True Darkness

[Darth Ferus]

[member="Kaalia Voldaren"] , Acolyte of Ren, relishing in the dark. When first they met the Zabrak had seen how strong in the Force she was, and how similar she seemed to be compared to the Sith. This was an interesting thought, and Krest was more than willing to investigate a possible new initiate to the Sith. Or, so was the plan at least. The Sith had chosen to wander around Avalonia, bowing his head to the passerby's with as much respect as he could offer. Here on this planet, he was the outsider. Soon enough, Voldaren would meet up with him, and his goals may be met. He was dressed in his royal clothes, smiling as he walked down the halls and bowed his head to the passerby's.

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

The Zabrak that called for their meeting was nearing. His presence was clearly palpable, and the feeling something big was about to happen creeped into her concious. None other than a Lord of the Sith requested to talk, which was nothing short of surprising to the redhead, but it was an honor nontheless. The two had met before on a cooperative operation, and she was impressed by the power that he possessed. The fact that perhaps one day she'd have that power herself one day was an exhilirating thought. This day could very well be a large step forward.

Unlike most among the Knights of Ren, Kaalia was not opposed to the teachings of the Sith. In truth, she never felt as connected to the Ren as perhaps she should have been. The woman never followed without reason, something that was often expected of her. Blind loyalty didn't exist in her mind, the reason she made this order her home was a different one compared to others. They taught her how to embrace the Dark side, they gave her a home when she had none. It was an individualistic mindset, but she pulled her weight regardless. The woman was grateful for the things they provided her, but things were changing. The return of Sieger Ren to the Bastion caused the place to be much more grim, the intention of the so-called 'Supreme Leader' coming to fruition. They were shaped into what Sieger had originally wanted them to be: Nothing more than his tools to his will.

That, to Kaalia, was hard to accept. Growing up under a Jedi master, she was a tool of the Light, enslaved by it. She wanted nothing more than freedom, and the Ren gifted her that. They gifted her a path towards the darkness, a path that broke the shackles that were put upon her. But now they tried to shackle her down again. What [member="Krest"]'s aim for this meeting was remained a mystery for now, but she hoped that somehow he'd help her prevent from being shackled down once more. The redhead would find out soon.

The woman turned a corner onto a different street, and the Sith entered her vision. She didn't hesitate to make her way towards him, nodding at him in respect. "Your request certainly was unexpected, but I am sure it is of importance. If you wish to talk in private however, I doubt right here would be the proper place." Talking about Sith business out in the open was most definitely a bad idea, given the distrust of both Jedi and Sith within First Order territory.

 

[Darth Ferus]

Ah, there she was. The Acolyte of Ren. As she spoke, he bowed his head in greeting. "No, this would not be the place to talk. But, I know little of the First Order and how they run their section of the galaxy. I trust you have a place in mind?" He flashed [member="Kaalia Voldaren"] a disarming smile, and for the most part kept his hands behind his back. All around him he could feel the citizens and their false sense of security. Their belief of their lives being safe so deep within the First Order. Blind sheep, herded by their shepherds. Some of the Ren Krest had met had a similar air around them. They were not blind of course, but they were still sheep, kept in their pen by this.. Supreme Leader.

The whole thing sounded eerily familiar.

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

"I do, in fact." Kaalia mentioned, thinking of the sparring room she had visited before with Connor Harrison. Nobody else would be able to enter for as long as they were in there, allowing them to hold their conversation in private. Luckily, the building was close by. "Follow me." She started walking, motioning [member="Krest"] to follow him. Curiosity crept over the woman, wondering what he wanted to talk about specifically.

When the two entered the building, simply leaving her name gave the two access to the sparring room she now knew quite well. Looking at the wall, she saw that the holes that were created when she launched a flurry of training swords in Connor's direction were still there. A small smirk was drawn across her face as she observed the damage she had caused that day, slowly walking towards it and feeling out the holes with her fingers. "Nobody will interrupt us here. What did you want to discuss with me?" The Ren had tried to teach her to distrust the Sith, that they were heretics. Despite disagreeing with the notion that they were nothing but animals, she decided to be careful. There was no need to take risks just yet.

