Xanthus? Were are You?

[Rector_Ras]

The time of late was a special time. Crusader Raslekx was tasked with leading a mission to find a master of the sith, Master Xanthus. He was known to wonder often and be out of touch for a good deal of time, but he had never been out of contact this long before and some sith were starting to wonder were he was. Theories were in the hundreds of what might have happened, ranging from "He got married somewhere and settled down" all the way to "He may have been killed, No matter how unlikely" The only theory that got under the young Crusaders skin was one he had heard by a fellow Crusader on his way to meet his company for the mission. The theory? "Xanthus could be working against us now... if that's true you will never find him...."

The one coming with the Crusader would be Acolyte Arkteleus Krayzen, one of the few Kushari Acolytes. Having met the cat before and kept his eye on him, Ras knew his abilities were near that of a Crusader and they were abilities that the two might need. Sometimes information was... violent to receive.

The two had been gone for weeks. Searching planet after planet for Master Xanthus and nothing concrete ever came up. The best they got most places was a man fitting the height and build of the Master in a dark robe, which really in the long run meant nothing. This man in dark robes could be anyone, not to mention the trail usually ended with that rumor. Were ever Xanthus was not easy to find.

The two had arrived on Tattooing in the morning, not revealing their sith origins. Being a none Imperial planet being sith might cause more problems then not. The search during the day had gone nowhere as usually. They had hit Cantinas, Convenience stores and even gone house to house for some time before giving up for the day and headed back towards their shuttle to rest for the night. Walking Ras turned to Ark and said "This man did a lot for me as an acolyte. Apparently his services stopped with my promotion." With that he took out the silver blade Xanthus had given him in their last encounter twirling it in his right hand.

 

[Flamjetxx]

Ark's skills were nearing achieving one of his goals of being promoted to Crusader. Though it was a goal, it wasn't important in the manner of being able to boss people around, but more of what he was able to do at such prestige. People see you differently being a Crusader, rather than being an Acolyte. Even now, he was seen barely as eligible for what he embarked upon. What Ark truly craves are the opportunities to prove himself as capable. This mission is something he couldn't pass up. Not to mention that working under this particular Crusader is certainly something to be desired.

When Ark met Crusader Ras, their confrontation was confusing to say the least, and this is coming from someone who makes logical sense of just about every situation. Ark couldn't place what happened between him and Ras, but it wasn't something he was about to dwell on. First impressions can be rectified through diligence and persistence. He wasn't about to let the Crusader down. Since his encounter with the Crusader, his dueling prowess has doubled, and his grasp on the Force has improved tenfold. This is what must have made him a valuable asset to the Crusader sat this point, and he wasn't about to prove them wrong.

The mission seemed simple on paper, but when you get down into the details, you know that it is far more than what it looks like. Find the Sith Master Xanthus. What the briefing doesn't tell you, the rumors will certainly cil you in on. The more prominent rumor passed around was that Xanthus was no longer with the Sith. The thought of seeking out an enemy of the Sith, even if the Sith doesn't yet know it is terrifying when you know it's a a Sith that ranks with the Masters. Truth is that if this rumor be truth, that their mission might actually become a bust. It isn't likely to be a considered a success to find a Master defecting.

Ark isn't even entirely sure what can be done in a situation like that. He being an Acolyte, no matter how close to becoming a Crusader, is no match for a Master. This is why he will be relying more or less on the leader of this mission, Crusader Ras. If, and this is to say that he has defected and they somehow manage to find the Master Assassin, they do manage to catch up with Xan, they would be in for one hell of a fight.

Ark doesn't want this to be true, as anyone in the Sith would pray for, but the sheer growing quantity of this particular rumor would say that it is true. Ark will be prepared for this instance, but hope for the best. It would be a sore loss to find that a great asset is lost, and the fact that two other Sith are sent to find such a dangerous individual may not end well. Ark and Ras would have to be extremely cautious as to how they approach the situation.

As to what Ark has learned of the Master, is nothing to be trifled with. He would like to say that two Crusaders against the one Master would at least even out if not completely overwhelm him, but the fact of the matter is that he seems to be extremely well accounted for. Ark cannot even compare to the Master in any way, and it's situations like these in which he is really tested. If he could merely assist in picking up any trail of Xan, he would have proved himself enough worthy.

For now, their mission started with the endless and seemingly futile search for the mere shadow of a presence of the Assassin. Each planet was the same in which false leads would show up, and the presence of lowering moral would creep in to the search that grows ever so cold. They were even becoming desperate in moving farther into territory that isn't necessarily considered ideal for a Sith to present one's self. If they managed to find Xanthus or even a trail of him, the suspicions might as well be proven true without a shadow of a doubt.

Ark's willingness to search for any signs of the Master's presence hesitate with every step out of Sith territory, but still he and Ras persist. Slowly, Ark becomes hardened to the fact that they may never wind up finding the Assassin, not to mention that if they do happen to find him that he will not be looking at them through friendly eyes. It's funny that never having met the man, how attached to his idea that one can become. Merely residing in the vicinity of Ras, who's obviously known him on a personal level, that Ark can slowly start to know the Master more and more with each failed attempt to find him. The connection is intimate in which he grows these ties for a man in which he has mixed opinions of, and the fact of the matter is that he will never see Ark in the same light. Ark is just another random Acolyte.

Finally, their search of the ghost, that is commonly reffered to now as a man in a black cloak, has lead them to inspect the cantinas of Tatooine. It's just one of those planets that shove the heat of the situation into Ark's face. The planet of the backwash of the Galaxy, where scum can come to meet, and yet in their midst, even the most prestigious of the Galaxy can easily blend in. The past few planets they've searched have force Ark to wear an off colored cloak in orderer to hide the presence of his lightsaber on his belt. A Kushari alone will stand out enough, but if he flashed a lightsaber around like he's so arrogantly done in the past, it couldn't possibly spell out anything good.

