Private An Ideal Exchange

[Darth Dacian]

K O R R I B A N​

Wearing
Mentions: Adeline Noctua

In the world of the Sith, there are no gifts that did not come with a cost. Every transaction must bend to the law of exchange: For everything you take, you must also give. Dacian would refresh himself with such concepts as he found himself storming out of yet another sit-down with a Sith peer. They asked for too much for so little, and Dacian's could not swallow his pride enough to acquiesce to their extravagant demands. It did not help that his skill on the negotiation table left much to be desired, a far cry to the near perfection that was his blade work. Unfortunately, these negotiations could not be solved through the use of force. At least not if he wanted cooperative allies.

He was running out of options at this point, each failure resulting in word spread of his actions, the others talking, and arming themselves with knowledge of Dacian's wants. Indeed he wanted much, all of which could not be obtained with duels, sparring or otherwise, no matter how much he wished it to be so. And what bothered him the most was the feeling of superiority they felt, looking down upon him when he made his request, as if forgetting that he could cut them down all in one go with nary an ounce of real effort.

Still, he needed a break. Perhaps a clear mind would help any upcoming negotiations go smoother. He found himself in the training halls, footfalls of measured stride tapping onto the cold and ancient rock and into a private area, behind a mechanical door. He stepped towards a stone-made bench, placing the straw hat upon his head and accompanying cloak, leaving him in his travel-worthy robes, before asking a one of the administrative faculty to produce him a quintet of ASP-19 Battle Droids, requesting their programming to be set to maximum.

With his initial preparations completed, Dacian unsheathed the refurbished vibro-blade at his side, the door closing shut with the latches engage, courtesy lights powered on indicating that the room was now in use. Even with the doors locked shut, the clashing of saber blades on cortosis-weaved steel hummed in the air. The blade-sounds rhythmed into a frantic tempo, offence and defensive maneuvers with the blade so fast, one could mistake it for a room filled with a cadre of acolytes sparring with one another.

 

[Adeline Noctua]

Equipment | In Bio

Location | Korriban

Tag | Darth Dacian

"Pathetic!"

Your ears hear the insulted yell of a woman in a training grounds next to you, investigation would lead your eyes to seeing a rather odd sight... A fancily garbed woman seemed to be either training herself or teaching the acolytes.. Are these even acolytes?

The strange woman stomps the floor with her heel of all things, sending a push of force that sends the student into a stumble.

"Disgraceful!"

She yells as she weaves her curved blade, easily and quickly chopping an arm off.

"Learn from your failure.."

The woman says while flicking the blood off her blade, signalling over medical droids to tend to the wounded student.

Out of all things for your eyes to bear witness to, it would be a safe assumption that you had never seen such footwork in heels before.. Nor someone wearing what looked like you would wear to a high class dance while doing bone breaking spars.

She didn't look all to threatening at a glance, a petite form wearing little to no armor.. But the longer you would gaze the harder you could feel something watching you, a single crimson eye gazing out from some unknown void, with your soul caught in its unholy glow.

She was a pristine black dahlia.


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[Darth Dacian]

Wearing
Mentions: Adeline Noctua

Despite the chaos surrounding him, Dacian's sharp ears picked up the distinct rhythm of sparring from beyond his training chamber. The clang of blades echoed, sharp and uneven—a rhythm unlike the steady tempo of training droids. It was a symphony of struggle and skill, punctuated by faint shouts of effort. Through the Force, he could sense the lingering presence of authoritative discipline.

He paused mid-strike, his crimson eye narrowing as he tilted his head toward the door. Normally, acolytes training would draw little more than passing interest, but this… this felt different. The presence beyond the door carried weight, and the sounds spoke of precision rather than chaos. A lesson, perhaps, he concluded.

With a single, effortless flourish of his blade, Dacian disarmed the training droids, their metallic limbs twitching as their sabers clattered to the ground, deactivated. The weapons rolled away with dull thuds, leaving the room in silence. Sheathing his own blade, he turned toward the door.

Stepping into the more open atrium of the training area, Dacian observed the events unfold in silence, watching as the elegant garb upon feminine frame picked apart the students eager to prove themselves against this eerily pristine figure. His assumption was correct in that it was a lesson, and a harsh one at that.

Dacian watched, unmoving, as the lesson concluded. With a few cold, instructive words to the remaining students, he glanced once more at their retreating forms before their dismissal. Only when they had dispersed, leaving the bleeding acolyte to the medics, did Dacian step forward.

