Faction &nbsp; Kicking In The Door (The Sith Order)

Darth Anarchis · Nov 12, 2022

A sudden and immense groan in the very Force itself was felt in and somewhat around the Academy at the same time the door was kicked in... Sounds like the kick could either have awoken something, or just happened to be very oddly timed.

Venn Kolis · Nov 13, 2022

Darth Anarchis
THE SITH ORDER
Faction Thread: Kicking in the Door

~The Ring~ ~The Torch~
Temple Proper, Palace of Silver Rain, Saijo

"...three camtonos' worth of Umbaran Sand, and- ...no, no, see to it personally. It takes weeks to ship the stuff from Concord space, I'll be damned if the whole shipment is ruined now that it's finally on-world. Use a loader droid to-"

And then someone kicked in the newly installed double doors of burnished arcetron. He heard the mechanisms squealing, and a headache began to form. The Eternal Scion groaned quietly into his comlink, "I'll have to call you back."

The hingework was all hand-machined on those doors, done in the traditional Rylothian style, and if some idiot acolyte thought they were the top shit and was trying to make an impression by abusing his temple, Venn was about to make an impression in the lower base of that fool's spine-

And then he heard her bandying about in the foyer like she owned the place. He knew that voice. Tremiru. Fething wonderful.

Venn looked about hopefully for his helmet, but realized he'd left it back in his forge. At the bottom of the mountain. Which was less than ideal. Venn didn't like the other Sith sects seeing his face. It added a certain mystique to the Cinder Hierophant- the jet-black visage aglow with fiery runes, the crackling voice modulator that made his every word deep and sinister....

Ah, who was he kidding. The helmet was an attempt to help people forget he was barely 23 years old. Youth was not much of an advantage when the Force gave century-old sorcerers combat-ready bodies. Although, now that he thought of it...

Lacking his helmet, his sword, or even his cloak and armor, not much distinguished Venn from any other acolyte of the Palace. A simple black tunic and boots paired well with his tangled black hair. His face was pale, sharp, clean-shaven, noticeably young... yeah, maybe this could work. Maybe Alina wouldn't recognize him. She'd never seen him out of his helmet, as far as he knew.

He walked to the mezzanine's railing, and looked down a floor into the foyer. His poor doors... and sure enough, there she was. Smug and spoiling for a fight, as ever. Two Amon-Sev stood on guard dispassionately, unflapped by the appearance of the Knight. A handful of acolytes were milling about in their armor, looking wary of the newcomer. Their instincts were on-point; ignorance of Tremiru's battle-prowess was no sufficient excuse for riling her.

Calling down over the railing to the ground floor, Venn tried to keep his voice light and un-annoyed. "Welcome, m'lady. Can I help you find something?"

Darth Malum of House Marr · Nov 13, 2022

He was sorely tempted to use convection on the document he was holding. He would never, of course, not only because he would never destroy such an old, weathered historical document, but also as it would make him as evil as those fools from the Light in either Ashlan or Imperial space, who desecrated and destroyed those relics of his order that held such great historical, archaeological and scholarly importance. Oh, what he would do for a chance to see the relics and sites from the Old Sith Empire, even those from the current Sith Empire that he was too young to remember.

He held back a yawn, as he looked away from the document, and the stacks of books around him. He had been a common sight in the library recently, not that the librarian minded, or well, he hoped she had not minded. She had been a great source of information, alongside a great resource in finding the relevant texts he had needed. Moreover, he was quiet and polite, unlike the other vagabonds and ruffians that infected the place. A mere few seconds ago, he even had heard a large disturbance over by the foyer, enough for many in the library to have run off to investigate, it had almost been like someone had kicked the metal doors of the Palace in, but no one would have been fool enough to do that, right? Regardless, it had left the library even more quiet than it normally was, so that was something to appreciate.

A tingling in his brain, however, was not something to appreciate. He felt something off in the current situation, though he could not quite place what it was. He looked down, his gloves were still on his hands, his lightsabers at his belt. Nothing seemed to be misplaced, which is when this feeling usually came on.

Officer Tes- Trayze.

