The Calling

[Vindictive]

Elom. A desert world filled with many abandoned mining facilities. The dark side of the force resonated on this world, especially with the deaths that haunted its surface. For Asuka, or Lady Nightingale as she was called once before, it was a wellspring of knowledge and power just waiting to be consumed. She almost waltzed along the planets surface, basking in the energy that radiated all around her. She felt closer to the force with each step.

Her movements stopped, however, when she approached an old, abandoned miner colony. She couldn't place her finger on it, but she felt a twinge of destiny coming from there, as if it was where she was supposed to be at that particular time. She made her way to the colony and, through the force, unlocked the giant colony gates that led into the marketplace. She made her way through, keeping herself alert in case there were any surprises. When she was satisfied that there was no immediate threat, she put a large distance between herself and the gate, and then took a seat in the middle of the road.

She closed her eyes and reached out to the force, learning from its guidance as she entered into a meditative state. Whatever the force brought her there for, she was sure it was for good reason. As she meditated, though, she saw images of a young girl with long, black hair and blue eyes fighting by her side with a lightsaber. Perhaps the force was showing her a new apprentice that she was meant to teach? Or perhaps this was a lost soul who was searching for the empire? Or perhaps it was both. Either or, Asuka sat and meditated, waiting patiently for whatever events that were headed her way.

 

[Tank]

Kaa'rol was sleeping in the Haranov's quarters. She'd been doing so the past three months as she traveled from planet to planet, system to system, sector to sector. Her mentor and Force guide Vahl had instructed her to locate the Sith and learn their ways. She'd been traveling along the core worlds for the past three months attempting to find a Sith to guide her among the front lines of the waning war. It was as Kaa'rol slept that Vahl visited her again, giving her a force vision of a desert world, a world of caverns and intricate mines. A world deep inside Sith and Imperial territory. Elom.

Kaa'rol awoke with a start and rushed to the bridge of her Haranov Class Freighter, The Cleaner. The ship itself had been nearly gutted by her parents. They had used the ship as a transport to herd Nerf from one end of the galaxy to another. The gunship was left with little more than shields and a moderate hyperdrive that was currently hurling through hyperspace towards Maridun, the world had long been annexed and lost by the Imperium as the power waxed and waned in the galaxy. Kaa'rol was hoping to find the remnants of a Sith outpost on the forest world. As she approached the bridge she stopped and studied Richard, her loyal lap dog pilot.

"Change of plans, Richard, we're headed to Elom." Kaa'rol said triumphantly. She was pushing away the exhaustion of the past few months and looking forward to a destination that would prove rewarding.

"Have another one of your visions?" Richard asked with slight concern. He was fine with tagging along and helping pilot The Cleanser but he didn't understand the callings Kaa'rol felt in the Force.

"Yes." Kaa'rol said shortly, not wanting to divulge any other information. She pulled up the galactic map and searched for Elom. She noticed that it was along the same hyperlane they were currently traveling. Good, we wont even have to leave hyperspace. Kaa'rol punched in the new coordinates into the navicomputer and then slumped back into the copilot's seat, and then slipped into a meditative state for the rest of the flight. It would take at least thirteen hours to get to Elom and Kaa'rol would need her rest if she was going to meet with the Sith.

---

Kaa'rol slowly left her meditative state and became aware of the world around her. Elom was currently filling the view screen of the Haranov and Richard was commencing his entry pattern. Kaa'rol extended her force awareness. It wasn't a power she was very good at but she'd be able to pick up certain imprints. There was a small colony that felt particularly powerful and Kaa'rol decided that is where Vhal was calling her. The ride down was smooth and seamless. As soon as they put down Kaa'rol was exiting the freighter as Richard took care of all the post-flight operations. She'd instructed him to stay aboard and keep the ship primed in case they needed to make a quick escape.

Kaa'rol wore nothing more than a tunic and pants, both in calm earth tones. Her lightsaber was clipped to the left side of her belt and her comlink was clipped to the right. She extended her awareness again and felt a powerful presence near the marketplace and she approached it. She knew she had found her Sith immediately. The woman was seated in the middle of the road, while there was no one else around, only a Sith would be so fearless and commanding of respect. Kaa'rol approached the woman with confidence. Vahl had told her many years ago that confidence and determination were admirable traits among the Sith.

"Excuse me, but I believe the Force is guiding me to you. Are you a member of the Sith Order?" Kaa'rol did her best not to laugh. She knew the Force was an inanimate object that could no more guide someone that a rock. But to explain to this woman who Vahl was and her relationship with Vahl would be to divulge a secret that could be her undoing.

 

[Vindictive]

Her meditation interrupted, Asuka opened her eyes and looked around until they rested on a young girl standing near her. What surprised her more was that this girl looked exactly like the one in her vision. It was no surprise to her, as the force often guided those who were meant to meet in life to each other. Calmly, she rose and turned to face the girl, eyeing her up and down and then reaching out into her mind, only to find that the mental barriers were quite strong. Whoever this girl was, it was apparent that she did have previous training in the force.

