Private Be heard or be silent || Dreidi Xeraic

[Adron Malvern]

AFTER BATTLE​

Tags: Dreidi Xeraic ​

​

These battles were beginning to wear on the King of Illyria. It seemed each month they were getting longer and more difficult while there was little sign of relent. He hated war. He hated how powerful a tool it was and how influential it could be. Because for every reason he hated war, he loved it. It was a unifying factor amongst all civilizations, destruction, chaos and death were as much a part of being alive as taking a breath or eating your dinner was. Following the battle to take Lagag Erli, the King found himself on a barren hill overlooking the horrid landscape before him. A table had been set up on the hill with a rather expensive brand of whiskey and a single crystal glass. Blood was yet splayed over the man's armor and his hair was a sweaty mess, he didn't mind it. Nothing a good shower could not clear and then he would eagerly return to a silk suit and a head of well kept hair filled with a wonderful smelling conditioner.

For the moment? He would rest from the battle and enjoy his drink. He poured the amber liquid into the glass, bringing it to his lips and enjoying the warm feeling as it flowed down his throat. A soft sigh of relief escaped him as he leaned back against the wooden chair he sat in. His lightsaber was placed on the table, covered in a disgusting crust of blood, another thing that would need cleaning when he returned to the ship.

There was an eerie blanket of storm clouds above.

Certainly something to sour moods for most, but Adron appreciated the cool winds that came with it. On the battlefield before him there were a number of droids seeing to the cleanup, ensuring that bodies were properly marked for which side it belonged so that the proper burial rites could be acknowledged.

Around the King were the armored knights of his Royal Guard. There were four men who stood to each cardinal direction of their King, their backs to the man as they guarded him in his moments of relaxation. He brought his glass of whiskey for his lips once more, downing another sip of the refined whiskey. ​

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Location: Battlefield of Lahag Erli
Tag: Adron Malvern

End of Dreidi's first taste of battle. Was it pleasant? No, it was far from pleasant and she understood why Jedi and diplomats pursued peace as their choice instead of war. War was messy, terrifying and too many dead for it to ever be worth it in her mind. But, this was the course of action that CIS had taken for the world and hopefully the cost of these lives will be worthwhile in the end, from Dreidi was standing she couldn't see that being possible. She had avoided being coated in blood and there was only a couple minor cuts and bruises since she had been close to Adron during the battle, he had allowed her to stay with him and let her feel safe. While, she wasn't a child and didn't need to be coddled or protected, she wasn't versed in battle either so it was nice to have someone helping her through it all.

There was one thing that gnawed at her, during the battle, Adron used a power that Dreidi swore was something that was uncontrollable and explosive. It didn't look that way when Adron used it and that only pushed Dreidi to know more, to understand it better. She had heard of Force Scream, a friend told her that was the power she had used, research had been tricky. She was a Jedi so looking into Dark Side powers was something that she could easily be doing. Wandering around the battlefield, the young Padawan saw plenty of healers moving around and trying to help the injured and moving the dead. Dreidi spotted Adron, soaked in blood and drinking something from a glass.

Noticing his guard, she was impressed someone could have such intimidating bodyguards. She approached carefully and watched him, "Urmmm... Sir? Could I talk to you about the Force Scream you performed in the battle?"

 

[Adron Malvern]

GRAND CRI​

Tags: Dreidi Xeraic ​

When Dreidi approached the King, one of the Knights standing guard approached her, raising hand to pause her. Almost a moment later he would recognize her as the young girl on the battlefield and gestured to the King with a silent point of his finger. The King's back was turned to the two of them as he looked over the battlefield. He heard her as she approached and lowered his glass onto the table at the sound of her uncertain voice. He did not turn towards the girl, instead he gestured to a seat that was placed on the other side of the table. One of the Royal Guard stepped up, sliding it out for the girl. "Take a seat." His words were spoken with no hint of suggestion or offer, but much like a command.

