Private Buried

[Echo Vesulos]

Location: Remote place on Illyria.
Tags: Adron Malvern

There was something to be said about being buried alive. In fact, the woman couldn’t really tell if she truly was alive to begin with. The blade that had pierced right through her had done some serious damage and she had been sure that she had a high chance of bleeding out. Her attacker most certainly had the upper hand, for their deceit had not been visible until she had felt the blade running her through. Who would have expected a fellow Jedi to turn on another? It had been unexpected and surprising. The betrayal had stung far worse than the gaping wound in her chest and she would have died too, except for one fact. Force healing.

It had been taught to her as one of her Jedi lessons and the ability had slowed the blood flow, but not enough to avoid the enviable unconsciousness that came with blood loss. Yet, her connection with the force had maintained the ability and even as she woke up weak, the woman felt alive… At least for the moment.

Dirt filled her nose and throat, which restricted the flow of oxygen and the possibility of dying was now a very real threat. Her body had been weakened and what was worse, she had to use that body to crawl out of the dirt. A feat that would have been almost impossible, except as she felt the force that she channeled through her, the woman knew just what she had to do. It had been only a mere thought that had taken a split second and Echo quickly acted upon it. With her hands, they wriggled against the weight of the earth until her palms were facing skywards; at least she hoped they were and with a final effort, the woman drew upon the force in an effort to push the dirt off of her.

The dirt seemingly did nothing at first, but suddenly, the soil erupted like a volcano that had just blown its fuse and scattered the fertile soil everywhere. Such an action had given her enough wriggle room to sink her dirt covered hands into the rest of the earth as she tried desperately to claw her way out of the shallow grave that had been dug for her. A task that was still no small feat as she finally gripped a hold of a root that rested on top of the ground and pulled.

Her first gasp of air wasn’t really a gasp, as she coughed up the soil that had worked its way down her nose and throat. A fact that she could barely manage in her weakened state and she rolled over onto her stomach; only vaguely aware that she was still half covered in soil that was meant to bury her and she gulped in air, only to wind up spluttering even more. The fact that she was still alive, was a miracle on its own, but a miracle that she couldn’t rely on. Echo couldn’t even rely upon her finding help in time and with that thought in mind, her pale fingers gripped tightly onto the root that she had found and pulled harder.

I’m not dying today, she told herself as the grave gave away with a sucking sound and she kicked her legs free. Yet that was only half the battle. The woman didn’t even know where she was and how far away she was from some serious help. Just because her own force abilities had slowed down the bleeding, it didn’t mean that it had stopped altogether and a groan parted her lips as she rolled onto her back. The thought of getting up and walking was almost unbearable. Death just seemed persistent in trying to claim the Miraluka’s life and yet even as the mere thought of giving up flitted through her mind; it was the pain that lanced through her chest that speared her on.

Slowly, she used the tree that belonged to the root which she had used to pull herself free; to help her pull herself up into a standing position. Such an action was tiring beyond belief and her body screamed at her to just let it die. Echo’s mind on the other hand, burned with hatred, because she had been betrayed and she wanted nothing more than to see her would be killer, dead by her own hands.

 

[Adron Malvern]

DEATH'S DOOR​

Tags: Echo Vesulos ​

Anger. Hatred. Betrayal. Revenge. ​

The feelings flooded the Dark Lord. Darth Malphas sat in his chambers in silent meditation. Enjoying the quiet chambers and the clarity they brought him. They intertwined him with the deepest depths of the Force and made him a pure conduit to the forces of the Dark Side. The whispers called out to him in hushed agony, delivering him that information which he needed, whether he knew it or not. He could see it as clear as the morning horizon on a sunny day. The Jedi, a faithful order of religious zealots for peace. He scoffed at the very notion of their creed, let alone its shattered implementation. Why ever someone would devote themselves to the light was lost to him. It had failed him. Just as it had failed another. However, the failure of the light would become the opportunity of the Dark.

His eyes came open, revealing the amethyst glow that laid behind closed lids. The doors to his meditation chamber came open, revealing four members of his Royal Guard.

