A Second Steps Forward

[Vaulkhar]

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Coruscant​

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To be honest, Vaulkhar hated Coruscant. He hated his early teenage years on the planet, studying within the Sith Academy that once adorned the planet. He hated serving the One Sith early on in his career as a force user on this planet. He hated the acrid scent that invaded his nostrils literally every single moment of existence upon this planet. But he was here anyway. Once again he was sent out by his master. With yet another tip off on an untrained, force sensitive life form, his master decided it was best he take on another student. And he sadly agreed, but he didn't realize it would involve traveling to Coruscant. But that's just part of the life.

His target was apparently a fan of the underground and darkness of various planets and was last sighted on Coruscant. It was said he was here on a job, possibly as an informant, or possibly as a means of a gathering information. He didn't know, nor did he care. Vaulkhar only intended on taking the man away from the planet in order to train him as an acolyte of the dark side. So now he traveled through the streets on the lower levels of the planning, talking to every shady figure with questions in regards to the man known as Drogh.

"Where is this man?"

The grumblings were eventually drowned out as he hummed to himself to help ascertain a piece of mind. With a deep breath, he enhanced his bubble of awareness. The clarity through the force allowed him to pick through the various life forms, searching for the one he was interested in. Not many were force sensitive, eventually he'd find him; as he was within the sector.

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

Drogh as always kept to the shadows, soft and slient, gentle and calm yet you can never trust shadows, the dark has mencing teeth always there to strike you when you least expect it. He had grown aware of this, he remembered the times he felt blood rush down his bare body by being stabbed by those knifes. He remembered the roaring burn of a blaster hit his soft pale skin, pain and fear is all that he knows, all that he trusts now.

Large clusters of those whom dwelled in the underground began to fester around like a horde of beasts and maggots. Disgusting Drogh felt, he always looked at them with sights of disgust and fear. The endless nights of the underground did not tire him. He hated the upper levels in the regard they made him felt tired, in the dark it was always a sythetic dark, a false night and under that false night he never had to sleep. The mindless droids and the only slighty more self aware sentient speices walk along the streets, shady people like him self fearing the false lights hide in the alleyways, avoidng the sights of many.

Drogh had Drogh always did, heard whispers, from those whom talked indirectly and directly to him, whispers, cursed whispers. Rarely have they ever been about him personally, what had he done to gain attention, whom and why did they send this man. Who and where was he, why, questions spinning though his mind as gear grasps his mind. First he needed to find this one, find him and watch him, then he could act.

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar continued to wander the lower levels of Coruscant, his disgust of the lower life forms that moved about the region becoming more apparent. Had he mentioned how much he hated Coruscant? The lower he went the more obnoxious the planet became. The scent took on a life of it's own, forcing it's essence into one's very being. The amount of debauchery was only on the rise, the lower he fell into the many districts. Why he agreed to come back to Coruscant still bothered him greatly. He wanted another apprentice, of that he was sure. But was it really worth it to find an apprentice through these means? It almost felt easier to kidnap and infant and raise it from day one. But that was talk for another time.

The blind man turned into a darker alleyway and moved in silence. He began to recognize the distract he was in almost immediately. He once called this very district home as he was nearing where the Sith Academy once was. The large apartment building he used to live in came into his view and moved within the doorway, heading into the higher levels of the building. He was interested in seeing what became of his once-home.

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

Drogh had kept his eyes about him, he wanted to know excatly where this man was. Where he could be and why he was after him. He had began to travel down in the alleyways, they were getting tighter and tighter, the more tighter it was, the heavier the air was, overpowered with fumes, it had a chemcial sick taste to it, yet he came almost addcited to the smell, after so many years. His stebs slient, moving like a shadow, nothing more but slience, quite and still, soft and gentle. Yet behind those shadows was teeth, to come and bite anyone who got to close. This man had gotten to close, and like the shadow he was, he would lash out.

He was scared to say the least, fear had plagued his mind ever since he had heard the news, his cold slient heart, was beating frantically, it was at this point, the loudest thing about him. This man, who was he, why was he after him, how did he find him. These questions span around, constantly taunting Drogh. As he walked deeper, given a vague of idea where the man was, by those who had like him watched from the shadows, he felt some thing odd however. A faint feeling, a very faint feeling but enouth to be noticed had striken out at him, he coundn't tell what it was but as he got closer to this man, he felt some thing odd. Was it his mind playing tricks on him? No he didn't know, and he didn't care.