The fact that they were on the planet was a random guess as to the assumption he'd have shown up on the planet, and though the description was bound to come back the same, it wouldn't mean a d*mned thing to them. There are far too many black cloaked figures roaming the galaxy, and there is bound to be millions of them on Tatooine alone. Regardless, they landed upon the planet. Perhaps their search was growing more passive, more desperate, or perhaps there was an actual chance of finding the Master here. Regardless they were here, and the small talk that had grown more frequent between them in the past few weeks comes up as they come into town to the nearest cantina.

"This man did a lot for me as an acolyte. Apparently his services stopped with my promotion," was something that Ras said to Ark as they traversed the arid climate. It was dry, and Ark felt sturdy on the ground. It was far better than slipping around on ice or the wet pavement of a tropical planet, but it was certainly not ideal for simply walking about.

Clearly Ras was giving up on considering the rumors of Xan false. And with that, the rumor grew closer to fact, but how could Ark possibly blame him or it. They were searching for him in enemy territory, and that was not a good sign in its own. Ark was forced to nod as he prepared a carefully worded response, "That version of Master Xanthus still exists, even if it's buried by a false sense of what's right. Even if we find him, and he's not on our side, there is still part of him that was on our side. It is not unreasonable to think that he feels he may be making a mistake, or that he wants to return to the Sith," Ark had more that he could say, but he decided that droning on about a subject so obviously unpleasant wasn't in Ras' best interest. They had to keep focused on the mission at hand. Despite how long it is lasting, they still needed to keep their focus on it.

The fact that the Crusader was so emotionally unattached to the situation to outright say that never fails to remind Ark that he doesn't need the poor excuse to console him that he offers. Ark tries to remember how alike they really are, but he's just been around the other Sith which tend to be so uncontrollably emotional, that it's hard to break old habits, and Ras already knows this himself. Ark can recount the countless situations exactly like this one that have come up on previous planets. The subject was never the same, but ark knows what's next, and the step after that which will eventually lead them back to the ship with no real lead on Xanthus' location.

Ark takes a look at the silver blade that Ras was examining. He's seen it before, and he never truly realized the significance of the blade until now. Ras actually had an attachment that was physical even, and he knows what objects tie to memories. Ark's own lightsaber holds the memory of his deceased father, and it could send a pain through his heart if he examines it at the right moment, but rather being a hinderance, he can see the lightsaber as a reminder of what Ark needs to strive for. It is his way of communicating with his father, even if no words can be exchanged, the memories do all the talking for him.

 

[Xan]

It was almost uncanny, the strange timing that the Force had when it chose to randomly drop events into the lives of certain people of the Galaxy. It was only very recently that Xanthus had managed to locate and contact a member of the brewing Rebellion, his intention of joining their ranks abundantly clear. He had informed the Captain of the Tatooine Expeditionary Force of his intent to become an associate rather than a full member, expressing interest in aiding the small faction even if the aid would not be in great quantity. At the moment, he was simply waiting to leave the planet and to pass the time, he had found himself within a certain cantina. More out of established habit than out of actual need to be cautious, the Assassin had almost unconsciously blanketed his force signature and hidden his lightsabers underneath the armorweave cloak that he wore. For the first time in quite some time, he was out without his armor, ironically making him unrecognizable to the civilians who would have recognized 'Desert Armor' much more readily than Xanthus Dar'manda. He had been sitting in a rather shaded back area of the cantina, looking about with a bored expression, when a certain feeling made itself known to him. It was the feeling of the Dark Side, and suddenly he had been rather grateful for his unrelenting habit. Though they had left the cantina soon after arriving, Xanthus had recognized one almost immediately. Leaving some credits on the table along with an untouched drink, the Assassin had simply left after the two Darksiders and chosen to shadow them from a distance since then, following their Dark Side auras and questioning people that they questioned.

How long did it take for him to realize that they were looking for him? It had not taken him overly long, considering the person apparently chosen to perform the mission and considering the fact that they were asking after a man of his description and clothing style. At the moment was simply the question of what Xanthus would do about it. Had anyone other than one of his students been the ones searching, he would simply have walked away and waited for them to leave the planet. After all, finding one man with a hooded black cloak on Tatooine was akin to searching for a specific seashell on a beach. But no, it would simply not do to disappear and not at least welcome a former student to the sandy desert backwater. After all, Xanthus would not be here for long, so any Imperial response to tonight's actions would likely arrive days too late to do much more than harass the locals. His intention set, the Assassin had done a quick equipment check and prepared to reveal himself. He was dressed in a simple dark robe, with an armorweave black hooded cloak and black boots. He carried two of his silver lightsabers along his belt and the hidden blade mechanisms were attached to his wrists. All in all, he was very lightly armed and barely armored, which was how he preferred combat with Force Adepts. Although perhaps it need not come down to combat...'Only time and the Force will tell, I suppose.'

The Crusader and Acolyte would actually walk past Xanthus during their conversation, the Assassin standing against a building with his head down and a hood covering his silver hair. Having caught the words of their conversation in this manner, he smiled and would speak suddenly. "That is not entirely a fair statement Raslekx. Technically speaking, my services to the Empire are still intact. I simply changed the nature of those services." He said, raising his head and removing his hood. "Welcome to Mos Eisley. Never will you find a more pleasant locale of fine and upstanding members of society, though I still advise caution." He said with the same slight smile that he always wore. Turning to the Kushari apparently accompanying Raslekx, Xanthus raised an eyebrow, attempting to place whether he had seen the large creature before and waiting for an introduction when he realized that he had not.

