Ask First Steps

[Darth Arcanos]

He needed a few days of recovery from the Nar Shaddaa party and also preparing to face the fact that he had a new apprentice. There would be no complications this time, so he expected a straightforward process. She had seen him not only in a party setting, but also in a rather compromising position. Quite frankly, Azar didn’t give a flying fuck. He had asked her to meet him on the planet Merisee. He was here to collect resources for a new poison, and that involved hunting some of the local beasts. It wasn’t overwhelming, but enough to test her. If she died in the process, it was easy to leave a body behind on this backwater planet.

Azar knew he would be trekking through forests at some point, so he didn’t wear his usual robes. He chose a civilian outfit that was a sharp contrast to his skin and form fitting. The Pureblood silently waited at the spaceport for his apprentice to arrive. He knew crafting a saber was part of the curriculum. If she already had one, it was likely stolen or borrowed, in which case he’d have her destroy it and start anew.

@LadyRen

 

[Freyja]

Freyja had mixed feelings about this first official meeting with her new master...Freyja had been somewhat tipsy that night, but the memories hadn't taken a single hit. She had also gathered plenty of highly amusing footage that would last for eternity and would probably keep her memory refreshed for ever.

Instead of having settled on a meeting on Umbara, Azar had ordered her to Merisee. Not that she minded traveling on her own, but the commute gave her quite some time to ponder on how to behave upon meeting him- after all, she hadn't just seen him scantily clad and drunk, but engaged in a steamy threesome with two other purebloods in a refresher and that absolutely wasn't a scene you'd want to see your new master in...

Passion, acolyte. His words still echoed through her mind. Yeah he had showed her passion alright. Even as she alighted from her transport, her cheeks were already pinkish again. He had seemed rather cool and chill...but as their first unofficial meeting had been so utterly unconventional, she was simply confused right now.

She wasn't sure where he was taking her, so for now she was clad in casual attire, a small black backpack slung across her shoulders that encompassed her lightsaber and some random equipment like some simple snacks and water. As he had informed her where to meet him, she was attentively scanning the crowd, but it admittedly took a little while until she found him as he was almost unrecognizable in his casual wear.

As she approached, she soon noticed that there was no one else nearby, so she stopped across from him right after she had taken a deep breath. "Master...", she respectfully inclined her head, but she really had to focus in order to keep a straight face.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Azar studied her as she arrived, silently considering her. He was impressed by her underhanded techniques at the party, so she was starting on his good side for now. He could tell she was confused about arriving here, and she had every reason to. If she spent time with fellow acolytes, she would know that his reputation as a ruthless, conniving Sith preceded him.

“Apprentice,” He said curtly, “Tell me your story,” Azar said, perhaps surprising her. Far too often others simply shaped and molded without understanding the foundation of clay they were working with. The Pureblood wanted to understand his acolyte inside out before he trained her. He needed to know what made her tick, what her fears were, what drove her, what broke her.

“Do you possess a lightsaber?” Azar asked as a follow up question.

@LadyRen

 

[Freyja]

Not being certain about what would happen or what to expect was something that didn't sit well with the Ashen haired acolyte. She was used to uncertainties throughout her whole life, yet ever since she had joined the academy, her life had gotten a real purpose and some actual direction which was much more than her former 'master' had ever offered.

She looked up to meet his gaze, immediately but only subtly cocking a brow at his instant request for her story. He was straightforward, too, so that was just another plus in her eyes. She didn't doubt he didn't want a full recount of everything that had ever happened to her, but that he was referring to the things that mattered.

"I watched my whole village getting slaughtered by a Sith who then took me on as his apprentice", the fact that he had left her alive hadn't fully made sense to her, as back then she had definitely been more of a liability than an actual asset, but she was still alive after all. "He taught me some basics, traveled around with me for a bit and then dropped me on Umbara". It was not a particularly extraordinary or exciting story, but it was the reason why she had more experience than most acolytes.

