Pride and Ambition (Demoly's training)

[Lyeric Ubbal Arathilion]

"...Life through death." The Force warrior and harbinger of death released her utterly, dropping her to fall however she may to the ground. All at once, the crowd awoke to their lives; ignorant to their injuries until reaching a certain distance, they would bother him not. The open circle between them filled with a poring of bodies that walked in their own business. The last was to be his final words through the use of his mouth. Ledo would show her, right from the start, that no matter how distant she may believe herself to be from him - he will always be with her, to face her should she succeed or fail. There was no failure, only death.

Releasing his continuous confining restraint of his power in concealment under a combined technique of Quey'tek Meditation and Force Immersion, his repulsing energy like that of a burning star would be felt even by those never having known the touch of the Force. He'd keep it within a certain diameter so as not to attract any unwanted attention, but Demoly would not be aware of its reach; only that the sheer overwhelming abundance was that of even greater than she could have yet imagined. His voice rumbled through her head as the very crust of the earth would feel to be crumbling beneath her.

"You will seek power..." The tenebrous thundering of his vocals would overstimulate her senses to but crumble her to her knees, helpless to but listen. "You will face Dark... You will face Light... You will know what others cannot... And you will make them see..."

She would feel his power and know that fighting it/ running from it would be both impossible and disadvantageous. He spoke of her future, every word a double meaning. He would teach her. She would learn from those she killed and from herself. She would kill those considered both pure and tainted. She would face her own sides with both carrying weakness and strengths. She would see the truth in harnessing her inner darkness rather than hiding it away, for a better cause unto herself and in Ledo's name. She would show others the folly of their lives, and see them face their truths in death.

He held the key to her potential, but he would have her "see". He would have her decide for herself, to kneel of her own will and become the power she felt today for the first time. Or, she would die. As he released the wave of controlling density, shrinking his presence down to nothingness in hiding all but the sight of him, she would be allowed to choose what she wished. His hold over her had been undone, yet from this day forth would integrate as part of her being. She could no doubt only see but glimpses of him through the passing crowd in a sea of people. His art in darkness was no longer drilled deep into her skull, as his face could be seen like any other beneath a hood. His straw gray beard shown slightly to reach down into his robes, and his pointy nose stuck coldly out into the open air. The darkness had stretched back into his eye sockets, as if infinite within the tightness of the compacted emptiness of the very reaches of his soul.

 

[Dread]

When she was let go, her body fell, almost like a perfect rag doll. After her body was on the ground, her hands and knees came together to at lest push her up from the dirty rocky floor as she shook and gasped for air. The mans grip had shaken her nerves and it would take a moment before she would recover. Even her eyes had to re-adjust themselves to re-focus again. Demoly closed them tightly, pain shot through hers sockets and the back of her cranium as she did. Pressing her face against the palm of her left hand she began rubbing her eyelids to sooth her in her shaken state of need.

In a moments time her hands rushed to her ears in attempt to dull the sound of the mans booming voice in her head. It was futile, all her senses felt overloaded as he spoke to her, everything hyper-sensed as he told her of her future and what she would do. Because of the condition she was in now, everything was twice as hard for her to take, she lowered her head to the ground, keep her hands tightly pressed against her skulls side, waiting for the voice to stop so she could think over what had happened and move past the pain.

As she felt the rush of his power, a sense of safety and need of it fell over her. Then his voice and presence suddenly faded from her. As if someone had open her cages door open yet she still had a chain to her leg. The chain to him, though, she felt would give her more then would take from her. Even if he would use her - she would use him to gain power. This was her view on life, use others to gain what you wanted. A noble deed indeed. A philosophy of a power hungry human.

Demoly was not sure how to answer him, but she thought perhaps he could feel that she would do as she was told and maybe she could speak to him slightly like he had spoke to her. Reaching out with her mind and the force she attempted to connect with him through it, I will, I'll do what you want of me...to learn from you and to gain power. To learn from him and to do his biddings for him felt almost thrilling even after everything she was put through by him.

