The Dust of Centuries

[Riamah]

Having spent time with the Dominion, Jedi and Sith, Ra felt she needed to go back to her roots for a time. She had always been more of a loner growing up and never felt fully comfortable around others. That had changed slowly and while still more of a quiet observer, she spoke up more than she had. While she was sure it was a positive change, in a way, she felt so odd. With that thought and a need to rediscover who or what she was, Ra packed up a bag and returned home.

Arriving at the space port and securing a location for her ship to be kept a few days, Ra leaves it behind. She made a quick stop at the orphanage she grew up in, checking in on the child she had brought there many months ago. Looking at Xian growing up, making friends and just being a kid made her happy. The traumatic experience had not seemed to bother the little girl these days. With a last hug for the child, Ra left her behind again, heading into the city planet more.

Deciding one of the best places to find herself, she decided to search for the ancient ruins of the Jedi temple that had been there for thousands of years. Something must be left of it and maybe even some lost secrets inside.

Finding it proved not that difficult when she used the Force to guide her. Its once sacred grounds still emanated power and like a beacon it guided her to the location. Opening her eyes, she looked at the once exotic ruins. She could see the hidden beauty behind the dust of centuries. Much of it had been looted and graffiti covered most surfaces.

Running one of her hands along a wall, Ra looked around imagining the building as it once stood, filled with all life and politics. All the younglings, padawans, knights and Masters going about their business. The historians doing their thing and the people wanting the help of the ancient Jedi. All of this filled her mind and it was silence around her.

Suddenly, she knew she was no longer alone. Another person was here and it felt familiar.

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

Drogh crept though the ruins, searching for a ligthsaber that he so desperately sought for, hiding in the shadows, dashing between the darkness and the light, trying to find shattered sharps and broken hilts, like the scavenger he was, he would search the broken ruin with it's eerie sounds, lurking though the temple like a ghost.

@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

Ra reached out with her senses, enhanced by the Force, she picked up where the presence was. It was Drogh...twice they had met and twice they fought. Though she did not ever know his name for he had given her none. Nor did he know hers.

Inching her knife hilt into her hand, ready to be drawn out, Ra pulled the hood of her cloak up to hide her white hair from being seen. She set off in the direction of the interloper. She too flitted from shadow to light and light to shadow. Almost as silent as a ghost.

There she saw him. His filthy robe, even more dirty than the last time they met.

She watched silently from the shadows and wondered what if any course of action she should take. For now, she let him carry on with his scavenging.

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

Drogh lifted his head, a piercing presence of light echoed out against the ruins. Despite it's aura of light, Drogh dreaded it with every nerve in his body, a presence he remembers and knows, Grinding his teeth under his mask, he began to look around him frantically. Drogh kept firm grip of his blaster, feeling the drumming of his heart, his breathing pacing rapidly increasing. Rage boiling up, his senses become more intense, he was far more focused. He could almost 'taste' her in the air, a vile disgusting sent. Drogh stared out into the abyss and found her, he was no stranger to the shadows and the shadows were no stranger to him. Drogh knew where she was, her glaring gaze felt like small knifes against his skin, he hated everything about her and much more.

Bitterness and anger spewed out of his mouth, his fear was crumbling as anger replaced to fill the gaps. "Come down and face me!" shouting felt odd to Drogh, he rarely did, rising his voice was some thing he didn't often do, but for her this was his special treat, he had enough rage and anger towards her that she was worthy of his aggression. He would fight her again and he would kill her, nothing would hinder Drogh this time, no where to run, just a brutal blood battle that would end in either him or her dying.

@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

Like a dog or wild animal smelling some prey, Drogh looked up from his scavenging. He must have sensed her as she thought she had been soundless. His stance changed and while she was not empathic, Ra could almost feel the anger rising off of him. He turned her direction and for the first time ever, she heard him speak.

His voice was loud, harsh and sounded like it was rarely used. The volume echoed through the ancient temple. If there had been any creatures here other than them, they would now know they were no longer alone. Nothing stirred in the dusty air, only they were here.

