The Fall of Hion the Herglic (Jedi Order)

[Cedric Dorn]

Diana ran through the halls of the Jedi Temple as fast as she could, the pitter patter of her feet striking the ground over and over again as she rushed towards the sound of the commotion. She had heard the cries to pain the angsty whispers among the padawans, in the Temple news spread faster than one would expect, especially when murder occurred. She took one last corner practically sliding across the floor to come upon a crowd of Jedi Knights, padawans, and Masters.

Her eyes looked around the room from person to person. She saw the crowd of Jedi, then the massive form of Hion, then the corpse upon the floor.

Diana's bright eyes focused on the body for a second, her vision flaring slightly as the scarring on her retina's attempted to work properly for just a second. She realized she recognized the clothing of the corpse, the boy was Tosh. Her mouth opened agape in horror, unsure of how this could have happened. She looked from Tosh's corpse to Hion. She hadn't heard the claims of self defense, she hadn't heard the words spoken by the other Jedi, and now she simply heard nothing but a ringing in her ears.

Tosh and Diana had never been the close, though he had tried on several occasions. Diana had always been something of a loner as a padawan. She had mostly stuck to herself and remained a constant silent observer. Tosh had been younger than she by just a few years, but he had always made an attempt to speak to her and try to make her smile. It was something that at the time Diana had hated, though upon her return to the Order she had appreciated it greatly.

In recent weeks Tosh had become somewhat of a friend to Diana, and the boy had confided in her to having a crush on her Bladesister @[member="Daella Apparine"], something that seemed to amusing at the time.

With silent droning steps Diana began to move towards @[member="Hion the Herglic"], not noticing her Daella standing next to Tosh's corpse or her similar motions towards the massive alien.

The world seemed dim to her, dark.

 

[Gorba the Hutt]

@Meta | @Cale Gunderson | @Sochi Ru | @Carn Dista

Hion opened his mouth to respond to @[member="Tracyn Ordo"] and @[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"], when he felt a sudden intrusion upon his thoughts and feelings. The bulky anthropormorphic killer whale whirled on @[member="Ella Nova"]. He pointed the Soulsaber, for it was that vile blade - though he knew it not, at the padawan.

"Get out of my head!" His voice reverberated throughout the room.

Though his heart was confused and at war, his senses, empowered by the Battlemind of the Soulsaber, were heightened and hyper alert. From nearby, though they walked silently, he felt the new presences of @[member="Daella Apparine"] and @[member="Diana Moridena"] moving steadily toward him. Hion turned on them now, flippers poised over the activation switches of both lightsabers.

"Stay back! All of you, stay back! I was attacked! If this had been a Sith Apprentice and not one of our own, none of you would blink an eye. Your shifting sense of right and wrong is as constant as the changing tides. It is only when a member of our 'pure', 'superior' Jedi race lies slain that you awaken your senses of morality."

Hion's face, always so gentle, was now the unrestrained storm front. His lips peeled up in a snarl, revealing rows of teeth made for ripping and biting. Black eyes, usually compassionate, were now pitiless: the empty wells of a dark abyss. Any who had thought him a gentle whale now saw the monster within that he had struggled to subdue, unfettered. The Black Fish.

"All of you are blinded. The stench of your moral bankruptcy is the smell of a polluted ocean; infected with your misguided sense of self-righteousness. You're a perversion of the Jedi, and I will yield to no false, corrupted Council."

 

[Carn Dista]

@[member="Hion the Herglic"]

Carn's face didn't shift. He had heard all he needed to. Hion was espousing beliefs that went against the way of the Jedi Order. The shattered form of a padawan learner lay at his feet. In that moment, Carn's options had been wittled away from a multutude to two. Detain or neutralise.

"Jedi. Take up positions at the entrances to this chamber immediately. Hion will not be leaving unless it is in the custody of the High Council. That is not a request." his voice was strong, and clear. He was most definitely giving an order, and he expected those it applied to follow it exactly. He knew it would come down to saber combat, and he knew that Hion was likely to try and flee. If the Jedi could block him in, then there was a much higher chance of detaining the Herglic.