"You're correct. The force did in fact guide you to me. I am Lady Nightingale of the Sith order, but you may call me Asuka when we're alone. Tell me your name?" Asuka asked. Her voice was calm and relaxed, but firm as well. She wanted to make sure that this was in fact the girl she saw in her vision, and if so, if this girl was capable of becoming her apprentice. She could sense the raw power flowing from her, a raw power that needed refinement and form through the crucibles of training.

 

[Tank]

Kaa'rol paused patiently as the Sith probed her mind. While Kaa'rol was certain she'd be able to keep out fellow Acolytes she didn't know the strength of this woman and how much she would be able to pull from Kaa'rol's mind. Regardless Kaa'rol kept her satisfied smile, she'd found the Sith in a matter of months and even found someone willing to talk to her. Vahl was proving to be a useful asset. Hopefully Kaa'rol would be able to use Vahl much later to gain valuable footing in this Sith Order.

"You're correct. The force did in fact guide you to me. I am Lady Nightingale of the Sith order, but you may call me Asuka when we're alone. Tell me your name?" The woman named Asuka said calmly and with purpose, confident in her words and strong.

"My name is Kaa'rol Irtuc. Many of my associates call me Raven, feel free to call me whichever your linguistics can handle." Kaa'rol had been called Carol, incorrectly, by many humans and near-humans. It annoyed her greatly, so she opted to adopt an alias that those beings could call her by. "I'm a Vahla, a nomadic species. Our people are force sensitive and have a long history of...animosity toward the Jedi." Kaa'rol said offering a bit of who she was to this woman. If Vahl had led her to this woman to be trained she would need to open up eventually. But she needed to make sure this woman wasn't going to simply cut her down at first chance.

 

[Vindictive]

"Kaa'rol Irtuc... I can see how others would confuse the name with 'Carol.' You'll find I'm not so disrespectful. However, I rather like the name you've adopted for yourself; 'Raven,'" Asuka said. "As for your people being nomadic, you'll come to find that in this life, that's a trait you'll want to have. The Sith Order thrives on an endless quest for knowledge and power. Those in our order never typically stay in one place for long."

As she spoke, she circled around, once again eyeing Raven. She studied her, still trying to place where she stood in terms of how much training she would need. It was apparent that physical training wasn't needed. The girl was well built and very fit. Her focus would need to be more of a force study. "You say you've an animosity towards the Jedi. Good. Let that tense anger fuel you, as well as any other sort of emotion that resonated strongly within your being," she explained. She outstretched her hand and, using the force, telekinetically lifted one of the many rusted tools that had been laying around. She kept it suspended mid-air and brought it between them.

"As your emotion guides you, you'll discover what you're capable of. Unlike the Jedi, who feebly rely on dispatching everything that makes them a sentient being in the universe, we use the fuel of our emotion to assert our will over the force. Once we've forced it to bend to our desire," instantly, bolts of black lightning engulfed the tool, heating it to its melting point. Asuka then reached out with her other hand and, through the force, reshaped the tool into a statuette of a young man holding a sword into the air, "we can push it to its absolute limit. The more we push the limit, the larger the limit becomes. This is how power is achieved. It's how knowledge is achieved. And above all else, it's how wisdom is achieved. For how can one be wise without learning through trial and error?"

Casually, she brought the statuette to the ground and released her grip over it in the force. "These are the basics. The fundamentals of the Sith teachings that you will learn. But before I instruct you any further, I have to ask you this; what do you hope to achieve under my care?" She asked. Asuka shifted her weight and put her hands on her hips, patiently waiting for Ravens response.

 

[Tank]

"Kaa'rol Irtuc... I can see how others would confuse the name with 'Carol.' You'll find I'm not so disrespectful. However, I rather like the name you've adopted for yourself; 'Raven'. As for your people being nomadic, you'll come to find that in this life, that's a trait you'll want to have. The Sith Order thrives on an endless quest for knowledge and power. Those in our order never typically stay in one place for long." Kaa'rol listened intently, hanging on the every word of the Sith woman. Raven, it was initially given to her by a bouncer on Coruscant. He had been very taken with her and proceeded to call her 'Raven' the entire night due to her darkly colored hair. Kaa'rol had decided then that it would be a suitable alias if she ever needed to avoid using her real name. Now that she considered it though Darth Raven, had a nice ring to it. When the time came, she hoped it was a name she could adopt.

"You say you've an animosity towards the Jedi. Good. Let that tense anger fuel you, as well as any other sort of emotion that resonated strongly within your being. As your emotion guides you, you'll discover what you're capable of. Unlike the Jedi, who feebly rely on dispatching everything that makes them a sentient being in the universe. We use the fuel of our emotion to assert our will over the force. Once we've forced it to bend to our desire, we can push it to its absolute limit. The more we push the limit, the larger the limit becomes. This is how power is achieved. It's how knowledge is achieved. And above all else, it's how wisdom is achieved. For how can one be wise without learning through trial and error?" Kaa'rol listened as Lady Nightingale spoke and walked a circle around her. Kaa'rol could tell that she was studying her. Kaa'rol had spent her childhood herding Nerf, she was strong and stocky and knew it would be one of her strengths. Her species was also naturally flexible as their bone structure was made of cartilage, not actual bone.

