Lost Hope

Chapter 5

Someone's presence in her room woke Skurn the next morning and she opened her eyes to stare at the wall. No one walked towards her, in fact, nothing made a sound as she stayed completely still except for her hand reaching for a knife under her pillow. Once it was in her hand she flipped over and tossed it towards the direction of the presence, missing as they stepped aside like they'd expected it... Well by that time it wasn't a surprise. Skurn squinted in the dark and made out Kylo's form as he turned from the knife embedded in the wall back to her.

"It's time for training, get up." He ordered.

She scowled back at him. "Did you have to come into my room while I was asleep? You could've knocked you know!"

"With all your muttering I was afraid you wouldn't hear it." He growled back, matching her temper.

Had she been talking in her sleep? Skurn paled slightly, what had he heard? Did he know who was haunting her dreams? Just wait until she fell asleep again... Anakin would pay for coming back. Could you kill a ghost? Probably not... That was the irritating part, well that and the disrupted session with Snoke. She had been trying to learn how to catch lightning in her hand to throw it back at the attacker.

"Whatever." Her response was weak as she got up. "I'll be out in a moment, just let me get ready."

Kylo didn't respond as he turned and left, though he did turn on the light as he walked by the switch. Blinding her temporarily much to her annoyance, though she could sense his humor as he waited outside. Skurn quickly got ready before joining Kylo in the tunnel and walking towards the training room, which her apprentice would hopefully be able to find this time when it was time for his training.

"How was your apprentice's first training session? I hope you weren't too soft on him." Kylo spoke up, teasing her slightly.

Skurn felt a chill run through her spine as she remembered the pure hatred that had rolled off Lucifi... it had been unnatural. "He is much stronger when his anger takes hold of him. But he lacks control over it, if he wishes to become stronger he'll have to learn to use his rage and his mind at the same time."

"The cripple can fight?" Kylo sounded amused at the thought. "What about his Force abilities?"

"He's my apprentice not yours stop asking so many questions." She growled, not wanting to admit her apprentice didn't seem to have any yet. "But I will work with him on those today, just to see where he is."

"You should've started with that." He retorted. "But you wouldn't know that considering you're short time in training."

Skurn was about to make a scathing retort when she realized he wanted her to get riled up over his insults. She smirked and glanced at him, two could play this game. "Perhaps Snoke thinks higher of me than you and can see how much stronger I am."

"Then I would not be Master of Ren." Kylo didn't fall for her taunt.

She prodded harder at his nerves. "That's an empty title meant to satisfy you while Snoke and I really run the show behind your back. I'm just too good at playing weak to make you have a hint of doubt that I'm lying."

Still he didn't fall for it, not that she expected him to, but it was a bit disappointing to sense his irritation staying at the same level. They continued making taunts back and forth though until they reached the out door training area, which was located half way up the mountain. Kylo's hint of a smile disappeared as he activated his lightsaber and stood on the opposite side of the muddy field, the rain currently still pouring down and soaking both of them in seconds. Skurn hated fighting in the rain, it was always a challenge to keep her stupid cloak out of the way, though she was sure that was why Kylo had picked this training area today instead of their normal indoor one. But she wouldn't let Kylo see her discomfort and activated her own dark saber, ready for their fight.