Private Your Hate Makes You Strong

[Sofiel]

"You're one of the new Sith here, aren't you?"

The calm voice echoed through the hall as Sofiel glanced towards the figure that had happened by. Her golden eyes practically shined with ghe dark corruption she freely controlled. There was no kindness in them, though. Just a cold curiosity, even with the smile on her face.

She turned, Vorthruz visibly now on her shoulder as it's smooth white mask glared down towards the young Sith who'd happened by.

"I'm curious. How new?"

Syala

 

[Syala]

Syala had been hopping down the corridors of the Sun Furnace, though she froze all of a sudden as she came face to face with Sofiel and Vorthruz. Owl Lady. She blinked ever so slightly as she looked into the gold eyes of Sofiel. How did someone even get eyes like that? She then realised that she was being asked a question so Syala cleared her throat slightly, trying to be at least somewhat serious.

"Yes. I'm...relatively new. My...previous teacher taught me how to access the Force. How to hide myself so that I can hunt for him...Though he is dead now."

The fear Syala felt was unnatural. She wasn't used to feeling afraid of anyone. Even when her teacher had been showing her how to use the Force and how to use a lightsaber, she was never afraid of him. But there was something about the Witch in front of her that caught her off guard. She didn't know what the woman was thinking, and that was what scared her.

Sofiel

 

[Sofiel]

"That is our way. All knowledge comes at a cost." It was a shame that he limited the girl to just hiding herself, though. A waste of a good potential, but then again, he probably wasn't planning on being killed by her so soon. That too, was their way after all.

"I can teach you something more, if you're willing to pay the cost of course."

Syala

 

[Syala]

That was something Syala understood. Power always came a cost. So knowledge would always come at a cost. But power was vital to her. No matter what it cost her, she would go as far as she needed to learn more about what she could do. The power she had at her finger tips. Syala knew she'd be able to do more, but she hadn't been taught how to do it. It angered her. Either way, the Half-Nagai nodded at Sofiel's words.

"I would not be here if I was afraid of paying the cost for power. Everything requires an exchange of something."

Her usual cheery and grinning disposition wasn't there for once. Syala's face was just neutral for once as she was trying to understand Sofiel. She doubted she'd be able to understand the woman ever. And there was a part of her that was concerned at what she'd have to pay with...but power was something she needed.

Sofiel

 

[Sofiel]

"But do you even know the cost you might pay?"

By all appearances asides from the faint glow of her eyes, Sofiel was an average woman. Snow white hair, pale skin, even a kind smile if you didn't look her in the eyes. But as she stepped forward to loom over the Acolyte, as an emotion did finally fill her lifeless eyes, she could very well have just grown in size. Curiosity. The wrong kind of curiosity to be looked under as the experiment.

"Your mind? Your body?"

She leaned closer, her falsely kind smile turning to that of danger.

"Your soul? It is our way to take everything from those around us. But it is also our way to keep and hoard it for ourselves. You shouldn't be so keen on paying any price. Haggle, push your limits. Survive. That is how you must learn if you don't want to be a tool forever."

Syala

 

[Syala]

Syala tried to stand her ground. Every fibre of her being was telling her to run. To head back to Nagai. To beg for forgiveness, and go back home...but she was no coward. The Half-Nagai took in a deep breath and tried to just stand up straight, staring back into the lifeless and curious eyes of Sofiel. She doubted there was any way she'd be able to...impress the Sith in front of her. If she ran, she'd be seen as weak, if she stood her ground, she'd probably be seen as stupid. But she'd rather be stupid than weak.

"And if I don't learn, I'll always be a tool either way. Knowledge is power, and power can be everything. My people think honour is everything. To the point that losing their honour is a good excuse for them to kill themselves. But that's just an excuse. Honour is just a shackle that holds people back. There is also one thing that they hold higher than honour. And that is love. Devotion."

