Belief in the Blade

[Wes Thul Drast]

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[fancybox2]

ILUM : 0800 Hours

We are not the first ones to Ilum. Search out the caves and cut down any traitors to the one and true Empress. Expect to find rebel scum, but there have been sightings of Jedi down there as well. And of course, any Sith not on our side will also make a hefty prize. Bring me their sabers.
---Special Reward If Captured Alive

OPEN PVP ; Mission Page ; @EmilyHuene (Viewing)
Participants: @vamp ; @Xannytoes [/fancybox2]

It was a grueling cold, a blizzard tugging and blowing everything it could grab, scorching exposed skin and slowing the ascent of Wes Thul Drast as he, and his companion Aerak Medus, climbed a particularly steep mountain on their way to the mouth of an icy cave. It was not a welcoming environment for conversation, but not for the lack of opportunity; each man was wearing a full face mask, equipped with comms. If they wanted to, they'd be able to talk, but they were both more focused on not tripping over snow and finding themselves in a crevice, hanging by their coat.

Wes was not used to weather this brutal, having grown on Coruscant, so he'd dressed for the occasion. If he hadn't been covered in layers upon layers of clothing, it was likely he would have frozen to death as soon as he went out into the tundras. Instead, he bit down on his own teeth to keep them from chattering and stomped with a burning determination to get to the cave.

Donning all black clothing with some purple details (a color most commonly associated with House Drast), he was unarmed save for his lightsaber and the armor on him. He didn't need much either way. Hopefully this was the last of the caves they had to explore today; the two Sith had been flying from site to site, making sure no Jedi were hiding out. So far, they'd spent an afternoon admiring exceptionally large icicles. Maybe the briefing had been wrong; maybe there were no more Jedi expeditions on Illum. Wes couldn't blame them for giving up.

As they finally reached the mouth of the cave and the snow stopped battering them, he stomped down on the glistening floor of the cave to shake the snow off his boots. It was also an effort to test the ground to make sure the ice was thick and not slippery--he'd had some unfortunate falls earlier, as had his companion, though he preferred to decline it.

The floor was solid and the Sith did not slide as he walked--good. A tunnel sunk deeper into the heart of the cave, and Wes took a moment to admire the area they were in: a spacious chamber, walls encased in ice but lacking any icicles, the mouth of the cave stretching much lower than the actual ceiling was--which stretched dozens of feet up.

"Well, at least this one is a nice sight," he remarked, looking down the tunnel 20 meters away from them. They'd have to venture deeper once they caught their breaths.

 

[Aerak Medus]

Unlike his companion, Aerak was a little more used to this awful climate. Korriban was a cold, dry and desolate homeworld. Whilst he wasn't quite used to the snows, he found he could tolerate the icy winds. Still, he had better things to be doing with his time.

When the request for hunting Jedi had arrived, Aerak had been the first one to sign up. A chance to destroy the greatest enemies of the Sith Empire? Certainly more interesting than putting down some pirate rebellion. And much more challenging. The glory they could bring home to the Republica, if they brought with them the sabers of fallen Jedi.

It appeared the Force had other ideas. Illum was dead. Perhaps even more barren than Korriban. Cave after cave, the results were all the same. There hadn't even been wild snow beasts stalking the lands. As the day had grown longer, Aerak had grown angrier. His wounds itched, his fingers tapped constantly against his lightsaber and he had to spend the day accompanying Wes Thul Drast. Hardly as bad as some pompous senator, but the last thing he needed was a reminder of his home and the elitist scum that ruled it.

Following Wes into what he hoped was the final cave, Aerak shook off his dark armour and threw a backpack he'd been carrying to the ground. He took a moment to inspect his weapon, ensuring it was clean and functional. He then knelt down. Searching through his backpack, Aerak produced two glowrods. One blue, one green. "In the unlikely event some Jedi are lurking, best not to alert them with our red sabers."

 

[Wes Thul Drast]

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Wes took the glow stick with a nod. "Kriff, at this point, I hope a Jedi shows up, so that we can say this mission wasn't completely useless." Both men were tired and the Drast had spent the day freezing his ass off. He didn't want to come back to base empty handed.

