Bloody Swamps

[Darth Veles]

Dagobah did not need sentient beings to be treacherous – in fact, visitors often ended up being a welcomed source of meat unless they properly prepared themselves for the native fauna and flora. At first glance the planet masks as nothing but a peaceful place, but those sensitive to the Force saw through the cruel lie; this seemingly lifeless land was brimming with life. Gnarltrees grew as far as eyes could see, silently towering high above the bog while their old branches covered in moss threatened to hide a Dagobah python waiting for its prey to pass below. The patient danger often prompted visitors to keep their eyes on the trees, yet one would be foolish to dismiss the hidden threats lurking within the swamp itself where water was deep enough. The air was dense with humidity and white, thick mist rolled over the opaque water surface, a splash occasionally breaking the monotone buzzing of insects and letting the unfortunate souls treading the land know they were never truly alone.

Leaving the masked vessel parked far behind on one of the rare solid masses of land this slimy mudhole had to offer, Darth Veles slowly and carefully waded through Dagobah’s endless swamplands. He had parted with his cloak back within the confines of his ship, as the amphibian had opted for a more comfortable way to travel without being unnecessarily slowed down by the piece of cloth dragged through the marsh. The only downside to that was the fact both curved hilts hanging on his belt remained visible – then again, he could not care less, as the only sentient Veles expected to confront was a certain prideful member of the One Sith seeking fame and glory by slaying Darth Venefica on her favourite planet. The foolish Dark Jedi would not find what she sought in the swamps; in fact, she would not even be granted the honour of dying by the Swamp Witch’s hands. The Knight expected her mere presence to summon her target, but nobody responded to the calling. A particularly inglorious death awaited the fool, her body already destined to find its final resting place within a bog or some beast’s stomach, forgotten for all eternity.

This might have been Avreet’s first time on Dagobah, but the Mon Calamari had participated in many missions involving marshes in the past, taking advantage of his amphibious attributes as well as the opportunity to escape the burning sands of Korriban. The Sith Assassin’s experience with this sort of terrain combined with the mastery over bending light and sound allowed him to move soundlessly despite the gooey muck slurping wetly in his boots. Even his physical form somewhat blended in with his surroundings, long and dark shadows cast by the gnarltrees offered to hide his body and preserve some of the energy usually needed to render him completely invisible through the technique known as Force cloak. The strong Dark Side presence looming over the planet finished the final task – Veles’ neutral signature’s been silenced to the point he appeared as nothing but another among the thousands of lifeforms that could be felt through the Force.

The target had no idea she was being stalked by the amphibious Sith. Her proud march through the swamps as if to show the One Sith owned whatever they touched ended up miserably – clad in heavy plate armour from head to toe, the woman had continuously gotten stuck in the roots hidden deep beneath the thick mud, cursing loudly as she let frustration get the better of her. Breaking herself free cost her plenty of energy, yet the arrogance originating from the knowledge of being a part of the greatest war machine in the galaxy did not allow for the realization she stood no chance against a Sith who knew how to tread the land - be it Venefica or someone else.

 

[Sha'so]

Uri told Sha'do not to wander far, but sometimes the young Cathar's ears ceased to function when her curiosity got the better of her. Her Master had brought her to this world to show her the place where Grandmaster Skywalker had trained with Yoda, Master of the old Order, thus carrying on those traditions and revitalizing them. It was a swamp, so it wasn't all that pretty, especially after falling in love with a lush, vibrant place like Ossus, but to Sha'do the bog had a beauty all its own. So once Uri was done teaching, she made her escape to explore this place. It took her a while to learn how to navigate the bog without sinking waist deep, and she got plenty dirty doing it which would have made her former owner furious, but she found that she rather enjoyed that thought. Besides, what was wrong with getting good and dirty once in a while? After all, wasn't that why showers were invented?

Sha'do didn't realize just how far she had let herself wander as she explored the bog. She had formed such a strong connection with her Master, she could sense him easily even from all this distance, so it was easy to get carried away with her wanderings. There were simply so many new things to discover! Her entire life before Ossus had been nothing but sewers and tall buildings, and then once she was captured and enslaved, all she knew was the confines of her owner's compound. She had never seen trees or even the sky before she had been taken away from Nar Shadda, and now every time she saw something new she had to explore with child-like abandon. Uri found it endearing and allowed it, but he also wanted her to be safe, which was why he told her not to stray too far; there were dangers out there, dangers Sha'do could not yet comprehend. Though the young woman had seen and experienced horrible things, things that would otherwise leave most people jaded and closed off, there was an innocence about Sha'do, a naivety regarding how things were in the universe. As a Jedi, she would one day have to face off against the dangers of the galaxy, but for now her Master wanted her to shed that innocence at her own pace, protecting her until she could come to terms with her painful past. If that meant some harmless exploring, so be it.

But Sha'do's exploration was about to become very dangerous. She had no idea how close she was to a certain Dark Lord, though she could hear something struggling to wade through the bog. Her ears perked up as her insatiable curiosity drove her to abandon the pursuit of a strange reptilian creature she had been stalking, and without any sense of danger, sought out the source of the struggling that was disturbing the peace of the marsh.

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

Three more steps carried the Dark Jedi and her pursuer forward through the muck as the impenetrable wall of trees surrounding them thinned and offered a better view of their surroundings. There wasn’t that much to see still; the mist positively obscured much of the sight showing what lied in the distance. The woman’s head hidden underneath a helmet suddenly sharply turned to the left when she heard a splash of water, too slow to see the beast responsible for it, but quick enough to catch a glimpse of a large, dark shape vanishing in the murky water and swimming away. Raising her hand, she wanted nothing more than to release all that frustration and anger she felt on the pitiful beast – and then her eyes travelled further up and saw a better target, a fellow sentient also straggling in the swamp, her outline barely recognizable in the tangle of trees and branches. A cruel smirk crossed her lips, invisible under the helmet, and she quickly started to wade towards the newcomer. With a snap-hiss, her crimson lightsaber sprang to life, its tip briefly touching the water surface only to hiss loudly as if demanding the Cathar’s attention.

Both large amber eyes darted from his target towards whatever might have attracted her attention, spotting the one who had interrupted the ongoing hunt. Mentally cursing at this sudden turn of events, the Mon Cal employed Force cloak to the fullest and vanished, turning his closest surrounding completely inaudible as well. Even in the Force, the Sith Lord ceased to exist, blending in with the animals observing the encounter. For now, there was no care for the newcomer’s affiliation, whatever it may be – Veles’s focus shifted from ending the woman to ensuring the newcomer did not get killed. She served as a valuable distraction, definitely, but there was no need for her to die if she had nothing to do with this affair. Swiftly, the invisible Mon Calamari went after his target, rushing through the marsh and closing the distance between their bodies.

Without so much as a warning, still unaware of him, the Dark Jedi pointed at her new toy – and blue, crackling light shot out of her fingertips, creating strange images on the water surface as it rushed over the swamp, right towards [member="Sha'do"]’s position. The woman’s excitement at the prospect of slaying the creature who dared to share the swamps with her could almost be tasted in the air. As soon as the stream of pure Dark Side embodiment ended, Veles knew he had to prevent his target from repeating the move. Focusing on one particularly thick branch between the Cathar and her assailant, the Mon Cal materialized an exact copy of Darth Venefica’s image. Her sudden appearance and hateful glare shocked the Sith Knight for a second, as now she found herself dealing with two beings.

