9 Lord Zash

Djaeric, bunkered down in the valley, meditating on what he had received from the spirit of Marka Ragnos. He was given the knowledge of two great force abilities, Force Empowerment.

Force empowerment, is the ability to strengthen your body using the force, increasing your speed, strength, durability, endurance, and stamina. But more than that, this ability brought a greater understanding of the force. Truly, a wonderful gift, from the ancient Sith lord, that would greatly increase his own combat abilities.

For Djaeric, who was being rushed through his trials at a speed unusual for the sith, this ability would be a great help in developing his skills further down the road.

" This.... This is quite the feeling. It feels like I have strength of ten men." Djaeric stated. He clenched his saber in his hand, and the grip felt different. " Feels lighter."

Djaeric, felt the sun beaming down on his back and he wiped his forehead, concentrating on using force empowerment was a hard and straining process. Even just using it on a basic level was hard for someone with next to no force training to maintain. Which is why, most acolytes and even the Jedi's padawans are trained from very young ages. For Djaeric, he had only a few more trials to go before being taken on as an apprentice. Though maybe this did wonders for his appearance.

An acolyte with barely over a month of training and he was already on the same level as other acolytes.

Yes, he was certain he would be the one to become Zash's apprentice. There was no doubt about that.

The next ability was a concept he couldn't quite grasp fully, yet. The ability tutaminis. The ability to absorb, negate, and dissipate energy of any kind.

The basic idea was easy to understand, but without any kind of energy source to practice with, Djaeric was unable to truly practice the concept.

There was more there, but Djaeric just simply couldn't grasp it yet. Perhaps with more time and training it would become available to him, but for now, it was enough.

Djaeric took a drink of water from his canteen.

" I think, I've been out here for long enough. I should get back. Harkun's going to blow a blood vessel when I bring this back to him. I can't wait to his face." Djaeric looked down at the cube in his hand with a grin on his face. Being a pain in Harkun's ass, was becoming a daily pass time of his. And he loved every moment of it.

...................

After making his way back to the academy, Djaeric started making his way to overseer Harkuns office.

As he was walking through the halls, a small hand grabbed hold of his shoulder.

" Hey!"

" Hello, Korey. It's been a while. How have you been?" Djaeric asked the girl. His tone was droll and his face blank.

" I've been learning a lot with the combat instructors. I think I got lucky with Harkun on that one." Korey told the man.

" Yes, I'm glad to hear your coming along well. Has anyone been bothering you?" Djaeric asked.

He wasn't heartless. During the days they traveled together, he did come to enjoy being around Korey and cared about her well-being. In a way, she had become like a little sister to him. One that he had to constantly worry about and teach, almost like she was an apprentice of his own.

" No, I just usually stick to myself. It's actually kind of peaceful, as peaceful as it can get on this hell hole." Korey told the man.

" I see. That's good. Come, let's see Harkun together. It is time for my next trial." Djaeric told the girl.

" Right." Korey nodded and followed behind Djaeric as he started making his way to Harkun's office. She clung to his hip, like it was the safest place in the galaxy, and in many ways it was. She had seen first-hand his skills, and he was easily better than some of the senior acolytes.

This was in fact, due to his many years of combat experience. Even without the force, Djaeric had already been trained in the art of killing, and he was very good at it, so much so that even the likes of Darth Marr and Malgus personally complimented his fighting skills. That was praise not easily earned.

Together, Djaeric and Korey entered Harkuns office, where they were immediately greeted by Harkun and his inscrutable attitude.

" Finally. You better not be wasting my time, slave."

" Calm down, Harkun. I have your holocron. " Djaeric told the man. He pulled out the holocron of Marka Ragnos and handed it over to Harkun, who started examining it closely.

" Hm, a fake. Or stolen from the library, probably." Harkun muttered. He then put the holocron in his back pocket. " I'll deal with you later." Harkun murmured. " Now, I believe it is time for a demonstration. Gur, step forward."

" Yes overseer." One of the larger males stepped towards the overseer. He was tall, light skin, and had black hair. But other than that, he had no other distinguishing features.

" Fon, kill him."

" With pleasure, Overseer!" Fon stepped forward proudly and raised his hand towards the acolyte.

Gur turned to run for his life, but Fon stopped him with a torrent of lightning from his fingertips. With Gur, incapacitated, Fon approached him and cut him down using his training saber.

" Let, Gu be an example to you. Fon destroyed him easily as he will destroy all of you. Are there any other objections?" Harkun asked the remaining slaves.

" You're only giving us power, Harkun." Djaeric told the man.

" And your comments are only hastening your death, slave."

" I highly doubt that." Djaeric responded.

" Hmmmm. We'll see, slave. Fon, twins, you know your trials. Leave us. Acolyte Korey, Zyn is waiting for you in the jail for interrogation, go now."