Wes snapped the glow stick on, and was bathed in green light. He began to venture deeper into the cave, the tunnel slowly becoming brighter and brighter as he approached. They walked for about 2 minutes before finding another chamber, way smaller than the last, with 3 other tunnels branching off. What was so special about this cavern was the extinguished campfire in the middle of it. Someone had been here. Wes put his hands on the wood and found it to still be hot. He turned to Aerak and nodded, putting the glowstick down. Footsteps slowly approached from each of the 3 branches, and not before long, 3 figures cloaked in brown appeared. Their feet were covered by their robes, giving the impression that they were slithering.

"Who goes there?" asked one, sliding his hood down. He had a mop of black hair and his left eye was clearly blind, though he didn't cover it.

"Slow down, Obelix," replied another, a female voice. She took her hood down to reveal her auburn hair, tied in a ponytail behind her back. "Not everyone you encounter is out to get you."

The third figure said nothing, only reached their hand into their robes. Wes could sense they were Force sensitive, and it was likely they could, too. And Wes knew for a fact that he and Aerak reeked of the dark side. His hand flew to his lightsaber. "No," he replied, raising from his crouched position over the campfire. "But we are." His lightsaber ignited, bathing the chamber in red.

Dice roll for this post​

@Xannytoes

 

[Aerak Medus]

Well, it would appear there were Jedi after all.

Aerak tensed. Whilst they didn't look like the biggest threat, these were still Jedi. Totally extinct, until a few weeks ago. Who knew how long they'd been training in the shadows? Months? Years? They knew almost nothing of their returned foes. And to complicate matters, they were outnumbered. Two to three. Furthermore, they were tired. Trecking through the snows all day long had left them somewhat sluggish.

As Wes ignited his saber, Aerak made his move. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, bathing himself in energy. Submering himself in the Force. In his mind's eye, he could see the lightsabers of his foes. He reached out gently, as if one were putting a lady friend's hair back in place. Then, he snatched violently, like a master pulling in a disobedient dog.

Both blades ignited as they flew, slicing through the middles of their owners. Briefly taken aback, Aerak closed his hand and turned the sabers off once more. It had not been his intent, but he grinned all the same. Two of their foes silenced in the span of a thought. Their dismembered carcasses fell to the floor, slapping violently against the stone. Aerak snatched the sabers from the air and slid them onto his belt. Two less Jedi in the galaxy. Soon to be three.

He turned to face the final Jedi. He couldn't see the figure's face, but the anger radiating off of him could have melted half of Hoth. Aerak was fairly certain he knew why this one was furious. Aerak struck a defensive stance, igniting his own saber, as the Jedi lept forward. Their blades crashed together, and Aerak was pushed back ever so slightly. This one was strong. He gritted his teeth and shoved his own blade forward, attempting to keep the Jedi in place for Wes to step in.

Dice roll for thread.

@vamp

 

[Wes Thul Drast]

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Wes didn't even get to step forward. In the moment it took him to lift his foot, Aerak had slaughtered two of the Jedi, his movements quick and direct. They were dead where they stood. The only one that remained was the hooded figure, who Wes could see tense up as the upper bodies of his companions flopped to the ground, their eyes now lifeless. The red head's last words had been comically ironic. "Not everyone you encounter is out to get you."

Wes did not spare a second's thought. He charged forward at Aerak's side. His companion got to the Jedi first, and they both knocked each other back. Their enemy threw his cloak down as Aerak backed off, revealing his long, raven black hair. There was a murderous look in his eyes, something that heavily contrasted with his blue lightsaber. He raised the hilt horizontally, and a second blade ignited, turning the weapon into a saberstaff. So that's how it's going to be.


Wes charged forward again, this time making contact first. The Jedi (who he presumed to be a Master, judging by the way the man carried himself) parried, but he kept pushing, forcing the man into a lock. Aerak was no doubt fighting as well, pushing on the black haired enemy's other side. For a moment, he had them both at a standstill. Then, without warning, Wes lifted his foot and slammed the heel of his boot into the Master's knee with all his force, inverting his leg, a loud crack audible. The Jedi yelled out in pain and dived backwards, blade in front of him, and Wes followed his lightsaber poking out to try to impale him.

Hoping to regain his ground, the man raised himself up on one foot, his back against the icy wall of the cave. Wes had to give it to him; this guy had balls. To keep fighting after having his leg blown into itself was pretty admirable, even though he was a Jedi. Too bad he would be dead in a few minutes.

