It took her two days to realize that Obscurus must have known that Vowrawn would come to the gathering. She cursed herself for not predicting it but she cursed him too. Was it meant as gift? An chance to see Vowrawn, even apart? Or was it an attempt to make her stay, to join him? See what the Sith have to offer?

Then again, he was Sith. Had been for so many years. Perhaps she should have expected it. Use all means necessary to achieve your goals – and her connection to Vowrawn was one of them. As was her bond with Obscurus.

Every day in his company made her waver. Every day they spent laughing and chatting was an day she wanted to stay longer. The forbidden knowledge in his library was enticing on its own. With her Master there to teach it, it was more than dangerous.

She needed to leave. And she needed to tell him now or she'd procrastinate it for another week and then another.

But how was she to breach the topic with Obscurus? Rha considered it for an moment. If there was anything every Sith respected, then it was strength. Beating him in battle would prove her power. Would prove that she could leave by force if she had to. And she did want to see how far they had come in their time apart.

Quickly she changed into loose robes, tucked the ends under leather vambraces and into her boots, before she tracked Obscurus down by the feel of parchment and lightning.

"You know, I promised to beat you in an spar." She leant against the door. An stone tablet was laid out on the table and an projection of it hovered in the air next to him. Obscurus turned around and removed his headset. "What did you say?"

"Want to loose against me?"

"I see that you are feeling fine today." With an wave of his hand the projection turned off. "I can leave this project alone, if that is what you meant."

Rha grinned as he lead them to the sparring chamber. They took position several armlengths apart and each took their blade to hand, he his staff and she hovered over her two blades for an moment.

Her second blade, made from three crystals, one from her first saber, one after her first fall and the third after her second, was a deep purple-red with black undertones. Its hilt was longer than of the first and black. The green blade used Ghila's flower engraved copper hilt and her yellow crystal with one of Rha's old blue.

She had learned to fight with two lightsabers from Ghila, but then had switched to an staff under Obscurus and then again to an single blade with the second for emergencies. For now she choose the red blade. Hopefully Obscurus would prove an challenge and make her use both blades.

For the first time in ages they would cross blades as allies, not enemies. And even then their battles had been short chases, not all out destruction. But this was not be a true fight, only a spar to relearn her own body and satisfy her curiosity.

The chamber was all black, bare concrete walls and rows of lights. A white circle was on the floor, humming with the Force, for proper challenges. But not for today.

Rha stretched and tested her mobility against the ache in her left side, yet to go away. The simple robes allowed her to contort further than in armor. And for all she loved her armor, the fabric Obscurus had chosen was quite pleasant, soft and light.

He waited, in his heavy layered robes of gold, black and red, staff in hand.

"I'm ready." She bowed to him and he returned it with an low chuckle. "Ever a Jedi."

For a heartbeat they stared at each other, waiting for the other to pounce, waiting for the right moment. The Force was bright with tension, but Obscurus shielded himself well and gave her no warning.

Still, his move had been slow and she stepped aside and brought her blade up against his. Just one blade, him and her both.

Rha let herself slide into the familiar movements and relaxed. She caught his blade again and again, an ever familiar dance from when she first learned the third form.

Satisfied, she jumped over him. Obscurus turned around and parried her blow. Faster and faster they danced around each other, red and red, then he smirked and suddenly a third blade was in the game. Rha laughed, rolled to the side and went up to catch the blade going for her head. Of course, this was the time to use her second, but where was the fun in that?

While her lightsaber was engaged to keep one half from her face, he pulled his staff so that the second half would cut her, but it was the same move he had done even in their spars as Padawan and Master, and Rha avoided it with ease.

He swiped at her feet, then at her head, a circle of red light and she let herself be driven backwards until the wall was just the right distance from her. Then she ran and jumped onto the wall, her momento let her keeping running. The Force guided her to the perfect moment to jump off and she fell onto Obscurus from above.