Kaa'rol watched as Lady Nightingale took a tool and bent it to her will. First levitating it, then melting it, finally molding it to her will and setting it down on the ground again. Kaa'rol knew the woman's first question was rhetorical and didn't require a response. She waited casually for the Sith continue on. Pausing only to meditate on one line of what Lady Nightingale had said, The more we push the limit, the larger the limit becomes. This is how power is achieved. Power that I must obtain. Kaa'rol decided to keep this as her mantra, a saying that would push her through the tough years to come.

"These are the basics. The fundamentals of the Sith teachings that you will learn. But before I instruct you any further, I have to ask you this; what do you hope to achieve under my care?" Lady Nightingale asked.

Kaa'rol considered the question carefully. Vahl had brought these two together, and now it was Kaa'rol's turn to make sure she took complete advantage of the situation she had been placed in. One answer could show weakness, another answer fear. The correct answer could show a thirst for power, or a need for control. If there was a time to reveal her mission to this woman it would be now. The woman answered to the force, if Kaa'rol showed she was being led by the force maybe Asuka would take her on as an apprentice regardless of her answer.

"I do not answer to the force, I answer to my goddess Vahl. She has instructed me to come here, she has instructed me thus far in the ways of the force. She has given me a mission to save my people from the vile Jedi. I must come to the Sith, to you, for training and when I have learned all I can and pleased Vahl; I will lead the Sith against the Jedi and against the weaker beings of my species who would turn to the light side of the force." Please with the first part of her response Kaa'rol paused to let the extent of what she was saying sink in with Asuka.

"I wish to be a master of the mind and all things elemental. I wish to inflict excruciating pain upon my enemies and those who are stuck in their self-righteous ways. Those who are like my parents were." There was an unnatural fury building up inside Kaa'rol a fury aimed at Kaa'rol's parents and those who skirted away from the dark side of the force. "I wish to become a master of Djem So, and like a waterfall I shall cascade down over my enemies." The fury began to build more, Kaa'rol submitted to it and let it empower her, not limit her.

The more we push the limit, the larger the limit becomes. This is how power is achieved. Kaa'rol thought to herself.

 

[Vindictive]

"Very good. Your goddess is a true god, and has displayed herself so by leading you to me. However, you will have to forgive my lack of faith. I was raised differently than you, and do not hold a faith for deities. As I train you, while you can still keep your faith, you will also need to think like me. Treat this 'Vahl' as an incarnation of the force instead of something so finite as a god or goddess. I'm certain she herself will even come to appreciate the level of respect that comes with it," Asuka said. Without saying a word, assuming that Raven was following, she began to walk to the heart of the colony. In front of them was a battle-cruiser sized ship that appeared to be inactive for quite a few years. She was positive the power cells were completely drained.

"In order to achieve your goals and to become a master, you must first learn how to fear. As redundant as it seems, learning how to fear will also teach you how to overcome it. This is something Jedi will never teach you," she explained as she faced the inactive ship. "With patience and hard work, you can earn a power over the elements so great, you could even reignite this ships core reactor. This will be my first lesson for you, to test your prowess in the force; strike that ship and reactivate it with force lightning, if you know how to create force lightning that is," she commanded.

Asuka knew that Raven wouldn't be able to reactivate the ship, but she still wanted her to try. It was a test to see how strong she was in the force. She planned on pushing the girl to her limit with the test, pushing her to the full extent of her ability. calmly, she stepped aside and patiently waited for Kaa'rol to send the sparks of lightning crackling through the desert sky.

 

[Tank]

"Very good. Your goddess is a true god, and has displayed herself so by leading you to me. However, you will have to forgive my lack of faith. I was raised differently than you, and do not hold a faith for deities. As I train you, while you can still keep your faith, you will also need to think like me. Treat this 'Vahl' as an incarnation of the force instead of something so finite as a god or goddess. I'm certain she herself will even come to appreciate the level of respect that comes with it." Kaa'rol would have liked to discuss this with Asuka in more detail. Asuka seemed to believe that the force was something alive and able to produce live beings. However, Kaa'rol didn't want to overstep her bounds with this woman whom had accepted her so quickly. Kaa'rol would have to make compromises, and while she wasn't going to compromise on Vahl, she knew there were many other beliefs that Kaa'rol would adopt or drop on her new master's command.

The pair of women walked towards a dilapidated cruiser. It looked like it had crash landed from a war that took place many centuries ago. It almost seemed that the colony had risen up around it; using it's power cells, weapons, shielding, and the countless tools inside the cruiser to build and protect the colony.

"In order to achieve your goals and to become a master, you must first learn how to fear. As redundant as it seems, learning how to fear will also teach you how to overcome it. This is something Jedi will never teach you. With patience and hard work, you can earn a power over the elements so great, you could even reignite this ships core reactor. This will be my first lesson for you, to test your prowess in the force; strike that ship and reactivate it with force lightning, if you know how to create force lightning that is." Kaa'rol scoffed at the thought of learning to fear. But as Lady Nightingale explained it Kaa'rol began to understand. While fear itself was a trait of those much much weaker than Kaa'rol; mastery of fear and control of fear. If I can control fear, I can control multitudes. Kaa'rol mused. She decided she would go along with Lady Nightingale's tasks and learn to conquer her own fears so they could never be used against her.