He recognized and remembered the girl well and did not seek to intimidate her even if she was disturbing a tranquil moment. Once she had taken a seat the King looked to the girl, taking in her appearance for the first time. During the battle even when he spoke to her it was with little regard to who she was, only to see that she did not fall behind his charge. "Xeraic." He repeated her last name from memory. The light side of the Force came from her in slow, uneven waves. It spoke to her inexperience and the lack of knowledge she had...however it also gave off faint whispers of her potential. "Would you like some water?" He asked her, gesturing to a metallic chest behind them holding a few bottles of water. "Help yourself." The King said curtly before downing the rest of the liquor in the crystal glass.

He seemed to ignore her question for some time.

"You fought well. Clumsy and inexperienced, but you obeyed your orders and survived. Most could not say the same during their first battle." He told her, before taking hold of the bottle of liquor and pouring another half of the glass to enjoy. "Force Scream." He repeated the techniques name. "Yes, I have heard it called that before, however on my homeworld it is called Grand Cri or Great Shout."

"For those who train under me and the members of my Royal Guard it is a technique learned as a right of passage. It is incredibly difficult to learn and even harder to master." He chuckled softly. "Even I passed out the first few times I tried it. Very powerful, simple, but powerful." He explained to her. "Most are only able to unleash its full potential reflexively, however training it and knowing its full power can make it twice as strong...in proper hands." He said, turning his eyes to the girl for a spare moment. "Why do you ask about this technique?" He asked her. ​

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Location: Lahag Erli
Tag: Adron Malvern

It was a little intimidating, the guards themselves and then the calm but calculated demeanour of the man at the table, maybe not intimidating but unsettling was more the right word to use for Dreidi. When he used her surname as she sat down, her body tensed, while she knew plenty of CIS would know her surname, she wasn't sure if this man would mention her father or her mother. Did he know them personally? Had he fought by their side too? So little she had known about her parents and their past in terms of combat and fighting others in battle, she knew plenty about their love, their training and achievements as members of the SJO, but nothing about their skills in the Force or strength in battle. They kept that away from her, or at least she knew her father wouldn't talk about combat with her outside training.

Perhaps it was because of something like today, seeing his daughter out in battle when she wasn't ready, was too young. But she survived, she might not have enjoyed it but she grew from the experience. Using the Force, she pulled a bottle of water into her hand, taking a drink of it, she was very thirsty and even though there was stench of death in the air, she was hungry too. But that could wait, right now her hunger was for knowledge and for understanding a power that was inside her even though she wasn't sure it should be there. "A Jedi should always look for a peaceful solution, that violence should only be a last resort. At least that was what I was taught, I have had more training in diplomacy, overseeing them and attempting them in debates, not exciting training to be honest but, less... death." Dreidi looked around, training could never prepare for this.

"My combat skills are quite refined in comparison to my peers, at least from what I can tell when I spar them. Though I admit I have lacked real combat experience, but most soldiers aren't keen on taking a 13 year old into battle. Something silly about inexperience and risk to lives and traumatising for me." Her tone was neutral, she wasn't sure what to make of the man in front of her. "I can use it. Not skilfully like you, not as powerfully as you can, but I can use it. It is a power that has come naturally to me, a couple of Force powers have, mostly Light Side or neutral powers. I know this is a Dark Side power, I do not know why I can use or if it means that I have already failed as a Jedi, but I can use it and I need to know how to control it. I do not want to hurt people accidentally, and having it under control means I can use it for good even if it is a Dark Side power."

Her eyes studied the man's expression, what would he make of this Jedi Padawan able to use the Dark Side? Did he perhaps know of reasons why she could? Was it something she was born with or perhaps she was just built wrong and needed to be put down? There was a lot she didn't understand, but her dedication to the Jedi way and to her family was strong.

 

[Adron Malvern]

GRAND CRI​

Tags: Dreidi Xeraic ​

As the young girl, the young Jedi spoke the King regarded her with a silent unreadable expression. He listened to her words and let her speak as he considered them. Jedi, The failed religion were taught that peace was a legitimate avenue to take. For Adron, who had been born and raised a Jedi Lord, it made him recall his childhood with a mild embarrassment, to assume this as truth even as a child was ridiculous. "Peace is a lie." He responded harshly, turning his gaze to her intently. "If it was not a lie then we would not have had to butcher all those you see before us...friend and foe alike." He said with a minor gesture towards the battlefield.