The Jedi batted his blade to the side when Wes tried to impale him and put himself into a defensive stance (to the best of his one-legged abilities), and the Drast stepped back. He lifted his saber and poked it out again, lightly, as if sparring. The man batted it away again, then took a hand of his hilt. A burst of Force energy slammed out, smashing into both Wes and Aerak, and sending them both back. While the two Sith tried to get off their asses, the Jedi ducked into one of the tunnels and limped down into the darkness, his leg dragging behind him.

Wordlessy, Wes rose and charged down after the man, lightsaber still ignited.

Dice roll for this post​

@Xannytoes

 

[Aerak Medus]

Now, it was Aerak's turn to be impressed. Wes charged into the frey with such ferocity and skill, his lightsaber rising to counter and return any hit thrown his way. The young acolyte was quick to join his companion, stepping beside Wes and engaging the man's second blade. Yet even with the two of them pushing against the Jedi, it was a slow, gruelling duel. The master refused to give an inch, and on one occassion came dangerously close to severing Aerak's fingers.

But the master falled back in pain, yelling. His leg hung helplessly as he stood on a single foot. Aerak looked to Wes, who'd already moved in to finish his foe off. Yet before Aerak could assist, he was flung backwards. He hit the floor with a slam, his legs burning. The time it took him to stand, Wes had already given chase deeper into the cave. Aerak pulled himself up, reginiting his saber and pursuing him into the darkness.

Nothing came to meet them at first. The cave was lit only by their red lightsabers, bathing the caverns in blood. As Aerak glanced around, he could see little indents which had once housed something, now empty. Kyber Crystals perhaps? Yet as Aerak and Wes glanced forward and back, there was no sign of the Jedi. Had he managed to flee? Was he lurking in the darkness, waiting to pounce? Or was he hiding, praying the Sith wouldn't find him?

Then, he felt it. Like a pebble hitting a pool of water. Something popped into existence behind him. Aerak turned. His red blade met blue in a spectacular clash. The master leaped away once more, slashing at Aerak as he did. His leg burned, and Aerak hissed. The man had managed to wound him. Nothing serious, but he'd need to be more careful.

The Jedi briefly clashed with Wes, the two exchanging a series of blows. Again, their foe jumped back once more, this time landing on his damaged leg. He wobbled, but remained stable. Was he already healing his wounds? This truly was a skilled opponent. One Aerak couldn't afford to let live much longer. And so, he gave chase. Down a slope of unstable rock, Aerak landed in a small chamber below. Ahead of them sat a narrow stone walkway, perhaps a metre and a half in width. Below, a great pit so deep the light couldn't penetrate it. Around them, hundreds of blue and green crystals were buried into the rock. Kyber Crystals.

The master limped towards the stone pathway. Aerak pursued, closing the distance once more. The Jedi turned, slapping Aerak's lightsaber aside with a powerful stroke. In return, Aerak kicked out. His armored boot crunched against the Jedi's bad leg. He screamed, falling to one knee. Again, the Jedi reached out and pushed, throwing Aerak back once more. Though this time, Aerak kept his footing. The Jedi was growing weaker.

The raven-haired human retreated a little further down the stone path, carefully watching his step as to not fall into the darkness below. Aerak stepped forward as well, Wes arriving behind him.

"Do you think you could leap behind him?" Aerak whispered, "He'll be completly trapped between the two of us."

@vamp

Dice rolls.

 

[Wes Thul Drast]

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Wes threw himself at the Jedi, blades clashing. They sparred for a few moments, until Aerak jumped in as well. The Jedi was talented; he'd been wielding the saberstaff expertly, and fighting fiercely even with a useless foot. Wes was glad he'd landed that hit early on--otherwise, they would be at a disadvantage.

The Jedi pushed them back again, but Wes, like Aerak, maintained his footing, only skidding in the ice for a meter or so. He was cautious, eyeing the enemy from an offensive stance. As Aerak whispered, he nodded. The Drast ran parallel to the icy wall, then jabbed a foot into it, giving himself the leverage needed to bounce off the wall and land behind the Jedi. He lashed out with his lightsaber, an up-down swipe meant to cut off the man's right arm; instead, he was met with air. The Jedi had feinted, and launched a strike of his own. One of the blades in his saberstaff came flying, its tip pointed directly at Wes' sternum. He batted it away, but was still just recovering from the miss. The tip of the blue lightsaber left a shallow cut from his left breast to the outermost edge of his upper left arm, and Wes hissed in pain. The flesh burned, and he could smell the faint stench. His eyes glowed, their mahogany giving way to shades of orange, as if heating up. In a burst of anger, he pointed his palm at the Jedi. An invisible hand grabbed around the man's neck and squeezed, lifting him a few centimeters off the ground. For the first time, a look of uncertainty flashed across his face; he'd had the upper hand until now. Wes' anger and irritation were enhancing his abilities, and he was slowly beginning to outmatch the pest with a blue blade.

