Private Old Rumors

[Lord Odion]

Seraphon was silent as he struck, his red lightsaber a blur of motion as it collided with the green of the Jedi Knight's blade. Each blow the blades struck against one another illuminated the decayed corridor of the Jedi Temple around them. With each blow, Seraphon caught a brief glimpse of the Twi'leks pained face, and the Twi'lek caught sight of the hate fueled gaze of the Sith Pureblood. The two duelists moved down the corridor in an abstractly beautiful dance of death, Seraphon seeking to bring an end to it, and the Jedi trying to stay alive. He had surrendered the possibility of winning the duel, that hope had been lost with his left arm.

The Jedi Knight and his Padawan had not been expecting to run into a Sith this far away from Tython. They had been dispatched by the New Jedi Order to investigate the old Jedi Temple on Devaron. It had not seen use in decades at least, and the secrets held within could have been very valuable to the Order. They had arrived, and early exploration had proven to be fruitful, and exciting for the knight's young padawan. Then the Pureblood had arrived, and in the opening moments of the battle knocked the knight's padawan to the side, and cut off his arm. This simple mission had failed.

A clash of blades blinded the Jedi Knight for a moment, and a flash of pain seared through his chest. Confused, he tried to raise his arm to defend himself, certain he had only been scratched. It was then he realized he could not feel his right arm anymore either. Glancing down, he saw his lightsaber and right arm above the elbow hitting the ground. The Sith's own blade, crimson and brutal, plunged into his chest. Grunting, the Jedi Knight looked up into the Sith's eyes. Golden pools of hatred and disgust looked back at him, unwavering as the Sith pulled his lightsaber back and shoved the Jedi's body away. He did not feel the wall impact his back, or the ground as he slumped down. He watched, as his eyes grew dimmer, as the Sith stalked off back into the temple.

He could sense his padawan in the distance, vaguely. He had done as he had been trained; hide from opponents stronger than him, and get help. The communicator at his side began to beep as the emergency signal given to them by the New Jedi Order came to life. The smile that crossed his face was the last thing the Jedi Knight did.

---

Darth Seraphon had not expected to find Jedi on Devaron. With the war against the Brotherhood of the Maw in the core and western fringes, Seraphon had figured his little expedition to the Jedi Temple on this backwater world would go unnoticed. He had come in a single starfighter, leaving all support and aid from his followers in the southern Outer Rim. He should not have needed them for this mission, but now he was regretting coming alone. Stalking through the ruins of the Jedi Temple, Seraphon came across a small device that had been set up in an alcove, hidden by the shadows. Only the slow blinking light had drawn his attention to it. A quick slash of his lightsaber silenced whatever the machine was, and he returned to hunting down the Jedi Padawan that was eluding him.

He had come to Devaron to find a relic, a relic belonging to his family. The Necklace of Alion was rumored to originally belong to a Calimondra Sith during the Republic Dark Age, and was said to be able to negate the use of the Light Side of the Force in a small radius. When it was discovered by Jedi archeologists, they had immediately sought to uncover its secrets, and prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. They had brought it to Devaron, but it had dissapeared from records after that. Seraphon had not been certain it was still on Devaron when he set out. The Jedi could have moved it in secret, and he would likely never be able to find it. But the moment he had set down near the Jedi Temple, he could feel its presence.

Before he sought it out though, he needed to eliminate the annoying Padawan. Coming to an intersection, he was about to head down the left corridor when the shifting of ruble to his right drew his attention. Glancing down the corridor, Seraphon caught the briefest glimpse of a brown boot disappearing around the corner. A growl emanated from his throat as he set off after the Padawan.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Devaron
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Ship: Link
Tag: Darth Seraphon

Devaron.

It wasn't a planet Valery had traveled to before, but the second the NJO Council was made aware of a distress call from a pair of Jedi there, Valery had drawn the assignment to look into it to herself. The two had been looking into an old Jedi Temple there, so for them to get into trouble was... strange. To make matters worse, it had been the Padawan who contacted her, and it seemed something was wrong with his Master. Combined with the Darkness she felt surrounding this problem, she figured it would be best for one of the most experienced Jedi to travel there.

