Chapter Text
The temple floor was cold and hard, as usual. Sometimes Rey wished for soft things, a quiet place to rest her head, for kind words or a comforting hand.
She knew better by now.
Nothing in Rey’s world was soft. Including her.
Her opponent circled her. Around them, other acolytes stood watching. Her master was among them. Rey got up, gritting her teeth and summoning anger in her belly like fire to fuel her. Of course, Jaemmuno would arrive just in time to see her fall. She looked over at her opponent; he stood unfazed, lazily holding out his staff. He’s not even trying. Rey clenched her fists around her staff, letting the gunmetal imprint her skin before leaping forward to attack.
Her staff slammed down on the stone floor inches away from her target, who nimbly moved out of the way. He was quick, but Rey would be quicker. She swung again, this time metal against metal. The impact of the hit vibrated through her like some kind of harmony. She didn’t give him a chance to absorb impact before she struck again, and again and again. He tried to move away, but Rey blocked him, forcing him to meet her blow for blow or get hit himself. She didn’t give him a moment to breathe, to plan, to back away from her righteous fury.
She battered him to the ground with pure brute force. He had no choice but to surrender.
Rey stood still, blood pumping, her breath fast and heavy, looking down at her fallen foe. She was burning up from the inside. Satisfaction curled around her gut. She turned to look at her master.
“That is adequate training for today.” Jaemmuno said. “Even though it took you much too long to win.”
Rey imagined landing a two-handed staff strike against her master’s head. She smiled without showing teeth. None of the other acolytes spoke. They never did. Rey bowed and left the training hall.
Rey stormed her way through the enormous halls of the Sith Citadel on Ziost. Rey felt small. And angry. That hadn’t been enough training for one day. Rey still felt plenty of aggression she had wanted to work out through hitting things and people. Rey was granted many special privileges at the temple, but disobedience to her master was never one of them. Thinking about punishment only made her angrier.
She needed a bath. A steaming hot one.
The Calarium was a smaller, more intimate space than the massive echoing passageways in the temple.
In the center of the room lay a shallow square pool of water. Beautiful mosaics depicting great Sith legends decorated the walls. Upon her arrival, the two acolytes inside quickly left. In moments she was alone. Again.
Rey was used to being alone.
She was the only Sith in the temple. Possibly the only one in the galaxy. Even her master was not force sensitive. Not for long. Rey thought to herself. Not after I bring him back to life.
Rey took off her dark robes and slid into the hot water. She sighed and felt her whole body relax just a tiny bit, and her connection to the dark side of the force loosen. She felt her injuries for the first time since her fight. She allowed the waves of pain to wash over her. She vowed to remember them, and summon the memory to fuel her next fight.
The Calarium was the only warm place in the entire temple. It was also Rey’s favorite place. Before she was brought to the temple, Rey had never had enough water for proper hydration much less to bathe within. Natural spring fresh water flowed from the carved statue of a sad woman holding a pitcher. Rey liked looking at her. She was worn smooth from centuries. Sometimes Rey would make up stories about why the woman was so sad. Perhaps she had a broken heart or a lost child. Maybe she was alone, like Rey.
Someone cleared their throat.
“Kira?”
Rey looked up to see an Acolyte girl, young and a messenger class by the red sash around her waist. Rey narrowed her eyes. The girl did not meet them.
“Y-you have been summoned by the council.” She said her voice barely more than a squeak. Rey’s eyes widened.
“Dismissed” Rey spat out. The girl bowed and fled from the room.
Summoned by the council…kriff…what did they want?
Hope flooded her senses. Was it time? Would she finally be getting off of this miserable planet? Rey hoisted herself out of the pool and quickly pulled on clean robes. It was time. Rey could feel it. Even if they weren't summoning her to talk about her "grand destiny." blah blah blah... she would make them let her go.
After all, she had the force and they had nothing.