Private A Crucible of Methods

[Wrathian Kell]

Xian Xiao

Darth Vindex to few, Wrathian Kell to most of those he'd met on Bastion so far, was in the training arena deep in the mountain. Both of his sabers hummed in a deep crimson as he practiced his forms. One swing, then another, it was almost serpentine. Stance low, the droid in front of him swung in a diagonal arc. His first blade came back up intercepting the weapon, parrying it away, then second followed, a horizontal arch towards the droids midsection. He'd stopped just as the blade reached its side.

The Sith-born and the droid reset their stances. The motions were repeated, the droid sped up, and so did Wrathian. One saber deflected, the other struck outwards, stopping short of a debilitating blow each time. This continued for a while. He'd returned to the archives a few more times, though the result was the same. He'd need to prove himself even further to gain access. Such futility and waste of his time.

He'd even tried to use his force illusions on the guards, they usually came in physical alterations. The first was his round pupils turning elliptical like a serpents, and the facial tendrils that were typical of his species coming alive and grasping outwards. When that didn't work, typically his rage went further. Yet keeping good faith, he'd decided to hold back the eldritch horror that he'd used to intimidate some and break the minds of others.

Now he was here, meditating in his own way.

"Fight harder droid!" Even as the tone of his voice raised he did not yell. It was calming almost, unsettlingly so. His blades flashed, again and again, restraining his power every time he came within a micron of dismantling the mass of metal.

 

[Xian Xiao]

Lately, when Xian had been practicing her elemental abilities, she was alone in the arena. However, as she lugged a bucket of water with her today, she heard the hum of lightsabers in front of her. There were other areas she could go to, but it wasn't very often anybody was in this deep. Her curiosity was piqued, and she followed the noises.

For now, she watched him as he exercised and practiced against the droid. Her lightsaber training was very lacking, but she made up for it with other skills. She had focused on honing her elemental powers and relied on them far more than anything else.

The fact that his blades were red did not bother her, which might have said something about her opinion. Then again, maybe not. In a way, she was jealous of his skill. She wanted to be better and stronger; that was why she was here. Watching and maybe making a motion or two as she followed his movements, she wasn't trying to distract him.

Wrathian Kell thian

 

[Wrathian Kell]

Xian Xiao

Wrathian didn't halt at the presence. Not immediately, even though he felt it. There was an understanding that these training areas were large enough to house multiple groups of trainees. So he wasn't about to scold her for standing there. Every swing of his blade was fluid, smooth, lacking that typical Sith aggression. The sound of his sabers were cut by his golden facial piercings, ringing as they bounced between each of his movements. He tried to keep his composure.

Then after a few more interactions he blocked another blow, and halted the droids movement with a flick of his finger.

"Many stare as you do. Few often speak." His blades hissed as they shut off, his glance locked onto hers, and within it there was a weight. Regal, holy, and wholly tired of the events of this past week. Dromund Kaas and the childish imitation of the "Sith" he met there. His introductions to the Diarchs and their council. Some of whom he was still unsure about what regarded they held him in. Though, that was to be expected. All of it, loosing his wife, his home, his Empire- More importantly his designs to make the Sith more that marauders. It had started to rub a nerve. No. The nerve had been rubbed. He was ready to march on the Sith Order of today without another soul at his rear.

He was angry enough too. Quietly seething to put blade to flesh. To vent his frustration with the universe upon those who would pose like gods and wield the as some kind of show of darkness. But he knew better. He imagined it was in his abilities to take on a handful of the sith he'd met on the Sith planet. Even at one given time. But everyone in the plaza? That would be foolish. And he was no fool.

Instead he came here at the mention of the Diarchy hunting both Sith and Jedi. His intentions were to use them to reclaim his long lost throne. Yet in a sort of twist of fate, Wrathian quickly realized this might be exactly where he needs to be. Crown prince yes. but perhaps it was time to leave the moniker of Emperor of the Sith behind. Unlikely, they would still need someone to temper that fire, who better than a Pureblood from a time when the Sith were at the height of their power.

He fully faced her now.

"You tried to watch in silence." A subtle look of judgment crossed his face. "You need more practice." As his eyes found hers, that Illusion of his once again made its way into reality. His golden eyes radiating, suddenly retracted into elliptical slits. Reptilian, unnatural, quietly radiant. And as he watched her, the golden slits crawled down to the bucket in her hand. "Do you... intend to drink that?"

 

[Xian Xiao]

She didn't think she had gone unnoticed, but she didn't know she had been staring either. That was rude, and Xian tried her best not to be disrespectful. Noticing right away his skin was red, she had yet to see his front or face. When he turned around and judged her, her hackles rose slightly. She didn't lash out like she might have done a few years ago. Her temper was still something to reckon with, but this man didn't deserve to be attacked just for looking at her.

"I do need practice. I'm not even sure if my lightsaber works. I've never used it. I'm Xian Xiao."