The quiet click of footfalls on the stone floor broke the tense silence as he approached. He stopped a few paces from her, a single open eye scanning with casual interest before his head tilted down to equalize the difference in height between them, catching her eyes with his own one. His hands remained folded loosely in front of him, his posture relaxed.

"An impressive demonstration," he said, his voice low and measured. He tilted his head slightly, the faintest trace of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Though, I couldn't help but notice… you could have stopped just before your blade struck the student's arm. A cleaner lesson, perhaps, less harsh, but without the need for an amputation."

He let the observation hang in the air for a moment before continuing. "You one of the faculty here?" His tone was conversational, unphased by the sight of a loose limb and an adequate pool of blood to accompany it. "It's been awhile since I trained in these halls. I'm not surprised to see the teachers have changed, though I must admit, the ruthlessness remains as constant as ever."

He glanced briefly at the blood staining the stone floor before returning his gaze to her. "You carry their legacy it well."

His words, though complimentary, carried a subtle edge. It was unclear whether he approved or merely observed, but the calm curiosity in his tone suggested he expected an answer. He folded his arms, the faint breeze stirring against his loose robing.

 

[Adeline Noctua]

Equipment | In Bio

Location | Korriban

Tag | Darth Dacian

The woman furrows a brow in response, not speaking for a moment as her eyes looked him over.. Didn't appear to be a student.

"Less harsh? Oh that is simply adorable darling!"

His words seemed to have made this strange woman rather amused, covering her mouth as she giggled a bit before letting out a sigh.

"I did him a service."

She states, her tone not carrying any dosage of sarcasm.

"We learn through lessons, and thanks to today you can be sure he will never let his footing falter so easily again. I do not simply carve and cut into them just for the fun of it... Every single one of them will remember what happened today, saw how easily you can suffer from one mistake. It is this memory that will serve them well until death, for now when they face a real battle, it will be their fear and determination to live that will help them paint a wonderful painting of crimson."

This strange woman seemed rather sure of this if her tone was anything to go off of, her voice soft as a fine silk yet her tone sturdy and true.

"I am not a dedicated teacher here no, I own and operate my own academy far away from here. I happened to be here on business when my tutoring for a day was requested, and yourself?"






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[Darth Dacian]

Wearing
Mentions: Adeline Noctua

"Less harsh? Oh that is simply adorable darling!"​

Adorable? Dacian scoffed at such word, especially when it aimed at him. And he'd like to think he was closer to the word 'Nexu' than 'Darling'. His single opened eye narrowed, the gaze upon her intensifying but he made no comment.

"We learn through lessons, and thanks to today you can be sure he will never let his footing falter so easily again. I do not simply carve and cut into them just for the fun of it... Every single one of them will remember what happened today, saw how easily you can suffer from one mistake. It is this memory that will serve them well until death, for now when they face a real battle, it will be their fear and determination to live that will help them paint a wonderful painting of crimson."​

"That I cannot deny." He shook his head. "I am merely speaking from a practical standpoint. Even the most advanced prosthetics can hardly match what was supposed to be in its place. Nothing can beat a healthy organic limb."

"I am not a dedicated teacher here no, I own and operate my own academy far away from here. I happened to be here on business when my tutoring for a day was requested, and yourself?"​

His curiosity piqued at the mention of her own academy. So not only a teacher but a matron of education. "You run your own academy? The wealth of knowledge you possess must be vast. And you move well enough in those." Dacian's eyes pointed to her choice in footwear.

"I was returning from a rather disappointing meeting with another Dark Lord. Figured I could clear my head with some practice, till I heard the commotion going on between you and the acolytes." He moved a few paces from where he stood in front of her, picking up a misplaced vibrosword on the floor, one of the weapons used by the acolytes prior. A finger tapped at the blade-tip, inspecting the make of the training implement.

"Call me Dacian. Darth Dacian. I doubt you've heard much of me. My reputation is...in need of some care." That was an understatement, he pointed the blade in his hand at her, smirking. "And you? One who would call someone such as myself, 'adorable'."

 

[Adeline Noctua]

Equipment | In Bio

Location | Korriban

Tag | Darth Dacian

"Darth Keres."

It mattered little to her if he knew the name or not.

"It is wholly practical, many students before him have died on this planet. In battle is what matters the most, for the universe holds an unflinching cruelty. No one is exempt from this dogma, and it shall be so till the last of the stars flicker out. It is my job as a teacher to make sure every student knows this, and knows how to sharpen this cruelty to their advantage. Weakness and pacivity has no home amongst the Sith, if one seeks a life riddled with slothful inaptitude then join the ranks of the Jedi."