Oh. That would be it.

He quickly scrambled, placing the books back where he had found them (he was no savage) and placing the document back into the safety bag that he had brought at the beginning of his quest to Korriban. It was an item he was quite proud of, able to place anything that entered its folds in stasis, so as to not damage it in transit.

But no time to think of that, he had an agreement to fulfill.

Things were still awkward around him and Tesar, he could not exactly blame himself or even him for that, it was a shock, they were cousins, him from the line of those who had been undoubtedly the heirs to the great Darth Marr, him, well... as he had explained it to him, his grandfather, and thus likely Malum's granduncle, was born without the red eyes that signified the essence of the reverent Darth Marr within them, and thus had been abandoned. Yet, unlike what had presumably occurred to the uncalculable others who had shared that fate, Tesar's grandfather had survived, thrived in fact, making a family of his own, and by the time of Tesar's birth, he had shown the tell-tell traits of their House, red eyes, and most importantly later on in his life... force sensitivity.

Malum... had not taken it well, to say the least.

An entire practice of his family, for tens of thousands of years, was false. They did have the essence of the grand Darth Marr, all of them, abandoned for not having the eyes, for not showing the presence of the force. It would... just skip generations, almost by random. The realisation had dawned upon him, it was only meer chance, that his family had considered him the Heir to Marr, otherwise, he would have been abandoned to the wind.

Speaking of Tes- Trayze himself. He was an odd fellow, spoke with a strange accent, and held weird practices. Though Tes- Trayze had confided in him, that he thought Malum was a tad odd, strange and weird too, so it balanced out in a sense. Malum personally could not understand how Tes- Trayze thought such things, but he supposed that would be one of the first hurdles in their relationship. Indeed, both of them had decided that past whatever had occurred between their family a generation or two ago, they resolved to be friends, for they were both outsiders in the academy. One of them a country bumpkin, another a country aristocrat. They were a strange pair, but perhaps it was the strangeness that bound them together.

Well, part of the relationship was that they would attempt to try the likes of each other, Malum gave a small smile at the memory of Trayze languishing in the library with him, he had been looking again to decode more of the document, with a fortress of books aside, while Malum had brought some holo-books from his home. Etiquette For a Gentleman, History of the Old Sith Empire, Darth Marr: Emperor in all but Name. But fair was fair, and thus as Malum scurried (he was simply walking quickly, he would attest to any witnesses) through the winding corridors to the foyer, he would admit his curiosity at what Trayze had in mind for them today, part of this was also so they could learn about each other, thus currently he had no frame of reference for what Trayze would enjoy, he only hoped it would not be anything too humiliating. Yet, he could not entirely speak as if he held the high ground, he was late after all. He idly remembered the noise he had heard earlier, perhaps he might find out what that ruckus had been.

Finally arriving at the foyer, he languidly had his question answered, the great door on the floor, that would explain it. That was what the cacophony had been. At the exteriors of the foyer, he saw many of person standing about, yet their attentions were not focused on each other, in casual conversation, instead, they were looking upon, who he presumed had broken down the doors.

His red eyes wandered, and he resisted the gasp that left him but could not resist the widening of his eyes. Simply put, the figure was a beautiful woman, cloaked in a black dress, there was an etherealness to her, that took his breath away, even her arms seemed to hold some sort of inhuman quality. It seemed her attention had been drawn to another figure, a figure that he had seen somewhere about, an important member of the Palace, perhaps? Though he did seem very young. He was pale, and that feature was very prominent when contrasted with the blackened clothes he wore.

Though his eyes resisted, he shifted them away from the woman, now content that whatever excitement that had occurred here, he had long since missed it. Looking about for Trayze, now Malum had already been late, but would Trayze be late to an event he organised?

Trayze Tesar · Nov 13, 2022

If you weren't five minutes early, you were late.

Those we're the words that Grandpa Zerrick taught him, further enforced by the Academy-not this Academy, mind you, the far more mundane but equally important Peacekeeper Academy. Punctuality and proactivity we're the bywords of one in his former position as a Detective; for his eyes were awakened by a nice invigorating cup of tea. Despite Malum's gawk that the bumpkin even imbibed in the herbal beverages typically associated with the upper class, it has become something of his go to beverage in the perpetually dismal climate of Saijo.