He was told he was heading close to the Sith Academy, or what was left of it. This began to trouble him further, why would he go there? Did he have a connection with the place, Drogh didn't know, but his fear was starting to choke him of reason, and he had to focus. The dark streets had almost fadded in to utter shadow, yet a old ruin, a measly apartmentent, if he climed up on it he would be able to see what was below, and perhaps spot this man. He slowly pulled out a DL-18, hidden in his cloak. He would kill this man, who ever he was, all he needed to do was find where he was and end it.

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar continued to move through the empty apartment, focusing upon the now abandoned rooms and the obvious destruction. It appeared as if the place had been looted of anything of value. As he eventually passed his old room, he simply looked in to see that it to was ransacked. With a shrug, he moved towards the stairs once more and began the long ascent to the top. Moving up a total of ten more flights of stairs, he made it to the room and moved to the edge. Kneeling down into a meditative position, he gently lowered his hands to his knees where he laid them against his legs. Taking a deep breath, Vaulkhar entered into a meditative state. Once more he expanded his field of sense through the force. He could already feel the presence of a follower and he began to pinpoint it.

As a moment passed Vaulkhar could tell it was his target. Not by anything special, other than that it was a force sensitive within this region of Coruscant and matched his description. He was skilled, Vaulkhar could tell that much. His stalker managed to follow him for some time it seemed without being noticed, which showed great potential for him. Now he simply had to wait for him to arrive and approach him.

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

Drogh felt a thousand eyes watching him, covering his body in the shadows. He hated the feel, the sense that he was being watched, he had the desire to leave the building. But against his better judgment he tracked on though the rotting urban hell. Drogh had begin to slowly open the doors on the ground floor, the creeks had made him sweat with fear, to be reilef to find nothing. Yet he would not rest easy, he had a feeling some one was here, but he could not be sure. His blaster was close to him, any ghost or shadow he saw would die in a red hot blast of fire. He crept his way up higer and higher, fearful of his life.

 

[Vaulkhar]

Those eyes were that of the Force, something the man would likely feel. The force was something in which all who were sensitive could indeed understand and feel it, even if they were not traditionally trained. It was likely something that helped Drogh through his life in the past, realistically. The ability to sense and circumvent danger was something the force was capable of doing, as long as the user was willing to listen. And from the movements and actions of the man moving closer to him, it became even more clear this was indeed his target. The man inadvertently slipped in and out of the shadows of the force, every so often concealing himself from Vaulkhar's sense abilities.

It amused him. Not in a trivial manner, but more so in a respectable manner. Without any traditional training, this stranger to him was moving to track him down, nearing the ability to take him by surprise. But not quite yet. He was getting there, but not yet. So he continued to wait, as the floors go by and Drogh nears closer, Vaulkhar only continues to wait.

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

Drogh felt a pressure on him growing like a weight crushing him into the ground as he climbed ever close on the old and rotting steirs, some thing that was driving him to madness it felt. The distance noises of Coruscant outside had faded into dimmness, as his breath became the loudless thing. He felt the constant need to hide some where, with the pressnece of the eyes gazing down at him, as if some one was staring at him and yet no eyes where there, a horrfic thought pattern that was driving his sainty downhill. Moving swiftly though the shadows and dark, his fear and desire to be hidden had made him more like a shadow then ever before, when his fears were truely tested he felt as if he was nothing, yet no matter how deeper he went into the shadows, the constant stare of those eyes drove him to go deeper.

His blaster close to his chest, the beat of his racing heart was moving him, feeling the blood pump, the feeling of dread and doubt trembling his legs, yet the desire to not be seen and kill this man or what ever he was drove him, all these emotions smashing against one another, tearing Drogh from within. He was both tired of climbing the mountain of stairs, yet he felt truely stared at. Like eyes were pericing his very soul, he felt cold whispers going down his spine along with a almost painful fear that was driving him borderlone insainty. The old crooked door was like a gateway into pain unkown, but a gateway into relief unkown. For who ever was behind that was powerful, alteast he thought he was, or was all these feelings of watching just his mind wondering off? He had to know, he had to know what was behind that door what it was, who was doing this to him and why he wanted him. He would end it here and there, end him this stalker. Unlike before when he had quielty opened doors checking behind that what he feared was there, a brute kick smashed the door down. When it collasped Drogh saw the paled eyed man. Berely able to speak, some thing froze in him.

He wanted to kill this man, he wanted it badly, but some thing had come to him not to fire that blaster shot, what if he missed, what if it only wounded him, what if he had sealed his fate and should of ran when he had the chance? Despite everything he had felt, he had to know "Who are you?"

