Path to Enlightenment

[Gambler]

Step by step Archeron walked up the marble paved stairs that led him to his destiny. Just a few more steps and he would reach the doors of the great temple here on Ossus. His customary sneer was plastered on his face. With an offhand motion he flicked the crimson strand of hair out of his eyes, pushing his dark wraparound sunglasses lower so that he could clearly see in the failing light. The dank almost depressing twilight was met and repelled by a sense of... peace that emanated from the temple. It was as if the denizens lived their lives out as it was meant; following the flow of destiny wherever it led. Letting the currents of time catch them up. Never struggling as a new challenge arose to smite them.

Conflicting emotions tore through Ash's mind though none of them were apparent on his blank face. He wore arrogance like a mask as if using it to shield himself from the real world. For an instant he felt a string of deep anger as he watched the Jedi who were at the summit of the temple. Unfounded and irrational, but anger all the same. A vague thought flashed through his mind. A memory? He shook his head at the thought. Even though he couldn't remember anything from his past except the age he was when he passed out he knew for a fact that he wasn't a Jedi.

"Jedi," he whispered. "Pompous fools that deserve to die. Ignorant idiots who use peace as a shield for violence. They claim to be protectors yet they allow the common people to be hurt so that their goals can be met." He jumped at his own quiet words. Where had that come from? How could the mere thought of Jedi set him off on a rant like that? He looked around quickly to be sure that no one had heard his rant. Sighing with endless relief he picked up his pace and kept his blank sneer on his face. His sunglasses still covered eyes of a swirling silver that shimmered invisibly like a stormy day.

 

[Flame]

Anaru had heard rumors about his new 3rd apprentice, Acheron. Stories that he was an arrogant donkey, stubborn, willfull and proud. Even more so that he was rude and overly confident. This was all the more reason why Anaru chose him because he is a replica of what Anaru was like as a young teenager. Overconfident, emotional, angry and proud. Anaru was going to break this pride out of Acheron one way or another.

He met Acheron out in the main temple area and saw his proud face. "The pride comes before the fall." Repeated Anaru in his mind as that was one of his favorite phrases. "Well I might as well go introduce myself." Anaru thought as he walked up and saw his apprentice sitting on a bench, he said "I am your master and if I may have the honor of introducing myself I am Anaru Oruen. It's a pleasure to teach you." Anaru said with a bow.

 

[Gambler]

With a haughty sneer Archeron stared down at his new 'master'. The man didn't appear to be that much different from Ash yet he seemed older than he looked. Slowly Ash removed his wraparound sunglasses, keeping his eyes closed in the process until he folded them and placed them in the pockets of his tight pants. Only then did he truly 'see' his master for the first time. He saw it all then as one who lived it before and was repeating it unknowingly. But ironically he seemed to remember a man similar to this one.

"Very well then," he sneered with a laughing tone. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly at what he perceived to be Anaru's mocking bow. "I am Archeron Dalon. Perhaps you haven't been told my name yet. Or perhaps you forgot it on the long walk from the Council chambers to here," he mocked, his eyes taking on a cold edge to them. "But that doesn't matter. You are here now and I have use of you. Yes, you will do your job and I will learn at your feet. A mere fledgling to the Jedi. A pawn to be tossed away when I use my usefulness. But I have news for you; I won't ever lose my usefulness. I won't be tossed away like a stray piece of trash." He growled lowly in his throat with his words.

"What?" he risked a startled glance at the sky. His preceding words registered in his mind instants after he said them. "What is it you would like to know about me.... Master?" he hesitated before using the term master. It was as if showing even the slightest amount of deference to any man wounded his pride. Wounded his high self image.

 

[Flame]

"It's great to meet you Archeron. You seem to misunderstand the jedi. Here, we are all equal and valued. True, there are ranks but in reality we are all one body and every part of the body is just as valuable as another. No one part can function with out another. As for what I would like to know about you, well perhaps you can enlighten me and tell me something that the data files haven't already informed me of?" Said Anaru slyly as he enjoyed Archeron's arrogant attitude. His apprentice was going to learn alot under Anaru for sure....

 

[Gambler]

"Equality is a lie used by the strong to subject the weak. By claiming you and I are equals you thus gain my confidence. Once you are there you subject me slowly with requests that quickly turn into orders. Once I'm used to that you will take it all for granted. Tell me what to do and I do it because you are my master. And then I will be expected to listen to Jedi Knights and Masters on the Council. There is no equality. That is merely a lie. Cloaking one word with another is a greater evil used to achieve good self proclaimed," Ash sneered vehemently. Ironically, he still had no idea where his train of thoughts originated from but he continued on with them anyway.

 

[Flame]

"No, once again you show your misunderstanding of the jedi. By claiming that you and I are equal as human beings I set myself on the same level as you. I do not necessarilly have to listen to the jedi council if it goes against my conscience. They value my opinion just as much as they value Master Dewbecca's voice or any other jedi's. Equality is attainable in a system such as ours where we all share and contribute to make the means to an end. Now, will you tell me something about yourself that you have not already shown me from our conversation?"