"Yes, I know how to create Force Lightning. I used to use it to prod Nerf onto our ship." Kaa'rol smirked as she thought back to how simple her life had been. It was only a matter of months ago, but after meeting with this woman she felt powerful and driven. She felt more in control than she had a mere matter of hours ago.

Kaa'rol turned to face the cruiser. She shifted her right foot back, loosened her shoulders and pointed her hips toward the ships main reactor. She calmed her mind and focused on the task at hand. Then like lightning itself, her emotions struck. Anger and passion surging to the front, taking on the form of blue lightning and striking the reactor first. Then she let her desire overtake her and it struck the reactor like a shock wave. Kaa'rol maintained the stream for nearly fifteen seconds. She released the lightning and listened for the satisfying sizzle as the lightning died down and receded into her palms.

Kaa'rol was simple minded. She had had no formal education, she was a Nerf herder after all. So when Lady Nightingale asked her to power up the main reactor she figured it was a possibility. Lightning was electricity and electricity powered a reactor so why wouldn't it work? Kaa'rol knew nothing of the workings of reactors and their internal components. She didn't know that the electricity flowing from her hands had done more damage to the reactor that time itself had done. Education, or lack thereof, was her greatest weakness. If she didn't rectify that soon it may be her greatest pitfall.

"If I cannot do it, it is impossible." Kaa'rol surmised. There was a flash of anger in her eyes as she realized she had failed her first test under her master. Vahl had warned her that the Sith were tricky and used deception to get there way. Kaa'rol should have suspected a trick for her first test, from here on out she would be more wary.

"I fear failure, set me up to fail if you wish to truly want me to learn to control my fear." Kaa'rol said calmly. She was worried her new master may abandon her after that failure. So she turned her failure into a teaching point in an attempt to skirt away from the fact that she wasn't as powerful as she new she could be under the right Master.

 

[Vindictive]

She watched as the sparks of blue lightning engulfed the power cell, causing sparks and flares to erupt all over the cylindrical object. Even though the test had failed, she displayed the dark side in her actions and used her anger and passion to fuel the charge. Asuka smiled. There was just as much success in the test as there was failure, yet the failure needed to be completely gotten rid of.

"If I cannot do it, it is impossible," she said, a glimpse of anger crossing her eyes. Asuka turned her attention to Raven as she spoke, her conscious reaching out and analyzing Ravens thought patterns. The girl feared failure, as she stated, but felt as though Asuka would run after only one test. As she analyzed further into her mind, she noticed glimmers and thoughts of how little education she recieved in her past. It only made sense that she didn't understand the inner workings of a cruiser such as the one they faced. Hell, even Asuka didn't know all the details that went into them.

"Wrong. Do not give up so easily after one failure. You fear failure, therefore the only way to overcome it is to not fail. But even the greatest of the ancient Sith lords knew that perfection takes years of honing and practice. I myself even train every single day through meditation and practice. Such is the way of any sentient," she explained as she stepped forward.

"Consider this, my young apprentice; metal itself is a conduit for electricity. That cruiser is made almost entirely of metal. While I asked you to charge the reactor, I also instructed you to power the ship. Sometimes you have to think outside the box and look at the bigger picture. Instead of seeing just one piece of the whole, look at the whole itself. Don't channel your energy to one part, or you might damage that one part for the rest of the ship," she said. She faced the ship and entered into a similar stance as her apprentice, but instead of angling her hips, she leaned her entire body towards the ship.

"Observe," she said. Within the next instant, Asuka released a storm of black lightning from her outstretched hands; a storm that engulfed the entire ship. The longer she held the storm, the more intense it became. The dark side resonated so deeply, one could almost swim in it. Asuka wasn't trying to show off, however. There was no point since they were the only two around. Instead, she was showing Raven what she hoped for her to be able to do. While the black lightning looked fierce and deadly, it also looked like a work of art.

After a few moments, the loud ignition and roar of the engines echoed through the roads and allies of the colony. Almost all the rusted lights turned on, several of them exploding after a couple of seconds. The reactor could be heard from miles away as it whirred to life. But as soon as the ship came to life, Asuka ceased the storm, causing it to revert back to its stasis of unavailable power. Satisfied with the results, she turned to Raven once more.

"Now that I have shown you it is indeed possible; try again. This time, instead of focusing all of the lightning into one focal point, spread it out equally over the entire ship. This will tire you, and you will face failure. However, what I do not expect and what I will not tolerate is giving up. You must always keep this in mind; while I am not as traditional with failure as the other masters are, I am strict and adamant about giving up. I can sense the wellspring of power deep within your core. You are powerful. The goal now is to unleash all that power," she explained. Once again, she stepped aside and allowed her apprentice to attempt once more at the ship. The goal was the same, and she wouldn't let her quit until she collapsed from exhaustion, or completed the task. She would make a powerful Sith out of Raven, that much she was sure.

 

[Tank]

"Wrong. Do not give up so easily after one failure. You fear failure, therefore the only way to overcome it is to not fail. But even the greatest of the ancient Sith lords knew that perfection takes years of honing and practice. I myself even train every single day through meditation and practice. Such is the way of any sentient." Kaa'rol didn't like the chiding but he took it in stride and took the time to learn what Asuka was attempting to teach her. Kaa'rol would not fail again, she would find a way to win and if she couldn't find a way to win she would change the rules of the game so she could win.