"As for you, Hion. I mean not to harm you. I wish only for you to sit with the Council until we can review the security tapes. If you truly did defend yourself, they will show just that, and you will have absolutely no cause for consern.

However if you continue as you are, you will be forcing my hand. You understand my duty. The words you speak mark you as falling, or fallen. It is my duty, as part of the Jedi Order, to bring you before the Council, or stop you from posing a threat to the Order. It is up to you which path you take."

And with that, Carn's footwork slid into the basic stance of Shii-Cho - a clear signal to all that if there was to be combat, that combat should be focused on disarming the foe. It would also signal to Hion that he was more than ready to deal with anything thrown his way, should it come to that.

 

[Darth Ayra]

| @[member="Hion the Herglic"] | @[member="Carn Dista"] |

"I'm sorry!" Ella shouted, wincing at the Jedi's outburst to her. She lowered her hand and stopped trying to calm Hion with the force. It wasn't working and it was only making the situation worse. Taking a deep breath, she drew her Lightsaber and pressed her thumb on the ignition button. A blue line came out of the cylinder object to her left hand side. Both hands clasped around the hilt, she stanced into Form I: Shii-Cho alongside her Jedi Master, Carn Dista. She looked up to him and murmured, "I'll make sure he doesn't get a hit on you master. I'll cover you." She gave the old man a reassuring smile before turning her gaze back to Hion. Then it hardened and she prepared herself for battle.

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Hion... This isn't you" Josh called out desperately as he hesitantly took position. "Whatever that thing is in your hand, Hion.... I can sense the dark side flowing from it like a plague... You need to drop it.. You need to get away from that thing!"

Then Josh's thoughts went back to the Padawan as he finally recognized him. Tosh, Josh knew him just a bit. He'd watched him in combat and given him pointers. He was a bit rough around the edges, but Josh saw great potential in him... And now he lay dead. But how? Tosh never showed any signs of the dark side... How could he have turned so quick? And what about Hion? How did this happen?

His eyes darted to the saber again. And thats where it clicked... Maybe it was some sort of Sith artifact? Josh was no stranger to Sith Poison and things like it. He knew, just recently actually, what they could do to you.

And it made him wonder... Were both Tosh and Hion the victims here? The security footage would likely tell all.

"I've already sent droids to get the footage, Hion" he assured gently. "Just please relax, this isn't like you at all... I'm not asking you as your superior, I'm asking you as a friend, a friend that dropped everything and came running the second he thought you were in trouble.. Please let go of that.. Thing, and relax. We'll get this sorted out, I promise"

Josh instinctively gripped something with his free hand. He had a gut feeling of what was coming...

 

[Gorba the Hutt]

@[member="Daella Apparine"] @[member="Diana Moridena"] @[member="Cale Gunderson"] @[member="Sochi Ru"] @[member="Tracyn Ordo"]

Hion's black eyes fastened on @[member="Carn Dista"]. The Dark Ocean raged within him, but for a moment its power wavered. Falling? Was he falling? It was the culmination of all his fears: to fall to the Dark Side. He struggled for so long to wash away his blood stained past as a mercenary. He had done things, things he regretted, but had also enjoyed. That wicked glee of battle, the joyous sensation of crushing an enemy's bones - hearing the wet pop, sent a shudder through his soul. The unrivaled exhilaration he felt in the midst of combat was like none other. It was a release. And right now, Hion ached for a release.