Looking around as she began to catch herself and calm her nerves, people had began to integrate into the normal world as they started to notice her on the ground - giving her peering looks. She pulled her hood over her head. The greyness of the hood hid her soft white cheeks and only let others see her amber eyes from up close. Letting her hands loosen their grip on the side of her skull they fell to the ground beside her to aid her in getting up. She didn't move when she stood, though, she waited for him to give her guidance - if he would at all.

 

[Lyeric Ubbal Arathilion]

[Later...]



"...Remember."

His aged lips parted in lesson to his student in the streets beside him. Time had passed since they last crossed paths here, rippling their future decisions in accordance. Power led them both, yet now they both understood the other a bit more deeply. Ledo had yet to let up in his harsh strictness. The father and keeper of her knowledge, showed her to where he first began her enlightenment. He stopped, having been walking with her in conversation for two minutes now. She had been trained, yes. To a degree Demoly was beginning her descent through the layers, to see the truth. She had succeeded in her first kill, like many before her; though she still had a ways to go. The most trying kill was to come. She had but faced youths, babes in the Force, compared to whom she'd seek out next. The levels in difference of mastered strengths would vary greatly as she now made her way to 'Chronicler'. It was here that Ledo had first brutalized her, and battered her ego into submission. He had brought her back to remind her of the powers beyond her sight. She would have to prove herself changed from their first days, to reach a further knowledge in power. Ledo had planned for this moment for some time, as he always did. She was to embark on her next assignment and live for death. She awaited his command, like the day they first met.

He walked among the people of ignorance, though they'd pass with a giving of space as to not disturb his 'Ledo'. He stopped, lifted out an arm, and behold - an old familiar book of ages and record floated out of his robes, levitated in eerie twists to begin letting fall the pages to slide open. Seemingly at random, far from it, the pages bent to wave over each other; holding open but barely a quarter of the way in. There, a name corresponding to the Jedi Order's records. It seemed a new entry to the pages, folded into the bindings with a lighter hue compared to its brothers. Looking it over further would conclude as aptitude test results for a newly accepted human boy. Of course, this was the last record in Ledo's possession and therefore not current. The picture was of a child, yet now he'd be a man; newly knighted, but three day's prior. Ledo had his sources. Letting Demoly do as she wished with the book, she would know the delicacy and importance of the Annals; as well as the consequences for any disrespect of his 'Ledo's' possession. His possession that held no significance on its own, as he had written much of it from memory and had of course now memorized it all a hundred times over. Though he did maintain it dutifully, as this entry was added so... Demoly's target in challenge.

Typed neatly in format, spelled the name: "MATT TEFERRUS" ((NPC))

 

[Dread]

By now Demoly had gotten much more use to Ledo's presence, but never completely as there would always be a euphoria to him. In the past she was in total awe of him, craved his knowledge - now she respected him as the leader he was and knew he would always be there holding her key to knowledge. She felt it was suppose to be this way, a comfortable feeling to her rather then a craving one. Still to this day she, of course, feared him. Without the fear of his wrath respect would of never held in her. He was the only one she submitted to, that she pushed her ego aside in all its glory for him so she would know her place. Time had done well for her, but it was "the Ledo" that she credited. It was in these streets he brought her to that her past rushed back to her. She knew why he had brought her here, to remind her of what he could do, of how he could bring her to her knees and change her. The power that was still beyond her grasp. She hoped that that was all he would do to remind her.

Demoly kept her chin down when she was near Ledo, always keeping herself below him. She would never make complete eye contact unless he engaged it, and if he did she would break the contact first by looking down to the ground. With her hand in the air she carefully used the force to bring the book over before her, to look over the page once Ledo was done but never to touch the pages. Matt Teferrus... This kill was important to her and she would be most careful how she would pull it off. There was much more techniques she could use now to eliminate a prospect. Being small and quick, she choose to use this to her advantage - the shadows would aid her. Now she just had to go to his location, watch his daily pattern and see if any openings would be available for her to make her move on him without any witnesses.