"Observe." Asuka said, she entered her stance and unleashed a fury of black lightning so extreme Kaa'rol had to take a step back. The dark side power was so deep Kaa'rol could feel it swirling around her. It was beautiful, warm, and soothing to Kaa'rol's soul. The ship kicked to life, the engine whirring slowly at first and then roaring deeply. Lights all around the colony that were long ago powered by the ship were coming on, many of them popped and shattered from the massive surge of power, adding a deep orange shower of sparks to the black swarm of lightning. It truly was a beautiful display. As suddenly as it had come, it ceased. The ship's engines died down and the colonies street lamps blinked out.

"Now that I have shown you it is indeed possible; try again. This time, instead of focusing all of the lightning into one focal point, spread it out equally over the entire ship. This will tire you, and you will face failure. However, what I do not expect and what I will not tolerate is giving up. You must always keep this in mind; while I am not as traditional with failure as the other masters are, I am strict and adamant about giving up. I can sense the wellspring of power deep within your core. You are powerful. The goal now is to unleash all that power." Kaa'rol let out a deep breath. She would not fail this time. She'd seen how to power the ship and she would now be able to preform the task.

Kaa'rol readied herself again, assuming the same position she had before. She once again channeled her hatred and passion. The lightning flew from her fingertips and struck the broadside of the cruiser. It began to conduct through the ship and envelope it completely in electricity. The engines didn't whir, the lights didn't even flicker. Kaa'rol was growing closer to failure. She wasn't going to be able to do it and again she would have to face her new master with defeat.

No! I will not fail. Kaa'rol used her fear to fuel her attack. The surge of lightning flowing from her fingers was greater than anything she'd ever produced. The effect was fantastic. The engines began to whirl slowly, nothing like Lady Nightingale had produced, but the engine turbines were turning. The lights on the street were flickering. Kaa'rol had tapped into her fear and found it to be more powerful that her anger and passion combined. Kaa'rol released the lightning from her control and dropped down to one knee. The move had drained her of all her energy. She would have to rest for a few minutes before she did anything else; but at the same time she didn't want to appear weak.

"What now master?" Kaa'rol sputtered through a victorious pant.

 

[Vindictive]

After a few moments, Kaa'rol unleashed her own storm of lightning over the surface of the ship. It was stronger, definitely, but seemed to be not enough to power the ancient warship. But, when all else seemed to be failing, the storm picked up in energy, empowering it more so. Asuka could feel the strength being poured into the lightning, being fueled from fear, anger, and hatred. The dark side grew and grew with each passing second until finally, the ship whirred and sparked to life. Raven had achieved her goal.

"What now master?" She asked in between exhausted, yet accomplished, pants. Asuka simply smiled. The girl was going to be a very big and important asset that the Sith wouldn't be able to afford to lose.

"Come with me on a walk, my apprentice. Learn from the same wisdom I have learned from," Asuka said as she casually walked by Kaa'rol, expecting her to follow. She led her through the heart of the colony, taking obscure and small roads and allies. The buildings even gave the feeling of death, treachery, and malice, as if they would swallow one whole for no other reason than to be evil.

"In my travels, I have taught many. I have been places in my very short life which most wouldn't even dream existed. Each place the force had brought me to, letting me witness its power and threads of life and death in all aspects of this galaxy. The force has shown me many things that have come, that are happening now, and things that could yet come to pass. Each vision held some weight of purpose in my heart. It is no coincidence that you were brought to me," she explained as they walked.

"Your goddess, Vahl, as you call her, is a very powerful being indeed to have such a commanding aura over the living, even from another realm. However, as you will hear a lot, she is what the Sith call "Force Ghosts." But even for us, we hold Force Ghosts with very high regard and respect; they exist on the same realm that the force exists in. They can directly tap into its power. As we have studied, though, that can also be an undoing. That is why Vahl can claim to be a goddess and truly be one; she hasn't perished from the rawpower," she said.

"As a Sith, though, you will need to focus more on your own connection in the force. Respect and awe your goddess, but under my training, you must spend more of your focus on the force," she said. Then, she stopped mid-trek. They were at a wide, open area that appeared more like a trading post than an ally. "Now... This is your next test. Take all the time you need to gather your strength back to full capacity, and don't go a moment sooner, and engage me with your lightsaber. Show me the might of your blade arm," she commanded, igniting the red-glowing, black-cored darksabers as they flew from her hips to her hands. She spun them, getting adjusted to the weights once again, and rested them in the reverse-grip position.

"I am ready when you are," she said, waiting patiently.

 

[Tank]

Kaa'rol recovered enough to stand and began walking with her new master. With every step she drew more and more force energy to her. She needed to be able to regain her focus and mental fortitude. She was still very strong and her well toned muscles were carrying her while her mind attempted to recover from the massive exertion.

