A duel in the sand

[Dar Moraal]

Dar glanced back at [member="Vega the Chaos Mage"] and activated his lightsaber. "What you call "making a mess" I call artistic expression" He began to pace and glared at her giving her a taste of his hateful predatory aura

 

[Vega the Chaos Mage]

Vega exhaled a derisive scoff to his reply, taking an acknowledgement in his aura as she stepped over the mess to line herself with him. They shared a fair few meters between them, but of course that wasn't entirely beneficial to both parties. Here stood two Sith, both trained to a fair level of understanding in the force and arts with a lightsaber. Sure neither were a master under this faction of the force, but they knew how to do things which were considered to be quite. . . unnatural. But that, right there, was what Vega called art. The dark arts of the force held a beautiful and powerful energy, just begging to be tampered with.

"Perhaps you may think that of your actions, but it is a matter of debate. A point of view, if you may. But you didn't come here to debate with me - did you? You came to demonstrate your skills as a Sith - just like me. However, one must demonstrate their use with a lightsaber before presenting their talents in the force. Wouldn't you agree?" Vega replied, maneuvering the luminous purple 'saber before her to loosen up her wrist. She'd need it.

[member="Dar Moraal"]

 

[Dar Moraal]

Dar chuckled. "Isn't witty debate a useful skill to have?" He took an agressive stance then grabbed her leg with the force followed by him lunging at her saber raised for a powerful but accurate strike for the throat. He would take no half measures with this one. Roaring mid-air like a feral beast he also hurled a couple small rocks at her face to distract her. Honor has no meaning to him.
[member="Vega the Chaos Mage"]

 

[Vega the Chaos Mage]

Had it not been for his attempt to take away the control she had over her leg, Vega would have calmly replied. But he wanted to get down to business by the looks of it, so she was happy to contribute to the cause. After all, that's why she was here, wasn't she? She wanted to train against a Sith, so here stood her grand opportunity.

Vega only allowed the control of her leg to stretch so far before she counteracted. The pull of her leg dragged her only halfway towards the intended destination before she motioned her hand towards her leg, tapping into her own talents over the force to create an outburst from it great enough to sever the ties he had on her limb. She was no puppet of his, be this training or not. From there she proceeded to duck and dive through the hurling rubble he sent her way before her hand stretched forth before her incoming attacker. She only waited so long before retaliating once again with the force. Only when he was a mere few feet away did she act, erupting three luminous strikes of lightning from her scorched fingertips to a now closer Sith opponent. His allowing himself to draw close to her gave her the logical and beneficial advantage to strike him with her attack, sending him skidding back to where he previously stood to create some distance between them. The bolts should have at least burned him at the range he decided to put himself between her, but that was all she accepted. A few strikes of lightning weren't enough to kill a Sith. That power fell under their category, for a start.

"So - I take it your honor with a lightsaber has no meaning, fellow Sith. Is it fear that resides in you?" Vega tauntingly replied.

[member="Dar Moraal"]

 

[Dar Moraal]

His armored suit needed to be modified. The lightening had more effect on it than he cared to admit. His voice modifier gone she could hear his drawn out raspy breathes and his deep baritone yet slightly wheezy voice say "No it is cunning, using all available resources to your advantage. I needn't fear for death it is an inevitability and thus fear is foolish." He then relied on his superior crushing ability and crushed the ground beneath her leaving a shallow depression. He then hurled not pebbles this time but boulders. This was followed by him taking a more defensive stance.
[member="Vega the Chaos Mage"]

 

[Vega the Chaos Mage]

Vega acknowledged the raspy breaths he exhaled; and while she considered this training, her intentions were not to kill him. After all, they were fighting for the same cause in one way or the other. Even if they executed it differently it still led down the same path. The path of the all and powerful Sith themselves. Nevertheless, he appeared to be fine considering he was hurling boulders towards her physique, along with grinding the ground beneath her feet.

As a result, Vega fell within the crater crafted by his crushing of the ground. It wasn't deep, but it allowed her enough space to duck down and avoid the boulders as they soared passed her. Once they flew by though, she shot up, stretching her hand behind her to tamper with the force in order to return it towards its original trajectory: [member="Dar Moraal"] himself. While that hurled itself towards him, Vega sprung out of the crater, touching down among the top of the boulder with her 'saber maneuvering before her to ignite sparks from the boulder. That way as it drew closer, the sparks would flare up, creating a luminous spray to hide her being. From behind those flaring sparks erupted another outburst of lightning to challenge the fellow Sith.