As if reading her mind the man nodded at her words. "There is no training to prepare you for what has happened here." He said to her. As she continued to speak on the ability of Force Scream, the Exarch arched a brow at her words. So she was capable of producing a scream on command? Now, that was a rare and wonderful gift for her to have, if she did not injure herself with it. He listened, still sipping from his glass as he did.

"Light, neutral, and dark." The man spoke softly. "It is all the Force, they are all tools at your disposal. The power of Force Scream came to you because deep within you there is darkness. As there is in every being. It is merely up to you to tame that darkness and teach it to obey your command." He looked to her holding up two fingers. "A power of the Force is much like the Sith ways of old. There must be a master and apprentice...if you do not become Master to your abilities then it will enslave you and turn you into that which you fight." He explained, before chuckling softly. "Or do as the Jedi teach and tuck it away, pretending it does not exist. Like a child hiding a mess." He said.

"To use your gift properly you must accept what it is. The Dark Side of the Force is more than evil it is pure emotion. Learn to release and control these emotions and controlling this ability will become natural to you." He glanced over to the girl before gesturing in between two guards where a small tree was growing on the edge of the hill.

"Show me how you use this skill." He said.​

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Tag: Adron Malvern

Peace is a lie. That was the beginning of the Sith creed, they did not believe that peace was possible, that the Jedi were fools to believe in peace as an option. "And in this moment, now that the battle is over, would you not describe this as peaceful? Peace can be achieved, people just have to try. Peace can be achieved through violence, peace doesn't always mean that everything is good or that people are necessarily happy. My parents, they both spoke of balance, that Jedi and Sith are two sides of a same coin." Dreidi looked down and sighed, "your daughter, she is someone who seems to relish in death and murder, could say she finds serenity when in battle. Serenity is something that Jedi look for. My Master, my parents, they insisted that balance was key. Could be that they could use the Dark Side as well..." Dawned finally on Dreidi that her connection to the Dark Side might not be a mistake but readily available due to her parents.

Shaking her head, no simulation or anything could prepare her for what happened today and she was somewhat glad to experience it today since she knew it was teaching her much about her view on the way of war, the Sith and how she viewed it all. His expression didn't seem to change from what she informed him about her ability, or at least it didn't change in a way that she could tell. Listening, she nodded her head as she tried to take in all the information that he was giving her. While a Jedi learning from a Sith would something interesting to tell people down the road, she was confused by the darkness within. Dreidi didn't think there was necessarily darkness, but perhaps there was some truth that the Force did see good and evil in terms of powers. It was something to consider when she was back home continuing her studies. "Not all Jedi teach that, some see it as universal, that we limit ourselves and only connect to one side of a much larger picture."

"The emotions? Control them?" Dreidi swallowed hard, she wasn't 100% sure she knew what emotions triggered her Force Scream. Last time it had been pain, but then there was also sadness, grief, sense of feeling overwhelmed and more. Staring at the trees, her eyes focused on the tree. Trying to feel the same emotions as last time, she clenched her fist and shouted "AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" But all she let out was a loud perfectly normal scream.

 

[Adron Malvern]

GRAND CRI​

Tags: Dreidi Xeraic ​

The Sith Lord looked over the battlefield as the woman spoke and turned his eyes to her with a pointedly agitated expression. "Peace. No this is not peace. It is merely a moment of quiet in a galaxy of noise." He said, crossing his arms over his chest as he continued to listen to the young Jedi. She told a story of her parents who utilized the Force as well. Jedi coming together to have children, another thought that took the man back to a childhood that was far from where he was now. He said nothing in response to these words, instead he turned his eyes back to the field before him. While Dreidi turned from the man and immediately he rose from his seat.

"Yes, your emotions are gateways to power once you understand them. Just as the Force weaves all things together it also weaves your emotions into its nether." He explained to her, approaching her from behind. Even when she prepared herself to scream he could see that her focus was off. Amethyst eyes peered at her closely before she let out one loud scream. The man's eyes began to roll slowly as she yelled out.

