At the First Battle of Ruusan, Lord Kaan and a Jedi Master are engaged in a test of wills with each fighting for control of the minds and emotions of their armies.  Kopecz infiltrates the Jedi ship and fights his way to the Master and kills her.  The battle instantly turns and the Sith score a decisive victory.

After several months, Bane has surpassed most of his peers in his Force abilities.  Lightsaber training with Blademaster Kas’im begins.  Bane challenges another student to a training duel to avenge an earlier defeat.  He is again defeated, but when his opponent taunts him, he uses the Force to choke the life from his opponent.  As he leaves, Sirak, the top apprentice, tells him he is looking forward to their future duel.

Bane is called before Qordis who pardons his actions.  Bane asks about the Sith’ari and Qordis tells him it is the legend of a perfect being that is to one day lead the Sith.  Not all believe it to be true and others believe it to be Sirak.

Alone in his room, Bane thinks through the Sith creed as it relates to his actions and begins to think that the teachings would not account for the energies that feed on emotions and build through the Dark Side.  He dreams of his father’s final beating of him and how he had wished so hard for him to be dead.  With a jolt he realizes that it was his thoughts that caused his father to die in his sleep!

Over the following week, Bane struggles with his training.  He no longer feels passion and his failures mount as he feels the Force lessen in him each day.

On the Nightfall, Kopecz brings Kaan the news that an army of Jedi, the Army of Light, has reclaimed Ruusan.  Kaan tells him to gather the Sith from all academies except those on Korriban to counter the Jedi threat.

Lord Kas’im learns of the Sith Army from Qordis, but when he tells him of Bane’s regression, in attempt to discredit Kopecz, he orders that Bane receive no more special attention or training.

Knowing that the other students will begin challenging him soon, Bane takes the initiative and challenges Sirak.  Vastly unprepared, Bane is destroyed by the apprentice and awakes later in a bacta tank.  He knows that he is now doomed to a life of servitude not unlike that he had in the cortosis mines.

While Kaan and the others strategize the 4th Battle of Ruusan, a Jedi named Githany enters and gives them information vital to the weakness in the plans of the Jedi.

Now an outcast, Bane retreats to the ancient archives on a regular basis, and even finds a book by the last Sith to use the “Darth” name, Darth Revan.  One day, Githany, now a Sith Apprentice, comes to see him hoping for an ally against Sirak.  They speak of Bane’s troubles and she is able to briefly reawaken his Force abilities.  She promises to train him in secret, although her motives, like any Sith, are for her own advancement.

Bane ventures to Kas’im’s room after hours and persuades the Blademaster to secretly train him at night so he can get revenge on Sirak.  With two secret teachers (both hidden from each other), Bane’s power returns quickly.  He continues to hide it as he bolsters it even further with his archive studies.

When Bane masters Force lightening in only an hour, Githany begins to wonder if she chose wisely in her ally.  She reveals to Bane that she left the Jedi after an affair with a fellow Padawan.  He is somehow able to console her and after he leaves, she begins to think that perhaps she now has feelings towards Bane.

Bane and Kas’im’s sparing sessions grow more intense as Bane’s skills grow.  After one session, Kas’im tells Bane the “Darth” title was abandoned by the Brotherhood because it was only used by those wishing to be above the other Sith.  Bane knew this to be flawed since only through individual pursuits could the dark side’s true power be uncovered.

Githany comes to Bane hoping to manipulate him into assassinating Sirak, but he surprises her by saying that he plans to challenge him openly again to a duel.  Her plan has worked, but not as she intended.  Her close feelings for Bane also continue to disturb her.

At the next opportunity, Bane challenges Sirak to the surprise of everyone.  It doesn’t take long for Bane to realize that Sirak has no stamina for long duels and baits him until his desperation causes a fatal mistake and Bane crushes him, but stops short of killing him.  Githany chastises him for not finishing him off and recognizes this inherent flaw in Bane’s mind.