New chapter up. This one has a bit of violence never the end. Enjoy.
By the time Vala officially left Korriban at Darth Marr's side, she had most of the academy eating out of her hand. None of her fellow acolytes dared challenge her, the soldiers were all enthralled with her and the overseers kept their mouths shut about her, for their own wellbeing. Those who were not either seduced or beaten into compliance were too intimidated by Darth Marr to cause any problems.
As Marr had expected, Vala had excelled as a Sith. She was born to the Force, much like Revan himself, but had been consumed early by the wrong side. Once fully trained in the darkside, her chains were finally broken and her natural power from her bloodline had a chance to flourish.
Marr had been endlessly amused by Vala's success in seducing one of her overseers. And not just any overseer, but the one which held the most contempt for both her and her master. The former Jedi had played her game carefully, using the Force to grow closer and closer to the man until he would have done anything for her. She hadn't even needed to bed him, which was the crown jewel in her achievement. To seduce someone without actually having to give anything up yourself is the ideal and Vala had seemed to master the skill, for as far as Marr knew, she had yet to actually sleep with anyone to get what she wanted.
Once satisfactorily trained in the basics of being Sith, Marr took Vala back with him to Drumand Kaas. This time, she was confident in wandering around the city unescorted and she was having great fun in her new playground. Through her new found power, she could have and do whatever she wanted. She wasn't cruel and didn't kill or torture without cause, but she didn't let a misguided moral compass stop her from getting things done.
Marr only planned to keep Vala in Kaas City for a short time. The final bit of his plan for her would happen soon, but she needed to get past one last test before moving on to the grand finale. The Darth could sense that her final test would occur on this planet.
Once the Force was done with her, Vala's fondness for him would put her exactly where he wanted her. The Force was being oddly clear on her path, as of late, and Marr couldn't be more pleased.
Vala walked through the back streets of Kaas City, on her way back to her master. She'd found walking through the population of the city different since she became a Sith. Before, she'd only wander with Darth Marr, causing slight looks from others, but no questions, since everyone in the city knew better than to gossip about a member of the dark council. She had not felt safe walking alone.
Now, people diverted their gaze, trying to do nothing which might bring Vala's attention to them. She no longer looked out of place. Her power was obvious enough that even non-Force sensitives could feel it and acted accordingly.
Darth Marr had multiple apprentices, most of which kept clear of Vala. They knew, without having to be told, that Vala was special. Competition was fierce between apprentices for their master's favor, but none seemed to want to start anything with Marr's new favorite.
None, that is, except Lord Ragnor.
Ragnor held his tongue, but Vala could sense he wasn't happy about her presence. To him, she would always be that young Jedi slave he'd captured on their first meeting. A new plaything for Marr, perhaps, but never someone who would surpass Ragnor's place by his master's side.
This made the young lord particularly dangerous. Dangerous enough for Vala to keep clear of him, when she could manage it. Though her own power had grown since she'd been captured the first time, she didn't particularly want to test it against the more advanced and more vicious sith pureblood.
Unfortunately, something was building between the two of them and Vala highly doubted she'd be able to avoid Ragnor forever. Eventually, something was going to happen and she very much doubted he'd fold to her seductions, like so many others.
Violence and death between Sith apprentices was common and this was exactly what Ragnor had in mind for Vala. It was just a matter of time. Ragnor would wait for the perfect time and place. All Vala could do was keep her senses sharp and be ready. Part of her wanted the confrontation to happen, which was the reason she favored back streets, rather than the safer public areas. She wanted the inevitable fight to happen on her terms.
The day Ragnor came back from an assigned mission and was forced to report back to his master with Vala still in the room, would ultimately prove to be the breaking point. Ragnor was not used to having another apprentice being favored enough to be present when he reported his business to his master. The lord's anger was almost tangible.
Unfortunately for Vala, Ragnor's anger was great enough for him to confront her in Darth Marr's stronghold directly, rather than some blind alley. She'd been preparing for a more secretive move. Usually, fights between rival Sith were handled more subtly.
"You're walking a dangerous path." Ragnor said, slipping out of the shadows in the corridor which lead to Darth Marr's office.
