Private The Dark Side of The Moon

[Adron Malvern]

WINTER​

Tags: Danielle Mueller ​

Location: The Royal Illyria System, Illyrian moon Aric

The planet of Illyria has two primary moons. Avius, a large moon that stays in slow orbit around Illyria and Aric, a much smaller orb which trails closely behind Avius. Of the two moons Avius is certainly the more resource rich. It's planetary makeup is fairly close to Illyria's, however it does have a much more unstable planetary weather pattern than the mother world. Where Avius is rich and plentiful, Aric is a barren wasteland of ice and sand. Although the planet's poles have signs of tropical climates, most of the world is made up of frozen wastelands and barren deserts.

A single transport ship broke through the thick wall of clouds that separated the planet's icy terrain from the upper atmospheres. The ship was midnight black with accents of gold and silver cut along it's fine edges. It moved confidently, speeding through the skies while maintaining an even flight pattern, showing that the pilot was comfortable with the current flight path he was taking. The transport ship came down, it's metal belly showing itself while the long expansive wings folded back over the ship's canopy. It found a flat plateau a few yards above ground level to settle down on just before the flood lights on the ship came on. The current weather was mild, a slow snowfall was trickling down on the planet but it was easy to see through. The rear loading ramp came down onto the planet's surface with a subtle hiss escaping the ship as the air tanks were released and the cabin pressure rested. When the ramp settled into the icy ground a number of boots could be heard slamming into the metal walkway.

The members of Le Garde Des Rois were men and women who moved with a confident stride. Their armored bodies were effectively sealed away from the cold as they took to Aric's winter climate. They were each dressed in similar, though not entirely copied, suits of Phrik metal. Their purple sashes and adornments were what marked them as members of Illyria's Royal Guard. Four of the men filed out before taking up positions on either side of the ship's ramp, remaining silent with their hands firmly gripping the Vibropikes they had brought along with them. They stood as still as statues.

Adron Malvern stepped out of the shuttle next, with his apprentice kept close to his heels as he did. Oddly enough even with the freezing climate the King of Illyria was not dressed in weather-resistant attire. He was not even wearing one of his insulated suits. No, the fine material that he wore was actually so thin it may have passed for something designed for a warmer climate. It was simple black robes that formed well over his body, slowly becoming flecked with specks of white. The Dark Lord of the Sith had long since learned to utilize the ancient art of Tapas to keep his body temperature regulated. While that would keep him warm it did not brush the cold away, that was something he merely enjoyed himself. He had grown up in the mountains of Serenno where the temperature may not have been as cold as Aric's but it was comparable.

"I have not been on this moon in months." The King revealed, his eyes taking in the landscape and gazing out for a spare moment before turning back to look at his apprentice. "It's time we continued this lesson." He turned from her and started down the ramp, his voice did have a subtle amusement in it when he said his next words however.

"Don't worry, there are no cliffs this time." He promised.

The moment Adron's boots crunched into the hard ice beneath him, he glanced down and chuckled a bit to himself. It reminded him of home. He said nothing more before continuing on the path before him. The members of the Royal Guard turned to face their King, but they did not follow. He'd ordered them to remain with the ship unless something exceptionally grave were to occur. There was a path before them, a kind of ramp of ice that evened the terrain and would allow the two to proceed. Adron had not allowed Danielle to prepare any kind of winter gear either, so she would likely be starting to freeze to the point where her mind would scatter. So they did not walk for long before he turned back to her and explained something simply.

"The Force provides for you." He told her. "When you are hungry it will give you nourishment. When you are tired it will bring you energy, and when you are freezing to death it can keep you warm. Remember what I told you? All things are tied through the Force. It is only a matter of calling on these bonds and utilizing them to preserve your own body heat." He said.

"We cannot continue until you learn this ability. Close yourself off from all else, seek only one thing and command the Force to provide." He told his apprentice. "The colder you get the harder it will be to accomplish." The Sith Lord turned from Danielle for a moment before glancing back at her. "Focus on your emotions. Let them deepen your connection to the Force...remember the anger you felt when you were thrown from that cliff. It will bring you focus." ​

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[Danielle Mueller]

Ever since Tatooine, it was clear that Danielle's confidence in Adron Malvern had been shattered entirely; It was just as well that she didn't own her own ship or have any other means of getting off of that dust ball at the time, for he would have sent her packing, the way she'd been thrown off of that cliff and discarded like yesterday's trash.

Her absence had grown noticeable, gradually becoming more and more apparent as the days on Illyria had passed. It was for that reason, she supposed, that Adron had taken to having them both shipped off towards one of Illyria's moons for another training session that she couldn't help but suspect would go just as awfully as the last.

Dani wasn't a difficult or overly complex creature like some of Adron's other associates and students; She didn't see this ill-treatment as a means to grow stronger from but she vied for a sense of belonging and an escape from the life-long loneliness that she'd always felt. She wanted to feel good about herself, yet no matter how hard she tried to be a good person, that acceptance and feeling of self-worth never came to her.