"I do...I bled it myself, too", Freyja wasn't too keen on lightsabers though, she generally prefered the Force or other weapons. Generally, she was relatively nonchalant about sharing her past, but bleeding the crystal had been...fun. "I don't have it with me right now...I've learned not to rely on it", she thus added, not taking him for a lightsaber guy either.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Azar nodded in response to what she said, “Good,” He stated curtly, “Your ascension to Champion will be the culmination of you systematically picking apart everything near and dear to your old Master. At the end of it, you will give him a slow and painful death. His ligthsaber will then become yours after you force your will upon it,” He stated flatly, his tone suggesting this was not a discussion. She would do this or she would die in the process.

He didn’t express any opinion either way on saber use or not. Azar was not a weapon user normally, relying more on alchemy and poisons to get his objectives completed.

“I’ve brought you here to hunt Zolall,” Azar explained as they started walking on a trail through the woods, “Since you have some training, I expect you to handle the creatures effectively. They are poisonous and rely on their tails for weapons, so discretion is of utmost importance. If you startle them, they can fly and use their venom,” He said as he stepped through the path.

“Is there anything you wish to learn of me, apprentice?” Azar asked after a moment of silence.

@LadyRen

 

[Freyja]

His response surprised her even though she knew all about his reputation. It was simply even more straightforward that she had expected and yet the first response her features gave him was the subtle smirk that tugged at her lips. Gladly she'd obey. That was beyond questioning.

"I'm looking forward to it, Master" Freyja was ambitious, eager even when it came to practical things and this seemed to be something very practical. She then started following, his words echoing through her mind. She didn't doubt he'd teach her much more than her old master could have ever tried, and she couldn't wait.

He then explained and she offered a quick nod before she looked up at him, meeting his gaze. "You want to acquire the poison?", she concluded, not doubting it would come in handy for a potion master. "How large and fast are they?", Freyja was no stranger no hunting at all, but the more information, the better.

They were just entering the forest, yet the few trees soon turned into thicket. Her senses were already alerted and she attentively glanced around while she stayed on the lookout for presences. His next question was even more unexpected, and she studied him in silence for a moment, actually having a few questions on her mind.

Freyja neither lacked the confidence nor the directness, so she bluntly asked, "Those Purebloods at the party...they all seemed to suck up to you, which is impressive. Have you already been acquainted with them all or was it just the first impression that mattered?". There was something about his aura she found mesmerizing. It wasn't ruthlessly intimidating, but commanding respect and authority, pride and dignity alike. The power hierarchy had been clear that night and she was intrigued to learn his ways of asserting himself like that.

"Also, what made you specialize on alchemy?". Freyja was naturally curious, so she also wanted to know whether it was an aptitude or paths that had just aligned for him.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Azar smirked as she asked right away if he intended to acquire the poison. She had been paying attention to his line of study, “Observant. And yes, I intend to extract the poison for a potion,” He shrugged vaguely at the other questions, “I have only read academic reports. They are fast if they get into the air, hence the discretion needed to catch them.”

He gave an amused chuckle at her blunt question. She wouldn’t be punished for it - he had opened the floor to her, “You weren’t paying attention if you thought it was only the Purebloods,” He said with a smirk, “First time for some, acquainted with others. It matters little as the results are the same. Is that who you wish to be?” Azar asked her, just as bluntly.

Their path took them deeper into the woods. This was where Azar started to slow down, turning towards her as she asked her question about alchemy, “I was born to study it. In my upbringing, everyone was born into the role they would be play in life. Alchemy was destined to be mine. I rejected it initially, but found my way back to it because I’m just that damn good at it,” He grinned at the acolyte, “And I embrace intelligence over brute force.”

Azar pointed to the dark path through the trees, “You will go alone to capture one of the beasts. I will wait for you,” He said, “Let the Force guide you. If you need to contact me, you must rely on the Force. Search for my presence and search for my thoughts and you will find your way to me. But physically? You will do this alone,” He gave her a nod, “Stay alive, apprentice.”

@LadyRen

 

[Freyja]

She nodded at his description, but given that he didn't have a full plan, she took out her phone and literally tried to look them up for additonal information. She was someone who could improvise quickly, but if there was something else to them, she would have prefered to just know.

