So, I said I'd upload this ages ago, but better late than never, right? No? Okay, I'll just upload another chapter later.

Unknown

15BBY

Xyras let out a long yell as he felt his bones sear. The nerve endings were being attached – fire flying through the fingers of his missing hand. He let out long, excruciating wails as he shook inside the metal contraption.

Blood poured out across his lips as the pain eventually throbbed away and Xyras was left, his left arm feeling… strange. His sapphire eyes glanced across his grime-covered arm and found a shining metal hand seared into his wrist.

There was a quiet whirr as the med-droid floated off out of the black chamber. The doors opened and Fourth Sister entered; the blonde woman, nose tilted upward and arms folded behind her back.

"You will need practice with your hand," she said in a crisp accent.

Xyras let out a ragged breath, his throat hoarse and raw. "Go to Hell…"

Fourth Sister removed her lightsaber from her belt and began to approach Xyras. "You will be broken. You resist, but…" She swallowed and began to approach. "You can't stop this. You…"

Something changed. Fourth Sister felt it too – her entire body stiffened as something cold fell across the air. The walls seemed heavier, the rumbling throughout the fortress Xyras resided in was louder.

Her eyes were faintly orange, still, though there were remnants of brown inside her iris. She ignited the lightsaber. "Submit," her voice wasn't stern – she wasn't demanding this of him. She was asking it – almost pleadingly.

Xyras leant forwards as far as he could, glaring at her. "Go. To. Hell," he hissed.

Fourth Sister stared at him for a moment before sighing. She waved a hand and the frame opened. Xyras slumped onto the floor, feeling it cold and hard against his face. There was a scraping and a clank as his new metal hand pushed against the black floor.

"Your name is now Third Brother," Fourth Sister informed him, "you shall commit to this name in body and mind, do you understand?"

"Lady," Xyras groaned, "you're going to regret letting me out of that-"

Fourth Sister pointed two fingers at Xyras and he was sent barrelling across the floor and into the wall. He hit it hard, wheezing for breath and heaving his back up high as the room spun quickly.

"What is your name?"

"You know damn well-" Xyras was cut off as his head was slammed backwards into the wall. He could've sworn he heard a crack as his shoulders and the crown of his head jerked into the wall. An immense pressure, like a tidal wive, kept him stuck to the wall, his eyes scrunched up in pain before shooting open by the same power, seeing the blonde woman approach him.

"What is your name?" She repeated herself. Xyras clenched his jaw, glaring at her with blue eyes. She wasn't going to break him; he was Xyras Droma, Knight of the Jedi Order, a Guardian and a-

He began screaming as Fourth Sister drove her lightsaber into his shoulder. The sound of his own flesh sizzling was only followed by his screams and the smell of seared meat. Fourth Sister's gloved hand shot towards his neck. Her orange eyes searched his tearful blue.

"What is your name?" She hissed

The lightsaber moved up through his shoulder. Xyras turned to see his arm was coming away, and a sense of dread and panic lurhed forward from his stomach.

"Please, stop-"

"Tell me your name."

"I'm going to lose my arm-" He tried to explain.

"What is your name?" She growled. Xyras swallowed – it was just a name. It didn't matter, did it? She'd taken a hand, she couldn't take the arm as well – why wouldn't he just say what she wanted him to?

"Screw. You!" He bawled. Fourth Sister sliced the lightsaber down and Xyras screamed in pain. He looked down to see his arm lying on the floor, smoking. He felt helpless – he couldn't even pick it up. Not that it would've done any good… it was gone.

Fourth Sister brandished her lightsaber once again, moving it to his other shoulder.

"Let's try this again…"

"No-"

"What is your name?"

"I don't-" Xyras began, but the lightsaber edged closer to his shoulder, his clothes just beginning to smoke. "Third!" He yelled out without thought. The lightsaber froze. Fourth Sister froze. Xyras sat there, amazed by himself. Had he really given in to fear? Or to pain? It was just a word, but it felt like more than that. As if saying those five letters had taken something away from him. He'd lost some part of himself.

"What?" Fourth Sister asked. Xyras remained silent. She flicked a switch and the circular handguard spun around slowly until he blade emitted from the bottom of her fist. She sank the lightsaber into Xyras' knee, looking away as he yelled and struggled for air. "Say it," she ordered him, looking away as he screamed. As his head began to lull, she slapped his face roughly, staring into his eyes. "Third what?"

"Brother, I'm… Third Brother…" He whimpered, breathing heavily. As soon as he said it… that was it. "I'm Third Brother, I'm Third Brother, I'm-" His voice dwindled into small, incomprehensible sounds. But Fourth Sister didn't need to hear what was he was saying. They both knew.

There was a snap and a hiss as the lightsaber was deactivated and clipped back onto Fourth Sister's belt. She straightened up, staring down at him. He must've looked pitiful – he hadn't slept or washed or eaten in so long. He didn't feel like a person anymore.

"Good," was all the woman said before turning away and leaving the chamber. Xyras fell onto his side, looking at his severed arm and closing his eyes before sobbing.

Nothing was worth the pain. He just wanted it to end – he couldn't remember not feeling like that. He tried to remember Mera and Ving but it was as though Fourth Sister was inside his head. All he could think about was how she would return and do the same to him. There was no way out for him. The simple act of accepting the name – he cried as he realized Fourth Sister was right. He couldn't stop this. He could try to resist, but… it was useless.

He could've submitted at the start and kept his arm. He could've submitted from the start. He was left there, crying on the floor, with the only thought in his head being on what he would lose the next time. Eventually, there'd be nothing left of him.

Wow, this got intense. I actually had no plan for this chapter, and… yeah. Still, all part of the plan.

I'll try and do another chapter today, revolving around Mera… probably.