He quickly stepped behind her and brought the flat of his palm against the back of her head in a demanding strike. "Quit it." He told her. "You're just making a bunch of noise." He said, before exhaling softly. "You weren't entering a Force Scream you were just screaming. The Force is not a blaster that you can just pull a trigger and yield a result, you need meditation." He told her.

"Face the tree." He commanded her before exhaling and closing his eyes. "Now close your eyes and clear your mind. The Force is with you, even now. It is the breeze flowing over your neck, the tree before you, and the vocal cords in your body. All of these pieces are part of the great ocean of the Force."

"Now, remember the last time you were forced into a scream. What caused it?" He asked. "Were you defending a loved one? In incredible pain? Or perhaps...near death?" As he spoke he began to walk around the girl, dipping into the Dark Side of the Force. "You called on the Force to defend you, do you remember? It obeyed your command, now you must command it once more. What did you feel the day you released your shout?" He asked, stepping behind her as the Force flowed from the Sith to the young Jedi, allowing her a closer, more intimate understanding of her emotions, making them powerful, making them hunger. ​

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Tag: Adron Malvern

Dreidi shrugged, "a quiet moment, that sounds like peace, might be brief but it exists." It might be better if she let the matter be, it was clear that the Sith saw things solidly in his own view and did not wish to consider alternatives. Which, wasn't too dissimilar to Dreidi herself before she joined the CIS where she saw more sides of the Force and questioned her own narrow mindedness. Something her parents tried to instil years ago. Her attempt failed and Dreidi could feel frustration rise in her and then a smack from behind stumbled her forward and she turned around indignantly as she stared up at him and stomped her foot. "You know they say no bad students, just bad teachers. Perhaps you should think about that before hitting me next time." Her eyes narrowed in a challenge before she turned on the spot and focused again.

Closing her eyes hesitantly as she looked back at Adron briefly then looked forward. Eyes closed, she breathed out slowly. "Last time, I was sparring with a friend, someone older and more experienced, they were beating me in a match. We were using practise sabers, I had injured myself in blocking an attack that otherwise cut the sparring match short. My arm was in agony but it wasn't just that. My... my dad been murdered by a Sith not long beforehand." Dreidi paused as she thought about that all, the number of emotions that felt like she was overflowing and going to explore at the same time. It was still there, just guarded more. "I don't want to have to remember emotions around my grief just to use this stupid power."

Her eyes flickered open as she gazed over to Adron, there was pain there but a defiance as well. "I won't use a power that forces me to think of the pain, anger and grief around my father's death, he deserves to be remembered positively not negatively." Her fists were clenched tight as her thoughts were already back all those months ago.

 

[Adron Malvern]

GRAND CRI​

Tags: Dreidi Xeraic ​

The Sith Lord seemed to ignore the woman's comment on bad students and teachers, instead he merely turned his gaze towards the tree that had not budged in response to her yell. He said nothing, but those eyes revealed all. He had expected more. As he flooded the woman's emotions with power and energy he saw the woman turn towards him. With a true show of defiance she claimed that she would not utilize the power in the way he had showed her.

Adron's arms were crossed over his chest as he looked over the young Jedi with a thoughtful expression. Amethyst eyes closed softly as he exhaled softly, speaking in a hushed tone. "This is how I have been able to kill so many of your kind." He revealed, before suddenly those amethyst eyes showed a unique shine to them. The Dark Side of the Force surrounded the Sith and it created an imposing presence. His arms fell from his chest as those hard eyes gazed out at the young woman before him. "You believe the Force presents a choice. You believe the power is yours to control with no cost?"

He took a single step forward, his hand rising to place a single finger on the girl's brow. "There is always a cost." In that moment he exerted his control over the Force over the girl. Her mental defenses were not so powerful that they could stand against the might of a Sith Lord and so...he broke through them.