He called her to come out and face him. Which now he knew she was here, there was no longer a point for her to continue hiding. Keeping her hold on her knife hilt and jumped down to the ground facing him. Lowering her hood and looking at him with her now fierce golden eyes.

"Why do we keep meeting? Something draws us together."

If he shot his blaster at her, she was sure she could now easily evade it. Though her own weapons weren't drawn, she could produce either her blaster (which she had picked up at their past meeting) or her knives.

She stood confidently in her spot and waited to see if he could even hold a sentient conversation. If that failed, Ra knew they would fight and one of them wouldn't be leaving this place easily.

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

Drogh wasn't going to honor that with a response. Like a screaming demon Drogh charged forth, his hands extended out, desperate to choke and kill this girl. A conversation wasn't going to happen, Drogh didn't have the time for it, or perhaps the mental stability. The voices never went away, never ceasing to stop nor halting to scream, banging down like endless drums. Only madness and anger was on Drogh's mind, was his hate rational? No, it never was, was his fear rational? Of course not, his mind was not of his own will anymore, it never really was.

@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

Ra soon learned a conversation wasn't going to happen. What was this guy's issue with her? When they first met, she had tried to help him. The second time, she had actually saved his life! Man, Ra was starting to think being nice held no purpose.

Letting out a growl of irritation, she twirled out of Drogh's way as he came charging at her. His hands and fingers extended like he was going to choke her.

In a fluid movement, Ra actually pulled off her back the staff she seriously needed to learn how to use and would attempt to use an end to trip Drogh and make him fall down. If that didn't work, she try to hit him with a Force push from behind.

"What the hell did I ever do to you?"

She didn't know he heard voices or was fully mentally unstable. Only that had some sort of hatred for her.

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

Drogh lost in the moment, half his mind fantasizing over her manged corpse on this broken ground distracted him, in one elegant fluid motion from this girl, he stumbled onto the ground violently. He hadn't expected that, Drogh got up, his tattered cloak following, looking like some sort of wraith then a actual human being. Snapping his hand out of his cloak came his beloved DL-18 blaster, firing a cackling shot at the girl.

Drogh finally spoke, his words were harsh, ghostly and hollow. "I will carve your face up".

@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

Ra did not make a move against Drogh while he was down on the ground and getting up. In all likelihood, she wouldn't have been fast enough anyway. Almost like a ghost, he regained his feet and turned to her. This time, his blaster was out and at such a short range his shot didn't miss.

Rotating her body slightly in the blink of an eye, she got her cloak up in place to hopefully absorb the blast. It stopped the bullet, but the strength of the blast itself sent her reeling and she clutched at her arm in pain, but not wounded. It would leave a nasty bruise for sure. She heard her staff clattering across the ground as it rolled away from her.

Through clenched teeth, she spoke, "You can carve without a knife."

Ra was left handed and had her blaster on that side, she would draw that and in fast motion, take her own shot at him with DL-44.

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

Drogh saw the shot coming a mile away and quickly threw him self down into the ground, the shot going though his cloak, dragging behind him. Narrowly escaping a nasty wound.
He would pull him self up, being forced to the ground several times was starting to annoy Drogh, he just wanted to see her bleed. Drogh couldn't expect a blaster to kill her, it needed to be done with his own cold hands. Sliding his blaster away, he drew his vibroknife. To feel her skin slide of her face, the exposed muscle, to imagine what her screams sounded like, what a lovely sound, like children singing. "I will carve you with a knife." Drogh responded, he waved his knife around slightly, showing it to her as clear as day. "I want you to look into this blade as I open your bowls and let your guts spill." Drogh allowed him self a slight cackle of delight at the thought, rushing forward aiming directly for her gut with his shiny little blade.

@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

The shot had been a quick hip shot and as Drogh avoided it, Ra put it back in its holster and saw him pull out his own vibroknife, she smiled at him. This was where it would get fun.

