MONSTER
''Fear. Fear attracts the fearful. The strong. The weak. The innocent. The corrupt. Fear. Fear is my ally.''
Jade Avato stepped out from the vassel, meeting the hard, concrete floor of the Count's imposing palace. A place she had been living in for many years and still, its dark and elegant beauty amazed her everytime she looked at it. The tall wooden door in front of her slowly opened, making a high-pitched, squeaking sound that revealed her presence to the mighty Sith Lord who waited for her inside. She felt somehow proud of herself for defeating the Jedi Knights back on Toydaria, however, there was a trace of disappointment in her for escaping. There was no room for cowardice in being a true dark sider, but otherwise, she would have been captured. She was sure Dooku would understand.
The Dark Disciple walked throught the insides of the dark chamber, which was barely lit by the pale moon light that entered from the greenish, stained-glass window at the end of the room. The tall, robed figure of her Master stood calmly, watching each step she took with his dark eyes. What would he say to her? Did he even know about what had happened? she asked to herself. Maybe it was a better idea not to tell him about her failure against Skywalker...
The electric blue eyes started to invade her thoughts again, giving her the same look the Jedi Padawan had given her when he was holding his weapon against her neck. Those blue eyes that had looked at her with mercy. How could a Jedi have mercy on the enemy he had sworn to destroy? The enemy who had murdered brutally dozens of innocent people and felt proud of it. But there was something inside those blue eyes, something deep inside, that made her feel welcomed. So much darkness waiting for the night to rise so it could come to life. Fear was definitely his ally...
Jade shook the senseless thoughts out of her mind, it was no moment for distraction. She knelt in front of her Master as a symbol of respect.
''I've been waiting for you, my apprentice'' Dooku finally spoke, breaking the deadly silence.
She sighed. ''Some unexpected things happened, Master.''
''Your arrogance is overpowering your vision''. The calm voice echoed in the room as he walked slowly towards the gray chair in the center of the vast chamber and sat on it. A trace of disappointment appeared on his face.
''There's something else'' she started. ''There were Jedi.''
He instantly arched his thick eyebrows and got up. ''I managed to knock down two of them but the other one was too strong.''
''Did you recognize them?'' Dooku asked.
''Skywalker was there...''
That was it. She expected a powerful bolt of lightning to knock her down and burn her pale skin, but she felt nothing but the cold breeze.
''Your lack of success is disappointing'' he talked. ''But I have other plans for you.''
She heard a noise. It came from deep within the long corridors, a low, haunting sound. A constant whirring that had a metallic ring every few seconds, like sharp knives rubbing against each other. It grew louder by the second, and then a series of eerie clicks joined in. Jade thought of long finger-nails tapping against glass. A hollow moan filled the air, and then something that sounded like the clanking of chains. All of it, together, was horrifying.
''I want you to meet my new invention'' Dooku started.
The noises grew louder. The roar of engines interspersed with cranking sounds like chains hoisting machinery in an old, grimy factory. And then it came the smell...something burning, oily. She raised her eyes to meet the cold yellow stare fixed on her through a terrifying, pale skull-mask of armorplast. It was a ferocious monster made of duranium and its size doubled hers.