"Your majesty. We have prepared your shuttle as commanded." The Dark Lord stood from his place, standing to his full height as a slight smile came over his face. "Well then. Let us greet our guest."

~~~
​

The shuttle sped over the landscape with a near-rehearsed efficiency. The Illyrian King stood in the back of the cabin, his arms crossed over his chest as he kept his mind focused on the Force. It had called out to him so vividly in the depths of meditation, yet now the mists of reality began to swarm around him like buzzing flies around the backside of a bantha. It was difficult to clear the visions and force them to become something of use. He'd grown accustomed to his premonitions yet they were far from mastered. His sight had yet to reach the depths of purity like those Sith who had proven themselves true Dark Masters. The thought crept into his mind, providing a jealous well of anger for him to draw from, to clear his mind.

"We are approaching the area now, my King." The pilot's voice came out in the comm, pulling Malphas from his thoughts. "Bring us down in that clearing." He said in return, his eyes finding the area with the least trees.

The pilot brought the shuttle in for a landing, the mechanical legs extending down to the planet's surface as it slowed to a still landing. The ramp behind the King came open and the members of the Royal Guard filed out in two teams of two. Their shiny armored forms brought a faint light to the darkness of the surrounding area. The King pulled the cowl up on his hood before stepping out into the grassy patch. He could feel the soft pats of raindrops, falling down upon the landscape around him. A crack of thunder erupted as his stood by on either side of their liege.

Malphas did not falter, he did not hesitate. Instead he stepped forward into the mess of trees before him. His men followed as he was guided by the faint pull of the Force. No, the Dark Side. It called to him in subtle hints and notions. As he moved through the trees, his eyes continued to give off a pure glow of amethyst. He could feel it, so perfectly in the pit of his very being. The anger that spilled into the air like a thick fog. He was moving closer and closer to its source. He called out to it.

The Dark Side would wrap itself around Echo Vesulos . Although Darth Malphas could not see her, he could feel her presence. He used the connection in the Force, beckoning the lost woman to him. She would feel the draw of the Dark Side, the draw of true power. His mind flashed and for just a moment he felt a pain in his chest and the weight of an entire planet upon his shoulders. He felt Echo's pain as if it was his own. Yet, while it weakened her, it only empowered him and strengthened his resolve.

Finally. He saw her.

A tattered mess, covered in a mixture of dirt and blood. Barely able to stand....and yet the anger she felt was so much that it empowered her handle of the Force and staved off the very death she was owed.

Interesting. The Sith Lord mused, as he reveled himself from the shadow of the thick trees around them. He had seen Jedi and Sith alike attempt to keep their lives one with the physical plane. They usually failed. Very few were able to rebuke the call of death and join the greater force. Yet this young girl? Were her talents as remarkable as they seemed? He offered no moment to think on the act. Instead his hand came from under his cloak, extended out to the young Jedi.

"You can come with me or you can stay here and die." He offered.

"The choice is yours, Echo."
​

​

 

[Echo Vesulos]

Location: Unknown
Tags: Adron Malvern

The dark side…

It clung to her as she gasped in lungfuls of air. It sung a song of revenge and a deep seated need to just let go and give in to the dark emotions that played upon the woman as she struggled with her grip upon the light. It promised her a revenge that would repay the one who tried to kill her. The dark side promised power and so much more as it whispered dark thoughts, only to remind her of the pain that radiated from her chest. The stabbing pain of betrayal and the stabbing pain of a physical wound that slowly bled through fingers of her left hand that was pressed to it in an attempt to slow the bleed. A futile attempt, as her basic grasp upon the skill of force healing could only slow it, not completely heal it. Yet, she couldn’t help but listen to the dark whispers. Why stay with the light when the dark held so much more promise?

With her hold upon the light waning with every slow dragging step, Echo felt the pull of the dark. Felt it’s dark promise leading her somewhere and the Miraluka could only hope that such forbidden whispers would deliver upon its promise. However, as she coughed, she brought up blood and she tried to redirect the healing forces towards that of her lungs; instead of stemming the blood flow. Lungs that had probably inhaled half of the soil on the planet and now she suspected that the blade had knicked such an important part of the sentient body. If she wanted to live, she had to prioritise and hope that if she were to truly give in to the dark desires that whispered such a siren song, then it would give her the help that she needed to stay alive.

Rain began to fall through the trees and as the lightning flashed above, the woman knew that Death’s door was close. She couldn’t stave off blood loss and hypothermia, so she reached out to the dark; she reached out to the guiding pull and tightly gripped it just as another loud crack flashed overhead. Purple light coloured the night’s sky and as she used the force with a desperate grip, she felt him, before she saw him with force sight.

It was as if the siren song had belonged to the man that was shrouded in the dark force and it was a sight to behold, if only she could live long enough to enjoy such a sight. However she did note the men that trailed behind him and the woman braced herself for a fight. However, the woman couldn’t help but muse at the state that she must look. Short, white hair in disarray covered in dirt and blood, which felt as if it cling in some part to her tattered eye covering. Her clothes were torn and covered with blood. Not to mention the gaping hole in her chest as blood dripped between her fingers onto the very ground that she stood on. Although, it would be blood that sought to pool at her feet as she prepared her weakened physical body for a fight and called upon the force.

A fight that apparently would not happen as she listened to the man speak.

Her head angled to the right as he spoke her name, a name that she had not given but overall wasn’t surprised and although he beckoned to her, she hesitated. He offered her life and yet the dark side clung to him; she could see it. Although, she couldn’t help but question as to what it was that the light side and the way of the Jedi had given her? Such light had only offered her death and a shallow grave. One that she refused to accept and she took a slow step towards the man. Only one as she heard another whisper, a whisper of distrust that had suddenly become instilled within her bones. It had come about the moment that she had felt the biting blade in her back and provided the stinging feeling of betrayal.

No... She thought to herself as she took another step. The light has betrayed me, She responded to the whisper of distrust and felt closer to the dark side within that moment as Echo moved closer still towards the strange man. A man who offered life, not death and with her free hand she reached for him. Reached out to grasp at the offered hand. “I want to live,” Echo gasped as she felt the slow decline into unconsciousness grip her once again. Knees buckled as she fell, but instead of feeling the hard ground, she fell into the dark side. One that gladly wrapped around her like a blanket and promised the gift of life.

 

[Adron Malvern]

LIVE​

Tags: Echo Vesulos ​

"I want to live."
​

Adron's lips curled into a knowing smile as the girls vision faded. The final thing she would see if him standing over her. He had used the Force to halt the girl's fall to the hard ground below. Distorted and disoriented, she would hear the man's commanding tone. "Take her to the palace."

The Next Day
​

"She is recovering well, your majesty. Your treatments seem to have worked well in stabilizing her condition." Doctor Imura, an elder Bothan with a greying goatee spoke light-heartedly while his eyes darted over his datapad. Before him, Echo Vesulos was suspended in a tank of bacta, her exposed body hooked to numerous probes and medical tools to ensure her recovery. The King stood behind the doctor, his arms crossed over his chest while he gazed up at the young Mirilukan. "Good. Her body seems to have accepted my gifts." He approached the tank, a hand pressed againsr it. As he did, the Mirilukan's body began to give off a faint amethyst glow. Markings flowed over the woman's belly, up to her chest, and around her back. In reaction to the King they glowed brightly, however the moment he stepped back they fell back to a deep black.