Vala had felt Ragnor's presence, his anger, as she walked the path, which put her on edge. The timing and location of this seemed to imply that he didn't wish to fight, but Vala wasn't going to drop her guard. When faced with a potentially superior fighter, the wise Force user needed to use their brains. She needed to try to prevent a fight, if possible, and fight smartly, if unavoidable.
"Really? And why is that?" Vala replied, crossing her arms over her chest. She kept several feet between them. Just enough room to react, but close enough to imply she wasn't intimidated.
"You seem to forget your place."
Vala smiled. "My place seems to be at Darth Marr's side. At least according to our master."
She emphasized the 'our master' part, reminding the man that her place, as well as his, was being dictated by Marr.
"You are nothing but a slave. A weak former Jedi, who hasn't proven herself yet. No doubt you'll die on your very first mission. Did you ever wonder why our master hasn't sent you out? You're weak and he knows it."
"Darth Marr does not waste his time on the weak. I think you'll find your own jealousy is blinding you to the truth."
Vala allowed her muscles to tense slightly. If Ragnor wanted to fight, it was going to be now, but she was going to force him to make the first move. She had a plan, but she needed him to reveal his strategy before she countered. Even though she was now a Sith, she'd been trained to fight from some of the best the Jedi had to offer.
Though Ragnor's apprentice was standing nearby, Vala did have one thing going for her. Marr was in this office and was aware of their confrontation. Their master wouldn't prevent the fight or step in on Vala's behalf, but knowing he was nearby gave Vala confidence. Marr had favored her for a reason. If there was one thing the last few weeks at the Sith academy had taught her, it was that she could do anything if she kept her head about her and let the Force guide her. The power would be there when she needed it, since she knew it was at her command.
"Blind? It is you who is blind if you think I'm going to let you take the place I've worked since Koribban to earn." He pulled his lightsaber, igniting it with a sharp hiss. "I am a Sith Lord and you are merely an apprentice. You will bow to your betters. If you kneel before me now, I might just spare your life."
Vala took a deep breath and let it out slowly, calming herself. "I kneel to no one except my master. Last time I checked, you were not him."
Vala didn't pull her lightsaber, but kept herself in a position where she could block a strike, if needed. She was fairly sure there was no way out of this situation without a fight. If that was what Ragnor wanted, Vala was going to give him one.
Ragnor growled, then advanced on her. Vala was prepared and sidestepped the attack easily, igniting her lightsaber and going into an automatic defensive stance. The Sith lord glared at his opponent and continued his attack. In the back of her mind, Vala kept tabs on Ragnor's apprentice, who at that point still stood motionless by the wall.
As the larger, more powerful Sith continued his assault, Vala pulled from the knowledge she had gained as a Jedi. She'd been taught by several well known warriors, including multiple members of the Jedi council. The most prominent with a lightsaber was Master Jaric Kaedan, who's lessons had been some of the most difficult in her young life.
One thing she remembered was how to defend against an attack. Master Kaedan had taught her how to conserve one's energy, using the Force, allowing a Jedi to continue a fight indefinitely at a stalemate. Vala hadn't understood the concept, at the time, but since training with the Sith, what the Jedi Master had been trying to teach her seemed to snap into place. As Ragnor battled harder and harder, Vala continued to defend herself without using much energy at all. What she did use, she replaced using the Force.
Vala could also feel Ragnor attacking her mind. She was aware of his talent with manipulating an opponent's mind, having been trained by Marr himself on how to defend against it. In preparation for this fight, Vala had spent each night doing exercises which specifically shielded her mind against Force assaults. Fortunately, her practice paid off and the more experienced Sith was unable to enter her mind during the fight. This fact, once realized by Ragnor, angered him.
As the minutes ticked by, Ragnor got more and more angry. Though his fighting form was that of a well seasoned fighter, he hadn't gone into the battle with the expectation that Vala would know how to defend herself. Instead of aggression, his attack was being met with a passive defense. No matter what move he made, Vala had a counter, and his mental assault was useless.