The day that Adron had taken her under his wing, provided her with her own place of residence on Naboo...-He had been strict but she hadn't seen a monster; Just a businessman with high standards and someone whom she had hoped had seen something in her. Tatooine had reminded her that such hopes were flights of fancy and just as she had felt back home on Shor, here she was just a number meant to follow in pursuit of the Exarch's agenda.

When the landing ramp opened however and the vacuum seal came undone, a rush of cold air swept throughout the interior of the ship causing Dee's hooded jacket to flail about behind her before she could pull it in close at the front, quickly doing it up. Adron naturally hadn't told her what to expect and the look of shock and annoyance that she shot him could well have been as cold as the winds outside. "Great" the girl uttered the single word and begrudgingly took to following in tow.

It was so much colder than she'd imagined it being, having gone from a heated world like Tatooine to Illyria and now to the frozen wasteland of a moon, she wished she'd enjoyed the simple pleasures of a normal climate before coming here. Hindsight was a queen.

"We cannot continue until you learn this ability.
Close yourself off from all else, seek only one thing and command the Force to provide."
​

Adron's words were scarcely heard against the razor like wind that whipped up around them, her face running pink from the shear pain if not for the light frost that was wet to the touch, covering what her hood could not. The jacket did nothing to stop the cold from getting in and while Adron seemed to be completely at home with their surroundings, Dee had stumbled and fallen to a knee trying to breath through what felt like knives within her throat.

"I can't do this!" she cried out against the rapid winds encircling them, "This is too much!".

 

[Adron Malvern]

CHOICE​

Tags: Danielle Mueller ​

The cry out from Danielle caused the Sith Lord's steps to fade into a gradual halt. He glanced back at the girl, a hand sinking into his pocket as he looked to her with an unreadable gaze. His expression was oddly neutral though he didn't seem offset by the girl's cries. He turned back to her, closing the distance between them before kneeling down before the girl. He looked to her skin which had been kissed by the icy winds to the point where it was beginning to glow a faint red from the blood rushing through her body to counter the impossible cold. "It will never be easy." His words were low, but she could hear them over the twisting winds.

His hand came up to grip the girl's shoulder. The touch was not forceful, it was almost patriarchal, the kind of hand a father or older brother would set upon their charge. With his hand came warmth.

The moment his hand rested upon her shoulder, the twisting winds and freezing ice came to an immediate halt. Using the Force, Adron had created a void that separated he and Danielle from the harsh climate that was surrounding them. The snow that had been flying through the air now fell still while the winds were nowhere to be found.

It was quiet. So quiet that they could faintly hear the howling of the winds that laid just outside of the void. "You can go home." Adron told Danielle. "You can return to the life you had before, if it suits you."

His words were meaningful and held no sign of trickery or deceit. "I will have you reassigned back to the Knight's Obsidian's main branch and you can continue your service there. It will be dangerous, but nothing you cannot handle." He told her.

"Or, you can continue." He told his apprentice with a curious tone. "It will be hard, it will be long, it will be painful. It will be cold, hot, dry, and uncomfortable. However, this path is the only path to a power that allows you to craft your own future." He told her certainly. "You're not on Shor any longer Danielle. It is your choice whether you leave or you stay."

"My father was my teacher when I was your age. I will tell him the same words he spoke to me when I wished to turn from my training. The road is long, the path is difficult to surpass, and it could very well cost you your life. I am not your friend, I am your mentor. If you swear to fight, swear to try your hardest, then I swear to deliver you to the power I wield."

The Exarch stood from where he was, his hand outstretched to Danielle. "I chose you because you are one of the few in the galaxy who can do this."

"I promise you, you can do this Danielle." He said to the girl. "Now, which path will you take?" He asked her.​

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[Danielle Mueller]

When Adron Malvern had turned and drawn back to approach her by response of her cry for help, Danielle had expected him to chastise her for being weak, to respond with that same heartless cruelty that he had shown back on Tatooine; The sight of his eyes upon her had inspired a sense of defeat and even fear to swell up within her, fear of what punishment she might have brought upon herself after her best had only earned her heartache thus far.

But she was shocked when he responded in an entirely different manner, one she had hoped for yet never wanted it to be on the cusp of her failure. Where she had expected anger and disgust, he instead showed her sympathy, reason and perhaps even a sense of his compassion in kneeling down and speaking to her at mutual level; Dee's eyes going wide as she listened intently.

She had seen how difficult it all was, yet when Adron said that this life would never get easier, never in the future of her training would she ever find a sense of comfort and ease, the words stung terribly. She wanted to believe that she could live up to her potential, whatever it was that Adron seemed to see in her, yet he expected the impossible of her.