So without any delays, she had gotten into her Modified Stealth-X and made the hyperspace jump to the planet. The systems of her ship ensured that nobody would likely be aware of her arrival, and so she pierced through the planet's atmosphere with a lot of speed. The sooner she got there, the higher the chances the Padawan would come out of this alive.

"Alright R5, I'm bringing her down close to the Temple," Valery told her droid as she initiated the landing, and touched down a safe distance away, but close enough for her to feel what was going on to some extent.

Out there somewhere, she felt the Padawan — his pain and lack of hope pulsed through the Force. But she felt a darker presence as well, on the hunt and with the intent to kill. "Hmm..." she muttered to herself and as quickly as she could, Valery began to move to the Temple, hoping to get closer to them. Normally, she would have done this whilst cloaking her presence in the Force, but this time, she made sure the Sith could feel that she was coming.

Hopefully, it would draw his attention away from the Padawan.

 

[Lord Odion]

Seraphon lashed out, his blade slicing through the space the Padawan had been a moment before. A chunk of the stone pillar the youth was using to frustrate the Sith's attack slid from its former position. It slammed into the ground, fracturing the already weathered floor. The crashing echo reverberated around Seraphon as the Padawan jumped through a small window, far too small for Seraphon himself to pursue him through. He channeled the rage he felt building within him, and brought his hand up to tear down the wall separating him from his prey...

Only to stop as he felt another presence approaching. He tilted his head to the side, almost tasting the presence of the newcomer. They were a Jedi, of that Seraphon was certain. But not a simple Jedi, the presence they gave off in the Force was far too unique for such a simple label. Colors swirled in his mind as he tried to understand what he was feeling through the Force. He sensed a lingering darkness at the edge of it all, a connection to a power he had encountered only once before.

"Zambrano..."

Glancing back one last time at the window where the Padawan had fled, Seraphon set off towards the presence he felt. This expedition had not gone according to his carefully laid plans. He had waited until the galaxy was distracted with the Brotherhood of the Maw. While Tython burned, he had come to this small world. While Jedi and Sith fought, he pushed forward with his plans. Let the others fight, let them bleed, let them die. The millions who had died were a worthy loss so that he could achieve his goal. The Necklace of Alion would be but the first of what was his birthright.

The Legacy of Calimondra...

He began to gather the Dark Side around himself. His skin began to warm, a small trickle of sweat running down his forehead. The familiar call of the presence in the void, the desire to unleash his full might against anything, anyone, and the sickening lurch in the pit of his stomach. He blinked several times, his golden eyes glaring up at the sun as he adjusted to the sudden transition when he stepped out the side of a ruined wall. His lightsaber, crimson in the burning light of day, shimmered as he deactivated it. He had gathered his strength to him, but he would not strike out first.

Valery Noble

He wanted answers first.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Devaron
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Ship: Link
Tag: Darth Seraphon

Valery paused.

Through the Force, she could feel the Sith's darkness beating against her mind and the environment around them. She had gotten his attention by allowing him to sense her presence unsuppressed, and now he made sure that she could feel him as well. To shield herself against it, she drew on her skills as a former Shadow and layered her mind with the Light.

She was more than ready to fight, but she wasn't going to let her mind become a battleground.

"This is where your journey ends."

Valery stepped around the corner, the hilt of her double-bladed lightsaber drawn into her hand but not yet ignited. Her thumb hovered over the switch and now that she was able to get a closer look at the Pureblood, she narrowed her fiery eyes and allowed the two violet blades to burst into existence with a simple tap of the button. It had been a long time since she had seen a Sith Pureblood — perhaps her days in the Old Republic prior to her stasis had truly been the last time, and it was somewhat worrying.

Their natural ties to the Dark Side meant that a path of redemption was essentially impossible.

"You shouldn't have come here." And he definitely shouldn't have hunted the Jedi who were sent here.

 

[Lord Odion]

Seraphon tilted his head to the side, a smirk crossing his face. She seemed determined to fight, ready to wage a war of wills on this backwater world. If that was to be the case, then so be it. If he could eliminate this Jedi quickly, he could still retrieve the relic he had come here to secure and return to the Rift before his presence was missed. He ignited his lightsaber, the crimson blade flashing in the light as he brought it up into a loose guard.