I will begin right away... It was her preferred method of "talking" to Ledo, using telepathy, especially if others where around.

 

[Lyeric Ubbal Arathilion]

Ledo simply raised his head in acknowledgment to her thoughts, the slightest of nods. No doubt she had become accustom to his distant ways in heir of his power, almost too confident in himself.

Ripping the book from her grasp, the 'Annals' spun closed and back into his robes. Still standing there, he'd but inch his head side a single degree; using their connection in the Darkside, a frequent thing their telepathic commune. "Remember, you must confront him before engaging. Be a testament to our beliefs. He will choose to see the error of his ways and die with submitting truth, or he will refuse himself in his lies and face you to the death." It was a certain thing. This target was to die either way. There was no salvation in repent, as all felt the sting of consequence. Life in death. They would ignore their inner darkness, or face it; but no matter the choice, death had come for them. And in this, our rise would benefit. The Animus would grow ever stronger. Experience was the best teacher, in Ledo's earned opinion. However he had planned on teaching Demoly further upon her return, though he never expected any such success. So many had died for him, short of their potential. And here, another would seek to reach heights...

 

[Dread]

((OOC: You didn't give any specifics of where he(the npc) was, what he was doing ect so I'm just going to make that up that part if thats ok. Unless I missed it somewhere.))

Yes, father. It was something she had heard many times before, but she would listen and be reminded every time he choose without complaint.

It was this planet that her target was going to be on - which was undoubtedly a convenience for Demoly, not only that but he was to arrive in a smaller city just a shuttle ride away. The papers had listed him as protecting a high ranking unnamed man in the government as he had a meeting. She thought how it was ironic that it was not the man the Jedi should be worried about. For soon the Jedi would be dead by her hands - or so she hoped. Her ego itself was still as strong as ever.

Swiftly, she turned away from Ledo and walked off into the crowd. Even wearing her grey jedi cloak, which was not something everyone wore, she seemed to disappear into the crowds great amount of people. No one made way for her, she was just seen as another of the simple people. However, it was far from the truth, Ledo had guided her to a place higher then the fools on these streets. The shuttle station was filled with a dozen people, all waiting for the next arrival. Demoly waited in the line up like everyone else, paid, waited again, and loaded on with the sheeps. She would take her time getting to the smaller city. Her target was not due to arrive for awhile, or so she hoped he wouldn't get there ahead of time. She wanted to find her place to stalk him, watch him, find where he could be alone so they may began his final hour.

 

[Lyeric Ubbal Arathilion]

((Lol. My bad! That's what I get for waiting a whole day to post, I forget things. ...Works for me. You can create most of it, since I'll just be NPCing the target. I'll pretty much go with what you post on this one. Make it easier for ya! :) Keep goin' on this thread, and I'll jump in when you find him.))

 

[Dread]

((OOC: Ok, good. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something here. lol I'll make a shorter post finding him.))

After a good couple of hours on the shuttle, Demoly was more then happy to get off. She was not use to having to stay still for so long, she preferred to practice her swordsmanship when she had the spare time. That is what made her so skilled at it in her younger age. The shuttle buzzed with power, a horn in a long burst of sound let everyone know it was off again - back to the larger city. It was a back and fourth shuttle that she would use again, hopefully.

Demoly was pleased when she got to the streets, there was far less people but still a far amount to let her blend in. This made walking through the streets easier. She made her way through the many backstreets to get to the distant landing pad area which the ship with her target was due to land. Of course, Demoly was not 'due' there so when she found a shady spot behind a few cargo bins she summoned the force to cloak her. This was a technique she had learned over the time she served under Ledo's watchful eye. Once she had been cloaked she walked past the droid guards at the landing pads entrance. She was not sure exactly which landing pad he would be on, but she paced back between them all as she waited, avoiding any people whom got in her way. After hours of stalking the grounds a ship arrived, and as the doors of the ship opened and the ramp extended, a cloaked Jedi stepped out. She could sense his power - and she knew it was her target.

