Duel Among the Ruins of Katarr

[Celiana]

Recently I'd been traveling among the systems around Eshan looking for a place to establish a new home. And now I was setting down The Valkyrie on the surface of Katarr near the ruins of the old Jedi Enclave there. After setting down on the surface and gearing up I exited the ramp of the ship initiating the lockdown protocols of The Valkyrie and enabled the vocal recognition on the ship. Reaching out through The Force I could hear the shrieks and screams of the souls who'd been here centuries ago. Closing down my connection to The Force I began to explore because odds were there wasn't much that could happen that was worse than what Nihilus had done centuries ago. Nevertheless, I had the feeling that something was bound to happen today...

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

The Jedi Enclave
Katarr, Vensori Sector

While Katarr wasn’t of interest to the First Order, it housed secrets of the Jedi long before their rise again, and so the Light was still burning and still a threat. Scouts on his word had traced the Silver Jedi out onto the planet, and then informed him of their arrival.

The Knight of Ren made his way across the hyperlane to the ruins of the Jedi Enclave to intercept, knowing how this one would think and how she would work. It had been a long time since their last encounter on a peaceful Voss, but now he was a Dark Side Disciple and clad in a black tunic and greatcoat, and hidden by a fearful helmet enforced by their Order.

Not bringing along a squad of troopers was his idea. He would find out what the girl was doing out here, and if she wasn’t going to go with him to the Dark Side, she would be destroyed and sent back as a warning to the Heavenshields about what happened when they didn’t listen to voices from the past.

Foliage and shrubs and greenery grew in and around the muted Enclave, jutting out of the ground with courtyards all abandoned and control towers eroded. The large freighter landed on a small hillside overlooking the ruins, and the Ren made his way out, the crossguard lightsaber tight at his side as he strode down the green grass towards the ruins.

"Come out, Jedi," his synthetic voice called, making him near unidentifiable, "for the Silver Order isn’t welcome here."

He reached out with the Force like a dark mist, rolling towards the ruins and snaking around every turn.

[member="Celiana"]

 

[Celiana]

Hearing the synthetic voice through The Force I flinched, the helpless screeches of the souls of those lost here echoed along with the cold voice that addressed me. "Come out Jedi, for The Silver Order isn't welcome here." I'd thought to be alone out here but now... engaging my ships recording gear I drew my sabers along with that voice's threatening order. Channeling The Force against the Dark mist that I felt reaching towards me I ignited my twin sabers and held firm against this unknown, and unidentified menace. While I had no idea who it actually was that approached me I simply began reciting the Jedi code. "Emotion yet Peace." and clicked my twin sabers together disabling one of the blades and forming up my saber hilts into one solid saber-staff.

I wasn't one to back down and now as a Knight I stood among the ruins of Katarr waiting for whoever, for whatever came...."Welcome or not Dark one I am here. Also while I sense you mean me personal harm I did not come seeking to do so against you or your Order..."

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

He came down from the grassy knoll and heard the female voice of the Jedi call out from inside. He stalked forward across the pebbled yard, and turned into the large foyer of the ruins, the light from above streaming through the now destroyed roof, but surrounded by the crescent moon of a building.

The Jedi stood there, a saber staff in hand.

"You are a Jedi. A Silver Jedi. They are traitors to the Force and everything it stands for, and you are here to support them."

Standing still, he didn't move or go for his hilt under his coat.

"I know your name. Celiana. I'm dissapointed you still are blinded by the Light. I had hopes you would follow Aria Vale into the darkness, but you resisted. How foolish."

The Ren fed from the darkness and the aura of the Knight, and waited eagerly for her response. The saber hummed in her hand as a few lone birds tweeted outside in the picturesque enclave.