"Speaking of. In the past twenty-four hours there has been a thirty percent increase in muscle development, a twenty percent increase in lung capacity, and nearly all her wounds are healed. We believe she's gained a minor regeneration factor." The King shook his head softly. "No, the Dark Side has been sustaining her. In her sleep she draws from it subconsciously. A testament to the rage that lies within her heart." He commented.

"Ah...I...See." The Doctor replied, obviously not understanding the intricacies of the Force but not caring to argue with his liege. "Shall I awaken her?" The man asked. The King paused for a moment of consideration before nodding.

It was actually another few hours before the young woman was awakened. An electric shock was sent through her body, pulling her from the medical coma the Doctor had set her in. She was pulled from her bath of bacta and cleaned before brought to a suite in the far corner of the palace. She had yet to awaken, but the Doctor believed she would arise soon. The King, not to rush the process, paid her little mind. Though he did wait in her suit with a black-bound book in his hands, he was not in any particular hurry.

That was when he felt a faint pull.

She had awakened. It was about time.

As Echo Vesulos eyes came open, the Sith King kept his eyes fastened on the book before him. "The Doctor was sure you would succumb to your injuries when I brought you to him. You were far past the point where modern medicine could save your life." He flipped to the next page. "Still, it is amazing that you were alive at all. When we found you the Force was already pulling you into the great abyss. It was simply your rage that kept you bound to the world of the living."

"It was that rage that called out to me. Consider yourself fortunate." He said casually, softly closing the book and setting it down on a dresser on the far wall.
​

​

 

[Echo Vesulos]

Location: Unknown Palace
Tags: Adron Malvern

Echo could hear the voices, but they sounded far off and in a dream, one where they sounded underwater and yet they also sounded close. The woman might have questioned as to where she was, if only she had managed to hold on to consciousness. So a sleep she had fallen into. A sleep where it was nothing but dark and voices whispered into her ear; making promises and singing to her that familiar siren song. The familiarity of the one who whispered to her felt intimate and unconsciously she reached for it as if she was trying to grasp it; to pull it into her arms. She didn’t want to be alone, not in the darkness that she had found herself in. Yet as she reached, she felt the force and its dark nature. The dark side of the force called to her even in this state and she wanted to respond, to accept. She felt it wrap around her reaching fingers and slowly began to curl around her arm as it made its way up the appendage. It wouldn’t stop wrapping around her body until every inch was covered and then the burning anger that had been simmering under the surface, followed her into a wakeful state.

A sigh parted her lips as her head rolled so then her face would be facing the ceiling and a hand lifted, only to rest upon her chest. She would have taken a moment to simply take stock of where she was; except a man spoke, which startled her and she rose up quickly into a sitting position. There, she noticed that she was naked, but that wasn’t what had captured her attention. The hand upon her chest noticed that the skin was smooth and lacked the gaping wound that had once been there. She had been healed? Well of course, Echo thought to herself as she turned her face towards the man of whom the dark force was wrapped around so tightly. The woman listened to his words, but she wasn’t at all surprised that she had been beyond the conventional ways of help.

“Fortunate…” She finally whispered as her pale fingers drew over the spot upon her chest where the gaping wound had been. Almost as if she found it hard to believe that it was fortune that had healed her. Slowly she exhaled and tried to reach for the light, but instead, only found the dark forces that seemed to wrap around her. Dark forces that came with the rage which simmered underneath the surface. Her connection to the light had almost seemingly been severed and yet, she couldn’t find it within her to care. “I would have survived either way, because I refuse to entertain the thought that I might have died.” Echo said as she listened to the dull thud of the book finding its home upon a dresser. “I’m not finished yet, so the fact that you found me was rather fortunate.” Slowly, she angled her head slightly to the right and she licked her lips as she did so.

The Miralukan could feel the man’s power and she had wondered if it had been his siren song that she had heard. Yet, if she were to have eyes that closed, she could feel the dark force that she herself was now channeling. A force that was much different than the light that she had once wielded and her pale fingers followed the trail of a tattoo that now marked her skin. Could feel the power that radiated from it, “Are these… Yours?” She questioned the man as she knew that she hadn’t given them to herself, but it wasn’t the only question that was quick to the tongue and she quickly gave the questions a voice. “Where am I and why did you help me?” There was always a price for everything; even Echo knew that.

 

[Adron Malvern]

POWER​

Tags: Echo Vesulos ​

There was a keen tone that came from Adron as he spoke. He leaned back on the dresser, clasping his hands together as he listened to the woman's words. He found them amusing. No, she would have surely died if not for the man finding her and bringing her to medical attention. Still, a small part of him could not help but believe those words she spoke. Perhaps she could have survived, luckily she did not have to flip that coin. He could sense her in the Force and she was undeniably shaken in the light, she had only the Dark Side to draw from and she did such amateurishly. He watched her fingers trace over the markings that he'd embedded on her body.

The King nodded at the woman, speaking softly. "Indeed. They kept you from death long enough for the medical treatment to take effect." He explained, before taking the black book from the dresser and walking over to the woman. "They are Force Runes. They allowed me to freely transmit my power over the Dark Side directly into your body. They saved your life and now they are a part of you." He explained to the woman. Yet her next question was perhaps the one of most importance. The King glanced around the room, almost as if the woman should recognize where she was. Yet, he knew better. "Dragonne Palace. You are on Illyria, my Crownworld." He revealed.

"As for why I helped you, that answer is simple." He explained.

"I take interest in those who have been broken but yet show promise." He told her. The Sith King walked to the side of the woman's bed, where a covered tray held a nutritious meal to aid in her recovery. He pulled the cover from the tray before holding the tray out to Echo. "Questions later. For now you must eat and finish healing. Once your energy has returned, you will begin your training." He declared, before turning towards the door. He glanced back over to Echo before offering the woman a slight smile. "Enjoy your meal, Echo."
​

​

 

[Echo Vesulos]

Location: Dragonne Palace, Illyria
Tags: Adron Malvern

Quietly she took the tray from the man as he spoke and she watched the man through the force as he turned towards the door, only to glance back at her and use her name again. Her expression didn’t budge, but she still wondered about how he could have possibly known her name. The woman wasn’t a confederate and she had heard of Illyria, but had never been to the planet. At least, not until her would be killer tried to bury her body within its soil. However, she did know the moment that he had said that it was his crownworld, who the man was himself. It didn’t take a genius, but she also hadn’t met the man either. Adron Malvern. He had many titles King and Exarch being two of them, but she didn’t know much else about him apart from the fact that he had a family as well.