" Yes overseer." The girl spoke. She bowed and quickly departed the room.

" You slave, we need to talk."

" Of course, overseer."

Harkun approached Djaeric and started looking him over. Sizing him up even. And then he spoke.

" You think yourself, pretty clever getting that holocron, don't you?"

" Actually, yes, I do. Considering none of you could get it for a thousand years. It must eat at you that a slave is doing better than your personal pet. "

" Well then, if you love mingling around in tombs, I have another one for you. For your next trial, the last darkest secrets of Tulak Hord are buried in his tomb. Lord Zash wants this text. But the final resting place of the dead lord is not easily trespassed. You would not be the first to die there." Harkun told the man.

" I'll be back before you know it, Harkun. Don't count on this tomb being my resting place." Djaeric told the man.

Djaeric left Harkun without saying another word.

Once more, he would set out for valley of the lords, another long trip.

He was actually beginning to wonder if Harkun had any other plan for him other than to send him grave digging.

It was a thought, but one that would need to be explored later. For now, Djaeric needed to sleep. Which meant it was time for him to hit the sack.

............

Djaeric woke up bright and early the next morning, getting out of bed during the dark of night.

Life at the academy wasn't pleasant. It was really no different than living on Mek-Sha, the only difference was the sun, which was hard to adjust to for the first few days. The acolytes all slept in bunk beds, with foot lockers for any possessions. But since Djaeric had almost no possessions, his was pretty much empty. The only things he owned were some stacks of paper and a pen, his saber, a flask, and a communicator, which Harkun used to summon the acolytes when he had need of them. Djaeric almost never used this though, considering his trials were always back-to-back with little rest in-between.

After getting ready, Djaeric had set out for the valley of the dark lords before the sun even began to rise.

Thankfully, Tulak Hord's tomb wasn't as far into the Valley of the lords as Marka Ragnos'. In fact, if Djaeric double timed it, it would only take him four hours to make it to the Sith Lord's tomb, or so the map given to him had specified.

He was thankful for that map, which he would have gotten if he had not stopped to help Cormun all that time ago. It was truly a fortunate turn of events.

The Tomb of Tulak Hord belonged to the greatest Sith Lord to ever exist. His skill with the lightsaber was unparallel. So much so, that even now, thousands of years after his death, he is still heralded as the greatest lightsaber duelist to have ever lived.

Djaeric learned a little bit about him, by reading his journal, and his teachings on the form 2 lightsaber form, Makashi. A form dedicated specifically to saber combat.

" Tulak Hord...."

As the sun started rising over the planet of Korriban, Djaeric wandered into the enclosed valley, containing the tomb of Tulak Hord.

And as Djaeric approached the tomb, an ominous sensation washed over him. However, he pushed through it, and as he stepped foot inside, he was immediately swarmed by a hoard of Kor'Slugs and other creatures like Shyrack screechers.

Now, Djaeric had the choice to turn back. He could turn and run, and potentially survive in the wastelands.

But that's not what he would do.

Djaeric grabbed his training saber and powered it on, and then without hesitation, he jumped headfirst into the swarm of dark creatures, hacking and slashing his way through them like a beast.

Blood swashed around and sprayed like waterfalls, the sound of screeching and the hissing of his saber filled the tomb with dread.

Harkun had overexaggerated when he claimed this tomb was monster infested.

But now, as Djaeric entered, the archives of Tulak Hord's tomb, the population of the hoard had been completely cut down to size.

Djaeric, cut the last of the Kor'Slugs down, before moving forward into the archives, where his prize waited.

There sitting in the middle of the room was a giant tablet, which when Djaeric read it out loud it read.

" The Secrets Of Tulak Hord." Djaeric muttered. " This is what Harkun sent me to find. It's too big for me to carry, but I have enough time to transcribe what it says.

Djaeric pulled out his holo and recorded the text on his holocommunicator.

Looks like he found some use for it after all.

With one of the texts recorded and ready for delivery, Djaeric continued on his path to the final text. Which would be hidden in the Ante chamber. Unfortunately, the tomb had been heavily damaged and the convenient way to the next chamber would be destroyed.

Luckily, that wasn't the only way in, Djaeric returned to the front entrance to the archives, following his trail of destruction back through the tomb and to the outside entrance.

He followed the tombs path, to the northern most part of the enclosure and entered into the old access tunnel that led into back end of Tulak Hord's tomb, right into the antechamber.

The monsters that crowded the archives were less in number in the Antechamber, and far less aggressive.

Djaeric strolled right into Tulak Hord's Antechamber, and right up to the giant tablet in the middle of the room, and once again took a copy of the tablet for Harkun.

" There. That's everything Harkun asked for. This better do it for that egotistical nerf-herder."

Djaeric took the copies and prepared to leave, however as he was leaving Djaeric felt a strange presence, like someone or something was watching him, but he pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind. He didn't have the time or the patience to deal with another angry sith lord.