Adron then told her that she had a choice, either to stay and fight with all she could to battle through or to return to the Knight's Obsidian. The choice felt like a step backwards though, after all that she had been through so far, being given her own Condo on Naboo where she could actually call her own as well as meeting others like Xobos Yakieer and Palm-Imer ...

Her thoughts were then shaken once more as Adron informed her that he wasn't her friend. Truthfully, when she'd accepted his original offer, it had been for a job and not some sense of apprenticeship to this extent. She hadn't any knowledge on this sort of lifestyle at all, and had committed to a professional position as best she could. She had however also followed Adron at every request and over time come to understand that the agreement was so much more than she realized...-Naturally she had not wanted to disappoint, to prove herself loyal and worthy of the man's generosity. Up until that blasted cliff-side.

The living conditions of Shor's military academy had treated her kinder than the tactics Adron had employed, and yet every ounce of effort committed to their way was given to Shor and the young were robbed of their sense of individuality, or at least that's how Danielle had felt. She'd had no parents, no family and the friends she thought she had were the soldiers serving dutifully by her side, caring for the service as they were taught to do. Dee hadn't seen what a true friend could be until she'd wandered into Confederate Space, a couple of girls had treated her especially nicely and she had actually felt like someone special, someone worth caring about.

Staring back at Adron Malvern, there was a mixture of hurt and anger in her eyes, not yet finding the words to answer him. He too had first seemed to be one of these people, someone that saw something in her, that she could be more. Offering her a place at his side, that sounded like something not everyone was offered...-It was a short lived dream, but it had been a nice one. So nice, she hadn't seen the twist coming until she was free-falling for her life.

Her face tightened, brows furrowing as she glared back at him; Dani so wanted to give in to his soft voice and almost caring demeanor, but she couldn't ignore what he'd done. "I'm not your damn toy, some lifeless thing that you can just throw away when it suits you!" she shouted at him, despite the winds having slowed and being redirected by his control in the force; "I did everything you asked and you just threw me...-And you haven't said anything about it since! It's not normal and I didn't do anything to deserve that! You don't give a shit about anyone but yourself!". Everything she had seen since Tatooine, Illyria and it's people, it was all tainted by the fact that he had hurt her, betrayed her even. She refused to let go of it, she wasn't just some nobody, she couldn't let that be.

...Even if he was some powerful person in the Confederacy.

 

[Adron Malvern]

ADRON MALVERN​

Tags: Danielle Mueller ​

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Every person is different how they become exposed to the realm that Adron traverses. Some are more accepting and others are less, yet Adron had never been wrong in his selection.​

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He did not believe he was wrong now. ​

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Danielle's outburst was met with a neutral expression. He'd allow the girl to speak her piece, have her fill of whatever closure she intended to receive from it. However it was her final words that actually caused the Exarch to consider what she had said. ​

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You don't give a shit about anyone but yourself. His mind surged for but a single moment, yet it was not something Danielle would take notice of. No, things had been far easier when all he cared for was himself. Sadly, the death of simplicity was often grounded in love. Love for his wife, love for his child, love for his planet and a love for The Confederacy. It was these bonds that made him so incredibly powerful and gave him the will to drive on. ​

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These bonds. ​

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He looked to Danielle with an understanding expression. He had expected Danielle's fear of being alone was something he would utilize during her training, yet as her mind surged and anger revealed itself he finally wondered if he'd cracked the code to presenting her to the Force. Adron stepped forward, his form was ever menacing and worrisome, yet what came next was powerful and filled with that very same presence. The man's hand came down along the girl's back as he pulled her to him in a simple embrace. For a moment he said nothing, he didn't care to. Instead he focused on the Force, focused on the bond between the two of them, focused on the emotions that left Danielle open. He poured himself into them, filling the cracks in the girl's mind with the emotion she had so desperately wanted. ​

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"You are right, but only partially." He finally said. "It is not normal. It is not easy. It hurts. However, I will never set a task before you that you cannot handle. Everything I do is to ensure that one day you have a luxury that I was not able to realize until recently." He told her, his arms drawing away from her as he stepped back. "I needed your anger and it needed to be genuine. You can feel it can't you? You'd have to stop and truly focus, but it is there." He knew she would not understand, however he walked over to the girl once again, pressing his finger to her brow tenderly. "Power. Your bond to the Force has been deepened ever since you were thrown from that cliff. It was an exercise to force open the gates that are naturally closed by your mind." He told her. ​

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"When you are in trouble. When you believe death is all that awaits you...your instinctual use of the Force will defend you." ​

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Adron walked past Danielle, stepping back towards the direction of his ship. ​

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A feint. A manipulation tactic. He would gauge if his actions had bred results.​

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"Come. I will return you to the Headquarters of the Knight's Obsidian. They can complete your training with more standard means. It gets no easier and hesitation will only get you harmed." He gestured towards the ship, though in his heart he knew the decision he needed his apprentice to make. ​

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Fight. ​

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[Danielle Mueller]

When Adron Malvern closed in the distance between them, Dani's first instinct was to freeze up, not knowing what to expect nor how to react; Before now she'd been given no reason to expect anything in the way of what followed. Her eyes opened wide once again as she felt the embrace, a feeling of compassion and the act of a man whom meant to care over somebody else. She'd seen and heard of such things, people spoke of the behavior as though it were an every day occurrence and yet Danielle had never been blessed with someone else to watch over her until how it felt in that moment.