 

[Rector_Ras]

I was referring to your services to me, of course that answer gives slightly more information on my part though. Ras turned around and looked at the Assassin after finishing his sentence. It hadn't been expecting to find him at all here, never mind him finding the two sith. Now that the meeting had started and Xanthus seemed to have 'changed' his services seemingly without telling anyone Ras was in a awkward position. More information would be needed before any kind of action could be taken whether that be a kind reminder to report in to the sith, or the two having to kill the man they had searched for.

Watching as the Assassin eyed the Kushari beside him Ras spoke again "This one is Arkteleus. He most acceptingly came with me to find you. Of course now we have so I have to ask you to accompany us back to the sith. There are some very powerful people wondering were you disappeared to for so long. Your activities killing that Gungan made you very popular in the academy and even the acolytes know of your disappearance. Even such new ones as Ark. Only been on Korriban a few weeks." It was a game now. he had to find out what the changes were. The start would be how serious the changes were. he accepted to return then everything would be great, they would finish the long mission. If he refused, then it would put the group in an odd position. Xanthus would know that Ras had to bring him back or do everything in an attempt to try but it was unlikely the assassin would start a fight. No with a fellow sith.

It was also untrue that Ark was a new Acolyte. The attempt was that because Xanthus didn't know him maybe he could under play him. If a fight might break out having a Master underestimate at least one of them would be on the advantageous side of things. Knowing Ark would be confused he sent a small message with the force to the Kushari's mind "Play with what I say. Add if you must but don't dig to deep of a hole." It was then the Crusader put the silver blade back on his waist and starred blankly as he always did at the smile the Assassin's had on his face.

 

[Flamjetxx]

The appearance of the Assassin was out of the blue and not a speck of him could be directly sensed, though there was no need to identify him as a force sensitive since Ras already recognized him by his voice. After searching for weeks, it's almost stupid that he should be the one to approach them, but it gives Ark a morsel of hope that he hasn't fallen. Wild thoughts run rampant in Ark's mind as he attempts to decipher the events of the situation. He would have thought there'd be a great deal of effort actively tracking him, though he supposes that it isn't entirely realistic to track a Master Assassin. He is smart enough o hide his force signature with out the slightest hint of effort, and he's likely smart enough to be able to cover his physical presence. Now that he's here, Ark is determined to let the mission go off without a hitch.

Ark observed the obviously sensitive conversation between the pair that are quite intimately acquainted. The words almost seemed too natural to flow out of either of the individual’s mouths without having the remotest clue as to what either was going to say ahead of time, but that is exactly how it seemed. If Ark didn’t know any better he’d have thought the encounter was going to be quite friendly, but the unseen tension portrayed in each of their bodies' language.

Ark nodded as he was introduced, and though he was able to keep an unflinching face as the Crusader beside him told the Lord that Ark was only recently admitted into the academy, it took a particular level of concentration to quell the nearly overwhelming urge to flick his tail in annoyance. Ark had no idea what the Master of the Force knew of Kushari body language, and nothing was going to be left to chance.

Ras clearly had a plan and Ark wasn’t about to blow it up. If Xan even found out there was a hint of trickery in their actions and intentions, it would certainly spell out trouble, and that’s something Ark needed to avoid for the time being. Now knowing this bit of information, Ark was ready to play along, and he used his training in Teras Kasi to fortify his mind from intrusions. Ark was still not about to take any chances here. Within the breaches of his mind he lays down typical thoughts of those only just learning in the academy which would include thinking this mission is boring and unimportant, thinking that they were the best of their peers, thinking they were destined to be the best of the Sith, and even thoughts that made them slightly humbled to be in the presence of a Master and to be under the eyes of a Crusader.

Though those were the thoughts he threw up in barricading his mind, he assumes that Xan wouldn’t look too much further that that due to the lack of useful information, the prospect of uselessness to even search any further, and because he would underestimate how much Ark would actually know of the mission and would assume that he knows more about the mission than any fresh Acolyte would know about it. If Xan were to look any deeper, Ark would have underestimated his thoroughness, and even though there was nothing more Ark could do to slow him down before he reached the real mental barriers, once he arrived there, he’d know there was something going on, and so Ark really concentrates more on making an attempt to distract the Master from even needing to look into his brain by giving him something that he would have already known, “We’ve been looking for you. I am pleased to meet you Master Xan. Now we can finally go back to the temple.”

Ark makes an attempt to sound naive at the true occurrences of the situation, and that all Ark knew was that they were looking for the Master Assassin, but Ark was still ready for what could conspire here, and with every tensing breath between the two, it was looking more of inevitable that Xan was not about to come with them, but that’s merely speculation. Ark’s arms hang loose in order to make a quick move for his lightsaber should either of them decide that the use of a lightsaber is necessary.

Ark also tries to make himself look slightly restless, but still having the sense that he can be patient. These are the emotions and signs that one would display should they be new to the Sith, though it is ironic that Ark should be showing such signs. After all it wasn’t too long ago that he was genuinely showing such signs, and still, though not nearly to the same extent, Ark still does show some of these signs. It was almost natural how he acts in such a manner.

He might have asked the Master a question to further his ploy, but he wanted to keep hi involvement minimal for the time being. He certainly didn’t know what Xan was capable of nor did he know what Xan already knew of them.

