The Art of Chaos and Darkness

Chapter Thirty-Four

Din watched as Valda stayed utterly frozen on the floor.

Her master towered over her, power oozing from him.  "After I killed him, I ended the Rule of Two."  He spread his hands.  "And look what we have accomplished."

Valda was clutching her stomach, on her knees before him.  "Darth Bane was my father?"

"One of the greatest Dark Lords in our history.  But his time had come to an end.  However, I sensed his power, his great might in you.  And who better to be my apprentice than Bane's daughter?"  

Valda's shoulders shook, with rage or the effort to breath, Din wasn't sure.  "I will kill you."  She hissed. 

Darth Krayt laughed.  "Look at you.  You can barely stand because you chose to sacrifice your life for a pathetic man.  This is where it ends, apprentice.  The last of Darth Bane's line."  

Valda tilted her head back, dark hair spilling across her shoulders.  "You are wrong."  Her voice was hoarse.  "I am stronger than I have ever been."  She closed her eyes and power exploded from her body.  

Din was thrown backwards, slamming into the wall behind him.  He rolled over, watching as Valda climbed to her feet.  Her master climbed to his feet, blood streaming from his nose.  He wiped it away and ignited his blade.  

Valda stalked forward, another blow of power exploding from her body.  Her master threw up his hands but still slid backward along the ground. 

"You killed my father," she snarled at him.  "That throne is mine."  

Her master struggled to remain upright as the power slammed into him, over and over again.  His feet shifted across the floor, slowly moving backwards as she advanced. 

"I am Darth Bane's daughter."  She breathed, hands thrown forward.  The black wave of Force Energy that surged from it was so strong it slammed Darth Krayt into the wall, cracking the foundations.  "You have no idea of the power I hold."  Her master was flatted against the durasteel paneling.  The lightsaber tumbled from his hand, hitting the ground with a thud.  Valda's eyes glowed, her entire form glowed with a strange, crackling energy.  

And for the first time, Din saw fear cross the Sith King's face.  "Darth Bane," he whispered.  

Din could have sworn a for a second he glimpsed a man behind standing behind Valda, face obscured in shadows and a hood identical to Valda's.  Then he was gone and it was just Valda, hair swirling around her with power and energy.  She let out a roar, black lightening arcing from her body and slamming into the Sith King.  

He bellowed in pain and Valda's lightsabers flew from the ground and into her palms.  She leapt through the air, her master on the ground, crumpled in pain.  She landed before him, the ground cracking beneath her feet.  "Pathetic," she hissed at his fallen form.

He looked up at her, skin smoking from the lightening.  "Your power will consume you," he croaked.  

Valda spun her sabers in her hands.  "I don't care."  Then she plunged them into his heart.  

The Sith King let out a bellow of rage and hate.  His body shuddered and then fell still.  A wind stirred through the throne room and slowly, his skin flaked away, dissolving into ash until nothing remained but the blood colored robes.  

Din climbed to his feet as Valda slowly turned to face the destroyed throne room, the Sith who stood still as death.  Her lightsabers were still gripped in either hand, the wound on her stomach looking worse with each second.  Her hood had slipped from her head and those amber eyes glowed with power.  

A Sith stepped forward, breaking the silent.  She dropped to her knees.  "Daughter of Darth Bane.  Queen of the Sith."  She knelt before Valda.  

One by one, the Sith in the room dropped to their knees.  The Kings Guard let go of Din to kneel before their new queen.  Din and Valda were the only ones left standing.  

Valda lifted her chin, blood streaking from a cut on her forehead.  Her eyes connected with Din's across the room. 

Then she slowly limped across the room and painfully ascended the stairs to the dais.  She turned, tucking her lightsabers within her robes.

Then Valda sat on the throne.