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar slowly stood, an air of confidence being exerted from the man's perfect posture and easiness in which he looked to Drogh. He stood tall and firm near the ledge of the building, not emitting a sound as he stared at him. Something about him seemed comforting, though. The warm smile he held on his face, the ease at which he looked to the stranger, and lack of threatening signals or gestures. He looked young and goofy, to be honest. While he was rigid in posture and powerful in build, nothing about him seemed threatening or off putting, aside from the cold that surrounded him and slowly moved towards Drogh. He would feel it, the chilling feeling of the dark side of the force moving through and around him. Though he appeared warm in nature, Vaulkhar put off a cold feeling.

"Greetings stranger, I am Vaulkhar. And I have come to Coruscant to train you in the Force." Vaulkhar stepped closer towards Drogh, moving slowly, arms out wide as not to appear threatening. "You are gifted in the force, it is why you can pull it about you as if it were shadows. It was why you could follow me. And it was why you are so capable of sensing the danger around you. I wish to mold your gift into power and skill, so you can use that fear and anger within you, to become strong." By this point, Vaulkhar has cleared half the roof and is nearing closer to Drogh. But as he stopped speaking, so too did he stop moving. Rather, he remained a safe distance away from the man.

"I want to take you under my wing, Drogh. I want you to conquer that fear and become strong."

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

Drogh stared at the man with those pale eyes. He knew lies when he saw them, he could see past though white lies. He was no fool and he wasn't going to die one. His fear and dread had proven to be true, rather then a small chill it had deformed into a billzard for Drogh. He looked past his 'charming' looks and saw what was undearneath, a monster in deinal. He found it funny how despertly the man tried to look appeasing, friendly even. He had spent alot of time in the shadows to know when some one was hiding in them. Drogh wasn't buying it, his thin finger on the trigger of the blaster, he had sent out to kill him. Not wanting to risk it, Drogh raced out of the door with a great speed, firing a blind blaster bolt in the generla direction as he made a run for it. He had made a mistake and he wasn't going to die for it.

 

[Vaulkhar]

"Well."

As Drogh broke off into a sprint and fired the blaster bolt, Vaulkhar simply side stepped the bolt and released a sigh. It appeared as if his offer was refused. Which was something he did not expect. With a sigh, he ran off after Drogh. But the force was on his side. As he blanketed his body with the power of the force, his body's speed was enhanced greatly and before Drogh could even make it through the door to escape, Vaulkhar was blocking his path. His hand was outstretched to motion for the man to simply stop.

"Calm down, I am being genuine. I wish to train you, I was sent to do so."

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

Drogh was caught of gaurd, he knew excatly whom he was dealing with it, fighting was futile at this point, he had got caught in a trap. What a failure Drogh, what a failure. Yet his mind was racing, thinking of possbile ways to escape, fight back but then a thought came into his head. Running would lead to injury or death and fighting back was pointless. Was he to argee with this stranger, perhaps follow him and suffer tortures unheard of? He could sense the darkness within him, this Sith or Dark Jedi what ever he was. That believed the force some how gave freedom by inslaving others, no body knows what freedom is, idiots.

He hated the ways of the Sith finding them backward, emotion he found was a weakness. Love is pain, anger blinds you, compassion makes you weak, fear cosumes you. He has felt all these emotions, and it had bringed him only pain and suffering. In a way he dreamt of a world where there was no emotion, no suffering, no pain. Yet that day wound not come as fools carry on to grant it a power. Still the plague still invested his mind, fear.

He asked again, sharper then before but still riddled with fear "Who sent you?"

 

[Vaulkhar]

"My master, Darth Ferus, believes I should actively seek out apprentices. It just so happened his network found you. Your name comes with praise at the concept of hiring you as an informant."

Vaulkhar crossed his arms over his chest, his blind, gray gaze staring towards Drogh's mask. He made no moves to close the distance between them, rather he stood in the way of the only realistic exit for the man untrained within the Force.

"As I stated, I wish to train you, stranger. Nothing more, nothing less."

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

"Take me against my will I suppose, teach me in those 'dark arts'." Drogh was not pleased in the slighest, when others would call out the names of sith begging for power and training, Drogh did not. He would rather hide from the praying eyes of everyone, sadly he could do nothing, with the expetion of sudice but that would just be incovience for the man and a permanent end for Drogh. Sweating, his cload asboring it he stared straight into those empty hollow eyes of the man, how pale they were, how those eyes were tracking him for every angle.

"Why me, there are thousands of those with the force, more so then me and yet you pick a spy in a ruined city within a ruined city?" He felt as if he had nothing to loose, he would ask the questions and hope the for the answers, he seemed gentle enouth but Drogh knew a horrfic, terrifing beast was masked behind that, a cruel beserker like all the sith were, all where the same with their black cloaks and red lightsabers, their desire for control and power, did they never tire from it? Did wearing a brown cloak ever kill a sith? Theses thoughts passed his mind.