 

[Xan]

For a moment, Xanthus did not speak or make any form of motion. He simply looked at Arkteleus for a moment with an inquisitive expression on his face, his eyes looking at the Acolyte as though searching him for something in particular. He then smiled briefly in an amused fashion before nodding at the Acolyte. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Arkteleus. You have my thanks for accompanying Raslekx on his task to find me." With that, he turned his attention back to Raslekx himself for a moment before taking a few steps away and stopping to stare at a nearby building with his right hand upon his chin. The Master Sith seemed to be thinking to himself, having notably not answered the comment about being summoned by the higher Sith as of yet.

He sighed once and almost lowered a hand before placing it back onto his chin and returning himself to his thoughts briefly before snapping his fingers. "Weiss. I'm going to assume that it was Lord Weiss who noticed first that I've been missing for some time. After all, who else among the higher echelon would care over much or even truly notice? Perhaps Lord Vyrassu, but he would probably come after Weiss in that regard. Right..." For a moment, Xanthus continued to talk to himself about which Sith Lords and Masters had likely been the ones to notice that he was missing for quite some time, but eventually settled on the fact that his first statement was probably the most correct one. At this moment, he returned his attention to the Crusader and Acolyte that had actually come to find him.

"My apologies for that, but I had to think about which ones were the likely ones who sent you. Now that that's over, I can go ahead and say that I shall not be returning with you. You also have my apologies for that, but I must leave alone and go elsewhere for the moment." The words were said as casually as though Xanthus were informing a group of Acolytes that he could not teach them an advanced technique because they were not ready for such a thing quite yet. And now silence would ensue between the three of them for a moment as the weight of Xanthus's words came down on them like the planet's gravity. For a moment, Xanthus was quite curious to know how his former student would react. He settled on two likely scenarios: one would be the immediate assumption of betrayal and thus he would assume an attack position, and the other would be the assumption that he had not understood correctly with the immediate following of a request of clarification. It all came down to hotheaded the title of Crusader made an Acolyte, really, but then again Raslekx had never truly been one to jump that far ahead had he?

 

[Flamjetxx]

Ark sighed at the fact that his jig was successful; too successful, to the point that Xan didn't take their little venture out to find him seriously. Though Ark wanted him to underestimate, he still needed to know just how grave a situation he is truly in. Ark knows he isn't nearly as stupid as to think that his actions now, and the words he speaks, mean that no one is going to think it's a clear indication of his betrayal to the Sith. For his sake, at least in the long run, he hopes that it truly doesn't mean he intends to leave the Sith, despite the way it's coming off as.

The casual way he approaches the situation is as if he doesn't even realize how he sounds. Traitorous. Ark is familiar with arrogance, and this is truly it. He figures that being a Master of the Force means that there's nothing he has to fear, and he figures that a Crusader and an Acolyte coming after him is hardly a threat. He doesn't seem to realize that it's merely the first wave of the hundreds of millions of eyes that would be searching for him should he be deemed a traitor. Even Ark himself, isn't nearly as cocky as to act like nothing is wrong in such a situation.

He mentions names of Masters and Lords of the Sith as to whom may be a concerned as to have sent ager him, and Ark figures there's really no point to it. Maybe to buy time, but for what? He dismisses the two of them without consideration.

"Xan. You realize that the fears of your defection would be confirmed by refusing to come with us?You would be considered an enemy of the Sith. We would be forced to bring you in as a Sith or as a Traitor!"

Ark's arm is placed on his lightsaber hilt to show the seriousness of the words.

"I beg you to take consideration of what your words and actions mean. Know what being an enemy of the Sith means. Do you really want to be hunted down like the Jedi you yourself have even fought against, for how many years?"

Ark promises himself that a single more step away from Ark and Raslekx would be cause enough to draw his lightsaber; At least after what he'd just warned him of, it would be necessary that Ark draws his lightsaber.

 

[Xan]

When Arkteleus began to speak, a noticeable smile began to spread across Xanthus's lips. There was amusement in that smile, but it ran deeper than a simple desire to laugh the situation off. There was a certain level of something deeper, a form of satisfaction the cause of which was not readily noticeable. When the Acolyte found himself stopping to await Xanthus's answer, the Assassin simply sighed and shook his head with his eyes closed. Judging by the light movements of his shoulders, it could be assumed that he was having a quiet laugh at what Arkteleus had just told him. When he opened his silver eyes again though, much of the satisfaction was gone from them and his expression was returned to simple amusement. With a shrug he began: "For roughly eleven or twelve years I served as an Assassin in the service of the Sith. I know precisely what they are capable of and what they are not capable of."

Xanthus said with the same uncaring expression, his very tone one that spoke of not taking the situation seriously in the slightest. In fact, he almost sounded somewhat bored. "It is not boasting to say that I am one of the most elite assassins in the entirety of our Order. No one can deny me that distinction from Acolyte to Lord. That being said, I have no cause to fear any form of retribution for my actions. For one, I know the quality of the current iteration of Crusaders. Hell, I trained a few of the ones that I thought had the most potential as Acolytes." Here Xanthus's smile took on a certain wolfish quality as he said: "And I can tell you that not a single one of them is my match. That leaves the Masters and the Lords to hunt me, and let's be perfectly honest: how many of them are going to want to take the risk of facing a fellow Master one on one without great reason?"