Slowly walking in his direction, she stopped a few feet away from him and tipped her head in a slight bow. Not her body, though; she didn't go that far. Something about him indicated in her mind that she should have. Seeing his eyes changing didn't entirely bother her. Rellik's eyes did similar tricks, and she had been around him long enough to know that's just what they did.

"No, I'm an elementalist and was going to practice my water Shaping. Allow me to show you."

Setting the bucket down, she held her hand out in front of her and pulled the water out of it with the Force. Turning to face the deactivated practice droid, she flung small droplets of water at it and froze them as they flew. They struck the droid, denting the metallic frame.

"I planned to focus on my skills and learn better control over the water."

Allowing the water to fall back into the bucket, she motioned to his lightsabers.

"Can you teach me how to wield mine?"

Wrathian Kell

 

[Wrathian Kell]

Xian Xiao

His brow raised immediately at the mention of her never using her saber. A force wielder, a physical embodiment of power, and she never used her saber? How... intriguing. As a young Sith born the first things they are drilled in is saber combat, even as a species of force sensitives most were discouraged from using their abilities until they held a weapon first. Though perhaps that was to be expected, his species was not only different in culture from the nearly the rest of the galaxy, but he was practically a living fossil.

"You've never used your saber?" His head tilted to the side as he watched her set the bucket down. His name followed. "I am called Wrathian." As the water lifted out of the bucket he simply watched, he tucked his sabers into the front of his belt. His hands then grasped one another against the small of his back. He knew, in theory, manipulating the elements was possible. It was the same with lightning. Rage or righteous fury, depending on the individual, channeling the emotion into the finger tips could produce a brilliant burning flash consisting of a rainbow of color.

Water though was new to him. As the droplets froze, a smirk formed on his face. If it ever rained on Dromund Kaas, one capable of this could theoretically turn the planets weather into a falling sheet of blades.

The illusion came back. It was a subsciences reaction, happening primarily when he was intrigued, and while he could control it with enough focus, why do that? It had become a part of who he was.

As the water fell into the bucket, his finger came outwards, with a few swirls, His Force disrupted the surface tension, though not much else occurred. Disappointing, but expected.

"Can you teach me how to wield mine?"

He looked to Xian's saber. Was this what Wrathian had been reduced to? A mentor of saber forms? The tendrils on his face flicked about as his nose twitched with minor movement. He was displeased, though that was becoming quite common with his recent circumstances. "Hmm. How attuned to are you to the force? Can you trust your abilities enough to safely wield the blade?" He'd taught his fare share, but was never the type to willingly do so. However, with nothing better to do. He figured why not.

His hand went to his belt as he pulled a single of his two sabers free. "Arm yourself, tell me what you know. If you can not. Show me. Do what feels right."

 

[Xian Xiao]

Shaking her head as he asked in almost disbelief that she hadn't used her lightsaber. Watching as he tried to shape the water to his desire, Xian noticed he couldn't do it as well. Not quite smirking, she had a slight upturn at a corner of her mouth.

"It is good to meet you, Wrathian."

Once again, the illusion he had in his eyes did not bother the teen. His thoughts on what could be accomplished with her bending skills weren't thought of, either, as it wasn't in her nature.

"When I left the Jedi, I would have been considered a Padawan. "

Almost pausing at Jedi, her tone turned venomous at the word, but returned to normal after. If he paid attention, her feelings on that Order should be clear. Running her hand across the hilt for a moment, her movement was natural, and even if she hadn't used it before, there was an aptitude that showed she could and would easily learn.

"Diarch Rellik found me working and offered a spot for me here."

Tilting her head when she said, "Here." Xian looked at him as he spoke, and a sort of serenity came from her. Not like a Jedi but something else entirely. She didn't even know it. As he said, she should arm herself and show him what she knew. Nodding as she pulled her lightsaber from her belt, she ignited it. The pale blue hue shimmered between them.

Closing her eyes, unless he stopped her, she would begin by going through her old memories of the Forms from her days with the Jedi.

Wrathian Kell

 

[Wrathian Kell]

Xian Xiao

Her head shake prompted something refreshing for the Sith Lord. Wrathian demanded a few things of others. The knowledge of what leadership costed. The knowledge of the weight behind history. Or the knowledge of sacrifice. She however, had acknowledged her own short comings. Not something many are capable of, that was enough to garner at least some semblance of respect.

That was further reinforced by her tone of voice. It was just formal enough he felt at ease. Perhaps this would not be as boring as he'd imagined.

"A former Jedi then? You'd be the first I've met in this time. Perchance you can lend to me some knowledge of their order. As payment for the lessons?"

He'd known many a Jedi during his time. All but one from saber lock. His wife, though she'd been an odd specimen, and was far more progressive in her ideology than her peers.

