Chapter 11

Sharing the building proved to be annoying but bearable, I fine example of this was that me and Lynn now had to have our spars outside. We probably would have had to start doing that anyway, with as strong as we were becoming some of the attacks we threw at each other could serious damage to our home if they went off course. The lightening we were shooting at each other now certainly could.

I had to shut my eyes tight to avoid being blinded, the massive ball of energy that formed where our blasts met was shining brighter than the sun! It was moments like this where I felt most alive, pain throbbing throughout my body, mind blank; raw, unfiltered power pounding through my veins and out my hands as I completely surrendered my actions to the unwavering strength of the dark side! It seemed that all our spars ended like this these days; one of us, usually whoever was on the defensive would suddenly throw out everything they had in one vicious attack, leaving the other with no option but to respond with the same action. Then whoever was more exhausted would be overpowered after a few seconds. For a moment I thought that I was winning, at first glance someone unfamiliar with our techniques might think I was. From me poured a massive, blinding cone of blue light made up of dozens of bolts; a few of which were even making contact with Lynn. However these were barely more then an annoyance to a trained sith. The truth of the matter was that Lynn's bolts, though there were only three of them, were more focused, more precise, more powerful.

After a couple more seconds fighting the screaming pain pushing down on my arms I gave up and allowed the massive force I opposed to send me flying off my feet. I landed about five yards back when abruptly hit a large stone rock with a sickening 'crack' that wasn't from the rock breaking.

"GOD DAMNIT!" I heard Lynn yell, smashing a small boulder next to him in anger as he paced back and forth. I turned my head to the children who had been watching our fight, a beady eyed little girl and a yellow twi'lek. Ar my attention they started clapping softly but stopped when I glared at them. After a moment of awkward fidgeting the girl stepped forward held up one of those bottled nutrient drinks to me. She had her head down and was shaking a little, clearly nervous. I glared a bit longer, wondering what she was doing, before deciding I didn't care and snatching the cold drink from her hand. After downing the beverage I noticed they were still staring at me, getting annoyed I spoke.

"You, go get me two more of those-" I said pointing at the girl, who perked to attention when I addressed her; then pointing at the twi'lek I continued. "-and you go tell Azera that I requested her help." Both nodded quickly and sprinted back to the tomb, meanwhile Lynn's continued muttering prompted me to say something.

"Ah, what are you complaining about, I'm the one who got my ass kicked." I said bitterly, he replied but he didn't stop pacing, or look at me.

"You did not 'get your ass kicked you lost, barely!" After a brief pause he smashed another boulder and yelled "I'M GETTING WEAKER!" I usually make myself scarce when Lynn gets like this, but being that my ribs were broken and that wasn't really and option I decided to try to help my friend calm down.

"That's ridiculous, I'm just getting stronger a little faster than you." I said aloofly, trying to make it seem like it wasn't a big deal. Which it really wasn't, it's not like I was a threat to him, what did Lynn care if I got stronger them him? When his breathing slowed I thought I might have succeeded in my goal.

"Well then maybe I should just kill you right now while I'm still stronger." His tone didn't seem completely serious but his words still chilled my blood. I became very conscious of the fact that we were alone, almost a mile away from the tomb, and I was severely wounded. Trying to lighten the tension in the air I responded in a joking tone.

"I don't think Master Donnavin would appreciate that." Mentioning Master Donnavin sobered him greatly. Mainly because my words were true, and Lynn lived to please our master. Sometimes I think pleasing Donnavin is the only reason Lynn is a Sith in the first place. As soon as his head was clear his eyes sagged and I could tell that he felt really guilty for his behavior. He didn't offer any sort of apology though, that would just make the situation more awkward.

Fortunately at that moment the beady eyed girl came back. She held the bottles up without saying anything, I took them and tossed one to Lynn. As we began chugging them down the girl spoke again, her voice sounded frightened but eager.

"Would you like anything else sir?" Bothered that I had to take the bottle out of my mouth I made a rather harsh response.

