Descent into Darkness

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

[member="Taeli Rae"]

"Yes." Balaya didn't expand upon it, she had been drugged and left on a world for a couple of months, had been forced to adapt or survive in a time when her very body could be ripped apart should be mess up. Now she was leaving on in here with a baby rancor they had taken and motioned with her hands for the trainers to back away. "There are a few techniques for aiding in the controlling of creatures but none more powerful then using sith magics. Domination and control are powerful tools against these creatures and the more darkness they are connected to the easier they are to control. Better hurry, once I drop my hand it is going to try and eat whoever it preceives as the weakest prey." Balaya had a saber tossed in and snapped her finger as she lowered her hand and the control.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Taeli's eyes widened slightly as the baby rancor gave a small roar and charged towards her. Scooping up the saber, she was barely able to dodge out of the path of rampaging monster and settle into a stance her mother taught. The rancor charged again, and she was sent flying by its flailing claw, landing heavily on her side. Whipping her head up, she rolled as the creature smashed its fists towards where her head had just been, and she was able to catch a small glimpse of her master watching impassively.

The fact her new master seemed unconcerned if she died here or not really angered her, and that anger was only increased as the rancor's claws sliced through her back and pain erupted along it. Her eyes smoldering now, and the darkness in her welling up, she was able to enter a stance to analysis her opponent.

'Rancors . . . tough, leathery skin that is hard to cut. Sharp claws, teeth, but its eyesight is not the best. Perhaps. . .'

She wasn't able to finish the thought as the rancor attacked again and she was forced to dodge again, and her annoyance only increased. Her temper consuming her now, she charged at the rancor, to probably the surprise of the beast and the handlers watching. Slicing her saber across the beasts heel, she ducked under a swinging claw, slicing through the other one. Lashing out instinctively with the Force, she shoved the rancor onto its knees. Taeli could feel herself losing control again as the dam inside her broke again and she wrapped her anger and rage around the beast's throat, strangling it into submission and within an inch of its life, but stopping just before killing it and waiting to hear what her master would say

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

[member="Taeli Rae"]

Balaya watched and didn't show anything, her hand only coming out as she motioned the beasts handler over to her. "Bring me my wooden box, this will get interesting." As she continued to watch the blackblade moved off to get what she wanted and waited as the apprentice did until the box was placed in her hands. Balaya walked forward and spoke. "Finish it and then come over here, we don't want that wound to become infected." The small smile on her face as the box opened and Balaya took the vial of ink and poison out. Needles that would allow her to put the alchemical ink and poison for her. Then there was some bacta for afterwards. "You have done well, removed those tattered rags and come here apprentice."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Clenching her hand, she completely collapsed the rancor's windpipe. Watching impassively and through her anger as the rancor gurgled and died, she made her way over to her master and knelt at her feet.

"Did I pass, Master?" she muttered, slowly removing her tattered dress and fully aware of the eyes that were watching her. The pain from the long gashes along her back flared, but she tried to remain impassive and not show how much they hurt.

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

[member="Taeli Rae"]

Balaya looked at the apprentice as she smiled. "You did very well apprentice and now I'll help these heal while also giving you a gift." Balaya slowly worked on it, applying the bacta patches while the needles came and Balaya went to work on her true purpose. Slowly pricking and letting the ink seep into the skin deep. She pushed the darkside with it while forming the symbol of the mandalorian clans. A mythosaur skull with the darkside tainted black ink much like the Sith tattoo's she had applied to Elara who was watching now. "Almost done, tell me from whihc clan did your mother come from?"

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Clan Tenau, Master," Taeli replied through gritted teeth from the sting of the needle. She could feel the dark energy within the tattoo, and it felt good.

"As much as I take my mother's heritage seriously and have gained her affinity for fighting, I wish to pursue the mysteries of the dark side," Taeli muttered, more to herself than anyone. "I want to learn everything. . ."

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

[member="Taeli Rae"]

"There is more to learn then just the darkside. That is merely a plus in the long run but we have to stick together." She slowly finished and touched it up withdrawing an ornate blade as it slid across her palm and the blood touched the ink sealing it. "A little blood for a lot of power." She didn't go on about why they needed to be together but she was just like Balaya minus the title of dar'manda for her clan. Slowly Balaya rose looking her over. "It is easy to know the darkside, it is more fun to use a mandalorians ability to adapt and survive while learning the darkside to become strong my apprentice." The smile remained on her face while she placed a hand on her cheek. "We are going to have a lot of fun in the future."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Taeli slowly got to her feet, meeting her master's eyes. She would embrace her Mandalorian blood, but she also knew that she would need to be as calculating and cunning as her father shown her. Rage would only get her so far if she had no coherent thoughts or plan.