She learned that it was nocturnal, so that did at least help a little, but she figured she'd have to see for herself first. As he added that the Purebloods weren't the only ones under his spell, her lips curled into a smirk again. She hadn't missed that others had thrown him similar looks, but for her it had been most obvious with the other Purebloods.

He asked a question back and this time her answer didn't just shoot right out as it wasn't that easy to answer. She surely had her ambitions, but as she simply didn't know how it felt to be in such a position, she couldn't fully anticipate whether she'd wants others to respect or fully fear her...

"It's always good to be in control of situations and in this regard I really view you as some kind of a role model", she admitted truthfully, therefore not denying commanding a certain amount of respect wouldn't come in handy. She then intently listened to his explanation, finding it interesting that he had somewhat always been destined to pursue alchemy while her life had been the exact opposite.

"Interesting...", she did appreciate getting to know him further as it would probably help them getting along better, but she was still,, curious. "Do you think if you hadn't been born to study alchemy, your path would have still brought you towards it?". They kept zigzagging through the forest to avoid trees and fallen branches while the canopy above grew denser.

"Alright, will do", she nodded, a smirk still on her lips before she briefly took a breath. It was just fair, even if he wanted the poison she was here to learn, so she didn't question his instructions. Reaching out with the Force to sense her surroundings, she ventured deeper into the forest, carrying on by herself.

Bold and confident as she was, she wasn't afraid to press on alone, but she still stayed somewhat cautions while she let the Force guide her. There were life forms resounding all around, but given that it wasn't even dusk yet, she was certain the Zolalls were asleep.

Nocturnal predators were almost exclusively lone hunters, at least that was what she had always gatherex from her experience, so she also wasn't expecting a full pack, but while she continued onwards she soon sensed a dormant, however much stronger and somewhat fierce presence ahead. She immediately slowed down and carefully continued, not wanting to make any unnecessary sounds.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Azar had to smirk at her question. She was certainly smart with the questions and insightful. It made her pleasant company, and won several points with him, “When I came out into the greater galaxy, I wondered exactly that..so I attempted to fashion myself into a warrior,” He chuckled to himself, “I was dreadful at it,” Azar admitted, “I knew then I had a natural affinity for what I do today,” Azar gave her a smile, “It is a wonderful feeling - knowing exactly who you are. If I do my job right, you will find the same.”

As Freyja walked through the forest, she would hear multiple creatures and small critters all around. She would hear some scurrying and spot a hairless creature on a branch looking in the other direction. By sheer luck, it hadn’t picked up on her movements yet. The beast’s wings were folded and the long, lethal tail was lazily swishing back and forth. From the looks of it, the beast was too focused on glaring at another Zolall that was hanging around too close to its territory.

Freyja would be able to get in close and choose her preferred form of an attack. However, that didn’t mean it would avoid startling the flock. She had to play this carefully.

@LadyRen

 

[Freyja]

What he said made sense, but it wasn't simply logic that intrigued her. Learning about his true motives helped her understand him and who he really was, all the rumors at the Academy aside. It also wasn't just that, but him presenting himself rather optimistic in terms of her training made her smirk, too.

She didn't doubt he was extremely capable at alchemy, and he had helped Karys complete his training as an acolyte, too, so she was optimistic as well, but she was also beginning to get along rather well with him in general. "Interesting...I guess it's good that you tried a different path, as it led you back to where you were supposed to be".

It seemed they were quite alike indeed. She had to find her place in this galaxy still, but with guidance, she was confident she would. She, too, was resourceful and cunning, not someone to just storm right in. She was stronger than she looked, yet she preferred more subtle approaches.

It seemed like it was exactly what was needed here in the thicket and so by following the presence, she soon approached the first Zolall ahead of her, sitting on a branch, its attention somewhere else. She slightly tilted her head to the side, not making any noises while she quickly assessed the weird creature.

