Not wanting to reveal herself as a Sith, Cognus did not use her lightsaber as it's red colour would give her away. Instead, she fought the Terentatek using only her force powers, attempting to use force pushes and chocks against it. However, before she could knock it out the beast slammed all its weight against the floor, causing Cognus to plummet into the void below, followed by Zax who had rushed to try and save her from the fall but had gotten caught up in it himself.

Cognus and Zax fell into the void below, their screams echoing through the chamber as they plummeted towards the unknown depths. Cognus' heart raced as she fought to control her fall, reaching out with the force to slow her descent. She could feel Zax's fear and panic as he fell beside her, his screams growing louder.

As they fell, Cognus saw a faint light in the distance and she realized that there was a way out. She reached out with the force, using it to guide her towards the light. She could feel the force flowing through her, giving her strength and power.

Zax saw the light too and he cried out in relief as he felt Cognus' presence in the force so overwhelming that even he as someone with very little force sensitivity could pick up on her. He followed her lead, using the force to guide him towards the light. Together, they landed safely on a platform below the chamber.

Cognus looked around, seeing that they were in a dark and ancient tomb. The walls were adorned with intricate carvings and hieroglyphs. She knew that they had to find a way out of this place before the Terentatek recovered and came after them.

Cognus' expression hardened as she heard Nara's scream. She knew that they needed to keep moving, that the holocron was calling out to her and she couldn't let it go. However, Zax was insistent on returning to the group and rescuing Nara. "We can't just leave them behind," he said.

Cognus shook her head, "We can't split up now. The holocron is calling out to me, and I can't let it go. We need to keep moving".

Zax's eyes widened in disbelief, "But Nara needs our help, we can't just abandon her".

As Nara's screams continued to echo through the tomb, Cognus turned to Zax with a cold expression. "Only the strong deserve to live," she said, her voice devoid of emotion. "If Nara and the others are dead or in danger, that is their own fault for being so weak".

Zax's eyes widened in shock and anger at Cognus' words. "How can you say that?" he exclaimed. "They're my friends, our comrades. We can't just abandon them because they're weak".

Cognus shrugged, "They're a liability. We need to focus on our goal, the holocron. It's the key to our power and our survival".

Zax's anger boiled over and he lunged at Cognus, his fists clenched. But she was ready for him. With a flick of her wrist, she sent him flying backwards with a force choke. He hit the ground hard, gasping for breath.

Cognus looked down at him, her expression unchanging. "You're weak," she said, "You let your emotions cloud your judgment. You'll never achieve true power".

Cognus' hand was clenched tight around Zax's throat, ready to snap his neck with her force choke when she felt a sudden disturbance in the force. At first, she thought it was Zax, struggling against her grip, but then she realized that it was coming from somewhere else.

She let go of Zax and turned around, her lightsaber at the ready. What she saw made her blood run cold. Fifty force sensitives, seemingly materializing out of nowhere, standing before her. They were all dressed in tattered robes, their skin long gone, revealing only the skeletal remains beneath.

It was only when one of them stepped forward that Cognus realized what they were, the skeletal remains of Sith acolytes placed here to guard Phobos's tomb and treasure. They had been dead for centuries, yet here they were, standing before her, ready to defend the tomb from intruders.

Cognus turned to Zax, her voice firm and determined. "Listen, we need to work together if we want to get out of this alive," she said. "I'll take the front lines, but you need to provide back-line support. Keep the skeleton Sith from surprise attacking me".

Zax nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. He knew that they were outmatched and outgunned, but with Cognus' guidance, they might stand a chance.

Cognus took the lead, her lightsaber in hand as she charged towards the horde of undead Sith acolytes. She moved with lightning-fast speed and precision, cutting through bones and armour with ease. She swung her lightsaber in wide arcs, slicing through the undead warriors with deadly accuracy.

Zax, meanwhile, used his Mandalorian weapons to support Cognus from the back line. He fired his blaster rifle, taking out the skeleton Sith from a distance, and used his flamethrower to create a barrier of fire, keeping them at bay.

The skeleton Sith acolytes fought back fiercely, their ancient weapons clashing against Cognus' lightsaber. However, Cognus was able to parry and dodge their attacks with ease.

Both Zax and she fought side by side, their teamwork and skill keeping them alive against all odds. They fought their way through the tomb, the skeletons falling one by one.

Cognus used her force powers to enhance her strength and speed, making her an even more formidable opponent. She used force push to send the skeletons flying back and force pull to disarm them of their weapons.

Zax, meanwhile, rained blaster fire down on the skeletons, taking out multiple at once. He also used his wrist gauntlets to fire blaster bolts, which proved to be effective in taking out the skeleton Sith acolytes.

The fight was intense and gruelling, but Cognus and Zax emerged victorious after what seemed like hours but in reality, was about fifteen minutes.

Cognus and Zax stepped into the room, their eyes fixed on the holocron. It was a small cube, intricately carved and glowing with a dark energy. They could feel the power emanating from it, calling out to them.

Cognus approached the holocron, her hand outstretched. She could feel the dark side flowing through her, drawing her closer to the holocron. Zax followed her, his blaster rifle at the ready.

Darth Phobos appeared before them as a spirit, her presence filling the room with a sense of power and authority. She looked at them with a mixture of curiosity and approval.

"I am surprised by your efforts, truly. Many have fallen to my acolytes, yet you live" the ancient Sith explained.

"That was you? How? I'm never seen such a thing before!" Zax demanded.