 

[Lyeric Ubbal Arathilion]

Stepping with a purpose, Jedi Knight Matt Teferrus made his way down the exit ramp alone. His simple brown robes rippled in the air with each step, rounded hood over his light face, until he stopped; just out before the nose of the ship. He planted a wide second with his hands on his hips, head obviously surveying the area. He could feel something, but what? For now, but a distant darkness in the echos of the Force; and so he'd spun around, believing himself ready for anything. He would do his duty and see his escort to her destination safely. She, after all, was not his most important business here today. Her son however, had been accepted of considerable note to the Jedi. Teferrus, wishing embark on this mission alone, thought to take on the boy as his first Padawan after seeing the mother to her new home in retirement. Having been a Senator of special Loyalty to the Republic, and the Jedi's role in it, this woman wished to see off her son before his new life began.

Teferrus waved up into the calm shadows of the ship, and sure enough came down a frail figure all wrapped in common disguise. Her usual senatorial flash would not serve their purpose well here, as her things were already shipped and delivered a day before. With a hand out, Teferrus awaited the woman to embrace her and guide her along. Compassion guided his movements, though his thoughts were focused on his first Padawan. The excitement of it all, he was having a good day.

Upon examination of his lightsaber hilt, his robes fluttering away for mere glimpses of it, a keen eye might see the reinforced barrings of rings along its shaft. A simple and sturdy saber, meant for deflecting and taking great amounts of stress; he was a practitioner of Soresu. In his walk one would see the motions of not a meager mild man, but a cool fighter of the sword. He held no softness in reliance upon the Force alone, but rather the confidence of a calculating swordsman. Everyone's motion, glow, and appearance gave themselves away to who and what they were; and this Jedi was an open book, something he prided himself in. "Come along. We've to see your son today", he said with a smile to the lady, in full trust of this man she followed.

 

[Dread]

For a moment Demoly and the Jedi connected, through the only bond they share; the force. It touched between their minds like the ripples touching both their feet from a rock falling into a lake. She knew he sensed her but only in a slight amount. It was her first real taste of contact with him, and she couldn't wait for more. She wished to show him her power. From the way he held himself, and the blade she caught a quick glimpse of she knew he was like her in a way, a man that lived by his sword. If he would not give himself up to death, Demoly would enjoy the fight.

As expected, they took backstreets that they seem to of known would be empty. Demoly stalked her pray, watching for a single moment she could lure him somewhere alone. It seemed the three where getting closer to their destitution - and the sun was beginning to fall. As they approached a street that made a four way cross, Demoly went east well they went west. She thought she could geniality perk his interest in that connecting they had felt before. Gathering force speed she went down the east path quickly - then she reached out with her mind to the Jedi - not to allow him to know what exactly was going on, but enough to perk his interest in order to investigate alone, so as not to bring the others into potential trouble, or waste their time.

To the east of the cross...here...here...follow my echo... It was whispered in her mind so silently, as if it was to sooth him, cradle him into her darkness.

 

[Lyeric Ubbal Arathilion]

Teferrus had never let go of the woman after that moment. He had felt something indeed, elusive but there. Had it been left alone he would have let it go to be of his young mind, unable to discern between the here and there greatness of the Force. But now he was on edge.

Following the alleyways, the human Jedi had hoped to elude this shadow and at first it seemed successful. Making his way towards a crossing intersection, arm wrapped around the retired Senator, Teferrus was shocked to feel it again! They were so close, he cringed to think he'd have to guard both himself and his escorted company; he looked back and forth, towards their destination then the presence. He couldn't risk her safety, but he didn't feel a present danger in regards specifically to her. He leaned into her, "...go ...go!" Insisting that she make her way to the safety of her home to take care of herself and her son, Teferrus felt an undeniable need to follow the scent in connection.

