A Canvas of White [Invitation]

[Hansen]

Arnor of Eshan
Hoth Surface, Abandoned First Imperial Warehouse

The breeze's howl echoes through the shattered windows of the Durasteel Warehouse; its' contents long since emptied leaving behind vacant and tall shelves that reached to the ceiling behind. Footsteps raced down an isle belonging to Rangers who had come from some faraway foreign government, spying on the First Imperial Defence Installation and Garrison on Hoth's Icy surface.

It was unfortunate that their presence had been detected and put out a desperate plea for hell to anybody who might be brave enough to stand up and against the darkness which threatened to consume the small band. And so Arnor; an elusive character from the galaxy's core appeared to deliver the small team from those Ren who pursued them.

Arnor sits in a meditative silence listening patiently to each passing individual offer thanks before fleeing into the icy opening dug into the mountain flanking behind the warehouse that climbed upto it's gargantuan precipice. Wearing an armoured flightsuit that covered their body head to toe with a polymer helmet obscruing their face and voice emulator distorting voice Arnor ensured their own anonymity.

Placing an open palm against the cool floor and pursing gray spheres shut Arnor reaches out through the living force towards the Rangers' pursuer, Seto. "Surely there is more than pure dark within his Soul." Offering up the Prayer they steadily and rise with a calm elegance to their full height of near seven feet and allow arms to hang by sides loosely. Arnor's mind held no firm commitment to battle, if possible they would turn the pursuing inquisitor away peacefully, there were no absolutes or certainties here and Arnor resigned the outcome unto the will of the Force noiselessly.

[member="Seto Du Couteau"]

 

[Seto Du Couteau]

Seto Du Couteau, Ren
Equipment: FO-07K Multi-purpose Assault Armor (Snow Variant)
Location: Abandon Warehouse
Objective: Chase down Antarian Rangers (Along with any Sympathizers)
Confronting: [member="Aira"]

​

"They fly me, drive me, and I'm still walking the rest of the way."

Dark mutters continued under Seto's breath, the cold wind had no effect on the young Du Couteau but the sheer distance he needed to traverse certainly gave him some pause. Pause enough to mutter a few extra curses, and for a moment Seto pondered on simply heading back to the Star port. Unfortunate I can't just call a neighboring fleet to put an entire sector under lock down. The former Imperial Inquisitor certainly missed some of the perks of his past occupation. Perhaps fortunate that the First Order operated under quite different rules and chain of command, else Seto could imagine himself a quite nonchalant Ren.

A warmer, smiling, nonchalant Ren. Seto continued his thoughts, his body while suffered none of the adverse effects of the environment around him, his mind certainly told him that he should be feeling the cold. He needed to keep himself concealed as possible, even the use of the Force Seto chose to limit it to a bare minimal. Partially to hide his Force signature, partially because Seto needed to conserve as much of his strength as possible. This trek to find the Warehouse undoubtedly would take some significant time.

And leg work.

Seto took a moment to see the Warehouse up ahead, his droid silently kept watch overhead and it confirmed a life signatures up ahead. Very limited electricity detected within the building, Probably hidden to be scanned proof. He quickened his steps and moved carefully towards the entrance, the snow and wind had died down a tad but his scanners hadn't proved much useful past a simple detection of a life form nearby.

The young Du Couteau allowed his Force to flare out and sense any presence around him, he stroke his gauntlet and his droid zoomed off to follow its new orders. Time to make some smoke. Seto crossed his arms over his chest as he walked inside the Warehouse, weapons remained by his sides and Seto smiled despite himself. So the Rangers found someone to help them out.

"Under the Laws of the First Order, any assistance given to known Terrorist Groups will be punished to the same extent of said Terrorists." Seto declared loudly, "-But Mercy will be afforded to those who surrender willingly." He added. ​I mean, mandatory service with the Auxiliary Thralls and in the end they might not execute you, but better dying later than now.

Seto kept his arms crossed over his chest, "-I'll allow everyone a few minutes to think it over."

