Let's make some plans

[The Gloaming]

Gienn sat patiently in the archives, meditating and awaiting the arrival of his apprentice, Philli'p. Today, he knew, they would discuss a great many things. How Philli'p reacted would decide his fate.

Deciding to wait until nightfall to meditate, Gienn picked up a holobook about his favorite Sith Lord: Darth Revan. The man once wielded immense power, and did well to hold it until betrayed. He had also gone from Dark Lord of the Sith to Jedi Master in only a few brief years, which was incredibly interesting. As with all Sith Lords, the rise to power seemed to be the high point of study. Not for Gienn. He often read about their downfall. It seemed that to be a Sith Lord, one had to reach a height if power so great, only the individual could bring their own downfall. That was the beauty of the Sith.

 

[DeathToll]

Phili'p walked in, looking as he always did; placing no thought or pride in appearance, eyes slitted in a squint. He purposefully stepped closer to the Master, his lightsaber loosely dangling at his side. Having come from a brooding meditation, it was becoming part of Phili'p's daily focus to draw deeper into his hate - for it fed his strength and growing power, giving purpose where once he had none.

Passing isles and obstacles within the chamber, Phili'p payed no attention but to his calling. The Master must be obeyed. Phili'p stepped up to the Master, leaving some three paces distance between them, then kneeled onto one leg; firmly pressing two fists' knuckles into the floor submissively yet with strength.

"...You're will, my Master."

He simply stated, head bowed to the floor in total following; but not naive, practicing a fully aware mind and preparedness for any threat. His was a Sith-like mind, becoming what he truly hated or rot in weakness and failure.

 

[The Gloaming]

"Ah, Philli'p. You have truly taken to serving me. That will bring about good things for the both of us. I've been reading about the Sith Lords of old, trying to piece together why none have held power forever. Do you know the reason? It's because infinite power is impossible."

Gienn looked at Philli'p, and was almost taken aback at the darkness of his Force aura. "Yes, that's right. And Exodus will fall, just as everyone else. But you already knew this, otherwise you would not be here. You see, I want things to be different. I'm sick of this cat and mouse game between the Jedi and the Sith. What we need is to survive before we can dominate. The Sith must embed our presence into the galaxy at a constant level, no more waxing and waning. That's why this war is bound for failure. Philli'p, are you with me? Will you truly serve the Sith, or sit idly by while it corrodes?"

 

[DeathToll]

At mention of the Sith Lords of old, Phili'p's head lifted. His entire frame pulled back from the ground as he tilted, but two inches, back from fists to fingertips.

He simply watched as his Master formed his thoughts out for the Acolyte. His dead stare, in a natural squint, was much more direct and constant than his previous self. Phili'p still had his motives, secret they may be, but even he had begun to loose them in his newfound search for a greater power. For his entire life, up until Gienn, Phili'p had wasted away his life; he had let himself corrode and decay without any attempt to use what he was capable of. In denial of all that he hated in himself, now reborn; not yet. He was reaching a symbolic change, and soon his transformation would be complete. Still... Had he truly changed?

Phili'p dropped his head down again, showing the crown of his head to the Master in complete faith and obedience; his fingers spreading into the floor with outstretched arms before him to lower his bow even further.

"I will serve... you, my Master. I will not fail you."

He could not deny the pool he drew from. Phili'p could not deny the Darkness. It was ever more a part of him now, no longer denied and hidden from sight. Now he used it, for the very purpose to one day destroy it. Could it be done? Does it even work that way? Phili'p didn't even know who he was anymore. He was who he aimed to be, and that was a more powerful Phili'p. And the only pathway to that Phili'p was through exploring the very Darkness in him that blurred the lines of his consciousness. Once he had reached that place where he could make a choice and make a difference in himself, would there be anything left of who he was? ...Any way back to whom he had forsaken? Even Phili'p, the deepest of places within him, knew he would only loose himself to forever be forgotten by what he had become - what he was to be. His worst nightmare.

 

[The Gloaming]

"Time then. Time is what we have very little to use. Let's use it wisely. I noticed, as I was visiting the Ubiqutorate, that the Mandalorians had a meeting with the Imperial Knights. While the Knights have chosen to remain solitary...for now...the two groups have found common ground.....

"They blame the Jedi for the Sith return." Gienn reveled in this piece of information, which he knew could be a powerful tool. "If the Mandalorians and Imperial Knights continue to find common ground, their lack of philosophy for example, they could be a powerful force. We need to figure out how to exploit their distrust of Jedi, and use it to turn the tide of this war. That is our first priority, and I realize it will take years to formulate and enact a plan. During that time, we must push ourselves past limitation. We must grow, together, as Master and Apprentice. We will assert ourselves at the front of the Sith Empire, and reshape it. Come, I have a lesson for you."

