Cabal/Emergence | Rat in the Mud

[Mauda]

The bellowing scream of the Black corvette's plasma engine barely trumped the violent winds and rain of Daluuj. Touching down on endless mud, Orex stepped out into a world of rain, wind, dirt and marsh. A less than pleasant landscape with an infamy for being despised. And yet it was here he felt a shout in the Force. That whisper he often heard associated with something rippling in the Force had been growing louder for many weeks now. Finally, Orex had relented and decided to follow where it took him. Of course he had been occupied. His life was a busy one. But his curiosity often bested his sense of responsibility. And this was certainly a curiosity he was keen to indulge. What he would find, he did not know. All he knew was that it was strong, and it was dark.

Orex began his trek across the marshland, every step sinking into the mud. The whispers were an audible chatter now. He was on the right planet and in the right area. All he had to do now was persist through the abhorrent weather and find what he was looking for. The aggressive rains whipped against his uncovered head forcing him to squint through his one exposed eye. Through the blurs he could make out, scuttling movement caught his attention. He slowed and attempted feebly to track what he saw. Motionless, he peered into the monsoon darkness. His hand snapped outward and into it flew a small reptilian creature. His gloved fingers wrapped around the wriggling body. Its movements were defiant and desperate, but futile. In mere second, its body lost any hint of colour. Its life fell from its eyes and drifted into Orex's own being. The blackened husk of a corpse was dropped gracelessly from his iron grip. The moment it slapped the mud underfoot, Orex resumed his trek unhindered.

Having journeyed for what seemed like an hour, Orex brought himself to a halt. The chatters were a stream of shouts now. He was tantalisingly close, but simply could not navigate through the incessant mist and rain. Instead, he stopped. Whatever it was would come to him. He was a beacon after all. His anger screamed into the void, amplified by his armour. Needless to say, the spirit that resided in his Mask was enough to call on any sensitive to the Force on its own. He waited, patiently.

[member="Darth Necrin"]

 

[Darth Necrin]

Necrin had felt it as soon as it had landed on the planet. Another force-sensitive being was here. Unexpected, but not unwelcome. It was rare for People to come to this planet. Daluuj, a planet located far away from the galactic core. Filled With swamps, often pouring With rain, unpleasent Wildlife. It was mostly filled With reptiles, small flying Creatures and bugs. But some Places, there were bigger beasts. But they resided in Places one would have trouble getting to. Not that it was easy to get anywhere on Daluuj. One would have to brave the endless swamps, while navigating through thick rain, or sometimes mist, and keeping watch for predators. Not an ideal Place to visit. Which is the exact reason Necrin had chosen this planet to hide on.

Once this other individual had arrived, Necrin had sent out his Phantom Guard to scout Ahead. He himself had remained at their camp a bit longer, meditating, sending out signals to this stranger. It was someone he had never me before. This could be both good and bad. At least it wasn't one of his old allies, from the time of the Jen'ari. After the fall, some had turned on the others, either out of Madness, or to cash in the bounties that had been placed on the head of the Jen'ari leaders. And Necrin doubted those bounties had been removed. But this individual was at least a New face. It could still be a Bounty hunter, though. One didn't come to this planet without a reason. And one of few Things of interrest here, was the earlier Dark Councillor.

After a while, Necrin decided to og out himself. The Phantom Guard had located the individual, keeping their prescence hidden through the force, and keeping their distance. He wore his standard Combat Armor, but instead of the helmet he took a black Hood over his head, making only the lower part of his face Visual. It was time to hunt a force-user.

It didn't take long for Necrin to Catch up to the Guard. The individual they spied on had gotten far, begining to come Close to their camp. And he looked interesting. More prescice, his mask. It looked nothing like anything Necrin had seen before. But it was more than just how it looked. It was how it felt. It had a Power about it, which had a pulling effect on Necrin, and certainly on his guard too. The person was clearly a dark-sider, but not quite like the sith. His Power felt different.

It was time to reveal himself. Necrin made a signal for the Guard to keep hidden and hide themselves through the force, before he jumped Down from the giant tree he had sat in, and landed behind the other force-user, making a splash in the water he landed in. Standing straight, he grabbed his lightsaber in his right hand, but didn't ignite it just yet. "Greetings, intruder," was all he said. His voice was Cold, and menacing, and he used the force to impact the rain so it would make him less visible.