Waving his hand dismissively, Xanthus continued in the same bored and matter-of-fact tones. "And even if they did send Masters and Lords by the pair or more, they would be searching blind in a massive galaxy for a man who mastered the arts of stealth to their highest levels. If you fail to bring me before the Dark Council today, then the chances are high that I will not stand before them again until my mission is complete. The problem of course, is that they know that and thus would not likely send anyone at all. In fact, I imagine that the only way I'll see another Sith is by running into them in the middle of other forms of business." Xanthus finished with a shrug to match the one that started his speaking. "Anyway, I've done what I wanted to do here, which was to send you two back to Korriban before one of the Jedi Masters in this area reached you and added your lightsabers to their belt. Begone now." With that, Xanthus turned around and waved as he began to walk away from the Crusader and the Acolyte, his warning and directive given. Did he truly expect it to end that easily? Not particularly, which was why he continued to pay attention to them even as he took the first few steps.

 

[Flamjetxx]

Ark was disappointed in the fact that he didn't pay heed to Ark and Ras' attempts to bring him in peacefully. The fact of the matter is that he simply believes that he is better than any single Sith they throw at him. Even if that was true, fighting against two Sith is a rather different story entirely, and though Ark knew he didn't stand a fraction of a chance alone, with Raslekx at his side, or rather he at Ras' side, they potentially posed a greater threat than he thinks, or pretends to say, they pose. The real tragedy is that he could save his reputation as a Sith by returning with them; Even if he no longer had any intentions to actually be a Sith, he could get them off his back for the time being. But he supposes that if Xan wanted to prove a point, and let it be known to the Dark Council, then he'd send a message via them. Ark wasn't one for sending messages, but he he was willing to make an exception if he brought Xan back in cuffs or a body bag.

Ark didn't care that Xan was a Master, but his actions and words were in clear violation of any honor or loyalty towards the Sith, and it hurt Ark's own emmense levels of loyalty he felt toward the Sith. Ark would like to think that he can make him pay for that, at least with the aid of Ras anyway.

Without a word, Ark's warning was ignored, and it merited his next course of action, in which he assumes that Ras would also show; He activates his lightsaber to point downward as in shame for the Master, he hangs his head enough that he is able to glare raw anger at Xan from beneath his brow. It was the action of betrayal to a group that had treated him so well for so long, to an Order that Ark was so loyal to himself, and betrayal to a group that was willing to further back him up. It hit Ark hard that someone could simply dismiss years of loyalty, and it hits Ark that it could potentially happen to him too, and what a day of horror that would be.

Ark raises his lightsaber into two hands as his massive paws wrap around the hilt in a tight grip. The vision of Ras beside him with his lightsabers in hands flicks into his mind, though he dares not look over in case the Master makes his move.

He'd come in by force it seems.

 

[Xan]

The sound of a lightsaber being released from its sheath is one that is unmistakable, and one that typically elicits a powerful reaction. At the moment however, it seemed to have had no effect on Xanthus other than causing him to stand still for a moment. He could feel the furious gaze of the Acolyte on the back of his head, could tell that Arkteleus meant to see him stand before the Dark Council much earlier than Xanthus himself meant to. Had he managed to strike a nerve with that much ease? More importantly, were these two truly going to attempt to capture or kill him here? Shaking his head, Xanthus released a sigh as though of long suffering before turning his head ever so slightly to bring Raslekx into his field of vision. He then turned it in the opposite direction so that he could see Arkteleus. He took a few seconds to study each of them in silence that contrasted heavily with his speech of just a few seconds ago. Returning his gaze forward, the Assassin closed his eyes and calculated for a moment before opening them again. Turning around, he looked at Raslekx, but spoke to the Acolyte that accompanied him.

"Well now, isn't this curious?" His eyes held a slight glow as the Force gathered within them and played about his features. "A Crusader and an Acolyte against a Master? Did I not just tell you how this would end, Arkteleus?" Eyes still luminescent with the Force, Xanthus brought up a hand that most would assume would probably go forth towards his one of his lightsabers. What he did with it however, was simply wave it horizontally at about the level of his upper chest. The motion might have seemed to be harmless to a non-Force Sensitive, but every motion performed by someone strong in the Force was potentially dangerous. With a shudder, the Crusader standing next to Arkteleus would abruptly crumple to the ground as a powerful mental barrage took its toll and rendered him seemingly unconscious. "Now then, if you're truly as brave as you seem to believe that you are, I'll offer you a deal: try to strike me down now, and I won't even reach for a lightsaber. I want to see what this iteration of Acolytes has in terms of skill as long as you're still here." Xanthus said while he assumed a relaxed stance with his arms crossed at the level of his torso.

 

[Flamjetxx]

By the drastic change in tone, Ark realized that the Master wasn't as light mannered as Ark initially thought. Perhaps he actually took to the situation heavier than Ark thought. For now anyway, Ark was glad that he wouldn't simply run away from his problem. Ark could taste the impending fight at his lips, and it was interesting to thing what a Master would equate to, but Ark was about to test the theory with Ras. Does a Crusader and an Acolyte equate to a Master?

Ark waited for him to draw his lightsaber, and as his hand flew up, Ark assumed it would do such a thing as if to draw out the move. It was something that caused the moment to drag on in anticipation as Ark assumed that the duel would start with a very abrupt clash of lightsabers. Thankfully, Ark was confident enough in his ability to wield a lightsaber that it didn't cause him any fear for the moment. especially considering that Ark was already wielding his lightsaber, and Ras had his pari of lightsabers already drawn, it was bound to be heavily in Ark's own favor.

To Ark's surprise, no lightsaber was drawn, and instead, Ark could hear Ras drop to the ground next to him. Perplexed at the situation, Ark couldn't believe what had just occurred. Ark could still feel the life within the Crusader fighting strongly, but by the looks of it, Xan made sure that Ras wasn't going to be of much help. Ark's stance immediately shifted out of instinct as to cover the Crusader's body. Then the thoughts hit Ark that without Ras, he'd be a lone Acolyte against a Master. His chances of survival suddenly plummeted. Ark's grip on his lightsaber suddenly tightened. His eyes grew wider with the realization that he'd be alone, and in mere surprise as to how the Master was strong enough to bring a Crusader to his knees with the Force's intrusion.

