Protector

Prologue

It was an obscure fact that many moons ago, before the age of the Empire, there was the rule of two.

There could only be two Sith lords at a given time; the master to wield ultimate power and the apprentice to crave it.

But there are often exceptions to rules.

It may have been that Emperor Snoke and Master Ren were technically not Sith, just mere followers of the dark side or that young Ashmai was not a dark 'lord' or even a practicioner of the Dark Arts per say.

That did not matter in that exact moment as time stood still, those surrounding the battle stood transfixed by the very sight of the halted blaster fire, trembling like a clumsily contained lightning bolt.

Master Ren had not stopped it himself, his back was turned as he dealt with a rebel. When he heard the gasps around him, only then did he register the heat of the fire radiating onto the exposed skin of his neck. He spun around slowly, almost going cross eyed as he looked at it, singeing his mask as it pointed directly to the space between his eyes.

His eyes then searched the war torn landscape for the force user, smoke hindering visability levels, and was surprised to see one of the soldiers of his personal raiding party with her hand rigidly outstretched and a wild look of determination in her hazel eyes.

Almost expertly, Ashmai manipulated the rogue fire and directed it towards the source, instantly killing the threat with a clean shot to the heart. The skirmish continued but Master Ren's mind lingered on that shocking revelation until he was jolted back to reality as the atmosphere suddenly became a deathly quiet.

The surviving dissidents were on their knees, finally subdued, each with a blaster or x-bow pointed at their temples and defeated looks plastered on their faces.

Master Ren stepped towards their pathetic excuse of a leader, the man trembling at the giant masked figure that loomed before him.

"The blueprints." A cold voice breathed from the sleek black mask. It was almost too easy Ren mused as the leader handed the precious documents over to his captor. Maybe he thought there would be leniency shown towards him and his soldiers.

"Dispose of them," Master Ren gave a lazy flick of his gloved hand and instantaneously the air was filled with blood curdling screams as the rebellious ranks met their fate.

"Officer Dayhk walk with me," Master Ren said as he turned towards his command shuttle.

"Sir," Ashmai fell in besides him obediently, still visibly shaken by her new found sensitivity to the force and the fact that Master Ren had actually called her without shouting.

"You were not aware," He sounded almost concerned for her. He was impressed nonetheless, she already displayed immense raw power and there was no doubt that she would be a great force wielder.

"Not in the slightest." She admitted.

"You need to be trained immediately." He said surprisingly softly.

"I presume that you would fulfill that role, Sir?" She cocked an eyebrow.

Under any other circumstance, he would have been completely enraged by such an insolent tone, but, here and now, he admired that sort of confidence she had about her aura.

It made the corners of his mouth turn up slightly beneath the mask.

"I will Officer Dayhk, I will."