 

[Hansen]

Arnor of Eshan
Hoth Surface, Abandoned First Imperial Warehouse

Arnor's hands find a perch; right on the hilt of a sheathed cutlass at the corresponding hip with the same true with left hand which sits draped over some dagger both sheats were secured to a simple leather belt wrapped around the armoured figure's waist. Leaning fore in the young man's direction those hands clasp around hips in a manner that smacked of arrogance exceeding a pinch. "We cannot allow ourselves to go into your cold custody, young one for yours is a judiciary most cruel and malicious." Pausing for a moment the armoured individual looks past their shoulder and offers an incline of head towards the gathered Rangers who understand the wordless order unambiguously; go. And thus so did the small party of Rangers pivot and disappear through the tunnel out the back of Factory's wall up into the mountain beyond Arnor's sight and Seto's.

Focusing again on the Ren, Arnor steadily raises left-palm towards Seto and reaches out across the Warehouse's cold distance towards his soul visibly bowing their head they closed their gray orbs to focus while probing the young man's feelings. "I can feel your fear, boy." Delving deeper. "Yes." The last syllable is drawn out painfully from breast. "Yours is borne from being without purpose, a seeker or hunter? Without it you fear the void of purposelessness." Almond-shaped spheres peel open staring at Seto coldly with a tone that bites with an icy touch distinct from the ambient Tundra of Hoth from its' shrill lashing sharply. "Though you shalll find no resolution here hunter, merely further questions." Smirking behind their helmet's visage, after a brief pause they continued. "This need not end in bloodshed or violence, ask your questions child and I might answer them."

[member="Seto Du Couteau"]

 

[Seto Du Couteau]

Seto Du Couteau, Ren
Equipment: FO-07K Multi-purpose Assault Armor (Snow Variant)
Location: Abandon Warehouse
Objective: Chase down Antarian Rangers (Along with any Sympathizers)
Confronting: [member="Aira"]

​

The wind settled to a low howl and Seto continued to advance towards the person that addressed him directly. Confident. The young Du Couteau stopped roughly seven meters away, his head turned slightly to both sides as the sound of the Rangers shuffled deeper into the Warehouse. He gestured with his arms, outwards with a raised eyebrow beneath his helmet. "The First Order justice is neither cruel or malicious. Only practical." Seto explained, his arms slowly crossed back over his chest.

"-But I will admit there is fear within me." Seto nodded, "-fortunately for me, I do well with fear." His voice chirped up as he slowly bowed before his target. "Shameful of me to not introduce myself, I do apologize. I am Seto Du Couteau." He introduced himself, his back straightened and a smile grew on his lips.

Seto stepped forward with only a single step, he slightly turned his body and outstretched his hand towards his opponent. A silent hum outside of the warehouse and his lone droid zoomed ahead to follow the escaped Rangers. I just need to finish my dance. His forward right foot gently hovered, his back foot firmly pressed against the cold hard floor. "If you so wish, my offer still stands for another three minutes." Seto offered once more, his sabers from his waist unfastened as he still let them hang there with both his hands open and free.

The void brings fear yes, but it also drives me further ahead. I wonder what fear does for you. Seto though admitted that he too wanted this to end without blood loss, and preferably with the same number of limbs he walked in with to remain attached. Just need to wait for my droid to give me the signal.

"Though if you plan to raise your weapon in my direction, do grant me the privilege of knowing your name."

 

[Hansen]

Arnor of Eshan
Hoth Surface, Abandoned First Imperial Warehouse

Arnor's gray spheres narrow slightly as Seto approaches closer, searching keenly for shatterpoints through the force as a warning against sudden changes in the young man's intention although they are left disappointed. Could it truly be that this Agent of the First Order sought not their head just yet? His comment about the pragmatic nature of the First Order's nature draws a concealed scrowl. "Pragmatic, Is that how you would describe the slavery on Mustafar?" Recalling those images of Mustafar's mining facility that cirulated in the darker corners within holonet; one of men and woman being worked down to the bone manufacturing armour and weapons for the order. "Do your words come from Ignorance of Deceit, I wonder? Yet my intuition leans towards the former, it's now a well-known fact your Order's headquarters resides somewhere on Mustafar child of Sieger."