The woman had battled many Jedi before, from padawans to council members.. She held a deep seeded hatred for them, but unlike her peers.. This reason only ever has halfway told.

"You came here to clear your head.. I see."

She seemed to pay little attention to the weapon pointed at her, instead keeping an evilly impish demeanor.

"And what was this little meeting about?"







​

 

[Darth Dacian]

Wearing
Mentions: Adeline Noctua

Dacian rubbed his chin as she furthered explained her teaching practices. "You know you sound just like one of my old teachers here. But I suppose that just means the curriculum's changed very little. As expected." His eyes kept tracked on her, pacing on his half of the room from side to side, like a jungle beast trapped in a cage.

"Keres was it? Well, my lady, I was summoned for negotiations with another lord." He gave a heavy sigh, reliving the moment giving him a tinge of disappointment. "He was looking for a task to be done. A rival Jedi taken care of."

He flourished the blade, delivering a few lazy yet precise strikes to the air, mind deep in thought. "You know how controlling we can be. He wanted it done a certain way and I wanted it done another. His was a more grandiose approach, something I'm not to keen on. So I declined. I'm sure you've had your fair share of dealings like what I've just described."

As Dacian continued to absentmindedly flourish he once again asked a question. "And what business did you have here? You look ball-ready with that get-up. I never pegged the academy to have the desire to host school dances."

 

[Adeline Noctua]

Equipment | In Bio

Location | Korriban

Tag | Darth Dacian

"Ahh it is not often people ask about my attire, there is no ball to be had sadly."

She smiles slightly, the tips of her fangs able to be seen for a moment.

"Life is a dance my dear, and whether we like it or not we must sway to an unknown rhythm."

And she also just loved the look..

"I have not had many meetings like how you describe... Normally what happens is I speak, and the room listens."

Such words seemed spot on to be said by someone such as herself, still keeping a spicy smugness.

"What is it you plan to do after your clear that head of yours?"








​

 

[Darth Dacian]

Wearing
Mentions: Adeline Noctua

"So you enjoy dancing do you? I suppose I can say the same for myself, in a manner of speaking." Dacian hummed at her words, noting the sliver of fangs that she displayed in that smile. That was something to note. He chuckled at her statement, noting how much of an opposite Keres was in her view of her charisma as opposed to his views of his own.

"I would expect nothing less from one who's name is preceded by 'Darth'. Though admittedly mine pale in comparison to the other aspects of a Sith Lord." He continued to stride, before taking a few paces towards her, still an arm's length away but closer than before. "As for what I planned after. My schedule has been left disappointingly open." Indeed there was many potential meetings he planned for today, but many of them set for later in the day were cancelled for one reason or another.

"I suppose you had your own plans after this lesson of yours? A woman of your stature would hardly be short on things to do." As he spoke, a small idea began to brew in his head, a poetic plan given the events that had just transpired. Though it was just a thought at this moment, threatening to burgeon into a full on plan.

 

[Adeline Noctua]

Equipment | In Bio

Location | Korriban

Tag | Darth Dacian

"My dear I have nothing but time!"

The strange woman cackles, the meaning behind the words easy to see for those more acquainted with her.

"My plans.."

She taps a blackened claw upon her chin, keeping a smug pep to her step.

"I do believe I have nothing or no one on the menu as of this very moment, and luckily for you my darling I have taken an interest in you."

Adeline taps her claws together, a gleeful and bright expression adorning her soft face.

"You say your peers do not respect you?"

She raises a brow, deeply desiring to pick her claws into that wound.








​

 

[Darth Dacian]

Adeline Noctua

"Something or someone, hmm?" Dacian rubbed his chin, her words furrowing his battle-scarred brows. One could have taken that statement one way or another, and given Dacian's lack of information about her nature, his conclusion landed where the uninitiated would.

"Well, I admire your openness on the matter. I'm much more shy when divulging such plans out in the open." He sighed, shaking his head at her peering question, offering a non-committal shrug.

"I suppose it is nobody's fault but my own. You know how far reputation can carry us, separate us from our peers and colleagues. I've went and squandered the opportunity to grown mine for many cycles. And now I've come back, learning a lesson I ought to in my younger years and now I find it much harder." Dacian frowned as he spoke, his words ringing true and without lie. "The greatest battles are fought by the most esteemed of warriors. And though my skill has brought me to the apex, I find I cannot utilize them to their fullest extent without access to the privileges afforded to the most legendary warriors in the galaxy. It's disappointing, really."

