Invasion A Crisis of Faith: AC Invasion of WotS-held Ninn (Helgard, Trian)

[Maestus]

She laughed darkly as Kasia Celestyne extolled upon the virtues of her Crusade.

You believe a paltry band such as yours, is enough to eradicate all Sith from the entire galaxy? You believe that you, yourself, can have such an impact as to embolden your comrades and spur them to fight harder? I do not doubt your conviction, Paladin Kasia. What I refute is the ability of you, your friends here and your entire Crusade to be at all successful in your goal. Your Crusade numbers are small, as evidenced by the few warriors you have brought here. The Sith numbers are legion, yet you hope to wipe them out with -this- ragtag band of would be heroes.

She circled opposite Kasia, still having drawn no weapon. She studied the Paladin of Ashla, debating on her potential. As well as the depth of her beliefs. Maestus could tell that Kasia Celestyne truly believed in her duty, as well as the Crusade she represented. Breaking her would be a monumental task. One even Tu'teggacha may fail at, though he would certainly be impressive in his attempts.

No, Maestus surmised. Turning the Paladin was more trouble and hassle than it would be worth in the end. Therefor, she would end the Paladin here. But first, Kasia Celestyne would know true pain.

Maestus raised a hand to the level of Kasia's eyes, pointing her index finger threateningly. She drew the Dark Side to herself, and then propelled it into Kasia Celestyne mind. Maestus was attempting to invade her mind, and utilize the power of Memory Walk. A truly painful and devastating thing to undergo. Maestus exerted a massive amount of Dark Side energy to tear through Kasia's mind, and, if successful, would dredge up every painful and embarrassing memory she ever had.

Through out the process, Maestus continued to pull from the Dark Side. She knew Kasia Celestyne would fight her efforts. In turn, Maestus poured the Dark Side into Kasia. ​

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[Kasia Celestyne]

Maestus
​

Kasia could not read the Sith Lord's mind, but she could tell that something had shifted. The Sith Lord expounded upon how legion the Sith were, and the thought brought a smirk to the Paladin's face.

'Legion they may be, but they fight themselves as much as they fight us.' She thought to herself as her opponent raised her hand.

Instinct brought Häerzblat up, the slim songsteel blade aligned between the Sith Lord and the Jedi Knight.

She felt the pricklings of the dark side try to invade her mind, and she pushed energy into the blade. The clarion song of the blade returned, sounding a clear note. Kasia shift position, moving from the Makashi stance she had taken and assumed one that wasn't meant for lightsabers at all. In the history of the Sword throughout the galaxy, slender blades like hers were more than merely a weapon to fight with, they were also the wielder's primary form of defense. Certain body positions utilized this more than others. She brought her right cheek to her shoulder, holding the guard of the blade in front of her face with her arm at full extension. Her body curved into the position, leaning forward slightly and shifter her shoulders to align with the blade as well.

This form was meant to be mobile, to attack as it defended, but Kasia had not expected an attack like this. The fell power took her by surprise, and while she was able to guard against the power by utilizing her weapon, she was also reliant on the power Darth Themis supplied. To move from where she stood risked leaving the aura of that power. Unable to safely attack through this, she instead stepped back a pace, maintaining her form under the ongoing assault. Her hope was to draw Maestus with her and hope to be able to counter-attack, but just getting distance and stepping more into the light side aura was enough for the moment.

 

[Maestus]

As Kasia Celestyne reacted, sending the Dark Force of MAestus into her blade, the Sith Lord could only smirk. So that is what it did. How quaint.

You are right, Ashlan. The Sith have a problem with infighting. May the Force help you if, somehow, some way, they united. Even for the briefest of times. For the most enterprising of reasons. Say...Destroying the known galaxy. One planet at a time. Surely you have not forgotten Csilla so quickly?


Maestus took note of how Kasia stepped back. It puzzled her, causing her to wonder why. She sensed a trap. The tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. The ends of her Lekku twitched and twirled. She saw that her attack with Memory Walk was futile. She must now move to another means of attack. Mentally, the Paladin was capable of utilizing her blade to defend. Perhaps...

Maestus lifted her other hand to level with the other, holding them a few inches apart, palms facing. She began moving them, as if rolling a ball between them. She started to chant in a foreign tongue. Ancient Sith, if Kasia knew it. The longer the chant went on, the brighter the red around Maestus' black eyes glowed.

Maestus focused on the hatred within her. Hatred for this Ashlan Crusade and all they stood for. THeir message of peace and Light. Hatred for the Galactic Alliance, and their holier than thou attitude. But most of all, it was her hatred for those who called themselves Sith that caused her hatred and rage to boil over. These Sith who had forgotten or worse, forsaken what it meant to be Sith. They tossed the Code aside for personal pleasure and amusement. For ego stroking and beaurocracy. As her hatred rose to a crescendo, a vile, ear shattering scream echoed over the field of battle, eclisping all sounds.

Between her palms was a large, glowing red orb. It pulsated and shook, longing to be set free. Maestus obliged. She pulled her elbows back in slightly, then shoved the Sutta Chwituskak straight at Kasia Celestyne.

And waited.
​

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[Kasia Celestyne]

Maestus
​

The dark side assault abated, and Kasia relaxed her form slightly, standing back up fully, and taking a defensive stance. She couldn't understand what the Sith Lord was muttering, she could identify it as Sith but hadn't gotten far in her study of the language. There was a distinct lack of tutors for the language willing to admit they knew the language to a group as stereotypically zealous as the Ashlan Crusade.

However, she knew that the likelihood of whatever Maestus was conjuring being a healthy thing was slim to none. Maintaining a defensive stance, Kasia began to draw in the Light side of the force. Her eyes and her blade would take up a slight golden glow. She slipped forward as the Sith Lord unleashed her spear of darkness.

Kasia intercepted the flung spear with her blade, turning the blade ever so slightly so her palm would face up, letting the spear of darkness slide along the strong edge of her blade as she pushed forward toward her adversary. She used that contact to alter the trajectory of the spear slightly, aiming to have it pass by harmlessly, if close. On paper it should work flawlessly, and if it had been a more substantial blade Kasia would have known precisely how much movement it would have taken to force the attack off line. As it was, whether she didn't angle her blade enough or if her shoulder was out of position, the spear of darkness, physically manifested hate, glanced off of her shoulder. Most of the force was taken by her armor, but the attack not being fully physical in nature caused a searing line of pain across her left shoulder.

Not making a sound, Maestus likely could tell she had scored some kind of a hit by the tightening around Kasia's face and the way she flexed her left arm as she stepped closer to Maestus.

Kasia's left hand came up, a soft golden glow suffusing it as she pushed toward Maestus and made a twisting gesture, her fingers initially outstretched, then closing as her hand turned. She attempted to utilize a debilitating power, malacia, to disorient the Sith Lord with dizziness and nausea while she struck out with her blade, aiming a thrust at Maestus's center of movement, her hips. If she could disorient the Sith, pierce deeply enough to cut an artery with her force empowered blade, she might be able to follow up with a more mortal wound, but she had gained a good deal of respect for this foe thus far.