In this moment a darkness would surround Dreidi. A darkness that seemed to swallow her from the pits of life and sink her into an unknown depth. Shadow, fire, water, earth, and air passed her by in rapid waves, yet never was she free.

Only the Force could free her now.

"Remember girl...The Dark Side of the Force connects all living beings. Just as it connects you to me." He whispered to the entranced woman. In her mind, Dreidi was a hostage, captured by nightmares and ghouls and only her emotions could free her now. ​

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Tag: Adron Malvern

Dreidi paused for a moment as she watched Adron react, he seemed indifferent for the moment then he got less and less calm with her defiance and refusal to lean into the darkness of her pain. Inhaling deeply, she shook her head, "And of course Sith have never died to Jedi at all..." Dreidi rolled her eyes at the comment, the Sith were not better or stronger in her mind and it was clear someone had a superiority complex about it all. Shaking her head, he clearly didn't understand how a Jedi saw the Force, she didn't control the Force but let it flowed from her. "I don't try controlling the Force, and there is a cost to everything. Really got a narrow view on what makes a Jedi, don't you?" Dreidi smirked but things quickly shifted gear.

The invasion of her mind, it was a lot stronger guard than most Padawans so she gave a harder resistance than most would be able to in her position. Training with her mother, a master in guarding her mind, so she was very experienced in that. However, this Sith Lord, he was stronger, more experienced and forced his way past her strong defences. The darkness that consumed her was massive and it was too much, she was barely able to breathe and fell to her knees, fingers sinking into the mud. Tears streamed down her cheeks and dripped onto the ground as she couldn't shake the darkness, struggling to fight back.

Staring at the man, eyes of pain and anger, "does doing this make you feel like some tough guy?" She panted as focused on the Light Side, on the teachings of her Master and the Jedi way. While she tried to remember moments of happiness and joy, everything seemed tainted, grief and depression were forcing their way into everything that she was trying to enjoy and see the Light in. "Stop! Stop this! You have no right to ruin my childhood, my memories of my father." Tears flowed more as all she could picture was seeing her dead father being buried, his illness and seeing forget who she even was. "No! NO! NOOOOOOOOO!!!" Dreidi screamed, from her scream the Force blasted towards Adron as she felt her emotions explode from her.

 

[Adron Malvern]

GRAND CRI​

Tags: Dreidi Xeraic ​

The Dark Side found its home in emotion.

This was a harsh lesson for all. He'd taught it to Xobos Yakieer , Danielle Mueller , and Acantha Malvern without fail. Even though some took to it more naturally than others, they had all accepted that single lesson. They had gained the power within darkness and utilized it well, for the most part. However, none of his apprentices had been Jedi before. No, the only one who had once clung to the ancient ideals of the light was Echo Vesulos and her opinion of Jedi as even lower than her masters.

He watched as Dreidi fell to her knees, crying out in question to the man's methods. He did not answer. They never understood the truth when it as shown to them, only when they accepted all that came with it.

She begged for it to end but he did not relent. He stretched his hand out to the girl, focusing on the Force and the presence the Dark Side. Emotion, anger, sorrow, hatred, they would all flow into her through a natural current that he had created. He could sense it. Not mere fear or pain, but a deep sorrow, a grief that only came from losing those beside you. With his hand outstretched he tapped deeper into her mind to find the source of the sorrow, yet she yelled it out. Her father? So the young Padawan had lost her father and this was the source of her pain.

Then he felt it.

It exploded out without inhibition or weakness. For a single solitary moment Dreidi had purged herself of her weakness and there was only power.

The shield of the Force that he conjured around himself was enough to spare him the wrath that the woman unleashed. With his hand outstretched the scream was bisected by his presence, the blast carving into the ground around him and wearing away the rock and stone on the hill. When finally it settled, the Sith Lord looked to the girl with a wondering expression. "In the end, the light always fails." He told her, before stepping past the young Jedi. ​

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Tag: Adron Malvern

The forced darkness receded from her as Adron moved to protect himself. Dreidi gasped in relief and just curled up on the ground and wept for a long time, the emotions of her past that she thought she had dealt with were flooding back in her mind. She held herself tight as she practised her breathing, trying to remember her training but everything was blank and all she could feel was the pain, the weight of expectation and letting everyone down. Then, a memory triggered from a time that she could barely remember, from when she was a 5 maybe. Her father telling her a story of his travels, his experiences, how he had to deal with darkness within before he could be the Jedi Master he was now, and that he never saw himself a Master, that everyone else saw him as it. Dreidi remembered that, and why she admired him and her mother so much, her mother fought against Sith capture and was stronger for it. It was clear that her parents had the same darkness that she did but they were able to be great Jedi.