If anything at all, Ark's first instinct was to abandon the Crusader where he lies. It was the simplest option, it left Ark alive to fight another day. Could he expect Ras to do everything he could to protect Ark in the same situation? The answer was likely no, but Ark was more loyal than to not at least try to think of something. Ark knew it wasn't of any help, due to the mere fact that there were no reinforcements nearby, but Ark could at least try to make a bluff; After all, Ark had an infallible poker face. Ark reached to his side, and made it relatively obvious that he was holding a comm link in his left hand. He pressed a button on it, and attempted to maintain eye contact with the now Ex-Sith as he made his arrogant taunt.

When Ark realized, however, what the Master said, Ark it was ridiculous. Ark wasn't happy with the fact that he'd lost his leverage over the situation before the fight even broke out, and now he was forced to make the decision between stay by Ras or ditch him to be killed?

The very words of him knocked on Ark's door with the very temptations that have left him in trouble before. Ark was arrogant, and the words were begging for Ark to act upon them, but there was a difference between being arrogant and just plain stupid. It wasn't hard to figure out that there was no way that Ark could compete one on one with the Master. Though, Ark believed that he could at least hold him off in the short run. All he needed was a good enough plan to scare him off if he'd believe it.

"All I need to do now, is to keep you here," it was a bluff. Ark was one to very rarely bluff, and it felt bitter on the tip of his tongue, but it was truly his only option. If the Master didn't buy it, Ark was going to be forced to flee. There was no way he was going to essentially sentence himself to death if his bluff didn't take.

Ark replaced the comm link back to his belt, and returned his grip back to two hands, changing the defensive pose to the, falling avalanche, opening pose for D'jem So. If the master wasn't going to draw his lightsaber, Ark could at least not worry as much about defense. He knew that it must have taken a good deal out of Xanthus to drop a Crusader like that, so his Force reserves were likely to be more favorable for competing with him. He'd hopefully use the Force more sparingly, allowing Ark to , hopefully, keep up with him in that manner.

Ark watched as the Master's arms folded across his chest as if Ark wouldn't be able to do anything. In all honesty, if it weren't for his bluff and his crude analyzation of his remaining Force reserves, Ark would never have attacked him. At least, not without Ras' help, but it seemed that Ark had no choice for the moment. Ark tried to allow the Force to flow through him, though nervously, as he prepared for his attack with the lightsaber raised. It made his upcoming move incredibly predictable, but that's what Ark was aiming for. For the time being, Xanthus would, hopefully, still consider Ark as little a threat as it is reasonable, and Ark was going to utilize that as much as possible. That being said, he wouldn't throw away the opportunity in is current predicament.

Ark's feet bounced him forward in a manner unfamiliar to Form V practitioners. It was rather more commonly found in Teras Kasi users, and Ark's blend of footwork allowed him to cover the short distance between the two parties in a relatively stable manner. His lightsaber came down toward Xanthus' left side, and Ark's left side. If anything at all, Ark fully expected the swing to miss, and he expected that it would lead Xanthus to Ark's left side in a side step to dodge the obvious attack. If the Master was bound to do anything, he wasn't going to let Ark learn nothing form an encounter like this, so Ark could assume that he was bound to punish Ark in some way. Likely with an unarmed strike imbued with the Force, or maybe even a powerful Force attack. After all, it left Ark's left a delectable target if he sidestepped Ark's initial attack.

Ark was smart enough that he was prepared for his strike to miss,and so his initial strike, one known for holding power behind it, was decidedly lacking. Ark held back greatly with the power of the strike, so that it could be redirected easily enough, and Ark's eye would stay glued to the every detail of the Master. Anything that Ark could learn from him to determine when he'd make his move, and when he did, Ark's body, imbued with the Force would jump into speeds that his lightsaber Form would ordinarily not be familiar with, and follow the Master where he went. If anything, the lightsaber would protect him from the counter attack, but in all hopes, Ark prays to the Force that it spills blood. If Ark could make a good enough impression, he'd be more inclined to take Ark's bluff into serious account, and chose to leave Ark and Raslekx... alive.

 

[Xan]

The conflict that was evident in the Acolyte's form was quite amusing at the very least. The former Executioner had seen the scenario before enough times to know what he was perceiving: Arkteleus was attempting to decide swiftly whether or not to abandon his superior to what was theoretically going to be a death sentence. After all, how could he possibly know that Xanthus would not actually kill Raslekx if Arkteleus decided to leave him there? Oh no, Xanthus would do something vastly different from what was expected if Arkteleus chose to abandon the Crusader to his fate. But what was this? The Acolyte reached towards a communication device and spoke briefly into it, prompting an eyebrow raise and a bemused smile from Xanthus. When Arkteleus put away the device and made his threat to his opponent, Xanthus simply raised both eyebrows in an expression of mild surprise. He did not give any particular indication of whether he believed the Acolyte, or to be placed more accurately he did not give any indication that he particularly cared for whatever 'reinforcements' were arriving. He merely kept his arms crossed at the level of his torso and shrugged his shoulders lightly, dismissing the Acolytes threat with as much ease as he had dismissed his earlier warnings.

