Private A Pilgrimage of Blades

[Kaila Irons]

Location: Korriban, Kor'ethyr Academy
Wearing: Armor
Tag: Valaine Valentine

Anathemous walked with languid steps.

thump... thump... they were armored, heavy against the ancient stones of Korriban like the slow heartbeat of a giant.

War was coming to the Stygian Caldera, they'd spoken of it when she was summoned to Ziost for the war council. Now she took in the sights of Korriban for what may well be the last time. Golden eyes, aglow in the overcast lighting of that cold desert land, soaked in her surroundings unhurriedly, savoring the stone visage of Sith Lords and dark heroes from nearly 8,000 years prior, their stories told in runes carved into the very walls, and the foreboding in the air left by every Darth buried on this world.

She, once the youngest Darth of this youngest empire, was on pilgrimage.

Kor'ethyr academy was but one stop along that journey. It was not so much a holy place as the many ruins on this world but it served their divine cause nonetheless, training the next generation of Sith who would inherit what remained.

The young Darth was fully prepared to defend the Caldera for those yet to come, dressed in blackened steel and Exo-muscle wrapped around her bodyglove, a total of four lightsabers fastened to her belt in special sheathes. This was but the quiet before the storm, and she planned to be ready when it broke.

For now however she stopped in the lobby, taking in her surroundings as though it were the first time all over again.

Perhaps she would speak to Revna Marr , share some wine before the shooting starts.

But first, the academy awaited.

​

 

[Valaine Valentine]

It had been another typically dull day for Valaine at the academy. Amongst the other Acolytes there was whisper and rumour of war coming to the Caldera, but scarcely did anyone seem to tell these Acolytes anything, so the truth of it was blurred. And so taking a chance to get away from all the gossip Valaine decided to take a lengthier than usual walk through the halls of the academy.

With trudging steps and a slightly bent forward posture she walked forward, her grey eyes briefly glancing towards the walls and histories present within the ancient structure. Truthfully she didn't care for any of it, Sith doctrine hadn't yet embedded itself within her and so she was still very much just another orphan of Jutrand far from home.

She arrived in the lobby with a look of general disinterest, barely cognizant of the people around her. Her head turned to glance aside, and the distraction was just enough that she almost walked right into an armored figure. It startled her to realization with a gasp as she took a swift step back and offered an apologetic bow of her head, her dark long hair swaying with it.

Whilst bowed she noted the four sabers at the figure's belt, and her lack of awareness and general arrogance couldn't help but give voice to her thoughts, "Four...? Why do you need four...?". Her voice was soft and relatively lacking tone, just as disinterested as she always appeared to be. Though it seemed she had only realized she spoke her mind after the fact as her grey eyes widened slightly before glancing up towards the head of the armored figure.


Tags - Kaila Irons

 

[Kaila Irons]

Wearing: Armor
Tag: Valaine Valentine

Kaila noticed them before they saw her.

She didn't move though, expecting the encroaching life essence at the periphery of her preternatural senses to divert it's path around the dark lord, having grown used to her role as she who parted crowds like tides.

Golden eyes darted her way when this assumption proved incorrect.

The acolyte gasped, clearly taken aback by sudden awareness. Kaila beheld her in the corner of her vision, then slowly turned to examine. Bowing had been a good call, for it told the young Darth that this invasion of her space was not done so in challenge, even if the girl's comments were received with a raised brow.

"Hmh."

"I don't." she smiled faintly.

Her voice was soft, tragically young for one of her power and experience, but accented as typical of Sith.

"You could call me a... collector, of sorts."

"But they serve a purpose."

Kaila folded her arms behind her back, and without lifting a finger, each and every saber tugged free from her belt. They hovered there in gentle orbit, two of which bore matching components such as bladed emitters, while the others seemed to have nothing in common at all. She did not activate them, only alluded to their use in telekinetic display.

"There are many ways to wield them, some unorthodox."

Then one by one, they began returning to her belt, all while she kept a hawk-bat's eye on the girl.

"Have you interest in the arts of swordsmanship, Acolyte?"

​

 

[Valaine Valentine]

For a moment Valaine was caught off guard by the armored figure's voice, she wasn't expecting it to be quite so young, perhaps a much deeper and gruffer tone instead. Her grey eyes then widened slightly as the lightsabers were lifted from their sheathes and started to orbit the armored woman. For a moment she had a look on her face that simply read 'she's about to kill me for almost bumping into her'.

