To Stand Through Adversity

[Cortan]

The way of the warrior.

Azur had long understood its call, given that even before the Sith, such was to be expected of him. Every first born son of the house of Zaff had been chief of the duchy of Tel's military, and all sons, expected to serve in its military. But Azur's own father had given Azur a life that would deny him the duty, for what was seen as an even greater one. To not be a warrior of Tel, or even of Eskabahn. But of the Imperium - of the Sith.
Of course, as a child, Azur could not have foreseen or understood his place among the disciples of the dark side. Indeed, he had come kicking and screaming, begging for his father to reconsider that fateful choice. But whilst his father had grown foolish, that was one decision of his that Azur would no longer wish to see changed.

He sat, meditating, in the chamber he had been shown by Crusader Vindict. A hole in the rocks near the Academy that led to a path, and then a path to a great, ancient chamber, the construction of which Azur was still to determine. Even the names it provided as a record of those to previously conquer this place's challenge was unhelpful, mostly obscure figures, hindered further by no real standard of frequency. The list could date back ten thousand years, or merely one hundred, for all it really mattered. But as he had bested it once already, and thus the chamber did not bear its strange challenge against him.

No, he simply waited, in his dark clothes and red cloak, for the one he was to train this day.

 

[Miz]

Walking through the halls of the Sith academy, Mizchno felt no need to respect the countless artifacts and relics that were recovered in the recent decades. His time was wasted on such pity things; and felt no need to honor worthless trinkets. The halls were by no means crowded, but he couldn't bother dodging and weaving around the academies nobodies. Pushing them out the way as he walked by. Already surprised by the man's strength, the Sith upstarts were again taken aghast by his feminine qualities. Occasionally looking down at his holopad, he had followed the Sith Azur's instructions to the letter. The Sith had seemed to have taken an interest in him, maybe one of Sin'ryk's friends. Though flattered that he was called so quickly, he was still wary of the Arcanist's forewarning of the more malevolent Sith that inhabited the academy. He could have been walking blindly into his own doom by the looks of things.

Finally reaching a hole concealed by debris, Mizchno fearlessly delved into some sort of underground temple. Continuing his trek, he pulled out his lightsaber, Moralltach holding the wicked blade behind his back. Keeping a watchful eye, he recalled the stories of apprentices stumbling on the secret burial of long dead Sith lords. Being a warrior he wondered if he should simple turn around. No way did he have the skill to dispel whatever magics were held in this place.

Finally reaching a chamber were, a numerous amount of names scribbled on the wall. Though this were an interesting a find, he spotted a figure meditating in the center of the chamber. Something told him that it was alright to approach, thinking that if it were the ghost of a Sith lord he'd be dead by now.

"Azur? It's Mizchno..." he whispered continuing to approach the lone vigil, readying his saber arm for an attack.

 

[Cortan]

"And it is Crusader now, Mizchno. Or perhaps Marquess, if you would prefer." Azur chuckled, opening his eyes as he looked to the acolyte who had arrived. Azur was at times unsure on how to refer to Mizchno - physically, the answer was obvious enough. But the acolyte's mannerisms indicated something more masculine, and beyond that of a simple 'tomboy'. Did he presume as to this person's gender preference, but ignore the physical sex which, ultimately, trumped in the matter of medicine and treatment?
...Then again, the Sith were not to be bound by chains, including that of physical limitations. If Mizchno asserted themselves male, either by medicine, or by the force itself, perhaps it would become the physical reality. Azur rose to his feet having decided on what to think of the acolyte, letting out few small breaths, and taking in others.
"But we are not here to discuss titles, are we? No, we are here to see where you may grow, so that one day, I might call you my equal in rank." It was curious to observe the differences between the two, even as they stood now. One bore armour, the other did not. One bore two sabers, the other only one. And yet, the one who had progressed in the Sith...

"I want to know - how many battles have you fought? Not just simple sparring, but any contest of strength that meant you had to defeat your opponent? What was the result in the most notable cases?" Azur folded his arms as he asked the questions, one after another, measuring Mizchno for his responses, both verbal and physical. There was much that one would admit about their victories, but Azur knew well enough where people preferred not to disclose their humiliation from defeat. What the acolyte would share, and how he might indicate what he wouldn't, would be of great interest. His hand held his chin, awaiting the acolyte's answer.