 

[Gambler]

"What is there to tell?" Ash quipped sarcastically. "I woke up in a secluded set of ruins on the planet Zolan not too long ago. This lightsaber was on my belt and there was a skeletal corpse holding a long hilted hammer next to me. He was dead but I was only in a comatose state. That's all there is to tell. What more do you want? Would you like to know that I felt compelled to join the Jedi? That I felt some inhumane need to seek out the power that courses through my veins just out of my immediate sight and senses? Is that what you would like to hear?" he sneered again viciously.

"Or would you like to hear some sad sob story about how I was raised and what my parents were like before they died and I came here? I don't even remember if I had parents. All I know is that my name is Archeron and this lightsaber is important to me. I might be powerful in the Force but I do not know it. I don't care how strong I am. Is that enough for you?" The words were accompanied by an arch look as Ash rose a single dark eyebrow above long black lashes and silver eyes.

 

[Flame]

"Careful Ash, anger leads to the dark side, which gives way to destruction and death. You do not want to go down that path as I almost did......" Anaru whispered barely audibly almost as if he was speaking to himself.

"If you are truly as powerful as you say you are then time will show it. Come, since you have no interest of telling me who you are exactly I will begin teaching you now."

Anaru already regretted choosing this arrogant little child. Perhaps, fate had intertwined their paths for some peculiar reason. Nevertheless, Anaru was stuck with Archeron and he was going to train him to the best of his abilties. To start with, he was going to show him how weak he was in comparison to other masters.

"Let us start with a duel, since you have unbridled strength within you. Grab a training lightsaber if the one you hold on your belt isn't one already. I already grabbed one in preparation for our duel."

Anaru ignited his blade rapidly. "Show me your best."

Said the master as he got into his fighting stance.

 

[Gambler]

Ash barked a quick laugh. "Anger? Now you have me confused with someone else. I was merely stating facts. I don't know if I am strong. I don't know if I have any potential. But at the same time I find myself with a lack of care for the matter. If I am trained and become a Jedi Knight then that's fine. If I fail and am exsponged from the Order than I'll live on as well. Nothing really matters. I have no higher purpose or explicit goals. I am mrely intent on finding out who I was and who I am." He growled as if there was a difference between the two words. And indeed to him there was quite a difference between those words. With the senuous hrace of a predator he walked over and grabbed a training lightsabet from a nearby rack. The blade ignited in his hands showing a delicate blue that washed over his hands and the ground. "But if you insist on trying to teach me a lesson to put me in my place, then I'll relish the opportunity to test you. You may have the first move," he said with a short mocking bow.

 

[Flame]

Anaru feigned an attack with his lightsaber and used the force to push his padawan into the wall and he hit with a hard thump. "Your move, show me your best" Said Anaru with a simpering smile and a mock bow at his padawan.

 

[Gambler]

An inaudible grunt of pain whispered over Ash's lips as he hit the wall. Before his back smacked against the marble lined stone he put his right foot behind him. His foot caught against the wall, stealing the momentum of his impact and the damage of the Force Push. He wasn't hurt much, but he would have to be careful with his leg now. Too much pressure after that could cause the bone at his kneecap to collapse.

"Is that your best? I thought I was supposed to receive training from a Jedi Master, not a padawan like myself," he smirked. "But fine, you say it's my turn, then I'll make my move." Hid words were accompanied by the same droll and sarcastic look on Ash's tanned face. His silver eyes shimmered emotionlessly as he watched Anaru.

Slowly he started circling towards Anaru, his saber out in front of him in a two handed grip for extra speed and strength. His footsteps echoed lightly though Ash could hardly hear anything over the sound of his own breathing and heartbeat. He could feel Anaru's heart beating. If he concentrated hard enough he could even get an idea of what the Jedi would do. Nothing detailed, but a basic outline that made it easier for him to counter it. But Ash wasn't concentrating on anything other than his next series of moves.

Abruptly he burst forward in a flurry of movement. The wind swirled and cut against him as he rose his sparkling blue saber diagonal to his left shoulder. An indecipherable battle cry edged its way pasted his open lips in his charge. He feinted to the left with what seemed like a full thrust. Before a counter attack could be issued Ash threw all of his momentum into a backlash. His cyan saber whipped back towards Anaru's chest rapidly, cutting the air with its speed and tentative power.

 

[Flame]

Anaru didn't take his apprentices' bait and he prepared for his attack. He knew his apprentices style was powerful but it was lethargic and heavy. In the end, it did more harm than good and Anaru was going to play to make up for his broad, sweeping, strikes. If his battle cry was meant to intimidate the master it did nothing of the sort.

