Private Into a Dark Dawn

[Aren D'Shade]

With a rather sudden surprise, her life had changed drastically. Aren had needed to flee her hideout on Denon and find a new path. Just when she had gotten too comfortable, too confident, and maybe reckless, she had been caught. Luckily, she had escaped, but without a consistent roof over her head, she had reached out to a stranger. A man she had been following for several years, and somebody who might be able to help her regain some of her footing.

He was as much of an outcast as she was, and she hoped to use that as a connection to him. Rather, it is a way to connect the two of them. She had been lacking a support system since her old master had died, and with her recent fall, she realised she needed one.

After proving to him she could find ways to contact him, he had invited her to Tund. Extending an olive branch and offering her a place to hide. More, she hoped to learn from him. So far, she had been as open with him as she was comfortable being. Time would tell just how much more she would reveal about herself.

Arriving on the designated world, she needed to find the location he had given her. This would allow him to observe her before she ever laid eyes on him. Taking a seat on a bench, she closed her eyes for a moment and waited for the Sith to appear.

Stedvar Eldrakadia

 

[Stedvar Eldrakadia]

Aren D'Shade

"You stick out like a wampa on Mustafar." A voice, cold as stone... yet gentle as cloth, spoke within the vastness of her mind.

As her eyes opened, she saw a shadow looming over her from behind. The figure of a person.

Stedvar stood atop a spire of petrified jungle wood, he vaulted down, landing with surprising grace.

He approached, his dusty robes billowing as the dry ground of Tund whispered and sighed with each step.

He was silent at first, before speaking again:

"I won't promise you an easy way forward, but... I can show you more than you ever would've known otherwise, and I can help you become something you never thought possible. I promise to walk alongside the path with you, from beginning to end."

He paused briefly, allowing for his words to sink in.

"The question is: Are you willing to take the first step?"

The look in her eyes was enough to tell him the answer. Not many would spend as long as she had tracking him, if she weren't intent on being tutored.

He nodded, a soft smirk forming on his face.

"Good. Now, let's get you a blade. It'll be much more... fair, that way." He teased, yet he was still surprisingly... warm.
Perhaps, even nostalgic?

Even upon a deeper inspection, his thoughts were genuine, he wanted this connection just as much as she did.

 

[Aren D'Shade]

Opening her eyes when his voice penetrated her mind, she sat up quickly and noticed a shadow in front of her. This meant he was behind her, and she turned to look back at him. Watching as he jumped down. She remained seated as he walked over to the bench she was sitting on.

Crossing her legs, she leaned back as he spoke. Guaging his words, what he offered, and her reason for reaching out to him. So far, things had aligned, and she smiled just slightly when he asked his question. He got the answer he wanted from her gaze. Lifting her chin to meet his look, she stood up and furrowed her eyebrows when he mentioned getting her a blade.

"For what purpose? I haven't needed one yet. Besides, life is never fair."

Clutching her bag to her side, she did stand up and wasn't entirely refusing to learn from him. Already having asked her question, she was looking forward to her first lesson with this man.

Stedvar Eldrakadia

 

[Stedvar Eldrakadia]

Tags: Aren D'Shade
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- In the blink of an eye, Stedvar's offhand saber was ignited, and to her neck.

- His gaze was now... cold, before disigniting the blade.
"That's why." he stated, putting the golden hilt back onto his belt.

- The warmth came back to him, as he spoke again:
"Let's get going, there's a temple nearby that'll generously provide us a spot for assembling your blade."

- With that, he spun, walking off towards a sparse patch of jungle, not bothering to look back as he continued. He knew she'd be right there with him.

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- Their journey led them through pockets of persistent forests, straggling bits of jungle, and arid wasteland. On reflection, it wasn't actually that long or challenging of a journey, however... Tund's force presence seemingly weighed down on them like an invisible pressure, dragging out every second.

- When they arrived at the temple, Stedvar examined the entrance. It was hidden underneath a stone circle, which had long since been covered with dirt and grime.
Long ago, this served as a ritual site for the Sorcerers of Tund. Now? It was where Stedvar would train Aren how his master had decades ago.

- Stedvar reached out a hand, concentrating. He channeled the energy of Tund's nexus, as if he were communing with the temple itself.
He called out to it in a way, and it heard him, opening almost... invitingly. A spiral staircase of stone revealed itself, as the stone descended into pitch black darkness.
One not accustomed to the ways of the Sith would find locations such as these... unnerving, to say the least.
However, Stedvar seemed almost... calmed the second the cold air hit his face.

"After you." Stedvar motioned with his arm, a sly grin on his face.