"Your goddess, Vahl, as you call her, is a very powerful being indeed to have such a commanding aura over the living, even from another realm. However, as you will hear a lot, she is what the Sith call "Force Ghosts." But even for us, we hold Force Ghosts with very high regard and respect; they exist on the same realm that the force exists in. They can directly tap into its power. As we have studied, though, that can also be an undoing. That is why Vahl can claim to be a goddess and truly be one; she hasn't perished from the rawpower," Asuka explained as the pair walked. Kaa'rol accepted Lady Nightingale's explanation. It made perfect sense. The woman she'd been worshiping as a goddess was no goddess at all. Just a simple manifestation of the force. If the force was just a tool, and Vahl a manifestation of the force, then Vahl was nothing more than a tool. Kaa'rol would find a way to use Vahl, find a way to take advantage of the powerful woman, all in due time. She couldn't afford to lose sight of the present.

They came to a crossroads. It looked like it might have been a bustling marketplace at one point in time but now it was nothing more than an open arena. The wind was beginning to pick and a light breeze tossed sand and hair into the air. Kaa'rol had recovered enough to focus on what Lady Nightingale was saying and soak it all in. The woman would be a good teacher, she led with an open mind and taught like a woman who had lived a thousand lifetimes. The Sith would make good friends. Their history had taught them to watch where they stepped, history had created a cautious and powerful being. Something Kaa'rol hoped she could grow into one day.

"Now... This is your next test. Take all the time you need to gather your strength back to full capacity, and don't go a moment sooner, and engage me with your lightsaber. Show me the might of your blade arm. I am ready when you are." The next challenge had come. Kaa'rol knew she wouldn't be able to do as well at this challenge as the previous one. She only knew the basic form and concepts of Djem So. Vahl had taught her in visions, but she'd never been able to practice against a live target. Kaa'rol trusted Lady Nightingale to teach her how to master Djem So, even if her master didn't know the form she could provide Kaa'rol with a valuable sparring partner.

Kaa'rol unclipped her lightsaber from her belt and ignited the blade. It's blue hue opposed Asuka's dark blades beautifully. She spun the blades around calmly as she tested the weight of the saber. Djem So focused widely on establishing a solid defense and using that defense as a building block to attack from. Not only was Djem So a fierce lightsaber form, but it looked marvelous when practiced my a master. Kaa'rol assumed the starting position, feet beneath her, lightsaber held above her head and behind her angled downward slightly. She stepped within range of her new master and began to circle her like a bird of prey. Kaa'rol waited until she was perfectly positioned with Asuka on Kaa'rol's left. Then she struck.

Kaa'rol brought her lightsaber down in a vertical slash over Asuka's head. Kaa'rol immediately rotated the blade down in a clockwise motion protecting her entire left side to a counter attack. She continued the flowing defense around in a counter-clockwise figure eight motion waiting for her master's counter attack.

"I'm not a great swordsman yet, but with practice I think you'll find me a formidable opponent." Kaa'rol said cockily.

 

[Vindictive]

As the blue lightsaber advanced downward towards Asuka's head, her right darksaber moved upward to defend against it, while she spun around and struck at her back. If her apprentice was careless, well the mark that the darksaber left would show her the errors of arrogance. But if she was quick to react in a defensive manor, just as her saber technique taught, she would be able to block the strike with ease, even if there were two lightsabers. Asuka felt that Juyo was the best remedy for training a user in the arts of Djem So. While she had studied the technique, she never cared to practice it or apply it. Her defenses lied in the force, not through a saber.

"With practice, you could turn Form One, Sho Chii, into a more violent lightsaber form than Ataru or Juyo. However, you must remember to make your defenses impenetrable, especially when dueling with only one lightsaber. There are some who are so skilled, they wield two double-bladed lightsabers," she explained. If her attack was defended against as she expected, she would strike with her free arm towards Kaa'rol's neck while sweeping her foot under her leg.

If Kaa'rol was able to block the second strike and move out of the way from her foot, she would back away a couple of steps to reassume her battle-stance, also giving her apprentice time to readjust. This was the first duel she'd ever had with Kaa'rol, therefore she was going to take dueling in steps. She wanted Kaa'rol to give her all, but Asuka herself would hold back until she felt Kaa'rol was ready. There was no sense in killing her apprentice accidentally when she had just started her training.

 

[Tank]

Kaa'rol's preemptive defense was put to good use. She caught Asuka's lightsaber and batted it back away from her. Djem So taught to counter attack after every block but Kaa'rol found that impossible when dealing with her dual wielding Master. As soon as Kaa'rol blocked the first strike from her master she had to bring her lightsaber back up to avoid a head severing slash from Asuka's free saber. Kaa'rol's defense was solid. It would be easy for her to block her Master's attacks at this rate. If Lady Nightingale became more ferocious in her attack, Kaa'rol was bound to miss a lightsaber and lose a limb.

Kaa'rol was too occupied watching the twin blades to notice Asuka's legs lashing out towards Kaa'rol's. Kaa'rol landed on her back and rolled backward to stand up. Her master had not pressed the attack and allowed Kaa'rol time to get up.

"With practice, you could turn Form One, Sho Chii, into a more violent lightsaber form than Ataru or Juyo. However, you must remember to make your defenses impenetrable, especially when dueling with only one lightsaber. There are some who are so skilled, they wield two double-bladed lightsabers." Asuka said giving Kaa'rol a lesson as they both reset and got ready for their next engagement.