With a loud crack their lightsabers met and she went at him with several heavy strikes. Anyone else might have exhausted themself against his guard, but Rha knew him and herself. His weapon was his mind, she was made for combat. But he was not willing to let it end just yet and force-pushed her away. Rha caught herself after a short slide and raised her blade, awaiting an strike that never came.

Obscurus removed one hand from the staff and she braced herself. Lightning arched across the room. Her first instinct was to catch it with her blade, but then she remembered that there was no need to hide and let the lightning touch her, only to take it and throw it back at him. She gasped as the foreign power rushed through her.

But her Master kept up and her body started to ache from the dark energy. Rha tilted her head. Hm. She had an idea, an slighty insane idea, but if there was ever an moment to try it out, it would be now.

For a moment she let the energy build up, then released it in an force-shove. She pressed against his guard and forced herself close to him. Then she simply reached out and grabbed his staff. Heat seared close to her face, but did not touch skin. Obscurus cursed.

She laughed and tugged at the staff. The red blades went out as Obscurus stepped back and spread his arms. Static crackled in the air as sparks gathered around him, an cloak of white and blue. Oh shit. A shiver ran across her neck.

His staff refused to reactivate, some secret switch she did not know about turned off, and she had no choice but to drop it to as Obscurus unleashed an small storm. Rha was mostly certain that it would not have killed her if it hit her, but she still called on the Force to protect her.

After the storm passed, Obscurus had his staff back in his hands, making no move to attack. She smirked. Impressive show, but exhausting. "Getting tired, old man?"

He stretched his hand out and she expected lighting again.

Then it was dark.

Rha cursed. How ingenius. Then she smiled. Fighting an Miralukka blind wasn't easy, but she had not intention of having him win. And she had already some ideas on how to succeed. Turning the light back on was just too much of an cop out.

Sure, with his lightsaber out she could not see him in pure darkness, but had he not become her master for this very reason? Back then she learned to fight blind, adjusted to having one eye only, but now - now she called on the Force to aid her battle out of pure instinct.

And the moment his lightsaber re-ignited she would see him. Lightning, too. The moment he made his move she would be ready.

Yet she had trouble to find him. His force presence was gone as if dead. Suddenly Rha knew what her master had been doing in all those years before his reappearance. Assassinations. No wonder he had so much blackmail. Just who had he been working for?

Now was not the time. Rha watched the darkness for his lightstaff. Still nothing. Well, if he refused to act, then she must make him.

Rha took her second lightsaber in hand and considered the room. The calculations would have been easier with her visor, but the Force guided her hand. She activated it and threw it in a curve through the air. A hand grabbed it out of the air and it went dark again.

Perhaps that would have been it, if she were anyone else. But there was nothing she knew as well as that green lightsaber and the song of the crystal within. For forty years she carried it with her. She smirked and barely stopped herself from saying anything telling.

Obscurus wasn't the only one who could hide his presence. She had to take an deep breath and focus on making her aura truly vanish. It was not an natural state of being and the Force within her rebelled against it until she made it obey.

Now he was blind.

Rha stalked closer to where she felt the crystal sing. Every step had to be light and soundless or Obscurus would find her.

But just as she was near enough, an red blade hissed into life and lit the room in twilight. The next moments were an blur. She ducked and rolled aside, the movement far harsher on her unarmored back. Pain ignited in her side. Together with her frustration and excitement it feed the Force within her.

"I was going to be nice." She told Obscurus as he dodged an blow."But this is just annoying."

With an surge she ripped the green lightsaber from Obscurus' belt. "And my back hurts."

"Are you getting old?" He teased back.

"Says you."

Once again lightning started to crackle around him.

"Oh come on! You don't get to do that again." Rha focused and reminded herself not to kill him – it would be so easy to just yank on his spine or crush his heart. The dark came eagerly to her call. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth and an ravenous hunger bloomed within her. Do not kill him, she chanted to herself, do not.

Her eyes blazed gold. Later, they would ache, she knew that. The black veins on her body would grow more prominent for an week, before fading – if she let the Dark rest. It was the price she paid. An low price.