Whether or not Adron's motivation behind the act were genuine, she didn't know yet Dee didn't want to question it. She just remained there, motionless and not knowing quite what to do with herself, shocked by his choice of response. If there had ever been a time where she could relate with the sense of belonging to a family or having a parental figure be there for support, this was as close as Danielle had ever been.

He tried to explain to her the act that he had taken upon Tatooine, yet against the Patriarchal display of affection Dee wasn't really able to pay attention to anything else. This was something she had wanted for as long as she'd known, and at times been completely unaware that she had missed it from her life.

For many it was perhaps a simple act of kindness often taken for granted but it meant the world to her...

"Come. I will return you to the Headquarters of the Knight's Obsidian. They can complete your training with more standard means. It gets no easier and hesitation will only get you harmed.", she felt Adron pull away, once again suggesting that she return to the Knights Obsidian as he had previously offered.

"I..." she frowned, confused with how she ought to be feeling. She had been angry before, but now she couldn't decide if she felt a little happier or just empty; It was almost as though that void in her life had been filled for a few seconds, long enough for her to realize what she truly wanted in her life before it was gone again.

"I don't want to go back..." She told him, certain of that much, yet of little else in her life at the time. She felt like a mess, being pulled in either directions and not knowing where to turn. Adron was the first person to display such a caring gesture for her, so much so that she wanted to believe it was genuine even though everything before it had suggested otherwise.

"What am I, to you?" She soon asked, looking back at him with something of a wildly curious gaze. Danielle didn't even really understand what she was to herself, let alone why he had chosen her off of the street in the first place. "You could probably have picked anyone in the whole of Confederate Space, why choose me off of the street like you did?".

 

[Adron Malvern]

CURIOUS​

Tags: Danielle Mueller ​

When Danielle proclaimed that she did not wish to leave Adron felt a bit of relief within him. Of course he suspected she would not so readily leave his side, yet she was young and a whim could carry her far. So next she asked her question, who was she to him? To that, Adron looked to Danielle with a curious expression for a shallow moment. In reality she was a project, a work of art that he wished to formulate into something that would one day be of benefit to him and the rest of the galaxy. But he could not come off as so detached, so cold. It would only drive her further from him when he needed the young girl close and open to him.

"You are the future. You are my future." He told her, approaching her and clasping his hands behind his back as he spoke to her. "You are special to me, you see. Because you have a potential to become something greater than I." He raised a hand, pressing his finger to his temple as he spoke simply. "Once I was alone and knew not what to do. No one to guide me, no one to help me through the weakness the galaxy had cursed me with." His hand drifted from his temple, falling down to lightly touch Danielle's.

"When I saw you i recognized something inside of you. Something that reminded me of myself. That was when I realized something. It was years after adulthood when someone finally took the time to show me the path. What would it have been like if I had learned at your age? Learned that the galaxy is not merely what we experience, but also what we craft." These words Adron spoke were truthful. Danielle's pure raw connection to the Force afforded her an ability to one day become a true Master of the Dark Side. It would not require as much anguish as it had Adron, merely a degree of commitment.

"You think I could have picked anyone in Confederate space, but you're very mistaken. Few have earned the right to train at my side and even fewer have ever truly completed that training. One day, you will learn to value that which makes you unique." He promised her.
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[Danielle Mueller]

It had always been a fault of Danielle's in that she found so much difficulty in taking a compliment and accepting it as the true perception of herself in the eyes of another; Couple this with the fact that it was Adron Malvern who were saying these things and Danielle was naturally a little skeptical, yet not wanting to be.

She desired so much to believe in his words, in his seeing a future in her. She wished to be able to see herself in such a remarkable light, although it was always her faults that stood out to her, she who could be so self-destructive in her mindset. It wasn't by choice, it was simply how she'd grown to become. Years of being shouted at by her superiors or being made fun of by other youth her age, it all helped to build this image of herself that she had become so assured was the truth.

'People couldn't be nasty just for the sake of being nasty, the things they teased her for or saw against her must have been true'; A child's mind could easily fabricate in such detrimental environments.

"You probably could have..." Dee glanced back at Adron a little warily, still feeling somewhat defeated within herself. Although the risk of walking away had seemingly vanished, she would persevere in the hope that his care for her was genuine, and that she might at the very least come to feel worthwhile.