It was hairless, the spiked tail swishing back and forth and even from behind, the weird creature looked somewhat terrifying. Without weapons, how was she supposed to take it out? For a moment, a few ideas ran through her mind before she short-handedly settled on one.

Maybe weakening it first was her best bet and it had to come down somehow...so as it was still sitting on its branch, she reached out with the Force and targeted and old, slightly brittle looking branch above the Zolall and violently tugged at it. From the looks of it, a storm had already taken its toll on the branch, but even if it didn't come crashing down onto it, it would potentially alert the rivaling Zolall enough to agitate it - them fighting would most certainly also result in a win for her, so she did her best to stay hidden for now.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

The branch snapped off easily and slammed down on the Zolall. The beast gave a shrill cry as it tumbled to the ground and flailed around, unable to spread its wings and fly. Freyja had a small window to kill it. A moment later, there was a flurry of movement as several of them flew out of the trees in a panic. There was confusion on the source of the disturbance, so they initially frantically flew around directionless. However, two of them swept around and hissed before attempting to launch a glob of poison right at Freyja. If that didn’t work they would attempt to smack her with their tails.

Meanwhile, outside of the clearing, Azar could hear some commotion, but he assumed his apprentice would have things under control. He sat down and began to meditate, opening his thoughts if she needed to reach back out to him.

@LadyRen

 

[Freyja]

A moment later and her manipulation of the Force resulted in the beast crashing down, the branch on top of it creating a deadly trap- not deadly per se, but as Freyja bolted over, picked up a dangerously pointy stick and mercilessly rammed the wood into the hairless, flailing creature's neck, it became deadly real quick.

A slightly triumphant smirk tugged at her lips, but it didn't last long as two other creatures were fairly aware of the Ashen haired acolyte already. "Oh uh", now that was a problem. Gritting her teeth, she had to roll to the side, barely avoiding the loads of poison and then the spiked tails before she tried to calculate her odds right on the spot.

One was dead, Azar had made it clear that he wanted her to acquire the poison, but for now running was her best bet, she figured quickly, and so she made a run for the nearest cover, which was a fallen tree trunk. She slid under it, hoping that her breaking the line of sight would buy her some time or perhaps even make them leave.

She'd literally let out a little panicked screeched before making it under the tree as noticed that without actual weapons, they'd either lose interest in her or she was mildly screwed. One way or another, Azar would most certainly hear her scream why she tried her best to keep her cool. The panic was fueling her from within, yet she had a feeling the hairless monsters were just preparing to unleash their full horrors onto her in a bit.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Azar could sense his apprentice’s panic even before he heard the scream. It was a natural, expected response. He wasn’t foolish enough to think fear couldn’t happen on such a task. However, it was how she harnessed the fear that mattered. Freyja would feel his presence in her mind, one that was almost comforting to remind her she wasn't alone.

‘They fear you just as you fear them,’ His voice would echo in her thoughts, ‘Fear can become a tool in the Dark Side. Focus. Use it to manipulate them.’

If she attempted, she could try to cause chaos and panic within the creatures to make them easier to kill. They would then be easily slammed into trees or the ground if they lost their focus. However, it would require Freyja to find her own discipline. There was no threat from failure from Azar, only the expectation of success.

@LadyRen

 

[Freyja]

Freyja was used to her old master simply throwing her into shitty situations and watching her struggle and fight for her life with in odd delight. Thus, the sudden familiar presence that came rushing in almost scared her for a moment. She could tell it was him and that it was calm came as a surprise as she was half expecting getting yelled at.

Panting heavily, she squeezed herself through a spikey bush in an attempt to shake the Zolalls off, while he offered not only comforting, but oddly helpful words instead of the expecting scolding. The Beast lashed out again and barely missed her, however its eyes as wide as hers. He...was right, and he had just offered her exactly what she had needed in the dire situation.

Gritting her teeth again, she let the darkness flow right through her. The two beasts were agitated, yet she now realized that they were literally only attacking because she was an intruder, an unwelcome guest who had even slain another beast. Harness the fear. Instead of pushing through it, she could utilize it for sure.

