Lady of Defiance.

[Darth Ferus]

The Dark Lord may have made Kaalia a Lord of the Sith, but to be that in the eyes of her own master was far more important. How much stronger had she gotten in these past months? How much had she learned? To Krest, there was no better way than to test her in a manner he had before. When she first bent the knee on her path to become Sith he had beaten her and could have slain her. Could he still?

Standing alone in a room vastly similar to the room she and him had met in he planned to find out. [member="Kaalia Voldaren"] would find a message just like he had told her to search for when they first started her secret tutelage on the Iridonia weather report, and if she was still paying attention to it the message was clear.

Bastion Sith Temple, top floor, room three.

Eagerly the elder man waited, leaning heavily on his cane for his once apprentice to arrive and show how much she had grown.

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

Bastion Sith Temple, top floor, room three.

Kaalia's booted feet carried her through the hallways of the temple, taking flight of stairs after flight of stairs towards the place [member="Krest"] looked to meet her in. The Iridonia weather report had meant so much more to her than anyone else for so long, but now things had changed. No longer was she of inferior rank to the zabrak. Yet, to make sure she had not missed any messages, she looked it over one more time. There the woman found one more message. Bastion Sith Temple, top floor, room three. He wished to meet with her again, and so she would fulfil his wish.

Without hesitation Darth Avacyn would open the door the moment she arrived in front of it, peering inside. The sabers on her belt dangled as she stepped in, smirking at her once-master. "I suppose a 'thank you' is in order. I doubt that was why you called me here, though." Her figure was covered in the armor created only for the founders of the Valkyries. Ever since its creation she had worn it whenever she was acting as Sith and this would be no exception. "This place makes me think of all that time ago, back when I agreed on becoming your apprentice. How times have changed." She walked further inside and went to face Krest, a knowing look present on her face. "You want to see how much I've grown. Very well."

 

[Darth Ferus]

A grin formed on the Zabrak's face as he watched [member="Kaalia Voldaren"] enter and listened to her words. She had grown. Slowly Krest stood up straight, rolling his shoulders as he did. There was no reason to lie to his apprentice or keep up the charade. She knew better. With a click the cane in his hand was separated and the phrik staff cast to the side. No, there would be no need to deceive her.

"Of course, and what better way than how we first met?" A beam of red erupted from the cylinder in Krest's hand and he kept the saber low. The grin on his face widened almost tauntingly. "So show me the strength of a Lord."

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

The first time around, Kaalia struggled to keep up. It much much like an Acolyte's struggle for survival, doing anything in their feeble power to cling on to life. She had been backed into a corner and every chance at getting the upper hand was quickly cut down. That day she refused to be defeated quickly, but was defeated still.

This time around, Darth Avacyn would refuse to be defeated.

Not a word was spoken as the Sith Lady called upon the first lightsaber she ever wielded, Mirari, through the Force. Without hesitation it complied and flew into her left hand and it ignited, showing a contrasting blue color to the red beam of light in the hand of the one she sought to bring down. [member="Krest"]'s taunting grin was answered with a face of pure confidence and focus, her mind on one thing only. Showing him what he wanted to see.

Seemingly out of nowhere Kaalia moved with speed augmented by the Force, but instead of stopping in front of the zabrak she dashed past him. Raw power was not how she was going to defeat him, so her speed would have to take center stage. Instantly turning around she grasped the inner flame of her passion, letting it course through her body. Emerald eyes turned red and sulphur as she connected with the Dark side and a burst of flame shot out of her right hand with a flash, heading straight for Krest.

 

[Darth Ferus]

All at once the grin on the Lord's face disappeared as [member="Kaalia Voldaren"] charged in, replaced by a determined grimace. His own blue eyes changed to a deep shade of blood as she unleashed her blast of fire. Fire? Not something he had taught her. Good. But would it be enough? Using his own speed the elder man ducked under the fire to get right into his apprentice's guard, the heat singeing his already red skin in the process. There was pain, but that was a Sith's strength.

Should he get into her guard his saber would shut off to prevent any injury to himself should his plan go wrong, as they usually do. Under her arm he crouched low and brought his mechanical leg around in a swift kick while his arm of the same make came up to snatch her extended wrist in a crushing grip. A swift tug should he get hold would be used to flip her off her feet.

