Star Wars - Galactic Legacy: Rise Of Darth Nox

Chapter 6 - Sparring matches and introductions

Hi! I'm back. Sorry for taking a while. I wasn't sure how to build this chapter, but it's done now. We're slowly but steadily coming to the end of the Korriban planetary arc so that's fun. Also was I the only who was surprised that your character instantly knows that the woman he/she was taking to is Lord Zash? It's not like they gave us a description of her. So, yeah, I took the liberty of fixing that hole. Hope no one minds. This chapter feels a bit iffy to me, but it works. So yes, please enjoy this 8200+ word chapter.

Chapter 6- Sparring matches and introductions

Noli awoke because something small and insistent was prodding her in the side. She reluctantly cracked her eyes open just a bit to see who was disturbing her for once peaceful sleep. She found herself looking at a disgruntled looking Nyx. Slowly, her mind filled in the blanks and Noli groaned, burying her face in her pillow. Nyx gave a frustrated growl and tapped her with his paw again. Petulantly, Noli mumbled:
-No...I don't wanna get up...
Nyx gave a huff that seemed to say "are you serious?!" and poked her with two paws this time. Noli groaned and grabbed the small tuk'ata cub, dragging him under the covers of her warm bed with her. He struggled, but eventually realised that resistance was futile and resigned himself to his fate - being Noli's temporary living plushy. Noli's mind slowly awoke, reminding her of Harkun's new impossible quest and of the hopes that both Gerr and Kory had now placed on her. Sighing, she sat up and let Nyx go, much to the tuk'ata's relief. After Harkun had killed Gerr, he suddenly felt unwell and told them that they would gather the next morning again. Noli was not looking forward to that, hence her reluctance to get up. Despite the fact that no nightmares had plagued her sleep she still felt tired and sore - that beating she had taken from Niloc the other day was certainly making itself apparent. Rubbing her eyes, Noli noticed the tiny Tuk'ata stretching on her bed and smiled softly. After Harkun had had his bout of ill-health (she honestly had no idea what had caused that) she had taken Nyx upstairs with her to the dormitory. A few people had given her odd looks, but no one was stupid enough to question a tired acolyte that looked like she had fought death on wheels and with a grumpy pet Tuk'ata at her heels no less. After washing up herself (because ancient tomb and fights to the death tended to leave you a little bloody and grimy) and giving a thankfully unresisting tuk'ata a bath, Noli had dragged her tired body off to bed and climbed up onto the top bunk with her new partner following her. She'd climbed under the covers and fallen asleep quickly, Nyx curled up in a ball beside her. Casting a quick glance at the chrono, Noli noted that it was still only five in the morning. She was about to ask Nyx why in the blazes he'd thought she'd have to get up this early when they weren't meeting Harkun until six before she remembered that she'd asked Nyx to use his biological clock and wake her up when the sun had risen. Instantly awake at the thought of training and poking around the library, Noli quickly climbed down from the bed, promptly doing her bed as she rose. Noli frowned as she looked at her tattered robes, but, shrugging, she put them on. It wasn't like she had any other ones. Strapping her practice blade to her back, Noli easily scooped Nyx up from her top bunk and placed him down on the floor. The tuk'ata gave a small huff that sounded a little indignant which only caused Noli's smile to brighten. Despite what most people would say about Nyx given his appearance Noli found him adorable.