“You certainly have more fire than that other Jedi. I’m sure the chunks of him that are left would be so inspired by your determination to avenge him.”

Lifting his free hand, Seraphon reached out with the Force and gripped two five meter chunks of the Jedi Temple. A quick pull, and he hurled one at the Jedi in a solid mass. The other, with a quick crush of his hand, shattered into thousands of smaller debris, flying in a swarm at the Jedi from the other direction. During all of this, he began to walk towards the Jedi, the arrogant, confidant gaze leveled solely on the woman. Once she was defeated, he would extract the answers he so desired.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Devaron
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Ship: Link
Tag: Darth Seraphon

"I'm not here to avenge anybody," Valery said as she briefly allowed her senses to wander. The mark of death still lingered in the Force, and while apparently not much remained of the Knight's body, she'd have to find something to bring back for his funeral later, possibly his lightsaber. But the woman had very little time to think about it, as a spike of danger in the Force caught her attention.

With one hand, the Sith reached for a large piece of debris, and Valery instantly prepared to respond to it. However, as another chunk was reshaped into tiny fragments, her plans quickly changed. Using one hand while the other kept her saberstaff gripped firmly, she projected a Barrier around her and allowed the rocks to slam into it.

The pressure of their impact was quite heavy, but not enough to break her focus.

"I'm here to fight corruption," she said through gritted teeth before she augmented herself and exploded forward, her weapon drawn and ready. In the blink of an eye, she closed the distance and aimed a powerful sweep with the rear blade at his torso, which she expected him to block. But it hopefully drew his weapon into a guard, so the follow-up attack that came after with the front blade had a better chance of connecting with his body.

 

[Lord Odion]

Seraphon smiled as the Jedi brought up a barrier, evading and weathering his initial assault. He was still walking forward, preparing to launch his next Force based assault when she launched herself forward. He stopped in his tracks, planting one foot in the ground. He had not fought many saberstaff equipped foes, but he knew enough to expect some trickery in the coming attack. The first purple blade came up at him, though his eyes darted to the other blade for the briefest of moments.

He brought his left hand up, forming his own Force Barrier around it and slamming it down against the back lightsaber blade of his foe. With his other hand, he lashed out with his own crimson blade, seeking to push his foe off balance. He had only a single lightsaber blade himself, and in a battle one on one, he would have the technical disadvantage against a saberstaff. He had to prevent the Jedi from using the greater fluidity and mobility saberstaffs could bring to bear.

He would need to use his strength.

Narrowing his eyes, Seraphon jumped back from a potentiall follow up blow, before leaning forward and moving in to his own assault. He adopted a Juyo variant of Form VII, feeding his rage and connection from the Dark Side into his movements.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Devaron
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Ship: Link
Tag: Darth Seraphon

The clash between light and dark had finally started, and both duelists were completely quiet while their blades did the talking for them. Most encounters she had with Sith involved a lot more taunting, sometimes even philosophical debate, but she much preferred his silence. There wasn't anything peaceful about it though, given the rage, she felt him tapping into to fuel the form he used.

As a Jedi Battlemaster, she was as familiar with Juyo as other Forms, and so she decided to change her approach just a little. Normally, Valery was quite the aggressive fighter and preferred to use Forms like Ataru or Djem So to help facilitate it. But with the fluidity of the staff and when up against a Sith like this, a more defensive approach could allow her to shift the balance of the fight.

So while she had opened the engagement rather quickly and aggressively, the Sith would find her suddenly shifting into a more passive stance. The two violet blades of her saberstaff twirled fluently around her to deflect his strike, and maintain some kind of momentum. But even in Soresu, she wanted to poke at his defenses and test him.

Without extending a hand, and only with a quick glance up to the ceiling, Valery crushed just enough of the rocks to cause a few larger ones to fall down to her opponent. Sith, in their rage, sometimes were blinded to the bigger picture, and she decided to put it to the test.