................

Djaeric returned to the Sith Lord, well into the day, and as he was making his way to Overseer Harkun's office, he found himself being stopped midway, by a young-looking woman with blonde hair, and dressed in red and black robes.

" You there, slave... No, Acolyte. Hold on for a moment." The woman spoke.

" Do I know you?" Djaeric asked the woman.

" I am lord Zash."

" Ah, I see. How can I help you lord Zash?" Djaeric asked the woman.

" Just let me, get a good look at you for a moment." Zash said. She approached Djaeric and began scoping him out. " Yes, yes! Perfect! Magnificent! You are the one who brought me the holocron from the tomb of Marka Ragnos yes?"

Djaeric nodded and bowed to the sith. " Yes, my lord."

" Remarkable. Unbelievable even. One thousand years buried in that tomb, Sith lords passing it by and then the most unlikely person comes along. Tell me, how did you manage it?" Zash asked the boy. Her attitude seemed kind and intrigued.

But there was one thing Djaeric was feeling from this woman, and that was deceit. It might not have been written on her face, or in her honeyed words. It was just a feeling. But still.

" Forgive me, but even acolytes, such as myself, must keep our own cards firmly within hand." Djaeric told the woman.

" Ah, clever. Keeping your tricks hidden from any potential threats. A very Sith thing to do. I must say, your work so far in bringing back this holocron and now the text from Tulak Hord's tomb has me... Intrigued." Zash stated.

" How did you know I had the texts?"

" Simple! You wouldn't have come back without them. If you did, you would be dead." Zash told the young man.

Made sense. No one who failed a trial, knowing their punishment was death would likely return.

" Now, do me a favor and please, give me what you have, now. I'd like to get started with my work as soon as possible, and I do not need harkun delaying that any further." Zash spoke.

" Very well." Djaeric made copies of the texts from Tulak Hord's tomb and gave them directly to Zash, while keeping the original copies for Harkun.

Djaeric smiled under his face. This worked out for him in a lot of ways. One it ensured that Harkun could not discredit Djaeric in any way to the Sith Lord, and it would most likely get under Harkun's skin if he found out Djaeric had spoken with Zash herself. A win-win.

" Thank you, so much Acolyte. Now, do hurry on to Harkun. That man lacks dearly in the patience category. So long now." Zash dismissed Djaeric with a smile and a wave of her hand. And as quickly as she came, she vanished.

" That woman..." Djaeric muttered. Tat woman was trouble and Djaeric just knew it. But how much? Even he couldn't assume to guess. Not at this point.

Regardless, of what he thought of Zash at this point, she was his best chance at getting off of this rock and for now he would play nice.

Djaeric quickly made his way into Harkun's office where he was waiting with Fon, but there was no sign of Korey or the other two.

She couldn't have died, could she?

Harkun better hope not. Because if she was, then Fon would be going right behind her.

" I was just about to send Fon off, what delayed you slave?" Harkun asked Djaeric as he walked into the room.

" I was stopped in the halls, by lord Zash. She wanted to praise me for how amazing of a job I've been doing." Djaeric told the man.

Harkun scoffed. " Just like a slave to make up stories. Lord Zash would crush you like a Gizka if you ever crossed her path. You're not worthy of her presence. Now, did you collect the texts from Tulak Hord's tomb?"

" Of course, Harkun."

" Give it here. No doubt it has been badly damaged. It's what we get for sending a careless low life to do a Sith's job." Harkun spoke as Djaeric handed him the original copies of the text. " Isn't that right, Fon?"

" What are we waiting for, Overseer? Why don't we kill this wretch now?" Fon asked.

" Yes, by all means, Fon. Go ahead and try." Djaeric told the Sith pureblood.

" You have a big mouth slave, but no combat skills. I don't want to see you again, until you satisfied the korriban instructors. The training hall is on the second floor of the facility and is usually reserved for the dark lords and their apprentices. This is not a promotion, and you are not to speak to anyone except the training master when you are up there, do you understand? You are not fit for their presence." Harkun explained.

" Ha! Please tell me, Fon can come. I'd love to learn from him." Djaeric told the man. His words bit like venom into Harkun's skin, another tactic in his plan to see the men fall.

" Fon has been training at combat his whole life. He was born to be Sith. You are more likely to chop your own arm off as not, slave."

" Would you like to place that bet, Harkun?"

" Get going, slave!" Harkun shouted.

Djaeric smirked and gave a slight bow at the overseer's anger.

" Of course, sir. Right away." Djaeric said to the man. He quickly turned around and marched out of the overseer's office, knowing that Harkun was absolutely fuming with him at the moment. However, he had to admit, this was the one-time Harkun actually did him a favor. A chance to learn practice with one of the instructors was big. It gave him a chance to hone his saber skills, which is something Djaeric was always open for.