Echo watched the man leave and she had been overly tempted to tell him that she wasn’t broken, that she was anything but; except she knew differently. Her faith in the light had been shattered and although rage burned like a thick log thrown on the fire; slow and steady, she just couldn’t help but think that maybe she had been broken. The woman had been betrayed and buried, only to be found bleeding profusely and denying Death its dues with no one by her side. She was alone and that thought struck her to her very core. Was she even thought of? Or did no one care that she was gone? Suchs questions made her want to throw the tray out of rage and her pale fingers gripped the edges as if she was going to, but the only thing that stopped her was the fact that there was still food on the plate. No, throwing food wouldn’t help the situation in the slightest.

A sigh parted her lips as she continued to pick at the food. The woman barely had an appetite to begin with, but she knew that nutrition was just as important as healing and yet, her focus wasn’t on the food, it was on the force.

The light had always held a calm energy, one that wasn’t chaotic but peaceful. Such a peace had been shattered for her and even as she reached for it, the light seemed to scatter. Almost as if she was tainted goods and in a way, she was. The runes upon her body was a conduit to allow Adron to transmit his dark powers into her body. A body that had been broken and had been healed by the chaotic powers of the dark side. A dark side which whispered to her in soft, gentle tones even as she sat there. It called to her and as she reached for it, it didn’t scatter like the light had done, but rather it accepted her. Wrapped around her like a temptress. Which was the core essence of the dark side. It tempted those towards it; tempted them through their desires and one such desire was power. Power, of which she wanted now more than ever. To seek vengeance and to bring her fury down upon those who seek to stand in her way. However, as a sigh parted her lips and she pushed away the tray, still half full; the woman couldn’t help but circle back around to a lingering question.

Was she truly broken? Echo didn’t feel broken, but perhaps that was because of the fact that she had been physically healed. Her mind seemed scattered, directionless as she no longer served a purpose. The woman certainly couldn’t serve the light when she was so clearly feeling the dark as it channeled through her body. Perhaps a directionless person was broken. They had no purpose to fulfill and what was life without purpose?

With such a question within her mind, Echo rose up from the bed and sought about getting dressed with the clothes that had been left for her. Clothes that seemed to solidify her position within the dark force as she felt its energies grow in strength, while her connection with the light weakened with every piece of material that caressed her body. Finally, when she wrapped the eye covering over her vestigial eye sockets, the woman turned to view herself within the mirror. Even she herself could see that she was no longer the bright, vibrant woman that she used to be. There was no smile ready to curve her full lips in a greeting; only a dark mournful woman. A woman who mourned for the person she had once been. Indeed, she truly had been broken, but even she knew that a broken person could be reforged.

 

[Adron Malvern]

The door came open and soon a man with flaxen hair entered. He was impeccably dressed with an ebony suit paired w

ith golden embroidery lacing down the chest. He adjusted the cream-white gloves upon his hand with a rather treasured smile before looking to the young woman. He placed a single gloved hand flat upon his chest and bowed deeply at the waist before greeting the woman in High Illyrian. "Bonne matinée ma femme." Quite quickly the man made an exasperated expression before pressing a bony finger to his temple. "Excusez-moi. His Majesty is always scolding me about speaking Illyrian to his guests. You will forgive me, of course?" The man let out a slight chuckle which was soft and song like before he clasped both hands behind his back.

"I am Magnate Jean de'Luo. I am the Keeper of the Palace and his majesty has ordered me to ensure you are well comforted and tutored during your recovery." He spoke with a dutiful, sparky tone that showed a man who took pride in what he did. Yet, his words flowed so naturally that one may believe he had done such his entire life. "Now, I see you have dressed in the attire his Highness picked out for you. Our dear King certainly loves the color of the darkness, no?" He let out another chuckle before turning, gesturing for the woman to follow.

"I would like for you to think of me as a confidant and friend to you during your stay!" He said enthusiastically. "I am sure it is quite a thing to be tossed on an unfamiliar world as you were? Well...His Majesty does enjoy his strays!" He said light-heartedly. "He's since learned that offering those he brings in a companion of sorts is a good way to ensure they adjust well." Jean led Echo down the halls. They were large and thought-provoking. Most of them sporting colors such as amethyst, teal, and of course black. The hall they currently walked through was lined with massive windows, showing a huge garden that was held in the center of the palace.

"Now. It is his majesty's decree that you will learn High Illyrian. It is a simple language, yet your studies will be rigorous, I believe four hours a day. Once you are proficient we move on the many marvelous facets of our planet. Economy, Government, Politics, Religion, and more."

"There are four meals through out the day. First and second breakfast, noontime lunch, and then dinner is served between five and seven depending on your schedule." The man spoke, placing a finger out each time he named one of the meals of the day. "Of course you may indulge personally in your free time. The Guest's kitchen will prepare nearly anything you can think of, but careful we don't want you to grow plump!" He said. "Now let us...see." He pulled a small book from his chest pocket, reading off a number of things as the two walked down the hall. He detailed a rather rigorous schedule including tutoring on many worldly and intergalactic facets, language classes, math, arts, and much more. In all, Echo was looking forward to sixteen hour days with only an hour of guaranteed free time a day. Her schedule did include three days off a week, yet they would be shifted around sporadically.

Once Jean had read it all off, he shut the book and made an exasperated expression. "My my. The King certainly spares no rod. Well, it is as it will be." He paused for a moment, offering Echo another warm smile before placing a hand on his chin in a rather charming fashion. "Questions?"

Tag: Echo Vesulos

 

[Echo Vesulos]

Tags: Adron Malvern

When the door opened, the woman turned to view the sharply dressed man that entered and her lips turned downwards as he bowed and spoke in a language that wasn’t at all familiar to her. Except he seemed to realise and apologised, of which she simply shook her head. The man continued talking, but for the most part the woman phased it out as she listened instead to the Force. It continued to whisper to her and she felt it’s strong influence as it tempted her. Being as she didn’t have physical eyes to see with, the woman was consistently channeling the force in order to gain the ability of sight. At least, some semblance of it. So the fact that she listened to the force more, rather than individuals, wasn’t uncommon. Especially when the topic of recovery was mentioned.

“I am not disabled, in fact, I feel fine.” Echo muttered before the man mentioned the dark clothes. To her, the clothes seemed fine, for they reflected the inside just right. The man didn’t deserve her ire, but all the same she couldn’t help the rising anger as he prattled on, but at least they were walking. A movement which was helping somewhat, but she couldn’t help the sigh that parted her lips and the words that followed. “I’m not looking for a confidant and I especially don’t need friends.” Echo said as she laced her hands behind her back to avoid using the force through them, but she spoke once more and this time the words were barely a whisper. “I don’t need to relive the act of betrayal.” No. Her instant reaction when friendship was offered, was to recoil from such a notion. She couldn’t afford to trust, only to be fooled again. Fool her once, shame on them. Fool her twice, shame on her. It wasn’t about to happen again.