But relief was quick to replace such an expression when the weapons were placed back into their holsters. "Ah... A collector...?" she glanced down at her own person for a moment, she seemed to have only a training saber. "They're... plundered, then?" she asked as she looked back up. "I've been meaning to find my own one but..." she gave a light shake of her head as dark hair swished lightly behind her. "I've not had much luck."

All the while during this her somewhat annoying look and sound of disinterest persisted, but then came the question of swordplay and it seemed to catch her attention. "I'm not very talented when it comes to the Force, so yes. If I can be good at anything, I've decided to be good at that. But I've not gotten very far yet, sparring partners don't seem too common. You must be very good at though right? Considering your... collection? How many forms have you learnt? All of them?" she asked, already setting expectations on this woman she had just met.

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[Kaila Irons]

Wearing: Armor
Tag: Valaine Valentine

"Most of them." she nodded.

"Others contain plundered parts as well, upgraded over time."

To Anathemous there was no such thing as a completed saber, only acceptable functionality, carefully molded to suit the wielder's ever evolving needs. A hobby of sorts, or perhaps obsession.

The girl seemed to take similar interest, bringing a faint curl the Darth's lips.

Her reasoning was sound, receiving another nod from the blonde, although she hoped for the girl's sake that she kept trying to broaden her studies even if favoritism was inevitable. Mentioning the forms though, expectant or not, something like pride flickered in those golden eyes.

"All seven, plus a forgotten form or two."

"Though I find myself leaning on Forms Six and Seven most."

"I'm confident enough in my swordplay, I suppose." she chuckled slightly.

A glance was spared at a doorway somewhere ahead, the Sith's brows furrowing in thought as ideas and memories came to. In the end she nodded to herself as though coming to a decision, and turned back towards the acolyte.

"Walk with me." she gestured for her to follow.

"If memory serves, there is an arena in this academy, along the path of my pilgrimage."

"The war council believes that the imperials will strike the whole Caldera soon, and so war may come to Korriban if we do not stop them in time."

The thought brought a bitter frown to her face.

"I think it prudent then that our youngest Sith are prepared to defend themselves."

"Would you care for a spar?"

​

 

[Valaine Valentine]

Valaine seemed to take it as a note of arrogant pride that she guessed the armored woman had perfected all seven forms, the corner of her mouth lifting in a light smirk as a result. "Six and seven?" she repeated, "I can't imagine I'd be learning either any time soon. According to the mentors around here I barely have an understanding of the first form outside of the fundamentals." she huffed in light frustration. "But I've studied ahead a little, if only to get an idea of what I could learn later. I was thinking that the second and fifth forms seem interesting enough." she spoke as she followed after the woman.

"Oh, the rumours are true then?" she asked as she heard about the intent of the Imperials, trudging along slightly behind the armored woman as they made their way through ancient halls. "Perhaps they should have kept me on Jutrand, then. There's an academy there too..." she mused to herself quietly. "But... I'd gladly accept the chance to learn from someone so learned." she accepted, and while she was genuinely enthusiastic about it, that enthusiasm barely showed itself in her tone or movements.

After making their way through relatively quiet halls the two would soon arrive at the arena itself. A ring where countless aspiring acolytes for thousands of years either excelled or had their ambitions utterly crushed with little ceremony. But today perhaps the stakes wouldn't be so dire this time. "Were you an acolyte here on Korriban too? You remembered the way to the arena well enough."

Valaine, having made herself fairly familiar with this part of the academy since she arrived, was rather eager to go and take her place within it. She brought out the training saber that was at her hip and waited patiently for the armored figure to likewise take her place. The stance Valaine took was that of the first form, very basic and fundamental in the way she held her training saber with both hands pointed towards the other woman, but even in a combat-ready posture she looked half-hearted and lazy, and that thin body of hers, surely there'd be no strength in her limbs at all.

But there was an air of readiness to her, and she'd only ignite the training saber when her sparring partner was prepared to do the same.


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[Kaila Irons]

Wearing: Armor
Tag: Valaine Valentine

"No one expected the Blackwall to be breached. Though you are correct, Jutrand would have been less affected."

The young Darth frowned, for the impending war highlighted a critical error in her calculations; nowhere was safe. She'd have allow some risk in Tamsin's life, and wrestle with the fact that Revna may lose her kingdom before her own coronation. These were dark times, but perhaps an era of warriors too.