Yet he was here to learn, not simply the practical aspects of Force usage, but also what it meant to be Sith. Malum was insistent about being his tutor in the "more nuanced aspects of our vaunted Order". Even if he couldn't go five minutes without mentioning their shared ancestor: Darth Marr.

Their relationship was odd to say the least, and still very awkward. Trayze had expected it, that some small town sheriff from nowheresville Besberra was your cousin. Hindsight it made sense, his grandpa was rather cagey on the true reasons he was forced to fight in Besberra's vaunted Arena-always said it was due to some criminal debt or another. But the House of Marr offered Zerrick two choices-prove his usefulness to their House by unlocking his Force potential, or die. By the simple fact that Trayze even existed meant that Zerrick Marr, now Zerrick Tesar, chose a third option: giving his at the time biological brother and father the bird, and uttering the only Ancient Sith that Trayze ever learned. He didn't quite know the exact meaning, other than it had given Malum a mix of pride and rendered him utterly aghast.

Grandpa Zerrick always said that just because we were of humble origin, we couldn't be men of words, Trayze thought to himself with a chuckle as he pulled out the holobook. Though he would admit Malum was far more inclined for book learning than he was.

The book in question, Farsight or Fallacy?: A Discerning Darth's Guide to Precognition, was a newly made recommendation to him, "cognizant of your unique abilities". Which was Malum-speak for "You're clearly not enjoying the table manners routine so here's something to actually pique your interest." Which, to be fair, it was. Being a Kiffar blessed with Psychometry, or post-cognition, his sight in the Force was sharp indeed. Yet what were the limits of his sight? His ability to discern, to taste the auras of the Force and use them to his advantage-Trayze had shown Malum with their mock duel when they had first met in earnest that he was just as capable in utilizing the signature powers of their House as Malum was. Yet, whether by his own nature or by his limited experience, he preferred to move with his anger gently. Nursing it like a glacier rather than flinging it about like a mallet.

Which is why, when he had found the relevant page on telepathy, he decided to give it a go. Calming his mind, reaching out to the connection they had in the Force-established by the duel-he gave a mental flick behind Malum's ear to hurry it up. What kind of a cousin would he be if he didn't tease every now and again.

Trayze was also aware of someone coming up the stairs. Tall, female, powerful and...alone? Thankfully not an emergency, but no doubt another aspirant to the Academy, perhaps he can be a bit friendly and-Carnifex's karking 'nads!

The lady just kicked open the door! Something he would normally find quite attractive-what? He liked a girl that could keep up-but he didn't like being on the other side of said doorkick.

Delicately leaping back and fluidly shoving the book in his bookbag, he stood behind cover-he wasn't hiding, he was just...assessing the situation! Not that he could hide with the dust gagging him. And this was another object lesson on the downsides of opulence!

He braced to be addressed by the newcomer as he was remaining out of sight-not that it mattered in the Force-but thankfully another Acolyte decided to address her. Trayze could sense Malum's presence, he was looking for him, and so with another mental flick he hoped to direct Malum's attention to him, and sign at him to meet him elsewhere.

He might actually need the drink for when they would go to the pub in Little Firefist-which was his bloody objective in the first place! Who the hell did this woman think she is?!

Darth Anarchis

Alina Tremiru · Nov 13, 2022

Numerous eyes fell on her.

Good. Alina did ever like to be watched. She kept a calm smile on her face. A face fairly young, all things considered. Turned as young as she had been, barely considered an adult, her unchanging age served only to make people think her some upstart teenager. Handy, in some cases. In some. Right now? Probably useful. Her glowing eyes focused on the one to address her. Not one she knew.

"I'm not here for you. Find me Ve-"

No, wait. His scent. She sniffed the air just for a moment, pausing midsentence. Then she moved. In the blink of an eye she charged for Venn, a gleeful smile on her face as she brought her fist around with all her inhuman might behind it.