 

[Darth Ferus]

Krest kept in silence as they walked to the building, keeping his flesh hand wrapped around the metal one behind his back in a professional manner. The Zabrak was a guest, and manners were most important when it came to how he would treat his host. Naturally however, once they stepped into the room his hands dropped to his sides. He watched and listened to [member="Kaalia Voldaren"] as she asked her question, but was more interested in the holes she ran her fingers over.

A training room? Fortune does indeed favor the bold.

"I have asked you here because I have felt something in you I do not in other Ren. A sense of freedom. Personal freedom. You do not strike me as a sheep, while your brothers and sisters seem to be nothing more than livestock. You are strong in the Force, unrefined of course, but strong." Observations, compliments. Well, if they could be considered compliments. Krest's words were simply meant to extinguish any doubt that he was a threat. Here on this planet, he could be, but he would not last long. No, no one could take on an army alone after all.

He began to circle the room, letting his words sink in before continuing. "I often wonder, what is the difference between Ren and Sith? Both are followers of the Dark Side, yet, they oppose one another. Call each other heretics. I do not know why, for I do not know Ren. Tell me, do you know Sith?" He stopped on one side of the training room, away from the door. A smile was offered, simple, polite. Yet there was something darker with it, as there always was. "My observations tell me Ren are nothing more but soldiers, forced to serve a master without question, without freedom. Am I incorrect?"

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

"And where exactly did you find the name of the Ren? I am certain neither me nor my ally mentioned the name during our meeting. How do you know we are among them, if they even exist?" The Ren operated in secret, they were a group that did not officially exist. The fact he knew of their name alone was impressive to say the least. Kaalia would have to watch her tongue, in order to not slip any information that could be used against her.

Processing the words the Zabrak spoke, the woman turned around to face @Krest. "Isn't that what allows one to flourish? I respect the power of my allies, but their blind trust in a single leader is something I will never be able to do. Doing such a thing is an insult to your own intelligence. Always question. Always check." His comment on her strength in the Force made it clear he was at least in some way interested in her. Why she did not know, but she was certain that would become clear soon. "I am relentless in my pursuit to find out how much I can achieve. How powerful I can become. Only then can I shape my own destiny."

The man started circling the room, and Kaalia simply let her eyes follow him as he moved. "I know of their existence, of course, but finding information about them has been made excruciatingly difficult by the First Order. I have tried, but have yet to find a good source. Perhaps even a teacher." He came to a standstill, and a smile was offered. She felt there was something darker to it, but couldn't place what it was. "The entirety of the First Order is expected to follow and obey without question. The will of the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is law here. They all pursuit order in his name, but lose their freedom in the process. I pity the fanatics, mourn what they could have been." Kaalia smiled herself. "So, you may think to yourself what I'm doing here. I don't blame you. The answer is simple, I had nowhere else to go. They offered what I desired and in return I further their goals. Where some fight alongside the Order to please their leader, I fight alongside them because I have people I care about here, I have a place to call home. Those things are what I'm loyal to."

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Ren is a secret? You make up the Force Using sect of a major power. If you were a minor power, perhaps you could stay hidden. But a major? No, the Ren are known." At least to those who dug a little deeper. Krest had met enough of the Ren to know who they were. Still, he listened to [member="Kaalia Voldaren"] , that same smile still on his face. A woman dreaming of freedom, stuck in an order for the power they give. She sold more than her soul for power. It was so similar to how a Sith would be trained. "The Sith are beings of the Dark Side, just like the Ren. But unlike the Ren, the Sith believe the path of power is a path of freedom. The stronger you become, the more chains you break. No one but those stronger than you can tell you what to do, and even then, one day they wont be strong enough to keep you contained. That is the trade of Sith at least."

Similar to Ren, but there was a promise of freedom no Supreme Leader would give. He continued to watch her, gauging her next response.

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

"I must admit, some of the people in the First Order have very loose lips. A shocking amount of them do, actually." Kaalia chuckled for a moment, remembering the scolding the group had gotten for failing to be the force Sieger Ren wanted them to be. In truth she had benefitted from her allies' complacency in recent times, but that came to an end when Sieger decided to take matters into his own hands. "At least they can't blame me for anyone knowing anything."