Avoiding his gaze, the girl turned to look to the environment around them and only know seeming to realize that her Master had halted the painfully cold winds, somehow shielding them from the winters edge. Her brows furrowed, frowning as she felt somehow responsible for putting a halt on his plan for their training session, despite how needed it was to try to find some middle-ground again. To be convinced that he was a good person that she could trust and know had her interests at heart...

"I'll try my best..." she said, words that seemed spoken with a sense of uncertainty, lacking the conviction of confidence; "Just...Don't let me freeze to death" she added, glancing back to Adron. She could fight, she could fire a firearm and run military drills, yet in a Galaxy so large away from everything she knew; Dee couldn't help but feel so terribly small.

 

[Adron Malvern]

FROZEN HEART​

Tags: Danielle Mueller ​

The Exarch looked to his apprentice with an amused expression, though he shook his head at her words. He turned from her and when he heard her last statement he couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "Don't let yourself freeze to death. Remember, it is your power we are unlocking, not mine." He told her.

He turned from her and began to take a few steps away. Step by step it would grow colder and colder. Wisps of snow and ice would slowly begin to flow around Danielle once again as winter's embrace came around her. It was chilly, then it was cold, and then it was freezing. The icy tundra was released gradually until once again they were set within it. Adron continued on, his eyes never turning back to Danielle, but he did keep his focus on her. He could feel her core begin to drop so fast, yet still she was attempting to brave this frozen waste.

Although he did not look to her, his voice would ring in her ears.

'Focus. There is no peace in this galaxy. There is only your passion. You must call on your emotions if you are to survive.' He whispered into her mind.

They found themselves quickly following a frozen path up a small hill. The hill seemed to rise into a low plateau and before them was a massive crystal pillar, still rather far away.

'Use your anger and your fear, tell me Danielle. What are you most afraid of?' He asked her in her mind once again, his eyes turning to meet her in the frozen storm.
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[Danielle Mueller]

Danielle had decided she wasn't much a fan of Winter climates any longer, although if there was a fireplace and some warm clothing that'd have been entirely different, yet following along behind Adron Malvern , such small pleasures were far from within reach.

'Focus. There is no peace in this galaxy. There is only your passion. You must call on your emotions if you are to survive.'

She heard his words and understood the truth behind them; Dee had read and seen plenty to witness the chaotic state of the Galaxy beyond Confederate Space and she had grown to love the Confederacy for how well they retained order amongst the Chaos.

It was clearly understood by both the Confederacy as well as Dee herself that there were no such thing as heroes or saviors that would come to her aid, everything that had to be done, had to be done on her own or not at all. Guidance and training such as Adron's mentoring her was a pivotal journey towards her coming into power, he had assured her, yet he had reminded her that every step had to be taken down her own path and that rang true in the thoughts that followed his words entering her mind.

'Use your anger and your fear, tell me Danielle. What are you most afraid of?'

"What am I most afraid of?" She echoed his question aloud, trying to distract herself from the blindingly cold blizzard that surrounded them both. Adron continued on unaffected but Dee was struggling to retain control upon the Force around her when her arms and legs felt like they could snap at any moment; "I guess...Never being loved or cared about" she answered, her words stuttering against the icey wind, trying to focus on her breathing despite it feeling as though there were knives lodged in the back of her throat.

"Never having a place where I belong, or feeling like I'm special to someone. Just being reminded of all the nasty things I've been told in the past" she elaborated a little as she fought on through the ice and snow; "Being rejected by everyone. Being worthless in life. Being a disappointment to people...-That sort of thing" she concluded. Talking about it didn't exactly help her to feel any better although that sense of uncertainty and anxiety gave her something to focus on outside of her body feeling as though it was rapidly being drained of life thanks to their surroundings.

 

[Adron Malvern]

CONTINUE​

Tags: Danielle Mueller ​

Adron could sense how the girl had honed in on her fears and now she focused on her anxieties. A necessary step in the right direction, but she had yet to truly grasp the power that laid behind those emotions.

As they continued to walk Adron was silent for a long time. He guessed the girl was reaching a point now where she would either feel the true weight of this hellish storm and break down or The Force would call itself to her to protect her as it naturally could. So as he stepped closer and closer to the icy pillar, he glanced back at the girl and spoke briefly into her mind.

'Your place is by my side Danielle. You need only take it.' He was several yards from the girl, yet he gestured to the snowy ground beside him. It was her place, she need only take it.

'No path is a simple walk Danielle. You must brave the storm first, then you may claim your reward after.' He explained to her.

With that he would once again seep the Darkness from himself into her. She would feel her emotions becoming true conduits to the Dark Side.
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[Danielle Mueller]

'No path is a simple walk Danielle. You must brave the storm first, then you may claim your reward after.'

Dee had no intention of giving up, and certainly didn't want to let herself be frozen out on some moon of a world she hardly knew. Illyria would hopefully become a place of greater familiarity for her, however today was a trial she had to rise above first.

