Star Wars_ Darth Bane 01_ Path of Destruction - Drew Karpyshyn [52]
“Why not, indeed?” Qordis replied smoothly. “Lord Kas’im wanted to see what would happen. He wanted to see how you would act in that situation. He wanted to see if you would be merciful … or if you would be strong.”
And suddenly Bane realized he hadn’t been called into the Master’s room to be punished. “I … I don’t understand. I thought it was forbidden to murder another apprentice.”
Qordis nodded. “We cannot have the students attacking each other in the halls; we want your hatred to be directed against the Jedi, not one another.” The words echoed the argument Bane had been having with himself only minutes earlier. But what came next was something he hadn’t anticipated.
“Despite this, Fohargh’s death may turn out to be a minor loss if it helps you to achieve your full potential. Exceptions can be made for those who are strong in the dark side.”
“Like Sirak?” Bane asked, the words out of his mouth before he even realized what he was saying.
Fortunately, the question seemed to amuse Lord Qordis rather than offend him. “Sirak understands the power of the dark side,” he said with a smile. “Passion fuels the dark side.”
“Peace is a lie, there is only passion.” Bane muttered out of habit. “Through passion, I gain strength.”
“Exactly.” Qordis seemed pleased, though with himself or his student it was hard to tell. “Through strength, I gain power; through power, I gain victory.”
“Through victory my chains are broken,” Bane dutifully recited.
“Understand this—truly understand it—and your potential is limitless!”
Qordis gave a dismissive wave of his hand, then settled back onto his meditation mat as Bane turned to go. At the door of the room, though, the young man paused and turned back.
“What is the Sith’ari?” he blurted out.
Qordis tilted his head to the side. “Where did you hear that word?” His voice was grave.
“I … I’ve heard some of the other students use it. About Sirak. They say he could be the Sith’ari.”
“Some of the old texts speak of the Sith’ari,” Qordis answered slowly, gesturing with a ring-laden claw at the books scattered about the room. “They say the Sith will one day be led by a perfect being, one who embodies the dark side and all we stand for.”
“Sirak is this perfect being?”
Qordis shrugged. “Sirak is the strongest student at the Academy. For now. Perhaps in time he will surpass Kas’im and me and all the other Sith Lords. Perhaps not.” He paused. “Many of the Masters do not believe in the legend of the Sith’ari,” he continued after a moment. “Lord Kaan discounts it, for one. It goes against the philosophy underlying the Brotherhood of Darkness.”
“What about you, Master? Do you believe in the legend?”
Bane waited while Qordis considered his reply. It felt like forever.
“These are dangerous questions to ask,” the Dark Lord finally said. “But if the Sith’ari is more than a legend, he will not simply be born as the exemplar of all our teachings. He—or she—must be forged in the crucibles of trial and battle to attain such perfection. Some might argue such training is the purpose of this Academy. But I would counter by insisting that we train our apprentices to join the ranks of the Sith Lords so they may stand alongside Kaan and the rest of the Brotherhood.”
Realizing that was as good an answer as he was going to get, Bane nodded and left. He had been absolved of his crime, given a pardon because of his power and potential. He should have been exultant, triumphant. But for some reason all he could think about as he headed up to the roof to join the other students was the sticky gurgles of Fohargh’s dying breaths.
That night, in the privacy of his room, Bane struggled to make sense of what had happened. He sought the deeper wisdom behind the Master’s words. Qordis had said that his emotions—his anger—had let him summon up the