 

[Lord Odion]

Seraphon did not let up in his assault for several moments, his mind adjusting to the sudden change in the Jedi’s combat style. She made the transition so seemlesly, without even a tremor in the Force to give the change away. Only pure combat instinct kept a quick slash directed at his neck from ending it all then and there. He reassessed this Jedi he faced in his head, determining that she was a foe on par with himself, if potentially not more. He was not so arrogant to assume he was the strongest warriors in the galaxy, but he planned to make that happen some day.

It took five quick exchanges of blades before Seraphon adjusted his own technique. The anger and rage he had been tappinjg into like an exploding star was suddenly trapped behind a wall of mental control. He locked it away, preventing it from dominating his mind, as he assumed Form II. His own attacks, never relenting in the offensive, took on a more controlled and nearly graceful attack. He adapted, and he overcame. It was this change that allowed him the notice the debris coming down from above. He pivoted, disengaging from the current exchange, and projected himself through the air. He slipped through an opening in the falling debris, and turned his golden eyes back on the Jedi.

With a flick of his wrist, he sent a wave of Force energy towards the ground at the Jedis feet. She had struck from above, so would he strike from below.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Devaron
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Ship: Link
Tag: Darth Seraphon

Throughout the exchange between her and the Sith Lord, Valery had made one mistake.

It wasn't related to her speed or technique, or even the way she chose to adapt to the Sith's ferocious bladework. It was the fact that she had already considered him to be like the others — to believe that he'd allow his rage to fuel him throughout the entirety of the fight. So when he blocked it off and no longer tapped into it, Valery was left surprised when his Form changed and he managed to jump between the pieces of falling debris.

The wave of Force energy that followed connected, and knocked her feet from underneath her, sending her falling onto her back. But the fight was far from over, and while her body hit the floor, she already used that momentum to roll back around, and jump away in case he decided to follow-up quickly. The woman then made her landing and turned her fiery gaze back to the Sith, their intensity increasing not from any powerful emotions, but just through sheer focus alone.

Finally, it was time to unleash that part of herself.

With great speed, the woman jumped back into the air and directly towards Seraphon, hoping to close the distance in the blink of an eye so she could strike from above with speed and great power. Makashi traditionally utilized single-handed motions, and while a block with both hands was possible, more strength-driven approaches were often difficult to deal with. And so, Valery began turning that kind of firepower against him to once again adapt and keep the fight as dynamic as it had been.

 

[Lord Odion]

Seraphon did not immediately follow up on his advantage, having to land and adjust himself. He even had to deflect a few remaining chunks of falling rock away from him. By the time he could turn his full attention back to the Jedi, she was launching her next assault. He brought his blade up quickly, parrying the initial strikes from the Jedi as he began to make controlled, back stepping motions. This duel was progressing too quickly and erraticaly from him to get a firm grip on events, so for now he was on the defensive. Standard thought would demand that he change combat forms again, but he decided to remain in Form II. He used his body more than his blade to evade the Jedi’s attack, using the quick striking blow of Form II to prevent her from pushing her advantage fully; striking out at exposed limbs, sliding inside her guard and other moves.

As they had been fighting, his mind was racing over many different things. His initial mission to this world was all but forgotten, instead his drive was consumed by the woman before him. It was no personal interest, but one of a scentific curiosity. She wore the mantle and poise of a Jedi, but the lingering touches of Darkness circled around her in the Force. He was certain now that the other presence he had felt was one of the Zambrano brood; their dark line was numerous across the galaxy. He knew of only one Zambrano that had such close relations to a Jedi that they might have left a lingering touch. In that moment of realization, Seraphon knew who he was facing.

Valery Noble.

In the next exchange of blows, Seraphon moved in close, speaking the first words he had to her since the battle had begun. “Tell me, Jedi. What will your child and husband do when you die on this backwater world?” He wanted to test her, see if he might be able to form cracks in her mental focus. Perhaps he could turn the tide fully in his favor with a few simple words.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Devaron
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Ship: Link
Tag: Darth Seraphon

Despite her changing tactics again, the Sith remained in the same Form — it wasn't necessarily the most suitable at countering what she was using, but that wasn't a guarantee that this clash would be easy. A true expert or master of a form could hold their own even when confronted by one that's supposed to act as a counter. So Valery remained calm and composed, and continued her assault with great pressure, but without overconfidence or the belief that she had already won.

