Last time: Sasha gave in and accepted the reality of the situation... and that the other reality doesn't exist.

Now: Sasha falls.

Chapter 20- Light Extinguished

Two months passed after that conversation in the acolyte dining hall. During those months, Sasha built up her physical strength and her Force powers with Cien on a daily basis. Each day that passed, she slipped deeper and deeper into the dark side. She became more like an acolyte that would make Cien proud in some capacity that she had successfully turned. And her powers grew stronger. Scarily stronger than anyone had been anticipating.

However, during those days she never forgot about Viran or Oppie. She was determined to avenge them. But she was sure both would be upset to see her like this, but they weren't here anymore and that was the Empire's fault. But there was one speck of light that she did cling to that she told no one about, and that was the name Lana. She still remembered it from that dream she and Cien shared even though the rest faded completely now from her mind with very, very rare images that came to mind. And she was grateful that dream was gone. It was a lie that tried to change her. This was real and she was a Sith now. That was the truth.

She sat in the middle of her private quarters dressed in her acolyte robes and skirting that was similar to Cien's, but also very unique as it matched the random picture in her mind of what her potential Jedi look would have been if she hadn't turned. Her hair in a very clean half up, half down look as it fell just above her shoulders. After that night of sharing her first meal with Cien, she had cut all of her hair off leaving a very short bob that grew out slowly to where it stopped now.

Her door chimed with the harsh tone of someone asking for entry. Sasha opened her eyes, annoyedly, as she came out of her mediation. She rose from the ground and approached the door. She opened it.

Cien stood there in her robes. "Are you ready?" She asked.

"Yes," Sasha said, her tone full of certainty.

Cien withdrew her hand from the depths of her robe, and produced the lightsaber hilt she had retrieved on Vestora, and a leather bag that contained the components to build several different lightsabers.

"These are the components you will need." Cien said, offering them to Sasha.

"I see," Sasha said as she took the items into her hand. The familiar feel of Master Redika's lightsaber in her hand resulted in a slightly furrowed brow at the memories attached with it. This is your lightsaber. Please don't do this. That voice nagged at her again. It did so at everything she did, but she ignored it everytime. "Where will I assemble it?"

"Our master has seen fit to grant you the proper accommodation." Cien stated. "And we should not keep him waiting."

"Lord Dracul will be present?" Sasha asked, surprised. "I assumed I would be in a private chamber for this."

"You will be alone." Cien stated. "Come." She ordered as she started walking down the corridor.

Sasha tightened her grip around the lightsaber in her left hand and followed Cien without any hesitation.

They worked their way through the Bloodstorm, down the corridors, and the crew made themself scarce as the two Acolytes swept through the halls. Their bootsteps echoing down the confined space.

They arrived at the door to the throne room, and Kopesh was waiting. He gave Sasha a leering look, as he always did. "Are you ready, pet?" He asked in a mocking tone.

"Yes," Sasha said, shooting him a glare. "And I thought I told you not to call me that."

"I do as I wish." He stated with a lascivious grin, just as the door opened. The three Acolytes strode in side by side, their footfalls ringing across the space as they made the trek across the obsidian floor. They got to the appointed space, and the three knelt at precisely the same time. "My Lord." Cien and Sasha said in perfect unison, just a hair before Kopesh, and he threw a hateful glance at them.

Dracul stood, and slowly came to stand in front of them, in front of Sasha, and he towered over her.

"Are you prepared?" He growled at her.

"Yes, my lord," Sasha answered.

Dracul was silent for a time. "Do you know what this edifice is?" He asked, looking slowly around the space, still speaking to Sasha.

"No, my lord," Sasha answered again.

"Through the galaxy there are places of great power, places steeped so deeply in the Darkside that they affect the very fabric of reality around them." He said as he turned to walk away from them. "This is one such place. Solid obsidian, once part of a mountain. Once part of a prison." He said coming to a stop, "this is a place where the most loathsome enemies of the Sith Order would be sent to die."

He turned and walked back to stand in front of Sasha, towering over her as she still knelt. "And it will be your honor to experience that for yourself." He said in the voice of death.

"Yes, my lord. I am honored," Sasha said, keeping her head down.

"Rise." Dracul ordered.

Sasha did as she was told and slowly rose up to her feet, still grasping the lightsaber and the kit in her hands. She kept her gaze forward once she was standing.

He gestured lightly with his hand, still looking her in the eyes. There was the sound of a great mass of rock grinding against another, and a perfectly cut section of the floor rose behind the three Acolytes. There were primitively cut stairs that led down into a darkness that was so devoid of any light that it seemed to darken the entire room with its exposure.

"Do not return until you are successful." He ordered, as he held the massive block of obsidian floating in the air.

"Yes, my lord," Sasha said, bowing slightly at him before turning and heading for the stairs. She descended into the stairs, trying to suppress a shudder at the wave of darkness washed over her. Behind her, above her, all light was shut out as the great cover stone was replaced. There was light. A faint light, that shone through the darkness, all around her, as the obsidian was just translucent enough to let something come through to guide her steps as she continued downward. It only made the space feel darker, more oppressive. The steps wound down a ways, the obsidian corners razor sharp beneath her boots. At the bottom she finally found a door, of all things. And it opened as she approached. There was a small chamber, perhaps five meters in diameter. In the center was a wall that rose from the floor, standing by itself, with cut manacles that hung from the top. Ancient blood stained the wall, still here after eons had passed. And around her, in the faintest light that only emphasized how deeply dark it truly was, she could see her reflection on every cut facet, every broken shard of this wall, looking back at her.