[member="Celiana"]

 

[Celiana]

Blinking a few times at this man's proclamation of knowing my name and still being blinded by the light then grimacing at his further comments. Spinning my saberstaff down at an angle towards the ground with the blade less than an inch from the grass I looked at him "Master Harrison, of course it'd be you... I should have realized then that was your intention. To bait me, anger me, erode my faith in the Jedi. But I think I finally see, I finally begin to understand. Aria wherever she is made her choice, and though I miss her terribly it was hers to make. I realized when last we met that seeking power to force her to come back with me wasn't right and that changing who I am wasn't the solution."

Readying myself with the power of The Force I looked towards Connor. "A shame Master, I once looked up to you. Then you took Aria by the hand and led her to the path of ruin. Even before she joined The Shadows I knew no good would come of it. My choice was to walk away. To go into the dark corners of the galaxy and embrace the storm before coming to peace with it. Mustafar, Malachor, Korriban, and now Katarr...I've done what I always have and said kark the council. My motivations are as they always have been. Mine alone. Why else walk planets wreathed in darkness Master? The light didn't blind me Master I just embraced the darkness without you for a bit while holding true to who I am. Not forsaking my oaths or turning traitor."

Those last comments were bound to sting if nothing else his pride. Looking at him now I saw at least a part of why Aria had left and why she'd done it in a way to avoid me. Fear, of hurting me and of dealing with the raging black inferno inside her. My saving grace had been that I'd been a killer far longer than she had and had chosen to stop. I'd known how to temper that raging inferno. Now here I stood again about to let that fire out and rage....

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor stepped forward.

"Your insight serves you well, Celiana. Forget about Aria. She is lost to the Sith."

He held out his hand.

"The Jedi are falling apart, and you shouldn't face the same fate I did. They turned on me, betrayed me and ridiculed me. Come and join me. Join me and we will complete your training, and you will become what Aria never could."

He was aware of his weapon by the side, and her glowing staff in a tight grip. But she had always been conflicted, and she would be a worthy ally to the First Order and the Knights of Ren.

"Don't lie to yourself about how you want to surround yourself in the Dark Side. Let it in. Don't deny yourself the freedom you crave."

[member="Celiana"]

 

[Celiana]

Smiling I looked at him and said "Indeed Master? I was possessed by the greatest of the Sith Triumvirs on Malachor and know well how the Sith operate. It was interesting to recognize how much was imparted to me while under her possession. Aria's fate is as it always will be hers alone. I recognize that well but no Master she is not lost to The Sith, she is lost to herself. She has yet to realize who she truly is I think. As for the Jedi turning on you Master, are you referring to being put in the position of hunting The Butcher of Korriban? Or perhaps an issue closer to the heart by the name Joza Perl? Me becoming what Aria never could? I already did that when I turned away from the path you tried to set me on and when I made a pilgrimage to worlds that The Darkness thrives on. I didn't just choose those worlds at random I did let it in while on those worlds and it's still there. Ignorance yet knowledge. I was ignorant of what The Darkness imparted and that was just the knowledge of a different viewpoint."

Using The Force I dropped a perception filter that I kept in place around my eyes. I knew that my eyes were flashing a mix of several different colors right now. Crimson, gold, and then back to their normal green with flecks of gold and now crimson in them. Smiling at him I said "Master I haven't denied myself anything in fact I've learned to live with what I allowed the darkness to reveal to me about myself. My eyes. they never used to have those crimson flecks in them that happened when I started out on Mustafar, got worse on Malachor and worse still when on Korriban."

"I had to start using The Force to hide what I'd allowed the darkness to do to me but now....now I simply don't care to keep the filter up any longer. I hate you Connor, but not for anything you did to me because honestly you never did anything to me physically. I hate you because of your pathetic attempts at machinations that put Aria on a path to ruin that a padawan like me was able to see. Kreia had such a way about her when she was using me as her puppet on Malachor it allowed me to see what you were trying to do when last we met. But Aria? She should have embraced the darkness first before learning to temper it with the light. I told her once that Light and Dark were irrelevant that it was simply The Force what mattered was how you used it. I still don't know that I'm right for being granted Knighthood but I at least know that if the word Kreia hissed through my mind on Malachor is spoken again I won't be the one it's said of."