   As she walked out of the dorms, Noli couldn't help glancing at the vacant bottom bunk where just 24 hours ago Kory had been alive and sleeping peacefully. Strangely enough, the last words that both she and Gerr had spoken to her were words of assurance, they believed that she would make it. It felt like a heavy burden, but she would carry it. She would fight until her last breath, because she wasn't done just yet. Harkun and Ffon had no idea what she was capable of. Turning around, Noli left the door with Nyx at her heels. Once out on the walkway, Noli looked around, trying to remember where the training room was. Remembering, Noli headed towards it and stepped into the nearly empty room. There was only one dozing overseer and a pair of students. One student, a girl, was working on a training dummy, while the somewhat familiar boy was sparring with a trio of training droids. Noli walked over to a free area and programmed the nearby terminal to activate five training droids and to set their attack patterns to unpredictable- she needed to keep honing her skills. She would not allow anyone to trip her up. Just as the droid's activated Noli pulled out her practice blade and switched it on. As the first droid rushed at her with it's own blade raised, Noli parried and kicked it away just in time to duck under a second's blade. She gritted her teeth, repressing a hiss of pain as the other's attacks hit her. Realising that she would lose unless she was completely immersed in the battle, Noli let go of her thoughts and just let her body move on instinct, moving rapidly through the forms she had been taught, the Force guiding her movements. All that mattered and existed were the droids and her. Nothing else mattered. Noli wasn't aware of the fact that apart from Nyx, she had three other spectators- Lord Samus (an instructor and overseer) and the two students. Noli blocked, parried and weaved, dodging the attacks that the droids threw at her with what looked like no effort. While the two students watched in silence Lord Samus nodded to himself, stroking his short brown beard:
-Yes, she has potential...I see why Zash thinks that she has a chance...How curious: the most unlikely one of them all. Hmph, Harkun probably hates this.
Noli grinned when one droid rushed at her as she feinted, pretending to trip and fall over. As soon as the droid came close enough, Noli threw a hand out behind herself and with a simple one-handed handspring pushed off the floor and barrelled right into the droid, disabling it and electrocuting 2 others in the process. She was left with only two opponents. Nyx gave an encouraging growl, making the two apprentices and the overseer blanch while Noli gave a nod with a smile. Noli rushed forward, faking a downward stab, but at the last second she moved her blade upwards, slicing the droid in half before pivoting and decapitating the last one. As the two fell to the ground with a clank, Noli finally looked up and only then noticed the small audience around her. Nyx bounded up to her and pressed against her foot, making the young woman smile. She switched off her practice blade and was about to strap it to her back when Lord Samus's voice spoke:
-Hold on a minute, acolyte.
The redhead looked at him mid-move, a confused look etched on her face:
-Yes, sir?
-Do spar with me, if you don't mind.
Noli blinked, unsure of she had heard the Sith correctly:
-You want me to spar with you?
The two apprentices seemed to snap out of their shock at her words and turned to the Sith Lord. The girl protested:
-Lord Samus, but you never spar with anyone. You would wipe the floor with this slave.
Noli bit her lip, her hand tightening around the hilt of her weapon at the girl's referral to her former status as a slave. The boy chimed in:
-Yeah, sir, no one that comes from that heritage could ever amount to anything. Look at her - she's just really lucky. Slaves are only meant to be trod upon.
Noli's hand turned into a fist. They were wrong of course, but she knew that the rest of society thought like that too. She hated this, she hated everyone thinking that she could amount to nothing just because she had a slave brand on her face. Noli cast a glance at the yellow-eyed Sith Lord to see him watching her with a raised eyebrow, almost as if he was asking "so, what are you going to do?". Noli took a deep breath and bowed to the instructor:
-Yes, sir. Thank you for this opportunity.
As the instructor unhooked his lightsaber and stepped closer to her Nyx wisely stepped back, leaving Noli and Lord Samus to circle each other. The Sith Lord looked at the young woman seriously:
-I will not be holding back.
-I would not expect you to, sir.
Noli nodded and rushed at the instructor, aiming for his legs only to be block by his crimson blade and be Force pushed away. Noli frowned, turning the momentum into speed by doing two handspring and stopping. As she righted herself the Sith Lord was ride there and he swung his lightsaber at her torso, forcing her to duck under his blade and slide across the floor before jumping to her feet on the other side of him. She twisted as she stood up and her blade grazed the instructor's side, hitting a chink in the armour he had on and burning a hole through it. Lord Samus whipped around as Noli backed up to paces just in case, the instructor gave a smirk:
-Impressive. You think on your feet. That's good, but it's not enough!