With Adron Malvern 's encouragement, Danielle pushed forward. Walking was a struggle against the cold that sapped all of her strength, the winds rushing against her body and threatening to bowl her over had she to simple give in, yet she refused still. Despite being skeptical, the words she had been offered were enough to shift her state of mind towards a place of higher motivation and inventive, and she did not plan on letting Adron down. More to the point, she didn't want to let herself down.

Something shifted within the flow of energies between she and Adron, it was unseen and yet Dee felt a wave of warmth come over her, seemingly bringing her the energy she needed to go forth where prior, the struggle had almost been too much. Adron would also sense a change in her, and while he was responsible for fueling her own, he would also notice the Force flickering to life within her, responding to a renewed sense of purpose and emotional drive to go on.

When she did eventually make it to Adron's side, she looked exhausted. Her breathing was staggered and she was shaking violently to the cold, her clothes saturated from the moisture in the winds, and yet she found her strength to stand upright and look out ahead of them, keeping her gaze upon the horizon and trying to center herself as he had previously taught her.

 

[Adron Malvern]

FROZEN​

Tags: Danielle Mueller ​

The force was the tether that bound all things together, both living and not living.

As Danielle used her connection to Adron and the power of her emotions, he could feel her connection grow stronger. Her strides became a bit stronger and her mind a bit more focused. Yes, she was tapping into the art of Tapas, allowing her to stay a bit warmer than the storm demanded.

When finally the woman took her place beside Adron his hand came up and pressed onto her shoulder for a spare moment. "Well done." He told her, before taking a few steps forward and gesturing to the pillar of ice that laid before them. As they grew closer it quickly became apparent that the pillar of ice was not mere ice. It was duracrete and some off metal formed into a pillar where ice had slowly frozen over the surface, however it was quite obviously not made by the elements.

As they grew closer to the pillar Adron began to talk once again.

"The power of the Force is limitless, however our ability to control it and predict its actions are not. The Force is as natural as the wind, ebbing and flowing as it wills. We have some control over it, yet compared to it's ever expanding reach we may as well be filling cups from an ocean." He told her. Now they were only a few yards from this massive pillar and the Sith Lord held his hands to the sky, his palms overlapping over each other while his eyes remained focused on the pillar.

The walls of ice and snow began to shimmer. There was a soft rumbling that could be heard as the black-metal that made up parts of the pillar began to slowly melt away the ice that rested on the surface of the structure. Before them was a pair of doors made of the same metal, which seemed to be slowly melting away their own sheet of ice. When finally the ice had melted the door before them held a single symbol, an ancient rune that Danielle may have seen in passing several times since meeting Adron. The door's to the structure jolted open, revealing an interior of the same black metal. The door's opened up to a large repulsorlift that led to the top of the pillar.

Adron held a hand open to the girl, gesturing for her to enter the lift. "It's time for another lesson." He told her.
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[Danielle Mueller]

Danielle studied Adron Malvern closely as he focused upon the great pillar, not simply watching him but listening to what she could feel through the Force around her. It was through his influence that she had slowly become familiar with the nature of the Darkside, although she was completely ignorant of the differences between the Light and the Dark, blissfully so of the controversy between the two; However she had gradually begun to learn the differences between her five natural senses, and that sixth that the Force gifted their kind.

Her gaze shifted marginally from Adron towards the black metal and the Ice that had been so secure, now becoming loose and turning to fluid as some unseen power caused it to melt away. Danielle could only assume that it was by her Master's doing, somehow channeling heat into the rods of metal that would subsequently unshackle the great steel doors, allowing them to open before the pair.

Following the sight of the vast Pillar, her head lifted as she looked skyward and took into sight the towering height of the structure. Dee wasn't much a fan of heights, or atleast not after Tatooine. Sure, she and Adron had talked that incident out, however it didn't much change the fact that he obviously wanted her to accompany him to the top and Dani couldn't help but fear him throwing her over the side once more.

"Tell me we're not going up there just for you to throw me off over the side..." Dee turned to look back to the Exarch, her tone of voice baring an edge of skepticism in her suspicion over what was to follow once they'd ascended the repulsorlift. Regardless, she walked alongside her Master and stepped onto the platform, her arms crossing over her chest as she once more raised her head to stare apprehensively towards the top of the pillar.