She folded her arms along her front carefully, still trying to keep her eyes on Sofiel's as she wanted to figure out what exactly to say to the Sith. Her head was running at dozens upon dozens of thoughts at once, before shaking her head afterwards.

"I refuse to be like them. I will not let Honour hold me back. I will not let things like Devotion hold me back from being as strong as I can."

Sofiel

 

[Sofiel]

"Throw away everything for the sake of power."

Her eyes returned to the emotionless state, but at least the smile remained. Vorthruz retreated down from her back, settling on a railing close by as Sofiel raised a single hand. The Force twisted in an instant, coalescing into her palm. A sphere of black rested there, giving off an otherworldly heat just from existing. "Hate. Fear. Anger. You feel them, even now. Tap into it. Don't deny those feelings, but make sure they know they belong to you."

The sphere dissipated shortly after.

"You can do all sorts of things once you realize your power."

Syala

 

[Syala]

"Yes. Power is the way for me to gain strength. So I won't be restricted by things any longer...By my people, by that corpse. None of them can hold me back any longer."

Syala clenched her fist at that, scowling to herself as she watched the Force forming into a sphere of black energy. This was something her master never taught her how to do. He taught her how to manipulate the Force, that was how she used Force Cloak, and was able to use the Force for telekinesis but this was real power that she could see. Anger, rage, hatred. It was all of the things she felt. Each one was a reason for why she had came to where she was. She was angry at the people on Nagai who insulted her mother, which is why she killed them. She hated her master, for holding her back and not showing her how to make the most of her abilities, and now she felt rage towards herself. For still being weak and needing to learn. She kept her fist clenched, as a few stray sparks of...something seemed to shoot off her fist. As she just formed her negative emotions into a rather small physical form of dark red energy that fizzled out after just a few seconds.

However her attention went over towards Sofiel, the half-Nagai narrowing her eyes towards the Sith as it was clear that she was thinking about something now. Syala took in a deep breath, feeling the air rush into her lungs. It didn't feel fresh, the air felt cold and honestly quite heavy but that wasn't important. What was important was the question she wanted to ask.

"...Why are you helping me? What do I owe you?"

Sofiel

 

[Sofiel]

"Oh, you'll know. I've already taken it."

Sofiel motioned ahead, down the hall. "Come. We'll make sure you can at least understand the basics your Master failed to teach you. I need you strong, all of you, if my own vision is to be fulfilled." She didn't explain further. And she wouldn't. Instead, she walked ahead, not even waiting for Syala to follow or look back towards her. Vorthruz, however, just stared from where it was perched. Waited with it's empty eyes.

Syala

 

[Syala]

Syala blinked when Sofiel said that she had already taken something from Syala. She wasn't sure what it could be, as the Half-Nagai looked down at herself to check over herself to make sure she wasn't missing something physically.

"I am-...Wait. No. If I am, I don't need to say it."

If she was truly strong, Syala wouldn't need to say it. Those who are strong do not have to say it. Either way, she followed being Sofiel carefully. Whilst she was able to look Sofiel in the eyes, there was something more unnatural with Vorthruz. It felt wrong to look at it, so she just kept her eyes ahead of her. Where were they going? What were they going to be doing? Her hand went to her hip, at the doublebladed lightsaber that hung from her waist. Was she going to get to use it against something? Or was this going to be more of a...mindful battle

Sofiel

 

[Sofiel]

It wasn't far. Just a side, empty room. Well, it now was empty. Sofiel raised a hand as they entered, scattering the various chairs and desks that was once likely a workstation away into the corners. They were just in her way. And, well, she didn't care for technology. Once they entered, Vorthruz flew to once again land on her shoulder as she reached a hand out. Again the Force swelled, but this time it took shape not as a sphere, but a person.

A smoke demon.

"Sorcery, at least, gives quite the unnatural powers. But we're going with something simple. Your skills will not hide you from it. So kill it." She turned, the cold smile somehow seeming even colder.