He charged at her again and this time Noli had to put all of her strength into that block, just to stop his lightsaber from slicing her head off her shoulders. He bore down on her relentlessly, he had the physical strength advantage after all. However, the young acolyte wasn't done just yet. Noli used the Force to grab a few practice blades and sent the flying at the instructor, giving just enough time to escape. Lord Samus easily sliced the blades in half and turned around only to find Noli's blade at his neck. A small grin curled up on his face - the girl really was resourceful, she didn't just depend on her blades to do the talking. Well, how would she handle Force-based attacks, he wondered. The Sith lord decided to test the limits of her abilities. He threw a shockwave of Force-lightning at the girl, Noli reacted exceptionally fast, making her practice blade absorb it. She frowned when she heard a cracking sound and the glow around her blade dimmed a fraction - she might have, possibly broken it. Well, that wasn't good, however, now was not the time. She'd fix it later. Samus threw another shockwave at her and Noli blocked it with her blade again and this time it shattered into pieces. Groaning inwardly at her broken weapon, Noli threw away the practice blade and did a backflip over the new fork of purple lightning rushing at her. The Sith chuckled:
-You are without a weapon. How will you defend yourself?
Noli grinned, taking up a martial arts position:
-Don't worry about me. I'll manage. Sir.
Samus snorted, but decided to see how she would do. Ignoring the angry look the baby tuk'ata was giving him, he sent another, even stronger wave of lightning towards her. In the milliseconds before it reached her, Noli prayed silently that this technique worked. She had only attempted it once before to atrocious results. She threw out her left hand to the spectator's surprise and caught the fork of lightning. Concentrating, she forced the lightning to make a ball in her palm and she closed her hand, absorbing the energy. Breathing out deeply from the energy that had taken, Noli looked up to see Samus looking at her in surprise.
   Lord Samus was shocked. That girl, that mere acolyte, had just performed what many who had trained for years could not do. Only those with a high degree of mastery over the Force could achieve it. To turn an opponent's attack into your own strength, that was an impressive feat to say the least, but to see a girl as young as that do that and without any help...He finally saw what Zash could see in her: this girl, she wasn't like the other acolytes. She had power like they did, true, but there was something apart from it that made her stand out. Something that lurked beneath that calm exterior, something far more dangerous and even terrifying. It was like a slumbering beast, awakening every once in a while, waiting to be unleashed. The Sith didn't not envy it's prey.
  Noli didn't waste a single moment and, summoning the closest weapon to her hand with the Force, she charged at the instructor. The man snapped back in time to block it, but not before the acolyte managed to turn the tables on him again by swiping out his feet from under him. The instructor fell to the floor and Noli moved forward to land the final strike when she found herself frozen in Force stasis. She gave a low hum of annoyance in the back of her throat, but took a deep breath and closed her eyes. After gathering  the Force within her into a tight ball, Noli let it out all at once, effectively shattering the stasis only to find the instructor's lightsaber flying towards her legs. Cursing under her breath, Noli jumped over the red arc of plasma and did a backwards handspring, only to have the Sith lord use the Force to jerk her weapon out of her grasp. He charged at her again and Noli couldn't see another weapon close enough again so she decided to take another chance and ,throwing her hand out, used the Force to make the insides of the lightsaber not register the pressure that Samus's hand was leaving on it. Her gamble payed off and the lightsaber flickered out. Samule's eyes shot wide open and he tried to switch on his lightsaber again, to no effect. Noli shook her head, her wavy ginger hair tumbling out of it's loose bun:
-Sorry, sir, but that won't work. I know this bad form, but I deactivated your lightsaber. Until I let go it will not work.
-Ah, so you utilised the weakness of all lightsabers, eh? The lightsabers only work if the pressure is being registered by the component's inside. Very clever, acolyte, I look for that type of creative thinking and sadly it is rather rare.
Noli shrugged:
-Knowledge is power, sir.
-Indeed it is, but you still lack one thing, acolyte - my level of skill.
Suddenly, Noli was launched into an electric tornado that spun her around and around, making the young woman relatively dizzy. She didn't exactly know how to deal with it so she was rather helpless until Samus let her down. Despite feeling very dizzy, Noli slowly and shakily climbed to her feet. The instructor gave her a nod of approval:
-You have great potential, acolyte. I rarely ever say this, but you could have a bright future ahead of you if you don't lose your head. Also,- the instructor lowered his voice so the two apprentices couldn't hear,-if Lord Zash send you to do combat training, come to me, I wish to see how far you can go. Oh and about your weapon - you can take that war blade you were using as a replacement, no questions.