However, the man prattled on more about food and her head tilted downwards for a moment as she followed the man through the force, rather than relying upon its sight and she listened. This king seemed overly invested in what could only be described as, a stray. She had appeared practically dead within the gravity of his planet and somehow he had managed to find her. Afterwards, she had miraculously healed from her wounds and now she was being tutored? The idea seemed preposterous to the woman and slowly she felt her fingers clench harder. She was no pet, but she did owe him her life. At least for now and slowly she exhaled as if she was trying to cool the boiling cauldron of anger that was rising to the surface.

It was a feeling that she was not accustomed to and yet, she felt as if the situation was a joke. Was she even truly alive? Or was she dead and living in her own personal hell?

Indeed, academics was not her favourite subject. Swordplay and weaponry had been her strengths and it was where she had been assigned to. Now though, her life was beginning to look far different and she pondered about whether or not she should be here at all. Was she here based on academics or the force? She couldn’t determine which and so even as the man stopped talking, she listened. Listened to the force that whispered of revenge. One that would see to her actual skills being used against the one who had betrayed her.

Echo could almost taste it; for the one who had literally stabbed her in the back, was nothing more than a coward who knew that she would have killed them if they had faced her off in a true fight. Lowly scum, she thought to herself as she lifted her chin so then it looked as if she was looking at the Magnate. “Let’s get this over with,” Echo said softly, but only so then she could push through the classes set out before her so then she could retreat and be alone. Free to focus solely on the whispers of the dark side.

 

[Adron Malvern]

KEEPER​

Tags: Echo Vesulos ​

Jean did not take Echo's demeanor with any great insult. A part of him likely felt very sorry for the poor girl, still he had a duty to do and he would see it done, He led Echo to a door before looking to her with a careful gaze. "A bit of advice, my dear. His Majesty extends his invites selectively. If he took you into his care it is because you have the potential to become something much more than you are now....and because he can help you exact the revenge you so crave." Jean's smile never faded as he opened the door gesturing for the woman to enter first. The room before her was dark, yet there was enough lighting for Echo to see it was a training area. A large dueling circle sat in the center of the room with several tables surrounding the fighting ring.

"Having been a member of the Jedi, you must be familiar with these, correct?" Jean led the woman to a table, one that had a number of lightsaber components neatly spread across the table. It was all that was needed to craft a lightsaber, minus a crystal to act as the power source. Jean stood opposite to the table as Echo, a hand waving over it invitingly. "Please. There are more options in the drawers below. The first step to crafting a new future would have to be the formation of a new weapon." He said invitingly. The components were labeled, some with different metals and others with entirely foreign materials all together. Each drawer held a particular type of component.

While the woman began to construct her own lightsaber, Jean pulled out a number of pieces from the drawers on his side, setting them down carefully while looking over them. "It is his majesty's wish to complete your training. He will enhance your power over the Force and in return you will serve him faithfully. If you do well, you will be rewarded." He told the woman as he began to steadily assemble a lightsaber of his own. Jean was not a force user, Echo would be able to sense that of him, yet he built the lightsaber with a rehearsed hand, his eyes seldom even on his work. In his mind the Keeper was wondering what would be a proper meal for the hall's main dinner in three days.

He finally lifted his eyes to Echo, setting a completed lightsaber on the table. "Why were you betrayed?" He asked pointedly.
​

​

 

[Echo Vesulos]

Tags: Adron Malvern

The man mentioned revenge and her head angled ever so slightly to the left while her lips twinged just a little. What could this man know about revenge? She was about to speak when he opened the door and she stepped into the dark room. A room that might have been dark to the eyes of a normal sentient being, but she didn’t rely upon eyes to see. The woman was a Miralukan and so the force provided her with all the sight that she ever needed. It wasn’t at all what she expected, especially when the man had mentioned so many academic classes and she hesitated. Was he joking? Trying to pull a prank on the woman? Was he trying to make her angry?

Yet, his words that followed only created a dull ache within her healing chest at the reminder of her past life. Slow and hesitant steps crossed over towards the table that held the many different pieces, pieces that reminded her of the first one that she had ever created. A weapon that was now lost to her and her hands unclasped from behind her back, only to reach forward so then her pale fingers could caress over the different pieces. “So, you do the book work and he teaches the physical training.” Echo said as her fingers touched upon songsteel and the metal seemed to hum to her as she listened to the force once more. This was the piece that she apparently wanted and she continued to choose her pieces based upon the whispers of the dark force. Other times they were quiet, right up until it began to whisper all the more. Whether the whispers were a figment of her imagination, or a fact that she had completely lost it, was a topic for another day.

Echo’s hands moved over to the crystals then and the only thing that gave her away when asked a question that she never thought would be asked; was the fact that her hands hesitated in their movements before continuing on. “I don’t know,” She said softly and that was the truth. The woman truly didn’t know why she had been runned through with a blade, nor did she know as to why she had been buried on Illyria. None of it made sense to her and she had wondered about it herself. “Why does anyone betray another? For self gain I suppose. Madness even? But it doesn’t matter,” Echo said as her fingers wrapped around a Kyber Crystal and a Krayt Dragon Pearl. “Because I’ll have my revenge, one way or another.” The woman said as she began to assemble the pieces together. It was a different blade than her first, but the very fact that this one was different, only told her that she was changing. Whether it was a growth that others might think of as bad or good, was irrelevant. She had fallen and she intended on embracing the dark powers that followed suit.

“It’s all about choices, isn’t it?” The woman questioned as her fingers moved about the pieces with a knowledge that she hadn’t forgotten. “Much like the one who betrayed me, you made one as well.” Echo said with a slight smile as the weapon came together quite nicely and she gently placed it upon the table, only to lift her chin so then it would appear as if she was staring at him through the eye covering. “One who is not a force user, decided to train others in book work and yet…” She paused as she lifted a hand to gently tug at her short, straight, white locks. It was a pause given to add more effect to the revelation that she was about to drop. “You’re a trained killer. A fact that wasn’t hard to distinguish I assure you. The way your footsteps don’t make a sound or the fact that you were able to assemble a lightsaber with ease, only gave you away.”

Slowly, her right hand picked up the assembled weapon as she rocked back upon her heels. “Much like the question, why was I betrayed? One could ask, why would a trained killer be a keeper of a palace and teaching book work?” She mused as she let go of the strands of hair, just as the lightsaber lit up red within her hands. “I wonder,” Echo murmured as her head tilted to the right, “What does Jean de’Luo fear?”

 

[Adron Malvern]

FIGHT​

Tags: Echo Vesulos ​

​

The Keeper showed the woman a knowing smile when she spoke of the training routine. "On the contrary I may very well take part in both ends. It is entirely dependant on what His Majesty decides." He said with a tone of pride. The Keeper looked to the woman with a curios gaze when she asked why anyone would betray anyone. "Oh come now. People will betray others for anything as dear as love to something as petty as money." He said. When she mentioned her revenge, the Keeper could only nod at her words. When she spoke of Jean, the man arched a brow loftly at her words, before finding a small smile upon his face. "You speak as if I attempted to hide it. There are few on the planet who are ignorant of my skills. They merely hold little relevance these days." ​