"Aha! It's you! You'll have to tell me how you decided to stop wearing a mask so I can convince dear Alisteri to do the same!"

Venn Kolis |

Darth Malum of House Marr |

Darth Anarchis |

Ezra Hinton · Nov 14, 2022

Ezra sighed preemptively as the door was kicked in. He did not move, flinch nor blink. He was as cold as a statue but his posture did straighten. He looked the newcomer up and down glowering. The large man preferred class over... Whatever mockery this was. She did not have to kick the door down. There were far better ways to execute such an entrance. And whatever for even? He turned his back on everyone now looking at the woman. He was no sheep. And being different made you stand out in a much more Noble way then that. Shoving his hands into his jacket pockets he returned to his previous business no matter how trivial it may have been.

Venn Kolis · Nov 15, 2022

Darth Anarchis
THE SITH ORDER
Faction Thread: Kicking in the Door

~The Ring~ ~The Torch~
Temple Proper, Palace of Silver Rain, Saijo

Wow, this was actually working. It felt good to trick her so easil-FETH she was fast!

At some point Alina had launched herself from the ground floor, practically flying from the foyer to the mezzanine balcony. Venn could hardly flinch from the railing before her punch landed squarely in his sternum, throwing him backwards. He began to fall, but flames leapt from his feet, propelling him farther before he crashed to his back.

Right, so they were doing this. Wind knocked out of him, Venn struggled to breathe. The woman could jump, but that was good. The first floor was classrooms and the library. Not a good place for a duel. There wasn't anything much on the second floor besides offices and the Akosian Sanctum....

Oh. Damnit. At that moment, three Akosian Votaries decided to emerge from the Sanctum: robed in red, adorned in gold. A bit shocked to find the faith's Hierophant lying prone on the ground, they immediately began to chant in the Old Tongue, hands raised towards Alina. Hopelessness, confusion, and palpable dread gathered at their utterance.

"STOP! I invoke Vamtorêll!"

His shout was really a desperate croak, but the votaries stood down. Their magic dispelled, the monks calmly strode in single file to the winged stairs leading down to the foyer. Because some people knew how to use a staircase. Thank Malgus they'd listened, because he didn't need Alina picking a fight with his entire church. Blood rushing in his ears, Venn finally processed the jibe about masks. Struggling to his feet, he managed a patronizing chuckle. "Well, the helmet's really not daywear. It gets terribly hot in there!"

And orange flames erupted from his hands. A firebolt? No, he'd damage the temple! Explosions were out. That just left old-fashioned fire-shaping. Alina was no joke, but few people liked being set on fire.

There was an ache where he'd been punched. The Decoction Terentakus had made him sloppy. The potion only made him faster and stronger than ordinary humanoids. Alina was not ordinary.

He cast a wide wave of flame at her as he dashed to the side, making for the stairs. Change of plan. He'd lure her outside. Where he could throw exploding fire at her.

Alina Tremiru · Nov 16, 2022

Fear, insanity.

Alina's joyful grin turned to annoyance as she shot a glance towards the trio trying to toy with her mind. She felt it only for a moment before she closed herself off to the Force. Severed it from all around her. Brief, if only to keep the effect from taking root. She reached for her saber, a passing shift of movement. Before Venn called them off. She raised a brow, curious as to who they were to the other Knight, though there wasn't much time to think about it.

Fire.

She shifted back, literally leaping from the flame. Sangnir always hated the fire. Another burst of flame as he ran to the side, and she once more leapt away. Kept a distance from the fire. Grinned all the same. It'd been a while since she last dealt with an open flame like this. Something she sorely needed more work on. Maybe that's why he'd given Alisteri such a hard time.

"Why are you running!? Got somewhere to be, huh?"

Her blade snapped to life as she charged after him. Leapt onto the very walls to avoid his flame and try to close in before he could summon another. Bring her blade down in a quick thrust and skewer him to the very stairs he tried to escape on.

Venn Kolis · Nov 16, 2022

Darth Anarchis
THE SITH ORDER
Faction Thread: Kicking in the Door

~The Ring~ ~The Torch~
Temple Proper, Palace of Silver Rain, Saijo

He'd nearly made it, ten more feet to the stairs, five...