After several powerful exchanges, the two were finally drawn into a blade lock, and while Valery remained quiet and narrowed her fiery gaze, he decided to talk about her family. The effects were immediate — her focus did not shatter but an intense fire ignited in her eyes, and he'd likely feel the sudden increase in strength and fierceness from her. It wasn't produced by anger, but by the protectiveness of a mother whose child had been threatened.

"I won't be dying today," she said through gritted teeth before she drew the block up, hoping to raise both weapons and expose his waist in the process. Her foot came off the ground, and for just a second, flames ignited around the limb before it was directed at his lower left ribs from the side. The augmented state of her leg was meant to break his ribs and cripple him, while the intense flames fueled by her inner fire were meant to burn the Sith.

Whether he viewed it as a mistake or not, the comment had awakened the flame of the Jedi.

 

[Lord Odion]

Seraphon nodded in understanding, though with some slight derision in it as well. While he had been hoping to find a weakness within the Jedi at the mention of her family, he had instead found a strength. A misstep by him, perhaps, but a defeat this day might very well open an opportunity for him in the future. Where had hoped to find a crack in her, he had instead found a tsunami roaring towards him to crush the threat poised to a child. He could respect that, but he could also use that.

Seraphon engaged with her blade as it rose, noticing a moment too late as her foot came up towards him. Thinking quickly, Seraphon augmented him movement and projected a wall of Force against himself, throwing him backwards. He avoided the worst of the kicks power, but he felt the burn of the flames sear through his clothing and lick at his skin. A quick cut from his lightsaber saw the burning section of clothing fall to the ground, saving the Sith from the worst of the damage.

Grunting in annoyance, Seraphon brought up his blade, adopting Form VI as he readied to meet the Jedi's renewed offensive. The sixth form would offer the most flexibility to Seraphon as he attempted to regain ground in the battle. He would not press his offensive options, instead focusing his might and mind on weathering the coming storm that the Jedi had planned for him. Perhaps if he could maneuver her towards more of the ruins, he could adopt a combination of Form VII and Sokan techniques...

His train of thoughts came to a crashing halt as his head snapped around, eyes narrowed. Throughout the duel, Seraphon had been able to detect the presence of the Jedi Padawan within the temple. His fear, desperation and racing heartbeat had been echoing in the back of Seraphon's mind, but now they had suddenly vanished. He had not died, of that Seraphon was certain. That meant...

"No....no no no no No NO NO NO"

The last words erupted with a roar, a physical projection of Force energy that Seraphon turned towards the Jedi before him, his frustration fueling the blow. The Padawan had found the relic, and its properties had cut him off from the Force, hiding both him and the relic from Seraphon. Moments later, his fears were confirmed as the Padawan, pale and dirty from the temple, emerged. A golden necklace dangled from his hands, and he stared down at the Sith that had struck down his master.

Seraphon cast a final look at the Padawan, before turning to face Valery. He could kill the pup after he dealt with the Jedi.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Devaron
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Ship: Link
Tag: Lord Odion

Her kick connected and while it didn't cripple him the way she had hoped, it did separate them for a moment and the fire she had hoped to extend from her leg to his body did connect with his clothing and skin. It left a mild burn and forced the Sith to cut some of his outfit away, but it wasn't even remotely close to burning him out of the fight. The only real accomplishment it had was that she could sense a growing frustration, which she still hoped to exploit if the situation allowed it.

The Sith then finally changed his tactics to protect himself better against the onslaught she almost immediately continued. Their blades hissed against each other, their eyes met with powerful intent, and slowly but surely, the battle was heating up to something new altogether. However, before a true shift could occur, Valery felt a strange pulse in the Force — the Padawan's presence had abruptly faded, but there was no stain of death that linger like an echo.

He was alive, and within mere moments of the feeling, she noticed him entering the room with the artifact in hand. It caused Valery's eyes to briefly widen and she instantly knew that her plans had to accelerate. With the Sith so close, the young Padawan could easily be used against her, and the chance of him dying the way his Master did was there as well.