"Manifest your hate and fear, twist it and feel it under you, and strike it with all that burning desire to see it destroyed. Or it will kill you. The Sith do not suffer the weak, after all." The mass of smoke that was the demon took shape then. Where Sofiel's expression was often devoid of emotion, it's own was twisted with a pure, sadistic joy. It took a step forward, tauntingly so. Raised it's arms as if tempting the Acolyte to even try to attack it.

Syala

 

[Syala]

The Half-Nagai's instincts kicked straight into action. She wasn't going to hesitate in attacking. Her entire upbringing was related to fighting. Learning how to battle, deal with threats. She had never dealt with something like the Smoke Demon before, but Syala was sure that she'd be able to kill in. Sofiel wanted to see how she could fight. This was a test, not an execution. She was confident in her own skill and abilities, she wasn't going to die to some dark side creature. The saber shot straight up into her hand, twirling the hilt before igniting a single blade for now, kicking herself off into a dash towards the creature.

There were possibly a few different fears the Demon could have taken the form of. Her deceased master revived from the dead, her mother or even herself. Each one was something that she wasn't the most...fond of fighting. But she'd push herself through it. This was her chance to try and prove to herself. That she wasn't as weak as people might think. She might not be talented in Dark Side powers, but she was confident in her physical abilities. She had practiced this dozens of times before and now it was time to put them into action.

She threw herself into the Demon, using one of the few styles she actually knew. Ataru. Calling upon the Force to help enhance her leaping ability as she literally leaped directly at the Demon. Though instead of just swinging out at the Demon like she normally would, the Half-Nagai focused. Her anger, her rage and her hatred of being left behind building behind her strike as she tried to lash out with the built up negative emotions. It was possible her saber would just go straight through the smoke, but she'd keep at it. Over and over again.

Sofiel

 

[Sofiel]

The Smoke Demon didn't so much as flinch, though every cut she made had it's whole form twist and change. Every person she thought of, every fear she felt, it didn't hesitate to just cycle through them as if testing for which got the largest reaction. Sofiel stood calmly by the door. In front of the door, in fact. With that same, dead smile. There was no escaping this room alive if the demon wasn't killed.

That was the message there.

"Good, good. I can feel your anger. It gives you focus, makes you stronger. But it's not the only emotion you feel, is it?"

The Demon moved then. It brought a claw down for her mid strike, uncaring that her blade would move through it. But unlike her own strike, his would certainly rip flesh. Worse, it was intended to be a killing blow.

"Don't just bottle them up. Let your emotions free. Or die. I'll make use of your soul either way."

Syala

 

[Syala]

Sofiel wanted to make use of her soul? Too bad. It belonged to Syala, no matter what Sofiel tried to do. Syala wasn't going to give up. Her desire to live and to carry on was far too strong for her to just give up at this time.


The demon would be able to note that the biggest reaction from Syala would come from the fear of herself. The fear of herself being the one to kill her. The idea of her just giving up on everything and letting herself die, but she wasn't going to let that happen. No-one would kill her, not even herself. She just had to power through her anger, and the fear as she prepared to go for her next strike, which is when she noticed the demon moving, bringing a strike aimed directly towards her.

There was no way she'd be able to dodge whilst in mid strike. Even if she was able to twist herself out of the way, she'd still take quite a bit wound from it. The fear was starting to build again. She could feel her muscles tightening, her limbs starting to get stiff as if she was about to embrace the strike. As if she felt like that it was. There was no way for her to dodge the strike...

"NO"

Syala screamed out into the room, thrusting her hand out towards the smoke demon, as she let out her rage and fear. She was not going to give up! The idea of it disgusted her. The Half-Nagai just focused on those emotions, trying to turn them onto the smoke demon as she clenched her fist, focusing on her desire to try and crush the demon. To defeat it. To make it stop in its tracks. A few faint crackles came from her hand as she just focused on crushing the demon. Crushing the weaker version of herself she saw in front of her.