That short moment was enough for Veles to launch himself from the swamp, all illusions suddenly dissipating into thin air as his form became clearly visible, the neutral signature of the Sith Lord revealing itself to the Knight’s senses. All of this confused her further and she assessed the situation poorly – turning around, slowed by mud, only to see a fist being driven into her helmet. The speed of his indicated either the Force skill allowing one to increase their reflexes or cybernetics; either way, it was beyond natural levels. The impact shattered the visor of her helmet and knocked her out cold, yet before the limp body splashed into the filthy water, the assassin’s webbed hand promptly grabbed the collar of her armour and held the Dark Jedi in place.

Only then both autumn-colored orbs looked towards the Cathar’s position.

“Are you alright, my lady? I apologize for not stopping our friend sooner,” he said softly in his thick, Imperial-accented voice, “I acted as soon as I could.”

And as soon as his target was suitably distracted by the young woman.

 

[Sha'so]

Sha'do's breath came in short, rapid pants as she stared through the Mon Calamari and the woman he was holding upright. That was a Sith! Sha'do didn't know much about them, but she did know that they were enemy to the Jedi, poisoned by the Dark side and they typically carried red sabers, just like the one that slipped from the unconscious woman's hand. Sha'do's honeyed gaze focused on that saber as it sank into the bog with a hiss. And what had been that... attack? She didn't even know the words for lightening, she'd never seen a natural storm with natural lightening, she had no point of reference for describing the stream of violet-hued energy that had nearly ended her short existence. Oh my, Uri had said there were dangers out there, even a woman who called herself a Witch, why oh why hadn't she listened to her Master and stayed closer to their campsite?! It made her all the more grateful that this man had saved her, which suddenly reminded her that she had not answered his question. Not that she could answer verbally, anyway, and she'd left her datapad back at the campsite for fear of water damage in the bog; who would have thought she'd need it! And she wouldn't dare try to communicate telepathically with a stranger, she had no idea of his motives. A simple nod of her head would have to suffice, though it was quickly followed by a subservient bow of her head. She recognized the accent from a guest in her former owner's compound, though the voice itself was new and she had no clue about the origins of the accent, and something about the way he spoke simply commanded respect, even when he was asking for her well-being. After so many years of enslavement it was simply hardwired into the mute Cathar to bow to that sort of person. It wasn't until after she realized what she had done that she remembered she didn't have to grovel to anyone anymore and she straightened back up, reaffirming her response to the man with another more self-assured nod.

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

Both orange eyes remained glued to the young Cathar until the reassuring nod as an indication she was alright came, which immediately resulted in the Mon Cal turning his focus to the armour-clad woman resting in his grip. The dead weight threatened to make his journey through the swamp far more dangerous. Not because he would not be strong enough to carry the prisoner; even if he did not count the cybernetically augmented muscles, the Sith Lord’s peak physical condition mirrored the strict Sith training regime and exercises. The danger originated from within the considerably increased chance of sinking too deep to escape the marsh’s grasp, becoming an easy prey for hungry beasts waiting for their chance – even now, Veles felt the cold touch of water kissing his thighs, but still not quite enough to wet the curved hilts on his belt. Trudging through the swampland with an unconscious enemy and boots full of slimy mud promised to be a slow, miserable trek though. Did this persuade him to abandon the Dark Jedi? Not quite.

The amphibious Sith was decided to take the risk of hauling the prisoner to solid land, albeit not without improving the odds in his favour a bit. As one webbed hand continued to hold the woman, the other patiently started to remove her armour, piece by piece. The broken helmet fell off first, dropping with a wet splash as the Darth’s gaze witnessed his target’s face for the first time. Shoulder-length blonde hair tried to cover her sharp features, but nothing hid the drops of blood rolling down her cheek, pouring from an ugly wound inflicted upon her forehead when the helmet saved her life. She would not be waking up anytime soon. As the gauntlets fell off and revealed a black body glove underneath, Avreet glanced towards the Cathar, one short acknowledgement of her presence before the eyes looked for the best way of removing move unnecessary burden.

“May I know what you do here all alone, my lady?” the Sith questioned calmly, “Dagobah is dangerous – not a place suitable for lone explorers. I'd recommend to get to safety before nightfall. Is your camp nearby?”

So far Veles paid her little attention, adrenaline still rushed through his veins, and therefore he did not even consider the possibility of the Cathar being a Force user. How did one even recognize a Jedi, anyway? The muddied clothes on her did not reveal anything, in fact, she appeared fairly ordinary, almost like a pilgrim, maybe a botanist – which made sense given the planet’s possession of rich flora. This resulted in his mind automatically dismissing the pike as some sort of a stick to help her move through the swamp. It made sense as his eyes spared merely a passing glance over the tool, still paying more attention to the straps holding the Dark Jedi’s armour on her person.

The Sith soon spoke spoke again, undoing the unconscious body’s chest plates, “I must insist on accompanying you on your way back to ensure your safety.”

The large domed head of his turned to face her, giving a hard stare.

“If you don’t mind, of course.”

More wet plops followed as next pieces of metal covering the Dark Jedi’s body fell off, vanishing in the murky water just as certainly as her plan to assassinate Darth Venefica.

 

[Sha'so]

Sha'do watched in stunned shock as the man removed armor from the unconscious woman's body. Something about that seemed wrong to her at first, but then she remembered that they were in a swamp and while she and he had seemed to navigate the bog with little difficulty, this other woman would be dead weight for him to carry, which would be dangerous for him. Although after that realization dawned on her, another hit her; why was she feeling sorry for someone who just moments ago tried to kill her for no apparent reason? No no, she MUST have done something to anger the woman, or at least that's what her slave mentality was telling her, trying to rationalize the woman's anger and her own fear so it made sense, but it wasn't working this time because Sha'do had truly done nothing to the woman.

The Mon Calamri's question cut through the ambient sounds of the bog and snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked up at him, his commanding tone and demeanor causing her to avert her eyes and her head to droop again. He wasn't demanding, he wasn't asking anything untoward, just something about his very presence was provoking these reactions from her! In more than a few ways, he reminded her of her Mas- no, her former owner, she had to remind herself that the Nikto crime lord was no longer her Master, and neither was this man, he simply had a very commanding presence. Of course, then she had the problem of actually answering him, but one hurdle at a time...

Sha'do stretched out her senses, looking around for her Master. She could sense him, still at their campsite some distance away and Sha'do pointed the way. She wasn't sure she needed an escort to return to camp, she could move through the swamp quickly enough, but after the Mon Calamari saved her life, she wasn't about to turn down such a generous offer. And aside from his demeanor which was evoking unwanted reactions from her, this man had been nothing but nice to her, it would be terribly rude to tell him no. It would also be terribly rude to make him carry this body through the marsh all by himself, and so she moved to help remove the woman's greaves to free them of that bit of added weight, then she grabbed the woman by the legs to support some of the weight and helped the Mon Cal to a patch of solid ground that Sha'do had been using to travel earlier.

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

The silence was disconcerting, overly so. With only the noise made by native animals and gusts of wind answering the Sith Lord’s questions, not a single sound leaving the Cathar’s mouth, the mystery shrouding the purpose of the young woman’s visit of Dagobah remained, veiling her even further. This did not break the serene expression on the amphibious assassin’s face, though if [member="Sha'do"] watched closely, she would be able to see the worry in her saviour’s large orbs.