Listening intently to [member="Krest"]'s description of the Sith, she could do nothing but nod in agreement. "I'm getting the feeling you're trying to convince me of something, Krest. I'll let you know that I'm someone who likes to quickly get to the point." She took two steps forward, lessening the distance between the two. "You know what I want. It's no secret to either of us that your description of the Sith fits my desires near perfectly." Her tone was neutral, careful not to give him an edge by revealing her thoughts through intonation. "So, what was the reason you travelled here to speak with me?"

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Heh. Decided to see what it was to talk in riddles myself. Some take to it, some don't. Can't fault me for that." A chuckle escaped his lips as he listened to [member="Kaalia Voldaren"] . First time he tried the long and calculative route with his words, and it seemed he picked the wrong target for it. Ah well. "As I said before, I don't know the Ren. I want to know them, but I'm a Sith Lord, I can't exactly join them. Tell me about them, who they are, what they do, and I will teach you how to free yourself as a Sith. I will give you strength no Ren could." Blue eyes scanned the room. Ironic she had brought him here, though, perhaps it was fate.

"Of course, I don't do empty promises. If you'd like to see the power a Sith has, you picked the right place for it."

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

"Riddles can certainly be interesting, I must admit. I personally like having a separation between riddles and business, however." He likely tried to sneak his convincing words into Kaalia's mind, but there was no need for that. "Such a style can be very effective on others, so I indeed cannot blame you for trying."

[member="Krest"]'s proposition was nothing short of alluring. The redhead would want to see the things he could offer first, and it seemed he was willing to do just that. "I must say your offer is very, very tempting. My business with the Order is yet to be finished, but this is an opportunity I cannot pass up on easily." Her eyes glanced to the floor, the two holes in the floor where two other swords were embedded into the duracrete still present as well. Her gaze turned back to the Zabrak. "I am interested in the proposition. I will remain with the Ren for the time being, but they have no need to know our deal. I only have two points to adress, the first one being the issue of secrecy. I can keep up a ruse without much issue, they trust me, but I need to be absolutely certain that they cannot find out through you either. Although, I'm certain as a king you know the importance of keeping things behind closed doors."

The woman started pacing, her eyes lighting up. "The second point is what you mentioned already. I wish to see the power a Sith wields. This is indeed as good as a place as any." Her lips revealed a smirk, and her curiosity was palpable. "Show me what you're capable of."

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Being King is only one part of my life. The only part I tend to show these days, so yes, I do know its importance." Much more than [member="Kaalia Voldaren"] would know for some time. A king did indeed need their secrets after all. A had chuckle escaped his lips as he watched her eyes brighten at the thought of a fight. So like a Sith. Burning for freedom, loving bloodshed. These emotions, any emotion really, were the foundation upon a Sith Lord would be made.

"My only concern is harming you. Do you have a lightsaber, or something similar? If not, unarmed works. As a Sith I have focused on my swordsmanship and melee combat, unlike many of my peers. Let me know when you are prepared."

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

A taste of the power she could wield. Kaalia knew the man was superior, which made this spar only more interesting. "I never leave without my weapons." She sent out her will through the Force, summoning her two lightsabers from her sleeves. Mirari landed in her left hand, Cruentis Cor in her right. The sabers ignited, revealing brilliant flashes of blue and red. The redhead twirled them around for a moment, the familiar sound of a saber being swung filling the room in duet. She flashed a grin, signifying she was ready for what was about to unfold.

"I know you won't, but don't take it easy on me. I want to see how powerful you are, so that I can see what I could perhaps become myself one day." She took a Jar'kai stance, eagerly waiting to clash with the weapon, or weapons, that [member="Krest"] brought. "The blue lightsaber is a reminder of where I started, and the lies of the Light I were led to believe. It used to be the weapon of someone who is dead now. A fake version of me created by the zealots that are the Jedi, someone forcefully planted into my being, but I killed her. I killed her so I could be free." There was fire in her eyes, letting the hate she bore for the Jedi fuel her. Her emerald orbs started displaying a mix of sulphur and red as she tapped into the darkness around her. "But you didn't come here for my life story." Kaalia nodded. "I'm ready."

