Later that night, the training room was filled with the hum of two lightsabers being swung and the sound of blaster fire ever few seconds or so. Kayla stood in place as the five training probes circled around her, firing off five to seven shots at her from all directions.

"She ran?"

"Yes, High Master."

"This is most unfortunate Master Ersanan. If Kayla ran when you took her to complete her trial… Then I am afraid that it is as I and the others had feared."

"What do you mean?"

"The plan is about to be executed soon, Ersanan, if Kayla is unable to complete her trial and begin her advanced training, then she cannot join us in the coming crusade."

"…What would you have me do?"

"…I think you and I both know the protocol for students who do not even step foot into the dragon's den… Until you feel she is ready, Kayla is to stay here and continue her training…"

Suddenly, in a flash, Kayla sliced the probes to pieces with swift, powerful blows. She deactivated her lightsabers and threw them to the floor.

"You coward! How can a former Imperial Inquisitor turn and run at the sight of a few corpses!?" she scolded herself.

Kayla squeezed her eyes shut as tears started to run down her face.

"Kayla?" asked a voice.

Kayla gasped and whirled around.

"What's wrong?" yawned Orthus.

Orthus did a double-take when he saw Kayla turn away and wipe her eyes.

"Kayla, have you been crying?" he asked with concern.

"N-No… I just… I just set the intensity of the probe's shots too high," she sniffled.

"…You do realize that I've been taking private Force Lessons from my mother and one of these Revanite Masters, right?" he asked.

"What do you want Orthus?" Kayla asked without turning around.

"I just came to see what was wrong. I felt someone was… In pain? Upset?" he asked slowly, "I didn't know who it was at first until after it subsided, then I felt it again and I came to investigate. Who would've thought it was you."

Orthus looked down at her lightsabers.

"…Want to also tell me why you aggressively threw down your lightsabers?" he asked.

"…I can't say," she said.

"You can't? Or you won't?" he asked.

Kayla looked at Orthus, then she looked down at the ground, then back at Orthus.

"…I overheard my master speak with High Master Malakam," said Kayla, "he's going to withhold my trial until he feels that I'm ready."

"Huh? Why?" asked Orthus.

Kayla looked down again.

"…That place… Reeked of death," she said, "not only that, but the dark side was strong there. So strong that for the first time in my life… I couldn't go any further… So, I ran."

Orthus was quiet for a moment, then he spoke.

"…Maybe it was for the best," he said.

Kayla looked at the young man like he was crazy.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"Look, before you try to cut me in half, let me explain… I don't know much about how the Force works and such… Not as much as my mother does, given she was a member of the Jedi Order," said Orthus, "but I do know this… When I first met you… Honestly, you weren't the nicest girl I've come across, and that says a lot because female Mandalorians aren't that nice either. But overtime, the more you were around your friends and your stepbrother, your demeanor started to shift. It was a slow shift, but it was still a shift. Now that you're back to your old self, you don't have the dark side to give you strength."

"…What are you trying to tell me?" asked Kayla.

"I think it's time to consider your… What's the appropriate word… Persona," said Orthus.

"What do you mean my persona?" asked Kayla.

"Let me respond to that question with a question of my own… When you were an inquisitor, did you feel any sense of fear while you were in battle?" he asked.

Kayla shook her head.

"Lord Vader said that fear would affect us in battle," she said.

"Well… Now you have to learn to face fear head on," said Orthus.

Kayla felt a chill go up her spine.

"Let me ask you something… Do you think that a Mandalorian is confident when going into a fight armed to the teeth?" asked Orthus.

"…Um…" Kayla started to say.

"No, we don't… But you know how we overcome that fear?" he asked, "we learn to fight smart; we learn to assess our opponents and the situation we're in. The reason why you were so overwhelmed is because, you weren't sure that the combat style you've properly honed wouldn't be enough to complete the challenge… Am I right?"

Kayla looked down again. Orthus pat her on the head.

"If I may offer a word of advice? Don't hide behind a shield, hide behind a blade," he said.

Kayla blushed and looked at Orthus.

"Orthus," said a voice.

The young man looked over his shoulder and saw another Mandalorian warrior standing in the doorway.

"Are you done talking with your girlfriend? The others are waiting to go out on the night hunt," he said.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Orthus said with a roll of his eyes.

He looked at Kayla.

"Catch ya later," he said with a wink.

Kayla blushed again as Orthus left with the other Mandalorian. Kayla shook her head rapidly and playfully pat her cheeks.

/\/\/\/\/\

It was the following day, and Kayla went to have a word with Daralec in the mess hall.

"Say again?" asked Daralec.

"I need you to help me learn Form V," said Kayla.

Daralec blinked a couple of times.

"You surprise me Kayla, you want to become the very thing that you hate?" he asked.

Kayla made a face.

"I know I hate Form V Users," she said, "but I… Orthus made me realize something… My combat style isn't going to cut it in the long run."

Daralec smirked.

"You understand that this Form is primarily strength-oriented, right?" he asked.

"I do… But…" Kayla started to say.

She went quiet for a second.

"…Maybe I can't learn one side of Form V… But… Maybe I can learn the other side," she said, "if I do that, I can back it with another style."