That did not last for long – something stirred in the Force, a presence Veles suddenly became acutely aware of. In the horde of various lifeforms surrounding the momentarily silent duo, it became easy to misse that one special signature marking a Force user, even if its owner stood right in front of him. Even though the strange sensation lasted less than a second, the Cathar’s presence gently brushed over the Mon Cal’s with her senses reaching out. Still, she appeared not in shock of discovering a powerful Sith – and the look pointed towards the girl remaining oblivious to his nature. For Veles though, this revelation warranted another glance over her, orange jewels searching for a lightsaber, to no avail. Interesting!

Only after his new companion moved to help him with the prisoner, a frown crossed the Sith Lord’s face and he firmly shook his head in refusal, swiftly tossing the Dark Jedi over his shoulder, one lone grunt escaping his lips. It wasn’t a matter of trust as much as the fact the Sith did not want a woman to plod with something heavy, such as this limp body.

“I thank you for your help, my lady, but I cannot ask you to carry my burden,” he voiced an apology and offered a smile in return, walking alongside the young Cathar. After the two have been released from the swamp’s cold, deadly embrace and the unlikely duo walked solid earth once more, Veles’ head turned around as if searching for someone else, then his stare pierced the girl again, burning holes into her head in a silent wish to erase all questions racing through his mind. The Force did not provide the desired answers, preferring to be like the young Cathar – silent. It was the girl’s silence he could not understand; did he say something wrong?

“Do…,” the Sith started when a snake slithered on the ground in front of them. Normally, it wouldn’t have disturbed the Sith; the Force’ silence’s been broken as it screamed of danger. Quickly putting the unconscious woman down, Veles reached for his weapons just when a massive splash of murky water washed over the area, the creature responsible for it towering above the two. They might have believed their escape from the swamps was successful, but the Dagobah’s emissary came to drag them back, forever. The massive glossy body of a dragonsnake appeared out of nowhere, two red spots in its head ferociously glared at his food from atop of its long neck, half submerged in the water still.

“Get back,” the Sith Lord said softly, unsure if his companion even heard it, and a crimson beam of superheated plasma sprang to life.

 

[Sha'so]

Sha'do smiled politely with a nod at his insistence that he carry this burden on his own. He did seem to have things under control, and with their feet firmly on solid ground rather than bog sludge she felt assured that he would not fall into the bog with the woman so she let go. He seemed a very patient sort; most people would have asked, or demanded, that she say something by now, but he hadn't. Was he content to enjoy the companionable silence? No, she did catch the hint of worry in his eyes, though it was somewhat difficult for her to recognized on the Mon Calamari's face as she had never seen one of his kind before, but she did eventually pick up on the worry. The young Cathar released the softest of sighs. Now was the part where he asked why she wouldn't speak and then she would have to show him, then would come the pity... Sha'do hated pity...

But the question never came, as he was interrupted by a snake slithering by, which made Sha'do squeak in surprise, indicating that she was capable of vocalizing in some form. She smiled as the snake slithered away, but her smile quickly faded as she too caught on to sense of imminent danger. Reaching over her shoulder as she turned, she drew her pike, expanding the staff and the blade with a well-practiced flick of her wrist. She looked up, and up, to see the massive serpentine creature erupting from the bog, and it seemed quite pleased to have happened upon such delightfully tasty looking snacks. Sha'do couldn't decide if she wanted to call for her Master, run, or both, but her new companion eliminated those options as he ordered her to get behind him. This she could do! With a nod, she moved behind the Mon Cal, taking a knee beside the unconscious woman and erecting a barrier to protect them both, trusting this strange man to protect them so this barrier would go untested; she was still practicing barriers and had never tested her ability to hold up under an attack.

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

The beast opened its large mouth in a fearsome growl and revealed the sharp fangs within when the tip of Veles’ lightsaber came closer, bathing the dragonsnake’s green scales in red light. The scales themselves acted like natural armour, proving too tough to cut through even for a vibroweapon. Fortunately, the Sith’s lightsaber tightly held in his cybernetic hand could easily cut through the swamp inhabitant’s body – but so could the animal’s razor-sharp fins tear the Mon Calamari into bloody shreds if he wasn’t cautious. Indeed, one of the beast’s long arms reached out to snatch the Mon Cal Sith, grabbing nothing but air when the amphibious Sith Lord swiftly sidestepped to the left with grace natural to most Makashi users, his blade arching up with its end scorching the beast’s arm. A loud hiss followed, the red blade of pure energy burned through scales and flesh alike. The roar tearing its way from the dragonsnake's gnaw sent shivers down Veles' spine. The injury positively forced the hungry beast to turn all of its attention towards the Sith Lord, leaving the Cathar alone.

A fleeting look over [member="Sha'do"]’s shimmering blue barrier of energy confirmed the Sith’s suspicions of her being a trained Force user before two swift strides backwards carried Veles out of the animal’s reach as it approached, moving further away from the Cathar and the prisoner. More splashes of water disturbed the swamp’s peaceful and almost serene atmosphere – all animals rushed away from the place, running from one of the planet’s most fearsome predators. While his opponent was truly massive, the Sith Lord had the advantage of reach, staying far enough to have time to dodge the monster’s attack while also possessing the option of striking in swift jabs and cuts. That kind of attacks did not do much aside from ripping through the beast’s scales and flesh – none of the attacks pierced deep enough to slay it. If anything, Avreet’s attacks only angered it. Its pain, hunger, anger; all could be felt through the Force, all ironically lending more power to the Sith Lord as he called upon the Dark Side, raising his left hand to put an end to this.

Precognition warned him of the sudden attack before he could finish as the beast lashed out again, moving more of its body out of the water to finally take hold of the Sith, the reach of its arms suddenly increased more than the Mon Cal had expected. Even the greatest advantage of Makashi’s been taken from him. Veles moved quickly – the Force flowed through him and the cybernetics further increased the lightning speed of his dodge – but his focus was broken, the movement too quick and uncoordinated to allow him to immediately regain his footing on the mushy ground. He stumbled, mentally cursing when razor-sharp claws narrowly avoided his right arm. That was way too close!

Their trouble did not end there; the Dark Jedi’s eyes suddenly stared wide open, sickly yellow hue wildly looking at the Cathar, watching her with the ferocity of a wild beast. With an animalistic hiss, the woman launched herself at the young Cathar, her strikes wild and savage, landing strong punches into the girl’s body to shatter her bones with unnatural strength fuelled by the Dark Side.

 

[Sha'so]

He was Sith.

There was a hint of betrayal in Sha'do's aura and her expressive eyes as she watched her new companion dance with the dragonsnake. She could feel the darkness flowing through him, and yet... it was somehow beautiful. She had the briefest moment to realize that for all she didn't know about the Force and Jedi and Sith, that she was witnessing something that very few would likely ever see and she felt honored for it. And she didn't know if he realized if she was connected to the Jedi or not, but even if he did, she had this feeling that even still he would not harm her once he was done with the beast and returned to her. She'd had some pretty bad first impressions since joining the Jedi, but his first impression had left a profound impact on her and she now trusted him not to turn his crimson blade on her once he returned.

