The darkness surrounded her, but she was not afraid, for the Force was with her. The room was a sharp image in her mind, though her eyes were closed. Her senses flared as someone else entered, and a chill crept up her spine.

The figure walked with confidence, long black cloak flowing behind him, and he approached the figure. "Speak. Who are you?"

Her voice was steady as she answered. "My name is Callista. I am but a student, sent here to learn." she opened her eyes and gazed at him, even though she could not see him, she could feel him.

"Is that so?" He peered into the very essence of the girl, "You...have potential...there is a dark seed inside you...what brings you here, how did you get here?"

She shrugged. "I come here to learn more of myself...how I came to be here is not important, what is, is that I am here now."

"Can you defend yourself?"

She rose, nodding. 'I can..." Twin purple blades sprang into existence as she readied herself.

He yelled and drew back, another figure appeared, less dignified, and an orange lightsaber ignited, "Then fight this initiate." The initiate lept forward towards Callista.

She stood her ground, and just as the initiate reached her, she whipped her blades out, catching him across the shoulder as she swept his feet from under him. He went down, but was up again, his eyes blazing. His saber whipped around, but she jumped above the strike aimed at her legs.

She lashed out with one of her sabers, cutting a deep gash into his other shoulder as she came down.

He threw his blade up in a guarding stance to catch the jumping blow, but failed to maintain it and her twin blades scorched both his arms, rendering them useless, his blade dropped to floor and so did the initiate, whimpering.
Thus the first figure spoke "Pathetic idiot... he ignited his saber with his other hand and severed the initiate's head from the body, signifying ultimate disgrace."

Callista averted her eyes for a moment from the brutal display, but gazed steadily back at him afterwards.

The figure tumbled to the floor, and after gathering his composure and deactivating his saber, the figure spoke "That wasn't much of a display, but not on your part, you handled quite well." He stepped into visible lighting and removed his hood, "I am a Dark Lord of the Sith, and if you wish to be trained, then so be it" "You should do whatever unpacking you need to in the dormitory." She nodded, and exited the room in the direction of the dormitories.

The cool dark corridors of the building felt like they were closing in on her, and she fought urge to run. 'I came here for a reason, and I will stay...' The dormitories were in fact just that, a wide room with bunks and lockers, no sense of privacy whatsoever. Setting her bag down on an empty bunk, she sat down.

A young apprentice approached, he still had longish black hair and was relatively small in size, "A new one, what brings you here?"

She glanced up at him. "If only I knew..." her mind still reeled from the events surrounding her expulsion from the jedi.

She could still feel the youth's eyes on her as she relived that moment. She had been thrown out for killing a defenseless Sith.

"Stay on your guard if you wish to survive" the young apprentice said, "Not that I'm threatening you, its just the way things work around here, the strongest survive..the others become training practice." He began to walk away, leaving her to her thoughts. He turned around "Oh by the way, I'd get some rest or whatever, the new semester of training begins tomorrow."

Nodding, a small smile passed over her features. "Thanks for the advice." She stretched out on the bunk, her robes drawn around her, one of her sabers resting inside her sleeve should she need it.

The night turned to day, but little rest did come her way, kept reasoning her stay, though everything about the place caused her great dismay.

The initiates were rudely awakened while it was still dark. "All initiates to report to training area one, late arrivals will be not taken lightly." Was yelled by an instructor, of the solid "Master" rank. She tightened her robes and proceeded to the area, through various corridors. To find a large, adequately light classroom, where data terminals awaited, and an instructor arrived. "This is our code. Learn it. Live it." The code appeared on the screen of the data terminals...

"Peace is a lie
There is only passion
Through passion I gain strength
Through strength I gain power
Through power I gain victory
Through victory my chains are broken
The Force shall set me free"

Callista studied it, driving it into her mind, for there was nothing for her to return to. Everything she knew was gone.

After said class she and the rest of the initiates had intense physical training, much more strenuous and painful than the jedi training, and straight after that was saber training, where the she was paired with the same young male apprentice. Her body ached, and her muscles protested as they worked through saber drills. She blocked the pain from her mind, for it only served to slow her down.

Time passed, and this routine became normal, she became friends with the young apprentice, as they were both fairly light hearted with each other. But her exceptional talents became apparent to the higher powers that be to the Academy.

She knew at some point her talents would be noticed, and she was right. it was not long before she was separated fro m the rest of her class, and given "extra attention".

Her and 5 others out of the entire academy of a few hundred were separated from the class, as they reported to training area 3, when the others were still in 1. This extra attention gave her time with the Dark Lord, their personal instructor. Learning the nature of the dark side, and how it can be manipulated to will.