She smirked at the former Mandalorian's question. "In life, I was a powerful Sith Lord who had attained a high level of mastery over the force. Before my death, I had discovered a way to preserve my consciousness and spirit within the force, allowing me to continue to exist even after my physical death which is how I appear to you now" she explained.

"That's not what he asked" Cognus cut in, her voice cold.

Phobos, seeming not to pay much attention to her remark continued, "Using the power of the holocron, I was able to exert my will upon the force and use it to control the remains of my acolytes, who were buried alongside me in this tomb. Being Sith themselves, they had a connection to the force that I was able to manipulate, allowing me to animate their remains and use them as guardians for my tomb and holocron".

"So put simply you were to control these acolytes through the force, giving them a semblance of life and allowing them to carry out your bidding" Zax pieced together, "That is sick! How dare you continue to puppet the dead like some sick kind of puppet master".

Phobos seemed to revel in his disgust, taking delight in it. "You expect less of a true Sith?" she laughed, "This was possible because my acolytes were already attuned to the force and had a connection to it, making it easier for me to manipulate them".

Turning her attention to Cognus, dismissing Zax having had her fun with him, Phobos' expression became more serious. "You are not a true Sith," Phobos said, her voice cold and emotionless. "The order that once was, has been ruined by Bane and his Rule of Two. A weak and foolish doctrine that has led to the downfall of the Sith."

Cognus felt a pang of anger and frustration. She had dedicated her life to the Sith, but now she was being told that she was not a true Sith.

"I have killed Jedi, I have gained power and knowledge, I have followed the path of the dark side," Cognus argued.

"But you have not truly embraced the true teachings of the Sith," Phobos replied. "You have been limited by Bane's rule".

Cognus stepped forward, her lightsaber at the ready. "I have thrived under the teachings of my master, passed down from Darth Bane himself," she said, her voice strong and confident. "The Rule of Two ensures that only the strongest and most capable Sith rise to the top, leading to a more powerful and unified Sith Order".

The ancient Sith scoffed at Cognus' words, her spectral form flickering with anger. "Bane's way is a path to destruction," she says. "He has twisted the teachings of the Sith to suit his own needs. He has created a false order that will ultimately lead to the extinction of our kind".

Cognus stands firm, her resolve unshaken. "Bane may have his flaws, but his way is the only way to survival. The old order was weak and ineffective. Only by embracing the Dark Side fully and embracing the rule of two can we truly thrive".

Darth Phobos shook her head, her form becoming more solid. "You are a fool, Cognus. The rule of two is a path to stagnation. The Sith need new blood, new ideas, and new ways of thinking. Only by embracing the diversity of the Dark Side can we truly achieve greatness".

Cognus glared at Phobos' holo-projection, her anger growing with each passing moment. "I will not stand here and listen to you question the teachings of Darth Bane," she spat, her voice filled with disdain. "The Rule of Two has led me to where I am today, and I will not be swayed by the ramblings of an ancient Sith Lord".

With a wave of her hand, Cognus reached out with the force and deactivated the holocron, causing Phobos's image to flicker and fade away. "Come, Zax," she said, turning to leave the tomb. "We have what we came for".

Finally making their way back to the chamber they had fallen through the floor of, the pair were met with the remains of both Nara, Vex and Helix strewn across the chamber. Pinned under a collapsed pillar, Captain Kael was clinging to life, but it was evident that he had suffered a large amount of blood lose, and the bones in his right arm and leg were completely broken.

Cognus brushed right past the dying man, intending to leave him to his fate, such was befitting the weak. However, Zax had a point when he argued that they needed him as he was the only one capable of piloting the shuttle.

Calling on the force, she lifted the pillar and her companion quickly slid the man out from under the ancient column that had pinned him initially.

Cognus scowled at Zax, her anger and frustration clear on her face. "Fine," she says through gritted teeth, "but he's your responsibility now. I won't waste any more time or energy on him".

The captain groaned in pain as his broken bones were shifted, his comrade throwing his non-broken arm over his shoulder. Kael putting all his weight onto the other man, slowing the group's exit.

Cognus could sense in the force that the Terentatek has retreated deeper into the tomb. Though she is unsure why it did not pursue them, suspecting that perhaps the creature has lost interest in them now that it no longer has a purpose, considering they now hold Phobos' holocron.

"It's okay Kael, you're going to be okay. There's a bacta tank on the ship".

Despite the injuries he received, she believed that the captain would make a full recovery. She estimated maybe a few days in the tank and he would be as good as knew. However, that would cost precious time.

As they made their way back to the shuttle, Cognus couldn't shake off the feeling of disgust at Phobos's words. She had devoted her entire life to the Rule of Two, and for an ancient Sith Lord to question its validity only served to anger her further.

But as they reached the shuttle Cognus couldn't help but feel a sense of triumph. They had retrieved the holocron, and in doing so, had proven themselves to be true servants of the Dark Side, worthy of the knowledge and power contained within.

Once they had managed to place Kael in the bacta tank, Cognus decided she should take the first watch. Turning to Zax she said, "We may have the holocron, but we have not yet won this battle. The Terentatek retreat could be a trap, or it could be biding its time, waiting for us to let our guard down. We must remain vigilant and be prepared for any further challenges that may come our way".

As Cognus took first watch, she couldn't help but admire the holocron again. So much knowledge held in such a simply decorated thing. All of Darth Phobos's knowledge, that had survived the countless centuries was now hers to control and she suspected, even perfect.

She couldn't wait to begin studying it and learning all of its secrets. As she watched over the others, she felt a sense of satisfaction wash over her. She had achieved her goal and with this power, she knew that she could achieve even greater things in the future. Feats that would ensure Bane's rule continued.