Blood In The Water

[Vrak Nashar]

Korriban
[member="Sochi Ru"]

Korriban, the ancestral homeworld of the Sith.

This was where his people had been born, this was where the Empire had begun. Many people thought that it had once been prosperous, beautiful, perhaps even green, but they were wrong. This world had been ruined long before even the Sith had written of it. The dusty tombs, the ancient broken halls, the scalded landscape, it had always been this way. Even the Sith admitted it. In the ancient histories and the long forgotten tomes. The scribes recorded Korriban just as it was today.

Empty, harsh, and desolate.

Yet whereas most other scholars used the words in negative connotation, the Sith did not. To them this world was more than just a rock, it was a proving ground, it was their history. The Sith Empire had contained a dozen worlds, some desolate, some rich, but none stood as Korriban did. This place was a nexus, a hub of power that went unmatched throughout the galaxy. Hundreds of Sith Lords were buried here, thousands had died here, and many more were to come.

This was their home. This was the place where they reigned supreme above all others. Even when they did not hold it, even when the Jedi 'secured' their world, it was still theirs. Korriban was as much a part of them as the Darkside itself. To Purebloods especially this world meant something, more than just the ancient tombs, more than just the dead. This place was a source of power like none other.

Vrak knew this, it was why he walked among the desert sands.

Here he grew strong. Here his own bonds with the darkside seemed to expand almost naturally.

Here he was at his most powerful.

 

[Cortana Jade]

She was lost, and her entire being was split down the middle. She didn't know where she belonged anymore. She travelled and bounced from world to world to try and find something she could cling to that would give her purpose again. She didn't know. Korriban was something completely of the Sith...and so was her second coming so she came, seeking answers on the mystical energies used to bring her forth from the realm between here and the Netherworld.

That, and the fact that she had foreseen the crimson skin of those of the Sith species. The images ran through her head in a vision she got back on Felucia after massacring the natives in a psychotic rage. She took this to mean the powers used for her resurrection was something given from the originals...

Well...she should see no?

So she too walked these desert sands, her bare feet crushed and gripped sand with every single step. In her being she felt the lingering essence of the dark side...it was a familiar burn she felt when she touched life for the second time.

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Sochi Ru"]

He frowned slightly as his gaze panned over the distances of Korriban.

There was always seemingly something here, someone. A Sith Lord gathering power, an Errant Jedi seeking knowledge, someone trying to do something they had no business doing. He frowned slightly, his fingers wrapping into a tight fist. At the edge of his senses there was...something. Not a power, not really anyway, but a lingering presence that seemed to loom just over the edge of what he could see. Vrak would have guessed it was a Jedi, but they would stand out here like a beacon.

Slowly the Sith trudged forward, turning towards whatever he was sensing.

The dirt shifted beneath his boot, slowly giving way as he continued on.

Cliffs rose to either side of him, great craggy rocks which he quickly climbed. Whatever was nearby, whoever was coming, they'd be wandering through the deep of the small canyon. He frowned slightly as he spotted a figure within the horizon, a speck moving among the broken rocks and sand. Slowly The Pureblood moved forward, making no attempt to hide his presence or just what he was.

There was no need for such things here.

Not on Korriban.

 

[Cortana Jade]

She'd cut through the shimmering waves of heat as her robes blew in the breeze that was guided by the cliffside. It blew in one direction, and so the length of her cloak did as well. Her obsidian eyes were still, looking ahead on her path. She'd sense the presence of another just as they would have her. And she'd yet to falter in her advance.

Her thoughts, "For Korriban to have such a dreaded history...it surely brings those from all walks of life. Eager beings...always searching...I suppose i'd be one of those."

The soles of her feet stung, but it was a bearable fire. As the dot she'd been leading up to became visible, she saw the dark, and shimmering frame which seemed to have noticed her before anything. She stopped, with a stiff face and looked ahead and as a gust of wind swept up the sand around her and redirected itself in the opposite direction. Her robes followed the trail, bouncing on the air around her ankles.

She noticed the figure began to move towards her, "Curious?" She said softly under her breath. Her speech was as exotic as her appearance. Of course she wasn't native.

She stepped forward as well and walked towards the shrouded figure which pulsated through the area around them.