The Force pressed down on his knees first, made him buckle and press against the floor in attempt to get up. It crawled over his body, over all the delicate parts she could shatter with an single thought and forced him to stay still. Oh, he fought against it, throwing his own power against hers, trying to slip out of it, but it was an move she had perfected against hundreds of Sith.

"Do I have to break your bones or do you surrender?" She took the pressure of his throat so that he could answer.

"You win." Obscurus croaked and she let him go. "What the fuck, Rha. You didn't use that on me before."

"Lucky you." She drawled. He was right, of course he was. The first time she used this move, it was against the Sith who had killed - her boy. Even now rage returned with the memory before she shook it off.

Obscurus turned the light back on and smoothed over his ruffled robes.

"You damaged an chain." He grumbled.

"Don't wear jewelry to battle."

Now she only had to do as she planned and tell him. Great. Might as well go through with it now. Rha took an depth breath.

"I will leave. I will return to the Jedi. But only this once. To defeat Zakuul."

"So you made your choice." His voice was flat, but his presence wavered with emotion.

"I will never join the Sith – but I will also no longer be an Jedi. I think in two days would be an good time."

"Are you asking for permission?"

"Have I not proven that I am stronger? It would be rude to steal your ship." She hesitated before she added an soft, "- my friend."

"I see." Obscurus gave her an half-smile.

"I hope you do."

"I must admit, I truly thought you would join us." He clasped his hand behind his back, before changing his mind and resting them in front of his body.

Rha saw what he did not ask. "You want to know why?"

Obscurus nodded.

"I would have the same dilemma as I had now. An loved one on the enemy's side. Now I can stay out of it."

"Not even for your Dark Lord?"

"Vowrawn? I – I don't think its an good idea to base my loyalty to the Sith on one man. Not even - " She swallowed. "Not even when I care so deeply for him. One day I would wake up and it'd be Vivian or 'Dravjen who had died. How long until I resented him for the path I choose?"

"I see." Obscurus folded his arms across his chest, hands vanishing in the sleeves of his robe. "How long will you keep your survival secret?"

She pursed her lips. "I'll contact Jedi that I trust to never join Zakuul. Vivian and Rhaddravjen – if I can get them on an secure line. Master Alaris is surely taking up arms already."

"Not your beloved Grandmaster?"

Rha raised an eyebrow. Why the word choice? "No. Zakuul must be watching her."

Sorrow overcame her for an moment. Everyone important would know she lived – everyone but Vowrawn.

"What troubles you?"

She hesitated.

"I sensed that – pain, conflict, an hunger for something I do not recognize." Obscurus stated with eerie accuracy. "Tell me to leave it be and I will."

"It's fine – I just . . I regret that Vowrawn will believe me dead. So much grief was in him when I saw him three days ago."

"He truly means much to you." Obscurus shook his head in confusion. "Very well. I will support him when he pushes for the throne."

"That wasn't – I wasn't trying to recruit you!" She spluttered.

"I know. I still will. The price of failure is death." Obscurus pointed out but his voice made it clear that he had expected her to realize it. "It would hurt you if he died."

"Ah." She wasn't sure what she had expected but she should have known. No mercy when it came to the throne. "Thank you, then."

"When the time comes I too would be willing to battle against the false Empire."

"It would be an pleasure to fight at you side once more."

"And it will be mine." Obscurus bowed his head. "You have come far. I am proud of you – if that still means anything to you. You are an Master of the Force. Don't protest. Perhaps you want not to be called an Jedi Master, but if you had joined the Sith I would have granted you your Darth name long ago."

Rha huffed and admitted: "It does still mean something to me."

"I will arrange for an untraceable ship and new coms for us." He pointed at her. "And you will accept the Kolto I give you."

"Alright." She smiled. That was the closest to his blessing she was going to get.

Obscurus brushed over her cheek for an moment before his hand rested on her shoulder. His force presence curled over hers, an protective caress she had not felt since she was an child. Not since he had drugged her and left her and -

She blinked the unshed tears away.

"Farewell. And may the Force be with you."

"May the Force serve you well."