The armoured figure couldn't help but release a respectful 'hmph' after the young man acknowledged his fear, it took a level of strength to recognize and overcome such a thing. Arnor drops left arm over abdomen and returns a dignified bow that smacked of some noble character rising they stand with an equal pride and posture to Seto. Arnor's keen gaze watches Seto's posture and limb movement attentively, their instincts carry them back a pace to maintain sufficient distance which might permit them to react sensing a level of treachery from the young man's intentions. "Never shall I meekly surrender to the students of Sieger and his Philosophy drawn of Bogan, not when my mind knows what will await me even though you try and fail to deceive me." Arnor's hands find themselves moving atop the hilts of the two blades fastened around waist, taking another pace rearwards away from Seto as if some gentlemanly warning.

"I believe our due conflict is thus fated by the Force, mine name is 'Arnor' and now we must dance to the orchestra of the Cosmos." Pausing for a moment they offer a nod with their black helmet towards Seto with a gracious nobility. "So it must begin." That Cutlass is drawn in a steady motion with right hand, its' blade's length engulfed in a hot fire that radiates powerfully throughout the warehouse illuminating its' dreary interior releasing some gentle song through the force's twists and skeins. Arnor's dagger is produced from its' leather sheath in left-hand its' blade length glowing like the moon the edge giving out a rattle that reverberates for a moment; evidently constructed from some exquisite or exotic metal a tell-tale sign that Arnor, Seto's ostensible opponent was neither inexperienced nor impoverished enough to concern any novice force wielder that one blade was obviously imbued with the force itself and that short dagger constructed from Songsteel.

"Know this; if nothing else this much is true. You and I are slaves to the force's will both delude yourself not child with contrary ideas it is the fate of all who can feel it's touch and feel that embrace you do."

[member="Seto Du Couteau"]

 

[Seto Du Couteau]

Seto Du Couteau, Ren
Equipment: FO-07K Multi-purpose Assault Armor (Snow Variant)
Location: Abandon Warehouse
Objective: Chase down Antarian Rangers (Along with any Sympathizers)
Engaging: [member="Aira"]

​

Seto bowed his head in respect as Arnor provided Seto with a name before their engagement. The young Du Couteau raised his sabers into his open hands, each finger slowly wrapped themselves around the hilt, as though his thumb brushed its activator he paused for a moment. His eyes focused keenly on Arnor's blades and with another moment he ignited both Lightsabers. The emerald and ruby hue of his blades contrasted starkly on his white armor and Seto raised each blade into form.

"If I'm nothing but a marionette to be tugged along by strings, than I hope it tugs me along to a fun filled life." Seto commentated. "-So believe what you will, in the Force or the Cosmos or even in yourself. I only hope you learned to laugh at least once before you meet your end." He added, his body tensed and his legs ready to lunge. A coil ready to spring forward with deadly intent and fierce focused attacks.

"-It'd be shame to never experience joy at least once." After all, the Galaxy will always end up getting the Last Laugh.

Seto sprung forward, his charge aimed directly at Arnor, his focused the Force to imbue him with extra speed and power. For he intended to push his opponent off balanced and never cede the initiative until the end. His emerald blade slashed upwards as his ruby blade laid ready to block any potential counter or deliver one if the opening appears.

 

[Hansen]

Arnor of Eshan
Hoth Surface, Mountain Caves

Arnor watches Seto's body tense with their gray spheres behind the helmet's opaque polarised black lenses reflecting the light from her sword's fiery surface; the force flows through Arnor's body while Seto focused their youth passionately into their muscles Arnor relaxes and permits the universe's guide to possess every motion. "Death and violence engenders no joy or laughter to me, boy." Arnor sighs wearily, their young Quarry lunging forward brandishing a pair of lightsabers, the former Jedi Knight dodges the Emerald-burning blade in a deft leap backwards into the narrow ice cave before throwing a backhanded strike towards Seto's clavicle with the songsteel dagger clenched in left-hand and push the young man away at the end of her simmering Cutless, not thrusting it towards his breast to plant itself but merely tickle as a warning. Foolishly leaving an opportunity to riposte and strike at the Reinforced Duraplast covering their left ribs; their offence was far superior to their defence the legacy of training belonging to a less noble and selfless organisation.