[member="Orex Mauda"]

 

[Mauda]

Orex spun, his sabre snapping into his grip. He was careful not to look into the individual lest he be victim to the Mask. Instead, his eye settled on the hooded figure’s shoulder. This was who he was looking for. And he was certainly strong. The man was tainted in the Dark Side. Potentially Sith. If that were the case, Orex had his sabre ready. To slaughter another religious zealot would make the trip worthwhile.

“Intruder? Am I intruding on your mud?”

Orex saw no structures, fortifications or instalments. There was nothing from he could make out to suggest this area was inhabited. And yet the individual regarded him an intruder. Trespassing on some form of living ground.

[member="Darth Necrin"]

 

[Darth Necrin]

Necrin laughed wickidly at the intruder's questions. Did he noy understand? Was mud really all he saw this Place for? Daluuj was Necrin's planet now. It was perfectly Remote and scarcely populated that it wouldn't be noticed to the rest of the Galaxy that Necrin had taken Control of it. The few People that actually lived on the planet knew he was there, but were too afraid to do anything. It was rare that he went to the Places these People lived, and they rarely saw him. But they felt his prescence there all the time.

"You Wonder what you have intruded on? Why, only my planet," Necrin took a step forward. "I could feel it as soon as you touched Down here, and have been keeping an eye on you since."

Necrin saw the lightsaber in the intruder's hand. He was ready to defend himself, or to attack, it seemed. Well, this could get fun, Necrin thought to himself. If this individual wanted a fight, he would certainly get one. Besides, he could not be permitted to leave, now that he knew Necrin was there. He took another step towards the intruder. "Tell me, why are you here? Few just stumble upon a planet this far from the core by accident. What do you seek here?" He nearly hissed the last sentance.

[member="Orex Mauda"]

 

[Mauda]

Orex remained motionless. He was not intimidated, but he certainly felt as if the figure was encroaching on him. Something that spiked his adrenaline. A brief thought of quickly igniting his blade and promptly cutting down the man flashed through his mind. But this was nothing to act on. Nothing to consider.

"You have drawn me. There are no accidents when an entity of power piques my attention. I am here because you are. I am here to inspect."

Orex looked the armoured being up and down. He was hooded. Shrouded in the dark and the rain. He could not make out a face. But his signature in the Force told him most of what he needed to know. Experience, dark, powerful. Perhaps even what he was looking for.

[member="Darth Necrin"]

 

[Darth Necrin]

What was this man meaning? Necrin had not tried to draw anyone to him. The reason for him being out here, was to not be found. So there was no reason he would try to draw anyone to him. And what did the man mean by 'inspect'? What was he going to inspect?

"It is true that I am an entity of Power, as you called it. But I did not Call you here. I came here to be away from the Galaxy."

This intruder seemed more and more crazy. And Necrin had been forced to deal With crazies before, both as enemies and allies. The best way to do it, in Necrin's experience, was to make them talk. There was often some reason behind what they said.

"You said you were here to inspect. What would it be that you are to inspect?"

He took another step towards the intruder, whom he had yet to learn the name of. They were now only a a couple of meters from each other. The intruder would soon see the lower part of Necrin's face.

[member="Orex Mauda"]

 

[Mauda]

Blue flesh appeared under the hood as the figure stepped ever closer. A beard, drenched in rain and mottled with mud. The man embraced a planet of endless filth. There was an aspect of such a life Orex respected. But he certainly did not respect the figure yet. As he took a step, Orex brought his hands behind his back and gripped each wrist.

"No, you didn't call me..."

Orex was becoming tired of the conversation. Calling across the violent rain with no action in sight, instead, he chose to act.

"You said you were here to inspect. What would it be that you are to inspect?"

"Well."

Orex ignited his black blade behind his back. Simultaneously, he leapt into the air, spun, and brought his blade down toward the hooded Chiss with thunderous energy.

There was nothing to be learnt in the rain. Shouting back and forth, perpetuating a meaningless conversation. Orex could satisfy the Chiss' questions, however many they numbered. But that told him nothing. He had traveled many light years to uncover this rat in the mud. Discovering whether this rat was, indeed, nothing more than a rat, would require more than answers. It required action. Strain and stress.