She glanced at the Acolyte in the corner of her eye, remembering today was about preparation.

Another glance was given to the arena as they entered, Anathemous drinking in the sight as her pace slowed, almost reverent. Things looked so different from down here, she could only imagine what it must've been like to duel on these grounds.

"Were you an acolyte here on Korriban too? You remembered the way to the arena well enough."

"No," she murmured, still lost in thought.

"My apprentice studied here briefly, while my duties kept me elsewhere at the time."

"I was trained privately, far, far away."

It was all she'd allude to of her own training without prompt.

Finally she turned, standing there in the dusty center of that great amphitheater, carefully studying the girl's stance as she readied for mock battle. Anathemous would tilt her head at the girl's stance, ready, but somehow lazy? confidant, perhaps.

She outstretched her hand and summoned forth a training sword from the sand, likely discarded by a defeated acolyte.

"Hm. your posture is good, but..."

Using the inactive blade, she nudged those lazy hands up just a little, a minor correction before they began.

"There we go, best to deny your opponent even that slight leverage."

Then she took a few steps back, entering a slight variation of the Form 1 stance, a more neutral guard that could transition into defensive or aggressive posture depending on her needs, perhaps even into a Form 5 stance so she could teach the girl her desired forms.

"Strike me when ready, I want to see what I'm working with."

Her features steeled as the blade crackled to life.

​

 

[Valaine Valentine]

Valaine tilted her head lightly at her words, "You have an apprentice? This must be pretty routine for you then." she spoke as, just at that moment, her lazy stance was corrected slightly as her hands were nudged up just a little more. She glanced down at the adjustment before looking back towards the armored woman.

When she noted that her sparring partner had adopted a stance, and given her the instruction to strike, she ignited her training saber. At first her movements seemed cautious, almost as if for a few seconds she was deciding on her approach. When she appeared more confident she moved forward, steady and paced, but again seeming to exude that half-hearted nature of hers.

The first few strikes she made seemed to be very typical when it comes to Form 1, like she was practically reading the instructions in her head, and so it seemed almost like a formality. Her strikes weren't especially fast, or powerful, but more testing and inspecting the defense of her foe. This girl wasn't keen on just throwing herself into the fire with everything she had immediately, and it was rather obvious. Her form, at least with these first few initial strikes, seemed about right or what might be expected of an Acolyte.

"Will they make us fight the Imperials?" she asked after the first three greeting strikes, though she didn't seem particularly concerned about the question she had asked, and it seemed she was preparing now to defend against retaliation.


Tags - Kaila Irons

 

[Kaila Irons]

Wearing: Armor
Tag: Valaine Valentine

Left, right, center, she parried each blow rather than passively block.

There was a surprising weight and strength behind her defense, not only in the Exo-muscle along her arms, but something beneath, as though there was more than flesh and bone in the sith lord's body.

All the while her eyes followed the girl's saber and footwork both.

So far the acolyte's skills felt painfully average, like she was fighting a young padawan.

Her brows furrowed. Kaila had a theory, but she wouldn't assume just yet.

"Will they make us fight the Imperials?"

"They might." she said solemnly.

"Usually an acolyte is prepared to kill long before they are sent to battle, but we've never faced an invasion of this scale."

The whole Caldera threatened, it still shocked her, and the war hadn't even begun.

"The king of Korriban is sending his fleets to the frontline, I cannot say if you will remain here or deploy with them."

But the thought drew determination from her core, Exo-muscle coiling and gloves straining around her weapon as the young Darth once more assumed her stance. This was her duty, she felt, not just creating a weapon to wield against her enemy.

"That is why you must give it your all."

She swung almost soon as the words fell from her lips, twirling her saber in a spinning slash from below, motion designed to mislead and build momentum.

On her third swing she lifted high above her head, sending the blade crashing down from the opposite side as she channeled telekinesis into her blade, causing it to fall with alarming speed and force that could crush defenses and split foes.

It was a staple of Form Five.

​

 

[Valaine Valentine]

So far the atmosphere seemed rather lax in general, able to still converse rather casually amidst the spar. Valaine continued to follow the motions as her strikes were parried. "Prepared to kill? Sure, but... Ready to fight? Mm, I think I'd get carved up as I am right now..." she answered as she maintained her form. There were errors here and there in her posture still that were clear to see.

With each of her strikes parried she could feel the strength behind the armored woman's defense, like water crashing up against a solid wall that didn't move an inch.