​

He looked back to the lightsaber he had crafted, with a warm smile still upon his face. ​

​

"That question is easier answered than you could ever imagine." He told the woman, placing his arms behind the small of his back as he looked up to her. "You are a Jedi. You know something of War." He said, his eyes darkening ever so softly. "But you know nothing of a life of war, my dear. An entire life spent spilling blood for nothing more than a few mounds of rock or lofty titles. An expectation that you exist only to destroy and never to create..." He trailed off for a moment before his smile returned in full presence. ​

"In the end I was allowed a choice. War or something else, something that allowed me a true life. I made my choice as you say and will never turn my nose up at it, not even for a second." He said. "As for what I fear?" He took the lightsaber from the table, stepping away so that he may lead the woman to the dueling circle. He paused for a moment, turning to the woman with an easy expression. "I fear I will never repay my debt." He said, before turning and walking to the circle.

Jean walked through the circle, to a small bench on the other side of the room. He made a gesture for Echo to remain in the circle while he took a seat, his hand falling to a datapad that was anchored to the wall. "His Majesty believes a diagnostic is in order. Let us begin." He tapped a button and suddenly, the ring began to quake. The lights in the room came alight, not that it mattered to the Mirilukan woman. "Perhaps level two?" He said, tapping another button.

A compartment in the center of the ring opened with a mechanical hiss. From below, a Magnaguard droid rose from the pit. It remained still for only a moment before its optics came to life with an amethyst hue, suddenly the Electrostaff it carried flared. The droid spun the staff with hellish precision before its optics settled on Echo.

 

[Echo Vesulos]

Tags: Adron Malvern

Echo listened as Jean spoke and although it seldom seemed interesting to the Miralukan, she didn’t think for a second that it wasn’t relevant to the man himself. His talk of people’s motives for betrayal, all fell into the category that she had already mentioned; self gain. So the only time that she showed even a hint of interest, was when he mentioned that his skills held little relevance. Oh contrary, she thought to herself as she twirled the blade within her hand to get a better feel for the new weapon. Her old one was a lot heavier than this one, as it had Beskar. This one was Songsteel and the difference was astounding to say in the least. A different weapon for a different path, the woman mused to herself as she listened to the man talk. A man who thought that his skills held little relevance to the current position that he held, was either a misguided fool or a cunning one. Adron wouldn’t have been foolish enough to send someone to tutor a wildcard, if he didn’t think for a second that they couldn’t handle themselves.

Or would he?

The woman shifted her sight to focus upon the man as he walked and she followed suit, only to stand in the circle as indicated. Did Adron think that she would try something? Echo would suspect as much. She was, after all, someone who had been betrayed. Or perhaps, maybe he figured that she had been lying in order to get into the closed ranks of his own inner circle? There was just something about all of this, that made her question everything. However, she knew that this man wasn’t just a keeper, for a keeper also enforces the rules. Keeper, was just another word for Enforcer and she refrained from smirking. Perhaps, she was right to not trust anyone just yet, as people couldn’t help but scheme and this time there was no state of peace to fool the woman. No light to trick her into a false sense of comradeship with her fellow members, only darkness where chao reigned supreme.

“I was a Jedi.” Echo corrected the man as she stood relaxed within the circle, even when the droid popped up. “And I’d rather destroy life than create it.” She said as she watched the droid’s optics zero in on her positioning with amethyst eyes that reminded her of Adron. The woman could remember when she had seen the man through the force, of how she could see the dark side that shined darkly all around him. It had been a sight to behold, but she was impressed that she herself had managed to stay alive in order to receive help; because the only way imaginable for her to actually be alive, was for her to appear dead to the one who had betrayed and buried her. However, what had risen from that grave, wasn’t a Jedi no more. Even now, she didn’t quite know what she was, she just knew that a path filled with light wasn’t for her no longer.

Even as her thoughts had taken a turn, she was still watching the droid in her relaxed positioning. A common mistake was to aim for the middle of the staff. Many who had done so, would sever the piece in two, creating two weapons for their opponent to use. There was an off chance that severing the staff could dismantle it, but it was highly unlikely these days. An effective staff wielder was far more annoying than one who could duel wield, as the staff could almost double as two weapons and a shield against the right kind of weapon. The trick was to get past the staff without creating a bigger issue. She could sever it, create two weapons and then disarm the blades one at a time. However, she had a different approach in mind, she just wanted to see how this droid would act first.

 

[Adron Malvern]

When the woman spoke of destruction, Jean's lips curled into a rather warm smile once a

gain. "That is why his majesty has such high expectations. How interesting." He said, yet that was all he would say.

The Magnaguard was obviously an advanced version. Where the standard Magnaguard had thin durasteel or plasteel plates to guard their most vulnerable spots, however this one had shining plates of Phrik which glinted against the lights in the room. As the electrostaff came to life with vibrant golden streams it let out a loud hum. The Magnagaurd extended its arm. The droid's hands were on extremely flexible ball joints, allowing it to freely spin the staff with ease. The mesmerizing spin crossed from one side of the droid's body to the other before it locked the staff in a dual-hand grip.

That was when Jean would speak plainly. "You're overthinking it." He said, his harsh falcon-like eyes resting on Echo who was so deep within her own mind. "If you know where one end of the staff is, you know where the other end is." He said in a matter of fact one. His words were not given their own piece as in the next moment the Magnaguard charged.

The staff spun wildly until finally the droid strafed forward, locking the staff in a single-handed grip and thrusting it forward at Echo's chest. The droid moved with uncompromising speed, yet it was the might behind the droid that was to be feared. The metal hydraulics hissed and whirred as they were activated against the former jedi.

Echo Vesulos

 

[Echo Vesulos]

Tags: Adron Malvern

Her head angled just slightly in the direction of Jean and a slow smirk curved her lips as the man made a comment about how she was overthinking it. “Am I overthinking it? Last time I checked, I didn’t have eyes that would mirror my inner thoughts.” Echo said as the Magnaguard charged into action. The Miraluka followed its movements through the force, but the woman was fairly certain that her body position had been relaxed and that not even her face had twitched in the slightest to give an indication that she had been thinking. However, while she did admit that she had been thinking, she was certain that it was just a basic overview of what she already knew about her current opponent.

Sometimes it was better to operate with complex moves, to overload the droid’s basic capabilities. Then just aim for the joints, she thought as she channeled the dark forces and directed some of it to her feet to gain the edge in speed; for this magnaguard could move and she would need to not only match its speed, but move faster. However, she waited for the last second before actually moving to do anything of worth. There was a calculated reason for that and the woman even took a step closer as she brought her lightsaber down to meet the end that was meant to run her through. This action brought the woman closer as her lightsaber met the golden streamed end with an electric sizzle, only for her to use her lightsaber to push it away from its intended direction, while her other foot stepped away only slightly from the weapon. Meanwhile, her freehand reached out to grab at the hand that gripped the staff.