The same could not be said for the woman who had been unconscious at Sha'do's side. Sha'do's barrier fell as her concentration faltered with the woman's wild and sudden attack. Sha'do's heart raced as the first impacts of the woman's fists made contact with her tiny body. Panic set in, self preservation kicked in, and the Force simply reacted within her sending the woman flying. Sha'do didn't wait for the woman to regain her footing to renew her assault, Sha'do was on her feet and going after the woman. Her pike almost looked too big for a woman of Sha'do diminutive size, but she wielded it like it was a part of her, an extension of her body, moving with grace and agility even through the bog. Her former owner hadn't just created a beautiful play-thing in Sha'do, he had created a protector, a hunter, a killer, one strong enough that she had been able to kill a Jedi trying to infiltrate her owner's compound. All on his command, of course, she would have never done so of her own accord otherwise.

But this Sith woman was fighting wild, which made her more dangerous than the Jedi, and she had that energy attack that she had used earlier that Sha'do was terrified she would use again; Sha'do tried to hold the woman off since the Mon Cal had clearly wanted to capture her alive or he would have killed her himself earlier, but the young Cathar was too afraid of that earlier attack. The woman was all cut up from Sha'do's blade, none of which would be fatal if the woman sought medical help, but the woman just kept fighting and Sha'do continued to defend herself. Then Sha'do felt the draw of dark energy in the woman, and the moment Sha'do saw the violet hued energy spark from the woman's hands, she simply reacted; with one powerful stroke it was all over, severing the woman's head from her body and sending it rolling into the bog. As the body fell with residual violet sparks dancing over the woman's form, Sha'do sunk to her knees in the bog, a numbness creeping into her. It had been self-preservation, but she hating killing... Oblivious to the fight still going on between her Mon Cal companion and the dragonsnake, Sha'do lifted her face to the heavens, hoping for... something she knew not what. Maybe she just wanted someone to tell her it was alright, but there was no telling what she wanted in this moment, she was so numb.

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

Veles was very aware of the Dark Jedi’s sudden attack, yet unable to address the problem with the massive dragonsnake continuously demanding his attention. The onslaught of the animal’s attacks had to end – the Mon Calamari needed to put the woman down before something happened and ruined his plans for her. The Sith Lord did not hesitate even for the briefest of moments; he definitely did not want the innocent Cathar to get hurt, yet he also did not want his prisoner dead. Not this soon, anyway. Allowing his body to become a conductor of the Dark Side, Veles raised his left hand, fingers pointing at the beast. In this moment of utter focus, the air itself seemed to thicken with the Dark Side as a similar power to the Knight’s lightning appeared, although in red colour, shooting out of the Mon Cal’s fingers. The unnatural application that bent the very core of the Force to his will started to rob the animal of its strength, delivering the energy to the caster. Naturally, the Dark Side assaulted the Mon Cal’s mind like it had done so many times before, trying to break his sanity and claim his body. The wall made out of Darth Veles’ personal mantra and morals stood still though, resisting the assault of darkness crashing against it.

Sapped of its very life, the beast suddenly felt fear. It only strengthened the power of Veles’ drain, which resulted in the animal panicking, wildly throwing itself into the water. That was the moment Veles released his hold on the animal, turning to see the fight between his companion and the Dark Jedi. His prize had been denied from him – the blonde head lied in the mud, with no body attached to the neck. A frown crossed his serene expression, both eyes studying the Cathar and the headless corpse next to her. Blood spewed out onto the ground. The very blood he wished to use… It was regrettable he had to do it in front of his companion, especially since she revealed herself to be a Force sensitive trained in the arts of using the Force. The Dark Side beckoned him to do it though. The violent death of the woman, the terror of the beast, the planet’s very essence… it all created a perfect moment for what he was about to do.

Two long strides and he passed the Cathar, falling to his knees as well in front of the dead body. The free hand frantically searched for something within his clothes, the other uncaringly dropped the curved hilt of a lightsaber. It fell down, extinguished in the very same moment Avreet firmly clutched a small object. A beautiful golden necklace with a large gem stone. This visibly expensive jewel’s been unceremoniously tossed it into the small pool of blood that formed under the crimson shower. There was no time for explanation; shutting his large eyes closed, Veles concentrated on moving the strong presence of the Dark Side into the necklace, strange words leaving his lips as he absent-mindedly repeated the ancient chant over and over again.