 

[Dar Moraal]

Dar was pleased. She would be difficult to defeat. He was about to let the boulder hit him he sensed her behind it. Leaping back to a safe distance he then crushed the boulder in front of her and gathered the dirt and sand around him and her to create a cloud of sorts. The lightening only grazed his shoulder this time but it still incited him to grunt and the scent of burnt flesh wafted into the air. He retreated deeper into the dust cloud and closed his eyes. He'd rely on his force sight from here on out.
[member="Vega the Chaos Mage"]

 

[Vega the Chaos Mage]

Vega flipped back her physique to touch down among the ground once she felt the boulder begin to crumble beneath her feet. She landed safely; however, now blinded by the resulting dust caused by the crumbling of the boulder, she withdrew her lightsaber considering it was no longer beneficial to her. Perhaps her sight was blinded, but through that her sensory of the force only grew. Expanded in order to compensate now she was a sense down. But you know the saying: when one sense dies, the rest only go stronger. This was perfect. Just what she needed in order to expand her powers and knowledge over the force.

Vega lowered her arms down by her sides for the moment, sealing purple hues behind scorched lids as she concentrated on her the fellow Sith resided in this cloud of dust. She used it to her benefit; an expansion of her being, feeling its roughness as well as smoothness like one was grazing a hand over the flesh. Through that, she could feel when the Sith moved, disrupting this extension of her body through the art of the force. All she chose to do from there await a closer approach from him before retaliating.

[member="Dar Moraal"]

 

[Dar Moraal]

Dar thought back to his lessons with his master. He shouldn't let his suit bring him down. Sensing her he Gathered all his hate and rage. He let it flow to his arm and out his fingertips. It manifested as lightening and struck where he sensed her aura. It caused untold damage to his medical armor, but he wouldn't be weak. He then traded out his curved saber for his saberstaff. Activated it he lunged at her aura blade raised for a powerful strike.
[member="Vega the Chaos Mage"]

 

[Vega the Chaos Mage]

Yes - Vega could feel it; the hate, the anger, the power growing within his physique. She could feel it all burning inside him. If she wasn't familiar with the force herself, she would have been overwhelmed by it. The dark arts of the force were powerful. Too powerful for any lesser individual to bare. They'd never be set free by her glory, only enslaved by it.

Vega remained exactly where she was until the time was right. She could feel his being shifting in the dust, drawing closer as the.ignition of the 'Saber alerted her senses. The generated heat warmed her scorched flesh. A feeling she'd never forget. Once she felt and heard the blade hurling through the dust, Vega motioned her wrist clockwise, summing the luminous blade of her own weapon to clash with his own. That one clash from both parties was enough to purify the air of the dust, giving them both a sight of one another now purple hues were free from burnt lids. Vega smiled, keeping her weapon pressed against his. She leant against her weapon to pressurise the fellow Sith to step back one foot at a time. This was what she needed. At least a fraction of it.

“I sense hatred in your heart, [member="Dar Moraal"]. It gives you this strength to challenge me. But I also sense it clouds your judgement. Perhaps bring back a memory which carries pain. We can learn from one another, fellow Sith. Through this conflict we can learn from our mistakes. A mistake such as lowering your defenses-” Vega left no time for a response once her words were exhaled. With her free arm, she slammed it forward, using an outburst summoned by the arts of the force to push back the Sith before her. From there her weapon danced before her being, swinging from side to side as her fingers burned with lightning converted into the swinging weapon. That way she could hurl the lightning with every motion of her weapon, electrifying the one dust-filled air which clouded their sight.

 

[Dar Moraal]

Dar smiled. Taking his memories he twisted them until he could use them. Kindling to light the inferno that is his rage. Knowing the pain would be tremendous he decided to test a theory of his. Instead of pouring his hate and rage down an arm to create lightening, he would use entire body. A massive conduit for his rage. It might kill him but....In the pursuit of knowledge the reward out weighed the risk. Taking the twisted memories and the pain and hate they generate, he forced them out his core and through his body. Lightening licked at him and crackled before bursting out of his body like a raging storm. The pain was as tremendous as he'd expected. It left half his helmet destroyed and his face exposed. Not much of a face. It was scared and burnt beyond recognition. He fell to his knee and let the lightening course through him. A few minutes of this and he might pass out. But when he becomes powerful enough He will master this technique. Right now of course it might just hurt him more then her. "You will not best me," he said calmly despite the situation. "I can see you better in this dust then without it. Allowing me to see you as no other being can. Here is my advice to you. Treasure this ability. Never take it for granted."

