Author here, I just wanted to say a big thank u to everyone who's contributing with their power stones and just the readers who are adding my ff to their library and using their time to read it. Much appreciated🙏.
—————————————————————
"What about you, Ali? How did you get here?" Drogath asked, breaking the silence. His deep, rumbling voice carried an unguarded sincerity that made his question feel genuine rather than intrusive.
Ali shifted slightly, looking down at the giant below. "Me? To be honest with you, big guy… I don't know. More like I don't remember," Ali admitted, his tone even. "I just woke up in a cage right before we landed here. All I know is my name."
Drogath tilted his head slightly, his yellow eyes narrowing. "That is… sad. So, you have no family. No friends." He said it bluntly.
Ali didn't respond immediately, his black eyes fixed on the swirling sands beyond the window.
'No family…' he thought, the phrase echoing in his mind.
Drogath shifted again, and his voice broke the silence. "Then Drogath will be your friend."
Ali chuckled at the simplicity of the statement. "Thanks, big guy," he said, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Shifting his position, Ali leaned over the edge of his bunk, lowering his head to meet Drogath's gaze. His expression was serious now, his tone quiet but firm. "Hey, Drogath. Listen carefully."
The giant turned his head, his yellow eyes locking with Ali's. "You and I are alone here. No one else will have our backs. We have to take care of each other. Don't trust anyone—no matter who they are—except me. Do that, and I promise, I'll get us out of here. And I'll make sure you see your family again, Drogath."
Drogath didn't reply immediately. Instead, he raised one massive hand and touched the sharp horn protruding from his forehead. With a quick, deliberate motion, he pierced the palm of his hand, causing thick, dark blood to drip down his purple skin. He extended his bloodied hand toward Ali.
"This is how we do promises back home," Drogath said solemnly, holding his hand out.
Ali hesitated for a moment, then smirked. He lifted his palm to his mouth, running it across his sharp teeth until the skin broke and fresh blood trickled down his hand. He pressed another finger into the wound, ensuring it stayed open, before reaching down and placing his hand in Drogath's.
The giant's massive hand closed around Ali's. It was a pact, simple and primal.
And so, an alliance was forged—a duo that would soon shake the foundations of the Sith Academy.
An hour later, Ali sat upright on his bed, his back resting against the cold wall. His dark eyes watched the approaching sandstorm through the window, the furious red winds growing closer by the minute. Below him, Drogath lay sprawled on his bed, snoring loudly, the sound reverberating through the room like the rumble of an engine.
Ali closed his eyes and crossed his legs, adopting a meditative stance. He relaxed his body, his breathing slowing as he tried to focus his mind.
'The Force,' he thought, his mind narrowing on the concept. 'I can't do much in this place without it. The sooner I can wield it, the better.'
Time passed as Ali sat there, searching for something—anything—that might connect him to the elusive power. But the storm outside grew stronger, the howling winds battering against the window. The constant noise, combined with Drogath's thunderous snores, made it impossible to focus.
Ali opened his eyes, frustration flickering across his features. 'This isn't working,' he thought, exhaling sharply. His attempts at meditation had failed, and no matter how much he tried, he couldn't sense the supernatural energy of the Force.
Finally giving up, Ali lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. "Might as well try to sleep," he muttered to himself, though he knew it would be a futile effort.
Three hours later, Drogath stirred. The giant yawned loudly, his massive arms stretching wide as he shook off the remnants of his deep sleep. Meanwhile, Ali lay on his bunk with a deadpan expression, his eyes open and bloodshot.
'I didn't catch a single second of sleep,' he thought bitterly. 'It was like being stuck between a chainsaw and a motor engine.'
Drogath swung his legs off the bed and lumbered toward the door, his heavy footsteps echoing through the corridor as he headed for the toilets.
BEEP. BEEP.
Ali's comm device began to vibrate and flash, drawing his attention. A hologram of Darth Malgrith materialised above his wrist. Ali didn't move, waiting silently to determine whether it was a live call or a prerecorded message.
The Sith Master's distorted voice filled the room. "Report immediately to Lord Malvok outside the academy. I have sent his coordinates to your comms. The commander will assign you both speeders to get there."
The hologram vanished as quickly as it appeared. Ali tapped his comm device to confirm it was a message and not a call, then swung his legs off the bed and stood.
Without wasting time, he stripped off his gray clothes and donned one of the black acolyte uniforms from the cabinet. The snug fabric fit him perfectly, and he carefully concealed the quinque handle and his desert eagles beneath the outfit.
As he stepped into the corridor, Drogath returned, his heavy footsteps heralding his arrival.
"Let's go," Ali said, his tone brisk.
"Wait," Ali said suddenly as they passed the cafeteria. He motioned for Drogath to stay put before ducking inside.
The cafeteria was empty at this early hour, save for the droids working quietly to prepare for the day. Ali approached the buffet and requested a large bag, which the droids provided without question. He moved quickly, filling the bag with as much food as it could hold—fruits, bread, meat, anything portable.
Bag in hand, he sprinted back to Drogath, who was waiting patiently in the hall. "Here," Ali said, handing the food bag to the giant. Drogath slung it over his shoulder without comment as they made their way to the largest elevator at the end of the hall.
The elevator descended smoothly, and when it opened, they found themselves in a hangar bustling with activity. A platoon of white-armoured soldiers marched past them, their boots clanging against the metallic floor.
"Hey, where can we get speeders for our mission?" Ali asked one of the soldiers, who looked at their acolyte uniforms before answering.
"Speak to the captain by the gate," the soldier replied, pointing to a nearby man without a helmet.
Ali and Drogath approached the captain. "We've been assigned two speeders to reach Lord Malvok," Ali said.
The captain nodded. "Ah, you're Lord Malgrith's acolytes. Your speeders are in the hangar." He gestured to a massive door, which slid open to reveal rows of sleek, hovering speeders.
"These two are yours," the captain said, pointing to a standard-sized speeder and a much larger one with a reinforced frame and a more powerful engine.
Ali and Drogath mounted their respective speeders, the controls unfamiliar but intuitive. Ali took to it quickly, accelerating smoothly out of the hangar. Drogath, initially hesitant, followed at a slower pace before gaining confidence and pushing the speeder to full speed.
Ali slowed to let Drogath catch up, glancing at his comm device to track their destination. 'Looks like we'll have to cross a huge stretch of desert to reach him,' Ali thought, looking over his shoulder at Drogath, who had strapped the food bag to his speeder.
"Drogath, don't move," Ali called out, manoeuvring closer. With a quick motion, he let go of his own handlebars, unstrapped the bag from Drogath's speeder, and pulled it onto his own.
Ali opened the bag and began eating a piece of bread with one hand while driving with the other. Drogath glanced at him, his expression betraying his hunger. Ali smirked and offered him a large sandwich.
Drogath hesitated briefly before taking the food with one massive hand. The two of them sped across the desert, eating with one hand and driving with the other.
Please donate some of your power stones, it would help my ff massively.
Five chapters ahead of webnovel on patreon.com/Rondo312