"̼̺̑ͩͤͭ̋͂͢Ạ͙̗̞̰̩̪̿͛͒̑̒̅̚p͖̞͍̩͔͈̓̅̑͛͛ͅp̵͖̘̠͐̀̓ͦͥ̔r͔̽̄͂ͭ̾ͫ͠o͇̰̙͚̰̟̠ͫa͕̯̰͍̗ͧ̍̋̂͗ͅc̞̣̭̀̈́ͨ̈ͤ͟h͇͙̝̣̺͚ͮͤ͒̈́̏ͧ́i͕̭̺͉͍̔̿̂͞n̳̪̾̌͝g̰̉͛ͥ̓ ̈̄̒̓̀҉̬͎̜̠š́t̘͌o͇̳̤͝r̵̭͇̋ͨ̍̄m̠̭̥̗̺̯͋̃͒͗,̦̲͈̰̟̳̞ ̘̮̼͙̘̺̎͛ͪ̒͆b̵̲̮̗ͤ͌̍r̳̫̫̽i̩̣̩͚̳̔n͓͔̞̻̺ͫ̚̚ǵ͔̳̠̖̻͘e͒ͪͭ͜r͌̌̾̋̚ ͍̟̗͐̆ͦ̓̐͋̒o̧̠̺͉̞̟͇̞͂̂̎f͔͈̗͍̘͉̭̐ͧ́ ̅̏ͫ͆ͤͥͧd̤̯̹͌ͫ͌̉͛͌ͅè̋̅ͨ̿̚͏̻̳ã̦̘͇̫͚̃͆̓̉ͯt̷̼̮̣̪̙͓̳̂ͫͦ͐̆ḩ̈̋ͫ̓,͚̝̙̼̗̯̖ͮ̄ͧ͒ ̩̞̗͎͓ͬͩ̂̎͗̍̚s͊͊͏͖͈̠̝̘̠e̲͈̩͇͑̐͗ͨa̶̞̣̜͙̳̝̬r͐̍͡ĭ̳̩͋̽̽n̠̜̦͎̪͔ͣ̉g̷͓͍͖͇̑̒͑̋͗̽̊ ̨̳̠̯ͫ͆ͬ̈w̔h̺̲̫͚͙͐ͦͭ̊͊̓i̜̩̎̍͛̿̋p͕̝̼̝ͮ͂ͫ̅͂ͬ,̢̩͍͍̰̳̌ ͔̺̩ͧ̑͊e̦̺̊x̙̗͖̱͇͌̄e͈ͭ͗̅̌c͇ͬu̝ͫ̇t̪̮͓̣̮̞̭͊͛̎ͨ͂̐͊i̹̗̞̹̰̜̯͐o͈͇̥̎ͅṇ̣̟͈ͮe̢̠̞͎̮̘͍͕͗ͭͫ͑̂ͮ̚r̡̞̠̯̯̮̱̊̄ͅ’̭͖͕̯͙̥̃ͩ̎͗̅̽s̼̓̔ͥ̏̈́̉̾ ͎͓͚̯̻͖̊̉ͫ̈̓̇͆ͅb̼̾ͭ̐ͮͧ̏̐l̦͍͉̼̜̥̃a͔͊͌͂͑d̪̘̗̭̎͊ͥ̏ͮ̆ͨ͜e̦̳̖̥̙̺ͧ—͙͍̱̳͍̤̈́̚o̖͗̀p̸̣̂̑e͖̣̹͗ñ̀̀ͧ̅͑ ͚̓̐͐ͨt͉̹ͬ̈͐ͯ̌̚o͖̪͕̝ ̴̰̪ͤ́̓̽̓̒t̰̦̘̘̫̊̃͝h͎̯̱̀e̼͢ ̸̖̲͎̲̼̱̮͑̃̚h̎̂͆̍́̀e͔͍̜ͤ̈ͭ̑̽̓a̒͋͏̖͖̤r̙ͨͦ̒ͦ̔̈́ţ͖̻̮̳̥͕̓͒̒̍ ̴̱̖̦ͧ̅o̶̘͈͈̫̰̱ͯ̒̂͑̚f̗̦̤̞̫̙̽̓̈̑̔̆ ̼t̰͔̮ͩ̅͐ͨ̃ͥ̚h̘̀ͥ̾̌ͤ̅̚ỳ̬̝̄̉ͅ ̼͖ͣ̎l̟̮̮͇͔̻̙ͯ̍̇͋̈́̌o͈̼͐̈́͒̊ṇ̙̙̱͚͉̣̄̓e̷̼̖͑̀ͨ͋̒̚l̯̫͎̩̜̝ÿ͚́͐̆ͯͭ ͚͖̪̭͑s̵̤̳̠̖͖̦̐̍͐ͨ͌̏̀e̖͓̩̟ͅř̺̞̞͔͉͉̒v̭͔̂̕a̟̦̟̹̲̩̎̽͒͋̂ͅn͙̒͒̚t̟͎͎̩̼̏̍͆ͭ.̙ͨ͆ͦ͂̋̾ͦ͘ ̲̠͔͇̞̩ͧ̊ͅṰ͒ͥͫ̍̓o̮̊ ͭ̆ͧ́ţ̔ͬh̡̪͔̹ē̳̩̤͚̱͋ͧ͛ ͓̰̜̮͙͙͈̓̇̿͟o͂͗҉̜n̢̺̍e̷͈ͯ́ͤ̒̇ ̭̼̺͈̳a̯̼̬̱ͬ̾̓̐̀ͯͩp͎͈̼̘̜̋͋̌ṕ̜̰̰̼r̵͍̠͉̤̲̬̙ͦ̒̓ȏͬͬͨ̒ͬ̆͡a͍c͂̈́̌h̷̼ͯ͌̽̐̓i̡͕̳͈͉̬̬̽ͬͤ̎̒ͧ͗n̥̣̣͉̲̳͇̉̆̈́̉̀̅g̖̜͍̤͂ͧ ͚̰̫̹͙͊̋a̞͎ ̓ͩ҉s̟̙̥͔̫̲̝ͪ̏̐͂ṯ̱o̜̩̥͉͖͌ͤ̆͡r͇͑̂̑̄m̰̯͚̥̣̮ͥ̐,̶̮͖̭̗̰̾̒͆ ̻̼ͨ͒̌̿͜c̵̠̫̘͈͑͊u̖̯̹̼͆̆̿ͥ͗ͦ͞ṯ̴̬̮̬̰̠͈̑͑̋̅͆̄t̺͍̰͔͖̭̉̽ͣͪͦȋ̭̰nͪ̈́̈́ͭͣ͞g̱̬͚͓̦̖͒̂ ̎͑͆̑h͙̫̻͓̥̭͋̒͂̉̉̽͊i̞̘͔͚ͬͯs̕ ̹̰ͩ̌̽͋̏ax́̃͒ͩ́̓̄҉͓͉̤̺͕̲ḙ̍̏̀͑ͨ͛ͬ͞,͈̤ͮ̀͂ͮ̊ͅ ̃̽ͧ̈́ͬ̂͛ř͇͖̻̳̈i̤ͯ̈́̋́s̢̻͉̦̣̞̒̊ͧȅ̳̅ͮ ̜̪̜̤̯̻͑ͨ̎ͫ̂̊ị̣̜̗͈̭̱ͣ̃ͮ͂͒̏n̠̭̙̥̣̬̫̿̎̃̈́ ̦̪͈͕͎ͧ̑̑̀͐̍͜h̸̝͚̹̬̭̋̌͋̚i̻̱ͫͥ͘s ́̐̃̅d̹̹͚̱̪̻̓ͬͮͣ͠e̝̖ͧͣ̿͝à͖͙̯̅̔t͜h̼̣͍̰͙̄ͣͬ.