Looking at him, meeting his gaze I used The Force and hissed out the word with the darkness I had in my heart. "Betrayal! Betrayer! That's what you are Connor, a betrayal and betrayer and now I can tell every single Jedi that you were the one allowing the Sith access to Midvinter." I'd chosen my words and spoken them with every ounce of ruthless truth I had and now either his pride or anger at my rejection of his proposal would prompt action. Spinning my saberstaff back up into a ready position with the blade angled back up into a fighting guard I waited for the inevitable reaction from him....

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

He walked closer to her, pulling his crossguard hilt from his side.

"You’re already falling to the Dark Side. You can’t hide from it forever."

He ignited his saber for the first time in battle. The main crimson blade roared to life, followed by the exhaust vents of the two smaller, fiery energy discharges. Connor didn’t stop walking to her.

"You tell [member="Coci Heavenshield"] that I led the Sith to Midvinter, and I will lead the dark forces to Voss and burn down all she holds dear as I promised. She took everything from me, and she will pay the price."

Connor drew the blade up and held it out towards Celiana.

"You could have been my greatest apprentice."

He sprang forward, jabbing the saber down as if thrusting a spear towards her, forcing her to defend and to engage in a battle to show her the error of her ways. And to send a message.

[member="Celiana"]

 

[Celiana]

Smiling as he sprung at me I heard continued threats and ignored them. Darting back I planted my hand against ground and taking the water inside the grass I flash froze it into a sheet of ice. Looking at him I brought my blade up to meet his crimson saber then planting the staff of my saber on the ground I launched myself towards the ice and took a knee as I hit, sliding out of his reach for the time being. Igniting the second blade I said "No Connor, Coci didn't take everything from you...in the words of Master Kenobi you have done that yourself. You left them, Coci, Thurion, Joza, me. You led another to the Dark path but she was the one who chose it. Entitlement and ego Connor. You think you were the only one hurt or to have been hurt? If so you're more blinded than I thought. When Aria chose the Silver shadows she faked her death. That cuts deeper than your blade ever could, I was abandoned by two masters and have been without another for a long time now. No Connor you ran from the pain and I embraced it before tempering it with Light."

"Chaos, yet harmony Connor. I embraced the chaos and darkness within myself and yet I remain a servant of The Light. Dark Side, Light Side it's irrelevant, it's all simply The Force. I'd never have been your apprentice Connor I was too strong-willed. I've already surpassed Aria in her darkness as I wield both sides. I'd already surpassed her before I even arrived at the temple due to my work as a death-dealer. I came to Voss to wield a different edge of the blade." I began to channel The Force in order to use another power I'd learned from my Master. I somehow had the feeling that stoking his anger was going to have some unpleasant consequences though...

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

His saber sliced the air above her head, the devious Knight using the elements as a way out of harms reach. Clever girl. Connor turned, his synthetic voice calling out from the helmet.

"Aria failed to grasp hold of her destiny. I managed to secure mine, and now I lead a life of truth by serving a cause the Jedi would never understand."

Connor rolled the hilt around in his hand, watching her staff for it was going to be an advantage for her having a longer reach.

"Your over-confidence is a weakness I’ve seen many times in the Jedi. And it’s always brought them down."

His left hand shot out in a burst of energy to reverberate around her body, as he brought his right hand up with the hilt in a slice from hip to shoulder, the aim to do as much damage as possible and push the girl to the edge.

[member="Celiana"]

 

[Celiana]

After landing and igniting the other end of my saberstaff I listened to more jibes from Connor. Then I felt wrapped in The Force and wreathed in pain, after feeling bruised alongside my whole left side I engaged the thrusters in my boots. While I wasn't in full Beskar armor I'd thought at least a little about defense. While he'd been talking and I'd been in pain I'd vastly accelerated the energy in the molecules of the air around me now I began to unleash it. Moving the molecules to the point of ignition around my left hand I brought a ball of aqua flame into existence and thrusting my hand forward in a palm heel strike I used the flame in my hand to spark the faster molecules resulting in a stream of aqua flame that I moved in a horizontal line setting ablaze the area in front of and behind Connor.