Her gaze locked onto the first hairless monster with fierce determination bleeding into her gaze. Instead of backing away further, she reached out with the Force and into the creature, attempting go stir up as much terror as possible. Passion. She remembered those words of him, too, and by using her own panic as a source to harness more power from, she threw the Force against the Zolall nearest to her.

The Beast was immediately flying backwards, colliding with the tree behind it, wincing in pain. Agony. Another source of strength and Azar's subtle words of support pushed her further. Her skin burned as it was scratched in various places and she glared at the second flying beast, which was now, however, contemplating its next move.

She was almost convinced it was scared of enough as it suddenly charged at her, forcing her to move out of the way of its poisonous attack again, however the little detail she had now overlooked was that there was a relatively steep slope behind her that immediately made her loose her footing with a high pitched screech.

She toppled over and began half sliding, half tumbling down, leaving the Zollal behind for now but her body severely bruised. Azar works feel her pain and the fear that once again flared up as she picked up speed. She only bareky managed to grab hold of a root, so that her descend finally stopped, but for a moment, she couldn't move. Her vision slightly blackened at the pain and disoriented, she tried to check whether she was still being pursued.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Azar could sense all of it. The pain, the fear, the shock, the fight for survival. And yet through it all, his presence was right there with her. He did not criticize her choices, but he remained present to anchor her back to the task. She was alone at the end of her run and fall, the dread of the zolall lingering just a few feet away. She would hear the screeches, would hear the rustling of leaves, and she would feel them circling around her like hawks. However, their sight was limited, and they would not descend upon her again.

‘Wait for the right moment,’ Azar’s voice echoed, ‘And retrieve the beasts.’

Azar didn’t instruct her on when, but she would know that patience was just as critical as aggression. Eventually, the noises would die down and she would have an opening to retrieve the dead zolall. Once she navigated her way back through the path, she would find Azar waiting for her. He gave her a smile, his yellow gaze glinting in the night.

“What did you learn this evening, apprentice?” He asked, "If you had to do all that over again, what would you do differently?"

@LadyRen

 

[Freyja]

Freyja was panting, the scratches the branches had inflicted on her bleeding and burning, her skin already badly bruised from her fall. She was still in cover, trying her best to suppress any noises while also trying not to move, but as the Zolalls kept circling, fear and adrenaline were still running through the acolyte.

It was tempting to lash out, fighting aggression with aggression, but in this case, she soon realized that impulsiveness wasn't the key here. She half expected them to dive for her, her pupils dilated and the Force still flowing right through her in case she needed it, but it was hard to stay focused until Azar's voice once again reminded her of she wasn't alone.

She inhaled slowly, still drawing from her own pain and the agony of the injured Zolall, until she finally sensed them leaving. She then slowly exhaled in relief, before she carefully peeked and gained certainty about how the beasts had in fact, left. She immediately started climbing back up the hill, her walk brisk yet her senses on full awareness while she looked around and tried avoiding any unnecessary noises still.

She was back at the dead hairless creature in a moment and immediately grabbed it by the legs and dragged the monster with her, trying to find the fastest way back to Azar before she'd alert the remaining Zolalls. By the time she did finally found him, her head was spinning and she dropped to her knees in exhaustion and pain, facing the ground for a moment before her gaze slowly wandered upwards.

"I learned a lot", she quietly said, and it was the full truth. On their first mission, she had perhaps learned more than her old master had ever taught her. "I need to stay more aware of my surroundings", she began, knowing them well that she shouldn't have tripped down that slope..."use my surroundings, rely on the Dark Side right away...capitalize on my enemies fear". Bring a weapon...No, Freyja didn't want to rely on tools she might not always have. "I also learned that your guiding is very valuable", and that for, she was grateful that she could rely on him.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Azar watched her collapse to the ground, dragging the ugly beast with her. He nodded at her words as he reached for a potion and gave it to her. It was standard bacta with a bit of a twist from him to numb away any pain rapidly. Azar inspected the zolall, pleased to find the poison sacs intact.

