The Crucible

[Kaini Khatoin]

The fires of hell never burned hotter than his aura that day. He was on his knees, he had been forced to them as he lay at the edge of cliff, looking down hundreds of feet below him was a dark valley that called out to him, pleading with him to join the others that had fallen before him. His hands gripped the ground and he called on the dark side and demanded it's strength to fill him, the valley an inky glass reflection in his new helmet. The new Sith launched himself into a backflip, his weapon flew into his hand and the red blade sprang to life in half a heartbeat, just in time to block the hot red blade of his opponent.

::Enough!::

His opponent's blade retreated into it's hilt, but the young Sith remained ever vigliant before switching his blade off. He stood there for a long moment, his aura returning to it's normal darkness, the fires of hell retreating inside of him. He arched his back and heard it crack, the pain of his near defeat never leaving his conscious mind, he had to be strong, he had to be powerful, or he'd wind up like his father. Good Sith were not allowed to die, his master had taught him this. Decent Sith died, bad Sith died, but good Sith could never die, because to be a good Sith you must break free from your chains. Death was just another chain that a good Sith had to pull himself away from. His helmet lowered and his visual receptors locked onto his fellow Sith and opponent.

::What was that last move you did, the one that took breath away and knocked me down?::

Seth's unfeeling eyes scanned the young Sith, the armour was rediciulous and he had informed his apprentice of that, perhaps there would be a discussion regarding this later. For now he was here to forge this young Sith into the ultimate warrior and soon the time would come for him to be unleashed onto the galaxy as a force of fear and the face of the new Empire that he had been crafting for years with his own apprentice. This Sith before him would be a blunt instrument, a tool and he must learn quickly.

"Sith do, my young friend. Sith do and so will YOU!"

Seth's lightsaber sprang to life and he swung wildly at Kaini's head.

Intstantly Kaini reacted with his own crimson blade, he parried the attack down and away. He spun on his left leg and kicked Seth firmly in the torso sending him back several feet. Quickly Kaini righted himself and lunged towards Seth his crimson blade defelected away but made passing contact with Seth's shoulder.

The elder winced in pain as he was attacked with far more passion and skill than he was expecting, perhaps Johnathon was right, perhaps this young Sith was the future of their race. Only here on the hallowed grounds of this sacred planet could his spirit be tested. His red eyes caught the lightsaber coming for him again and he blocked the next onslaught.

"You learn quickly Kaini, perhaps we will make a Sith of you yet. You're much like your father, but are you stronger than him? Are you stronger than the fool that allowed himself to be killed by a mere Ji'dai?"

[Kaini Khatoin]

"Fool to be killed by a mere Ji'dai." ?! ANGER! HATRED! The swelled in his aura as he drew his power from the dark side and maybe, just maybe from the planet itself. The fires of hell raged inside of him as he fought to maintain a semblance of control, freshly healed wounds were trested at their seems, the scars stretched but they held their ground. His grip on his lightsaber tightened and beneath his maskn his eyes narrowed, had they been visible to anyone, they glowed with a radiance of hate and torment.

::BASTARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!::

His voice augmenters amplifying the noise and his hate filled tone.

He raised his weapon and lunged at Seth unleashing a furious slurry of attacks that even moments before might have been beneath his own skill set, his mind was a blur focused by the darkness, the wind kicked up and the sand circled around them as he continued his ferocious and unending onslaught of the elder Sith who had dared to insult his father. There was nothing now but emotion, the swirling depths of which knowed no end, he was an infinite chasm, filled with infinite rage. Seth had gone too far...[/i]

Good, Seth thought to himself as he felt the anger swirl around Kaini, this was what he was looking for, this is what he had been waiting for. A matter of moments, he would stop the new Sith and knock him down to size a bit so he knew his place, but he would be one of them.

He flinched at the series of attacks, blocking them the best he could, but he no time to strike back, he amplified his grip on the force and began to get a bit more serious, this young man was stronger than he thought. Johnathon had done well and he should be commended.

The attacks they weren't stopping, a slash here, stab there, full fury, the likes of which he had not seen before, there still was no time to strike back, and then it happened. Kaini's blade caught Seth's emitter, and destroyed his lightsaber, it's red blade falling silent forever, quickly the elder Sith reached for the knife on his belt, the one he had carried with him his entire life, the one that had tasted the blood of so many enemies, it's sinister would soon feast again and this young Sith would learn his place forever, he jabbed at Kaini's upper left arm as hard as he could, he need not kill such talent, but he needed to remind the young man where he stood.

Seth was defenseless, but then the knife. His eyes caught the knife too late as it sunk into his left bicep, but he felt nothing but an intense rage build up within him as he brought lightsaber up in sweeping motion, almost instaneously to knife's sinister steel sliding into his flesh and muscle, just beneath the armoured shoulder plate.