What she did next was purely theoretical, as she had only ever been an apprentice within the ranks of the Jedi. The magnaguards that they had fought, had never had their joints protected with phrik and therefore hadn’t used the technique that she was about to use. For that training had been about the lightsaber only and if this had been about the lightsaber training only, she could only surmise that it wouldn’t have phrik protecting its joints. Therefore, she had to use other methods, methods that involved close quarters as she channeled the build up of the chaotic dark forces. Methods that had one hand holding the droid where it was; by controlling it with its staff that she had grabbed via its own hand. A hand which made sure that it couldn’t remove, as she channeled force strength into her own to hold it there.

With the amount of force she was using, one might have thought that she would stop there, but the woman dug her heels in and expanded upon her hold of the force. Reaching for the dark well of constant dark forces and continued to draw upon it some more. Echo drew upon it, gathered it and centered her mind upon exactly what she wanted. This technique had never been taught to her, but she knew of it. Every Jedi did, for it helped them to fight the favoured magnaguard droid that every Sith used. A droid disabling technique called, ionize. It was something that she wasn’t taught, so she went for overkill. It was the safer option for her, being that force stun was ineffective here and at such close quarters, would only affect her. Whereas ionize affected only droids, not organics.

With this thought in mind, she channeled the ionize energy shot through the hand that held the droid's hand in place. A shot that would overload and destroy the magnaguard in a way that could be considered overkill. As sparks would begin to shut down the droid, the woman would disengage from it and leaped backwards so then she wouldn’t be caught by any of the sparks from the circuits that had been fried by the force ionized energy.

 

[The High Court of Illyria]

Jean was not the kind who enjoyed snark, so he said nothing in response to the woman's words. He merely watched as she entered into combat with

the droid. Echo had impressive technique, though it was in need of refinement. The hawk-like gaze that the man held was fastened on the display as she tapped into the Force to create an ionized wave that devastated the droid's systems. Unconventional, that much was true about the young Mirilukan. Still, something about the way she had engaged the droid made Jean hold his hand to his lips in silent contemplation. Eventually he brought his hands together in a slow, drawn out clap.

"Well done." He complemented her. "You dispatched it with relative ease, meaning that your instincts are still in tact. Your training should be an easy undertaking." Something about the way he spoke was obviously off, yet he said nothing, instead he merely took his datapad in his hand and began to scroll through a few things. "Level three." He said, which caused the ground to rumble once again.

This time there was not a single hatch that opened, instead there were five. Each of them opened and slowly there were another five Magnaguard rising from the ground below. In a loud clamor the group of Magnaguard slammed the base of their electrostaffs against the ground, causing the weapons to come to life with a golden surge of electricity. The hum of their weapons was almost uncomfortably loud, especially to Jean who could not stand excessive noise.

The man clasped his hands together while looking to Echo with an expectant gaze. "Now, show us what you are capable of." He demanded.

That was when the Magnaguard charged in unison.

Echo Vesulos

 

[Echo Vesulos]

Tags: Adron Malvern

Instinct… Training… Those were the only words that she heard. Not even the drawn out clap registered as the two words echoed inside her mind. Something about it seemed to have triggered thoughts within and slowly her chin tilted downwards so then short white hair could mask the slight downturn of her lips. Perhaps they echoed because she herself was just an echo. Much like her name and not for the first time did she wonder if anyone actually truly wondered about whether she was alive. Did it matter? Had she actually died and she was simply an echo? A shell? Was that why they wondered if the body’s natural instinct was still inside because she wasn’t? Such questions didn’t have an answer and she could already feel the droop of her shoulders as they sloped downwards. Had her will to survive been premature? Was her survival a joke that Death had devised in order to get back at her defiant will to die?

The whispers were still present, but she could feel the shutting down of her mind as she retreated deep into the dark recesses within. Jean spoke, but it was almost as if it didn’t matter. As Death had made a laughing stock out of her. She was the very essence of her namesake right in that very moment. An echo of what she had once been with no true connection to keep her rooted in the present.

Once upon a time, she had a brother. One who was no more that she knew of and now she didn’t even have the light as it scattered from her flailing grasp. The darkness caved in on her as she felt Death laugh at her from beyond the grave. Was she dead? Was she an echo? What purpose did she serve now? The woman was surely but a shell, a shell where whispers of darkness continued to promise her something that was surely beyond her now, as she drew upon the dark forces that threatened to consume her. What reason did she have to fight anymore? What possible connection was there for her to use to continue to drive her forward? There was none and an echo of what once was, didn’t think that it could trust ever again. The ability had been shattered for her and she hesitated even with the magnaguards lunging for her.

Move, the whispers said and the woman channeled the force into her feet so then she could lunge straight up into the air to avoid the lunging attacks. What was to come next, was almost a blur in her memory, as she felt her own presence peel away from her physical body and simply watched from afar. Everything seemed to be played in fast forwards, as she watched her body seemingly float in the air for a moment. Echo felt the channeling of the force upon a grander scale, as she discarded the lightsaber and spread her hands out before her. The dark force that she channeled was turned into a stream of ionized energy that she flung at the magnaguards. A stream that could only be described as a large blue-white wave.

When her feet touched back upon the floor, she saw through the force, as the ionized attack destroyed the droids and she felt the pull of air across her pale face explode before her. Yet none of that seemed to pull any kind of reaction from the woman. For Death’s laughter still echoed within her mind. Echo was an echo, she couldn’t deny it. For although she wished for destruction, it seemed to be the only thing that burned within. Nothing else seemed to register with the woman and she turned from the training circle, only to begin walking away. How could an echo feel anything when her sole purpose didn’t even bring her any joy?

 

[Adron Malvern]

FIERCE​

Tags: Echo Vesulos ​

Clap clap clap.

The sound echoed through out the training hall in three, heavy echoes. The Illyrian King had been monitoring Echo's training thus far and found the skills she had produced to be satisfactory for what he had in mind. Her fury bled from her in uncontrolled waves, showing that even though she had promise, there was little true control over the Dark Side. A calm storm was still a storm, he thought as he approached the woman. A single hand slid into his pocket as he passed the pile of metal that had once been a group of Magnaguards. "Well done. You successfully disabled the Magnaguard with little trouble." His hand rose, sweeping a stray lock from the girl's eyeband as he gazed down at her.

"It seems the power I infused within you is working well in attuning you to the Dark Side." He remarked, bringing a hand to his chin in thought. That was when Jean stood, approaching his Master and bowing deeply at the waist. "Your Majesty." The man spoke in his same, rehearsed tone. "Jean. I will handle things from here. I want you to ensure the others are well taken care of." The man looked to Echo for a shallow moment before bowing his head as well. "Of course, Your Majesty." The King turned his eyes back to Echo before gesturing for her to follow the King. "You're recovering well." He pointed out.

