. The infamous snap-hiss of the lightsaber echoing in the training room.
Bastila took a step forward, holding the hilt of her lightsaber horizontally in front of her, igniting both blades. The Jedi then twirled the blades around her body, bringing one of the blades underneath her arm, and the other blade pointed towards the floor. Bastila set her grey eyes on Revan, who's lightsaber was held in her right hand, not forming any kind of defense.
The two force-wielders circled each other, never once breaking eye contact. Revan stopped and turned, her whole body facing inward towards the center of the room. Bastila stopped and matched the Sith's movement, still holding her saberstaff in it's combat position.
Revan smirked, raising her left hand and curling her finger inward in a come-hither motion. The Sith Empress watched in amusement as a look of indignation crossed the Jedi's face, Bastila raising her lightsaber and charging Revan. The Jedi leapt into the air, coming down on the Sith in a low arc, the golden blades of her lightsaber creating a beautiful streak through the air.
Revan raised her violet blade to block Bastila's strike, ducking as the Jedi attempted to strike her with other part of the lightsaber. The Sith rolled on her back, and standing to see Bastila turning towards her and charging towards Revan with a golden blade poised to stab through her midsection. Revan raised her blade and batted away the Jedi's saber, kicking out Bastila's legs from under her.
Revan raised her blade to slash down at Bastila's prone form, the Jedi rolled out of the way and onto her feet. The Jedi raised her hand, trying to knock the Sith down with a force push. Revan held her ground, her cloak flowing from the hardened air, but the Sith Lord herself remained unmoved. Bastila stood to her feet as Revan approached her, raising her saberstaff in defense. The Sith Lord reached over the Jedi's defense, striking her in the shoulder.
Bastila shrieked as a loud electric crack sounded in the air, and the sharp pain shot up her arm, forcing the Jedi to drop her lightsaber. Revan deactivated her lightsaber, stooping over to pick up Bastila's fallen weapon, picking it up from the hard floor. Revan handed the weapon hilt to Bastila, placing her hand on the younger woman's shoulder and easing the pain of the strike with the force.
"Better?" Revan asked, concern in her sea-colored eyes.
"Yes, thank you." Bastila responded, grateful. The Jedi took back her weapon, the pain in her shoulder reducing into a dull ache. Revan nodded, stepping away and back to the other side of the circle, drawing her lightsaber once again.
"Would you like to hear some criticism of your form?" Revan asked.
"I welcome it, Master." Bastila replied, Revan suppressing a smile from the title, how she had longed to be called that by the Jedi before her.
"You are too aggressive in your stance." Revan said approaching Bastila slowly. "Your strikes are formidable, when they land, but otherwise you leave yourself open to attack." The Sith Lord said as she stood before the Jedi.
"What you need to do is have every attack backed up by another." Revan suggested. "Have an attack and something to back it up, don't let your opponent breathe." The Sith finished, the Jedi nodded.
Revan returned to her side of the arena and drew her lightsaber again, Bastila doing the same on the other side of the combat ring. Bastila frowned slightly before meeting the Sith's eyes.
"You don't expect me to best you, do you?" Bastila asked, Revan shrugged.
"What I expect doesn't matter, what does matter is that you learn from your previous errors." Revan stated, blocking the force bond between them.
Revan raised her practice lightsaber and approached the Jedi. Bastila steeled herself on Revan's approach, tensing her muscles for a powerful attack on the Sith, the Empress prepared herself for the Jedi's inevitable assault. Revan stood at the center of the arena, planting herself into a firm position, waiting for Bastila to strike.
I the blink of an eye Bastila leapt forward once more, spinning as she struck with left blade of her staff. Revan blocked the strike, taking a step back to avoid the second strike of the lightsaber. The Sith surged forward, aiming at Bastila's open back.
Revan raised an eyebrow in surprise as a blade of gold blocked her attack, another beam of energy thrusted at the Sith's face. Revan dodged the blade of energy, jumping as Bastila tried to take out her legs. The Sith spun around, swinging her blade horizontally to hit the Jedi's midsection. The Empress was impressed as Bastila's knee hit the ground and she leaned back to avoid the strike.
The Jedi raised her hand, a blast of force energy hit Revan in the face unexpectedly, forcing the Sith flying back, though she used the momentum to flip in mid-air and land on the ground. Turning, Revan blocked a slash from Bastila, the Sith's boot lashing out and knocking the Jedi's blade out of her reach. Revan's blade slashed across Bastila's thigh and arm, the Jedi falling to her knees, the Sith's blade at her throat.
"Do you yield?" Revan asked imperiously. Bastila lowered her eyes in what appeared to be shame.
"Yes." Bastila responded, pain and anger in her tone.
Revan deactivated her lightsaber, crouching down to the Jedi and placed her hands on the limbs she struck. Bastila visibly relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief.
"Are you alright?" Revan asked concerned, trying to peer past the other woman's bangs that now hung in her face. Grey eyes looked up at the green ones that now studied hers.
"I am frustrated, Master." Bastila said somewhat uncertainly, Revan sent a positive wave through their now-open force bond, indicating for the younger woman to continue. "I did as you instructed, and yet I didn't fair any better." Bastila said dejectedly, Revan pulled the younger woman to her feet, standing before her with an understanding expression.
"Bastila, you don't learn how to fight in a day." Revan said reassuringly. "You've been taught one way how to fight for your whole life, it'll take time for you to shake the Jedi mentality." The Sith explained, caressing the Jedi's shoulder.
"Besides, you took my suggestion and almost landed a strike on me." Revan continued honestly, the Jedi's weapon leaping into her hand upon her command of the force. "Keep this up Bastila, and one day you'll be my match." Revan said, handing the Jedi her lightsaber back.
"Do you mean it Revan?" Bastila asked, lifting her face to gaze into the Sith's eyes. Revan smirked, leaned forward and planted her lips on Bastila's.
"I said it didn't I?" Revan asked rhetorically, wrapping her arm around the other woman's shoulder. "Come on, we've done enough for one day. I can sense we are near the station." Revan said, her voice betraying something of her thoughts, Bastila noticed.
"Station, Master?" Bastila asked, Revan nodded grimly as they headed towards the refresher.
"The Star Forge."
Author's Note-
So, yeah. I apologize if this wasn't up to expectations, and this is a small filler if anything.
A thing that should be noted is this story may start slowing down in the near future, becoming more mired in politics and Bastila's training, because well...You'll see.
Kind of interesting to try and write the Sith Emperor. I know almost nothing about this guy, so seeing as this is an AU, I'm just going to wing it. To those who wish to complain that Revan escaped, in my mind, Revan was pretty weak compared to where she is now. She was no slouch back then either, bu after mastering both sides of the Force, she became much more powerful. At the point in the beginning Revan is corrupted by the Dark Side with a small dash of light (Bastila)
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and hope you leave a review with your thoughts :)
-ArgoGladius