 

[Miz]

Acolyte, Crusader, Master none of it meant a thing to him. None were a test of true grit. Though he respected those of higher ranks than him, he need not concern himself with the opinions of wolves, when he was but a sheep. Showing what respect he could he gave the Crusader a bow, keeping note of Sin'ryk's warning. "Glad to make your acquaintance...Crusader Azur." Mizchno said solemnly, as he raised his head to face the blue Sith. A species he had not recognized.

As the crusader began to ask his questions an eyebrow was raised, before Mizchno could even cross his own arms. The only contest of true strength where he felt he absolutely had to defeat his opponent, was when he fought the Sith Master Audroti. An ugly one. He didn't like recalling such memories, but that instance in particular filled him with much needed drive. Without it he felt he would never find his way to the Sith.

"Once really." he said, trying to conceal his embarrassment. "I'll be patiently waiting my revenge." He would need to find the drive again to finally take him out, but he wanted him to feel every ounce of pain he felt. And then some. But why did this matter to Azur? Was he planning on feeding on Mizchno's feelings of shame? Or was it something entirely different.

 

[Cortan]

Azur could tolerate the use of his first name so long as the proper courtesy was before it, but he wouldn't say anything further on the matter. He was focusing on measuring Mizchno's response, and could see some of the initial confusion, perhaps curiosity, that came as a result. There was a pause, apparently indicative of consideration, followed by an actual answer out of the acolyte's lips. But the answer that followed it was short - deceptively so - and vague. Unfortunately, for his student of the day, Azur took its vague nature to mean something quite specific.
"Its painful to admit where you have failed so deeply, no? To have been made helpless before an opponent so clearly your superior..." Azur's own fist tightened slightly as he recalled the Jedi, but he let it release after a moment.

"Though you may seek to wait patiently, and it wise to await opportunity, I would advise that you learn to seize your desire for vengeance as a reason to be. Many Sith, particularly in this age of institution, come to the Order seeking merely the power, without cause. Or they come like me, because they have been forced into it. There is no reason to truly clamour for the dark side's might, and thus, they may wander for years without seeing the path beneath their feet." He remembered the words of Master Thanatos way. Hate someone, and then channel that hatred into one's cause. Though his time with the Sith Master had been brief, it bore great results for the heir to Tel.
"But you... you have been humiliated. Thus, you should yearn to humiliate them in turn, whoever 'them' may be. To pay them back twice over for what they have done. So long as you do, you will have reason to succeed within the Sith." He nodded to Mizchno, before raising one hand. There, Mizchno might feel, were his senses so tuned, that Azur was gathering power, swelling quickly, concentrating into his palm.

"Show me, acolyte, the strength of your willpower!" He then flung it forward, and the chamber echoed with a loud boom as sheer kinetic energy erupted from Azur's fingers, racing into a volley towards the acolyte. It was a two-fold test - one, to see if Mizchno could repel the push as it came unto him, and if so, how well he did so. Because what Azur had thrown was... certainly proficient, but it was not up to the level of a Crusader. Good as he would have managed a few years ago.

 

[Miz]

Seeing desire as a willingness to live was what drove Mizchno to the Sith in the first place. Vengeance to destroy his enemies was what kept him going these past few months. Without it he was weak. The moment when he gave up, was when he could no longer look at himself in the mirror. It was true that he indeed wanted power, but only the power to destroy. He cared little for what political gains he could achieve. Warriors fought. And hiding behind magic trickery were never a true test of real power.

Looking over towards the crusader he saw the blue Sith gathered the mystic energies of The Force concentrating on his palm. Cracking his knuckles he readied himself for whatever was to come next. As Azur flung the Force push towards the Codru-ji.

A test of willpower eh? he thought as the loud boom of a true crusader's Force push came towards him. As he recalled deep and troubled memories of his Jedi past, he felt his blood begin to boil as he carelessly rush towards the cone of kinetic energy. Seemingly headbutting the super natural current of raw Force talent, he braved through the volley of Azur's attacks. Though it hurt, the only emotion he could feel was adrenaline pump through his veins.

"That felt like the Jedi Hishamori's Force push." Mizchno recalled gasping for air. The Jedi was known for her lightning fast speed and devastating Force pushes. With a wolfish grin he continued "I hate her soo much and I don't know why."