"Fight back!" Ragnor screamed. His eyes moved to his apprentice for only a fraction of a second. If Vala hadn't been waiting for the move, she'd have missed it entirely.
Within seconds, though her back was to him, Ragnor's apprentice pulled his lightsaber and attacked. Ready for the moment, Vala did a tidy backflip, landing so she was facing both men.
Vala knew a two on one situation was more than her training could stand up to for long. She had to eliminate one of the players from the fight or eventually succumb to the double team. Fortunately for her, she had more than one weapon. This was going to take a lot of concentration and a whole lot of luck.
Gently, she pulled a small dagger from its hiding spot in the back of her belt using the Force. The weapon wasn't much, just a single, thin, short blade, but it was enough to stop an opponent if it hit the right spot. Vala was going to have to put a great deal of faith in the Force, since most of her focus was going into keeping Lord Ragnor at bay, both mentally and physically.
Making her first offensive move since the attack started, she leapt at both men, but before they could do much more than react to her sudden shift in tactics, Vala did I sidestep, allowing the tiny dagger to fly towards its target unhindered. She blocked both lightsabers and did a slight course adjustment to the dagger. The weapon was almost too small to even follow visually. The blade hit home, sinking into Ragnor's apprentice's neck all the way to the handle.
The apprentice dropped his lightsaber as his hand went up to his neck, instinctively pulling out the dagger. The blade had sliced just the right place and once removed, blood poured out of the wound. It only took a matter of seconds for the man to drop to his knees, then to his side. He was not dead, but he would be soon, his blood quickly leaving his body.
Ragnor growled, attacking even more viciously. He was angry before, but now he was seething.
Vala returned to a defensive posture for a moment, as she calculated her next move. Ragnor wanted to face a Jedi, so she'd let him. She changed her tactics to something more like a Jedi Sage. She shook the small area where they fought using the Force and started throwing small bits of dirt and debris at Ragnor. They weren't meant to hurt the Sith, merely distract and anger him. She also attacked very aggressively with her lightsaber, using every bit of knowledge she'd gained in melee fighting. She didn't plan to actually defeat Ragnor with her lightsaber, but she needed him to think that was her goal.
After a few hard fought minutes, Vala could tell Ragnor was fully ignoring all the debris being propelled at him. It was now or never.
Vala attacked with all her strength, using her lightsaber. Ragnor did the same and started to make advances on her. He was winning. He became so sure of his coming victory, he completely ignored the small knife amongst the debris being thrown towards his head until it was too late. Much like it had with his apprentice, the small, almost pathetic blade sliced deeply across his throat, one long deep gash. The knife had been thrown with such force that the blade stuck in the wall across from the battle, still dripping the Sith Lord's blood.
Vala stood over the dying Sith as realization struck him and he fell to his knees.
"You did this to yourself, ya know. There was no reason for us to be rivals."
"We…are…Sith." Was all Ragnor could get out with his neck split wide open.
Vala raised her lightsaber, delivering the killing blow. Her opponent had fought well and deserved a clean death. She replaced her lightsaber on her belt, then turned to Darth Marr, who had entered the hallway at about the time Vala had sliced open Ragnor's neck.
"I was wondering when there would be a confrontation between you and Lord Ragnor." His voice was calm, almost bored. "I'm impressed by how you handled it."
"I could sense it coming. I'd prepared my mind for his mental attack, then planned a strategy, so I would have a fighting chance against him and his apprentice."
Marr returned to his office and Vala followed, leaving the mess to be cleaned up by others. Most Sith kept a team around specifically used to clean up fights.
"It was bold of him to pick a fight within my stronghold. He had always been hot tempered when dealing with other apprentices." Marr sat behind his desk and Vala stood opposite him. "You had been correct in your analysis of him. His jealousy blinded him to your true power. He would have done better making an alliance with you, rather than try to remove you from your place. It's unfortunate, but Lord Ragnor can be replaced. You, on the other hand, cannot."
Marr chuckled, or at least Vala thought that was what the sound was which was coming from her master. He was obviously very pleased with events. "You are ready."
Vala gave her master a confused look. "Ready for what, if you don't mind me asking?"
"For your final test."
To Be Continued...