It was when the lightsaber stance shifted to the falling avalanche that he seemed to truly pay closer attention to Arkteleus, as before he had almost seemed to be slipping back into an almost bored stance. When the Acolyte prepared for battle however, he shifted forward a bit on his feet and altered his center of gravity in preparation for the attack that the Acolyte was apparently preparing. The movements that Arkteleus used did not seem to be those of typical Djem So users, but then again Xanthus was not a Djem So practitioner. Perhaps he was simply altering the steps somewhat to make the style more efficient. When Arkteleus bounced forward, Xanthus noted the way his feet moved and the smile on his face seemed to widen for a moment before he placed his right foot outward just a moment to brace himself. He then leaped to the right as Arkteleus's blade came down for his left side, turning his body to the right as he did so in order to avoid the blow. When he landed, Xanthus did so in such a way that his balance was disbursed in the direction of his back before realigning himself so that it was based more towards the front again. "You're still here." The three words were all that he assumed he would have time for before Arkteleus attacked him again, if that was what the Acolyte had in mind. The words were simple, and yet they held a hint of surprise that itself held a hint of something else. Xanthus's voice was missing its usual traces of mockery or condescension, sounding pleasantly surprised if anything.

 

[Flamjetxx]

Ark was surprised by Xanthus' choice to not pursue Ark. Furthermore Ark was surprised to find that Xanthus himself sounded appeased. Perhaps, this meant he was impressed? Perhaps Ark's attempt to trick the Master into thinking he was in fact as new as Ras said so had worked. Though, Ark had no time to contemplate the every meaning of what someone did, nor did he think it would come very close based upon what he's already gathered from the Master's personality. If anything it was confusing in contrast to Ark's own personality, and it was ultimately going to be pointless to assess his jocularity.

Ark made a pointless waste of speed, and though it had the potential to do more, his style merited that he didn't stop his offense there, and though he didn't think it would make too much of a difference, he decided it'd be better than sitting back to allow him to fully recompose himself; Not only that, but he didn't want him to have the chance to attack Ark again. Ark knew full well though that making an all out assault with virtually no possibility to land an attack on the obviously more skillful and obviously faster opponent wasn't much of a sound strategy. He decided he'd best wait out the Ex-Sith until he decided that he'd try to attack Ark.

For that, Ark's senses were poised to react to anything inching, and his offense would noticeably become lazier. It would sap much less energy from him for what Ark assumes would be the same result of missing his target. If that didn't provoke a response fem the Sith, he didn't exactly know if he ever even planned on attacking Ark back in the first place. Ark's true concern, however, is what would happen when he does decide to attack. How would he do it? Would he stick to his promise of not drawing his own lightsaber? Would it be as simple as an unarmed attack?

Whatever it was, Ark had to weather it. A Force attack would be most dreaded, because anything was bound to pack quite the punch. An attack with a lightsaber would be against the honor of his promise, but Ark figured it was the next likely choice. An unarmed strike wasn't very likely in Ark's opinion, nor was it nearly the brightest choice, but int eh assumption that Xan took Ark's bait, All he had to do was outlast him. It basically meant that he had to survive long enough for him to eventually get bored or scared off. Ark wasn't fond, after all, of taking on a Master of the Force with the experience he truly had.

Ark's body turned by the heel upon the missed followup strike, and Ark couldn't say he wasn't overall surprised. Though, Ark's feet shifted to the balls as he once more stepped closer as to close any distance created. He was determined to play it safe and exactly as his style suggests. Ark was determined to keep himself facing the Ex-Sith while at the same time maintaining a, more or less, vertically defensive stance. This was the way of his style as to defend and attack at the same time. He'd make his approach, and make a short diagonal strike in the chase. Once it missed, the blade would immediately return to its defensive pose as to counter any response to his, for lack of a better word, taunt. Though Ark wanted to pursue, he was hesitant, because he knew how much his form needed stability, and despite the Teras Kasi footwork, he wasn't about to sacrifice his stability for a barely substitutional integration of an unarmed combat style.

Ark's senses were truly burning in anticipation of Xan's dreaded response. If anything Ark could hope for a stalemate... And that was being optimistic.

 

[Xan]

For a moment Xanthus simply watched Arkteleus, mainly paying close attention to the Acolyte's feet. This might have seemed like a strange thing to do, but Xanthus noted that it was possible to derive many useful pieces of information from watching the way an opponent moved rather than the way they swung their weapon. After all, it did not require much time or experience to be able to tell which lightsaber style one's opponent used, and that was one of the main pieces of information that could be gathered from paying attention to the hands and torso. The feet on the other hand, could tell much about the opponent: their balance, their agility, their timing, and other subtle pieces of information were below the waist rather than above it. In this particular instance, Xanthus was suspected that Arkteleus had studied some form of Teras Kasi or another and was actively applying the footwork of that discipline to Djem So.

On the surface such an alteration meant little aside from the fact that it meant that the Acolyte was paying more attention and would have slightly altered movements. Below the surface however, it could mean that Arkteleus's mind would be harder to breach than Raslekx's if the Acolyte studied the mental defense aspects of Teras Kasi along with the basic movement patterns. Another useful piece of information that Xanthus was able to derive was Arkteleus's timing of attack, which allowed him approximately an extraneous second with which to prepare his body to move. Which was of course all the time that he needed to do so, which he would prove during the Acolyte's next attack. When the Kushari came towards him, Xanthus's eyes flicked back up and his body tensed for a moment before leaving the ground only an instant before the Acolyte's blade would have sunk into his flesh.