The sorrow over the death of his friends in the senate had rent his heart open, allowing darkness a foothold. What's more, the acts he had committed defending the Jedi Archives, and later attempting to capture a Lucrehulk, left him full of a confused, self-reproaching regret that slowly ate away at his conviction. How could he be a Jedi after what he had done? He hated his actions, but in the moment, they had felt so right. No, did he even want to be a Jedi? What had become of the Order? They were still the defenders of the galaxy. He had to believe that; he had to. But his faith was destroyed as surely as the padawan lay slain. Was it? He wanted to do the right thing, but he no longer understood what that was anymore. He just needed some space. Just a little time to think. And this storming headache was killing him. Just a little time. A little-

SNAP-HISS

Black, unforgiving eyes locked on @Ella Nova. He reacted instantly, thumbing the activation switch of both sabers. As soon as the violet blade ignited, his defenses collapsed. A surge of dark energy roiled through him and the internal struggle for Hion's soul ended. He felt a raw, oceanic power within him. And he reveled in it. A foreboding calm came over him, the stress and confusion disappearing, along with the sudden, blissful end of his headache. The voice of the onyx saber with the violet blade whispered a name to him. A name promising such hideous strength.

He turned his squat head toward Dista. "I am no longer Hion. You may call me... hauum, Darth Orcus."

The pronouncement rang through the room. The new Darth turned his merciless gaze on @[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]. "I thank you for your concerns, Dragonsflame, but they are, hauum, no longer necessary."

Wide lips peeled back over white teeth.

"I will be leaving now. Do not attempt to stop me."

He started walking.

 

[Cedric Dorn]

"No, you won't" Dianas voice finally stung through the silence of her.own world, the sterness of it was enough to even shock her, though she did not show it. Instead she stepped before the massive alien creature, barring his way from leaving the Temple. Her lightsaber was in her hand, the energy spider carapace hilt feeling cool even now.

With a simple handmotion Diana signaled for the gates of the Temple to be sealed shut, the massive stone doors swinging closed in practiced swift motion.

The Jedi looked at the newly born Sith. As soon as Hion had.taken the name of a Darth it was as good as an armission to Diana. Hion had killed Tosh in cold blood, murdered her friend and.a.fellow Jedi. He would stand trial.

With a loud snap and a hiss Diana's lighstaber sprang to life, haveld backward in her hand.

 

[Gorba the Hutt]

The Darth continued walking toward the nearest door, apparently unconcerned about its current closed status. Dark, sonorous laughter boomed from Orcus.

"Review the security tapes, Knight Moridena. You will find it was self-defense. Present the evidence to the Coruscant Security, if you wish. Until then, hauum, you have no authority to detain me."

 

[Carn Dista]

@[member="Ella Nova"] @[member="Hion the Herglic"]

"So be it, Hion. My hand is forced. Padawan, to the doors, help the other Jedi should he go for them."

It was all he needed to say. Hearing Hion's words had flicked a switch in Carn's mind. He no longer had need for the cloak of form zero, nor the intent to disarm. Hion had declared for the Sith, and that warrented only one action.

Juyo.

Breaking his Shii-Cho stance, Carn burst forwards with a more than surprisingly ferocious pace. He often kept his emotion in check, yet Juyo demanded he give himself to the ups and downs of the fight. He would not enjoy the outcome, but he would certainly enjoy the clashing of lightsabers.

The blade in his left hand flashed upwards towards the Herglic's right flipper with blinding accuracy - even from his opening strike, it was clear that Carn's skill with Juyo was incredible. And the power behind his strike... well. If Hion failed to defend from it adequately, he would certainly find his time as Darth Orcus cut short.

 

[Darth Ayra]

| @[member="Hion the Herglic"] | @[member="Carn Dista"] |

Ella flinched when those black, opaque eyes locked onto her own. For the first time in her life, she felt fear. She had spent the majority of her life on Tython, in the confines of the Jedi Temple. She had been taken to the Jedi home world from her own, Corellia, as a child. She only learned that she was Corellian early into her youth. But Tython had been home and had protected her from the dangers that she would inevitably encounter. She had been taught to not feel fear or any emotions at all in combat, instead focusing on the task at hand. But meditation and simulated combat in a relatively solitude paradise was no match to the scenarios she would encounter later on into her career as a Jedi Knight; and Hion the Hergli- No, Darth Orcus, would be the first time that she had a real, dangerous situation to deal with.