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Ah, good. I wasn't sure." The Zabrak smiled again as he watched the lightsabers ignite. Once upon a time, Krest himself had a pair of sabers. One Red, One Blue. Both to represent the halves he wanted to balance such a long time ago now. But, that was foolish of him. The Dark was the only true freedom he had found. No reason to reminisce here with [member="Kaalia Voldaren"] . The Sith pulled out his own saber, letting the simple red blade come to life in his grasp.

"Now, prepare yourself. I'd like to avoid jail for killing a Ren." It was the last words he spoke before launching across the room. The Dark was almost palpable as it channeled through his form, enhancing his speed and turning his eyes blood red. With a grin he closed the distance between them in a blink of an eye, slashing out with his red blade in a simple and predictable strike. Though, the goal was to make the red head defend. The Force that had increased his speed did the same with his strength. To block the strike would be like blocking a bull. He would show her his power.

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

[member="Krest"] engaged, approaching Kaalia at incredible speed. When the red flash stood in front of her, her corrupted eyes meeting his, he slashed out towards her. She moved up her own sabers to block the strike, but holding it back was not an option. The attack was only slowed down slightly, but it allowed her to quickly dodge roll out of the way. As she did she felt the heat of the saber against her arm. Too close. The woman got back to a standing position, retaking her stance. She looked back at the man. "Impressive."

This was an opponent that was both fast and powerful, leaving her with only a few angles of attack. Perhaps she could try a war of attrition? Age was in her advantage but the edge it gave her probably minimal, although perhaps she could outlast him. A dangerous strategy, a simple slip-up would mean the end of the spar and if he lasted longer than the redhead expected, she would've wasted valuable time. The Zabrak aimed to show the power he possessed, but Kaalia looked to prove she wasn't a pushover. Perhaps she read too much into this spar, but it was better to be prepared.

 

[Darth Ferus]

[member="Kaalia Voldaren"] would receive a smile from the Sith at her compliment, but he didn't pause. Rather, as the woman went back he raised his metal hand to bend the Force to his will. A low rumbling filled the air as crushing pressure would begin to form around the Ren's throat. Being a Sith did mean having some mastery of the Force, and Krest was intent on showing her this overwhelming and endless supply of power a Lord could harness.

Should the grip take hold Krest would lift Kaalia from the ground and throw her to the left. Regardless of whether the grip held or not he would charge in again, unleashing a flurry of strikes. They were random, yet as his red eyes narrowed it was easy to see how calculated each was. He was going to push the young Ren into a corner, force her into submission. She wanted to know the power of a Sith after all.

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

Kaalia wasn't given any time to recuperate as she felt an oppressing presence force gather around her neck. It was a crushing sensation, and she was confident that she felt the slightest hint of cracking of bone, threatening to snap. She struggled against it, trying to fight the pressure that was coming from the Sith Lord. The war of attrition plan was out of the window. She channeled the pain from being choked out, letting it fuel her being in an attempt to reinforce her windpipe. It turned out to be futile however, as she was lifted off the ground and thrown to the side the moment she started gaining ground. Focussing her power on shielding herself from being thrown, the distance thrown was manageable, allowing her get back on her feet quickly.

Fear slowly crept into her system. Option after option became impossible, a way to gain the upper hand too far away to see. [member="Krest"] quickly made his way over to her again and a flurry of strikes sent into her direction. The redhead struggled to fend them off, but having two sabers gave her the edge she needed to block the attacks. She was slowly pushed back, one of the four corners of the room inching closer and closer. The woman frantically looked for an opening to gain some initiative but found none, and eventually she found herself backed into the corner. She refused to give up however, she had always fought until there was no way to continue. It was time to try something risky.

In a split second, the red blade went back to sleep, and Kaalia tossed the hilt to the other side of the room. She gathered the Force around her freed hand, sending out a Force push in an attempt to create space. Would the Zabrak have been pushed back then she would've dashed out of the corner, called the saber back to her hand and retaken position.