[member="Darth Necrin"]

 

[Darth Necrin]

Necrin felt it before he saw the blade being ignited, before the intruder launched himself. Necrin activated his own lightsaber, and raised it to meet the attack. The intruder's speed was formidable, and had nearly gotten Necrin by surprise. But being a sith, he was used to expecting everyone to suddenly try to stab you in the back. So he was not the easiest to surprise.

Their blades clashed, just as a lightning struck in the distance, making Necrin's face wholely visible. His face was calm, yet filled with anger towards he rest of the galaxy. But his eyes didn't say anything, since they were completly red, as was normal to his species.

The power of the attack made him take a step to the left, to let the intruder's momentum let him pass. It had been a long time since Necrin had been in a real duel last. The last time he had fought an enemy, was months ago, and that had been just a kid. He would savor this moment, this fight. It had been far to long since he had got a real challenge.

Deciding to test the intruder's strenght and proficience in the force, Necrin unleashed a barrage of force lightning from his left hand, aimed towards his opponents torso. He still held his lightsaber in his right hand, ready to take what could come after he ended the barrage. Though he doubted anything would come so fast that he wouldn't have time to counter it effectivly.

[member="Orex Mauda"]

 

[Mauda]

Their blades clashed, but only briefly. As quickly as they came together, they separated, and Orex's blade drove into the drenched mud. As he straightened himself, a torrent of lightning came crackling towards him. By instinct, he raised his free hand toward the storm to meet it. The trillion-degree webs tore into his hand and melted the glove that had covered it. As the glove melted from his flesh, a hand black like charcoal with a texture to match revealed itself. Orex had no protection against such an attack besides his raw anger. A technique he resorted to when met with a barrage of lightning. If his other hand had been met with the same, it would have revealed charcoal flesh much like the hand now bearing the weight of the attack.

He knew the consequences of such a defence. His left hand would be suffering micro-spasms for hours, but it was not out of action. As the webs faded and dissipated into his flesh, he brought his hilt into both hands. Squared up with his opponent, gazed into his red eyes, and placed himself on a backfoot., waiting for an assault. As long as he stared into the red eyes, the Chiss' life would fade from him. As long as he attacked, the crystal within his Lightsaber would exhaust him. It was a form of combat Orex had used for years, and still it proved effective. As long as his opponent attacked, he would tire and fade. As long as his opponent defended, he would fatigue ever further. It was a trap. A mental trap as much as a physical one.

But a test also.

The Superiex had uncovered a man powerful in the Dark Side. The fight was not to kill. It was to prove. Does the Chiss have a mind of iron and a grip on his own life. Can the Sith fair for long against such a deadly altercation. Time would tell.

[member="Darth Necrin"]

 

[Darth Necrin]

The barrage ended, and Necrin expected an attack from his enemy. But instead, he only stood there and stared at him. This behaivior was unexpected. Necrin had never seen someone just stand and stare at him after he ended a round of force lightning. Either they fell to the ground, severly hurt or dead, or they took the chance to attack. From time to time, they would be standing, panting heavily, not being able to do much, but certainly not stare right at him.

Necrin took this chance to examine his opponent further, and slowly began circling him in a wide circle. He held the stare the entire time, using the force to look for weaknesses. The armor was strong, and it would take time before he could be able to cut through it. But he felt that his attack had done it's purpose. The intruders left hand had been exposed when he used to to block the lightning, leaving it scorched. Perfect, he thought. This could be a sign that the force would be more effective than the blade in this fight. And that was his preffered fighting Method. But it could be smart to test his opponents lightsaber proficiency too.

As he stared on, Necrin could feel the mask more and more. It was as if something was inside it. Something powerful. He felt it's Draw on him. There was something really dark about it. He resisted the drawing Power of the mask, not letting it cloud his mind.

After having taken a half-circle around the intruder, he got impatient for something to happen. He stopped, still staring at the intruder, and ripped his Hood of his head. There was no reason to keep it on, and it would only hinder him in a melee. Though using his own mask could have been smart now. "Are you just going to stand there all day?" he said mockingly, and leapt at him at the same time. He raised his lightsaber and slashed it from the right, aiming it towards the shoulder. But something was wrong. He could feel his movements were slightly slower than normal. What is this, he thought.