Valaine saw that the Darth was preparing a strike of her own and so she readied to defend. For the first and second strikes it seemed the girl was more keen on evading rather than trying to meet them with her own blade, and she did so with an uncanny agility. While she still seemed relatively sluggish, those evasions appeared to allow just enough distance to avoid getting tagged by mere inches, like she tried to perform the bare minimum to avoid them.

Despite this lazy form of defense however it too was not perfect. After the second dodge she had stepped to her side as her sparring partner's blade swung up and for a moment she lost her footing and practically tripped up on her own ankle. Feeling that she wouldn't be able to avoid the third blow she brought up her blade to parry it as a last resort.

The strike from the armored woman had enough strength behind it to crush through the parry which sent Valaine sprawling backwards from the blow as she entirely lost her balance this time. She was swift to try and correct her embarrassing blunder as she scrambled back a few paces and stood up to her feet once more.

Her face seemed flustered with humility for a moment and her form straightened properly as she took this chance to mentally reset, as if the blow had all but forced her to start taking the spar more seriously. Perhaps in a bid of frustration she made the first strike this time; stepping forward to deliver an overhead strike. Unlike her previous attempts this one had an almost alarming speed to it in comparison to how she had performed earlier, and the strength behind it was far more than what this frail girl should be capable of, bordering on unnatural.

The armored woman had been shown a display of strength and it appeared that Valaine wished to return it, and though doubtful she'd make as much impact, she at least wanted the Darth to know what she was actually capable of this time.


Tags - Kaila Irons

 

[Kaila Irons]

Wearing: Armor
Tag: Valaine Valentine

"Hmh. perhaps." she replied, watching the girl scramble in the dirt.

"But loss is an effective, albeit cruel teacher."

Seeing the expression on her face pleased Kaila, the acolyte looked as if she were taking this seriously now. Good. The enemy would do more than knock her down if she underestimated them. Her eyes narrowed in appraisal.

They widened the barest inch as Valaine cleared quickly cleared the distance.

She brought her blade up to intercept, elbows bent under the power of such a blow before the Exo-muscle held firm. Suddenly the sith lord was taking this more seriously as well, her battle with Kasir Dorran flashing before her eyes. In the split second their blades clashed and crackled, Kaila made an educated guess that this supernatural strength could outdo her in a bind, forgetting a moment that her own strength had tripled since that fight.

Her back foot slid an arc through the sand as she stepped aside and twisted into a winding strike, meant to turn the Sangnir's strength against her in a decapitating counterstrike.

Or it could have, in a real battle.

Whether it struck or not, she quickly found herself backpedaling a short distance.

"...I've seen that strength before..." she breathed, almost questioningly.

​

 

[Valaine Valentine]

When their sabers clashed Valaine thought for a moment that she had the upper-hand in terms of strength until that Exo-muscle kicked in and suddenly halted any advantage she felt she had. Despite that she still tried her luck, applying more pressure, and perhaps fully revealing the extent of her unnatural strength.

All to her error of course as the armored woman shifted into her winding strike. Valaine's strength was diverted, practically sliding straight off her opponent's blade as the counter strike came right towards her. At first Valaine held an expression of surprise before it quickly shifted into wide-eyed panic as she threw herself back to try and avoid the hit.

She leaned her head back as the tip of the training saber barely missed her neck. Leaning so far back caused her to lose balance and she stumbled and fell back onto the sand once more. After a sigh of relief she reached a hand to her neck as if checking for injuries briefly before she looked back up to the Darth.

"Y-... You caught me by surprise." she stammered for a moment before she climbed back up to her feet, she appeared more hesitant now. "... Could you teach me that move?" she asked as she seemingly tried to mimic the armored woman's stance. Poorly.


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[Kaila Irons]

Wearing: Armor
Tag: Valaine Valentine

Kaila took a few steadying breaths.

"Sure," she nodded "If you tell me how you became so strong."

Only when she was certain the acolyte would not strike again did she lower her guard, walking to her side so that they were both facing the same direction. Her blade was brought up in the same defensive posture, waiting for the acolyte to match her footwork.

"You don't look like a cyborg. And I've fought but one sith with that sort of strength."

Her tone seemed concerned, almost like she'd seen something she hadn't expected to ever see again.