Lightly pushing off, he began a brisk jog. Being the "calculating" sort in Soresu, Teferrus thought tirelessly to figure the situation. He would not hastily rush into anything, but he had no choice in following it ...until whispers. The words in his reaching out with the Force caught his mind in a state of caution, he skidded to halt. Looking up and around he thought to see what it was. Nothing. He looked back behind him, felt nothing to threaten the Senator and her son, and back to the whisper. The only way to bring about this threat in a controlled situation was to walk into it's trap, if it was a trap. He knew little about the situation, but trusted his instincts. What made no sense was why. Why would he be of note to anyone? The thought crept into his mind of the boy, but soon faltered. He'd have to concentrate on this clouded feeling that welcomed him towards it. He'd been through trials and missions before, but never came across reason for confrontation. He'd planned everything too well for that, and hoped this was no different.

Seeing no other way, Teferrus followed in full. He kept to a normal run, and made his way through the alleys; slowing after the whisper's guiding call, to await further pinpoint of direction.

 

[Dread]

A rush went through her as the Jedi approached the young female assassins position. Their connection began to get stronger and stronger the closer he came to her. She know at some point he may be able to pin point her exact location, but she used their closeness and connection to her advantage - teasing him with it. She would lead him down other streets, further and further from his 'padawan' and women he was escorting every so carefully in his arms. Every time their touch became intense, she would move again. Each time she would move she would whisper to him,

The boy...the women...

Yours

I saw such sweetness between you...

She was trying to de nerve him before the confrontation, and maybe have him speak to her, maybe even anger him. The whole time she was hoping that he wouldn't be able to catch her off guard or decloak her, but she never knew what could happen. Demoly had no clue if this Jedi had faced someone using force cloak and telekinesis in a combo before and if he did how he handled it.

 

[Lyeric Ubbal Arathilion]

"I would never!!" His retaliatory offense to the words he felt within echoed down each pathway, as he had returned to an intersection. He was being toyed with, and saw a way to play the game in proper response. He needn't loose his cool, and as the echoes dissolved away he found his peace.

''Alright'', he thought to himself. ''If this is how it must be''? Teferrus walked to the center of the four way cross, and reached a right hand out. Gripping the wall just passed corner's edge, the structure of stone and metal crumbled out poring into a road block. From cross road's beginnings, in a domino like wave, flowing back down the entire path; no one would be able to take that route without days of labor in clean up as the entire space was filled to the brim. He turned to the opposite alley and repeated in the same, breaking the walls to collide into a dam of building mesh. Only east and west remained, east back to those he escorted and west in the opposite direction. Teferrus considered that his stalker sat above in clever watchful eye's distance, but it mattered not where he went; all that mattered was where Teferrus was made to think by the foreign influence, and so he questioned it speaking aloud. "Where then do I go now?" He stood, replacing his steps in a circle to address the unknown plainly. Holding his arms out in challenging question, he thought to analyze this next response. There were but two ways to go, and he had considered what each direction would mean to the trickster in question; though he'd give nothing away before springing this shadow's trap, if indeed it was any person of note?

 

[Dread]

A emotional response at first, Demoly fed off it. She enjoyed him playing into her words, but then he stopped. As a clever Jedi she saw him began to cut off the pathways she had been toying with him in. Her body shook in response to the grounds shaking well the walls caved in but her stance did not change - nor did her distance at first. She knew that he would likely cave in all the walls if he needed too in order to get Demoly to show herself. Now her little game of shadows was over, which she was disappointed in but she was ready to see the mans skill if he would fight her.