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Sochi Ru"]

He stopped when she came into view. The curve of her montrals, the slight edge to her face, Vrak knew instantly what she was. Togruta. They were nearly unheard of on this world. The galaxy had seen few Sith Togruta, only a handful in all of recorded history in fact. Generally they leaned more towards the Jedi, an odd fact considering their carnivorous nature. He frowned slightly, his hand slowly lowering to the saber-staff at his side as he watched the Togruta approach.

Vrak saw the slight swivel of her head, the glint of her eyes as she caught sight of him.

His fingers wrapped tightly around the hilt of his saber-staff, plucking the weapon from it's place on his belt as he stepped forward along the edge of the canyon. He could sense the figure now through the force, breaking through the static that was Korriban. He scowled, still unable to recognize whether or not she was Sith. His fingers grew to a white knuckle grip as she drew closer his eyes setting on her and his feet coming to a standstill as she came within just a few meters.

"Stop." His voice rang out within the canyon.

The authority of his tone made it clear that his words were not meant as a request.

 

[Cortana Jade]

She looked over his body, his skin was crimson. Hmm...

She stopped in her tracks, and her frame got lost in the shroud of her cloak. Her eyes closed and her head lowered. A beat. "My business is my own..." She said softly while forcing the basic through her exotic tone.

So her vision led her into an encounter, she'd find no answers she sought. At least not without her blade drawn it would seem. She opened her eyes and set her gaze on him. His motions reflected back in the dark pit that were her eyes.

He was drawing his lightsaber, a quick look to the side and then her eyes befell his face again. Darkness was his, and suddenly there was no static.

"You seek to harm me?" She questioned, a blank expression on her face. She started walking again as if to brush of their possible engagement. Her figure started moving towards his...as if his command was not enough.

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Sochi Ru"]

"Stop." He commanded her again.

Korriban wasn't his, not by any stretch of the imagination, but he didn't like the thought of whoever this was simply rushing over his ancestral homeworld. He scowled slightly as she kept approaching, his stance changing to a more aggressive. His gaze settled on her, a scowl settling on his face.

His thumb slipped over the activator of his lightsaber.

This of course wasn't to mention the fact that he saw opportunity in this. Togruta were rare, but...they were skilled. His lips turned up into a slight smile. Yes he could make something of this, if only to find out who she really was. "Or else."

 

[Cortana Jade]

She stopped and turned her body to face him. She noted his smile, and his hilt still being drawn. "Well now...or else what?"

She looked upon this man who was the Sith from her vision. He didn't seem to be giving her much of a choice, as this was leaning towards something she figured would be physical. "Just what exactly are you planning to do to me..." Her montrals twitched and slid along her chest and shoulders as her head moved while she spoke.

"You wish to fight me? Is that it?" She questioned.

She looked through to his eyes, and his curiosity was peaked. So he did find her interesting...

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Sochi Ru"]

"No." Vrak began to answer, there was a slight hint of disdain in his voice, thought that wasn't all that unusual. The Pureblood held a certain amount of distaste for most everyone, Jedi and Humans especially.

This woman, as far as he knew, was no Jedi, but she was most certainly not a Sith. That was enough to earn his ire. Couple that with the fact that she had listened to him and that she wasn't Pureblood? It was enough to have annoyed him to the point where he had to teach her a lesson. The decision was made quickly, and he knew that he couldn't let her leave this place without showing her how to properly respond to requests made by his kind.

It was only right. "I wish to teach you how to show proper respect."

His tone told of no mockery, his eyes fixed on her.

Fingers tightened slightly on his lightsaber, his muscles tensing.

 

[Cortana Jade]

"Teach me a lesson?" she asked.

Her face showed no emotion, it was a question those close to her might has asked, did she even feel emotions anymore. A story for another time. She turned her body fully to face him, and took a step closer. "Well...I suppose I'll stay for the lecture."

Her wrist, a color of rust, became slightly visible as they crept from underneath the sleeves of her dark robes. "Well..."

She noted his muscles tensing, and she could hear the low murmur of his heart as it began to beat faster. Seems he could leap upon her, ferociously, at any second.

Her eyes twitched as he would see himself in her eyes.