Triggering the micro-thrusters in my boots I jetted towards him then off to the side separating my sabers as I did. While I came into range I slashed from his hip to his shoulder with a follow up slash towards his leg. Then I was out of range again, I didn't like my odds at close fighting against Connor and there'd been at least a flicker of thought against rushing me when I'd had my sabers locked together in a staff formation. Now though I wasn't too sure about my chances, I hadn't been expecting the use of The Force to cause a field of pain...

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor steadied himself, and watched the flame come forward from Celiana, and almost wrap around the ground in front and behind him. He glanced around, and through the fire obscuring his vision, a blur of energy crossed him.

He span and pushed his blade out to counter the strike a little blind. Their sabers clashed, but the downward strike caught his leg. Connor winced, but it was intact - it just burnt. He had been lucky, and he felt cold air on his burning skin.

Too close for comfort.

With that, Connor simply ran and leaped through the flame, jumping as he did and emerging with his coat and helmet smoking, but the crossguard up, and he swung it violently down towards the Jedi, aiming right for the torso.

[member="Celiana"]

 

[Celiana]

I didn't have time to move much or avoid the attack, so instead I blocked his blade with my ice blue saber. Then I ducked, turning off the blade and flicking it back on as I rolled past him. Jumping up I triggered the thrusters in my boots using them to push him forward and move me away as I once more flash froze the water that my flames had just melted. I'd had several people teach me things in the time since my first Master on Voss. Master Rasu, and Master Joshua both had advised me to learn to use my surroundings to level the playing field against stronger opponents.

While I was wonderful at unarmed combat and simple bladework with edged weapons, I didn't have much practice against Dark Jedi or Sith. The ones that I had dueled against I'd done so while working with a Master and I was keenly aware that I was dueling against a Master now. Even if he had been exiled and broken his oaths, he had more experience and that last strike had been savage and meant to kill or maim... While I embraced the Darkness within me I still didn't want to rely on that power to win. If I used it simply to win then I was no better than Connor if I kept to the Lighter Jedi arts I wouldn't be any better either...

This was a battle that was unevenly matched and without a Master to help me I could either fight, survive until he tired which was doubtful, or run. Running he'd catch me, surviving would mean a battle of endurance which I wasn't sure I could withstand anyways which left simply to fight him. My ship was out of reach even if I were to run. I had to find a way to level the field and stack the deck in my favor and for now all that left was to find a way...

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

"You fail to remember, Celiana, that I was trained by the ones who trained you. I eclipse them now, and that means I eclipse you!"

He ran again, and pushed out with the Force to catapult him forward, noting she was trying to keep distance so in turn he forced her to lose it. His glowing blade came down again, and as he landed, he span 360 in a crouch before slicing the blade upwards which would cleave her in two.

[member="Celiana"]

 

[Celiana]

While he wasn't wrong in that I was very much outmatched I thankfully had the gift of battle foresight and while he'd leapt and been coming down I'd thrown my saber at the ground. Then darted back out of the way with the thrusters on my boots. As he landed I triggered the blade to life and began spinning it in wild arcs to meet his and using The Force I kept it going. Flashing back to a moment with Master Rasu I smiled then channeled everything I was feeling at the moment into the purest form I could before conjuring aqua flame from my hand, once more I fired a wave of flame towards him as I followed it up with another palm heel fire blast. Only it wasn't just fire within the blast but Emerald lightning as well. With any luck it'd arc across his armor and bite into a bit of skin too... Keeping my blade spinning as I did this I began turning the blade on and off through the spin at random while I cleaved off bits of the enclave walls with my Aqua blade before returning it into a guard across my front side.

The surroundings had no shortage of things to assist me and if I really needed to I could always leap through the roof and set the fields ablaze to give myself the cover of smoke...

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Celiana conjured flame again, so it was time to literally fight fire with fire. With his right hand, the blade held in to the left, he drew in the burning elements around him from her flames and conjured a spitting ball of fire to project out and connect with hers in a wonderful spewing wall of fire and spat out in all directions.

