Finding The Light

[Arador Drakar]

As Arador charged, blinded by the rage of the darkness as it continued to take control of the boy. It was furious that he was fighting back and that the old crusador was helping it's puppet. It was set to use the boy to carry out the Sith's dark deeds. And now it seemed that it will possibly not happen.

The teenager blinded by the rage once again failed to predict what Kane was planning to do. If he had a clear head, he would have been thinking every one of his moves. As the roots grabbed at him, the boy tried to complete his attack. When he was blocked and the two locked in a grapple, Arador blinked in confusion as roots wrapped themselves around his wrists and ankles. Effectively locking him in place. As the teenager struggled to get out of the roots, the hold tightened, "Oh son of a sith lord!" He exclaimed when Arador found he couldn't get out of the roots that now had a tight hold on his waist and knees. The boy breathed heavily as he came out of the rage, feeling a twinge of exhaustion, he felt that the darkness didn't retreat nor advance it's hold. It was just the same as when he charged at Kane.

His bronze blade was still activated as he was held in place by the roots. The roots themselves completely preventing him from flexing his wrists. As his breathing slowed, the teenager thought through his predicament, thinking up a plan. Letting go of his saber the boy's plan was to cut the roots binding him by simply dropping the still activated blade. If it worked then all he will have to do is rip out of the hold.

 

[Kane]

As the dropped saber cut through the roots Kane released his cane hilt with his right hand and thrust his palm forwards, sending a pulse of force energy at Arador's chest in an attempt to knock him back and away from the tainted weapon.

As the pulse left his hand he charged forward, saber whirling faster than any non force sensitive person could see as the force sped his movements towards the boy. When he reached Arador he would brin the blade around in a wide upwards sweep towards his friend's left leg, followed by a strike with the blunt end of his cane at the boy's right side.

With the non-lethal setting on his blade and the durasteel cane it was a part of he hoped to bludgeon the boy until he was weak enough that the darkness could be expunged, this brought him no pleasure but it was better than killing his friend.

 

[Arador Drakar]

Arador watched as the tainted weapon started to cut the roots as it fell. But as the roots started to slacken, Kane sent a pulse of force energy into his chest. The motion allowed the teenager to escape the roots holding him in place, but also separated him from his weapon.

Rolling on the ground he put some distance between him and the old Crusador. Getting back onto his feet the boy was defenseless as the knight charged at him in full fury even if his weapon is powered down the more experienced jedi has the upper hand. Using the force the blind teenager pulled his lightsaber back to him in time to block the blow to his left leg. With his right hand the teenager sent out a small pulse of force energy to deflect the blunt end of the cane.

With both attacks blocked or deflected the teenager moved to kick at Kane's abdomen. That move was more of a distraction as he prepared to bring his blade down onto the knight's right shoulder if his kick connected. Even with his blade powered down the blade will leave a nasty burn if his attack was a success. Deep inside the teenager can feel the darkness weaken, but still struggling to get control.

 

[Kane]

Kane was admittedly shocked at how fast Arador recovered from the pulse, though it wasn't surprising in retrospect considering the old Crisader had dialed it back so he didn't pulp the boy's organs.

The parry was expected, but his young friend's use of a force pulse to deflect the blunt cane strike had been an unexpected and brilliant response and Kane lost his grip on his weapon. The old Jedi barely moved back in time to stop the kick doing too much damage, though it was hard and he was winded by it. Then, seconds later, the blade skimmed along his right arm from the shoulder down to the elbow, burning off his sleeve and skin and eliciting an almost inhuman howl of agony and fell to the ground.

He pulled his saber to his left hand and held it awkwardly between them from his position woth his left hip on the ground and his legs out to his right, he had to half use his saber ho prop himself up and focus the force in his mind to keep the throbbing pain from his horrible burn from cripplong him further.

"Arador, you must....fight..." he panted, watching the young Jedi and trying desperately to come up with a plan, sure that it would be the boy's bronze blade that ended his life.