Like a cat playing its prey, Ra pulled her knives out of her sleeves and watched as he waved his knife around. This was where Ra knew how to fight. He might be out for her head, she on the other hand would do her best not to kill him.

Their rivalry was something that had been established when they met. Ra had no thoughts they would ever get along, but perhaps this relationship could continue after today with a little less bloodshed.

Drogh spoke as he flourished his knife, telling Ra what he intended to do with it.

"Not if I have anything to say about it.
Let's dance"

Her eyes almost seemed to glow in the dim light, but that was from excitement, nothing more.

He would try to connect his knife with her gut, but moments before he would think he the stab was going to cut into her belly, Ra would attempt to deflect it with one of her own knives. If it worked it would knock his knife arm away from her. She would bring her other arm up, the knife held up her arm, not outward like he had. Hopefully his own forward momentum would carry him into the long blade waiting for him. If it didn't they would both likely to go tumbling to the ground in a heap.

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

A piercing pain was felt, Drogh had impaled him self into the blade of the girl, did this matter OF COURSE NOT! Drogh got hold of her neck, his blade parried by her blade and the other one deep into his flesh, and yet only his rage persisted. the pain was great, feeling the pouring from out of his cloak, this did not deter him nor cause him to whimper in pain or scream in agony but rather yell with a furious cry of hatred. The dark voices did not stop, they got only louder, screaming into his ears like sirens, the madness of the moment only empowered Drogh. Feeling the pain of the blade and the rage of his hatred, the dark side came to him, flooding his every thought and action, he began to smash his face against her's, brutal headbutts, over and over again, banging his metal mask against her pale face.

In duo time the wound would have effect, the dark side does not give immortality, but these short moments Drogh felt like a god. Yet with a voice mangled by madness he screamed with his lungs, hoping to deafen his victim with "I hate you!".

@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

Though her moves worked, Drogh's reaction was not what Ra expected and sudden pain exploded on her forehead as he banged his head against hers not once, but multiple times. She was starting to see stars and knew she had to do something before he knocked her out. She was afraid if that happened, she would not wake up. He was also physically choking her and that was quickly closing off her ability to breathe.

Making a snap decision, Ra sliced at him again with her knife that was still imbedded in his flesh. At the same time, she would try to grab his arm that was choking her and move to twist it up behind him, with her knife at his throat.

"Why do you hate me?"

His exclamation caused her ears to ring, but her voice was quiet and calm. Under was a steely tone that indicated her would be answered whether he wanted to or not. That is if he was mentally capable of answering.

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

Drogh felt the blade touch his throat, his arm twist and turn and the blade slashing against his chest, yet pain was numbed with the immense adrenaline pumping though his veins. Drogh was silent, although the words felt commanding and controlling, Drogh's mind was far to conflicted and puzzled to be dazed by such an attempt. Yet his hand remained free, the knife firmly in his hand. He rammed the cold steel into her stomach, he didn't fear her in the slightest, was Drogh finally free of this corrupting emotion? Yet he felt his entire body weaken, his cloak slowly became more and more blood soaked, the pain was getting stronger.

Under his mask, his eyes burning a yellow glare, he would not falter, Drogh for once would not run from this, he would stand his ground, his cold feat firm, either he or she would die today. Drogh would spit out a cold and harsh word. "Go kark your self."

@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

Both of Ra's moves worked and a wave of triumph filled her. This man, this person...thing had been asking for a fight since they met. Their previous two had been ended by one or the other of them running from what would have been a loss.

Her triumph faltered though as she felt Drogh's knife stab into her stomach. The hand holding the knife into his chest fell to stomach and she broke off. Pulling away from him and out of his reach. Dizzy from his mask hitting her on the head and now the pain flaring in her stomach, she lengthened the distance between them.

Taking a quick glance around for anything that might be of use, Ra saw only rubble. However, that could be use. Trained well in telekinesis, she would be able to lift anything in this hall. Picking up a piece of a broken column with the Force that was slightly larger than his head, she would attempt to aim it at the back of his head. If it missed, there was more she would try, but only this for the time.

