Before I begin, I would just like to say thank you to all reviewers. Now I know some of you have asked if there were going to be more of Arkunov's family life shown in flashback, there will be some of it throughout the story but it will not be a constant feature.

Anyway so begins chapter 4

When Arkunov had returned to Tremel's office, there was another acolyte already in the room explaining something to Tremel. Arkunov just leaned up against the back wall not really paying attention to whatever the acolyte was saying about a Lord Renning.

When they were done Arkunov stepped forward and waited for Tremel to speak.

"Good, you're back. I have received the results of your trial and I can say that I was very impressed.

"Firstly the assassin. She was sent to kill an imperial agent, but you spared her and sent her to intelligence instead" he paused "An excellent decision. A potential resource should never be wasted. And besides, it never hurts to have one more assassin in our pocket."

Arkunov nodded "It was an obvious decision. I was always taught to never waste a potentially useful resource."

Tremel shook his head "It may have been obvious to you, but unfortunately it was not obvious to so many others who have come through the academy. Now Devotek, the former champion, you killed him. Yet again a perfect decision, he was a miserable failure who was no longer of any use to the empire. I hope you understand that resources should be disposed of when they are no longer any use."

Arkunov rolled his eyes, he had already learnt that and it had helped him make that particular decision.

"Finally, the forger you sent back for more torture even though he seemed innocent. Very good, leave no stone unturned, he could very well be hiding something."

Arkunov nodded in agreement.

"Each criminal the correct decision each time. These are decisions that will resonate with Darth Baras as well." Arkunov smirked, if Darth Baras and he shared some of the same thought patterns, the chances of Arkunov becoming his apprentice were greatly increased.

Tremel continued "Now onto your next trial. You will proceed to the tomb of Marka Ragnos. Once there meditate at the central altar and wait for the beast he placed there to guard his legacy to appear. When it does, destroy it."

Before Tremel continued Arkunov said "Do you have any idea what sort of creature this beast is?"

Tremel shook his head. "Anyone who has been sent to confront the beast has not survived. If you do this you shall prove to Darth Baras that you are truly worthy to be his apprentice."

"Very well I shall make preparations and then head out to the tomb straight away" Arkunov replied. Tremel nodded and then indicated for him to leave. Arkunov moved through the academy to the armoury and equipped himself with some new armour and a few medpacs. The new armour was vastly different to the standard grey acolyte robes, it was red and had pieces of plate armour covering the most vulnerable areas of his body.

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He stepped out into the valley of the Dark Lords and took a taxi down into the wilds, where the Tomb of Marka Ragnos was located according to his map.

As he approached the tomb Arkunov noticed that it was a much larger structure that the Tomb of Ajunta Pall, he supposed that Marka Ragnos had made a far greater impact among the Sith that Ajunta Pall had.

As he entered the tomb he saw that its hallways were flooded with Tuk'ata. As he approached one of them caught his sent and leapt forward hoping to catch him by surprise. However Arkunov sensed this attack coming through the force and impaled the beast on his blade before it could get close. This infuriated the other Tuk'ata and they closed in on all sides trying to take him down, Arkunov countered this by leaping into the air and releasing a wave of Crimson energy from beneath his feet, it smashed into all of the beasts around him breaking bones and hurling them into the walls. A few of the beasts had survived but they were quickly dispatched by a few swings of Arkunov's warblade.

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When Arkunov reached the central chamber he saw a huge tablet standing in the centre of the chamber, illuminated by ghostly blue flames.

He approached the tablet and sat down in a meditative position. Once he had done that he sent out a strong pulse in the force, which should draw the beast towards him.

A few moments later Arkunov felt the ground shake beneath him. He stood up. Shards of rubble on the ground started to shake beneath his feet. Just as he was turning round the far wall exploded behind him. Standing in the hole that it had made was a Terentatek.

Before he was able to have any second thought Arkunov charged forward and brought his warblade down in a slashing motion on the beasts right leg. However, to his surprise, the blade didn't even leave a scratch on the beasts tough hide.