She allowed herself to move close enough to him that their connection became intense once again - and then the cloak began to fade. Her slender, pale un threating figure began to show through the shadows. As it did, she pulled off her grey hood, and stood ready for the man. Her feet where broadly apart - a shoulder length from side to side. Both her hands seemed to mirror her feets stance, but her right hand palm was suddenly filled with the curved-hilt of her lightsaber. With the swiftest of a flick, she ignited her dark red lightsabers beam. It glowed violently in the darkness of the streets, coloring her robes and the ground around her.

"So sensitive when I talk about those two..." Demoly gave a toothy smile to the Jedi as she spoke out loud for the first time to him.

 

[Lyeric Ubbal Arathilion]

"Sensitive to many things, like your presence." Believing he had been the cause of her clear appearance now, no longer under cloak, Teferrus spoke facing her square on; though he was but partially correct.

Reaching for the hilt at his belt, Teferrus spun out the straight and sturdy bar with a single activation switch and held it down before his right thigh. He would wait to ignite it, choosing violence as a last resort as well as giving his stalker the appearance of having the upper hand.

"You will not claim him." Speaking matter of factly, Matt was sure the evil presence had come for a new disciple in the Darkside. He would not allow it!

 

[Dread]

Demoly's eyes followed the man's hilt as it came to his hand as her's had just a moment ago. She had half expected him to ignite it but saw he left it off. To mock him in her ego, she commented on the choice he had made with his lightsaber, "Jedi are so boring...something about killing a Bogan is much more thrilling." In her ignorance she had also giving the man a clue about herself - either she killed other Bogan as a Bogan, or she was not with them.

"Claim him?" Cocking a eyebrow at the answer she had been giving, Demoly's expression settled back into her emotionless stare, "You're mistaken, Jedi, it is your life I have come for and only yours. Do you not know why you should embrace me? I think you do..."

 

[Lyeric Ubbal Arathilion]

Teferrus shifted his gaze, moving his head but not his eyes. He was confused, reaching for a plot. Killing Bogan? The evil presence was clear. He had already concluded that this person was either with them or some affiliate thereof. Yet nothing said by this woman could be trusted, as it was all moot anyway. This girl had brought a threat, and he would stop her. Should he figure out the 'why' to all of this, he'd have no bearings in debate at this moment in time. She'd not respect his words before respecting his skill. He knew the type. What he apparently did not know was who he himself had become to attract such attention. Who was this person to need to claim his life?

"I know the Force! You too can know it as I do... if you wish?"

 

[Dread]

In a laugh mixed with a scoff Demoly shook her head, "You know the force through the eyes of a fool. You limit yourself in the name of "good" and claim what I am as "evil". There is a flaw in such absolutes. Evil is not what you think evil is - evil is in life, in actions that we will do. Do you not think you do evil when you kill someone, do you not think evil consumes your soul when you judge others for their beliefs? If you don't think you do evil, Jedi, then question yourself this - why? Why do you stand above me and I below you in your moral compass? Perhaps, evil is not so clear as you think it is..."

 

[Lyeric Ubbal Arathilion]

"Perhaps you misunderstand me?" He spoke with the utmost compassion, releasing all momentary governors and seeking only peace through the Force.

After a slight pause for effect, Teferrus reengaged. "If I limit myself, then it is through selflessness that I do so; as I have done none of these things. I call you evil, not for the name, but for your promise to take my life; as you have said, through actions. Perhaps evil is not so clear as you think it is, friend? I am but welcoming you into enlightenment."

A new thought wavered on edge, at the back of Matt's mind. He'd let it sit there, wondering if it truly would make a difference in this lost soul? Not now, maybe not even changing the girl enough to end her killing spree (if it even was that) from continuing further, but it might linger - a wonder of hope to light the way for future influence to still yet save her?

 

[Dread]

"Why would I need enlightenment? I am enlightened in my own view. I kill you for the better as you would me." As she spoke, a gathering of power began to weave through her fingers - it moved at such a fast pace and soon bolts began to spark from her fingers, onto her hilt and into the air. She would threaten the Jedi further in hopes he would give up his effort to 'change her'.