 

[Cortan]

Well this was... unexpected. Azur blinked as, rather than truly try to counter the blast before it reached him, Mizchno drove into it, snd forced his way through. Mildly impressive, he supposed, from a physical point of view, but it was almost exactly the opposite of what Azur had intended. He lowered his hand as Mizchno emerged, and he gasped out his hatred for some Jedi. Interesting to hear this information now then... Was it this Hishamori that had brought his defeat? If not, did that mean this... acolyte... had done what Azur could not?
"I meant your mental willpower." With that thought lingering in his mind, Azur raised his hand suddenly once again. Powered was gathered and flung, as before, but this time, a little harder than before. He sought to see what it would take to make the acolyte see another answer.

He raised his other hand.

"This Hishamori then... is she the one you faced? The one who shamed you?" His inquiry began a bit before another pulse of power erupted from his fingers, and the kinetic energy went flying towards Mizchno. As he responded, Azur swapped hands again, speaking as he did so.
"Do not see me. See the one who broke you. Because if you face them born anew, they will try to shatter your edge so that it is never reforged." And then another kinetic burst, buffeting the chamber as it blasted ahead.
"You must sharpen your edge. See beyond. You are no Mandalorian, suckling at the teet of technological constructions and brute strength. You are Sith. Show me proof of this!" And with his yell, came the last of Azur's barrage, for the timebeing. If Mizchno understood his call to have the acolyte utilise the force, then they could proceed. If not... then he was going to have to restructure the lesson.

 

[Miz]

As he tried catching his breath, an eyebrow was raised when the blue crusader mentioned a test of mental willpower. Easy enough, a Force push in the opposite direction would yield the same fruit nonetheless. Why waste your raw talent of invisible magic? Every chance he got he felt he needed to show his strength. Especially now that he were within the Sith. Pushing forward, never giving an inch to his opponent, never giving him a chance to breathe, to think. Now he wanted a test of mental willpower? It seemed as if Azur hadn't known the half of it. All his power was from intense training, being painfully weak in the Force.

"I'll show you willpower!" Mizchno said ecstatically before taking a deep breath before sending his own barrage. Imaging the face of a Pureblood Red Sith before him he copied the technique of Hish's Force push, knowing that her own talent exceeded his own. Letting out a grunt he send his own locomotion of telekinetic energies towards the crusader. The two forces collided dispersing one another, leaving only a cloud of dust in its wake. Before either one of them where visible Mizchno began. "No, it were a Sith Master."

 

[Cortan]

"...Interesting..." Azur lowered his hands at last, having seen Mizchno finally offer up some form of counter against him. A Sith Master... his thoughts drifted to Thanatos, though he suspected it to be someone else that the acolyte was inferring. Straightening out the edges of his scarlet robes, he stepped forth towards Mizchno, and attempted to... discern deeper, the nature of what had occurred. A chance for him to test his own abilities, feeling at the force and the flow of its energies, touched by intent, emotion, and so many small things unseen by the eye. He needed to understand...
"Doubt..." Azur muttered solemnly, now stepping around the acolyte, circling them as he tried to gleam more. But it was a tricky task. The thoughts of sentients were not like the basic, instinctual things that drove most creatures. They had strange impulses, interests that flickered in and out from one moment to the next, and perhaps most oft forgotten, introspection. The mind was ever abuzz with activity, and so trying to discern any single part of it, even through the force, was like trying to isolate a piece of a puzzle wrapped in an ever changing enigma.

"You... did not think yourself capable of meeting the challenge in the way I had initially intended?" Only half of that was something he could actually have felt from Mizchno - the rest was simply a guess based on how the doubt had ultimately correlated to their behaviour. But his yellow eyes betrayed little of that, only showing curiosity.
"It is because the Master shook your confidence? Made your question your abilities?" He circled still, a single finger raised as he rolled the questions. Occasionally, it shifted to point, and at other intervals, it returned to rest beneath his chin.
"Because a Sith... even if they may have some things they are not good at, they are things to at least be proficient in. Telekinesis, lightsaber combat, hand to hand..." Azur mused, before suddenly, a thought occurred. A curious thought to perhaps aid a curious young man.

"What if... we were to associate all three, in your mind?"

