"Kylo... Ren!" Kylo looked up from his meditation and narrowed his eyes to see Lucifi breathing heavily. "S-Snoke told me to... to get you."

"For what?" He questioned, annoyed for being interrupted.

"A meeting." Lucifi saw his expression. "That's all he told me."

He summoned his lightsaber and followed his brother through the tunnels as he put on his helmet, the Force hadn't shown him anything about the future despite his attempts, which left him pondering what Snoke had in mind for them. All of the Knights of Ren were gathered in the gathering place, a giant circle around the center where Snoke stood on his raised outcropping while Skurn stood beneath it... worry filled him as he walked easily through those gathered while his brother joined them to watch. Only a day had gone by since her loyalty had been tested, surely nothing could have happened since then... right?

"Snoke." He knelt down before his master before rising to his feet. "What is the meaning of this?"

His master's disoriented face stared down at him coldly. "It is time for Zein Ren to face her trial."

"Why wasn't I informed?" He growled, anger pricking through him as he glared through his mask at his master. "I announce the trials for everyone here."

The tension was nearly buzzing as Snoke glowered down at him, fury radiating from him, though his voice was calm as he spoke. "It would not be professional to make the announcer be his own champion to fight in a trial now would it? She can easily take out two Knights of Ren; let's give her a bit of a challenge before she's completely accepted. You may start the fight when you are ready."

Kylo stared at Skurn as she backed away from him, he could sense fear coming off her as he matched her step for step before activating his lightsaber. He knew what Snoke was doing; his master was getting rid of the weakest of them so that later only one would be left to deal with. Well he wasn't going to die easily. Across from him, Skurn activated her dark saber and took a blade in each hand to move them individually... she was ready to fight back... good.

"Let me show you what a fully trained Knight of Ren can do to an apprentice like you." Kylo snarled at her as he made his way confidently towards her, each step increasing the sense of distress coming from her.

However, her slight panic made her aggressive. He blocked her swift strikes, their blades crackling in a swift bursts, before shoving her across the ground with the Force. The Dark side users gathered cheered him on to finish the fight but Kylo could feel himself hesitating, allowing time for Skurn to get back up and launch another attack at him. He once again deflected her attacks before spinning her around so her back was pressed to him, their weapons crossed as he pressed hers down... hovering just above her leg. Once she couldn't hold his attack back she would lose her leg and once she couldn't walk... her defeat would come quickly. Kylo could feel her weakening and increased the pressure.

"Are you going to let me kill you so easily? I'm disappointed." He insulted her, feeling her anger rise.

"Of course not." Her resistance disappeared completely but his weapon merely grazed the metal armor on her knee and the red blade disappeared along with one of her dark sabers as she spun to face him. "I just needed to get rid of your lightsaber."

Kylo took a step back at the savagery in her tone before using the Force to toss her to the side, impatient for his weapon to activate again. Skurn grunted as she started to get back to her feet, keeping her weight off one arm, but he kicked her back to the ground before she could move again. His ex-apprentice was still as he managed to activate his lightsaber again and brought it down just as she twisted to the side, though the blade still graze her. A hiss of pain escaped Skurn and Kylo prepared to finish her off only to feel pain jolt through him as she shocked him... and herself at the same time judging by her own screams.

He staggered back, his cloak smoking, and glared at her as he tried to stabilize his breath. Skurn was now limp on the ground, blood seeping from the base of her helmet from the powerful attack. Kylo let out a wheezing breath, really sounding like his grandfather in that moment, before raising a hand toward her in a pinching motion... she gave a choking sound before curling in on herself while clutching her throat. He moved closer, intent on finishing this, before deflecting her dark saber as she threw the activated blade at his face.

The distraction was enough for his concentration to break and he brought up his lightsaber in time to stop her second blade from meeting his skull. He scowled down at her through his helmet as he pushed her back, though she was fighting against him quite furiously despite her injuries. He shoved back, taking a step forward, and felt her do the same as she stared up at him through her own helmet, why did she have to be so stubborn? She should just give up! If he won then perhaps he could make up an excuse not to kill her, Snoke couldn't argue with losing a good fighter in front of so many followers right?

"Stand down!" He broke into her mind roughly.

Skurn physically winced. "So you can kill me like a good pet? I don't think so."

"I'm not going to kill you, trust me!" Kylo growled and pushed her away.

Unfortunately that had been a bad idea. He felt her drag him down with her, a snapping sound coming from his leg followed by pain as he landed it. Kylo gave a shout of pain and stayed on the ground while Skurn rolled to her feet beside him... she wouldn't dare finish him off. He gritted his teeth and tried to stand but his knee gave out once more, anger clouded his mind for a moment and he used the Force to once again shove her away, this time into the hard wall of rock that made up the outcropping where Snoke stood.

Skurn's body slumped to the ground and left a crimson stain where her arm had been in a vain attempt to stop the attack by blocking the cliff with her arm as one would a punch or kick. He could sense pain coming from her as she held her broken arm close to her, it was the same one she'd injured earlier, which meant she still had one good one left to fight with.

"Snoke told you to kill me." Her voice spoke in his mind. "It's funny, because today he said we needed to get rid of a pathetic excuse for a Knight like you. I will not die at your hand."

Kylo narrowed his eyes as she shakily got to her feet, her remaining blade activated as she limped towards him. He got to his knees, pain flaring up one as it took his weight, before getting back to his feet as well. The pain threatening to make him collapse once more as he blocked her strikes, it was obvious that both of them were getting weaker, even the crowd watching had stopped cheering as they saw him, Master of Ren, being evenly matched... possibly defeated... by a bounty hunter turned Force user.

"I was never going to kill you." He hissed softly as they crossed their blades again.

"Really?" She taunted. "I thought you were always supposed to listen to your master."

Kylo clenched his teeth and grabbed her wounded arm in an effort to win and remain on his feet as he partially leaned on her. Skurn gave a cry of pain that made him tighten his grip, feeling a bone shifting under his gloved hand. "I am the Master of Ren. I have as much authority as Snoke has in the decision of who lives and dies here."

Skurn's eyes glazed over and she seemed to stare at something behind him, which he couldn't see when he glanced back at the blank cliff wall, before collapsing against him, one last round of lightning arcing through his body. He could feel the metal's warmth before collapsing onto the ground with her, a moan of pain escaping him as darkness threatened his vision.

"Kylo... they're here." Skurn's mental voice was weak as she sank into unconscious.

His mind however, sharpened at her words as if they had revitalized him. Who was here? Kylo scanned the crowd carefully before sensing a presence he should have been aware of before... that scavenger girl was here... and he was sure she'd brought friends. He grimaced as he tried moving, pain was lacing up and down his body in protest to his movements, and even his heart seemed to want to stop. Well... let Snoke deal with the intrusion... it was his fault Kylo couldn't fight back at the moment. He personally had the slightest hope that Rey would kill Snoke for this, not that she could, even he wouldn't believe he could defeat his master... not yet at least.

He reached his mind back out to Skurn's fading one. "Stay awake, we will fight them together if we must... You can't let an enemy win before you even start the battle with them!"

There was no response and a second later chaos broke out.