She gave no reply to his words, there was nothing to say anymore.

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

Drogh saw her as she moved back with agility Drogh failed to contend with. Drogh in his rage would reach out with his bony hands trying to catch her, a pointless gesture. Yet, she was bleeding, he could see the weakness on her weary face, it had lost composure, strength and power. Drogh him self could feel a darkness radiating off her, if it was only weak. However Drogh could not ignore his own weakness, in the form of bleeding. Drogh had acted with a maddening aggression, he had acted unpredictably with little concern for his own well being. Drogh was reaping what he sowed, but his rage and hate would be enough alone to keep him in this fight, a large part of Drogh was perfectly fine with both of them dying, a sweet end to a bitter life.


Lost in this dark pattern of thought, it was interrupted by a sudden smack behind the head, a crashing of a rock. He came smashing down hard against the sharp ground, bleeding from the head as well as in front. Drogh was to say the least in a almost critical state, death seemed likely, although perhaps in fate's cruelty he was still conscious, if barely. He could not drift into a sleep where he would not wake up, but rather must suffer and die with his eyes's wide open? Must he die without her death? Must he not see her face squirm and bleed when his fingers dig deep into her skull? Drogh defiantly refusing to die like this, got up. His vision was blurred, loosing lots of blood but he staggered forward with hearts intent of opening her rip cage open. This staggered walk soon turned into a uncoordinated charge towards her.

@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

The only sounds to be heard now was that of their breathing and their occasional grunt or groan as hits connected or were blocked. When the rock she had sent at the back of his connected and knocked him down, she had hoped it would take him out of the fight, but that didn't happen. He got back up, stumbled a little and then charged at her. It was clumsy and not coordinated, but a charge nonetheless.

In all honesty, Ra did not actually want to kill Drogh. She didn't want their rivalry to end. It was a given they would never get along, but what was life without conflict?

Almost casually stepped out of the way of Drogh's charge, Ra would again attempt to use the Force, only this time to push him in the middle back and hopefully knock him on his face.

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

A gentle push was all that it took to send him down, Drogh had lost his will power to carry on this pointless struggle, he was bested. Drogh had drained him self, all he could do was try to stop the bleeding, to try and prevent his death. With his frail and weak words Drogh spoke out coldly. "Finish it." Drogh felt a sense of fear and dread come back to haunt him, the rage and hate had passed, now all that was left, was dread. Fear of death, fear of pain, fear of 'her'. It was horrid and he couldn't run or hide, perhaps Drogh if he was a weaker man might have wept, but he had nothing to weep for.


@Ra'a'mah

 

[Riamah]

Ra felt she had won when he fell over. He lay on the ground panting and trying to stop his life from fading away as he slowly bled on the stones of the former Jedi temple. The silence around them was deafening and his words were cold and weak. Her goal at defeating her foe was accomplished and Ra replaced her knives in their sheathes.

She also felt pity for Drogh, but that was for the weak. If they met again, there would be no more pity and one of them WOULD die.

"No, I will not."

Leaving him there was the worst she could do. He would live or die in this temple and she wouldn't be the one to kill him. Turning her back on him in his weakened state, she had no fear of another attack from him. Walking away, her steps would fade from his ears.

[member="Drogh"]

 

[Drogh]

"Why?" His voice meant nothing, as the slow steps began to creep away from him. A small but pathetic "Don't go..", Drogh didn't know why he said that, but to be alone now would some thing horrifying. The voices for a moment stopped. They ceased, their endless cries and contradictions ceased, he was at peace. In his immense suffering and pain, a feel of fear and agony he had not experience, Drogh was at peace. He slowly crept into a sleep, too weak to carry on, too weak to keep his eyes open, hoping that with some sad luck, Drogh might wake up to see the cold and dark ceiling again.

@Ra'a'mah