Djaeric made his way to the second floor with a slight pep in his step. Oh yes, this would be the most fun he's had since he'd gotten here, he almost seemed like a child.

The thought of crossing sabers with a stronger teacher, a teacher actually worth their merit, now that was exciting.

His blood was beginning to rile, even if so slightly.

However, as he entered into the training hall, he noticed there was one thing severely wrong.

The lights were off, and no one was there.

" If I didn't know any better, I'd say this was a trap." Djaeric spoke aloud.

" I'm sorry, it's come to this." Korey muttered.

Djaeric turned around and Korey along with the two other acolyte, twins, were standing behind him.

" Hello, there friend. Remember us? Look man, I just want to tell you, that I'm sorry it had to be this way. We don't like this anymore than you do." Wydr spoke.

" Is this how we're gonna do things now?" Djaeric asked.

" Harkun promised us, that if we killed you, we could go home." Korey muttered. " I never wanted to come here, and I certainly never wanted to be Sith. Truthfully, I miss my home. Even if I was a slave, I at least had my family. My mother and father. My brothers and sisters. I miss them all so much." Korey explained. " When I first came here, I said that I would do anything, to get back to them. But I found out quickly that I... I couldn't cut it. But then you showed up, and... And you saved me. You helped me, when no one else would. And that's why, I can't betray you. Not now." Korey spoke.

" Korey? What are you doing?" Wydr asked the woman.

" I'm sorry, Wydr. But I will not betray my friend. Not for Harkun. And I hope you won't eiter."

" What do you expect us to do? We can't beat Fon, and We can't be Sith. At least this way, we can go home alive." Balek told the woman.

" Quiet Balek. The time for talk is past." Wydr exclaimed. " Fight for your life acolyte." Wydr drew his saber and lunged at Djaeric.

In the blink of an eye, Djaeric swatted away Wydr's sword and punched wydr in his nose, he then grabbed the man by the back of his neck and threw him in front of Balek, who was charging him.

Poor Balek, he was only trying to help his brother, but quickly found himself tripped up over the large man's body.

Djaeric raised his saber, and started beating Balek and Wydr with it, using a lower setting as to not kill the two men outright.

After a moment, of being repeatedly beaten with the sharp stick, Wydr and Balek surrendered.

" Okay! Okay! Mercy! Please, mercy!" Wydr shouted. He threw his arms up in the air, to protect his bloody face, from being hit again. " Please... Please, don't kill us." Wydr begged.

Djaeric stopped for a moment and stared down at the two whimpering slaves.

" Do you understand what has happened? You try to kill me, and now you expect me to just let you walk away? That's not going to happen. No, you two, owe me. Understand? You will work for me now or you will die, understand?"

" Yes."

" Yes sir!"

" Good. Now stop crying!" Djaeric shouted.

Wydr and Balek quickly wiped away their tears and quieted their sniffling.

" Now, listen closely. I am this close, to becoming Zash's apprentice. And nothing is going to stop me from doing that, are we clear?"

" Yes."

" Yes sir."

" Good. You two, are going to be my men now. That means you work for me, when I succeed, you succeed. You want to live; I want to live. So, we work together. Now, I am going to go back downstairs to Harkun, and I'm not going to say a word on what happened here. He'll know that if I killed you two, then he gets the right to execute me without prejudice. What you all are going to do, is very simple. You will go to Spindralls tomb and will wait there, until I call you back, do you understand?"

" Yes."

" Yes sir."

" Good. Now, go." Djaeric told the two men. " Oh, and Wydr, Balek, if you ever try to cross me, I will kill you." Djaeric told the men.

Wydr and Balek both bowed to Djaeric, he was their master now.

As the brothers left, Djaeric turned and stared at Korey. The faintest expression of sorrow fell on her face.

" You... You spared them?"

" Of course, I did. I am no fool, Korey. I know the deal Harkun made with them was hard to pass up, which is why I am surprised you didn't attack me as well." Djaeric told the woman. " Truthfully, I would not have blamed you, and I would have spared you just the same. You had every reason to betray me... But you didn't, and that means something."

" I couldn't just turn on you now, not after everything we've been through."

" Yes, you could have. But you didn't. You are strong, Korey. And brave. And I give you my word, that when I am Zash's apprentice, I will free your family from slavery. And that is a promise I will swear on my life. Now, go. Go with the brothers as my proxy. I have your communicator. I will call you when the ordeal is over. For now, I return to Harkun." Djaeric told the girl.

" Wait a minute! Djaeric!" Korey yelled. " Why? Why are you doing all this? What is your goal?"

" It's simple, Korey. Freedom." Djaeric muttered. He stepped out of the training room and vanished beyond the halls. He was dead set on making a straight line to Harkun's office. He would see his pet die, if it were the last thing he did.