Daralec pondered for a moment.

"You understand what you're asking, right?" he asked, "this isn't going to be like Form III and Form IV, you're going to need to balance between going on the offensive and the defensive."

Kayla sighed.

"…I know," she said.

Daralec smirked.

"Training room… Ten minutes," he said before he went back to eating his breakfast.

Kayla nodded and went to go get breakfast herself. After they were done eating, Kayla donned her training gear and headed to the training room and waited for Daralec to show up; when he did, he too showed up in training gear.

"Can I ask you something? Why ask me to help? Why not Master Ersanan?" asked Daralec.

Kayla looked down.

"I… I'd rather not talk about it," she said slowly.

Daralec shrugged.

"Suit yourself," he said as he pulled his lightsaber into his hand and ignited the yellow blade, "now… Show me what you've got."

Kayla raised an eyebrow.

"Wait, what? You're… Not going to tell me how to properly perform the moves?" she asked.

"I just want to see if you've picked up anything from your encounters with Form V Users," he said as he dialed down the intensity of the blade, "you did say you hated them… Right?"

"…Valid," Kayla said as she drew her main hand lightsaber and ignited it.

She too turned down the blade's intensity.

"Now… Defend yourself!" Daralec barked as he jumped at Kayla.

"Oh crap!" she thought, raising, and blocking his blade.

Daralec already pushed Kayla on the backfoot, battering at her defenses with heavy, power blows, then they locked blades and broke away.

"You can't use defense forever, Kayla," said Daralec, "that's not how Form V works."

Daralec came at her again. Kayla gasped and blocked a swing to her right, then the two of them went back to trading swings. As Kayla continued stepping back, while weathering Daralec's assault, she tripped up on her own feet and fell over. Daralec held his blade as he chest, causing the poor girl to freeze.

"Dead," he said.

Kayla didn't say anything, Daralec went back to his spot.

"Again," said Daralec.

Kayla slowly got to her feet and walked over to Daralec; the young knight turned up the intensity of his lightsaber blade and gave a quick flourish, causing Kayla to freeze.

"Oh-no," she thought, quickly turning the dial on her own lightsaber.

Daralec came at Kayla again, coming down on her hard. Kayla grimaced and tried to keep a good grip on her lightsaber, but it was tricky, the best she could do was tank up and try to stay nimble on her feet. When Daralec performed an overhead chop, Kayla moved to the left, then she moved to the right when Daralec went for a sweep.

"FIGHT BACK KAYLA!" barked Daralec.

Kayla gasped, hearing the intensity in Daralec's voice.

"Fight back or die," he said firmly as he came at her again.

Kayla quickly assumed a ready stance and tried to get blade up as Daralec came at her again, this time swinging at her neck. A loud, buzzing crackle was heard, followed by the sound of someone stepping back. Daralec looked at Kayla and saw that she was panting heavily, she lowered her lightsaber after delivering a powerful upward slash and assumed a ready stance.

"Don't let it control you," she thought.

Daralec smirked, seeing the fire in Kayla's eyes.

"She's getting serious," he thought.

Daralec extended a hand and beckoned her. Kayla charged and jumped at him, swinging, and meeting the yellow blade. Kayla lashed out with a flurry of blows, but Daralec returned in kind, blue and yellow swirled around the knight and apprentice as they hashed it out in the training room. Kayla and Daralec swept and collided their blades as they crossed each other three times and struck high three times, then they went back to swirling their lightsaber blades around each other until they locked.

Kayla and Daralec attempted to gain control of the situation, with both warriors attempted to gain control of the other's blade. Suddenly, in a flash, Kayla was thrown back, giving Daralec and opening to go for her chest, but he was swatted away by her offhand blade and went sliding back after taking a kick to the chest. Daralec let out a cough, and a light chuckle.

"Alright…" he thought.

Daralec and Kayla circled each other, their lightsabers held at a low guard. The two Revanites came at each other once again, Daralec buckled down and tanked up as Kayla unleashed a chain of attacks, striking at him from all directions and occasionally luring him on the offensive when she moved on the backfoot.

Back and forth they went, offense to defense, strike to block, block to strike, step to dodge, all the while, Daralec assessed the moves she picked up from her encounters with Form V Users in the past. After he was deflected by Kayla's 'Blade Barricade', he raised a hand when she got ready to lunge at him.

"…I think I know what your problem is Kayla," he said, "you're afraid."

Kayla raised an eyebrow as she deactivated her lightsabers.

"I think we've already established that," she said.

"No… I mean I think you're afraid to kill again," said Daralec.

It was at that moment, that Kayla felt her lightsabers slip from her hands and hit the ground again as her mind was flooded with… Haunting memories. Those same haunting memories from her time serving as an inquisitor… As her master's personal assassin.

"Kayla? Am I right?" asked Daralec.

Kayla pulled her lightsabers into her hands.

"I have to go," she said, hurrying off.

Daralec sighed and slowly walked out of the training room, he stood in front of the entrance and watched Kayla run off, vanishing around the corner.

"…How much did you hear?" he asked.

"…Enough," Ersanan said from behind.