The Xian's next words came fourth of her origins. Did she rise though merit alone, or perhaps fate. A concept he was beginning to believe in more in more since he arrived. Also a concept he was beginning to despise. Fate was the reason he was here. He'd curse it allowed and crush it under heel if he could. Though in Xian's case, perhaps it was talent. Her skill with water, and what he assumed were possibly the other elements would be more than enough to be reason for keeping this woman close.

"Hmm. This place, these people. They seem to attract strays. How endearing." Everyone he'd met up to this point seemed to fit that description. He was the lost son of a fallen empire. Most of the council had seemed to be of similar sorts, and everyone else he'd meet. Though the number was on the small side.

He watched as she meditated. This may prove more of a challenge than he realized. Not because she lacked talent though. No, she had the aptitude and the drive. But any forms of this day and age may be entirely foreign to him. Taking a few steps he spun his own saber hilt in his hand with the force. "From what I know the Jedi would have you meditate first? Try to avoid that. Lean on what you know yes..... Actually I suggest we do this practically, much how I learned."

He paused his theatrics, now holding his saber to his side. And with a flip of the switch the red crimson blade came to life in a Snap-Hiss. He glared at at her now. Meditation and talking would do nothing to help him gauge what she needed to learn. "First. If you lean more towards the light side. Then focus your drive towards me, your faith to be better. If you lean more to the dark. Get angry at me. Now come and attack. Do not hold back, I require to know your capabilities and limits before I can provide you with any helpful instruction."

Was this the best Idea? No, but he knew he was a far better duelist than most people. He could defend with more than ease, and it would give him the ability to see exactly what she knew. "Start with a simple diagonal strike, then go into anything you know. Remember, these are lightsabers not Beskad's. You don't need to wind up to drive through. One touch of the blade to skin is enough to maim."

 

[Xian Xiao]

"It's been a few years since I was with the Jedi, so my knowledge might be a bit old. I'd be happy to tell you about it, though. I'd like to know about you as well. Besides just a name."

Keeping her tone formal, there was no demand in it, and for the girl, she was far more polite than usual. Tilting her head, her hair followed her movement and fell to the side before she returned it to its normal upright position. If he asked any additional questions about her, Xian would answer readily and honestly.

Of course, Xian couldn't read his mind, but she could follow his thought processes a little.

"I wouldn't consider myself a stray. Before Rellik found me, I was working and I had a home. It wasn't what I was meant to be, though. This is what I am."

Using her Bending ability, she would send a blast of air past him and followed it with a fireball. Aiming for the targeting droid she had pelted with the ice before. The ground under it rose, and it toppled over.

"That is what I can do. I'm still weak with the water. Meditation isn't something I normally do. So you want me to attack you?"

Somehow, she doubted an attack she might do would get through. So as he instructed her, she would make the simple diagonal strike, and that would lead to a side slash.

Wrathian Kell

 

[Wrathian Kell]

Xian Xiao

Wrathian watched as his saber kept pointed towards the ground. It's harsh hum the background of her words. "Hmm I was more curious if they were the order I knew. Militant preachers. It matters little. I am sure I shall meet one of their ranks in the near future." Then Xian asked for the Sith to share more of his past. Should he measure his words here? Was there enough time to give a philosophical rebuttal? The words jabbed at his mind while she readied herself. "And what would you wish to know of? My sins, my childhood, or perhaps the state of my thoughts?"

She might not consider herself a stray. But for Wrathian, and perhaps by meaning it was true. One who moves aimlessly from a place of comfort. If Rellik had found her, so it was. Yet he didn't openly argue her point, just held onto that quiet gaze that made it clear something was going on in his head. "Something to be proud of then. You have clarity." For even if the woman was lost at the beginning, she was convinced this was now her place of belonging. His own gaze only breaking to quickly glance towards the dummy droid giving a partially raised eyebrow and voicing hmmph

If he'd had her during his war of succession there would be little to no doubt many of his people would have called her Sithspawn or perhaps SIth'ari. Titles on completely opposite sides of the spectrum. One was for abomination, the other for messiah. Wrathian only saw her as a person, with the ability to be directed towards a foe. Turning to her now, he nodded his head. "Yes. Attack me." His goal was to see how she moved. technique did little for a person as they got older. And while she still seemed young enough to learn, he'd need to see where she leaned naturally.

Effortlessly his saber came upwards at the opposite axis, hilt in the air tip of the saber downwards, intercepting the first strike. His eyes were not on her weapon, but her torso and legs. He watched as the next blow came from the side. His wrist simply letting his own saber fall so the blade was straight downwards. The two weapons clashed again.

His main goal was to see if she was tense or loose, how much aggression she swung with, and how stable her footing was. He would nod his head "Keep going." As their sparring went on, perhaps it was time for him to oblige her request. "Well I am a Sith Pureblood. I am not of the subspecies, but the primary caste. Wholly Sith in biology. Though perhaps not my beliefs. I was a young boy who'd just barely come of age and saw few battles towards the end of what people now seem to call the Great Hyperspace War. It ended. Life happened. I became the king of my people, and then I ended up here, now... somehow."