"No....no no no no No NO NO NO"

Valery gritted her teeth and hopped back to give herself some time, while she projected another Barrier to shield herself. It was strong enough to withstand the projection of Force energy coming her way through his roar, but she was shoved back a few steps and realized that this was getting out of hand. With quick steps, she moved back in, throwing several more precise flurries his way in an attempt to force his guard to stay moving.

But what she really wanted was to lock blades, and when her attack finally managed to do just that, she took her chance. Her eyes shifted beyond the physical realm and looked through the Force to find the fault lines within his weapons. Her mind focused on it and with all her might, she poured the Force into those cracks in an attempt to Shatter his weapon, and leave him disarmed completely.

 

[Lord Odion]

​

He struggled to control and shackle his rage as the Jedi moved in for another attack. Crimson blade met violet in a never ending flash of sparks. The two combatants seemed to move in a blur; the Jedi striking against him in a never ending wave of assault while he moved steadily to counter each stroke. He could not find an opening for counterattack, and his clouded mind further inhibited his abilities. He was not crippled to the point he was taking wounds or injuries, but his ability to fully hold his own had been shattered.

Rage was a weakness, one that had to be controlled, or risk losing everything...

He cast a single glance towards the Padawan, his golden eyes glaring at the one who had weakened him so much. He realized his mistake too late. The Jedi launched towards him. They locked blades, as he prepared to disengage to regroup, he felt a building pressure within the Force. His eyes widened as he felt his lightsaber begin to shake in his hands. Realizing what she was attempting to do, he poured his own will through the Force into the blade, attempting to stop her efforts. He was able to protect the crystal within the blade bare moments before it erupted. The concentrated energies that ejected from the blade sent him and likely the Jedi as well flying in opposite directions.

As he flew through the air, he still gripped the kyber crystal through the Force. The rage flowing through his body seemed to attract the crystal's energy, and before his eyes, he saw streams of crimson light seep into his skin. He screamed in agony, the pain eclipsing the rage and anger he felt pulsing through his body. It threatened to shatter his mind, break his body, and leave him a ruined heap of flesh.

He finally landed, and the sudden jarring force of the stone wall against his back helped to focus his mind. Agonizing over ever moment, he began to build mental walls around the agony that threatened to drown him. It took him many seconds, but finally he had locked the worst of it in place. He let out a long breath he had not realized he had been holding. Glancing down, he opened his bloodied hand to reveal the kyber crystal, lacking any color now and dead in the Force. He tossed the worthless crystal aside, and looked back up at the two Jedi across from him.

He stared at them with crimson eyes...

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Devaron
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Ship: Link
Tag: Lord Odion

He resisted.

It was to be expected but with her efforts, Valery knew it was too late for him to entirely stop her. Instead, he just shielded the core of his weapon, the crystal, and so the moment his hilt crumbled, a powerful wave of darker energies was released towards both of them. Much like him, Valery was launched back through the air as well, and hit the wall behind her, which would have hurt a lot more if she hadn't dampened the impact with the Force.

Her boots touched the ground and when her eyes settled on the Sith again, she noticed something was wrong. The crystal he had pulled to himself had lashed out against him, looking to overwhelm his mind and assault him with the darkness from within its crystalline structure. But again, the Sith Lord resisted and from what she saw and felt, it was as if he had absorbed the darkness of his own crystal, albeit at a price. His body had been affected by it, and he was still disarmed.

"It's over," Valery said as she stepped back and kept her blade ready. As tempting as it often was to engage a disarmed opponent, Sith could never be underestimated. So rather than closing the distance and attempting to finish the job, she raised her hand and allowed the Force from within her to flow into her palm.

It quickly manifested itself into withering blasts of Light, looking to keep away and purge the darker energies that tied him to the Universe, or those that flowed out into the environment from him. This application of Force Light was soon something she planned to use against the artifact retrieved by the Padawan as well, but right now, she needed its strength to neutralize the Sith Lord.

