8 Marka Ragnos

Djaeric returned to the library and spent the next five days studying and practicing his dueling forms. He took particular interest in forms 2, 5, and 7. All of which focused heavily on saber dueling.

During that time, Djaeric made small strides in his performance, adding some of the basic forms into his already impressive fighting style.

But that is all. If he wanted to learn more it would have to be at another time. He still had a journey to make, and this one would be quite dangerous in and of itself.

He would be journeying into the tombs of one of the most renown and famous Sith lords of all times, Marka Ragnos. The legendary undefeated Sith Lord, that reigned before Naga Sadow.

While he was still within the academy, Djaeric made sure to fill on up on enough supplies to get him to the tomb and get him back. It would be a week's walk into the desert from the academy. And that didn't account for the sandstorms, the monsters, and other acolytes that might be gunning for him in the meantime.

Truly, this would be quite the experience.

With his pack full and his gear ready, Djaeric took his leave from his room in the Sith academy.

It was a long walk, but the heat of the sun no longer affected Djaeric, for what reason, he wasn't sure. But he wasn't getting as hot as he was, when he first came to the planet.

Djaeric ventured into the lower wilds, the animal life of Korriban wasn't aggressive so he didn't have to deal with any animal attacks. The sand no longer bothered him, so he was able to conserve his water supply. And the Sandstorm kept most if not any raiders off of his back while he traveled.

So, needless to say, Djaeric's travel wasn't nearly as bad as his first trial. But getting there was the easy part. What came next.... Now that was the hard part.

Djaeric followed his map straight to the tomb of Marka Ragnos and entered it without hesitation. Ragnos' tomb was similar to Palls, but the statues were different, obviously depicting the sith lord Marka Ragnos himself.

Immediately, his senses were once again overloaded by the energy within the tomb. This time, it was different. Where Ajunta Pall's tomb filled him with a sense of power and dread, Marka Ragnos' messed with his mind.

" Boy."

Djaeric heard a voice, deep and powerful, booming in his head, for just a minute. And then a moment later, Djaeric's senses returned to normal, somewhat, though he still felt like something was tugging at his mind.

" Maybe... Maybe I should have stopped at that small outpost, a few miles back." Djaeric muttered. " No! No.... I just... I need to keep going."

Djaeric ventured into the tomb of Marka Ragnos, guided by a nagging force, when he was suddenly approached by a group of acolytes.

" You there, Slave."

Djaeric ignored the man calling out to him, and instead continued forward.

But the lead acolyte put his hand on Djaeric's chest and pushed him backwards. " Hey, I'm talking to you boy. Listen."

Djaeric took a deep breath and exhaled. " What?" Djaeric asked the man. He wasn't feeling too well, and he did not feel like trouble.

" We've been in this tomb for quite some time, do ya think you could spare some of your supplies?" The man asked Djaeric.

" You don't need them. There's a small support station just a few miles north of here. You'll make it. Now, move. I'm not feeling too well, right now." Djaeric tried to walk past the man again, and once again, the man stopped Djaeric with his hand.

Djaeric looked up at the man with death in his eyes. Getting stopped over and over again, was angering him, and he would not let another it go another time.

" Do you want me to kill you?" Djaeric asked the man.

" Hey?! I just wanted... A little. Help." The bravery and confidence slowly left the big man's body. The moment he locked eyes with Djaeric, he felt like he could see his own death. " Hey, sorry man. You're right. We'll just... Leave." The man slowly removed his hand from Djaeric's chest and slowly stepped backwards, allowing Djaeric to pass.

There was a darkness to this man, that he had never seen before.

And as Djaeric passed him, it appeared as though a snake had just slithered past.

" That guy... That guy is a freak!" The acolyte exclaimed. " Come on, guys... Let's get out of here."

The acolytes quickly got away from the tomb, leaving Djaeric to explore it, alone.

" What was that?" Djaeric asked himself. He's never gotten so angry so quickly before. It was like something, or someone else was influencing his emotions.

The force was strong, and in some places, the force had a knack for affecting someone's personality. Perhaps, the sheer darkness of the tomb was messing with his mind.

It would be for the best if Djaeric did not spend too much time within this tomb.

Luckily for him, he did not have to think about it for too long.

As he walked into the center chamber of the tomb, Djaeric spotted the monolith he was there for, sitting at the very top of the tomb, surrounded by monster like bat creatures, was the holocron.

" So, this is the tomb of Marka Ragnos..." Djaeric grabbed his blade and turned it on. Djaeric was encompassed by one thing only, violence. He charged the hoard of beasts with his blade and started cutting through them like butter to reach his objective. " HAAAAAAAGH!"

Left and right, Djaeric swung his blade, bathing it deep in the blood of the shyrack screechers.

If anyone could see, Djaeric now, they would surely equate him to a monster instead of a man. And he relished in it.