Gienn stood, and immediately felt heavier. The weight of responsibility, and the weight of destiny, were indeed a powerful force. He led his apprentice out of the archives, and through the winding halls of the Korriban Temple.

They arrived outside, facing a path that led through some isolated canyons and caves. As they walked, Gienn began to speak. "Tell me, Philli'p, what are your personal goals? And don't lie to me. Everyone has personal goals, dreams, wishes, whatever you call them. I know very little about your brooding mind. Oh yes, I've seen you brood, I know of the scars across your hand. Come, tell me. What is it you seek, and what are you still running from?"

Gienns voice grew, empowered by the Force, intoxicating and horrid at the same time.

 

[DeathToll]

Phili'p lifted as the Master pass him, standing with a pivot to follow closely in trust of his 'dark' path. He had seldom been to Korriban and it always brought him deeper into thought, finding less and less words to satisfy the building emotions piling ontop of each other.

Phili'p had listened to the Master, seeming without reaction to the news of the Jedi and the Imperial Knights. This was the first time he had heard of anything new about the once Knights of the Empire, as he was not around when the Sith reclaimed its title in the galaxy. Still, it was not the future that held promise to Phili'p's focus, as deep and dark his secrets had lay hidden until now. Now they were confronted, and Phili'p didn't know what to do. He didn't break stride, only hesitating to speak truthfully. Though, when he hashed out what words to use in explanation of a half-truth, he found that it in fact sounded very Sith-like in nature and began to open up to his Master truthfully and completely.

"...Even before you found me, the Sith have taught me to... taught me to hate. Ever since I can remember, I've hated everything about myself ...dark and destructive. But... the more I ran, the more the destruction followed; collapsing my existence around behind me, ruining everything I thought I had created - thought I did to become free. Now, under your guidance, I have since learned that the more I harness that darkness, the more I become that destructive hate - the more my path opens up to me, leaving behind a ladder of steps left untouched to my power. I make my path now."

Phili'p twisted up his palms to look down at them, the left palm much scarred as Gienn had noticed. He hated the Darkside itself. He could not help it. He hated how he was so perfect for it and it so perfect for him, hated how it was the only way, and hated how it seduced him so. The scars on his palm were once to remind him of physical pain, to make the memories and trama bearable in this life. Now, it seemed, this habit had become yet another seductive enjoyment to deepen his fall into hate.

"My goals? My ...wishes?"

He squeezed his hands into fists that firmly settled back down at his sides as he walk.

"I wish to fill my hatred overflowing... 'Till bleed with a darkness so deep, that I become the Master of my destiny..."

Phili'p's words might seem to imply a challenge to the Force, to the Darkside itself. In fact, he did not know what goals mattered to him beyond that. He had not come from any place that called for his return. And he had not found a place that called for his aim. All he had ever had was the turmoil within, and the torment in solitude. This was all he knew. And this was what he sought to overcome. The Sith, the disgusting Sith, were what he was to become; and some day, he would explode with a power that would set him free...

 

[The Gloaming]

Gienn shook his head. "Years ago, I would have commended you. Now I realize what a grave mistake I have made, just like those before me. You allow hate to define you. This is a weakness. Those who shape their destiny use their emotions as pawns. When they reach mastery, they transcend the necessity to be defined by emotions such as hate. If you truly seek to make your path, you will understand when necessary."

Gienn continued to lead his apprentice through the dark canyon until they reached a cave. The mouth of the cave was small and uninviting. Giving little allusion to what lay inside. He flowed in, hit by a wave of energy, bathing in it.

"You should not damage your hand any further. It may interfere with your lightsaber training. You do not need to inflict pain on yourself for any reason. You will find that the galaxy already wishes more pain on you than you can inflict. For now, that is. When you reach the height of your power, you will choose whether your downfall is in vengeance, or self inflicted pain. There's no way to know until you reach that peak and gaze down the cliff before you. That is the way with everyone. Natural order."

Finally, Gienn found himself standing amongst an area of crystals of all colors.

"These crystals do not only create a blade of energy, but some infuse properties that may be useful. I know you already have a lightsaber, but adding power to your weapon is both practical and enjoyable. Seek out their energy, and I will explain each one."

 

[DeathToll]

Phili'p was baffled, his mouth hanging open; unnoticeably. Gienn was so much wiser than Phili'p had given him credit, so much more than a 'Sith'. What Phili'p had struggled with, all these years, had indeed defined him and indeed been defining him. As he walked, he continued to find revalation in what the Master had said each time he repeated those words over to himself.

The wave of energy hit Phili'p more noticeably than the Master, as Phili'p mis-stepped upon entry. Gripping his wrist to the hand he often cuts as he feel the power of this place surge through his old wounds, it was as if the Master knew his every thought - his every struggle. Phili'p closed his mouth and nodded, letting go of his wrist. If he could, he would no longer cut himself.