"Yes Master," she replied to Carn, moving to the doors, on the defense and in the way of the newly christened Sith Lord, her hazel eyes locked on his empty, devoid black ones. She lifted her Lightsaber in an opening stance for defense. She would stand no chance, going on the offensive against Orcus, but she could defend herself for a time. Carn would then go on the offensive with Juyo, to press Orcus into being detained or neutralized. She hoped it would not be the later, whatever Hion had become.

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

In Josh's eyes was a look of horror, heartbreak and betrayal at Hion's.... No, Darth Orcus's announcement... This was not the Hion he knew. And yet, he was Hion no longer. His look of horror grew worse as Carn suddenly broke out and attacked Orcus with Juyo.

He took a breath, finally being the last of the Jedi to take a combat stance. Ataru would be his choice. If he pressed with his blade, he would switch to his specialty, Makashi. He decided he wouldn't attack just yet.... Only if needed.

 

[Cortana Jade]

She jumped when the Former Knight had took on a new title. He professed himself a sith. She looked around to see all the others igniting their blades in attempts to stop the new Darth from exiting the temple. She grabbed her own lightsaber and ignited her blue blade. She knew better than to engage the more experienced adversary head on, she would stand no chance. She allowed the Masters to deal with it. She figured she would join in with @[member="Ella Nova"] at the door. Running over, and assuming a Soresu stance she stood just a couple of feet away from her fellow Padawan. She watched on as @[member="Carn Dista"] and @[member="Diana Moridena"] engaged him. There wasn't much she could say on the subject, she knew better than to hesitate; she needed to keep her emotions under control, and focus herself.

@[member="Hion the Herglic"] @[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Tathra Khaeus]

Meta had ignited his lightsaber before the rest of the jedi, once again. Returning to a battle stance again, he knew he should have just stabbed the new sith in the back, had it over and done with. Now, that the sith was no longer disorientated. Meta began to move to the doors, keeping his pace faster than the newly stated sith. He had arrived at the doors, raising his blade in a Djem So stance, he took his position awaiting a violent reaction from the sith. He stood beside @[member="Sochi Ru"], @[member="Carn Dista"] and @[member="Diana Moridena"].

 

[Darth Ayra]

| @[member="Sochi Ru"] |

Ella watched the confrontation, her Lightsaber held ahead of her. The hiss and hums of everyone's Lightsaber filled the area, as silence fell across the room. This was a combat situation now and the dialogue between the Jedi and the new Lord of the Sith was finished with. As Carn begun the duel, slashing his Lightsaber in his infamous Juyo techniques, Ella turned his eyes to Sochi joining her side. She gave the Padawan a quick warm reassuring smile and said, "I hope this finishes quickly."

 

[Gorba the Hutt]

The blinding speed of Carn's attack was offsetting, but not entirely unexpected. Orcus whipped his blue greatsaber, a good deal longer than the average lightsaber, to parry Dista's blade. The new Darth's seven foot height gave him incredible reach, which, when coupled with the length of the greatsaber and the full weight of his eight hundred pound mass behind the block, meant @[member="Carn Dista"] would have trouble not getting knocked clear across the room, much less maintaining his footing, even from a one handed parry.

Orcus laughed raucously, voice reverberating as the thrill of battle filled him; then he sucked in an enormous breath, the power of the Soulsaber enhancing his concentration to a focal point of laser-like precision.

Throughout his training in the Force, Orcus had culminated one and only one Force power: Bellow, a shockwave of overpressure on the level of a bomb blast, which could emanate from his massive lungs with enough strength to shatter concrete and blow limbs off. With his shouts he had tossed Sith and Jedi like ragdolls, knocked gunships out of the sky, and torn soldiers to bloody ribbons. And Dista was staring right into his open mouth.