As he reached the top of the staircase and approached the monolith, he felt, or heard the voice calling out to him again.

The voice was guiding him, directing him, showing him the correct actions to open the unopenable monolith.

Djaeric raised his hand and fired a torrent of electricity into the monolith. There was an eerie quiet, and then a shuddering noise coming from the monolith.

Soon enough the top of the monolith exploded open and from it came a rush of energy. That energy rushed into the air and slowly took the shape of a giant man, with a decorated crown atop his head.

" It has been a thousand years, since I was recalled to this world. Are you the one who stirred me from my slumber?"

Djaeric couldn't believe it. Certainly, it was impossible. Or it would be, if he wasn't staring at him with his own eyes.

Emerging from the monolith, was none other than the spirit of the legendary Marka Ragnos himself.

" Hello, boy. What reason, do you have for interrupting my sleep?" Ragnos asked.

Djaeric stood up from the ground and brushed himself off. There was no point in being afraid now. If he was going to die, then he'd rather die on his feet.

" I'm here for that holocron." Djaeric told the man.

" This one? Only those who know the language of the ancient sith can even read it. it's useless to you." Ragnos told the man.

" It doesn't matter. I need it to pass my trials, therefore, I am taking it. With or without a fight." Djaeric told the man. He grabbed his blade from his back and pointed it at the Sith lord.

" I see." Marka Ragnos raised his hand fired a large torrent of lightning at Djaeric.

Though frigthened by the man's power, Djaeric wasn't going to just lay down and die. No, not after everything he's endured. Not after coming so far.

" HAAAAAGH!" Djaeric let out a blood curdling shout and raised his training saber to block Marka Ragnos' attack.

All the while, Ragnos was staring at the young man. Not only was he massively impressed by the young man's spirit, but there was something about him was familiar. What was it? Was it his appearance? Was it his anger? Just what exactly plagued his mind so much.

It was on a whim that Ragnos had attacked Djaeric. He figured he would use enough power to simply swat a fly, but now... Now he was intrigued.

' Let's see what this ant, can do.' Ragnos said to himself. His mind was only on one thing, he wanted to see for himself, what the ceiling was for this child.

Djaeric was being pressured by the blast of force lightning. Never before had he experienced something so vile, so nasty, so powerful that it made his eyes want to explode.

But as that feeling of despair began creeping into his being, Djaeric remembered something he experienced. It wasn't too long ago that something similar had attacked Djaeric.

Djaeric took in a deep breath and mustered his strength, and finally with one blood curdling, extremely loud, ear shattering scream, Djaeric dispelled the lightning attacking him. The sheer rage on his face, the anger, the dark shroud around him, it triggered something within Ragnos' mind. Something he had not experienced since before his time. It reminded him of a story long since forgotten.

" Ah! Now I see." Ragnos muttered. He lowered his hand, and the lightning slowly went away. " Tell me something boy, what is it you desire most in this world?"

Djaeric was breathless, his arms were heavy, and his mind felt as though it was moments from exploding, and yet he still found the strength to speak.

" To be free." Djaeric stated boldly.

" Freedom... Yes, I can see... The Mark of a slave ties you to the chains of others. You seek to break these chains and have come to me for help. Bravo. You survived the dangers of my tomb and even managed to open my monolith. That is very impressive indeed. I, Marka Ragnos, Dark lord of the Sith, deem you worthy of becoming Sith. I offer you a small boon, TAKE IT!" Ragnos shot forward and placed his hand on Djaeric's face, right over the spot of his slave mark and Djaeric started screaming.

His face was burning under the hot touch of Marka Ragnos. Steam filled the chamber; the smell of flesh burning was nauseating.

And Ragnos loved every moment of it.

" I have given you just a tiny bit of my knowledge. That should aid you, on your journey. But do not get complacent. Never forget what drives you boy. Take my holocron, back to your masters. You do not need it. I have already instilled its lessons within you. You need only practice them now. Now go!" Marka Ragnos blessed Djaeric with his knowledge and deemed him worthy of being Sith, before finally returning to his slumber.

Djaeric was kneeling in front of the monolith, smoke still rising from his face. When he raised his face, his mark had been changed. The three slave marks now formed an image, the three lines went down his cheek like spears, and the top of them rounded out like Ragnos' crown. It was similar to Ragnos' totem.

Djaeric's eyes shot open and across the planet, there was a powerful shock in the force. Every force wielder sensed it. What it was they couldn't say, but they knew something had changed.

" I can see. I can see it, clearly." Djaeric muttered. " Thank you, Lord Ragnos, I will not let this gift go to waste. I will study what it means, and I will be Sith." Djaeric exclaimed.

Djaeric claimed the Sith holocron and bowed to the monolith one last time before making his way back to the academy.

" Heh, the legacy of the Sith is strong. I wonder if he will awaken as well? So long little snake. I will be watching."