Anaru's resolve was firmly placed in the force, and no padawan could deter it by any means. Anaru did an inside block with his lightsaber that drew him away from his opponent. Now, he was in better range. If he could wear down Ash's strength than he could defeat him with ease.

 

[Gambler]

((OOC: I tried to make it inferable that Ash was using finesse as that is his strong suite with a slightly more powerful style that makes it slightly stronger. And a two handed attack is faster than a normal one since the blade flows with extra power...))

Lithely Ash twisted his sinuous body fully to flow with Anaru's counter. A single bead of sweat dripped from his forehead from the heat of the sun. And his dark hair didn't exactly help with his natural coolant. But still Ash was slightly frustrated at how easily his attack had been parried. Emotions of anger flitted across the void of his thoughts softly, evaporating and leaving his face perfectly blank in less than a full breath of a second.

Flipping his saber fully into his right hand, Ash held the hard metal grip backwards with the hilt facing his Master. He decided that this fight might drag out for a while, so he was going to conserve his energy and use his predatory agility to counter his master's attacks efficiently. Both combatants were in close by then. He barely had a second to think before he acted. Swiftly Ash battered off a flurry of slashes. Each one flowed into the next making it seem like there was a continuous, atom shaped line of energy spearing towards Anaru's shoulder and stomach.

 

[Flame]

Anaru saw for a split second the frustration that his padawan was feeling at his ease of blocking him. Immediately, Ash seemed to grasp what his master's technique and adapt to fit the situation. He was farther along than some of his padawans.......

Using the balls of his feet, Anaru used that momentum to push him forth towards his apprentice. He went for his rib cage with one strike that missed, but then he turned around and went for a downward strike shot to the shoulder.

 

[Gambler]

Like something out of a holovid Archeron twisted a full 360 degree turn staying on the balls of his feet as he slashed in an orb of almost perfect defense to block Anaru's attack efficiently. It was flashy and left Ash slightly dizzy for a moment, but that was Ash's style. Overdone and elegant. His silver eyes bored into Anaru's more naturally colored ones as he quickly formulated an outline of what he would do. He shouldered forward intent on stabbing his blade into Anaru's chest... or so it seemed. At the last moment he twisted, falling flat against the fall, every muscle in his body going lax. Using the momentum of his slam against the wall Ash started to slash out with his blade, a low growl barred on his lips. And then something went wrong. Against all odds a small flash of blue tinted energy burst from Ash's off hand in a slight storm. The small, weak push of energy spiraled through the air at Anaru's chest. For a full second as Ash watched it he wore a look of surprise that he was able to manifest such a thing without any conscious thought about what he did. A Force Push. Something he had only been able to do once. Never had he thought he could duplicate that feat. And then his face blanked as he stabbed forward right behind the weak blue tinted energy.

 

[Flame]

((Hate to break it to you mate, but only masters have the ability to produce lightening from their hands. You'll wanna edit that.))

 

[Gambler]

((Hate to break it to you mate, but only masters have the ability to produce lightening from their hands. You'll wanna edit that.))

*cough* edited

 

[Flame]

Anaru recognized that just from this duel that Ash had the potential to be a great jedi, if he could get rid of his arrogant attitude towards others and his anger towards the council and those ahead of him. He was involved too much with power and if Anaru couldn't change that it is a possibility that he would have to release him and let go of him as his apprentice. That, however would be his last option that he would choose before using all other methods. Anaru saw the small force push coming towards him and he edged backwards slightly and was amazed by his apprentice's inward power.

However, unlike his apprentice Anaru did not pause for even a second. When Ash had paused briefly, Anaru used that time to plant his feet deep into the ground and when his stab came, he did an outside block with his lightsaber and he went for a sweep to Ash's leg, which would hopefully make him fall to the ground.

 

[Gambler]

The saber contacted with Ash's leg, sending a burst of stunning pain through his calf from the shock of impact. In actuality the pain came from his own fear manifesting as he was hit. His features twisted for a moment in pain before he blanked them. He would never allow anyone to see that he was in pain. Ash toppled to the ground and his saber flew out of his hand. The training saber had slightly burned and shocked his skin, but the impact was enough to cut the circulation off from the veins even for a second. Ash merely lay there and struggled to stand up without offering any words. He felt no emotion. No disappointment. No anger. Just a blank emotionless void that clung stubbornly to his pride.

 

[Flame]

Anaru didn't like to hurt people, he never had. Not after how much he had been hurt in the past and his painful history that followed up with it. But, he had to teach his apprentice now to be so arrogant, and one way or another he had to take a few blows to learn his lesson. Anaru went up to Ash quietly and healed him immediately.

He spoke curtly and precisely "Listen to me Ash. If you continue to show arrogance, and stick to your pride you will pay the price. I will beat your pride out of you if I have to, because you will never go anywhere in life if you consider yourself better than others and walk with your nose stuck high in the air. Is this understood?"