Her classmates seemed slightly confused about the summons, but she knew why. Her friend stayed close as they worked through the new exercises

The young apprentice, soon became jealous however, of the extra attention his friend was getting, it embittered him and sensing this the Dark Lord found the perfect lesson in itself.

Callista knew something was up when he wouldn't talk to her, or even look at her. She tried talking to him, but was ignored. He got so fed up with all the attention that he lashed out at her in practice one day.

His movements were erratic, but fueled by anger, such that Callista feared for her life. She fought the only way she could to preserve it.

"How dare you try to best me, I hate you!" as he violently and powerfully put all his force into every menacing strike.

She was speechless, her anger at his accusation was boundless. Angry tears traced down her face as she fought, for she had always been a friend to him. Her sabers spun and slashed barely blocking the fury of his strikes.

After what seemed like an eternity he tired, and tried to force push her away, but always troubled with manipulating the force he failed and left himself open. "Damn you!"

She squeezed her eyes shut against the agony, it felt like part of her soul had been ripped out... Clutching her sabers tightly, she reached into the Force and lifted him off the ground. The agony rolled off her as she faced him. "You were my friend, I helped you..." her voice went quiet as her anger strengthened. "A friend would not accuse you of showing them up..."

Then the Dark Lord approached "You see my dear pupil, you see what these loving emotions bring you? Anger, regret, but don't push them aside...learn from them, let them fuel you."

Her glance flicked to him, like she was seeing him for the first time. She had completely forgotten they were in the middle of a classroom. She struggled with her anger, the tears threatening to blind her.
Meanwhile she had forgotten also that her "friend" was still suspended in air, lacking what he was suspending in, completely unaware and distracted she was killing him.

It was a strangled gurgling that brought her attention back to him. but by then it was already to late. As she released her hold on him, and he fell to the floor, she could feel his spirit leave him.

"Well done." The Dark Lord commented, and then the entire classroom erupted into a cheer. She scowled. She didn't deserve praises for that...She only nodded.

More time past until it was time for the dedication test, and all the initiates were in the first training area, to take the exam. Callista had since dealt with the death o her friend, and had thrown herself fully into her studies.

Who are you in regards to the order?
Her fingers hovered over the keys for a moment before she began typing

I am the instrument of the order, my will is my guide.

What drives you?
My desire to serve the order to the best of my abilities.

Please finish the following...
"Peace is a lie.."

There is only passion
Through passion I gain strength
Through strength I gain power
Through power I gain victory
Through victory my chains are broken
The Force shall set me free

Which position would feel are best for?
Marauder - Specialization: Lightsaber combat
Lord - Specialization: Force manipulation

She paused for a moment...her skills were exceptional in both areas...

Lord

And thus the written exam was over, and the physical part would be tailored to that last decision...

She rose, and followed he rest of her classmates to the training room.

The Dark Lord entered and spoke "This is your final test before you are acknowledged as a full member of the order, and as such this may prove difficult to some. Now is proving time." Each student was paired up, tailored to their specialization. The one out of each pair that survives...becomes an apprentice. Good luck.'

Callista squared off against her opponent, her blades ready.
Her opponent lifted a conveniently placed large rock and sent it her way, a test of force manipulation.

She reached out with the Force, deflecting it. The rock bounced off the wall, and rebounded towards her opponent.

Her opponent nearly misses it, and is breathing very heavily, she realizes now is her opportune time to strike.

Pushing her opponent away from her with the Force, she lifted him into the air and dropped him...'let see how he handles that' she thought.

Having injured his back in the fall, he agonizingly gets up and ignites his lightsaber, but instead of charging forth, uses the force to sling towards her, as a boomerang.
She grins at his shock of seeing his blade bounce harmlessly off a Force shield.

Feeling drained, his last effort turns to running towards her as fast as he is able to fight, he lazily swings to her right.

Her twin blades whip out, and she shoves with enough force to knock him back a step. The blades graze his forearm, leaving a wide burn.

Switching the blade to his other arm he drops to his knees and takes a swipe at her legs, making contact with the first left foot. She dances away from him, balancing on her right leg, but not before she knees him in the face, hard.

The opponent fell straight on his back, and realizing his defeat, didn't move. She stood over him, her blades pointed at his throat.

"Allow me to my feet, to die as a warrior..." She backed up, allowing him room to stand. He got to his knees and sneakily felt around for his blade, having found it, he spoke "Alright...Finish it"

Callista raised her blades for the final blow, but not before she sensed it, her face didn't even flicker. She struck down with her blades, and his was a blur. She barely got her shield up in time to deflect the blow

He let out a maddening scream and used every bit of energy he had left to hack with the blade, but it was too late, he knew he had failed and continued to clumsily throw his saber about.

She gazed at him for a moment., then struck with her blade, forcing him to defend himself. His anger was so strong that he didn't see the second saber that took off his head.