 

[Vega the Chaos Mage]

Despite this unbalanced charge of erupted lightning manifested from the negative emotions of this [member="Dar Moraal"], Vega never resulted to stopping the dance of her blade. At the moment, it was the only way she could counter this atmospheric storm he'd gone and created, now that it coincided with her own manifestation of the dark arts of the force. The two didn't bond; they were both negative sides of the force, creating the same charge of unbalanced energy which now tainted this sandy scenery. Positive and negative sides of the force - they had a way of challenging one another, being two sides of one energetic source. But what these two Sith were doing - it wasn't natural. The two weren't supposed to challenge each other in such a way. Vega knew that, but it was necessary in her opinion. The light side of the force was weak, limited to only a handful of capabilities. But the dark side? It appeared it had no boundaries.

Vega eventually realized it wasn't safe to linger where she was. As a result, she pressed against her weapon before swinging it horizontally before her chest to sweep away what lightning attempted to corrupt her. From there she dropped her hand down alongside her hip. curling her fingers to influence the force to the point it split the ground beneath her feet. The split circled through the ground around her being before Vega lifted it to levitate at a higher altitude in order to escape the storm this Sith had summoned. From up there she could see what it done to him, along with witnessing his wounds. Idiot, he was going to get himself killed. "Perhaps, but right now it serves you in no beneficial way. By the looks of things down there, you are corrupting yourself in order to manifest this chaotic outburst of the force. It's consuming you in order to manifest, which means there is no mastery - yet. You have the potential, but keep this up and you will die a worthless death not fit for one with the Sith. One with the dark side of the force."

 

[Dar Moraal]

Dar looked up weakly. "Death is an illusion. A construct created by our own minds. What is a meaningful death worth? Nothing for we all "die". A meaningful death in a thousand years will mean nothing and will not matter. Thus your taunt is meaningless to me." Dar stood up shakily but steadily. "Why is everyone so concerned with death? It doesn't matter. It is inevitable. Death's cold grip eventually grasps all. It doesn't care if your death was "meaningful". Even this discussion is worthless we came here to duel not discuss philosophy." He knew he was weak at the moment. But his lightening wasn't. He concentrated and used his will to direct it up at her. Not to kill for that was not their purpose here. "I have one last point to make" he yells as his lightening zooms at her "The sith and Jedi are the same. They lie to themselves saying that one way is better. But really lets not lie to each other. The force is a tool. It doesn't matter if the tool is painted white or black for it still is the same. A means to an end"
[member="Vega the Chaos Mage"]

 

[Vega the Chaos Mage]

Vega knew he was right to some extent. The force was in fact merely a tool. However it was manifested, it still came from the same source. Two sides of the same coin. But the female Sith didn't have time to dwell on the matter. The erupted.lightning coming her way was going to smash apart that wedge of rubble she used to elevate her, whether she countered it or not. The strength in it was strong. Too strong for the rubble to evade the inevitable, at least. Vega leapt into the air, elevating herself through the outburst caused by his lightning. It sent her higher than she intended, but with a quick flip, she maneuvered herself to touch down a few metres behind [member="Dar Moraal"] before turning on her heels to face him. She could have gone to attack, but not just yet. Let the talk occur first instead of coinciding conflict and speech.

“Death of a vessel is inevitable. Death of a consciousness does not exist. I've witnessed the ghosts manifested by the force. They can do nothing but talk through their ethereal state. I for one refuse to be another statistic to that. Through great knowledge comes to key into the kingdom of eternity. If one is to remain physical forever, one must gain knowledge. Knowledge I came here to expand. But what of your desire. Why come here to weaken yourself in such a way?” Vega expected that last question to come across as rhetorical, seeing as she acted immediately after saying it. The Sith lifted her luminous blade before her, maneuvering it from side to side as she repeated an earlier action of channeling her bolts of lightning through her lightsaber to hurl towards the fellow Sith with every swing. “There is much power to be discovered, fellow Sith. Power to evade such a catastrophe of eternal death.”