 

[Adron Malvern]

DUEL​

Tags: Danielle Mueller ​

The travel up the lift caused Adron to chuckle a bit at the girl's words. "You never know." He said, though by his tone there seemed to be no hint of such a thing occurring. ​

​

When they did finally reach the top of the spire, it was an exceptionally beautiful room. The peak of the pillar was made of a glasteel material that, with the ice encrusted over it, gave the peak a transparent appearance that was almost unnoticeable from the base of the pillar. The room itself was bathed in warm sunlight, taking off some of the edge from the static cold temperature of the chamber. The interior floor and ceiling were made of a blue-white marble which only worked to blend in to the beautiful landscape seen through the glass walls. ​

​

"It is time we move to the next phase of your training, where your stamina and strength will be consistently tested." He explained to her while gesturing to a table in the center of the room. Danielle would take notice of a set of ebony Guard Shoto Lightsabers, much like her own. They were significantly heavier than her lightsabers and they only emitted a training beam, which when impacting a limb inflicted a healthy dose of pain, yet did not sever limbs or leave someone with any lasting injury. ​

​

"Take up your blades." He instructed her, his hand waving over to the two crossed lightsabers. ​

​

The Sith Lord pulled a small cylinder from his waist and glanced down at the gunmetal lightsaber in his hands. It had a curved hilt which was a sign of the style he preferred when entering lightsaber combat, the style that was a direct counter to the form he would teach Danielle. ​

​

"There are many different forms of lightsaber combat. I see no need for you to familiarize yourself with all of them. For now, we will focus on Ataru, the fourth form. It is a lightsaber form where speed of movement and unsuspecting aggression will be your ally. Ataru is the form of unpredictability, however if you do not learn to use the Force to sustain you, it will exhaust you quickly." He informed her. ​

​

"I believe it is the easiest form to understand, yet the hardest to master." He told her. ​

​

​

 

[Danielle Mueller]

Danielle stood alongside Adron listening intently while studying the surrounding platform atop the great pillar, it was truly a beautiful sight, something far from what she had been expecting. Adding to her surprise, her Master then motioned to the dual training Shoto in suggestion for her to take them up, while also reaching for his own lightsaber.

Dee's reaction to this wouldn't require much study in order to gauge how she was feeling on the new lesson; Her expression lit up, eyes going wide and a broad grin crossing her face as she stepped towards the pair of Guard Shoto and took them into each hand. They were both very similar to her own, however absent of the crystals that Adron Malvern had initially gifted her on the day of her employment.

"Now this is my idea of a lesson..." She said with confidence, giving the weapons a spin in each hand, a loose grip to allow the hand-grips to roll within her hands and turn the baton in a full rotation looking to get a feel for the weight of them both.

Danielle had never sparred against him before, and this training session would be no less intense than anything else he had put her through so far, she knew and expected that much. Adron was an Exarch and an accomplished, experienced Force User; In other words there would be no way that she could hope to overcome him so early on in her training, thus the emphasis would be on what she could learn from him. Body language, stance, movements and the form of his strikes.

Ataru he had mentioned...-She had heard of it somewhere, although she couldn't quite place where. Turning around to face Adron once more, Danielle moved away from the table where the Guard Shoto had been, now holding them and leaving a good bit of distance between the two before coming to a gradual halt.

"Ataru...-What's involved in the Form?" She asked, wanting to know more. Needing to understand the Form in more detail, were she to practice it adequately in a training match against her Mentor.

 

[Adron Malvern]

DUELING​

Tags: Danielle Mueller ​

There was actually some small gratification that Adron took from lightsaber combat. As long as he had been a practitioner of the Force it had been one of his strongest assets. He glanced down to the lightsaber in his hand and for a brief moment he recalled the ruthless hours of drills his father put him through as a boy. The thought made him smirk a bit before turning his eyes to his apprentice. "Ataru. It's for smaller, fast moving warriors. Stay mobile, agile, go for flanking strikes on the sides. Aim for low-impact cuts." He approached Danielle, using his lightsaber to tap his shoulder, the back of his neck, his joints, and then his groin. "Move fast, avoid getting caught in an enemies more complex technique and you'll be able to land a strike." He instructed her.

"Be wary of becoming lost in redundancy. This fighting style is meant to be overwhelming in that it is unpredictable." He instructed her, beginning to step around the girl with his lightsaber held to the side.

"Normally two-handed grips help augment the strength of the style, but you will have to grow strong and rely on the strength of a single arm." He instructed, speaking to her more unique style regarding her lightsabers.

"Now. We'll start with forward assaults. Do not waste energy in devoting to a frontal attack. Instead use them as a distraction that can lead you into a feint for a more powerful attack." He told her, stepping back in front of her. He stepped back from the girl before a sudden snap-hiss could be heard. His lightsaber came to life as the amethyst blade shined out, covering the area around him in it's purple embrace.

He braced his left hand on his waist while aiming the tip of his lightsaber down at a 45 degree angle. "Try to get past my defense. Remember, speed and unpredictability." He counseled.
​

​

 

[Danielle Mueller]

"Speed and unpredictability" Dani repeated aloud, giving Adron Malvern a nod in confirmation.

While Adron took a moment to ready himself, Dee silently questioned what quick and unpredictable looked like exactly. Fighting was different, quick jabs or hard hitting kicks, pace was easy as form wasn't so important compared to the goal of punching someone in the face, but with a Lightsaber it seemed to be everything. Technique and finesse were aspects of swordsmanship that she assumed people praised...Right?