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Sochi Ru"]

She stepped closer, Vrak catching her scent. His nose crinkled ever so slightly, the odd, almost dainty smell catching within his nostrils. The Pureblood nearly sneezed in the Togruta's face, though somehow he managed to keep from doing so.

Instead he simply smiled.

There was always a little game before every fight. A small round of intimidation that everyone had to partake in. Whether it was Sith fighting Jedi or Sith fighting Sith. Posturing it was called between duelist, the small part of the fight that allowed someone to back out and away before anything at all happened. Of course here there was no chance of that, Vrak was already committed and even if the woman turned back around now he would not let her go.

His off-hand suddenly turned to face her.

A bright crackle of purple lightning surged from his hand, striking out to her in an instant and without warning.

 

[Cortana Jade]

He smiled, and she steadied her senses as her sight shifted and fell on him completely. Her natural perception would cast outward as it took in everything that was the arid canyon beyond them.

A second passes, and then they allowed another. Just as adrenaline kicked in his off hand initiated it all. Suddenly a torrent of energy was upon her in an instant. A subtle bend of the waist saw her shift from its path and as she crouched she threw out her off hand aimed towards the ground below as a subtle force push erupted from her hand and blew a crater in the sand below, enough for it to spill into the air between them. It was to serve as a momentary distraction to conceal her transition.

From her right sleeve, suddenly a silver cylindrical shape sprouts from her cloak and erupts in purple fire. Sochi would step forward in a burst of supernatural speed akin to most force users, though more or less speedy than your average given her unnatural reaction times. She swung her blade from below and an upward arc that pierced the wall of sand that had already begun to rain down upon them.

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Sochi Ru"]

His lightsaber hissed into life, the hilt having been cradled within his palm making it's activation a bit easier.

She moved fast, faster than he had thought. His lips thinned as the bright purple blade slashed through a wall of sand. A snarl crossed his features as Crimson met Violet, the two lightsabers coming together with the loud thrumming buzz of plasma. Spark's flew from the impact, casting onto the ground.

The Pureblood stepped into the assault, his saber-staff suddenly twisting.

The other edge of the blade erupted into life and swept down towards the ground. Like with a normal quarterstaff Vrak twisted his body and the weapon with it, both hands reaching around the hilt of his lightsaber to turn it and knock Sochi's blade away while swinging the back end of his lightsaber up towards her torso.

The movement was natural, flowing, Vrak hopefully guiding her weapon away while allowing his own to slice into her.

 

[Cortana Jade]

blade meeting blade, he answered with fury. Then there was only a furious shower of sparks as the sand hit the ground around them in a light thumping sound. It had only been a span of seconds, she could then see the intensity on his face. The muscles in her arm twitched as she continued to apply pressure when he held her blade still.

Though she lost that battle when he then batted her blade away, guiding it from its intended path. She stumbled back from her lunge because the sand under her feet gave, just then the other edge of his weapon came for her. She was unlikely steady enough to catch his attack and soak up the momentum behind it so, as she did with most attacks she couldn't necessarily block with her blade, she dodged it.

Already sliding in the sand, she pulled her waist backwards and the crimson weapon slide under her as she leaned forward. She barely dodged it. It was so last minute that she immediately began to fall forward from her position as she had to get all the way on the balls of her feet to go over his weapon. Using that however, she fell forward on her left and quickly spun around backwards. Bring her right arm and blade around for a swift attack against the side of his thigh.

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Sochi Ru"]

A hiss escaped him as the violet blade clashed against the top half of his saber-staff, the lightsaber having come down just in time to block the swing of her weapon a second after it had grazed against his thigh. He stopped the blade from moving any further, he could hear the hiss of the lightsaber as it burned against his skin. The violet plasmsa seared into his flesh, cauterizing the skin and burning him in an instant. Vrak's face contorted, rage bubbling inside him.

Anger tore through him.

He pressed back against her, the weight of his body shifting slightly and his legs sliding back within the shifting sands to escape the cauterizing plasma. He barked out a yelp as his thigh slid against the tip of the lightsaber, Vrak maneuvering himself so he moved to the side of Sochi.

Pain fueled him, the darkside rushing through him as he tried to take her down.