Their stance unmistakably shifted into Form three, tactfully retreating into the narrow cave, Arnor places both blades between their body and Seto leaving little room to manuever but also little opportunity for the Master to retreat in proper. "You fight with the zeal of youth, admirable.....But mistaken. The rangers and I will escape and you shall have to face your masters with the weight of failure over your shoulders." Arnor's tone is dry and passionless a characteristic of somebody steeped in discipline and training despite whether or not Seto took the opportunity to land a strike on them; stepping back carefully towards a fork in the cave with both sides connected to the same destination although Arnor figured the duel's tempo could be better controlled by collapsing one. Their guard was nigh unbreakable and Arnor continues in their attempt to frustrate Seto and bait the young man into striking patiently waiting for the opportunity to push the boy away and seal one-side of the tunnel's path. Pausing at icy mouths Arnor stares towards the young Ren searching his feelings through the living force; the rest of the world was dead, icy and lifeless Seto's presence burned all the brighter.

Observing Seto's technique Arnor offers up a calm albeit brief critique "Your mastery of the Lightsaber for one so young is impressive....But what of the force, I wonder?" Seto might feel the sudden pull of energy around the armoured force wielder who produces a flash of preturnatural blinding light before offering a measured kick towards Seto's torso upon the earliest sign the burst of Ashla-energies caused the dark side wielder pain to be confronted with such a raw propulsion of his polar opposite; the light made manifest. Such a display would leave little doubt for the Inquisitor that Arnor possessed some kind of connection to a Jedi Order, but with the multitudes of them existing within the Galaxy the question might be begged 'Which one.' Their hesitance to violence was not consistent with a zealot, that much would be clear even to the soft of mind.

[member="Seto Du Couteau"]

 

[Seto Du Couteau]

Seto Du Couteau, Ren
Equipment: FO-07K Multi-purpose Assault Armor (Snow Variant)
Location: Abandon Warehouse
Objective: Chase down Antarian Rangers (Along with any Sympathizers)
Engaging: [member="Aira"]

​

Deflected, countered and Seto shoved his left forearm upwards to block Arnor's backhanded blade before he lunged forward once more to only meet air as his targeted backed further into the icy tunnel ahead of them. Seto narrowed his focus and flipped his left saber back and prepared once more to press his attack. Lead further in, prepare for pain. Seto ruthlessly tightened his grip around the hilts of his sabers pushed towards Arnor.

Eye for an Eye makes people realize this was the reason they had two eyes.

The blade, Arnor's Songsteel blade shone nicely but the larger blade kept Seto's own emerald blade from connecting his target. "I do not carry any weight on my shoulders, if failure is given to me today then I'll lay it at the feet of my betters." Seto chided as he readied himself once more to attack. He fought freely and without anger or fear of failure. Such weighty responsibility would only serve to slow his swings if such weight were to be carried on his shoulders.

Seto though realized he had erred far too late, the moment he used to express himself gave Arnor the opportunity distract the young Du Couteau. His helmet tinted quickly to block the extreme and sudden light, his blades swung inwardly to catch Arnor's kick but neither blade managed to land as Seto gritted his teeth. Pain exploded in his middle as he jumped backwards, finally he ended to urge to charge quickly to attack.

Pained breathe but his suit already registered the injury and slowly began to apply the needed pain killers and anti-swelling medication to the area of his front. The foot shaped pain pulsed for another moment before it dulled and Seto stood upright and now he pointed his emerald blade directly towards Arnor.

Seto released his ruby blade and with the Force it remained levitated next to him as he placed his left hand behind his back. Flashes of memory flooded him, old fencing lessons and painful reminders of failures and hard fought victories, but what truly mattered was his confidence of said victories.

"Tell me, is there a sense of pride whenever you execute your art?" Seto asked, his lips pulled into a grin as he focused the Force to have his ruby saber match his emerald saber perfectly. Seto lunged forward to pierce through Arnor's guard, but with a slight wrinkle as his Force possessed Ruby blade extended forward to force either Arnor to deflect or to jump further back.