 

[Dar Moraal]

"You have not listened to me. Death is a construct. Those spirits of yours cannot be destroyed but they can leave. Most beings leave immediately at the time of their death for they are not as strong in the force. Where they leave to doesn't matter. And as for why I am here? Knowledge just like you. But the difference between you and me is I value knowledge over my life. That may be foolish or stupid to some but it is my ideology. Knowledge Is everything in this universe. Trillions of beings everywhere always changing except for one constant. They exchange information and knowledge. I simply wish to have more knowledge no matter the cost. Why I am telling you this I have no idea for I care not for your opinion on it." Seeing the lightening he activates his saber and uses the force to speed up his movements and his mastery of Echani to evade and defend from her offensive.
[member="Vega the Chaos Mage"]

 

[Vega the Chaos Mage]

Vega stopped the motion of her 'saber once baring witness to his evasion of her strikes. She did listen to him, but his words were contradictory. How can one value their life when they were exhausting what appeared to be their life-dependent armor just to perform an art of the force? Vega didn't care, though. He was alive enough to still talk, so that's all that mattered right there and then. "Whatever. If that is what you believe then you continue to do so. This discussion is merely a matter of debate. A debate from two different points of view. But you seek knowledge - as do I. Perhaps we can benefit from one another in a way other than just hearing one another's opinions." Vega paused, withdrawing her 'saber into the hilt for the time being. I have Cortosis; seven crates of the material, to be exact. Your armor can benefit from the material; make you far more resistant to the attacks it has endured. Come with me to my sanctuary. I can provide the defensive material you need, and in exchange you simply do me one favor. A favor which can benefit both parties." The Sith added, folding her arms over her chest for the time being, lightsaber still in her grasp. Oh, she still wanted to continue this session they had, but she wanted to know if he was willing to accompany her after it.

[member="Dar Moraal"]

 

[Dar Moraal]

Dar holstered his sabers. "I am willing to acompany you" he walked a distance and retrieved his cloak and donned it. "However if this is a ploy I'll make sure my dying breath is used to order the bombardment of your "Sanctuary"." He tapped his wrist to demonstrate. Not sure of her he kept his hands on his sabers. The pain of the battle was being lessoned as he used his rage to strengthen him, not to battle just to walk. "I have no need of the material you describe as I have the resources necessary but I am intrigued by the "favor" of yours" He gave her a predatory glare. Sure she could see it because of his half mashed mask but he honestly didn't care. Now he just realized there are a lot of things he doesn't care about. Like the one sith for instance. They are doomed to fall. As all sith have throughout history they will be defeated and dispersed. Why most sith seem to ignore this historical pattern astounds him. They are way too sure of their abilities.


[member="Vega the Chaos Mage"]

 

[Vega the Chaos Mage]

Vega frowned the sight of his glare upon her. For a moment she suspected he was going to do some surprise attack; however, he withdrew his weapon, and his face was exposed. Huh, it looked like he suffered the same fate as Lord Vader. Vega never encountered the Sith, but she'd heard stories of a burnt man/machine that dwelled under the obscure armor of his. "Yes - a favor." Vega replied. "There are resources out there which I desire; they mostly consist of weaponry used by this 'First Order'. I'd like to get my hands entangled within its technological advances. In return, you can have your half of the loot, but we can talk about that at the sanctuary. But first-" The sith added, unfolding her arms, 'saber hilt still lingering within her grasp. "Are we done here, or do you wish to proceed to my sanctuary? I have no desire to double cross you. So far you have benefited me well in this little session of ours. Through it I've accustomed myself to higher expectations, and also knowledge. Knowledge on how one can pull the strings of negative emotions to erupt fierce things from the force."

[member="Dar Moraal"]

 

[Dar Moraal]

"Sanctuary" He didn't want to waste any time with it. He had business to do and the longer they waited the more this got in the way of that. He stood there like a statue waiting for her to procede. "Also according to the sith teachings a true sith would get it themselves unless to was a master putting a student on some kind of wild bantha chase."
[member="Vega the Chaos Mage"]

 

[Vega the Chaos Mage]

Vega hummed a laugh, flicking her wrist above her head in order to open the cockpit of her craft through the arts of the force. "Sith teachings say alot of things, but I don't believe any Sith abides by every single one of them. Probably while most are still alive." She went on to add before strapping the 'saber among her respective side. From there she turned around and proceeded to climbing into her craft before lowering the cockpit window. A few taps upon the terminal and she had his communications link within coinciding with her frequency. From over the link, she calmly added, "I take it you are bringing your own craft. Fire it up and we will be on our way."

[member="Dar Moraal"]