“You did well,” He said calmly, helping her to her feet when she was ready, “Making poisons and using alchemy is a very rare skill,” Azar explained, “Would you like to learn it?” He asked, actually giving her a choice. She very well could choose to specialize in melee combat and other focus areas, but as his apprentice he would present the choice of something more specialized.

@LadyRen

 

[Freyja]

Brushes the Ashen haired out of her face, she soon realized that there were still more than a few branches and leaves in her hairs. She cleared her throat before she gratefully accepted the potion and the hand, meeting his gaze almost sheepishly.

She still wasn't used to...this kind of support and care, and she didn't quite know how to handle it, but as she often wasn't a very emotional person, keeping composure was still somewhat possible for now. "Thank you...". Praise...actual praise. Something she had never really received like that before and so she could let her mind dwell on it while she was still so unable to process it.

"I would love to try...I don't have any prior experience", she admitted, "but I'm usually a quick learner", she then optimistically added - at least as optimistic as she could be after having ended up that injured. The potion was helping already, but she knew it would take a little more for her to really feel better - but that was until she felt the pain numbing.

Undoubtedly a trick of the Force, something she didn't know how to do just yet, but it left her amazed. "Poisons and potion can come in handy...but I know that alchemy is much more". She was certain she didn't know the full extend, but she knew that it could even alter weapons and armor..."How potent is the Zolall's poison?", she wanted go know as her gaze briefly flicked down to the creature.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

“It’s preferable if you know nothing about alchemy,” Azar explained, “A clean slate is easier to work with than having to erase old mistakes,” He said as he led the way back to his ship. There were plenty of places to explore on the planet, but if she wanted to learn, he had a mini alchemy space built into his ship. The pureblood set out a tarp over a table, the alchemy area outfitted with slanted flooring and drains.

“Use this scalpel and neatly separate the poison sac from the creature’s neck,” Azar instructed. He placed a bowl underneath the beast after giving Freyja some protective gloves, “The poison is very potent so do not let it touch your skin,” He cautioned. He would observe her make the cut, using his finger to show exactly where she needed to do so. If she did it successfully, a black, tar-like substance would begin to ooze into the bowl below. The stench as she cut would be horrible as well, but Azar was used to such smells from his work in this line.

@LadyRen

 

[Freyja]

justify] Molding new, free minds into the right shapes? It made sense. It was probably good that her old master hadn't managed to plant actual seeds of himself in her brain and that she always thought her thoughts were rather unpolluted and her path far from decided...she had touched upon various areas, but she was more than ready and eager to deepen her knowledge.

"Good", was all the young ashen haired woman said before she began following him, the pain now finally displaced with complete numbness. It was dulling her senses to a certain extent and she felt a little drained, but she determinantly pushed on regardless. They soon reached his ship and he casually led her into the little lab his ship comprises.

Her yellowish eyes widened before they excitedly flicked to Azar, her spirits finally lightened. "D-That's...dope!", she marveled at it for a moment (fortunately managing to suppress a 'duuuude' in her remark), finding in more than practical that he had such a space right here. She listened to his instructions intently before she carefully slipped into the gloves, just as a subtle hint of nervousity set it.

"Is there a set antidote?", she wanted to know - yes, she was genuinely curious, but it wasn't bad to now before she started cutting as well. She took a deep breath before she watched his fingers trace a line and carefully used the scalped for a small incision at first, before the first thick dark liquid began running out. "Ohhh...that's-" was all she managed to say, before, without any warning, she started gagging.

"Sorry...that's-HUUURGH", she tried again after a moment, her eyes already watery as a other gag involuntarily overcame her. The stench was absolutely terrible and she had never smelt anything like it before, so while she wasn't necessarily grossed out by the looks of it, the smell was barely bearable.

There wasn't really anything left in her stomach, so it was sour bitter bile that soon came up, but she swallowed it, coughing. "I'm sorryyy-HUURGH". Azar was completely unfazed, but she tried her best to hold her breath while she waited for further instructions.

@Sreeya