CHAPTER 9
Carletta simply ran, not caring where she was going, but just wanting to get out. The scuttling followed her and didn't fade away. Tired now, she slowed, wondering why the corridor was so much longer than it once was. From both ends she could hear hundreds of strange, foul sounding creatures. Fighting was the only option left, so she poised herself for attack. It was agonising to wait so long for them to come, possibly more so than when they'd make their move, but after what was seemingly minutes, Carletta caught the first glimpse of what her chasers were.
They stood on six, knife like legs, connected to a bulbous black body, three dark yellow eyes and a small mouth adorned with a pair of pincers. Yet it wasn't the numbers of them that truly worried her, it was the fact that despite learning of the many burrowing fauna of Korriban, she had not a clue what they were.
They closed in on her, chattering with clicks that hurt her ears. Tightening her grip on her lightsaber, she advanced forward, furiously slashing at them. Legs and chopped up bodies began littering the floor, but the creatures kept coming, falling in droves, yet renewing their numbers aplenty somehow. It wasn't long till they started crawling up Carletta's back, nipping at her. She had to halt and fling them off, but it only made a better chance for her attackers to swarm her. She tried to slash at them some more, but a well placed bite to her wrist made her drop the lightsaber.
With only a staff as defence, Carletta squirmed and flailed in a vane effort to fling them off. But the pain continued to grow as well as her fear. The creatures bit deeper into her skin. She cried out in agony, yet she continued to fight back, trying wilfully to get back on her feet. However another one of the many beastial insects sprang right into her. She fell back, finally feeling something snap inside herself and it wasn't bone.
The air crackled and light suddenly returned. Whatever Carletta had been holding back had now been released. Lightning struck the creatures. All of them flew away from her in a flurry of stiffened husks. Then she ran, noticing the retreating darkness and the light fully returned when she reached the previous room and retraced her steps from there, never again hearing any more unsettling sounds. It felt as though she'd spent days in the tombs when she saw the beautifully bright light from the exit, a beacon of her task's end. Once outside she could only see spots, but could hear a very pleased sounding Matturn.
'Ah, so you did find it. I trust you encountered its unique feature?'
'What feature?' Carletta asked breathlessly.
'I thought you might not know. Tiden was a twisted man. So twisted, that he wanted to test future students from beyond the grave, so he fabricated a staff that induced nightmarish hallucinations. A great feat for Sith alchemy I must say.'
'It's provided a useful test throughout the years,' said Peligrous. 'Which is why it must be returned. I believe you know where to put it.' Carletta still held her lightsaber in her hand and was more than tempted in ramming it straight through the woman, but composed herself and calmly walked back.
'Your final test begins tomorrow morning Carletta.' said Matturn. 'Once you return the staff, prepare yourself for the final challenge. You'll need every advantage you can use.'
Carletta wasted no time in getting herself ready for the final trial. Throughout the rest of the remaining day, she practised her swordplay, meditated as much as her buzzy mind could allow and constantly wondered what kind of test she'd have to do. Something truly terrible to be sure, but knowing what it was would've made her feel even the slightest bit more prepared.
Night fell swiftly upon the temple grounds when Carletta was busy lifting boulders high into the air, but only went back inside when the sky's light was all but gone. There was a worry she'd encounter more unpleasant people out here in this hour and made for her quarters. Once there, she tried hard to sleep, but she seldom felt even a flicker of weariness. All she wanted was to take on the task sooner than later. Impatience would keep her awake for hours until tiredness crept in and let her nod off. Unfortunately it would only be for so long. Light leaked through the thin blind on her window and stirred her awake.
Despite the surprising lack of any messenger, Carletta made her out of her quarters. Few others walked the corridors and anyone she passed kept to themselves. The morning went on with no sign of Peligrous, or Matturn as she spent the time in the training rooms, speaking to no one. Although this was natural, as she tried to avoid all other students for the sake of caution.
Morning turned to midday and still not a word came of the final test - odd considering Matturn's words. Eventually she made for the sparring pits in the hope of finding someone to practice on, but strangely when she got there, not a soul was seen. It made her weary, so she crept around the place, keen eyed. The silence absolute, only broken by Carletta's shallow breaths and lights that flickered out till only one remained on, looking down one of the arenas.