Contact, his knife had struck true and tasted the blood of the young Sith before him. The red blade of Kaini's lightsaber flashed by his eyes for only a fleeting second and Seth paused, he smelled it first, the unmistakeable smell of burning fabric and flesh melded together in a sickengly distinct aroma. He glanced down to see both of his hands gone, they fallen to the ground where Kaini's lightsaber had cut them cleanly from his arms. His eyes widened as he stared at the other Sith....

Without a single moment passing Kaini killed his lightsaber, and grabbed the knife and pulled it from his arm, flipping it from his hand he brought the blade downward as hard he possibly could directly towards Seth's chest.

There was no time to react, between the shock of losing his hands and the disbelief at being beaten, there was simplyn know time to react. Seth's own knife plunged straight through his sternum with such force that it took him off his feet and he fell his back, gasping for breath and coughing blood. His red eyes darted side to side, his breaths increased as he looked up and the armoured Sith before him. This was training. Johnathon had told him what spots to push....Johnathon....had told him what spots to.....Johnathon knew.

Kaini, stood there allowed Seth to fall back, he ingited his lightsaber again and held it's tip to the elder Sith's throat.

::You are beaten! Don't ever speak another word regarding my father again or I'll kill you where you stand, my Master's Master or not.::

His voice augmentation was clear, it's tone was crystal and gave his voice threatening aura of it's own. The red blade hummed and he waited for Seth to acknowlede his words or to die here where he had fallen.

[Johnathon Lynd]

The wind died down just as he had seen, the dust settled and standing there were his very own master in such a state of disarray. Shame. And then of course was his new apprentice, standing tall and proud, the master of his own power. A smile appeared on his face, his red Senatorial robes settling as the wind died down. What a precarious situation this had turned out to be. There was something to be said of a nineteen year old wet behind the ears Sith besting his master, it's almost as if it was destiny.

"My my Kaini! Well done indeed! You have done so well here today."

His yellow eyes shifted to his master who was coughing up blood and struggling to breathe. What a despicable sight, a Dark of the Lord of the Sith lying there on this most sacred of all planets bested by someone whom just mere months ago had no idea what it meant to be a wielder of the Dark Side of the Force.

"Oh my master. What predicatment you have found yourself in....shhhhh don't talk, save your energy so that we can get that wound fixed as soon as possible."

He waved Kaini off signaling him to disarm his lightsaber. He then approached his master and knelt down beside him, Johnathon ran his hands through Seth's hair and bent down to lightly kiss his cheek as a son would a father, a show of respect and care. His hand found the butt of the knife and he jerked it from Seth's chest, blood squirting out of the open wound and covering his face. He heard bubbles forming and popping in the chest wound. He felt Sith wince and recoil in pain.

"There there Master, everything will be alright. I'm afraid I just underestimated him."

"Johnathon....you...treacherous snake...you...kne...kne....knew...what.....wou...."

Johnathon smiled warmly at Seth.

"Shhh master, no more talking. You must save your strength my old friend."

Johnathon brought Seth's knife up to the dying Sith's throat and slid the blade across his arteries and windpipe, blood sprayed out of the wound and there were unspeakable noises and the Dark Lord of the Sith was gone forever. Johnathon gently laid him flat and brushed his hands over Seth's lifeless face, smoothing his features and shutting his eyes, before returning the knife to it's sheathe on the fallen Sith's belt.

Johnathon stood up and turned to Kaini.

"This is what we are. Today you are my partner, today you are my brother. You take a place at my side and with my election the galaxy will be ours and we will bring peace and prosperity to this filthy despicable place."

He motioned towards Seth.

"He taught me well, we will bury him with honor. Do you understand Kaini?"

[Kaini Khatoin]

Kaini stood there for a long moment as he watched the scene unfold. He had felt no special attachment to Seth, but he knew that Johnathon admired the man and looked up to him. He was expecting to be chastized or worse, but what he had seen was not at all what he expected. The man who saved him from the evil grips of the Jedi, had just as coldly, yet some how lovingly murdered his own master right in front of him.

Kaini swallowed, but maintained his cool, his posture stiffened as Johanthon made eye contact with him and spoke. Kaini's aura had begin to settle again, the raging furnace inside him dwindled down to manageable single flame that kept him ready and ever vigliant. Immediately after hearing tha he was ready, Kaini dropped down to a single knee.

::I am your loyal servant.::

He knelt there and bowed his head as Johnathon motioned to Seth. Kaini nodded in acknowledgement and stood up as Johnathon motioned for him to do so.

::I understand my Master, he was a decent Sith and deserves our respect.::