Her breathing calmed, she barely heard the comment about the Light always failing, shaking her head. "If the Light always fail then how does it return, how does the Light grow stronger in the face of adversity?" Dreidi held her head strong, tears and mud stained her face and hands, "my parents were able to dedicate themselves to the Light Side and still understand how to use the darkness that was within, I can do the same. That out burst. You tried to break me, but my resolve is stronger." Placed her foot down firmly as she stepped closer to him.

"I will use this power for good, to defend people and it will be as a Jedi. Might not be the perfect Jedi or the most dedicated to the Light Side, but I will be a Jedi and I will prove you wrong." Facing the tree, turning her back on Adron, she focused on her emotions, not just the negative, but all her emotions, she allowed them to build. While she was connecting to the Dark Side, it wasn't wild, it wasn't uncontrollable and it wasn't through fear, she let out a scream through the Force at the tree. Not nearly as strong as the wild scream before but it was controlled, directed and a step in the direction she wanted. "Thank you for the lesson and I still wish to know all I can about this power, I hope to prove you wrong about Jedi. We aren't all what you seem to think of us, and perhaps your underestimation of us will backfire on you when you fight a Jedi in the future."

 

[Adron Malvern]

GRAND CRI​

Tags: Dreidi Xeraic ​

The Sith Lord held an unimpressed expression as the young Jedi curled into herself, trying to regain what she had been before the darkness overtook her. When she finally steadied herself, he found her resolve was unshaken, which caused his lips to curl into a small smile. She spoke of her resolve and the man arched a brow in response to her words. As she moved closer to him he wondered if she might seek to try and harm him. In the end she turned back to the tree and released another wail towards the tree. This one was not nearly as strong as her last, but it was triggered on command and did not lash back at the one who conjured it.

He did not allow her to see it but his lips held a content smile, rather than a scornful smirk. When she turned back once again the Sith kept his arms crossed over his chest.

He did not like Jedi, he did not believe in their ways or their failed creeds. However, this girl's resolve was something more, something to be appreciated. Even still he turned his back to her, speaking over his shoulder. "There is nothing for you to prove to me. Just continue to practice little Jedi. If you truly wish to empower this ability than you must meditate. Take time to truly understand the emotions you are using and you will understand their power." With the final bit of advice, the Sith Lord made his way back to his table. The day was yet to come to an end and his bottle had yet to be emptied. ​

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Dreidi wasn't saying this all just to impress Adron or to prove herself to him, it was to strengthen her resolve and make sure she was committed to this direction she was taking personally. This was just as much for her as it was for him to hear it and she was didn't care for his approval or how impressed of her progress he was, at least that was what she was telling herself and she refused to believe anything else. She needed to consider her only approval and how she thought of herself, that was something that she needed to work on. It might take years but she had years, and with the meditation aspect of training she looked towards the Sith Lord who had turned his back and was heading back to where he sat before.

"I will do that. Maybe you'll be able to brag about teaching me when I become a big shot Jedi Master in the CIS." Dreidi grinned, allowing a false sense of confidence kick in again, the advantages of youth and naivety that allowed her to dream big and completely believe that one day she will achieve that goal with no issues. Dreidi was adamant to be the best and live up to expectations she assumed everyone had of her. Expectations she had of herself. "Hopefully our paths cross paths again soon as allies, or you will be willing to teach me more of your skills." Dreidi knew that she couldn't rely on Sith training but she wanted to learn more, to understand them better and even if they were using Dark Side, there was so much she could take away and become a better Jedi.

Adron Malvern