Again they circled.
Sindra unexpectedly launched into a blinding series of slashes. Dray was hard pressed to block the flurry, but succeeded. Barely. Their last furious exchange left his chest aching for air, so he stepped back to momentarily catch his breath. It cost him.
Instead of taking the opportunity to do the same, Sindra came at him like a mad howler beast. Dray found himself forced into an ungainly riposte that became useless when her vertical downstrike abruptly transformed into a wicked slash that opened his right shoulder. He winced in pain and stumbled away.
Her eyes were glowing with hate, the fuel of the dark side. Dray could feel the power surging through her.
He felt a familiar, desperate craving surging in his belly. The soft whisper that had controlled his life the last few years began its soft serenade, but it had no effect. He was not yet angry and therefore his silky mistress could not help him…
Sindra exploded into another series of fluid strikes that sent him reeling back. He carefully measured her attack pattern and managed to catch her blade with the tip of his own. His unexpected parry forced her saber upwards. Right where he wanted it.
Dray attempted to sweep her left leg out from under her, a move that usually gave him the upper hand but Sindra’s reaction time was better than he expected. She dropped a hand from her saber, using it to block his extended leg. An instant later she jabbed her other arm forward, using the haft of the weapon to smash Dray in the face.
The blow split his lip and knocked him to the ground. Instinct and years of training allowed him to retain his hold on the saber, which he waved back and forth to ward off any further strikes.
However, a follow-up attack was not forthcoming. She merely stood over her fallen opponent silently… Then she began to laugh.
Dray gingerly touched a hand to his throbbing lip, though he already knew it was bleeding from the sour taste in his mouth. He stared at the crimson stain spreading across his fingertips and his eyes narrowed to slits.
Her incessant cackling continued, sending a tidal wave of heat washing through his body. Dray’s insides boiled as if his body temperature had suddenly risen to a feverish degree.
Dray heard the intimate whisper again. The silky voice grew louder, thundering in his ears and echoing through his brain as it infused his body with a burst of pure emotion.
Anger.
His heart raced as the raw fuel was quickly converted into energy. An ancient Corellian battle cry escaped his lips and Dray jumped to his feet, delivering a vicious two-handed swing powerful enough to split Sindra in two.
Recognizing the danger, Sindra quickly brought her saber up and deflected the vicious strike just in time. She staggered under the weight of the brutal offensive and was forced a few steps backward.
He shadowed her every move, rapidly closing the gap between them. Dray knew she had ceased her mocking laughter, but he could not get that terrible sound out of his head. All he wanted to do was kill her.
What was so wrong with that? he pondered, knuckles white from his death-grip on the lightsaber.
Nothing, came the whispery voice, growing louder and lovelier by the moment. Nothing at all.
Dray smiled, savoring the blood smeared across his lips. He craved more.
Sindra saw it in his eyes and it obviously frightened her. The tide of the battle had abruptly turned and she was on the wrong end. “I had you beaten,” she said in a whining voice.
“Never dwell on the past.” Dray grinned, an unpleasant sight. “If I were you, I’d be more concerned about your future. Or the lack thereof.”
“No…” Sindra was retreating as fast as possible without turning her back on him.
“Lian!”
Nova’s shrill call shook him out of the dark reverie. He was slightly disoriented, like someone startled out of deep slumber.
Dray glanced back in time to see Xash charging. The wounded limb, severed below the forearm, was tucked down at the twin’s side. Xash snarled as his remaining hand swung a lightsaber in the direction of Dray’s head.
With no time to turn, Dray lifted the blade up over his shoulder and then down again, successfully blocking Xash’s strike. Unfortunately, it also left his front unprotected. A bad circumstance for Dray that Sindra immediately attempted to take full advantage of…
She had withdrawn herself from saber range, but had a variety of other nasty tricks at her disposal. One hand shot forward, serving as a focal point for her power.
Dray gasped for air as his heart began to constrict. He tumbled to his knees, the pain quickly becoming unbearable. Invisible claws tore mercilessly into his chest.
Sindra’s face twisted into a vile facade and she hissed like a serpent. Her outstretched hand trembled as if she really held Dray’s heart, gleefully digging in her nails to squeeze out every last drop of life.