Sofiel

 

[Sofiel]

Sofiel canted her head to the side as the Demon took the shape of the girl herself. It was unexpected, at least to her. How could one fear themselves? Curious, to say the least. She didn't dwell on it though. Instead, she smiled. A truer smile, at that.

The demon came to a halt, it's twisted sneer turning at first to confusion. Then rage. It snarled with her face, her voice, struggled at the grip around it.

"Don't just hold it. Obliderate it. This lesser version of you. Unleash those crackles of energy to wipe it out."

Syala

 

[Syala]

Syala snarled as the demon came to a halt, keeping her hand outstretched towards the creature with her face. As it snarled at her, as she just seemed to try and apply more pressure to the demon. She was going to destroy this version of her once and for all. The part of her that wanted to stop her from going down this path. The part of her that still believed in honour and devotion to family. Those ideas were just disgusting. They were ridiculous. And she hated them.

With that, the half-Nagai focused on her rage, anger and hatred towards the creature, and let the crackles of energy finally unleash themselves in the form of something physical, as jolts of lightning seemed to erupt from Syala's hand towards the demon, as she pushed more and more of her negative emotions into it. Filling the demon with as much as of her anger as she could.

"You aren't me. You're the pathetic excuse of what I used to be. And now you're gone."

Sofiel

 

[Sofiel]

Rage turned to fear. It was clear in the demons eyes as if Syala was looking into a mirror. The lightning that crackled around the acolyte's hand was death. It knew that, deep down.

Sofiel didn't interfere as lightning ripped through her little pet. She kept the same, calm smile as the smoke demon's form twisted and writhed before fading outright into the smoke that had once made it. Dissipated into nothingness. She could always make another. And she would, of course.

All she needed was another failed Sith to make them from.

"Remember that feeling. That one you feel now. There are countless techniques and spells the Sith offer, but it all means nothing if that feeling isn't etched into your heart."

Syala

 

[Syala]

Syala panted, as her heart was racing under her chest. The power she felt...It felt satisfying. Achieving. Destroying something with the lightning that had shot out of her hand...and then the fear that had been etched on her face. That part of her was gone now, and she felt...free. As if a pile of chains and weights that had been weighing her down had finally been lifted as she took in a deep breath and turned her attention back towards Sofiel.

"I don't believe I'll ever forget a feeling like this. It's...so much more than I had expected, and I've only had just a small taste of it..."

She stared down at her hand for a moment before looking back over towards Sofiel. Ironically, even though Sofiel had been the one to teach her how to harness the power, it made her trust the woman even less. It meant that Sofiel was able to keep feelings like this hidden from others, and presumably was able to keep more things hidden from those around her. Was she just a pawn to Sofiel? More than likely. And that was another thing that Syala hated. She was no-one's toy. No-one's pet. But she wouldn't be able to do anything about that yet.

"...I suppose this is where I should thank you. Even though I still don't know what you've taken."

Sofiel

 

[Sofiel]

"Grow strong enough and you'll never have to worry, will you? That is our way as Sith, isn't it?"

It was clear Sofiel had no intention of saying just what she'd taken. In a way, it wasn't anything for Syala to worry about. So long as she survived and grew strong as a Sith, it would never come to fruition. At least, not until she died, anyway.

In death, all would become clear.

"That is all I will show you for what was paid. Anything further, and you'll need to pay me something else. Nothing for free. Do not forget that either."

Syala

 

[Syala]

"Not having to worry about something that has been taken from me sounds foolish and a way to let my guard down."

If she wanted to learn something, she'd have to pay something...but she wasn't willing to pay the price for anything else. Not yet at least as Syala took a step forward towards Sofiel. Debating what she wanted to say to the Witch. She still didn't know the woman's name...which actually did give her a small idea, as her eyes seemed to light up a little bit.

"Some people say names are power. What would you teach me if I gave you my name?"

Her eyebrow raised as she asked her question. She didn't expect to learn anything major but this was a way for her to try and experience bartering. Instead of just offering something freely, she could use it to haggle and try and find out something that would also benefit her.

Sofiel