"I came to see you because it is time for me to offer you your deal." They moved into the halls, once again flanked by large, imposing windows. The King's hands fell to the small of his back as he walked alongside the Mirilukan. "I am not a slaver. Every man may enter and leave my service as they wish, you included." He said, as they moved down the next hall. "So if that is what you wish, then you may leave." He told her. "If you decide to stay, then you must commit yourself to my training, my vision."

"Illyria is a beautiful world on the edge of the galaxy. However it needs protection and growth. To see that end, and others, come to pass I am forming an elite group of apprentices under my tutelage. The Sisters of Death, I know a flashy moniker, but the message is clear. As are my expectations."

"You will serve as one of my Executioners. An agent of death, my guiding hand." He pointed his hand to extenuate his point. "If I aim my hand, then you will deploy and destroy whatever lays along the path."

"In return for your loyalty I will provide you with a home, plenty of credits, near limitless access to knowledge, and most importantly power. Power that can be directed towards those who betrayed you." He told her.

"Now is the time to decide Echo. Will you commit yourself to my teachings and claim me as your master or will you face the hungry galaxy alone." His hand was now extended out to her, just as it had the first time they met. "I promise you the path...it is up to you to walk it."
​

​

 

[Echo Vesulos]

Tags: Adron Malvern

Footsteps had been halted as she heard a pair of hands clapping, hands that had not been there before; as they did not come from Jean’s direction. No, the woman had not heard nor sensed through the force that he had even moved and the white haired woman turned slightly so then she could face the new set of hands. However, she could see the dark energies of the force that radiated off of him and she felt the alchemic runes upon her skin begin to burn within the man’s presence as he slowly closed the gap between them. While it was uncomfortable to say in the least, the action itself brought her out of whatever fugue state that she had found herself in. Which only brought the whispers back as she angled her head slightly to the right while listening to the man’s words. He almost sounded as if he didn’t even expect her to be able to dispose of the Magnaguards and she remained silent for the moment. This man had some kind of reason for helping her to defying Death and she would wait if only to discern what the reasoning was.

Quietly, the woman remained still as she felt his hand sweep away the stray locks from her eyeband, even though such an action was irrelevant for the Miraluka. The gesture however, was a universal one and it seemed odd for the man. Her guards rose up and she listened to the words that were spoken. His power had been infused inside of her to not only survive but attune her to the dark side? Such a thing only made the woman realise as to why the light scattered out of her reach. It was because her body had become a tainted vessel and as such, she could no longer channel such light and she never would be able to again. Echo could almost hear Death laughing at her once again at such a revelation and slowly she exhaled in an attempt to keep her anger under wraps, for she essentially was, a charged bomb that only needed the right pressure to make her explode in a furious rampage.

Echo’s head shifted only slightly, as she heard Jean rise up from his seated position to approach them and the woman listened to the soft whispers of his clothes when he bowed before the King. Words were exchanged between the two and she could feel the man’s eyes upon her, if only for a moment. Could she feel guilty that she was just too broken and couldn’t form a friendship with the man who had offered such a thing? The woman had died at least in part and all that she could hear was Death laughing at her. Laughing because she didn’t even know who she was. She didn’t know if she was simply a shell of who she was and she didn’t know if she was an echo of her former self; as such she found herself recoiling from the thought of friendship. It wasn’t him, it was her. If Echo couldn’t trust herself, then how could she possibly trust others?

After Jean had left, the woman began to follow the man out of the room and into the hallway, where the conversation seemed to flow. She made no remarks about her recovery and although the burning sensation was growing even more uncomfortable by being in the man’s presence, it helped to ground her in a way as she listened with her arms by her side while they walked. Everything he offered in return for her loyalty might have been tempting once upon a time, but still the only thing that even brought her to a stand still, was the prospect of a purpose. ”You want someone who died?” Echo finally questioned in a soft voice as the whispers grew louder inside of her ear. ”Well. At least that’s what the whispers tell me. I died and somehow, I defied death only to awaken buried upon this world that you call home. Perhaps, I was meant to cross paths with you.” She said softly.

Slowly, she turned her head away from the male and angled it slightly to the right in a silence that seemed to have gripped her for a moment; when all that she was doing, was thinking. At least, pretending to think and slowly, the woman turned around as pale fingers reached out to grasp at the man’s hand. The burning pain of his marks upon her body grew in intensity, but Echo paid in no mind. ”I will accept you as my master and in doing so, I commit to your teachings. I will be an Agent of Death that is guided by your hand and vision,” Echo promised and slowly, the whispers died only to fade away with every word that she spoke, but she knew the words to be true. While power was in and of itself was indeed worthwhile, it was the need for a purpose that truly drove her. Death had cursed her, but she knew that Death and her had also made a pact when she had crawled out of her grave. She would get to live, but in return she would struggle to form bonds of any real worth, while killing souls to satiate Death’s hunger.

 

[Adron Malvern]

FEAR​

Tags: Echo Vesulos ​

With compliance comes progress.

The words echoed through the man's mind as his newest apprentice pledged herself to his teachings. The King nodded softly before his steps could be heard passing the young woman. "Then let us begin." He declared. Echo was not like his other apprentices. She did not have the methodical idealisms that sometimes found themselves emplaced in Xobos Yakieer nor did she hold a heart in the way that Danielle Mueller did, and while she could become an effective killer, she was not the monstrosity that Acantha Malvern had been bred to become. No, Echo was much like a knife. Deadly, unassuming, and wholly devoted to their task. She would make the perfect assassin in the coming years.

"My Dominion over Illyria exists through progression and esteem." He explained to his apprentice as they moved through the halls of the palace. "Not fear. Esteem. You must always be feared by your enemies yet loved by those you wish to rule. Allow your emotions to rule you and you will become nothing more than a pet to their whims. Allow your emotions to empower you, not command you." He warned her. "Your first lesson is going to be an easy one. As my agent you must learn to make fear your greatest ally, for it is that which you will unleash upon your enemies...when the time comes." He explained.

The King led Echo out into a courtyard. The entire yard had a number of armored knights standing attentively at the entrances into the area. Once they were in the center of the courtyard, the King spoke softly. "First, we will test your own mind. Prepare yourself. The mind is the gateway of the Force, if I destroy your gateway...then you will be nothing." A single hand stretched out to his apprentice.

Echo would feel her entire body quake as the raw pressure of the Force descended upon her. It was heavy, cold, and took away her breath. The scene around her began to melt away as reality was harshly stripped from her grasp. The Dark Side of the Force wrapped itself around the young apprentice, screaming into her ears in a hellish manner and then...she would experience a horrible nightmare.
​

​