A hand released from his saber-staff, another crackle of lightning hoping forth between them before quickly being matched with a sweep of his lightsaber towards her legs.


Pain fueled him, the darkside rushing through him as he tried to take her down.

 

[Cortana Jade]

Her cheeks twitched as she felt his hiss; the sting of a lightsaber wasn't pleasant. It was terrible it even had to come to this. Though her cut was intended to be shallow regardless he still held her blade away from his flesh. Then she felt it, the energy around them became twisted as he became fueled with rage. She shifted in her stance when their blades became unlocked, all of her weight fell into her back leg and she held her blade in a guard.

He positioned himself to the side of her and her head followed his movements. Expecting a physical attack she was just slightly caught of guard when he launched another wave of electricity her way. Though coupled with this was an attack aimed for her legs. One would hit, so she chose the former.

Pushing up from the ground she tucked her knees into her chest and leapt over his attack just before being engulfed in his Sith lightning. Hitting her dead on she was thrown back some feet before she hit the ground sliding through the sand and kicking it up behind her. As she flew threw the air a small scream escaped her lips.

From her position on the ground, trails of lightning coursed through her body causing her body to twitch and jolt. She slowly began to push herself up, gritting her teeth as she fought against her own body.

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Sochi Ru"]

Lightning surged for half a second more as Vrak turned around, his fingers scrunching slightly as he released the force and shifted his gaze towards the Togruta. A smile perked on his lips as he watched ehr collapse, body twitching slightly as the crackle of lightning rushed over her skin.

A wild grin crossed his features as he saw the opportunity before him.

Unlike other Purebloods Vrak had never really had a talent for Sith Magic. He couldn't control the undead, make people see things that weren't there, or summon spikes of pure hatred. He wasn't gifted in the more mystic aspects of the force, but in pure raw strength? Well he at least had something there.

His fingers closed once again.

Invisible chains of the force would begin to form, slight latices that would seek to wrap and chain around Sochi.

 

[Cortana Jade]

Mmph.

A low hum sounded in her throat as she felt the electricity surge through her body and cause her muscles and body to contract, working against her. When the burn began to subside, she felt her robes cling to her skin as a invisible force gripped her body and held her close. She was accustomed to exactly what it was, noticing his hand up and clenched into a first she realized he had her in a telekinetic grip. She failed to struggle against the force, instead letting it happened.

Her arms and legs becoming clasped together, and she rose into the air and was held their. Her gaze fell on him, and her expression told of her irritation. Lowering her head and shutting her eyes force a moment, centering herself as the constriction increased, she pulled the energy around her into herself. Her stomach began to fill with air, and as she perched her head up her lips parted and the sound that came forth was something beyond her small frame.

Aided by the Force, she called forth a earth-splitting scream shriek, with the energy being directed in the direction of her opponent. It wasn't at it's peak but it had enough energy to do what she needed it to, and that was drive him back to the point where he released her.

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Sochi Ru"]

The screech resounded within the canyon, Vrak's hands immediately falling away from the grip at her throat.

Vrak's lightsaber fell to the floor with a loud clatter, the blade instantly disappearing as the weapon landed. His fingers quickly clasped over his ears. He felt slick blood dripping down the side of his face as he covered his head, eyes closing as his skull seemingly reverberated from the banshee like scream.

The Pureblood half twisted, turning away from the Togruta in an attempt to shield himself.

His leg came up at the same time, the force wildly lashing out with the action. A handful of rocks, no bigger than the size of his fist went flying towards the woman, a desperate show of force to cease her incessant wailing and perhaps get in a lucky shot.

 

[Cortana Jade]

Amidst her shriek, the force that held her body, released her and she fell back towards the ground once gravity set itself back in motion. She fell into a crouched position and then held her head up so that she could maintain her scream. Though just then she watched as he kicked out his leg and with it came the use of the force.

She ended her scream in an attempt to shield herself from the rocks that were flung in her direction. Gradually ended the scream as she closed her lips, she quickly brought up her arms to cover her face and her montrals as best she could. Her forearms stung as the solid objects collided with her bone. She'd felt worse so she took the pain, her eyes twitched with every impact.

Though her lightsaber had gotten snatched from her grip when she was thrown through the air earlier.

[member="Vrak Nashar"]