He looked around in silence, Phili'p still dumbstruck by the Master's wisdom and acute notice. He had forgotten what it was like to stand in the midst of so many crystals. Phili'p immediately moved towards an addictive burning, coming from the dark crystals straight ahead. This cluster felt particularly hotter and malignant. Phili'p pointed down at it as his head turn back with a questioning stare.

 

[The Gloaming]

Gienn almost didn't believe what he saw.

"Phond. The crystals are rare, but their pressence here explains the amount of energy in this place. One will make your blade very volitile and intense. If you find a perfect one, I suggest you take it, but don't get your hopes up. You will obtain one perfect crystal for every twenty that you find. There's only ten there..."

Gienn looked around, and spotted some red crystals he had hoped to find. Ah, these are Rubat crystals. They make a lightsaber blade more refined, allowing for quicker movement. Much less rare."

He picked out two, and placed them beneath in his cloak.

 

[DeathToll]

Phili'p looked back at the cluster of ten, wondering if there was one for him. Hesitating, as was once characteristic of him, Phili'p turned back to Gienn in this time of exploration and understanding.

"...And these crystals can be set in -with- the focusing crystal I already have? ...In the same lightsaber?"

 

[The Gloaming]

"Yes. As a matter of fact, lightsabers can often hold up to three crystals. Both of my lightsabers house synthetic crystals that I have created, which are usually more powerful than the common crystals found on Adega or Ilum. But crystals such as these are incredibly powerful." Gienn gestured to the crystals surrounding them.

The Crusader knelt down and let his lightsabers float in front of him. "Adding a crystal is easier the second time. After disassembling your hilt, simply place the new crystal underneath the old one, right here." Gienn used the Force to disassemble his lightsaber hilts while he spoke, and placed the Rubat crystals where he had indicated.

The hilts reassembled, and Gienn motioned his apprentice toward the batch of crystals he'd picked out. "If you find one, I suggest you try to place it here. Such surroundings may offer greater focus."

 

[DeathToll]

Phili'p again focused on the cluster of Phond crystals, searching for one that called to him. Looking over the tops of them, he could see that most lacked a certain lifeforce. They were darker, yes, but were either too young and underdeveloped or only half there and deformed to never fully grow into usable crystals. But then, a flicker of swirling red in the center of a single crystal danced the heated energies of an incredible burning-with-life crystal. It looked fully grown, though perhaps youthful in its maturity; though Phili'p saw it as room for his own personal imprint to be laid upon it.

Phili'p lifted it out with his fingers, nearly dropping it from the surprising heat in energy; but caught it using the Force to levitate it over towards him as he settle into a folded seating. He had watched exactly how the Master instructed to install it, and so he gave it a try.

Phili'p's lightsaber hilt floated up, tugging on the chain of his belt. He had to concentrate further, forgetful in its security there; then detatched it freely and lifted it up into the air beside the hovering crystal. As Phili'p seperate the workings of his lightsaber hilt, he simultaneously condensed the new crystal's presence into itself; using his own presence to mesh with the density in reaction deep within the crystals teaming lifeforce. Finally the hilt had twisted open into three parts. The original red synthetic crystal rested comfortably within the center chamber, while Phili'p replaced the empty cavity with this new crystal. He could immediately feel a building of power within his creation as he lock each delicatate part back into their new yet somehow destined positionings.

The newly completed and reworked lightsaber hilt rotated through the air until Phili'p reached out to grab hold. His right hand grasp firmly and shifted a thumb to switch on the beam, as it snap-hiss into an even more radiant brilliance than before. He twisted the beam upwards, in hand, and looked over the star-lit red of the beam; quite dark around its edges, yet burning bright hot at its center. Phili'p most definitely approved, a smile growing of its own accord and unbeknownst to Phili'p.

 

[The Gloaming]

"A wonderful feeling, surging through the blade. You know the familiar feeling of power. Come, this is the perfect place to see how you've developed your instincts with a weapon, and for me to brandish my new style against you.

Gienn stood up and activated both of his lightsabers. They hummed much more smoothly, and whisped through the air more fluidly. He simply stared at his apprentice blankly, as his body set itself in position almost mechanically.

The attack blade, in Gienns right hand, pointed upward at a slight angle, while the pommel rested at his waist. His body was turned, legs bent slightly with his right foot forward, and his left hand, holding a similar crimson blade, simply frayed out as if it weren't there. Gienn had taken the shape of a true Makashi practitioner, his weapons ready.

 

[DeathToll]

Phili'p stood, looking past both of his Master's lightsabers and into the man's eyes.

Such was characteristic of the old Phili'p, not the new one. Though still, his head hung low as his eyes fought to stare up and beam so very directly.