"Maybe when I've perfected this form I'll look into those. If I can use the force as my weapon than my lightsaber will be my shield. I have no interest in double bladed lightsabers. To me, I see my lightsaber as a scalpel. It makes precision cuts when I'm ready to slice, the force is my tank. Lashing out boldly and wildly, distracting my opponent until I'm ready to strike." Kaa'rol explained. She brought her lightsaber back into her ready form. She rotated the lightsaber around her body and brought it to bear in front of her. In another fluid motion she struck with an upward vertical slash. She backed up again returning to her defensive stance awaiting Lady Nightingale's next strike.

 

[Vindictive]

She listened to Kaa'rol as she described her techniques in combat. it was a good idea, indeed, and a quick method of thinking. "That's a very quick way of thinking," she commented, "but what if you entered a duel with someone who used the force and lightsaber combat simultaneously?" She quized before charging her darksabers with her black force lightning. She raised her right saber to block, which would channel a bit of the lightning to her apprentice and shock her a small bit. Enough to be noticed and distract.

Her other saber, though, would come one again towards the midsection. If her apprentice was too slow to react from the shock of the deflect, she wouldn't make contact with her. Asuka wasn't planning on killing her apprentice. She knew a thing or two about mercy, at least. Instead, she would stop just above the skin, enough for the lightning to reach her, and add a telekinetic blast that would knock her to her back.

She was curious to see how her apprentice would react to such a situation.

 

[Tank]

"That's a very quick way of thinking, but what if you entered a duel with someone who used the force and lightsaber combat simultaneously?" Kaa'rol took the praise with a grain of salt. While it may be good thinking, the fact of the matter was Kaa'rol was no expert and she still had much to learn. Lady Nightingale's words tipped Kaa'rol off to what was coming next and she steeled herself as she waited for the onslaught to begin.

As Kaa'rol's blade came down on Asuka's a jolt of electricity surged through Kaa'rol's body. It stunned her momentarily but she was able to regain control quick enough to block Asuka's second strike, which came again with another surge of electricity. This time Kaa'rol was ready for the shock and was able to recover even quicker. What she wasn't ready for however was the telekinetic blast, it knocked Kaa'rol on her back for the second time in just as many minutes. She didn't like it. Her anger began to rise and her blood began to boil in the face of humiliation and failure, failure which she feared. She channeled her fear through her.

Kaa'rol jumped to her feet and lept towards her new master. If their blades couldn't touch then Kaa'rol would have to find another way to fight. Keeping her guard high, she feinted a third vertical slash, instead she dropped low and attempted to kick her master's feet out from under her. She carried through the kick and when she rose she let out a blast of force lightning. Her master might be holding back but Kaa'rol felt she still needed to prove herself. She came down with another vertical slash, this time she readied herself for the shock from the saber and would hold the attack until her master let go.

Arrogance, arrogance was Kaa'rol's biggest weakness. She had no defense for a lightsaber like her Master's but she would push through the pain and keep attacking until she couldn't feel the burning coursing through her body anymore. Her cartilaginous structure was creating a good conductor for the electricity and there was no doubt that the electricity was effecting Kaa'rol more than it would a human or bone structured species.

"Once we're done here you'll have to show me that trick." Kaa'rol said through pain gritted teeth.

 

[Vindictive]

Just as soon as her apprentice fell to the ground, she rose back to her feet and lept with no hesitation or fear in her movements. Instead, that fear was translated into anger, and that anger became her fuel. She came down hard and struck vertically once again, ignoring the shock from the lightning that coursed her darksabers, and tried to kick her feet under. Asuka smiled as she saw what was coming and decided to entertain, curious of what she would do.

She slid her foot out of the way and faked the fall, landing on her back with her darksabers in an "X" pattern in front of her as she felt the surge of energy course through her apprentice's body and emerge in the form of force lightning. The darksabers absorbed the lightning, and caught the next vertical strike before Kaa'rol backed away. Through gritted teeth, Raven commented "Once we're done here you'll have to show me that trick."

Asuka smiled and rose to her feet, switching off her darkssabers and returning them to her hips. "You will most certainly learn how under my instruction. We have concluded this test. Your saber skill is quite well achieved for someone who had to train themselves or under the tutor of an entity. I am quite impressed. Come; I have but two more tests to see where your skill is," Asuka said, allowing her a moment of rest before they continued.

"Are there any questions you wish to ask, my apprentice?" She asked as she led her through the allies and streets once more.

 

[Tank]

"You will most certainly learn how under my instruction. We have concluded this test. Your saber skill is quite well achieved for someone who had to train themselves or under the tutor of an entity. I am quite impressed. Come; I have but two more tests to see where your skill is." Kaa'rol was well pleased she'd made a good impression on her new master. It seemed that everything was going quite well for her so far and she was very excited to see what new tricks her master had up her sleeve for these next two challenges.