The sharp crash of a lightsaber. That sound never failed to send a thrill through Venn. The weapon he didn't use. Had never owned. Never earned. He glanced over his shoulder, but she was already flashing down from the wall. A stab? She really was an executioner. So much for taking the stairs like a normal being.

Flames blasted from his feet, his flame dash accelerating him, carrying him straight out from the top of the stairway, into the open air. He heard the whoosh of her saber behind him. Then he was falling down into the foyer, and as he fell realized his flame dash was probably leaving scorch marks on the temple floors. Polished stone was horridly difficult to clean. The very thought of it made Venn want to crawl back into bed. The votaries were going to have a field day...

Speaking of those stone floors, Venn rolled painfully to his feet before his precious arcetron doors. There were curious faces peering from every hallway: the library, instruction wing, gardens. Some of them were new acolytes. He couldn't let them get caught up in this.

Everyone in the foyer had clearly heard him invoke an Honor-Duel, but loyalty could make people stupid. The armored acolytes from earlier had bolted, but the Amon-Sev on guard seemed ready to intervene on Venn's behalf. One of them, spying the glow of Alina's lightsaber at the top of the stairs, offered his polearm to Venn reverently. The young man only shook his head, walking calmly backwards out the Temple's open front doors. Just had to get her outside. "No, nowhere to be, but the weather's nice! And I've been doing office work all day. Gotta stretch the legs."

Alina Tremiru · Nov 17, 2022

He really was good with his flames. Her blade pierced the ground as he kicked off, right to the hilt. Where it was left, for just a moment. She leapt from it, from the flame. Fire singed at her dress, at her skin. Her unnaturally pale skin blackened, burned. She flexed her fingers, glanced over the marks. Already they were healing. Barely. It'd take time to heal. Far too much to be useful now.

She stepped forward, towards the balcony. Just watching as he made his way outside. Her brow furrowed. So that's how it was. Alina hopped onto the railing, lifting a hand to call her saber back to her palm. Stepped off to fall back to the center lobby she'd just broken into.

"If you'd rather fight outside, just ask. I'd rather not involve those here, just the same as you." Her eyes narrowed in particular on the one who offered him their staff. Anima fueled through her form as she took off. Seemingly disappeared to the average eyes. The eyes of the fool who offered assistance in the middle of what had been marked an honor duel were among them. One moment he was pulling his weapon back after the denial. The next, he didn't have his weapon.

Or his arm.

He fell back screaming as the Knight dropped his arm before him, cleaved from his shoulder with her crimson blade. The staff she crushed in her hand, plucking out the bled kyber to hold in her palm. Then crushed it as she curled her fingers in. The dust left was dropped atop the arm as her golden gaze, cold and merciless, stared down at him.

"The mice that bring attention to themselves are the ones to get eaten by the cat. You should learn how to kill the cat first, before you poke your head out, little mouse." It was over in an instant as she again turned to follow Ven. Step out into the day, her crimson blade burning at her side. Her golden eyes focused on him.

"Venn Kolis. Apprentice to Empyrean. Heir to the Worm. Do you think yourself better to deny yourself a lightsaber? You can no longer blend into the crowd with your Master vying for control."

Darth Malum of House Marr · Nov 19, 2022

A mental flick rounded by his ears, but he ignored it for the moment, even if at this point, he was certain why he felt the tell-tale feeling of forgetfulness. One of them was very fast, the other very flammable. That was about all the information that Malum was able to glean from the growing fight, as he, along with many of his peers ran towards the fight, keeping a respectable distance of course, as they witnessed the flame lord fight a fighting retreat... or perhaps lead away, the beautiful vampire towards the open foyer of the palace. Malum could admit some good feelings towards the man, doing his utmost to keep the fighting away from the rest of the acolytes, away from the rest of the interior of the Palace. Indeed, Malum felt some sort of kinship with the man, making out the essence of him, he could share in the trepidation, fear, and nervousness, while glancing over to the vampire, Malum... had felt excitement, but now... strangely felt nothing.