Glancing back up to her Master, she studied the way that he stood and tried to mimic it. Turning side on from him, she turned her head parallel to her right shoulder keeping her focus on him while spacing her feet out just a little bit more.

While he held the single Lightsaber, she held both of her Guard Shoto and so rather than placing her left hand at her hip, she held the guard horizontal across her mid-section while the right would be lowered at a similar angle towards the ground, both thumbs pressing against the activation stud and their emitters erupting in a flare of amber energy.

It felt a little strange to be standing like she was. It may have made her a harder target to stab at, but a sweeping strike would still hit her if unguarded and it also meant her second Guard Shoto had less range than the right which was held closest towards Adron. He had instructed her to get passed his defense, so that left her to assume she was to make the first move...

As he had done so with her, Danielle moved to step around Adron's perimeter reach, keeping just shy of his Lightsaber in case he decided to surprise her with a sudden sneak-attack. She certainly wouldn't put it passed him, and the thought caused her to smirk a little to herself. He had suggested a feint attack...-So of course she went with the unexpected instead.

Pivoting on her right heel, Dani turned while stepping with her left foot, reaching the floor while directly facing him and applying more strength in her legs to rush Adron head on. The Guard Shoto in her left hand remained near her side and yet rolled within a loose grip, a flair for distraction while her right hand would see the blade to sweep across his mid-section in a horizontal slash towards the left, seeking to land the first strike early on in the sparring session.

 

[Adron Malvern]

OBJECTIVE​

Tags: Danielle Mueller ​

When Danielle began to prepare herself for combat, Adron took notice of the stance she took. It caused a smirk to come over his face as he realized she was mirroring his favored Makashi stance. The side-faced position was meant to make you a smaller target and allow for a more restricted, yet faster range of motion. Although Adron used it to bolster his defense it was more out of habit than instruction that he took the stance. Still, he said nothing and merely nodded approvingly at his apprentice.

Then she charged. His eyes tracked her carefully as she moved forward, launching a frontal attack. Her motions were readable and lacked the noncommitted furiosity of a feint. Did she truly intend to attack him head on?

It seemed the first lesson of Ataru would have to be learned early.

Danielle charged Adron who was her superior in speed, size, and experience. Yet there was raw talent in her movements. An assurance that she was devoting her heart to the lesson and that alone would take her far. As she closed the distance between the two Adron gathered the Force into his legs, bending his knees ever so slightly as she came within striking distance.

That was when he took to the air. He leaped up, curling his legs into the core of his stomach as he rolled over Danielle with a flawless jump. He landed back down, cutting the heels of his feet into the ground for a sudden spin. He felt his free hand relax while his lightsaber followed the momentum of his spin, the blade aimed to find home on the back of the girl's shoulders. "A frontal attack is suicide for you." He chastised. The blade was lowered to a stun setting, so although it would hurt like hell, it would not truly injure the girl.

"However, your speed was well executed. Remember, the Force is your weapon in all things. Utilize it." He instructed.
​

​

 

[Danielle Mueller]

A flash of heat streaked across the back of her shoulders as Adron Malvern 's Lightsaber swept out wide in a horizontal slash following his evasion of her frontal attack, Danielle stumbling forward further with a yelp of pain and gasping as she recoiled, turning back to look at Adron with a glare at first, though it slowly softened into something of a competitive smirk.

Beneath her tunic, the upper back where he had struck her felt as though she'd been badly burned. A combination of heat and what could almost be compared to an electrical charge of energy displacement as the training frequency had done what it was designed for, cautionary and non-fatal training while also proving most discouraging from slipping up as she had.

"I figured unpredictability could be shown in going against your advice, that you might not expect it because of how flawed it was" Dani explained herself, although didn't leave her stance as she searched for her next idea for the follow-up attack. Her Master's evasion had surprised her admittedly, jumping within what felt like a mere second away from landing her strike against him, Dee had come so close that she'd felt the movement of the air created from his turning mid-flip.

Given that her first attempt had failed, she instead fell back upon that which he had advised, moving to attack from the flank (the sides or the back) and making the most of whatever blind spots or vulnerabilities she could identify and reach. Of course, Adron wouldn't likely let her find any such luck, yet the learning came from practice and repetition, and to be honest Danielle was just happy to be given the time of day in doing something she truly enjoyed. She was a fighter, through and through.

Pressing down upon her right foot, her head lowered as she pushed off to run towards Adron once again, however this time she paced herself carefully within the small gap between them and at the last second before reaching him, she side-stepped not once but twice. To the right, and then to the left, her arms swaying with her movements and using the momentum to bring both Guard Shoto sweeping back in a similar horizontal strike that he had used against her, only this attack was aimed for his mid-section at waist height.