[member="Orex Mauda"]

 

[Mauda]

Orex justified his actions whatever they were. There was meaning to everything. Reason. Logic. And in this moment, his logic was to decipher. To learn. Much of a being could be discerned when they are placed in primal conditions. A fight like this the perfect example. The Chiss' anger was territorial and his eagerness to fight a byproduct. Tearing off his hood, the young man mocked Orex and leapt toward him. He was confident. Impatient. Perhaps even arrogant. In mere moments the Masked Superiex had come to understand the pillars of the man he faced. Orex brought his saber to the side to meet his opponent's swing. The two blades clashed and Orex immediately threw his head forward, headbutting his attacker.

"If I want to"

Both hands returned to his hilt. His left fingers began to spasm, curling rapidly. Controlled for now, but this would continue for a while. Orex's boots dug deeper into the mud. Rain whipped against his flesh and mask, swung violently by the wind. He stared ever deeper into the burning red eyes of his opponent. Orex was curious of his past. What led to his present. But most of all, where his future lay. He would continue this fight for however long he needed to. He would learn.

[member="Darth Necrin"]

 

[Darth Necrin]

The attack had been slower than he thought, or else it wouldn't have been parried so easily. But why did Necrin move slower, react slower? There was something about this stranger, something that drew Necrin's energy. Though it happened slowly, it could end up being fatal for the once glorious sith lord.

These were Necrin's thoughts as he staggered back from the headbutt. Normally he would have been able to Dodge it, or in some way see it coming, but not today. His left hand was held up to his head were he had been hit, and he took several steps back away from his opponent. But he continued to stare at him. This stranger would not be allowed to dominate him. Not here on this planet. Not anywhere.

This opponent was skilled, though some of his Power came from his energy draining. But it was Clear that he had seen his share of fights. Up until now, it had only been Necrin's force attack that had been effective. So that would have to be the way he would continue.

"Might I know the name of my opponent?" he said, surprisingly calmly, while he took his hand away from his head. Even though he was a sith, and lived on this swampy planet, he still had manners. But it was not for the pleasentries he asked for the stranger's name. It was an attempt at a distraction. He was building up the force while asking and waiting for an answer, and then unleash it all in a single attack when the stranger was unprepared. If everything went according to plan.

[member="Orex Mauda"]

 

[Mauda]

Orex's Mask glared beyond the blade at the Chiss. His exposed face hiding behind the motionless Sabre.

"Orex Mauda. Superiex of the Emergence Empire".

The hermit Emperor had thus far, never used his full title in an official capacity. A rat Chiss hiding in the mud was no exception. Orex felt his dignity waver. All the more incentive to see his State abandon hiding and finally bring their might to the Galaxy. But grand thoughts had to be reserved for other times. Orex gripped his hilt tighter, flexing every fibre in his body. He was taught, stable and motionless.

His opponent was without a doubt, confident. But confidence came in two forms. Confidence bred from Ego, and confidence bred from Ability. This Chiss was not just any useless being, this Orex recognised. His power was palpable, but it was kept locked away. The Chiss' confidence came from his ability. Orex simply had to coax that ability out of him. Sabre held at arms length, Orex began a hasty walk towards his opponent.

[member="Darth Necrin"]

 

[Darth Necrin]

Necrin felt his powers building up, nearing the peak of his capability. It was not often he had to do this, not ever since the fallout of the old Empire. There had been some enemies strong enough so he had to to it. But not many.

Superiex, what a fancy title. I Guess it is some sort of leader of this Emergence Empire, as you called it." Necrin spoke in a mocking tone. "I once held a similar title in an empire. But that title did litle for me."

Another lighting struck not too far away. Necrin's Powers had now reached his Maximum, and were ready to be unleashed. But at the right moment.

And it came soon enough. Orex' walk was exactly what Necrin wanted. He stood his ground, and threw his lightsaber as a distraction towards the approaching eney. Just as the blade was about to hit, Necrin held both arms in front of him, and shot a giant wave of Lightning towards Orex. He held to attack for as long as he could. When it was over, he snapped his fingers, and the Phantom Guard became visible where they stood or sat in the trees or ground around the two fighters.

[member="Orex Mauda"]

 

[Mauda]

The red blade came twirling towards Orex. Milliseconds before impact, he swung his sabre in defense and batted his opponent's weapon into the mud. Naturally, he expected the hilt to immediately return to its owner. It didn't. Instead, Orex was met with another barrage of lightning. But unlike the last one, this was a wall of crackling pain. Instinctively, Orex outstretched his left hand. Not a second later, he dropped his Sabre and splayed both his hands. The effort was, however, completely futile.