 

[Lord Odion]

Pain filled his body as he pushed himself into a full upright position. Crimson eyes glared at the Jedi, and he pushed himself to ignore the agony that pulsed every second with his own beating heart. He bared his teeth, his eyes first going to the Padawan that had caused him to lose his focus and resolve, and then to the Jedi that had been the instigating force in the pain he now endured. He did not consider himself to be at fault, naturally, and directed his growing hatred at them. He took a step forward, the pain flaring once again. He let out a deep sigh, the air around his mouth tinged in red and black mist.

"It is not...over." With one hand, he tapped a small device set into the underarm of his armor, and it began to flash in a slow green pattern. He narrowed his eyes as the Jedi began to draw the Light Side of the Force to her, crafting a growing energy around her. Grimacing, Odion began to do something similar, drawing on the Dark Side of the Force. He realized too late that, for some reason, his connection to the Dark Side felt...distant. Realizing almost too late what the Jedi was preparing to unleash against him, Seraphon cast up a Force Barrier.

The Force Light arced out against him, slamming in to the Force Barrier and physically pushing Seraphon back. It took everything he had to try and maintain his defense, but he could feel the cracks appearing in the barrier. Each one allowed a small stream of the Force Light through, and he felt as if it was searing his skin with each connection that it made. He cried out in pain, engulfed by pain, surrounded by pain. It was his existence, dwarfing everything else. As the barrier was about to finally collapse, he gave in to the pain, allowing the mental barriers he had built to finally fall...

He felt...

Power.

His head snapped up, crimson eyes blazing with new found strength. Rather than trying to resist the pain that flooded his body, he embraced it. He allowed the pain to wash away everything else, darkening his mind to all else. He embraced the pain, cherished the agony, and in that moment, something in him died. His old self, shackled to the old beliefs he had been born and raised in cried out as it was washed into the bottomless cavern that had formed in his mind. In its place, was a darker being. One that now understood the truth. Pain, agony, and the fear it inspired were the true paths to the Dark Side. They unlocked new avenues of power he could never had thought of before.

The Dark Side flowed back into him, killing Darth Seraphon. Lord Odion took a step forward, born anew, and cast his might against the Jedi before him. Streams of Dark Side energy erupted from his fingertips, cascading around in black fog that struck at the Force Light. Each contact of the fog against the beams of light ended in hissing explosions, and the ground between the two opponents became filled with the remnants of this fog. He was beginning to find his new strength when the sound of an approaching vessel drew his attention. Glancing to the side, he spotted his Fog Runner approaching.

"Our battle ends today, Jedi. To you I concede the field, but know that this is not the end. I shall return, Valery Noble." He would turn then, attempting to disengage with the Jedi, and if possible, leap onto the low flying starfighter.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Devaron
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Ship: Link
Tag: Lord Odion

In a more literal sense, the Dark and Light were clashing heavily within the structure, as Valery's Force Light connected with his Force Barrier. But at that moment, she could feel something change about him, as her attack began to pierce through his defenses. The pain that had started to overwhelm the Sith no longer truly phased him, and by the time she was about to burst through his barrier, the pain had turned into a tool for him to use to gain more strength.

Her eyes narrowed, and as darkness and light clashed violently to create explosions between them both, she stood protective of the Padawan behind her, who had no way to defend himself against so much raw power. The Sith's strength was rising, and she was channeling more of her own power to meet it — this was her moment to strike him down. But before any real advantage could be made, she noticed his focus shifting elsewhere and heard his words through the crackling of their abilities colliding.

"Our battle ends today, Jedi. To you I concede the field, but know that this is not the end. I shall return, Valery Noble."

Normally, she would have immediately made a move to intercept him and prevent escape. But with the Padawan still here, whose pain she could still feel, her priority shifted and she just watched him jump away to his ship. Right now, she knew little about the Sith she just encountered, but one thing was certain. This wasn't going to be the last time they clashed.

"It's alright now, you're safe," Valery said after turning to the Padawan and reaching for the artifact. But unlike him, she imbued herself with the Light, and used its strength to slowly purge the darkness from the object. Perhaps Lord Odion would be able to feel it happening, perhaps not. But one way or another, he'd know that she was able to stop him from getting this item today.

"Let's get out of here."