Before he could launch another attack he was sent flying by one of the beasts powerful forearms. He crashed into the altar he got up and spat blood out of his mouth. This enraged him, however he was unable to unleash that rage as he was forced to roll across the room to avoid the beasts claws that were coming towards him. He managed to get behind the beast and saw a section of vulnerable looking flesh of the beasts upper back, clearly it was the result of some former attempt to slay the viscous beast.

Channelling the force Arkunov leapt into the air, landing on the Terentatek's back Arkunov drove the warblade down into the beasts weak spot. The Terentatek bellowed in pain and fury. In its spasm of pain, Arkunov lost his grip on the beast and fell to the ground rolling for cover as the beast was still rolling in pain. Getting up he saw that his Warblade was still lodged firmly in the beasts back.

He had to roll into cover again as the beast brought its jaws down in attempt to swallow him. His momentum brought him behind a rock, where he took a split second to form a new strategy for taking the beast down. He ran from cover and used the force to apply a grip, not on the Terentatek, which he knew would have had little effect as the beasts were highly force resistant, but on the weapon lodged firmly in its back. Seizing it with the force he drove it deeper into the creatures back, causing it to double over in pain.

Arkunov used this opportunity to get in close to the beast, calling his weapon to him as he ran. He reached the beasts open mouth and drove the warblade straight up through the roof of the beasts mouth. Struggling in desperation the beast bit down hard on Arkunov's right arm, the arm that was holding the blade! Grimacing, Arkunov used the pain of the wound to fuel his anger driving it with even greater strength through the beasts skull.

Once the beast was well and truly dead, Arkunov prised his arm out from between the beasts jaws. Inspecting the damage he saw that, the the Terentatek had made a series of deep cuts which were very close to the bone. Arkunov pulled a medpac from a pouch on his belt and injected it into the damaged area, knowing that the contents would numb the pain till he could get the wound properly healed back at the academy.

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As Arkunov exited the chamber he saw a figure at the far end of the corridor. Once he got closer he saw that it was Vemrins lackey Dolgis.

"Well look whose here. Remember me?" Dolgis said.

Arkunov glared at him and instead of answering said "You need to move out of my way."

"I put myself in your way buddy. On purpose. Notice anything interesting? Nobody here, which means no witnesses no witnesses means no rules."

And so saying Dolgis drew his warblade. "Your just going to be another dead failure on Korriban." He brought his warblade down in a slashing motion attempting to catch Arkunov off guard. It didn't work. Arkunov countered by pushing Dolgis hard with the force, sending him crashing into the opposite wall.

Arkunov drew his warblade and leapt forward bringing his warblade down upon Dolgis' who had just brought managed to bring it up in time. Both combatants stepped back and assumed combat stances, Arkunov the form V variant Djem so and Dolgis the Shi Cho form. Arkunov smirked knowing he had the advantage, as Dolgis' style was completely unsuited for 1 on 1 combat.

Arkunov launched the first attack bringing his blade down in a powerful overhead slash. The blades clashed, moving faster than the human eye could possibly see. Any attack that was sent his way Arkunov blocked almost lazily, the wound in his arm not slowing him down due to the power of the darkside that was coursing through him.

Finally getting bored, Arkunov used the power of the darkside to increase his strength and he swung his blade down on Dolgis's wrists severing them from the rest of his arm. The warblade and hands fell to the ground useless.

Suddenly Dolgis fell to his knees begging. "No! Hold up, please I was wrong. Everything that there saying about you, totally true. Please let me live."

A look of disgust travelled across Arkunov's face as he saw the tears that were running down the pathetic man's face. "Ask for no mercy and expected not mercy. Die like a Sith." And before Dolgis could say another word, Arkunov severed the pathetic fools head.

For those of you who might be wondering why the fight with Dolgis happened in the tomb was in the tomb instead of the academy there is one reason. Acolytes aren't supposed to murder each other openly and attacking Arkunov in the academy leaves a greater chance of being discovered, so if he had died in the tomb it would be much more difficult to pin the blame on Dolgis.