The path of darkness, the path of power

Manuk Gagak

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Sith Order
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The hatch exploded open. Manuk kept her head pressed against her knees as she sailed out of the cruiser, fifty-five meters above sea level. She tumbled through the air, the cruiser’s engines whining away from her as it veered across the sky. Automatically recalculating her descent, she twisted at the waist before she straightened and extended her legs skyward. Her fists braced before her, she knifed into the water.

The water was cold. Holding her breath. Manuk made sure the survival pack was still secure against her back, then began swimming to shore, staying below the water’s surface. she suspected the droid pilot would tell someone about her leap from the cruiser, but that did not concern her. Her test required that she survive for a month. The briefing did not mention she had to remain on the cruiser until it landed.

When Manuk neared the shore, she broke the surface with her mouth and nose but kept her body underwater. she reached out with her senses. She could not detect any movement on the rocky beach, but she knew it was only a matter of time before the assassin droids found her.

And they most certainly found her.
 

Manuk Gagak

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Sith Order
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The assassin droids were relentless. Programmed to fight to the death, they had blasters built into their chests and hands. No matter how hard Manuk tried to conceal herself or her desperately improvised camps, the droids found her. They never slept, never allowed Manuk to sleep for very long, never hesitated before they pounced. When Manuk did manage to rest and recover, she fell asleep knowing she would be awakened by an attack.

One droid drove her into the frozen mountains and across the burning deserts. Manuk’s survival pack was torn from her back and lost in one battle. And after twenty days, Manuk realized she was at risk of losing something else. her mind.

Because the attacks never stopped.
 

Manuk Gagak

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Sith Order
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Manuk was beyond paranoid. She had reason to believe that every sound, every shape, and every shadow was a potential threat.

She grew thin and her strength began to ebb. she foraged for food when she could. Life was scarce, but she found a few small animals, killed them, and ate them raw, because she dared not risk building a fire that would attract more droids.

It was while she was trying to eat a tough-skinned lizard at the base of a cliff that two droids attacked. Manuk defeated both droids but sustained a blaster wound to her thigh. Limping into a ravine, she found a large cave and hauled her body into it. Manuk knew she had to recover before she could fight again. But without her survival pack, she had no healing bacta or bandages.
 

Manuk Gagak

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Sith Order
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Champion

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Corbeau
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The wound festered. The pain was blinding. She listened for approaching droids but heard none. The days blurred, but Manuk was almost certain that a full month had passed since she had arrived. As she fell into and out of restless sleep. Manuk began to wonder if the training droid had forgotten her.

Her wound became worse. The pain was beyond excruciating. She had no doubt that death would come soon. She thought she was hallucinating when she saw a cloaked figure appear at the mount of the cave.

The woman moved into the cave and came to a stop near Manuk. Smiling as she looked down, she said. “Now it is time for your final battle.”
 

Manuk Gagak

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Manuk wondered if she had heard correctly. She knew the woman must have been able to see plainly that she was not fit to stand. And yet she also knew the Sith never tolerated weakness of any kind. Manuk scrabbled at the cave’s walls and pulled herself up. Her balance was off. Searing pain shot through her leg as she lurched forward.

The woman handed Manuk a lightsaber. Manuk fumbled with the weapon and activated it. The cave’s walls shimmered with crimson light.

Manuk did not realise how parched her throat was until she rasped, “Where is the assassin droid?”

Stepping back from Manuk, the woman drew her own lightsaber and ignited its red blade. I will be your opponent.”

Manuk stared at the woman with disbelief. And then her disbelief changed to anger. She summoned up the dark side of the Force. She felt a burning sensation flicker and grow within her, a trickle of strength. She took a step toward the woman.

The woman sneered. “You cannot be as pathetic as you look.” She raised her lightsaber and attacked.
 

Manuk Gagak

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Sith Order
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Manuk parried the blow and reversed, coming at the woman from the opposite side. But the woman had already vanished, leaving Manuk to swing at empty air. As Manuk lost her balance, her body fell against the cave’s wall.

The woman said from behind Manuk. “You are that pathetic. You are weak. Not worthy of being a Sith. We have misjudged you.”