"I hope so, Master. I will learn anything you wish to teach me and I shall endeavor to succeed against anyone set in my path."

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

[member="Taeli Rae"]

"Very good." She had a smile on her face to that and trailed a finger along the bacta covered slashes. "These will heal with the biofiber and bacta for it so you should be fine soon enough. You shall have to sleep before we reach the iron citadel. There you will face a real test and I want to see what you can do." She laughed at that and now the enjoyment was coming from the show that would be for them. "Now rest and focus on healing while the sith poison seeps into your veins, it will strengthen you, it will empower you and make you feel the sickness that is the lightside if you try and use it."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Yes, Master," Taeli said, recognizing the Sith's words as a dismissal.

As she went to her chamber to rest, she could already feel the poison that her Master had injected in her. It had a slight chill to it, not unlike the power her Master exuded, but she could only describe it as fusing with her own presence. Laying gently onto her back so as not to aggravate her injuries, she felt the instinctive urge to try and use her power to expedite the process, but something held her back. Learning how to deal with pain seemed to be important to the Sith if her first trial was any indication, and she wanted to prove she was a worthy candidate. So resisting the urge to try and pull on the Force to heal herself, she settled into a restless sleep. The poison in her system continued its work, strengthening her connection to the dark side, but having some unexpected consequences for her sleep. It was plagued by strange dreams of figures fighting, writhing, an ancient tomb, a circle of dark shrouded figures, and more things flitted through.

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

[member="Taeli Rae"]

Balaya focused and meditated finding her apprentice in the force if only to continue and watch her. Slowly she slipped away and looked to the screens going to the bridge of the ship and saw Elara standing there with a small grin on her face. She had gotten the tattoos all over her body compared to a small section. She knew how to fight and use the darkside plus magics as well as anyone and had a suit of armor to show for it. Slowly now there were preparing the next test. Or at least what would be at the Iron Citafel and for Taeli. Balaya laughed a little to herself at that going to her quarters and resting as Elara commanded the ships crew around.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Taeli had no idea how long she slept through her feverish dreams, or even how much time had passed since her first test, but she was able to struggle awake. Blinking, she slowly got off her bed and made her way to the refresher.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she had to admit her master's healing agents had worked their wonders as she only had very light scars that would fade soon enough. The mythosaur skull that was on her back, the one infused with the dark side, still stung a bit but then she hadn't assumed it would stop. She could still feel the dark side energies within it, but for the most part, they had been absorbed into her own power. She felt stronger than ever, but she knew it was only the first step in a long road.

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

[member="Taeli Rae"]

Balaya let the time slip away until they finally arrived and she changed to a large dress made from glistaweb and her massive curtain of red hair came down. Moving into the room while she looked at her apprentice and smiled offering a hand. "Comtrip out of the ship and into the citadel was more then enough as Balaya had Elara standing next to them and led the way to where the sithspawn were being kept. A small look on her face and she spoke the terentatek standing in the middle of the small arena where the hopefuls were trying to impress the One Sith and become apprentices. "Well be prepared and kill the beast, show you are stronger then the others."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Yes, Master," Taeli said, leaping into the small arena and drawing her training saber.

Having no idea what the creature in front of her was, she decided to hang back and allow the other hopefuls to fight the beast.

'Leathery skin like a rancor, but claws are sharper. Spikes seem to be a secondary weapon,' she thought, observing the beast. One hopeful charged in, swinging their saber wildly, and was immediately torn in half by a vicious swipe of the creature's claw. 'Fast as well, must be augmented by the Force. Its literally making my blood cold from the amount of dark side energies pouring off it, so I suspect normal Force techniques will not work on this thing.'

As if to make her point, two hopefuls tried to shove the beast away from them with the Force, but the creature wasn't even fazed as it drove its claw through one hopeful and spewed a green liquid from its mouth into the face of the other. That hopeful started writhing and screaming, but quickly became silent as the apparent acid killed them.

'Hmm, acid or a very corrosive venom, probably contained in the fangs and claws as well,' she thought.

The remaining hopefuls had pulled back from the beast, trying to figure out a new method to kill the creature. One hopeful, a Muun, leveled his hand at the beast and she watched in fascination as lightning lanced from his hand and struck the beast. It appeared to do some damage to the creature and she closed her eyes to feel what the Muun was doing. She could feel the dark side racing through the Muun's fingers, intensifying at a point, then reaching out as lightning.

Opening her eyes, she smiled. She knew at least a way to send some lightning from her hand now, but first. . .