̳͂̍ ̶͍͔͈T͚̙̲͑̔̌̍̆̚o͍̩̥͚̞̒̓ ̳͎̖̻͍̥ͫͤͤ͡ḿe̹̖̰̗,̵̙̲͉̍ ̨̬̜̺̬͓͈̗̍͌̇̄p͎̪͑̾̽͐͂̑r̝͓͈͖̱̼̐ͪ̂́͊ͭa̙̦̟̪̦̹͙y͚͔̮̩̟ͦĭ̛̜̭̿̎̾̂ṅ̷̠̦̏̀ͨ͗̓g̠̥̗̱̗ͪͦ͆ ̷̼͈̦t̆́̋͞o̧̲̘̞̪͌ͯͫ ͔t̖͐͂̒̊͂͛̐h̿̽̃̓ͧ̔҉͇̦͙̦̟ę̺͔e̲̣̘ͭ̈̂̄̅̏́,̰̭̘̯̱̈́ͭͫ͊̍ͯͫ ả̢n̞̮̦͔̗̭ͅs̽̄҉w͕̘̲ͦͯ͂̈͑ě͙̓ͥ̐ͭͤͅŕ̹̃̎̒͌͑!͕̘̣͖ ̉̅̅͊M̾̆ͭ͒̓̐̃y̺̹̳͂ ̞̘̠̗͓̤̗̈̐͛͑ͪ̎͘fͤ̓̐͆̐͊ͫŏ̡̜͉ͨ̆̊̀ͩȅ͓͇͊ͮ̎̚ ̧̱͖͎̦̔ͪͬ̈́͑̾t̲̼õ͍̠ͮ ̹̼̲̣̓̒̿͒̒̂th͙̲̦͈͚̖ẻ̷̬̗̣ ̇d̹̬eͨ͗̒҉̯̰̜͖p̌ͤ̅ͣt̤́ͥͣ͢h̖͈̞̼̠̪̥͗̔ ̰̦̜̻̓̓ͦ̀̊ǒ͂͏̟̮̦f͉̮͈̝͕̗͊̽ͩͮͭ͑ ̹̔ͥ̍͟p̤̤̭̦̣͑͗̒̀å̪̯̹̻̻̙̟͒̿i̻̼̲͝n̹͓̜͍̮ͬ̃̃ͮ͆̑͑͠,̵̘̻͕͉̠̫̟̓ ͎͙̩̲̦̖͈ͧͥ̂͞ȋ̛͍̘ͪ̊̔nͭ̑҉͖t̲̺̖̤̼ͧo̿͋́͜ ̢̤͉̻͍̰̑̑́̇ͯ̿t̴̎ͯh̢̯ḛ̻̮̹̇̈́ ̤̝̠͊͗̄͂v̶̠̠̖̦̓̿̑o̩̬̼̞̰͕̟r̺̦̯̗͐ͣ͊̂̅̐͟ț̆ͫ͛è̙̲̼ͨͨͤx̩̤͓̯̲̮̀̈͞ ̭̺͎̲̮ͬ̓ǒ̧̫͆ͫ͒͐fͩ͛͗ͫ͛͑ͤ ͇͋̋͒̀s̛̺ͣͪ̑͋ͣ͐͛u̥̽̄͒ͮ́f̭̙͖̐͒̀̊͑f̉ͧ̚e̝̣͖̻̎̿͊͒͟r͖̰̫͓̠̽̎ͮ̋̒i̹̩̪n͉̤͖͉̞̟͗͗̓̆g̠̻ͪͪ͛—̤̳̰̤̤̀̋͊ͪt̰͉̲̋̊͒̍̾ͫ͐ḧ͍͕̮̣̗̭͍́̽r̰͔͖̦͂ͨ̂ͭo̖̰ͩw̘̼̌̇ͬͥͨ͐.̯͚̤̲͔͑͢ ̭̳̓̑ͣ̀̍ͦ̈W̯͔̲͕ͮh̰̭̤̰͈ͭ̐͊̇ͩi̜͕̯̫̗ͪ̅̅͜l͆̆͛e̥̩͉̖͇̰̼ͤͭ̕ ͤ̎̾ͫ͌ỷ̗͇͖̂̊̍̑̒ō̺̺̳̘̤̞̹̾͋̂̚ȕ͇͍̜̼̲̫̺͆͆͌̂ͯ͘ ̈̇͒ẗ̨̪͓̲̺͚̎͌̂͗̏o̮̩̤̱͇̰̟ͩ͂͢r͚͈̱͆͟t̡̲̮̜̩̣͎̹̄́̓̓̽̚ű͍̑ͩ̕r̲̦̍̈́ͨ̀̅́ͪ͡e̸̘̭̭̊,̨̘͇̽͊̋̓ͥ ̹ͮ͆ͤ̊̿ͭ͂t̰͙̥̬͈̦̀ͬ̍ͅe̦̘̟̫̦̹͌̕a̹̰͚ͫ́̐̌͊r̘͟ ̴͋ͫ͊hi̛͙̬͈̭̠̲̠̽m̥̾̈́ͩ̍͜ ̧͍fͩ̿r̜͉̻̖̖̠͊̂̽͠o̦͎͎͉ṁ̠̼̪͒ ̱͓̼̖͂̽ẃ͔͌́i̒̊҉͇͔̘̫̯͔t̔̍̌̓hͤͦ̓̈́͒͊͏͇͉̭̜̠ͅi̺͈̻̻̺̎ͣ̈̓n̗̯̮͖̘̖̓͐,͎͈ͪ͒́ ̱̣̣̩b̢͖̤̃ͤͬͣe͎̝̠͈̜̍̅ͬ ̰̀ͬ̒̈ͨ́̈́s̠̰̭ͪ͛ͣ̉ͫ̄ͭͅl̛̹o̸̥̰̙̟̯̰̯ͪw̩̙.́̓̅̀̂ ͦͮ̓̐̔͗W͂̀͐͋ͦh͌̅ḛ̪͂̿̚n̛̯̪̟͇̻̭̓̅̎͐̂̄ ͚̮̼ͩͨͬ̂h̢̰ͪͭ̈ͧͬ̅̌ȩ̞̫̞͖͚ͅ ̜̘͉̹̳̘̣ͤ̃͊ͩc̶͖ŗ͓̮̗̫͂̏į̬̳̱̽e̤͔͙̭͕̻ͦṣ̖̰͒̂ͨͯͥ̏ ́ͯ́o̙̥͓͈̜͈̟͆̐͂͞u̝͖̗̯̗͋̿ͮ̆t̪̗̟̯͊ͫ̊̓̄̇͒ ͇͋̆̽́̿̉̚t̸̝̣̬̞͐̓ͯ͗̎͆̀o̪͇͎̼̭ͮ͂̔͆ ̰͖̏ͭ͐ť͈̖̯͙͈͉͚ͦ͌̌̿̿ͦh̭͎̮̺̃̐ͣ̉̂̓͞ë̄̄͌͑̕ë͇͕̘̪̜ͣ͟ͅ,͖̤̺̀ͣ͗̅͟ ̴̯̬͑h̪̳̮̔̇̆̉̌̉ͅi͚͔͇̙̝͂ͯ̿͜ͅs̖̠̪ ̦̝̟̩̜̹̖ͧ͡v͌ͥ̽̂̆ͪ̈o̡͈̰̱̫̗iͥ͏̣͎̳̼̮c͕̞̘̥ě͇͕͖̟ͧ̓͂ͯ ̼̳̀̋ͬ̉͂̚b͕̱͒̍͋̿̂̓ͪe̊͊g͉̯̹͇̙̑̚͟g͉i̞̦̝̜̳̳̓̆ͦnͯ͠g̬̖͙̻̙̠̖ ͕͒ͣ͂m̷̭̏e͚̩̪ͣ͌͐͐̚r͑ͫ̀ͩ̓̂̄͏̹̝̺c̤̊͞y͉͍͎̙̗͙̞,͈̯̼͎̱͋ͮͥ̕ ̖̘̠̦̱͉͌b̵̙̳̼ͣ̐ě̵̮̮̜̍̿͒ͯͥ ͐̆͊̆̉̓͏͉̜̤̯s̴̠̓̇̄͒̓̐̃ͅͅĩ̞̺̝̜ͫͣ͂͠ḽ̡̠͕̯̯̞ͦͫͫͅe̼̘̞͔̰̫̩ͧͣ̓ṇ͚͍̲͊̔̔ͯͥ̏ṫ̩̞͙͕͖̤̃ͮ͛̆ͫ͐.̛̱̖͚̈̀̓ͫͣͯ͒"