 

[Adeline Noctua]

Equipment | In Bio

Location | Korriban

Tag | Darth Dacian

"Dangerous thinking..."

She says, eyeing the man.

"I see the issue, and why your peers have made a mockery of you. Considering yourself to be at an apex... It is a product of sloth, reeking of the failure of the Jedi way. This is not the way of the Sith, you should be hungrily grabbing and clawing for more."

For once her tone took on a less playful stance.

"In order to keep anything you value in this existence safe or secure, you must always be making strides to improve yourself... Somehow, someway. No matter the cost, the only thing that matters should be yourself and whatever you hold dear. When we climb a mountain, we do not consider our journey over... A true Sith will look for the next tallest mountain and conquer it. You my dear must find your next mountain, not sit and rot away."

The woman crosses her arms, soon her impish smile returns.

"I could of course let you sip from a font of strength, give you the raw power to force those you are in a dispute with to respect you... Would you be interested in a little deal?"






​

 

[Darth Dacian]

Wearing​

Dacian took her words to heart, the weight of truth settling over him like a shroud. As much as he had honed his skill with the blade, pouring every ounce of his effort into its mastery, it had come at a cost. Everything else a Sith values—politics, influence, knowledge—had been left to wither in neglect. The scales had tipped against his favor, and he knew it. Adeline's words had a clarity that resonated with him, making her presence, if begrudgingly, more agreeable. He sighed.

His eyebrow arched at her offer. It was enticing, yet Dacian's caution stirred immediately. Every offer, no matter how sweetly spoken, came with its price—that was one of the first lessons the Sith had taught him. As her words hung in the air, he let the blade in his hand slip free, its tip clattering softly against the cold stone floor. Slowly, he began to circle her, his steps deliberate, pacing with curiosity.

"Power, you say?" His voice carried a hint of skepticism. "And all I'd have to do is drink from this font like wine? I do hope there's not a catch. Otherwise I might think myself in a hallucinatory dream."

Even for someone as strong-willed as Dacian, the allure of the Dark Side was undeniable. He let his passions flow freely into the currents of its promise, embracing the chaos without hesitation. Yet, he was no fool. The prospect of gaining power so easily—of simply partaking in an offered gift—struck a chord of intrigue. His sharp gaze lingered on Adeline, searching her for any hidden intent, even as his interest in her offer grew.

Adeline Noctua

 

[Adeline Noctua]

Equipment | In Bio

Location | Korriban

Tag | Darth Dacian

As he paced around her, Dacian would still feel a sense of being watched... Even if her ruby eyes were not faced in his direction.

"There is always a catch my dear, but today I feel more generous. I offer you this boon for a simple price, I desire to stitch my mark upon your soul."

She snaps her finger, summoning forth a demonic contract and fancy onyx pen that floated within the air. Upon further inspection his eyes could see the text, stating that in return for this boon of power he would be allowing Adeline to carve a hex within him, said hex made it so that the soul of any being he killed would be sacrificed to Adeline... All he would need to do is sign the page and the pact would be struck.

"A simple enough price, wouldn't you agree? Surely a Sith such as yourself cares not where those souls end up.. At the end of the day it will be you who gains enhancement."

The price was offered, the impish demoness just waiting to hear the satisfying sound of the pen writing against the parchment.






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[Darth Dacian]

Wearing
Dacian watched as Adeline conjured the ominous contract and pen out of thin air. The theatrics didn't faze him; instead, he listened closely to her terms, nodding with mild admiration at the fairness of the offer.

"So, all I have to do is become your personal hunter? Every life I take in my search for a good fight ends up served to you a la carte?" He smirked, a small laugh escaping—not at the absurdity of the deal, but at how surprisingly appealing it sounded. It was exponentially more in terms of what he would receive compared to what the others offered him. And best of all it did not conflict at all with any previous pacts he made. "It matters not to me where those who fall by my blade end up."

This was the path of power he needed. A pact that any sith lord would take. In theory, it had little impact on his own life and soul with the promise of strength outside of what can be gathered through training alone. Taking the pen in hand, he paused just before signing, a thought giving him pause. His gaze shifted to Adeline.

"There aren't any personal side effects if you mark my soul, right?" he asked, his tone laced with curiosity, but not without caution.

Adeline Noctua