Instead of dodging left or right this time, he had elected to go up into the air in a Force-assisted leap which terminated at the top of a nearby building that had been behind him. Landing on the balls of his feet, Xanthus extended his right hand in a gesture of 'stop,' though the Acolyte might perhaps have mistaken the palm faced towards him for the precursor to an attack. After a few seconds without any such Force-assault, Xanthus would lower the hand and assuming that the Acolyte did not attack him he would begin to speak. "Enough. I have the higher ground now, so this is effectively ended for a moment so that I may ask you a question." Xanthus began simply and calmly, not giving any indication that this was technically still a combat situation regardless of whether he called it one or not. "Many Sith both True and otherwise would have left Raslekx to his fate and attempted to escape, particularly with the threat of facing a Master as the alternative. You are still here. Why?"

 

[Flamjetxx]

Ark didn't expect too much from his assault, and it would be clear that a Master as skilled as Xanthus would be able to easily outmaneuver Ark's assault, especially one so hesitant in nature. What caught him off guard was the fact that he refuse to return he favor of Ark's attacking with his own. It was confusing, almost frustrating, and more of a nuisance than anything else. Ark has known toying with obviously inferior duelists, and Ark's first impression of the refusal to attack was that Xanthus was simply doing the same. Toying with Ark, but as Ark's sluggish swings took no toll, he began to notice Xan's extensive studying of Ark's movements. Less on Ark's sword so much as one would expect studying to be done, but more on Ark's feet. How peculiar.

Ark was beginning to feel the more time he wasted, the more he learned of Ark, and that certainly couldn't benefit him at all. Furthermore, what was most disturbing was the fact that Xan was taking his time. Did it mean he wasn't buying into Ark's bluff? Smart, but not good for Ark. It also spelled out nothing good. Ark would have pressed the attack with more aggression, hopefully to antagonize something. It wasn't like retreating now would do much good now, not too mention, he was sure that retreating sou;d merit Xan to pursue him. Could he outrun the Master? Would it put him at a strategic position, exposing his back?

Thankfully, Ark was given an opportunity for and advantage when Xanthus made a leap. Ark immediately looked for the trajectory to send him toward Ark's back. A common attack that Ark has even managed to work into his own advantage upon the occasion, and yet Ark saw no such opportunity by the mere height of the leap. Still no retaliation?!

Ark's lightsaber raised to the falling avalanche position with the newly gained distance, it would offer Ark plenty more time for counter, and it readily prepared him for attack. Ark even considered immediately following him, but realized it was to the top of a building. Certainly no advantage in following, not to mention that Ark's implanted footwork could only do so much for him.

It was then that Xanthus raised his hand in a stopping motion. Ark immediately braced for impact of something while immediately repositioning his lightsaber across his face horizontally. But nothing came, and though Ark was leaned forward heavily, he stood there frozen in anticipation of some great power, but all he got was words. Reluctantly, he dropped his guard to a vertical position.

"Many Sith both True and otherwise would have left Raslekx to his fate and attempted to escape, particularly with the threat of facing a Master as the alternative. You are still here. Why?"

Ark heard the words, and it took him a moment to process in his own mind the same question.

"Loyalty. I'm sure you already know that Kushari are well known for their loyalty," he pauses before decide ding whether or not to continue the lie that he's almost positive isn't being taken seriously.

"Besides, it's only a matter of time," he alludes to his bluff. As he'd technically sent for reinforcements, there is no way in h*ll tha tang would arrive in an reasonable time to do anything. The battle would be long done before anyone even arrived.

 

[Xan]

The Kushari tensed and shifted his position in preparation for an assault that would never come, and relaxed only hesitantly so that he could answer Xanthus's question. This was hardly surprising, considering the fact that in his same position Xanthus himself might have been as suspicious if not slightly more so of his opponent. After all, though it was a lesser used tactic than some, it was still a worthy idea to lull one's enemy into a false sense of security before lashing out at them with a devastating technique. Fortunately for the Acolyte, Xanthus had no such plan in mind and had been quite sincere in his statement that the confrontation was ended. A sincerity that was hopefully being repaid with a truthful answer at the moment. Arkteleus had answered that loyalty had kept him in this arena, even with such a disadvantage as what he was currently facing. "Loyalty?" Xanthus said the simple word with a slight tone of bemusement in his voice, seemingly having ignored the thinly veiled threat of reinforcements approaching to support Arkteleus. "Hmm...loyalty...."

Xanthus simply repeated the word as though he could not entirely comprehend what he was being told, as though he had to think over the meaning and implications of the word. Perhaps if the Acolyte had studied Sith history, he would understand the current bemusement that Xanthus was displaying. Even in such recent years as the assassin's own time as an Acolyte, Sith had been killing each other over such meaningless things as titles and positions. One of Xanthus's first...adventures as a new Sith had nearly seen him die from being betrayed by a fellow Acolyte, and yet here was an aspiring Sith who braved the thought of fighting a Master...and when asked why responded with loyalty? A small exhalation of air marked a mixture of mirth and slightest disbelief, though Xanthus did not express either in his words. "Interesting. Loyalty is not something to be found in all Sith, or even in most Sith in my opinion. It might not mean much to you at the moment, but you have my respect, Acolyte Arkteleus. We Sith are fortunate to have you among our number. You may take the Crusader and depart at your leisure. Should the Force will it, I hope we meet again under better circumstances."

With that, Xanthus simply turned around and began to walk away along the roof, though he stopped short of the edge and turned around again. "Oh, and I might advise that upon becoming a Crusader, you should attend a few lessons on bluffing effectively. It's a fine skill to have, but you'll have to work at it a little harder if you want to bluff an assassin." With a grin that could only be described as impish, Xanthus took a running start and dashed off of the roof into the night. His Force signature rapidly vanished, and in the labyrinthine alleyways of the Tatooine city it would be a difficult to find him even had the option to sense his presence been available. For all intents and purposes, Xanthus was gone.

[Finally some closure. End Thread.]