Dispiteous black eyes flashed triumphantly.

Orcus bellowed.

"HAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM!"

The overpressure shockwave sped out faster than hurricane force winds, ripping up tiles and shattering fountains as it blew through the room. The wall behind Dista exploded outward as if a bomb had detonated. Confidently, the Sith-formerly-known-as-Hion ran through the hole in the wall, leaving wreckage in his wake.

 

[Alan]

Tracyn took after Hion, at a speed that normal people couldn't match with their eyes. Tracyn came to the side of the new Darth, and then brought his hand upwards, in the Steel hands maneuver of Teras Kasi, which was the secret to his speed. He said nothing, and was almost like a robot or a droid when it came to emotion, a farcry from hisself not so long ago.

Tracyn knew and had just witnessed the powerful lure of the dark side, and he would snuff it out or bring Hion back.

@[member="Hion the Herglic"]

 

[Cale Gunderson]

Cale's hands shot up, a force barrier forming as @[member="Hion the Herglic"] unleashed a shockwave. Digging in his heels and gritting his teeth, he helplessly slid back until the powerful shockwave faded away. Then it was his turn, he unclipped one saber from either shoulder and ignited them, cobalt blades springing to life as he shot towards the Herglic.

Now he'd rely on what could be considered the Charl-most attention grabbing of the saber forms, aratu. Leaping into the air, he lunged towards the massive fallen Jedi. He knew when the time for negotiation was over, now he had to fight, no matter how it pained him. The two humming blades came down at a violently fast rate, at either arm, Cale was trying to end this without anymore death. But injury was another thing.

@[member="Ella Nova"]
@Meta
@[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]
@[member="Carn Dista"]

 

[Tathra Khaeus]

Meta had been shaken by the blast and fell. However he quickly recovered, he had never seen anything like that. However the Sith was only six inches smaller than Meta. Who had barely blocked the massive wave of energy, however it had shaken the majority of the people in the room, Meta's legs wobbled under him as he sluggishly made his way to the hole, he leaped up to it, but his legs gave out and he fell down to one knee, still vibrating. He slumped over in the hole the Sith had made. His Lightsaber slipping from his hands as he fell out to the other side of the temple. He barked, he had been winded.


@[member="Hion the Herglic"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Josh was wise, he had seen the havoc that Hion's bellow could cause, and he knew he would use it as soon as he could. He had hidden behind a pillar and, before that had grabbed onto it long before Hion had bellowed. As he saw his mouth open, he deactivated his lightsaber, his knuckles going white as he grabbed it with both hands.

And then it came. It was more wicked then the one at the archive raid. Josh's feet left the floor, he could feel parts of the pillar breaking apart, but he held on. While the pillar was in near ruins, it's structure had held up, leaving Josh to slump to the floor, mostly unharmed.

Taking a breath, he got up, surveying the carnage...

 

[Gorba the Hutt]

The "Jedi" @[member="Tracyn Ordo"] came after Orcus, sprinting alongside the lumbering whale and attempting to... punch him. Orcus merely swung the Soulsaber in his left hand in a backward slash aimed at attacking the wrist, or failing that, going under the arm and slicing up the ribcage. One hit from the Soulsaber would be enough to disable any Jedi as a single strike from the Dark Side artifact would corrupt a lightsider nigh instantaneously. As Orcus had learned. The wound in his side still burned, but it was not fatal. Regardless, the power of the Dark Ocean sustained him with endless tides of energy.

Behind him, Orcus felt @[member="Cale Gunderson"] closing in. Incoming blades swicked toward him on either side, but Orcus raised both of his own blades vertically, parrying the dual blow while he continued to run forward.

Craning his squat head up toward the ceiling, the Darth unleashed another bellow toward the roof. The ceiling rumbled and stones fell with a sound like thunder, blocking up the hallway behind Orcus. He blasted through another wall, steadily making his way toward a certain objective.