Orex was a being steeped in anger. At all times, he was a pinprick away from unbridled rage. Of course it was this that the Dark Side fed on the most. It was this he used to his advantage. His anger screamed into the void, fighting back against the lightning. Such was his rage that this acted like an invisible layer against external stresses. His armour, imbued with Dark Side alchemy, served to amplify this. But Orex was no God. And his anger was certainly no impenetrable blanket.

Like millions of javelins, the lightning pierced every muscle. His hands did well, so too his armour. He tilted his head into the storm, using his Mask to shield the rest of his face. But all in vain. Soon, his leg buckled and he dropped to one knee. Hands outstretched, his vocoded voice bellowing against the torment. He felt it everywhere. Pain simply inconceivable.

Minutes felt like hours, but soon the barrage faded. As it died, Orex' arms dropped to the mud. Eyes closed, head down. He remained on his knee. Orex knelt within a mist of smoke. The upper layers of his flesh and armour having quite literally boiled. His Mask, now scorched, was sparking incessantly at the back. The armourweave accents of his suit now burned away. He resembled a man pulled from a funeral pyre at the height of its burn.

Slowly, he rose. Bringing his fallen leg up under him, he straightened like a rusty Droid, his joints feeling like old actuators. Quaking as he composed himself, struggling to straighten his back while every fibre in his body spasmed violently. The process came to an end, and his piercing grey eye locked with the Chiss. Power had been demonstrated. Personality had been revealed. Orex had learnt what he had come to learn.

"What could a rat with iron teeth make of himself in a population of average rodents."

Orex' voice came out glitched and awkwardly tuned. His Mask failing to properly vocode. He reached around to the back, clicked something, and began to speak again.

"Such a rat could devour anything he pleased. He would be a king amongst peasants. Perhaps even a god to some."

Orex' speech was croaky and strained. The lightning had taken its toll.

"And yet here before me, such a rat lies dormant. Unwilling to seize what his power could grant him."

[member="Darth Necrin"]

 

[Darth Necrin]

The attack had drained most of Necrin's power. He felt exhausted, keeping himself standing by willpower and the dark side only. His breathing was heavy, and his arms hung by his side, feeling like they were made of stone. The lightsaber was still lying in the mud, but Necrin was too exhausted to return it. It was just a weapon, no, a tool. Though strong, a sith's true weapon was the force.

His eyes were still fixed on Orex, leaning on one leg in the mud. That was how much the title had done for him. Smoke came from his body. But he hadn't collapsed. Or been killed. So the title hadn't been given to him, or claimed, for nothing. This foe was a master in the force.

But Necrin had not anticipated that Orex would be able to stand back up so quickly, or at all. Necrin was still holding the exact same position he had stood on as he attacked, and was still staring at his opponent. Straight at his eyes. Orex looked tired, hurt, clanky, as he rose. But he rose. His voice was rasped, glitchy, like you'd hear from a bad droid.

When Orex was done speaking, Necrin closed his eyes. His mind going back to before he came to this planet. "I once held enormous Power and authority," he said, in a way nostaligic. But he did not want to Return to those times. "I was seen as nearly a god by many People. They bowed Down when they saw me. They knew that if they didn't show proper respect, I would torture them. Somtimes kill them. I commanded armies big enough to take a planet."

He took a pause for effect. "Me and five others held this Power. We controlled the Jen'ari Empire in Our 'emperor's' stead." He spat the Word emperor. The person he once had called Emperor had lead to the fall of their empire. It still existed, but wasn't even a shadow of it's former self. The leaders had left, fled With their most loyal men, when the emperor had gone mad With Power. Many People died without reason on that day. Necrin had taken his twelve most loyal men, and a few officers. But the officers had all died quickly. "That was before the Fallout. That emperor is the reason I'm here."

Neither of the two men standing in the clearing was ready to start fighting again. It didn't seem like it was need for more combat either. They had seen each other's Power. But Necrin liked to have the upper hand. With a motion of his hand, the Phantom Guard leapt out from where they hid, and surrounded Orex. Their lightsaber-staffs were activated, and pointed at the Superiex. "These are the men still loyal to me. You seem smart enough to know that you're at a big disadvantage here. Now tell me, what were you here to inspect?" A smirk came to his lips. "And what are you implying when you say a rat like me could be a god among peasants?"

[member="Orex Mauda"]