Noli nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. She gave a small nod of gratitude and moved to pick up the warblade, slipping it behind her back instead of her practice blade - she was glad for a stronger weapon. She watched Lord Samus walk away, a slight happiness blooming in her chest. Aside from Spindrall this was the second legitimate Sith Lord who had given her their mark of approval. This was another person who said that she could become something instead of simply sneering at her because of the mark under her eye. Well, there was also that strange female Sith Lord  she had met. Noli kneeled before Nyx who bouncing from paw to paw, excited. She laughed and patted the tuk'ata' head, it was good to know she had a friend who believed in her and would cheer for her too. As they passed by the two whispering apprentices, Noli commented, pausing for a second:
-You two, a word of advice if I may: don't judge people based on their looks. Never underestimate them.
The girl sighed and looked her in the face, tucking her loose raven hair behind her ear subconsciously:
-Apologies. We shouldn't have underestimated you.
-It was just a warning. I personally don't care, but you could end up shortening your lifespan by saying things like that without thinking. It's foolhardy.
The boy crossed his arms over his chest:
-And who exactly are you? And what's with the pet tuk'ata?
-I'm Nolianna, that's my friend Nyx. And you two are?
The girl, who Noli decided to take the time to study spoke first:
-I'm Sora'nniara, but most people know me as Sora and I have absolutely no idea who this delightful young man is.
-Reconne.
Was all the young man said before stalking off, back to his practice. Noli frowned:
-Well, he's friendly.
Sora shrugged, smiling wryly, the scar that started at the left side of her mouth, ran across her lips and stopped at the right side of it tugging up:
-Well, we are all enemies here.
-But, you're an apprentice. The only danger for you is failure.
Sora nodded, attaching her obsidian black warblade to her back. She glanced around before turning to Noli and asking quietly:
-Do you want to talk somewhere else? I promise to not try to kill you.
Sora's lips turned up and a merry light danced in her light blue eyes. Noli sighed and nodded, perfectly aware of the fact that if Sora even tried anything she had Nyx to back her up. Sora nodded and together they left the training room. As they walked, Noli studied Sora. The girl was young, younger than her and the dark side didn't appear to have even left a trace upon her yet, but Noli was one of the lucky ones too so far. She had short, sleek raven hair, a healthy rosy complexion and wide, beautiful crystal blue eyes. Sora also happened to be a bit shorter than her, but there was something about her posture and her walk that made her stand out a bit. After a while, Noli, Nyx and Sora arrived at the wide, spacious rooftop of the academy. Noli turned to Sora and sighed:
-Rooftop, really?
-What? It's gonna be sunrise soon. I've never be awake early enough to see the sunrise before. Are you really going to complain?
The girl questioned as they stepped out onto the rooftop. What Sora had said was true, the sky was slowly brightening and Noli could see the first rays of the sun peek out over the horizon. When they stood at the edge of the small high up platform on the rooftop, Noli turned to her human companion:
-So why did you bring me out here?
Sora shrugged, sitting down on the cool stone floor:
-Not really sure. Who are you, really? I'll know if you're lying.
Noli blinked in confusion, but following Sora she sat down a bit away from her with Nyx climbing into her lap. Noli sighed, her dark blue eyes locking on Sora's light blue ones:
-Well, for starters I'm a former slave and an acolyte now, trying to pass my trials and hopefully be apprenticed to Lord Zash.
Sora nodded:
-Lord Zash? Oh, I remember now, I've met her once. My father doesn't like her much though. Though he doesn't like a lot of people.
Noli frowned at that strange comment, but decided to file away the questions for later. She continued:
-I've only been on Korriban for about 3 days now and this little guy is my friend Nyx. And, well, you know my name already so apart from telling you that I'm 19, nearly 20 that's about all I can tell you.
Sora raised her eyebrows:
-You're only going to be 20? That's really young to be going for apprenticeship.
-You're not one to talk.
-I'm not really an apprentice. Apparently, I'm way too young and I haven't proven myself yet.
-How old are you, anyway?
Sora gave a small smile as her finger twisted one of the longer locks of her raven hair:
-Fourteen. See? Way too young, according to my father. But, hey, my age doesn't determine my power level. I'm plenty strong.
Noli frowned, asking the question that had been bugging her for the last minute or two:
-Sora'nniara, who is your father?
