Korriban

Korriban, Ancient home world of the Sith. A desolate and dry planet full of sand, and tombs that spread out as far as the eye can see. There is no joy here, happiness and love. Only misery. Misery and death, and power, and Sith. Sith such as, Overseer Harkun.

Harkun was a strong sith in his own right, had trained many sith over his time as overseer, and once again he was being called on to train the next generation of Sith.

" More slaves. Of course, I get stuck with the filth of the empire." Harkun muttered bitterly. Harkun was an older human man, with spiky brown hair, blue eyes, a beard, and a tattoo, or a sigil if you will, painted over his right eye. " Alright, you trash, listen closely. I am Overseer Harkun, and it is my responsibility to root out the garbage of the empire. Lord Zash has tasked me with finding her suitable apprentice out of you muck. You slaves aren't going to be allotted the same chances that the true sith are. You do not get the luxury of training with the masters and studying Sith philosophy. No, you only get the clothes on your back. No one cares if you survive. You will complete your trials, or you will die. That is, it. Now-" As Harkun was explaining the trials to the new acolytes an alert came at his communicator. " What is it now?" Harkun opened up his communicator and his eyes nearly popped out of his head." I see. Well, it seems you have another slave joining us." Harkun muttered.

The transport ship lowered down right on the launch pad in front of the Overseer's landing station. It is here where new recruits are dropped off, to their chosen Overseers.

Usually, the transport is full of acolytes for training, however this time it contained only one. It contained Djaeric Keto.

Djaeric took his first steps onto the ancient home world of the sith, with a look of awe on his face. The sheer redness of the planet took him by surprise. The sun was bright that even the sand looked red, as if it was on fire.

Djaeric stepped off of the ship, no longer wearing tattered rags of a slave, but now wrapped in the standard uniform that all Sith acolytes wore. A standard set of red and brown robes, with one of his sleeves ripped off at the shoulder. His sword and spear were gone, and now in their place was a single training sword, still vicious and capable of killing.

Djaeric walked down the ramp and into the Sith academy, and as he did the transport ship started back up and took off, leaving Djaeric to weather the harsh natures of Korriban, alone.

" Ahhh, the last one to arrive is finally here." Harkun spoke as Djaeric walked into the room of acolytes.

Immediately, Djaeric noticed the clothing the man wore, and the weapon at his hip and recognized him as Overseer Harkun, the one Marr told him about.

It was quite essential for Marr, to drive home the fact that there were many warriors on Korriban who were much more powerful than Djaeric would be, simply due to the fact that he hadn't the training they did, and among them The recognized Sith were the ones he was told to be mindful of and respectful to.

" I hope you don't think you're special. It would be a shame if freedom went to your head, or if you somehow got the idea you didn't need to pass your trials to become, Sith." Harkun said to Djaeric.

Already finding displeasure with Harkun, Djaeric grit his teeth and held his tongue. Staying as quiet as a mouse for the moment, at least until he could gauge Harkun's strength.

" As I already explained to the rest of the filth, Lord Zash has tasked me with sorting through this rubbish, and find someone worthy of being her apprentice. And I intend to do, just that." Harkun stated. Harkun was a sith of tradition, preferring not to mingle with slaves or aliens.

Djaeric stood quietly as the Overseer inspected him and scoffed when Harkun got too close.

" Heh. The rest of you gutter trash already know your trials, get going while I bring our late comer up to speed." Harkun spoke.

The six other people in the room all quickly started making their leave into the valley. However, as the only woman in the group prepared to leave, she stopped in front of Djaeric.

" Hey, you should watch yourself out there. And don't worry about him, he can't kill us all." The woman said to Djaeric. The kindness of her words did not go unnoticed by the young man. In fact, her simply stopping to show that little bit of kindness and concern reminded Djaeric a lot of his own brother.

However, Djaeric knew such a kindness here only meant death.

" It's not me, I am worried about being killed." Djaeric responded.

" Sorry. Didn't mean to offend. Just... Just take care out there." She stated.

" You as well." Djaeric muttered. He gave the woman slight bow of grace before she left, letting her know that he did at the very least appreciate the gesture.

" Now then, slave for your trial. There's is a hermit named spindral who lives in the tomb of Ajunta Pall, in the valley of the dark lords. Spindral is a lunatic, but lord Zash sees him as some kind of prophet. Once you find him, he will test you." Harkun told the man.

" What exactly is this test?" Djaeric asked the man.

" You'll find out when you get there, won't you?" Harkun replied. His sarcasm was noted.

Djaeric smiled at that.

This man is going to do everything in his power to ensure that we all die. I hardly doubt he wouldn't just kill me himself. He could absolutely do it if he wanted to, he knew that, so why doesn't he?

This question pounded within Djaeric's mind constantly.

Perhaps something was preventing it. Maybe this lord Zash forbade him from needlessly killing the acolytes in his charge?

No, to think so would be foolish.

Then Perhaps... Some kind of rule? Maybe he isn't allowed to kill them... At least not yet. And if that's the case, then for now, Djaeric was safe. Safe to continue his search for more power and understanding of the force.

" You know your task now, slave. Spindral lives in Ajunta Palls Tomb in the valley of the dark lords. You better not keep him waiting, slave!" Harkun put extra emphasis on that last slave. Letting him know exactly where he stood with the man.

Djaeric didn't speak it, but his face certainly yelled it. Harkun would come to regret that, maybe not today. But someday.

Djaeric left Harkun's presence, with nothing more for information.

Without a map, or directions he was thrown out into the harsh desert that was Korriban.

Walking into the sandstorm with nothing covering his eyes, not a bite of food or a drop of water, without any directions of any kind, Djaeric was truly and completely lost.

So much sand! And the heat of the sun... It makes the sand feel even worse in his shoes. Djaeric hates it. But he bears through it, for all his time on Mek-Sha, labor and conditions like this were a common occurrence.

As he crossed the sandy plains, one foot in front of the other, he, for the first time, thanked the hardships he had endured until this point. Having walked a little over an hour, he understood that such a thing must feel impossible to the normal person.

But if crossing this desert means life, then cross it he shall.

It felt like an eternity, for sure, but as Djaeric walked the ground around him started rumbling and shortly after, rising from underneath the hot sand, were three giant monsters, pink in color with long appendages, a mouth full of sharp teeth, and long legs.

" What the hell?!" Djaeric shouted. He quickly reached for his training sword and started dancing around the creatures.

They moved with lightning-fast strikes. But Djaeric managed to block them all. These creatures were scary at first glance, and though they had the tools, they did not work together well enough and instead kept getting in each other's way as they tried to bite and claw at him, making it all the easier when Djaeric cut through their guts with three fast swings of his saber.

The three creatures, let out a blood curdling screech, each time one of them was cut down, and as Djaeric stood over top of them, blood flowing down from his saber, Djaeric felt the blood rushing through his body beginning to pulse.

This was the beginning. The first step. The first step towards... Greatness.