Finally she bent her knee, pushing the blade forward just a little as though fending off another blow. Like last time, but slow enough to teach, she brought her back leg around and twisted her body to turn, whilst winding her wrists level with her outstretching arm, twisting her blade into a thrust.

"It is called a winding strike," she explained.

"A counter attack to thrust or cut. Especially effective against a vertical strike."

She repeated the motion a few times, each one a little faster than the last.

"You might encounter it among practitioners of both forms Five and Seven. Five because you can put a lot of force behind the cut, Seven because it is an art of deception as much as aggression."

​

 

[Valaine Valentine]

Valaine did her best to mirror the armored woman's form as she joined at her side and it seemed a good enough copy. "I don't really know how it happened myself." she began as she continued to mimic the movements demonstrated as she bent her knee slightly as she held her training saber up against an imaginary foe in defense.

"I was attacked some few years ago on Jutrand, it was a woman. She killed a... friend of mine, and then she came for me." she spoke as the memory seemed to cause her some minor distress as she recalled it. Like the armored figure she then brought her back leg around and twisted herself into a turn. She performed the maneuver in a slow but accurate manner.

"I don't really... remember what happened to me. The days after it, or maybe it was weeks, sort of blurred into nothing. But ever since then I've been stronger, and faster, and I can heal small wounds quickly." She continued to practice the motion a few more times, each one a little faster and a little more confident. "It wasn't all good though. There's this agony within me, it worsens over time, can become unbearable, and... I discovered the only thing that makes the pain go away is blood. Don't ask me how I learnt that..." she huffed softly as she performed another winding strike.

She paused to glance down at her training saber for a moment and then turned her grey eyes back to the armored figure. "Does it sound familiar to you?"


Tags - Kaila Irons

 

[Kaila Irons]

Wearing: Armor
Tag: Valaine Valentine

Kaila paused, giving her a concerned glance.

So she is an amnesiac too? The thought—and story caused the Sith to lower her sword, studying the girl.

Every piece of the puzzle painted a deeper, more bitter frown on her freckled face, every twitch of her lip alluding to a familiar memory better left forgotten.

"Does it sound familiar to you?"

"...Intimately..." she muttered.

Anathemous thrust her sword into the dirt, leaning on it while she gazed at the dusted sky above the arena. This sounded too much like what Kirie had gone through, even if a little different. She wasn't the only case, however.

"There is a place..." she began after some time.

"It is called "The Academy of Illogical Logic", on the dead planet Yalara."

"Seek out the retired Sith-General named Darth Keres, who is master of that place. She will know more."

The young Darth spoke that name with morbid reverence.

"Recognizing the shapeshifter would be an impossible task. Tell the cultists you were sent by Darth Anathemous."

"But be very respectful. Keres is not a woman to be trifled with." she warned, giving her a narrow, sidelong glance.

A beat passed as she huffed, gaze turned skyward again. If only there were another option, but she couldn't think of anyone else she knew by name nor where to find them.

"She saved a companion of mine, once. Her blood bestowed miraculous healing upon them, for a price."

"They called her... Sangnir..."

Finally she turned to face her fully, giving a curious squint.

"Do you bear the fang as well?"

​

 

[Valaine Valentine]

Valaine's stance slackened somewhat as the armored woman seemed to do the same, watching and studying her with the typical tired disinterest that her eyes so often displayed. She listened to the words of the Darth and something akin to familiarity seemed to strike the girl as she tilted her head curiously. "I've heard mention of an old academy of sorts, its headmistress consumes body and soul. Though the name I heard was different... Lady Noctua I think she called her... Is it the same person?" she asked.

She offered a nod at the warning given. Respect wasn't really Valaine's strong suit, she had a bad habit of getting too casual and blunt with people the longer she talked to them, even if they could potentially kill her in an instant over it. A certain masked woman came to mind.

"Sangnir...?" she asked, it was a word she'd never heard before, but a question burned in her thoughts. "This friend of yours, what was the price? What happened to them?"

When asked if she likewise had fangs then Valaine would simply open her mouth to display two relatively short fangs, shorter than those of most Sangnir, but fangs they were indeed. After she closed her mouth she sighed softly, "Honestly I don't even remember them growing... But it's not the strangest thing I guess. I can see..." she gestured towards Kaila loosely. "Well, heat. Bright reds, oranges, yellows and whites. Shades of blues and darker for cold. It did something to my eyes." She then gestured towards the training saber in her hand. "These are blinding, sometimes."


Tags - Kaila Irons