-Just Sora is fine. And you don't know? I thought you knew, but it's not like you can see the family resemblance and I didn't tell you my last name.
Noli shook her head, surprised that the girl had assumed she would know her father. That implied that her father was someone rather high up in the ranks of the Sith Order, but Noli didn't know that many Sith. She only knew a handful of names of the people who were on the Dark Council and that was about it, Thanaton was a very special case. Sora sighed:
-Well, if what you said about yourself is true then I suppose it's no wonder. Still, you may have heard his name at some point, he's a member of the Dark Council after all, albeit a rather recent addition - he took the place of his Master 6 years ago. My father is Darth Jadus.
Noli stared at the young girl, smiling brightly at her and felt as though the world had stopped moving for a second. She'd been talking to the daughter of a member of the Dark Council and Darth Jadus's daughter no less. Okay, her life was officially taking a turn for the bizarre. How did she keep running into strange people like this? Noli was speechless for a few moments before stammering:
-U-um, I don't quite know what to say.
-There is nothing to say. It's just a fact. Say, Nolianna, I know you were a slave, but surely you know your parents? How come you don't have a last name?
Noli bit her lip as she absentmindedly stroked the dark fur on Nyx's back who was perfectly content as he dozed on her lap. Noli gave a noncommittal shrug of her shoulders:
-It's not that I don't have a last name, I just don't remember what it was and slaves who don't remember their last name aren't given new ones. I vaguely remember my mother and I've never met my father before. All I still have nowadays is my younger twin sister, but I haven't seen her in 13 years.
Sora's eyes lit up and she leaned forward a bit:
-You have a twin sister? Is she identical to you or are the two of you fraternal?
-We're identical, but there's no doubt that she looks different from me nowadays.
-What's her name?
-La'monia, but what's got you so fired up?
Sora looked up at the brightening sky and shrugged:
-I'm an only child and my father isn't the easiest person to get along with even if he does care about me in his own twisted way. My mother died a few years ago and since I don't have any brothers or sisters I'm alone. It must be nice to have a sister...
Noli nodded, a small smile settling on her face:
-It's nice to have a sibling, but in this world that can also be considered a weakness. I don't think of my sister as that, though, if anything my wish to see her again only drives me forward, pushes me harder. I won't die or give up until I make sure she's safe and happy. Besides, I still have things left to do.
Sora leaned her head to the side, studying the young woman sitting beside her:
-You're a strange one, Nolianna, but somehow I know you'll make it.
-Hey, Sora, can I ask you a personal question?
-Sure. I may not answer it, but ask away.
-Fair enough. Who was your mother? What was she like?
Sora bit her lip and sighed:
-Why do you ask that?
-Because...I wonder what it's like to have a mother and I have a hunch that your parents relationship was a bit similar to mine.
Sora stood up and looked at the gradually brightening sunrise, not turning around as Noli followed her up, Nyx sleepily jumping off her legs just in time:
-My mother was a lower Sith Lord, not someone special. I have no idea how my parents met, I'm not sure if they even got married or anything, but fourteen years and a few months ago I was born. I know my mother loved me, but my father? I don't know. I'm sure he cares in his strange Sith way, but my mother was always the one who looked after me. She could have gotten droids or hired a caretaker or something, but she wanted to raise me herself and so she did until she fell sick and died nearly 5 years ago. It was poison according to the medics, probably one of father's enemies handiwork. My mother was strict, but she was also kind in her own way and very protective. She was the one who taught me the basic forms and how to use the Force for small things, seeing as my father says I'm way too young. I don't really know why I'm telling you this, but maybe I should just get it off my chest. It's been 5 years since I've really talked to someone without that person kissing up to me or just flat out ignoring me. I really miss my mother and as crazy as this is I love my father when I possibly shouldn't. Love is a weakness, isn't it?