 

[Arador Drakar]

Arador watched as his counter moves and attack produced results. But it was just how easy the results happened that shocked the teenager. He felt a stabbing pain in his chest as Arador looked over the slightly crippled jedi, sensing that he is using the force to prevent him from being crippled any further by the pain.

The boy backed away from the other jedi as he realized what he had done to his friend. The young man felt his eyes starting to burn as tears came forward. He had gone against the part of the Jedi Order rules that inspired him to join. As he came to the realization of what he had done, the darkness's hold on him weakened so much that it had no control of the teenager.

Deactivating his blade the boy couldn't hold back the tears any longer, "I'm so sorry Master Kane!" He yelled as he dropped to his knees, horrified and ashamed.

 

[Kane]

Kane watched the shock spread accross Arador's face, and as the boy dropped to the ground he could sense that the hold the darkness had on him was now next to nothing. The old Crusader knew that the battle against the shadow had not yet been won, but Arador had evidently been so shocked that he managed to shake the darkness off. A plan to hopefulfly rid the boy came into the old Jedi's head, and he knew that if it failed he would be left vulnerable and be killed.

"It was not you Arador, the darkness had a hold on you. You did an amazingly admirable job fighting against it."

As Kane spoke he pooled the force into himself as much as he could, and deactivated and dropped his saber. Focusing the built up force energy into his left palm.

"No matter what, remember that I am proud of you. I know I am not your master, but I am proud of the Jedi you have become."

Finally Kane finished building up as much as he could, this would leave him exhausted. But his plan to excercise the darkness from Arador had to be carried out now while it's grip on him was weakened.

"And I am sorry as well."

As he finished speaking, Kane threw his hand forward and let out as big a pulse of Force Light as he could muster. Burning up all of the energy he had built up in the process.

He had known that would undo his numbing efforts, and he gritted his teeth hard against the pain in his arm. His vision was wavy and dulling around the edges as white spots of pain danced accross the center. He knew he was going to pass out soon, he just hoped he could hold on long enough to see if it worked.

 

[Arador Drakar]

Arador wiped the tears from his eyes with his arm sleeve as he listened to the old crusador talk. He can hear the pain in the Jedi's voice as the man spoke. Yes the teenager fought the darkness. But he has just hurt somone, but not just anyone. It was someone he saw as a friend, "I know it was the darkness that was controling me. But because of it I hurt you Master Kane. I don't think I can ever forgive myself for what it.. Caused me to do to you."

The boy kept his face hidden away as he tried to gather his shattered self back together before the darkness can get ahold of him again. Arador perked and looked to the jedi. As he did the boy felt himself fall backwards as he was hit by another pulse or Force Light. The shadow was still there, though it will not be strong enough to take control of the boy anymore.

The teenager propped himself back to a sitting position with shaking arms. He could feel the darkness was still there. But it is now such a small hold he can vanquish it himself easily. Arador looked at Kane, seeing that the old Jedi was on the verge of passing out. Gathering his own strength together the boy got to his feet, walking over to the man. Kneeling down the boy helped the Knight sit, "Master Kane. Thank you for helping me." He spoke quietly as the Teenager got out what medical supplies he had.

Arador was not as good at the healing part of the force like how Kane is. But he knew enough that it prevented the Knight from passing out due to the pain. The teenager still felt ashamed of inflicting such a wound on the man, and expressed it quietly, "I am so sorry Master Kane.. I won't ever be able to forgive myself for doing this to you." The boy mentioned as he bandaged the man's wound as best as he could.

 

[Kane]

"It's okay Arador, really. It wasn't you."

Kane tried to comfort the boy as he worked on his arm, he knew this was going to take a huge toll on his young friend.

"What matters is that you are okay. Now we have subdued the darkness, more than I had expected to be able to if I'm honest. However It will likely stay with you for the rest of your life. It will be a constant struggle to keep it in check, but you have help."

@Nommie

Sorry for the huge delay