"Yeah, I'd like you to scram, your annoying me." Her eyes lit up with more fear as she nodded vigorously.

"Oh, of course, I-I'm sorry, I'll leave you alone." She said, bumbling over her own words and making herself appear even more pathetic. As she broke into a dead run for the tomb I finished my bottle. After I had drained the fruity liquid I turned to Lynn and spoke.

"Do you know why the brats are sucking up so much lately?" I asked, mildy curious. He offered a short nod as he replied.

"Yeah, they want to be chosen as your apprentice." That threw me back a bit, I was still a student myself after all.

"Is Master Donnavin alright with that?"

"Oh hell ya, he's the one who suggested it. Thought it would encourage more rivalry among them."

"Well there wasting their time, taking a pupil would just waste time I could spend on my own training." I said dismissively. Lynn was silent a moment before replying.

"Mazer's taking one." I just stared at him, silently asking why I would care about that. "This order isn't going to be a dozen kids in a stone bunker forever Marcus, it wouldn't hurt you to make some allies." He elaborated. I had to admit Lynn did have a point, being strong in a Sith order meant having a giant target on your back. And if I've learned anything from Sith history it's that just because I don't care about my position doesn't mean I won't be targeted by someone who wants it. "It really isn't my concern, but if I were you-" I cut him off with my answer.

"Yeah you might be right, I'll give it some thought." He said nothing and I turned my gaze to the tomb, checking to see if Azera was coming. When I saw that she was not, I decided that I had wasted enough time sitting here and forced myself to my feet. Doing so made it feel like my insides were coming out but seeing as sitting back down would probably hurt just as much I decided to say screw it and head back to the tomb. Of course I could have asked Lynn to get Azera for me, and he would have, but asking an equal for help would make it appear that I really needed it, which would make me look weak.

"Are your alright?" Lynn asked with mild concern, falling into step beside me.

"I'll live, but that piss colored twi'lek might not." I said vengefully, that made Lynn laugh. After about five agonizing minutes we reached the stone doors and Lynn pulled them open for me, at the expense of more pain I managed to force myself to a respectable posture before I walked through. As familiar as we all were with each other it didn't take much energy to feel that Azera was in the training room. When I reached the entry way I saw her standing opposite the large, automatic blaster smacking shots away as they periodically were fired at her. Considering she wasn't channeling the dark side she was doing very well, though her heavy breathing revealed how hard it was for her.

I also saw a certain twi'lek standing about a yard back, silently watching her. As I walked in I knocked the child off his feet and out of my way with the back of my hand. This caught Azera's attention and she barely caught the next shot before it hit her. I flipped the machine off before approaching her.

"I'd be in your debt if you healed me." My voice cracked a little from the pain when I said the word debt, this made her eyes widen visibly, she knew how serious a wound I must have had for that to have happened. I sat down and let her go to work, the pain increased a little as she pushed my ribs back into place, to my surprise she responded to my incoherent swearing.

"I wouldn't have to do this if you hadn't moved, you should have sent for me." She said with a somewhat criticizing tone.

"I did." I managed to spit out between my clenched jaw. Her eyes flickered to the twi'lek, who was still lying on the floor.

"I was wondering what he wanted, why didn't he just speak up?" She said, annoyed. She got my bones back into place and began the soothing process of mending them, I released a relieved as the pain began waning away.

"He's afraid of you." I said after a while, this seemed to surprise her. "A lot of the recruits are Azera, how's it feel to not be on the bottom anymore?" I said in a lighthearted tone. She finished healing me and it wasn't until I rose and was exiting the room that she replied.

"It feels good." She said simply. With that she went back to her training and I went back to mine.

Sorry for the short chapter, if anyone cares. I just felt like I should throw in a chapter showing how the kids adjust to the tomb. There'll be another time skip and some real action in the next one, so stay tuned as Master Donnavin begins his plot to take over the galaxy.