She turned to Noli, her blue eyes no longer hiding anything. Noli took a step forward and placed her hands on the girl's shoulders, smiling at her:
-As much as I don't like to say this - in our society love might be considered a weakness so you should be careful to who you speak about it. However, please remember one thing for me: love is never a source of weakness, it's a source of strength. Love isn't the same thing as passion - brief, fiery and quick to die out. Love is everlasting in it's purest from, but sadly not many people can achieve that. Whatever, some people may tell you love will never make you weak. It will change you, yes, but for what is your choice. But be careful who you speak of it to, it could be used and will be against you. The Jedi are fools to denounce it. And, now,-Noli sighed glancing at the chrono on Sora's arm,-I better go or the overseer will blow a fuse again. Goodbye, Sora. It was nice meeting you.
Sora waved back as Noli moved away and added:
-See you when you make it to Dromund Kaas, Nolianna. You're weird for a Sith, but I kind of like you. You seem like you'd make a good ally if I want to take down my enemies.
Nolianna waved back before ducking back into the building and racing down one staircase after another, hurrying towards Harkun's office. She wasn't late yet, but with her luck she soon would be. She hurtled in to the office just to see Harkun finish giving out instructions to the twin brothers and Ffon. Harkun turned his beady eyes to her:
-Ah, our latecomer finally shows up and she brought a pet too.
Noli mentally facepalmed as she realised Nyx had followed her in. Well, she couldn't do anything about that now. Harkun was obviously expecting a reply from her, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Eyeing the baby tuk'ata warily, Ffon took a small sidestep away from her, much to Noli and Nyx's shared amusement. Harkun sighed and returned his attention to the other acolytes:
-The rest of you know your next trial. Go. You, slave, stay here.
Noli locked her hands behind her back and clenched them into fists, but nodded. She needed to know her next trial before she pissed Harkun off again, which she was really tempted to do right now. Nyx turned his head up to his master, reading her negative emotions and promptly came to the conclusion that this was that man, Harkun, who he was asked to bite in the behind when he had a chance. He didn't like the man already. Harkun stepped forward, crossing his arms over his chest, but he still stayed a fair distance away from the tuk'ata at Noli's heels:
-Now, slave, you think yourself pretty clever getting that holocron, don't you?
Noli mirrored his body's position and crossed her arms over her chest:
-I really am the best.
Harkun gave a derisive snort at Noli's response, but it seemed that her actions in their brief duel and the sight of a small tuk'ata that was looking at him as a predator would look at prey was enough to make him resort to a tamer response:
-You are lucky Lord Zash finds you useful.
Noli didn't dignify his retort with a response. Harkun turned around and looked at his desk before turning back around and beginning to explain:
-Now, for your trial: the last, darkest secrets of Tulak Hord are buried in his tomb. Lord Zash wants this text,-Harkun's lips tugged up into a malicious smile,-But the resting place of the dark lord is not easily trespassed. You will not be the first to die there.
Harkun drawled, evidently trying to intimidate the young acolyte standing before him. All he earned was a demonstrative eye roll from the redhead. Lovely. So it was business as usual then? Noli could do that. She told Harkun just as much, an infuriating smile playing on her lips:
-Yes, yes...You send me into a tomb to do the impossible, hoping I die, and I come back and prove you wrong.
Harkun's face turned red with anger, pleasing Noli all the more. He burst out:
-Shut up, slave. I've had about enough of your mockery!
He shook his fist in Noli's direction and it must have looked like he was about to hit her because the next moment the overseer was jumping up and down and yelping repeatedly while shouting "get him off me, slave!". Noli leaned around to see that Nyx had indeed jumped and bitten Harkun in the butt, per her original request and it didn't seem like he was willing to let go. Contrary to Harkun's orders,Noli made no move to stop Nyx and simply fell about laughing while the overseer proceeded to run about his office like a headless thranta. After a few minutes of this when she had gotten over her bought of laughter and she felt more or less satisfied, Noli called:
-You can let go of him now, Nyx.
The tuk'ata complied easily and opened his jaws, pulling his teeth out of Harkun's backside and easily dropping down before trotting over to stand beside Noli, his teeth slightly bloodied, but his blue, uncorrupted eyes blazing happily. Harkun winced and leaned against his desk, determined to regain even a little bit of his composure to no effect:
-Do not come back here until you've gotten the text from Tulak Hord's tomb. Out of my sight slave!
Harkun chocked out and chuckling to herself, Noli left with a wave while the tuk'ata followed her after snapping his extremely sharp teeth at Harkun once more. The overseer was left alone to tend to his wounded backside.