Tapping into the dam of anger and power within herself, she grabbed each of the other hopefuls and threw them at the beast. Cries of surprise then screams of pain met her ears as they were savagely mauled by the creature, but she now moved into action, running towards the beast. The beast caught sight of her, lifting its head from the Muun's long neck, and rushed at her.

Breathing deeply, she channeled her power into her left hand and unleashed it, small forks of blue lightning lancing from her fingertips and engulfing the creature. The beast recoiled and that's all she needed to drive her saber into the underside of the beasts jaw, her blade emerging from the top of its head.

She pulled her saber free and the beast toppled to the ground, it was only after that the pain in her left hand exploded from the slight charring the Force Lightning had caused from being projected by a novice. She wouldn't allow herself to show the pain though as she turned back towards where her master stood and said, "How was that, Master?"

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

[member="Taeli Rae"]

Balaya watched in amusement as she went about it, her hands coming up to clap as the apprentice proved herself. She had already shown she was talented but becoming a One Sith was an important thing. She couldn't' just bring anyone into the palace and have them serve her. Balaya stepped forward and going towards her apprentice while she looked it all over. "You have done well, go and rest up. I will see to the body and handle the skinning of it. The beasts hid will prove useful and you are to be commended. Now prepare yourself, a voice of the dark lords apprentice has quarters here so go be ready. Dress formally."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Thank you, Master," Taeli said, bowing. She left the arena, following an acolyte to where her chambers within the palace would be. Entering a very decorated area, the acolyte stopped and gestured for her to enter the room wordlessly and not meeting her eyes.

"You may leave," Taeli muttered softly and the acolyte left as she entered her room for the duration she was on Coruscant. The room was nicer than she expected other acolytes' rooms were, if they even had individual rooms. Laid out on the bed were several black robes, tunics and such, but she had eyes more for the stylish dresses that were laid out nearby. Stripping out of what she had been wearing, she lifted one black dress made of shimmersilk up and held it to her body.

'This is amazing,' she thought, trying the dress on and liking how she looked in the mirror. Exploring her room further, she noted the Holonet terminal that she hoped had access to the archives and she couldn't help but feel fate was playing a hand in things at her good fortune of drawing the attention of such a high-ranking Sith. Deciding she would wear this dress for whatever occasion her master had planned, she also added a silver choker and belt to help the dress more. Finishing the ensemble by adding the traditional Sith cloak around her shoulders, she sat down at the terminal and began reading while waiting for her master's summon.

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

[member="Taeli Rae"]

Balaya and Elara slowly worked to get the hide of the beast and preserve it. The alchemical reagents to preserve the force immunity of the beast of future use. She was working on what could come from it and had thoughts to add it with her other hides and metals. To make something grand for her armor that was slowly developing and coming into fruition. She had thoughts and moved towards her room looking it over while Elara went to her closet and drew out some clothing with a nod of her head. Elara moved out of the room to go and get herself ready as she let her enjoyment show with the sith master drawing out a black dress covered in gold trim. Her hair coming out behind her as a massive red curtain to see while she walked in custom made twelve inch skyhigh heels adding fourteen inches to her height. The look on her face while she stood there looking around. "Come to me apprentice it is time to let the few of the One Sith court see you."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Hearing her master's call, Taeli closed the terminal down, slipped on a pair of heeled boots, and left her chamber. The acolyte from before was outside and wordlessly led Taeli towards her master's chambers. During the walk, she observed the design and style of the Sith palace and it screamed power. The fact the Republic had actually lost Coruscant and how fast the Sith had consolidated their hold over the system was both astounding and thrilling. She was a part of the Sith now, and she now had access to everything that would entail.

The acolyte stopped in front of her master's room and Taeli dismissed them before entering the room.

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

[member="Taeli Rae"]

Balaya stood there for a moment coming out while she looked own to see her apprentice. The young girl was looking every bit a sith now that she had those pesky rags taken away. With her skills she could even go far and slowly Balaya walked motioning her to follow while she placed a hand on her back. "Ah you look beautiful my apprentice every bit the figure the nobles and members of the Sith court will want to see. They are unimportant in the long run but they keep sectors of planets in line, keep houses on Alderaan in line. They aren't special beyond the order they enforce and doing as they are commanded. So kill them at your risk in public.. in private if they try anything a few missing limbs never hurt anyone."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Thank you, Master," Taeli said, bowing and taking in what the Zeltron Sith Lord had to say as she walked a respectful step behind her master. As the apprentice, or one of the apprentices, of such a high-ranking Sith, she knew she would need to learn the political games quickly if she wanted to survive and thrive.

"Where do I fall within the hierarchy, Master?" she asked. "Can I give commands to these nobles or will I only earn the right once my apprenticeship ends?"