Star Wars: The Old Republic - "Shroud of Darkness"

Chapter IX

Master Sykon and Master Akuuno took a shuttle to Ilum's surface. They landed inside the Jedi enclave. When they entered the enclave, statues had been toppled, small fires were sizzling atop the snow, and dozens of droids lay torn to pieces on the ground. Master Sykon observed the carnage, wondering who was responsible. He spotted two people lying facedown in a snowbank. He crouched beside them, rolling them over. They were the bodies of Jedi Knights Adyrin and Ezrani. Both had lightsaber slashes across their torsos. Suddenly, Master Sykon felt a coldness that didn't fit well with the snowy area.

"He's here..." Master Sykon murmured.

Darth Savek stood a few meters behind him, his red-bladed lightsaber in hand.

"Welcome home, Vasto," said Savek with a sly grin. "I hope you're prepared to face your destruction. As for the old man, we won't be needing him."

Savek extended his free hand in Master Akuuno's direction. Master Akuuno began to choke, gasping for air. He was lifted off his feet, hovering in the air as Savek raised his arm. Abruptly, Savek flung his arm behind him, and Master Akuuno went flying across the room. He smashed into a pillar, and landed in the snow below.

"No!" shouted Master Sykon.

"You fool," chuckled Savek. "Doesn't this feel familiar? Does it remind you of when we last fought, and I killed your former master? History repeats itself..."

Master Sykon glared at Savek.

Savek continued, "Do you feel that burning feeling in your chest? That's rage. You want revenge. You want to kill me. You know revenge is not the Jedi way. But you must kill me, Vasto. And I must kill you, too. Today, only one of us leaves this place alive. I will finish what I started all those years ago. Today... You. Will. Die."

Master Sykon grabbed his lightsaber hilts, igniting them simultaneously. "Try me."

Darth Savek lunged forward, ready to strike. He brought his lightsaber down from above Master Sykon's head, but the blow was parried. The two of them crossed blades, striking and slashing at one another. Master Sykon assumed a defensive stance, spinning his lightsabers too quickly for Savek to find an opening. Savek pressed his attack, using heavy slashes in order to crush Master Sykon's defense. Savek made a sideways slash at Master Sykon's neck, and they locked their blades together as Master Sykon tried to push Savek's blade away.

"You will not survive this battle," sneered Savek. "The Hammer of Light will be destroyed. Then, we will crush both the Republic and the Empire."

"You were born in the Sith Empire," said Master Sykon. "Why would you betray the Empire?"

Savek let out a rageful scream, Force pushing Master Sykon several meters back. His feet skidded through the snow until he came to a stop.

"I was not born Imperial!" he yelled. "Did you ever hear of the Torzelon Massacre?"

"It rings a bell," replied Master Sykon. "Isn't Torzelon in the distant Outer Rim territories?"

"It is," said Savek. "I was born on Torzelon before the Treaty of Coruscant was signed. The Republic came to my planet, seeking to expand its territory in the Outer Rim. They had brought hired Trandoshan mercenaries with them, assuming they would know the territory better. But the Trandoshans ravaged our villages. The Republic gave up trying to control them and fled. I watched as one of the filthy lizards gutted my parents with a vibrosword. I barely escaped to the mountains... One of the Trandoshans slashed me across my face."

Savek gestured to the scar on his face. "I smuggled my infant sister Braviss out of the village and into the mountains. As I looked behind me, I watched my home burn. I was discovered months later by a Sith explorer. I was brought to Korriban and trained in the ways of the dark side. Darth Braviss never learned the truth, and neither did my son. I plan to keep it that way."