Something in the Force seemed to shift, strong enough to affect their surroundings. Darkness banished the light, shadows moved in and stretched as long as they could All emotions merged together in this moment, twirling and dancing around the scene, nearing the duo. Strangely enough, everything seemed to pour within the necklace, not the Sith Lord who became completely oblivious to the world. All blood that touched the gem turned black, white plume rising into the air.

Then the chant stopped and everything returned to normal; only the necklace could be briefly felt in the Force like a beating heart, radiating power, pounding strongly and eventually falling silent. The amphibious Sith Lord’s eyes slowly opened, staring at the object in front of him. The only evidence proving something had transpired was the black blood and the necklace itself. It’s golden chain darkened, just like the diamond. Carefully lifting the amulet from the boiling pool of black goo, Veles stashed it within his tunic and let out a heavy sigh of great relief. It was over.

[member="Sha'do"]

 

[Sha'so]

For the longest time, all sha'do could do was stare at the body, now defiled by the Mon Cal's dark magic, and that pendant, it's pulse of life made her shiver. She didn't realize it, but tears were streaming down her face. What had she just witnessed?

"I'm sorry," she finally 'said', breaking the silence between them. "She was going to kill me, I was just defending myself," she continued as her body was wracked with a steady tremble, shock forming into the beginnings of hysteria, though she was holding it back for now, just as her former Master had taught her to do. Then she looked up at the Mon Cal, her eyes hollow, devoid of any emotion save the madness that was threatening to take over. "Are you going to kill me now?"

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

Passion’s been replaced by calmness, the Dark Side coursing through his veins slowly began to subside, the unnatural aura surrounding the Sith Lord started to shift back to the neutral signature that was his own. Words formed within the Mon Cal’s mind, originating from the pitiful creature in front of him as telepathy spoke for her. It was the first time he ‘heard’ her speak. Not only that; these words carried that hollow feeling describing the young woman’s current state, clearly mirroring the poor bundle of nerves’ image. Veles did not answer the girl’s question at first; eyes remained focused on her empty expression, tears pouring down her cheeks like a river. The Dark Side had yet to run out of fuel, feasting on the female’s emotions, yet Veles felt no joy or accomplishment. The Force knew he had no intention of having her witness this, but he’s been given little choice. With one swift move, the curved hilt lying on the ground appeared in his hand, only to be clipped on the belt, resting alongside its twin.

“And why would I do that?” he asked, voice like a soothing balm. He would have used the little knowledge of Force healing he had if not for the remnants of the Dark Side within him effectively rendering the power ineffective. The only thing he could do was to wait. Whether the Cathar calmed on her own or if the Light Side did his bidding – which was doubtful after the ritual – the Mon Calamari Sith did not dare to come too close to the shocked sentient, offering her time and space to regain focus, though a clean handkerchief found its way into his hand and Veles offered it to the Cathar.

“Here,” the amphibious assassin said gently, crouching to be on her level, “Wipe off your tears. Take deep breaths. The beast ran away. The Dark Jedi is dead. You’re safe now.”

Standing up, he looked around. The deafening silence that had fallen on the swamp was both strangely calming and unnerving at the same time. It did not worry him; he had what he came for. With the task fulfilled, the Sith Lord’s only objective that remained was escorting the Cathar to safety, and the Sith strongly doubted her ability to do that on her own. Not after what had transpired here, despite the young woman’s impressive skill with pike. Its edge glistened with red still, yet the wielder did not appear to be in good enough condition to make it to the camp on her own – a splatter coming from the swamp let Veles know its inhabitants dared to return.

“We need to make haste, my lady,” the Sith stated coolly, “Lean against me if you need or let me carry you, but it is necessary for us to move.”

[member="Sha'do"]

 

[Sha'so]

"Dark Jedi?!" Sha'do replied with a growl, hissing at the offered handkerchief. "I would have never joined the Jedi Order if they taught this sort of violence!" She was downright disgusted at the idea that she and this woman would ever be part of the same organization. "Jedi fight in defense of those who cannot defend themselves. Maybe you don't want to be associated with her, but don't insult the Order by lumping her in with us." Once she was done scolding him, she grabbed the handkerchief and dried her eyes. The one good thing to come out of the anger was that it snapped her out of her shock and hysteria, and with a few calming breaths she was feeling more like herself, though the Mon Cal was still in the right to want to accompany her back to camp, she was not fit to be alone right now.

"I apologize for my outburst," she said once she was a bit more calm. She would offer an explanation for the outburst, but if he thought so little of Jedi that he would call that madwoman a Jedi, albeit Dark Jedi, then she wasn't sure if she cared enough about what he thought to explain herself. Her simple apology would have to be enough. "And I can move of my own accord, I do not need your help," she insisted as she picked up her pike. She rose and swung her weapon to fling the blood and muck off so she could collapse and sheathe it. Then she started for the campsite where her Master no doubt was worrying about her. There was no way he hadn't felt what had transpired here and she wouldn't be surprised if he was already out looking for her.

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

The shock and apathy only paved a way for anger to walk upon, as Veles immediately discovered. If not for the fact that telepathy seemed to be the girl’s chosen way to communicate, he would have stopped her messages from forming in his head. On the other hand, the Cathar’s anger spilled a bit of information about her. Suppressing the smile that threatened to curl the corners of his lips upon the reveal she was in fact a member of the Jedi Order, Avreet watched his companion with a stone cold expression on his face, unmoved by her rant. It was somewhat understandable from a certain point of view; Veles hated when others confused Sith and Dark Jedi, associating him and his beloved mistress with the murderous rubble that used incorrect name.

The pair continued in their journey towards the safety of a camp, so far disturbed by no immediate danger. With solid ground under their feet most of the time, the travel became much faster, allowing the two cross a considerable distance through the swamplands. The trek initially went by in silence, making both companions more aware of the sounds around them, which in combination with the Force allowed for safer passage by avoiding more large beasts lurking within the swamp. Sometimes their path was not the most comfortable, but with nothing heavy to carry, the duo successfully braved the swamp, pushing through whatever obstacle it put in their way.

Veles’ gaze shifted towards the woman walking beside him, their pace strangely well-coordinated – something Avreet always did when walking next to his companions. Curiosity sparked within these large orbs of his, almost revealing the question before it formed into words that left his mouth, breaking the silence with his smooth, yet strong voice.

“It appears you have a strong opinion about Dark Jedi, lady Jedi,” he stated, changing the way of addressing her accordingly to the information provided, “Tell me, have you ever met Sith or Dark Jedi before? Before… this day?”

The presence of the Mon Calamari became more and more transparent as he veiled it under the cloak of their surroundings, becoming indistinguishable. It was not necessary at the moment, but the suspicious lack of a lightsaber hilt on the young woman’s belt pointed towards her role as a Padawan; and thus significantly increased the chance of bumping into another Jedi or two.

[member="Sha'do"]

 

[Sha'so]

"I am just a Padawan," Sha'do corrected softly, "and I have never met a Sith, or what you call a Dark Jedi, before today. In fact, I know little about either, I am still learning what it means to be Jedi. I have been told that Sith, like the Dark side, are dangerous, though I do not know why. I have made some inquiries, even voiced some opinions, none of which have been well received by my instructors. My Master is open minded and understanding, but even he thinks I am not ready for some of the questions I ask." Even still, Uri encouraged her questions, though she was no longer comfortable asking anyone but her Master some of the things that weighed on her mind. She certainly wouldn't tell some of the Masters back at the Temple about her conversation with this man!

"I have had what you might call a troubled upbringing, and more than a few of the Masters charged with my instruction are worried I will give in to the darkness. I don't want to, I just want to be a good person, to help people..." Sha'do didn't know why she was confessing this to this stranger, and a user of the Dark Side at that! It seemed almost amusingly ironic, but she certainly wasn't laughing about it. But now that it was out there, she somehow felt better for it. She wasn't afraid to admit what she didn't understand, and maybe there was some hope he could shed some light on a situation that she understood so little about.

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

“Hmm.” the amphibious Sith muttered when the Padawan confirmed much of his assumptions. The young Jedi was like an empty book and Veles found it impossible not to leave his sign, however small, written within. Despite the usual assumptions of what Sith did to such inexperienced Padawans, the Mon Cal had no intention of turning her to the Dark Side or corrupting the woman. Indeed, the Sith Lord took this opportunity to offer an advice or two, leaving it up to the Cathar whether she believed him and accepted his truth or not. As her telepathy continued to communicate with him still, the Sith remained silent, ‘listening’ to what she had to say with the same patience and interest as if the woman spoke out loud. Only after the stream of information finished pouring into his head, the amphibious Sith Lord offered a nod, the whiskers on his chin wriggling at the sudden movement.