It was the test, Carletta thought, a sparring test, one that would reveal to Matturn and Peligrous how much she'd learnt and how much she'd retained over the days. With some restraint, she moved to the lone light and jumped down into the pit. No one stood in front of her and when she wheeled around, no one was behind. Then the light flickered out and pitch black emptiness consumed the room. The sound of an igniting lightsaber followed, but it wasn't Carletta's. She spun round to see someone else above the pit, crimson blade in hand that did no help in distinguishing who it was. Once Carletta armed herself, the Sith leapt into the arena and locked their sabers together. Carletta finally saw that the Sith wore a mask shaped in the likeness of a Massassi Warrior, an ancient caste of the Sith that once acted as servants for Naga Sadow and Exar Kun.
Carletta leapt back as the Sith immediately went on the offensive, making lightning quick upper and lower strikes. So quick, that Carletta struggled to find even the smallest of openings. She finally found a slight edge when she forced the Sith's saber down and managed to land a strong kick to the ribs.
Although slowed, the Sith continued with the same fighting spirit, but Carletta kept up a twirling defence. This didn't lessen the difficulty though as her opponent constantly shifted styles. A great tactic for confusion, yet Carletta remained focused. With the Force, she threw the arena's dust into the air and sprang over the Sith, landing with a strong, attempted slash to the back, but her blade was only met with a block. Again Carletta stole another chance and made a grab for the Sith's wrist and rammed her elbow into the masked face.
There was a grunt of pain, then a renewed rage that Carletta was barely able to keep up with until, inevitably, she found her lightsaber being forced out of her hand from a furious stroke. In a split second, lightning coiled around her body, blasting her back. It wasn't the first time she'd ever felt it, but this had a particular sting that went straight through her. More than the Sith hounds, more than the serpents and more than swarm of illusionary bugs from all her previous tests. Then it stopped. Small puffs of smoke floated off of her singed robes as the figure moved toward her.
Despite her little strength, Carletta got to her knees, wincing. She stared up at the crimson blade that now had her at its, and its owner's, mercy. But it couldn't just end here after all this time. The memories of her town, her mother, her father, her mission erupted in her head. It made her cry out in defiance and before she knew it, lightning of her own shot out of her palm. The Sith was caught off guard by the display and was hit squarely in the chest, yet it didn't seem nearly as potent as the Sith's own power as the figure managed to direct the blast away with its lightsaber until Carletta had not any stamina left to continue.
A slow, applauding clap echoed that was shortly followed by a familiar voice.
'Congratulations Carletta, you made quite the spectacle. It didn't change the fact that you failed, but your endurance and increased skill must be noted.' Matturn stood above them on a hovering platform, turning his attention to the masked Sith. 'Wouldn't you agree Peligrous?' Removing the mask, Peligrous was revealed to look not at all tired, or angry, but irritated and begrudging.
'Reasonably so, but she let her defence slip away earlier than even I imagined.'
'Is that reason enough to fail me completely after all torture and wild bantha chases you've put me through?' said Carletta wearily, gritting her teeth with anger.
'That verdict remains now in the hands of Lord Matturn.' said Peligrous dryly, inclining her head to the Sith Lord above and making her way for the arena's exit. Carletta and Matturn stared each other down for a moment.
'Well?' she said impatiently, finding it hard to hold her temper.
Matturn moved the platform low enough for him to step off and face her directly.
'As far as my verdict goes, I see many flaws with you. First of which is your easily flared temper that I suspect stems right now from my deception in telling you the wrong time for this test which my simple answer to that is you should've expected it. You have great power, but it is only raw and untamed. Then there's your rebellious attitude and your pathetic pity for the weak. Yet... you impressed me simply by going over such flaws. You're evolving. Slowly, but it's promising to me. Promising enough, I do believe, for me to ask you a question considered to be of great honour and importance of the highest regard among our culture. Will you take on my teachings, pledge your service and ability to me along with this Empire? And in return, I shall evolve you to become what you truly aspire to become.' It took two deep breaths for Carletta to finally say her answer.
'It's what I came here for, Master.'
'As I expected. Now, come, I have much beyond the surface to show you.'