Aerak, whom the Jedi was no longer facing, would see an opening now, as the Jedi dropped his saber staff, hands flying to his neck.

Dice rolls for this post: 1, 2​

@Xannytoes

 

[Aerak Medus]

Aerak watched as Wes expertly ran across the cavern wall, carefully landing behind the Jedi. The two crossed sabers once more, the briefest of duels. When they pulled away, Wes bore another wound. Aerak swore. Just how much longer would this battle continue?

As it happened, not much longer. Aerak started. A flush of energy burst from Wes, arousing all sorts of emotions within Aerak. Guilt, pain, hunger, power. Wes clenched his fist, and the master clenched his throat. His saber fell to his side. Aerak grinned. The battle was over.

As if retaliating for Wes' injury, Aerak called the Jedi's saberstaff to his hands. He ignited it once more, the blue glow contrasting with the sinister look upon Aerak's face. He stepped forward, slowly, the saber pointing towards the Jedi's stomach. Horror seemed to fill the master's eyes, as he weakly thrusted his palm forward. A slight breeze crossed Aerak's path.

"Come now," Aerak caressed the Jedi's cheek, now purple. "There is no death. There is only the Force."

Slowly, he inched the saber into the Jedi's gut. Aerak kept a steady hand, as a wordless scream engulfed his opponent's face. He pushed deeper and deeper, coming ever so close to piercing the Jedi's back. Aerak held the blade there a moment longer, before violently withdrawing it. The Jedi slumped forward, hands still gripped to his neck. Yet he was still alive. Barely.

Aerak nodded to Wes, who released his grip on the Jedi's neck and allowed him to collapse onto the walkway. A second later, and Wes kicked out, sending the master plummeting into the darkness below. He handed Wes the saberstaff. It was his kill, after all.

"That was an impressive Force Grip," Aerak said, as the two walked over to the other side of the chasm.

@vamp

 

[Wes Thul Drast]

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The Jedi fell, his corpse ragdolling into the darkness of the chasm. That had been a Master, no doubt about it. Even when he died, there was a noticeable shift in the Force, like a large light bulb exploding, its light completely extinguished.

Wes accepted the lightsaber gladly, stashing it on his belt, then holstered his own hilt back to its spot. The two Sith began the walk back to the entrance after eyeing over the cavern once more to ensure they hadn't missed out on anything.

Aerak had certainly exceeded Wes' expectations. "Thank you," he replied. "Taking out two Jedi at once is no small feat, either." They both had accomplishments to look back to when remembering this day.

He noticed the Jedi's cloak still sprawled on the cavern floor and reached for it. Wes searched its pockets, finding nothing besides a neatly folded piece of paper, numbers scrawled on it. Coordinates. Perhaps those would be of use later.

The two walked out of the cave and back into the freezing cold moments later, the victorious air around them preventing either from thinking much of the weather. Their speeder was waiting a few dozen meters away, unless it had been snowed over.

"I think it's safe to call it a day," Wes remarked.

@Xannytoes

 

[Aerak Medus]

Aerak almost smiled at the compliment. Almost. The two had accomplished a great deal of things today. Notably, the death of three Jedi would be a crippling blow to the fledgling order. And they had fought well together. Playing off of each other’s strengths and accomplishing a feat no lone Sith would have managed.

Maybe the Drast wasn’t so bad after all.

Aerak glanced briefly at the piece of paper Wes had found. Where would it lead them to? Another hidden Jedi camp? The thought was delicious. A chance to cripple the return of the Light Side before it could establish itself in the galaxy.

“Don’t suppose there’s any colonists in the area?” Aerak asked in response to Wes, “Might be an idea to spread a few rumours. Two young Sith killed three Jedi Masters. They were nothing before the power of the Dark Side. Might make other Jedi think twice before coming here again.”

The two mounted their speeders, leaving the caves behind them.

/ThreadEnd