 

[Vaulkhar]

"Because you are skilled, stranger. You just haven't realized it yet. And nothing aids growth more than fears that must be conquered."

Vaulkhar stepped to the side and motioned towards the stairs behind him. After doing so, he began his descent down them, moving slow enough for Drogh to catch up and keep up without a problem. He could feel the fear coming off his newest apprentice and it intrigued him. There was so much caution and paranoia coming off of him, Drogh reminded Vaulkhar of himself, before he found the power he craved. The weird part though, was the lack of interest. A force sensitive not getting the opportunity to learn the force was one thing, but it being offered to them and they not desiring it was another entirely.

"We will go to my ship, where we will begin you training into the dark side."

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

Drogh followed the man behind, he was skeptcial, he knew very little of the man. Yet he always referred to Drogh as 'stranger', did he know his name, or perhaps it was just a perable phrase? It came him a sense of conformt that the man may not know his name, atleast he might not know his face or race. Yet he would not doubt be forced to reveal it sooner or later. Yet for the time being, he could escape flee into the endless crowds, he was fast but did the man know his way around these crippled streets?

The streets is always brewing with dark corners and horrible crowds, Drogh could easily slide into one of those, question is would the man chase after him and yet find him? Was it pointless or was it worth it, could he trick this one, blind yet eyes everywhere, Drogh would have to simply hide in darker corners surely. No, doubts doubts ran though Droghs mind pointless, hopless fear had coumsed him, taken over his body his will. He followed on like cattle, he felt.

Drogh did not feel like 'Sith material' he desired no power, he personally hated the Sith, with their strange ways backward. As if we are forced to use the dark side one spefic way. Drogh followed down on the damp broken steirs muttering words under his cloak, clentching his fists under his cloak maybe he could risk a run.

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar hummed as he went, a slight smile slipping onto his face as he felt the fear and confusion radiating from Drogh. He could tell the man was considering an escape, not that it would actually help him. He could also tell the man was curious as to why he was chosen by Vaulkhar, considering the lack of any explanation as of yet. Aside of course, from the few words shared, that being Vaulkhar wanted him as an apprentice.

"Anything in particular you'd like to know, stranger? I'm willing to answer any questions you have."

Vaulkhar continued to lead him through the ruined streets of this district of Coruscant, his humming slowly dispersing.

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

Drogh wasn't going to soften the words, he knew what he wanted. "Tell me every thing you can tell me." Drogh said. Yet he felt confortable, the alleyways so wide and long, so thin and narrow. The crowds getting deeper and deeper. He felt more alive as the sythetic air begin to force it's self down his dark lungs, the fumes of roaring chemcials, the buzzing droids, Yes this was his home. He really didn't want to have to say goodbye to it, he knew a escape here, out in the open would be far easier to pull off. Drogh knew theses streets like the back of his hand, while the man had some knowlage, he doubted he knew them like he did.

 

[Vaulkhar]

"Well, that's a lot." Vaulkhar chuckled as they moved through the street, his gaze forward. "There is a lot to tell, but I'll start with the basics. I am Vaulkhar Zambrano, once a warrior of the One Sith, currently a servant of the Sith Lord Darth Ferus. I myself focus primarily on combat based force techniques and quite a bit of dueling. I'm not bad at stealth, as I was trained as an assassin during my tine in the One Sith."

Vaulkhar turned a corner, shouldering his way through the crowds. The man openly, even brazenly spoke of this as he moved down the streets. It wasn't that long ago the One Sith controlled this planet and while the Galactic Alliance currently ran it, the fear upon the faces around him as he mentioned his place once ruling over the planet was clear as day. He cared not who heard, he simply spoke to educate the man.

"I was sent to take you and train you, plain and simple. I intend to teach you the skills necessary to be a proper assassin, along with dueling capabilities as well so you don't simply die."

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

Drogh walked though the crowd, staring eyes troubled him greatly. The amount of attention that was being put at him felt as if all the watchlights were being shined brightly on him, eyes, those horrbile eyes that never cease to stare. It had become a living nightmere for him, the constant stares, those endless whispers of distance voices, did this man have no sense? A sith walking around in the crowd, Drogh knew better then anyone that these words would pass all around the underworld and beyound rapidly, soilders shouting would be his knew nightmere, leaving his home although a realif to leave the grave of his parents scared him. Despite him hating it, he knew the hate better then anything else. If Drogh wasn't feeling the constant dread of his lost familly, then he didn't feel right, as if a part of him was missing.

Drogh knew he shoundn't be out of her, his voice having a hum of fear said "We shoundn't be here, people will notice, people with guns soon enouth."