Phili'p lifted an arm, saber in hand, as he stretched the saber out and high off of his right. His back curled as the other hand reached to join the other, yet stopped as the flexed hand wedged his wrist inbetween open thumb and finger; the open palm of that hand facing the Master. The newly enhanced red beam held stiff, pointing stright up as they both stand there a moment in silence; Master and Apprentice, in this empowering setting within a crystal cavern. Surely both would find themselves with newly formed powers.

Phili'p began. He twisted his left hand free to remain facing the Master yet behind his now flourishing blade. The beam whirled about him to find its first contacting strike. Just as Phili'p's blade came round to befall a crossing strike, his free hand ripped a piece of rock from the side of the cave to first hit Gienn's left-side-thigh; as Phili'p's blade would just then fall, hard.

Continuing, Phili'p would step right with that single strike (giving impression that he was to be moving in that direction), then hopped back with a skip step in replacing himself back a foot.

 

[The Gloaming]

Gienn had more than enough time to simply block his apprentices first strike with his right hand blade, but the boulder was less forgiving. Unable to dodge in time, he raised his left leg slightly and allowed the boulder to crash into his shin. With a shudder and a quiet crack, the boulder dissolved and Gienns leg set down again, considerably weakened.

As Philli'p continued to attack, stepping with his right foot, Gienns left saber remain inactive. Philli'p moved back, to Gienns surprise, and evaded a swift jab to his right arm.

Gienn aimed his hand at his apprentice, and his fingers exploded with lightning. Gienn then leaped back, landing within centimeters of a crystal fissure. He pushed forward with a surge of energy, hoping to batter away his apprentice.

 

[DeathToll]

Seeing the Master's hand shoot up, Phili'p gripped his saber tightly to extend it out as he roll back and down away from the short burst of lightning. Letting his lightsaber trail behind him, the beam managed to catch the majority of the violent discharge; and his evading roll dodged what trailed off randomly.

Phili'p shot up onto a knee as his fingers clawed at the air, arms curling up in attempt to break apart the uneven ground beneath Gienn's feet. Though the Acolyte had moved with a freeforming sense of his surroundings with a surprising knowledge in reaction to where Gienn now stood, his attempt at the Force was interrupted when the Master's pulsing energy knocked Phili'p back onto his back. The carved and jagged floor of the cave was not so forgiving as the smooth cargo bays and training chambers he was used to training in. Yet, thinking quickly, Phili'p attempted a more experienced version of cloaking than he had previously shown to be capable of. His image stained into the rocks shadows like a splash of black ink upon crumpled paper, and his presence was everywhere - echoing like shouted words with no place to escape to. Since Phili'p was too innexperienced to hide from the Master in complete stealth, he attempted to instead use the chamber's structure to his advantage.

After circling the Master, Phili'p shifted a pebble that sat opposite to his location in the cavern using the Darkside. This gave illusion that he was infact on one side of this chamber, when in fact he was on the other; just as he lashed out with his reigniting lightsaber into slash across the Master's back.

 

[The Gloaming]

Gienn almost paused when he realized how resourceful of a Sith he had created. Philli'p had chosen the perfect time to cloak himself, and his surroundings did well to hide him further.

But Gienn was not without his own knowledge. He could still sense his apprentice, if only slightly, and as a pebble shifted in front of him, Gienn was almost decieved.

But the moment Philli'ps lightsaber came to life, Gienn leaped forward out of the way, escaping with a decent scrape. He had anticipated movement, and it was only through the will of the Dark Side that he still stood. But that was the moment Gienn had hoped for, it allowed him to move ahead as well.

Gienn spun and gave a series of staccato lunges to where he presumed Philli'ps chest to be, right, then left, then right again, followed by a cross slash at his throat.

 

[DeathToll]

After his fiercely burning red beam cut through clothing only, Phili'p shot his head up from previous aim. The Master spun around and Phili'p reacted with a side to side backstep.

Phili'p swatted Gienn's saber over as he hopped back, to redrect this first attack almost along its intended course but guided free from contact. After swinging his defensive saber one way and hopping the other, Phili'p planted a left foot to swing up his saber and bat away the next strike with a completely different force. With this swing, his leaning body would give illusion to his torso's placement; and when the third strike came at his throat, Phili'p had already managed to spin the beam around so that it was held in reverse in his off hand. Phili'p ducked underneath the strike with a quick and desperate dash inwards and past the slash, to tightly lift the end of his lightsaber up through Gienn's wrists - severing hands from arms. Phili'p's lighsaber would be leading his body, and thus he would be protected; though this act was quick and decisive, his right hand also released a quick pop of a Force Push into the outside of Gienn's knee joint to hopefully add to the attack and topple him as Phili'p shoot by.