However, the Electric Judgment came through also which curled around his hand gripping the hilt, snaking up his arm and forcing him to drop it as the burn seeped into his flesh through clothing.

His helmet snapped up and he glared at her from behind the visor.

Again, he had learnt this little trick but now returned it more violently with the full force of the Dark Side.

Force Lightning cracked forth from his left hand, feeding from the current still in him from her attack, and with the purple tendrils spitting towards her with his wall of fire, he pushed forward to engulf her as much as he could in fire, lighting and the feeling of fear and pain.

She had crossed the line, and Connor didn't like being made a fool of.

[member=Celiana]

 

[Celiana]

I saw the lightning unleashed back towards me and while I'd been nailed with this particular power before the last time it had happened had been when I'd been taught the power. Flicking off the power to my saber I caught the lightning Connor had unleashed on me but rather than let it have its way with me I absorbed it with my left hand and redirected it back towards him having taken it in and moving in a circle I opened my right and used my index and middle finger as a conduit to direct the flow of warped current back at him. I'd only done this once before and that was to keep Master Rasu alive with the redirection of her attempt at emerald lightning. I'd never done it in combat before and even with having redirected the blast of his Sith lightning successfully I knew I wasn't going to be able to keep matching him. I was quickly reaching my limits and I felt the current still coursing in my body as an after-effect of the dark intention with which it'd been used.

Continuing to keep my blade spinning and deactivating then reactivating I began moving it around after having redirecting the blast. I had to do something to keep him on guard. But what? Remembering the rubble I began moving the smaller pieces in a quickly moving circle and firing them off at random and high speed. Both at him and at the structure we were in...keep changing it up Celiana keep adapting... Thoughts running through my mind and looking towards new strategy Connor was getting pissed though and I had a feeling that sooner rather than later this fight would go badly for me....

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

A worthy opponent, absorbing the blast and using it against him. Only with a sharp snap in the air did their mutual attack cease, smoke rising from their clash.

However, Celiana kept moving and she pulled the rubble around them as projectiles.

With his right hand now holding the saber, he slashed upwards and outwards at the smaller rocks and plaster, and pushed out with his left hand to bat bigger ones away, all the while moving fowards towards her.

At the next sign of debris, he countered it and pushed it back towards her with deadly speed to match hers. He then sent a tremor across the ground where he stood, forcing her to focus on her balance as cracks formed in the stone beneath them, whist dealing with the projectiles.

A tight hand gripped his hilt, ready for the time to launch his attack after wearing her down....waiting for that opening and the lull in her Force aura and glint of fear in her eye...

[member="Celiana"]

 

[Celiana]

Seeing the rubble thrown back at me I ceased keeping the rubble elevated and instead chose to to dodge the tremor Connor threw towards me. As I went to dodge the rubble he threw back at me and evade the tremor I felt a sharp pain against my leg. Taking the impact I fell to the ground and looked at my leg where I saw blood. The jagged bit of rock that Connor had thrown back towards me had hit and now I was in real trouble. Channeling The Force I drew upon the energy in my alchemized healing bracers then triggered the healing effects for my left leg.

I was in real trouble now though with the injury to my leg I was not going to be able to hold out much longer against Connor...

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

In an instant, Celiana fell to the floor with a hop - her leg had been struck with debris. She went down, which meant he had the advantage.

Connor glanced down at his thigh. The burnt fabric was split and there was a nice black and crimson slice up the flesh - not an open wound, but one that had seared the skin and only now did he feel it. No matter - it speared him on to victory.

With a predatory glance, he raised his head back to the Silver Jedi and walked towards here. She was now doomed.

The lightsaber growled in his hand, the violent crimson energy sparking from the emitters. He raised it forward as he walked towards her.

"Don't be a fool, Jedi. Join me and the Knights of Ren. Let the Dark Side free you, and let me guide you to real power."

[member="Celiana"]