 

[Miz]

Azur must have coined himself as some kind of doctor. He felt no reason to be ashamed or hesitant. He couldn't stand against a Sith Master because he just wasn't ready. He was better than him at every turn. "I know my limits, a mere padawan couldn't face a real master." Mizchno said breathing heavily " I can handle anything you can throw at me... " He feared nothing and if he were put in the same position he would still stand his ground and fight. Looking back up at Azur he continued "I need to learn the cheat codes. All those would come in time."

He needed the knowledge to take out those that were above him consistently. Look at his fighting style triple blades, to catch his opponents off guard. Maybe Azur knew what was best. He would listen to what he would say and figure out his own path. "But I'm open to what you have to offer." He said finally calming down, forcing his own heart rate to slow down.

 

[Cortan]

"Cheat codes?" That remark seemed to incite a genuine anger in Azur, though the scowl faded quickly from his face. He sighed and shook his head, and then, shook his finger again, pointing it more particularly towards Mizchno's face.
"It is seeing the force and the teachings of the Sith in such terms that will hinder you more than anything else. It expects there to be a simple, easy solution, creating an instant path to power... Short of Palpatine's ghost coming to possess your body from beyond the grave, I know of no such thing." Azur cast a cursory glance... as if checking to be sure that his student of the day wasn't actually an ancient Sith Lord messing with him. Once done, he stood back from the acolyte, stepping into the heart of the chamber, before unhooking and, in a twirl, igniting his lightsaber so that its red plasma shone.

"What I offer... could be close though. Often the disciplines given to acolytes would have them believe that to use the force requires total focus. That a user must dedicate themselves to nothing else, to successfully wield such power. This however, presents a problem." Briefly thinking on how best to demonstrate his intent, the wroonian ultimately settled on a shadow duel of sorts, taking up a stance that indicated his student should otherwise imagine another of him being there.
"You face off against an opponent. A skilled opponent, matching you blow for blow." His lightsaber hummed as he swung it, but it did not spark with a clash - its only opponent empty air.
"Your initial method of fighting them is proving ineffectual - so you need a chance to gather your thoughts, or perhaps, try to create an opening. As you cannot do this through simply saber combat, after a quick parry..." He locked sabers with his imaginary foe, and then pushed against them, stepping back.

"You attempt to gather the force for what you require. But as you do so, particularly if the power you sought to wield is not one you are wholly familiar with..." He made a gasp and arched back, as if a great cut had been carved across his chest, before he collapsed to the floor.
"You have merely created an opening for your opponent, and invited your own doom." Switching off his saber so he did not cut himself, the Crusader hopped to his feet, but remained in a crouch.
"What must be done then, is to be able to fight, but gather the force at the same time. Ignite your saber, and attack me. I shall demonstrate."

 

[Miz]

The crusader wanted an attack? Another test he would surely pass. Azur had no clue of his skill, nor did he have any clue his triple blade fencing technique, that he had formed himself. Keeping his bottom left arm behind his back and on his saberstaff. Activating the crimson hue of his singlebladed lightsaber Moralltach and swung his blade horizontally towards the crusader.

If he were able to block his attack he would brandish his staff and press the hilt upon Azur making extra sure not to activate the blade.

Listening to Azur's words he made total sense. He could match almost any opponent blow to blow. But when it came down to raw force talent he was at a loss. Not being proficient in the Force could leave a fatal opening. A weakness he shouldn't get to comfortable with. Maybe the Sorcerer was right, maybe he was too focused on his blade work and allowed other areas to become sloppy, unrefined.

 

[Cortan]

Azur smirked a little, wondering what his student might be thinking of him. Odd? Eccentric? A fool, perhaps? His mind drew to thoughts of another student snd how they seemed to measure him, though not out loud. It wasn't unexpected if perhaps there was uncertainty in his position as a Crusader. He was relatively young and fairly unknown outside his established sociak circles, except for those who kept track of recent failings in the Sith. And prior to his ascent, he had such a failing. A sith who lost to a Jedi, and just before the attacks on their Jedi hideouts had begun. So, briefly, he wondered, if that coloured things in the acolyte's eye, or if he might still have the chance to make a proper impression.