“Then let me be the first Sith you see, lady Jedi!” the amphibian declared with a gentle chuckle, “I have a title, but that is not important... just call me Avreet.” The large domed head turned to let the eyes fall upon the Cathar.

“The Dark Side is very dangerous, indeed!” the Sith confirmed with another nod, the serious expression letting his companion know he wasn’t joking, “Unless you plan to become a Sith, please, do not use the Dark Side, not even at the cost of your own life and the lives of others. Stay true to the Jedi Code and become a proper Jedi, not like one of those fools who believe they can defeat Dark Jedi by using the power of their enemy!” The true Sith scoffed and spat. There were too many Dark Jedi running around the galaxy, hordes of crazed animals. Avreet did not want another to join their ranks, especially not someone who wished to become a Jedi and do good.

“And while the Dark Side is arguably much more powerful than the Light Side when it comes to destructive potential, the great risk of losing yourself is not worth it. And I assure you,” his gaze stared her down, “You will fail without proper training and enough strength to resist its influence on your sanity.” He had witnessed way too many Force sensitives become little more than animals after their minds failed to fight the corrupting nature of power. His friends among them. It broke the Mon Cal’s heart to see his friend become a completely different person, a slave to her emotions. The experience only strengthened his resolve to never let the Dark Side touch his mind – and by killing himself when the gates of Void had been opened, Veles stayed true to his beliefs, choosing death over becoming a Dark Jedi. A tear rolled down his left cheek, swiftly wiped off by a sleeve.

[member="Sha'do"]

 

[Sha'so]

"My name is Sha'do, and I was under the impression that Sith were quite different, more like the woman we left behind," Sha'do commented as they walked, drinking in the information he gave her with earnest interest. While there was still the slightest hint of betrayal at the confirmation that he was Sith, which even she could admit was a silly notion, there was no revulsion or disgust towards him like she held towards the deceased woman. Quite the opposite, there was respect as she listened and replied. "But actually, you remind me of one man I read about... Sideous? Rather than brute force and violence, he made his mark with charm, charisma, and politics." And she had no idea that she had probably paid him the highest compliment one could ever give a Sith.

They were getting close to her camp, and she could feel her Master drawing near, but they still had a few minutes left to speak freely. There was something about this exchange that she found to be utterly liberating. She was speaking her mind without fear of judgement, or fear that the Masters at the Temple would call her a heretic and finally cast her out; a certain Master of meditation seemed dead set on this course of action. But she had not be indoctrinated into the Jedi way of thinking, so she was able to keep an open mind as she continued.

"I have no intentions of using the Dark Side," Sha'do assured him with a small smile. "And maybe the Darkness is stronger, as you say, in terms of pure destructive potential. I would posit that it is easier to resort to violence, and maybe your stance on morals is different and thus those of the Dark Side may be willing to do what those of the Light are unwilling, but that does not necessarily mean that one is inherently stronger than the other. And just as Darkness can corrupt, so too can the Light. The Jedi archives are littered with the folly of those Jedi who believe themselves to be on the side of what is right, casting aside empathy and compassion to uphold some convoluted ideal of Justice. In truth, I do not think Darkness can exist without Light to define it, and vise versa, nor can people exist without both Light and Dark within them in some form. And Jedi speak of balance and peace, but I begin to wonder if they even know what that means. From what I can see, the galaxy certainly is not in balance now..." She looked up at him to gauge his response when she noticed him wiping his eyes. She tilted her head curiously.

"Avreet, sir, are you alright?"

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

“Of course, Padawan [member="Sha'do"],” the Sith swiftly dismissed her concern with unusual firmness, perhaps waving her question away too quickly to make the response believable. Without wasting as much as a second, the Mon Cal immediately reacted to the woman’s opinions and questions, anything to change the subject and let the sensitive matter be buried under more valuable information. The Cathar even helped with that – stating he reminded her of Sidious greatly flattered the amphibious Sith, who had to summon the power of iron will to extinguish the flames of pride swelling in his chest. Still, the compliment put a slight smile on his face, as the young woman also unknowingly praised the qualities of his beloved former master by comparing Veles to someone of Lord Sidious greatness. Admittedly, the Mon Cal lacked the ancient Sith Lord’s sheer ruthlessness, but he understood the power of diplomacy and words better than the vast majority of Dark Side practitioners.

“Does any Jedi intend to use the Dark Side?” the Sith presented a rhetorical question, gaze following the path ahead, “Even the strongest Jedi can fall. Remember that! I have seen countless devoted Jedi fall after their capture. Whether they joined willingly or after endless sessions of torture – everyone breaks. Everyone.” The look in his eyes delivered an apology for what he was about to say as Veles formed the next sentence slowly and softly to emphasize on its importance, like a parent delivering harsh news to their child. The intonation left no room for doubting the cold and cruel truth in his words.

“Death may be the preferable choice over capture. If you cannot run and find yourself in a situation where loss is inevitable, do the right thing. It is better to die with honour as a Jedi than to become one of them.” Veles hissed the last word referring to one particular, large group of people through his teeth. How much he despised them! Pretenders! Forcing him to tell the poor Padawan to commit suicide rather than to surrender to these beasts. If only she had witnessed the same things as him… or rather not. She was better off without the horrifying memories haunting her mind. Tossing the option of telepathically showing her the horrors of war out of the window, Veles decided to change the subject.

“It is likely you will encounter followers of the One Sith on your travels. It is imperative that you do not listen to their lies – they preach stability and order, yet their goal is to make the galaxy burn. Regrettably, I was once one of them, so heed my warning, Padawan,” a heavy sigh followed, “Do not let their name fool you – they are not Sith, but Dark Jedi using their name. Weaklings not strong enough to resist the Dark Side’s influence. More often than not fallen Jedi and those raised by them in faulty ways. Just like the headless lady back there. True Sith want peace, order – and therefore we have a common enemy.”

 

[Sha'so]

"I would rather die than to submit to the service of a Master other than Knight Aureleos," Sha'do said with a nod as she accepted his words. There was a big difference between Avreet and the woman she killed in the bog, so she knew his words rang true, and she valued the advice enough to speak to him the deeper truth. "I have already been broken and served enough time as a slave, I will not do so again. If I cannot endure the torture long enough to again be freed, I promise I will end my life before succumbing to the Darkness; I will remain myself and in so doing die free," she promised him.

Sha'do paused in her stride, looking out over the bog. Her Master was very close now. She did not know how Uri would react to meeting her new 'friend'. Uri was a pacifist and would not be likely to jump straight to fighting, but Avreet was Sith and her Master was protective of her... Sha'do did not want to put either Uri or Avreet in a position where they might have to fight each other, so she looked up at Avreet with a bittersweet smile.

"Avreet, sir, I fear this is where we must part ways. My Master is near, and it would pain me to see the two of you reduced to fighting. I greatly value our conversation and the advice you have given me, I will take it to heart," Sha'do said, sounding truly sad to see him go. She didn't make friends often, and she found it strange that she seemed to have discovered an ally of sorts in a Sith, but he truly was unlike anyone she had ever met.

[member="Darth Veles"]