Sasha took an uneasy breath as she approached the elevated platform. Once on top, she sunk down into a criss cross position, her back to the wall. She set out the lightsaber and the kit before herself. She unrolled the kit to reveal all of the parts and components to building a lightsaber. With all of the pieces now spread out before her, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She raised her right hand over the lightsaber.

Centering in the Force, Sasha lifted the lightsaber up and took it apart, piece by piece. Why… please stop this. What would Oppie say? She ignored the voice as she dismantled the lightsaber in a very slow and methodical way. After several moments, the lightsaber pieces fell to the floor leaving only the green kyber crystal floating in the air. She rotated her palm and let the crystal follow. It hovered above her hand before laying down gently into her palm. Closing her fists around it, she focused in on the Force to bleed the crystal.

STOP!

Sasha thought about the Empire forcing her and Oppie and Viran to go on the run.

THIS ISN'T YOU!

Her anger started to bubble as she thought about the pain and frustration she felt towards the Empire.

NO! THIS IS NOT THE JEDI WAY!

Her anger towards the troopers that killed Oppie.

SASHA LISTEN!

Her anger and heartbreak towards the TIE Fighters killing Viran. Her love.

PLEASE!

And her annoyance at this constant voice that continued to bother her since their deaths.

THINK ABOUT YOUR FAMILY! ABOUT KYR AND VIRAN AND OPPIE! THINK ABOUT LANA, DAMN IT!

Lana…

Her anger boiled over at the thought of the life she could have had being a lie and her losing the chance to have her own child. She growled as she crushed the crystal in her palm.

"Leave me alone," Sasha snarled to that voice. "I will never listen to you."

… no, but you are a good person and you know this is wrong. This isn't our life. This is a lie. They are lying to you. Wake up and see that.

"I am awake," Sasha said, silencing the voice for a moment as she seethed.

Then a pulse happened in her hand. Opening her eyes, she looked to her hand as her fingers opened to reveal a blood red crystal. A villainous smile came to her face as she looked at it.

No… no… what have you done?

She closed her eyes again and assembled her new lightsaber, letting the Force be her guide in what to build with what she had. It took a long time for all of the right pieces to slot into place. As soon as it was done, she opened her eyes again as her lightsaber fell into her palm. It was a rather darkened hilt due to the blackened pieces, and was a little longer than a standard lightsaber, as if it was missing another half intended for a staff. Maybe something to add in the future. Sasha turned the hilt into her hands examining it in the pale light. Then with a thumb of the switch, one red beam came from the hilt illuminating the whole space in red. She stared at the beam with satisfaction before thumbing it off.

Cleaning up the pieces and stashing them back into the pouch they came from, Sasha rose from her seated position. She walked back towards the staircase to return to the throne room, unsure of how much time had passed. It felt like hours at the most, but her hunger and thirst told her it might have been longer than that. She pushed those weaknesses aside as she ascended the stairs.

What have you done?

Once she reached the top of the staircase, she noticed the top was still closed. She closed her eyes and used the Force to try and open it. It was heavier than she was expecting to try and move. It budged, but only slightly. Gritting her teeth, she tried again and it did the same thing. Huffing, she looked at it annoyedly, but she wasn't about to slash through the floor of Dracul's throne room. Closing her eyes, she focused all of her power and strength and attempted to lift the slab. Slowly, it started to rise up as light from the throne room started to seep in after a moment. Then once it was dislodged from the ground it made it easier to lift. She ascended the rest of the stairs as calmly as possible, keeping the slab lifted over her head. As soon as she was clear of the entrance, she slowly set down the slab back into place.

Releasing a breath, she turned to face Dracul. She knelt down before him. The other Acolytes were nowhere to be seen.

Dracul arose, after a moment, as if noticing she had returned. He strode forward and stood in front of her, considering her as she knelt. "Rise." He commanded.

Sasha did as she was told and looked at him once on her feet.

"Present to me your saber." He ordered, holding out his hand slightly.

Sasha raised her right hand that held her new lightsaber and opened her palm to him, presenting the saber as she lowered her head in a respectful way.

The saber flew across the small space and snapped into his open palm. He curled his fingers around it, and inspected the hilt. "An... interesting design." He said.

Sasha just raised her head to look at him. But she said nothing.

He ignited the saber, inspecting it from all angles in the small space between them as the blade flashed around Sasha. Then he extinguished it, and opened his palm to let her take it back. Sasha reached up and grabbed it from his open palm. She then lowered her arm back to her side.

"You show promise, young one." He said, "you understand who I am, and the powers that I command?" He asked.

"Yes, my lord," Sasha replied.

"If you are to be my fifty-eighth acolyte, then I expect your devotion to me, and no one else. You understand the consequences of disappointing me?" He asked.

"I understand, my lord," she said.

"You will continue your studies under Acolyte Cien until such time as you surpass her, and then I will teach you. You have great potential as a Sith Lord, do not squander this opportunity. And do not disappoint me." He said, glowering at her for a moment. "You may take your leave."

"Yes, my lord," Sasha said, bowing to him. She then turned and headed for the door. Once in the hall, Sasha took a deep breath as she clenched her hand around her new lightsaber. This was over and she felt a sense of relief at this part being finished. She pushed it down as she started walking towards the acolyte dining hall for something to eat, belting her lightsaber in the process.

Why… There is still good in you… why...

SASHA WHY!? NOOOO! REVIEW!