When the acolyte then came, swinging his saber, Azur activated his in turn. Two crimson edges struck and sung against each other, their song a tense crackle. Once the two had struck though, Azur dived and rolled to one side, letting the acolyte's attempt to draw out a saberstaff meet thin air. Landing upon his artificial foot, Azur shifted on heel, and swung his red blade upwards, rising himself as he did so. He expected Mizchno to be able to anticipate that - and he better, given Azur had elected not to throw on the training mode - but then, it mattered not. Whether he struck or was deflected, Azur would briefly pull back, wheeling the blade around in his hand to attack from overhead. That the acolyte had another saber in hand was interesting, and potentially a bit dangerous. So Azur would keep up the pressure to try and limit the chances to activate it, heavy hits meant to force a commitment to defense.

But with each move, and each attack, he did something... else. Something that might go unnoticed, or it might not. But he was gathering the force, in small parts, as he moved and as he thought. It did not demand such focus as to break the flow of combat, but it was... There.

 

[Miz]

As soon as his saberstaff met thin air, he knew that the crusader was much more quick on his feet than he originally expected. Knowing that the only way the crusader could have gone was below him, and could be quickly planning a counter attack. Knowing that it would be too much of a hassle to turn around to meet the counter attack head on, he simple would try to avoid his attack entirely. As Azur rolled from his side to behind the Codru-Ji, he front-flipped from his original position, to where Azur was originally standing.

Turning around, he quickly drawn back his head to avoid the red blade from coming in contact with his face. "Woah." He said, in relief of him still owning his face. If he could read his thoughts he would commit on how he had no opinion of the crusader, himself only being in the Sith for a few weeks now.

With the crusader's blade just flying past his head, Mizchno pulled the blue man's saber arm, lifting his foot, whilst twisting his body, so that his foot would come into contact with his lower rib. With them being the same around the same hight he felt no need to pull the man's arm down any further from his original position. If he were a taller individual he would need to apply a lot more strength, like other acolytes he saw standing well above six feat.

 

[Cortan]

Azur was mildly amused to see Mizchno's ability to evade him, not only once, but twice as well. The second time was a much closer affair however, and whilst not quite the intent, it did allow for him to catch the acolyte's reaction, quite an interesting thing as it was.
But the next move was even more interesting, as the acolyte attempted to seize Azur by the arm. Few Sith really tried such a physical approach to matters, outside their lightsabers, and were it not for the fact that Azur was himself trying to prove a point, he would have commended the young man for it. The foot met Azur's rib, yet did strike as hard as it should have. The truth was that Azur was no slouch in the art of close quarters combat himself, and so had sunk back with the strike to shorten its depth and soften the blow, though limited for distance by his opponent's grip.

With a cringe away, he twirled his lightsaber about and brought it to the chain that held the upper half of his shroud in place, just the edge of the blade enough to melt and snap it in two. That done, he pulled his arm back through the sleeve of the shroud, slipping out from it as, disengaging his saber, he slipped from the other as well. His upper half cloaked only in his armourweave robe now, Azur hit the switch on his lightsaber again, letting it stretch forth as he wheeled around in a strike towards Mizchno's head. He intended to spin back from that to pivot into an overhead strike, trying to force Mizchno briefly back. Azur himself would step back if need be, to goad the boy in...

But if the boy came again after that, he was in for a surprise. For Azur was prepared. Not so heavy as he might otherwise wish it, but reasonable enough for this training, Azur gave out a bright flash of light from his body, having built it up over the brief course of the scuffle. And whilst Mizchno was left to react to the light, the crusader would at last turn off his saber, and simply step to the side, attempting to poke the young man in the side of the head.
"Now imagine that with a burst of telekinesis, whether from your body, or acting on another object. Would catch the opponent by surprise, no?"

 

[Miz]

All the Acolyte could do as he tried to strike the man, was to stumble back as he preformed his tricks. He was almost like a magician, some kind of sorcerer. But, no magic was involved. It was just him using his natural abilities and finishing him off with a flash of blinding light. His foot met air, as he quickly tried to hop backwards from the man. As soon as he regained balance, he placed his upper arms above his face to await the Crusader's judgment.

As he cowered there defenselessly, he finally cracked open a single eyelid as the flash of blinding light, quickly faded from the underground chamber. Noticing that the blue man was gone, he felt a poke at the side of his head. Scared for his life, he jumped up and turned around to face him again, this time holding his saber in a guard position.

"No. You left me completely defenseless!"

The crusader was right. A burst of telekinesis wouldn't prove as useful as blinding a target completely. In that instance, he was completely vulnerable to attack. How could one fight an enemy he could not see?