Asuka gave Kaa'rol a moment of rest, which she desperately needed. That last bout had really sapped the energy out of her. If they'd continued on Kaa'rol might have needed to call for a respite. She took a few deep breaths, called the force to herself and was ready to continue on. Lady Nightingale led her through the streets again, Kaa'rol was surprised at the lack of human presence in the colony. The world itself seemed to be a ghost town, with most of the indigenous population living underground, but it seemed strange to happen upon a seemingly uninhabited colony.

"Are there any questions you wish to ask, my apprentice?" Asuka asked. There was a patient and kind tone behind the voice. Kaa'rol liked that, it gave her the confidence going forward that Asuka wouldn't leave her by the wayside when the next best thing came along. Her master had also already shown that she was relentless and would push Kaa'rol harder than anyone else could. Kaa'rol hoped the two would forge a strong relationship and work together for a long time.

"I would like to know a bit of your history. Where you're from, your journey in to and through the Sith. But most importantly, have you ever had an apprentice before?" Kaa'rol asked. She wanted to know more about the woman training her. She wanted to make sure that the two truly were a good match. Kaa'rol planned to be with the Sith for a long time. She would need to find and save her people from the evils of the Jedi and she wasn't looking to blow through her training and rush off on her mission. When she was a true Sith Lord only then would she be prepared to face the Jedi alone and be her peoples protector and cleanser.

EDIT: Post #500 :CScool

 

[Vindictive]

Asuka thought long and hard about her answer before speaking. "Yes, I've had apprentices before," she finally said after a few moments of internal debate. "Some died, while some simply moved on. My number for apprentices is low, simply because I am very selective and picky on who I choose to teach. My only other pupil who did not run or become too obsessed with power is Slypher," she admitted.

"As for my past... It is a long and checkered one. You'll have to pardon some of it; half of my life was lost from my memory," she explained. "The most I literally remember is waking in an apartment building and finding a datapad with a note on it. Other than that, I had to research my past actions and the events I was involved in. I know this much; I was orphaned and raised by a Sith, therefore this way of life is all I know," she said, preparing to tell a long story of her past.

"In my early days, I was young, reckless, and hot-headed. Even as a child. I was disobedient, I would rather be with friends who never stuck around, and brushed off my studies. I was punished often, but it made me stronger today. The training was harsh, but it made me strong. And my studies were long, but they made me wise. Many are surprised to hear how rebellious I was in those days, and are astonished at the woman I have become.

"As a crusader, I was very competitive. I would challenge other Sith, try and get more kills than my peers, and would hone my own power. I was the stereotype of the Sith from my day and age. I did become powerful, though. Power enough to attract the attention of a powerful Sith lord who became jealous of my fame. She challenged me, and I killed her. That was the most difficult duel of my life. When I killed her, though, I was promoted to the rank of master," she said, pausing for a moment.

"That's all I was able to find out about myself before my amnesia, though. When I woke, all I know is that I became a different person. I no longer have the need to prove myself because I know how capable I am and am very confident in myself. I've been to the outer reaches of the galaxy, seen the tombs of Lords such as Darth Sideous and Darth Kryat. I've communed with Darth Bane and learned from his wisdom. As you hatch from your shell as Acolyte, you too will have the choice to go and journey to discover power on your own. You won't need to rely on the weaknesses of other companions as well; you'll only have friends around for emotional support.

"Of course, because of the lapse in memory, I was demoted from the rank of master to the rank of Crusader. I find myself still having to work hard, but I've so much more of a better start. If there is anything you learn from me, at least learn the importance of wisdom over power, for without wisdom, power is meaningless," she said, waiting for her apprentice's response.

 

[Tank]

Kaa’rol listened patiently as Lady Nightingale told her story. When she finally finished and paused Kaa’rol knew that Lady Nightingale was waiting for a response. Kaa’rol thought Lady Nightingale had answered all of her queries just fine but there were a few gaps Kaa’rol would like to have explained.

“Where is Slypher now? What position does he have in the Order?” Kaa’rol was testing her master now. If she was indeed powerful her apprentice would be too. If Slypher had failed to grow beyond a crusader in a legitimate amount of time then maybe it was a mistake for Kaa’rol to align herself with one of the Sith Order’s weaker members.

“Also, what caused your amnesia? Where you in an accident or was it the touch of the Sith?” Kaa’rol asked. Again it would shape her view of her master. To be in an accident is unavoidable. As Lady Nightingale had already said Sith High Lords spent their entire lives fighting for perfection and most never achieved it; however to have such a weak mind that an ordinary Sith could distort and destroy your memory was a shame.

Kaa’rol was amazed to hear that her new master had visited Darth Sideous' tomb. Kaa’rol of course had never been taught the history of the Sith; but Darth Sideous was a renowned man in the galactic history books. It would be a trek that, if available, Kaa’rol herself would be very interested in making.

“I will do my best to become wise. While I have a natural intuition the people who raised me didn’t see the need for formal education. I will do my best to learn from you and your wisdom so I can please you and the Sith with my power.” Kaa’rol finished, addressing Lady Nightingale’s last point. She quieted and let Lady Nightingale take the time to respond. Kaa’rol knew that their relationship was new and fresh and was sure Lady Nightingale wouldn’t be willing to divulge everything; but hopefully a show of faith from Lady Nightingale would give them the opportunity to bond and become closer as Master and Apprentice.