 

[Darth Ferus]

Midstrike the Zabrak paused, his gaze staring down at [member="Kaalia Voldaren"] . He could feel it, the pwoer she was raising, and there was no stopping it. But, he could defend himself. When the blast came he jumped backwards, using the blast to send him farther back. Krest landed on his feet, still grinning as he stared at the Ren. Strong. She even used her pain, much as a Sith would. That would make training easier, the basics were already covered.

She was good at surviving his onslaught, even able to create the room she so desperately needed to regain her ground. Given time, she very well could outlast him. Well, that wouldn't do very good. If the apprentice beat the master, how would the master look? He charged in again, thrusting his saber out for the girl. Yet this wasn't his focus. Instead, he brought around his mechanical arm, punching right for her throat without caring about the sabers in her hand. To most, this would look like a fools errand, one that would end with his arm being removed.

But that mattered little to him. Under the durasteel plating of the limb was a layer of cortosis ore. Upon burning through the outer layer, her saber would be shut off and unable to be used for some time. That wasn't the danger however. In the metallic knuckles across his hand the Force was channeled, stored. Upon contact a blast of that energy would be released. It wouldn't be life threatening and would even cushion the blow he would send to her throat, but it certainly would hurt.

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

For a small moment there was some respite for Kaalia, her chest rising and falling heavily as she took deep breaths. Her eyes were firmly planted on [member="Krest"] however, her orbs still displaying a sulphur color as the corruption of the Dark side took hold more and more. She drew upon her fear of being overpowered, letting it empower her instead of drag her down. Once she would've let her fears weaken her, and she would've tried to stick them away among all other emotions. She was afraid of her own fears which was something that, in hindsight, seemed so idiotic.

The man re-engaged, forcing the redhead to react once again. The lightsaber strike was a straightforward one, allowing her to block it quite easily. The fist that came her way afterwards though was less expected. The arm seemed a prime target, and she looked to strike it. Leaving her red blade locked with the Zabrak's, she moved her other saber to strike the arm. Her eyes went open wide as the weapon shorted out upon contact, revealing his mechanical arm was plated with cortosis. With nothing to prevent the strike, it hit her hard, sending her down to the floor. She lost the grip on her sabers and they cluttered to the ground, leaving her defenseless if she didn't do immediately do anything. She called out to her still working saber, igniting it as it met her palm. She'd have to know what the Sith Lord would do now before trying to get up, lest she would meet the weapon of her opponent in a manner that was a bit too personal for her tastes.

 

[Darth Ferus]

It was a perfect time to continue his strike, to push [member="Kaalia Voldaren"] far beyond her limits. It was also a perfect time to end her life. He had been dominating, and it would take only a moment to strike her down. Especially as his gaze fell to the working saber as she dropped it. Before the Ren could call the weapon, he snatched it from the ground, letting the blade light up.

He pointed her own weapon at her, a smile still on his face. "You still breathing?" His care wasn't so much for her safety as his own. As he had stated before the spar, harming a Ren would put him in a world of trouble here on the First Order capital. That, and he felt he had proven what he had set out to do. She wanted to know what power he had, and he showed her. Not all of it of course, but hopefully enough.

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

Frustation and defeat were the two things Kaalia felt when she was unable to call the saber back to her. Her own weapon was now in the hand of her opponent and pointed at her, and she had nowhere to go. She didn't expect to win this spar, the sheer amount of experience that [member="Krest"] had amassed over his years was something she couldn't overcome just yet, but she didn't stand a ghost of a chance. Breathing heavily, she looked up to the man who had her life in his hands. She hated being in this position, but in a way it was necessary. She had to know the Zabrak had the power to force her to be in it. He had proven his strength. She laid there for a moment, silently, a look of slight defiance on her face. If she had seen any way out of this, no matter how risky, she would've taken it. "Still in one piece."

The moment Krest allowed her to Kaalia would get up she would get on her feet, calling the shorted out saber to herself and letting it slip back into her sleeve. Would the other saber be returned to her, she would do the same with the other. "Turns out I'm the one with things to prove." The redhead nodded out of respect. "And I will, if you let me."