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

A grin would appear on Kaalia's face as her former master ducked under her blast of fire. She had no intention of leaving much of the duel to saber combat, knowing it to be one of his greatest strengths, and so in a split second she reacted to his movement. Her studies of Kro Var, the place she came from, had not only taught her the art of Fire Shaping, but it had also granted her another Shaping ability that would come in useful.

Immediately dashing to the side she extuingished her blade and brought her hilt to her mouth, clamping down on it with her teeth to hold it. Now with both her hands free the woman would see to Krest's approach. Her movement ever graceful due to passive application of Wind Shaping, she would now apply it in a more proactive way. Wind currents would start surrounding her, causing wisps of red hair to flutter. With her hand she would call upon her inner fire to manifest itself into the physical realm once more, the blast seemlingly aimed at Krest. It was caught in the air currents however, causing the flames to burst out even further out of nowhere, a fiery wall fed by the constant source of oxygen created by the airflow surrounding her. There were other ways to prevent the zabrak from coming close, but this one was chosen with a purpose.

Kaalia then unclenched her jaw and the saber hilt fell, landing right back into her left hand. Reaching out to the Force once more the air currents blasted away from her sending waves of flame outward all around her, singing the walls that were closest by. She did not stay still however, as she dashed forward and breathed life back into Mirari, the blue blade revealing itself once more. Close quarter combat was not by definition in her advantage against an opponent such as Krest, but that did not mean she couldn't seize it. A decisive strike and hit could potentially cripple the one it lands against, and that was exactly what she was hoping to achieve. The fire was the distraction, the saber was meant to hit.

A quick strike was aimed at his midsection, but it was placed with care. Avacyn remembered their first encounter and the layer of cortosis on his right arm so instead she aimed at the left instead, making it significantly harder for him to try the same trick again. Even if he would go for it, her movement would grant her more time to react.

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

Krest had no intention of letting [member="Kaalia Voldaren"] back away from him, but even he didn't have a choice when faced with fire. And wind. Another new trick she had picked up without the Elder noticing. He'd have to start paying attention to his other students growth to avoid anymore of these surprises. With the still inactive hilt of his saber in his right hand he retreated, doing what he could to avoid anymore burns asides from the minor ones that had formed over his bare skin.

He might invest in sleeves for the future as well.

She was smart to avoid his mechanical side, something Krest respected. She knew all too well the cortosis secret underneath the plating of his mechanical limbs. But that wasn't the only secret his cybernetics held. As she struck for his right the sound of not one, but two sabers lighting up filled the air. The first was the staff saber he had shut off prior. Planting his feet he would swing his arm out for her strike, aiming not just to block but knock it away.

For it was the second snap hiss that was the real threat. From a compartment in his thigh his second saber popped out into his left hand and lit up with a similar red to his staff. His face did not betray any emotion, an important task for any Sith to learn, but the emotion oozing from him was pure joy. As he swung the other blade with all lethal intent in a verticle slash he found himself enjoying this interaction with Kaalia. She was now a challenge, and that was enough for him.

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

There was always another weapon.

Somewhere, someway, there was always another weapon.

It was a lesson that Kaalia had learned long ago, so when Krest revealed his there was not even a hint of surprise to be found on her face. In combat her mind was in a state of hyperfocus, all that mattered was the dance between her and the one she opposed. When broken down to its very core, all nuances stripped, it was almost a mathemetical equation. The precise angles of one's strikes, the usage of the Force, all numbers to make up the equation that would answer in who would stand tall, and who would either submit or die. And with the obvious lethal intent of the zabrak's strike, it was clear the death of either was a real option. Only the more reason to be the victor at the end.

Despite her permanent, harrowing grin that acted as her façade however, there was a wave of emotion that swirled inside. The woman relished in it, let it fuel every move she made. It was not the only source of her connection to the Dark side however. Underneath her armor was an amulet, hidden from view, that purposely sent waves of pain through her body as she drew upon the Force. It deepened her connection, the extra fire shown in her corrupted eyes the only piece of evidence.

As the redhead saw his saber ignite she pulled back her saber before it could enter bladelock, instead taking a sidestep to readjust her course. This was also done to answer the threat of the other saber that came her way, but the split focus could perhaps give her an inch and in combat every inch was vital, potentially allowing her to get one up on her former master. Wind Shaping gave her step haste, allowing her to steer clear from the deadly beam of light that was sent towards her for the most part. It managed to graze her armor however, leaving a mark where it had struck. With a new angle she struck out once more, aimed at the left upper leg of the red-skinned man.

[member="Krest"]