Manuk’s anger now fuelled by the humiliation turned to rage. She spun fast and swung her lightsaber again, but again she failed to strike The woman, moved faster than she could follow. She fell against the opposite wall and gasped for breath.

The woman howled with laughter. “I expected your failure. We saw your weaknesses long ago. Your doubts in your own abilities. Your lack of faith in our teaching. Your inability to embrace the Dark side with any form of control.”

Manuk stared hard at the woman.

“Oh, poor Manuk. You see, I am not truly your foe. There is another, another apprentice.” She gestured to the mouth of the cave. “The second apprentice is outside the cave now. She conquered all the assassin droids sent after her and sustained only a flesh wound. She is healthy. She is strong. Unlike the pathetic weakling I see before me.”
 

Manuk Gagak

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A rage unlike anything Manuk had ever felt before swelled through her. The rage was so overwhelming that she thought it might consume her.

'No. I can direct it. My rage will consume my enemy. It will consume this Sith.'
Glaring at the woman, Manuk saw the true face of her enemy.

The woman snickered. “Can’t you understand? Focus. Only one of you can live. And I know who my credits are on, don’t you, Manuk?”

Manuk felt her rage flowing through her veins, pumping energy into every muscle. She felt so powerful that she believed she could accomplish anything. And more than anything else, she wanted this Sith’s blood.

Manuk sprang at the woman. The woman barely missed the first blow from Manuk’s lightsaber, an upward swing that aimed to rip the woman in half. Manuk swung again but the woman deflected the blow and retreated. As Manuk moved across the rough cave floor, sweat stung her eyes, but she did not stumble. She somersaulted through the air, her lightsaber whirling in the darkness. The woman raised her lightsaber to parry the next blow, which was so powerful it made her stagger backward.

The woman parried every blow, but Manuk could tell the Sith was working hard to keep her at bay. As the woman backed up against the wall, she said, “You want to kill me? You want to kill me?”

“Yes,”
Manuk grunted.

“You hate me?”

“Yes!”
Manuk screamed through clenched teeth.

The woman shifted like a liquid shadow, manoeuvring around Manuk.

Manuk was suddenly up against the wall, gasping for breath as her vision blurred. Her strength was evaporating. She turned fast to see the woman. The Sith lashed out with her lightsaber and Manuk parried the blow, but then her lightsaber suddenly flew from her hand.
 

Manuk Gagak

Character
Sith Order
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Corbeau
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As Manuk heard her lightsaber deactivate and clatter across the cave’s floor, the woman raised her own lightsaber and advanced. Manuk knew she was about to die, but she did not cringe. As the woman swung her lightsaber. Manuk leaped forward, grabbed the woman’s wrist, and sank her teeth into her hand. Manuk tasted blood and spat it back at the woman.

The woman brought the lightsaber down on Manuk. Manuk waited for the pain and the shock of death.

She was surprised when the lightsaber’s blade bounced off her shoulder.

The woman cackled merrily. Then she stood and looked at Manuk. Then she tossed the lightsaber aside. Manuk realized the Sith had been using a harmless training saber.

Manuk leaned back against the cave wall. The rock bit into her back but she concentrated on the pain while the Sith continued to laugh without mercy. When the laughter subsided, the woman faced Manuk and said, “Do you feel the hate?”

Manuk nodded.

“Good, it is the source of your strength. You still hate me. No matter. Today you have delivered yourself into the Sith’s hands. We have the power of life or death over you, Manuk. Someday you will hold that power over another. It is the honour of the Sith. You will devote yourself to the idea of domination.”

“But... what about the other apprentice?”

“There is no other apprentice.”


Manuk was astonished. She didn’t know what to say.

“You have passed the test.”

Manuk could still taste the woman’s blood on her lips, but her rage was rapidly ebbing. She shifted her feet and realised she was standing on her lost lightsaber. She picked it up and shoved it into her belt.

“From this day forward,” the woman said, ”you are a Sith. You have chosen a path of darkness, the path of power. You are our instrument.”

“Yes.”


The woman smiled proudly. “Your rage. You enjoyed it? You enjoyed wanting to kill me?”

“I took pleasure in it.”


The woman laughed again, but it was not a mocking laughter. “You will do well, Manuk.”

Manuk realised she no longer felt any anger toward the woman. She felt only…loyalty.
 
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