He blinked twice at that. How could he feel... nothing? It was not like there was absolutely nothing before, he could have practically felt the excitement and joy radiating off her a mere second ago, but... it was nothing, not a cold nothing... but as if there was nothing there at all.

Very interesting.

His eyes glanced back to the retreating man, the woman had mentioned a mask. Looking him up and down, Malum would admit that the appearance, with a mask, would have made for an intimidating visage, at least before he opened his mouth. At that moment he had come off as little more as a student, yet, that is why we were all here, and his control over flames... but him far above a regular student. Indeed, while Malum could too summon flames, he was uncertain if he could ever reach mastery over them like the man before him.

Now for the woman, it was hard to analyse much of her, credit would need to be given that she fought without a worry in a dress of all things, indeed, Malum for a moment wondered if the dress impeded her speed at all.

His mouth fell slightly, as his considerations were left unfinished.

It was hard to concentrate on such things, when a scream fell upon the grounds, along with a hand falling upon the grounds.

There was no blood as if that made the scene any less horrifying.

The woman went on, speaking of mice and felines, but did she not know that man would bring both to heel? He idly heard and tucked away the words of the male figure being apprenticed to Darth Empyrean, an Eternal then? Was she a Kainite or Tsis'Kaar? Was this some factional contest in the one place where factionalism had no place?

His eyes left the severed hand, left the screaming Amon-Sev screaming in denial and pain.

His red eyes found themselves on Trayze', a silent message communicated between family, one that he hoped was received, as his hand found themselves on his lightsaber.

Crimson plasma blistered against the air. As his legs swiftly took him to the balcony, he had thought of himself fast, but she was faster. His feet themselves perched upon the balcony railing, before they were perched on nothing at all, a moment of flight, nothing more, but all that he needed. He brought forward his free hand, and without flourish, the tell-tale sparks of lightning were born from his fingertips, as just as quickly, they shot out like a blaster bolt, striking forward in the direction of where she stood.

As for himself, he landed beside the flame lord, his lightsaber placed on guard, focused on the swift vampire before him. Red eyes burned brightly against the green foyer, as more and more looked on.

'This was a bad idea' His mind whispered to him, he could only agree, but that was who he was.

"It seems to be that this is not much of a fair fight, as you say he does not have a lightsaber, so let me fix that conondrum." It was a weak excuse, who was he to call this a fair fight when he had made it two against one?

Venn Kolis · Nov 19, 2022

Darth Anarchis
THE SITH ORDER
Faction Thread: Kicking in the Door

~The Ring~ ~The Torch~
Temple Yard, Palace of Silver Rain, Saijo

Ok. She'd just crossed a line.

Of the almost 300 Amon-Sev in service, 4 were Force-sensitive. The saberstaffs that had been gifted each of them had not been easily obtained. The arm? Venn could alchemize a replacement. The weapon? Could be repaired. The crystal? Replaced. But this was not Alina's mountain. Venn opened his mouth to answer her challenge.

And then a young scion came flying off the second floor balcony casting lightning, to land beside him, red blade flashing to life in his hands. His words to Alina were calm and sharp, which was impressive under pressure. Unfortunately for the newcomer, they also insinuated that Venn was no match for Alina. In order to make sure this promising student didn't also lose an arm, he shot Alina a look, as if to say 'Sheesh, sorry about this guy,'. Then he turned his gaze on his valiant protector.... Marr. That was it.

"Your loyalty is appreciated. As my thanks, I'll train you personally starting today. First lesson:" and he placed a pale hand on the young man's chest, "-interfering in an Honor Duel dishonors the party you seek to help."

And with a shove, he sent Marr rocketing out the huge doors into the Temple yard, where the votaries from the Church of Akos stood ready to usher him to the side. Venn scoffed, looking at his feet for a moment. "Not a fair fight, huh?"

Venn, for the first time since the interaction had begun, turned his back on Alina. He strode from the Temple and into the gray mountain sun, wisps of cloud dancing around his ankles. He looked at the assembled crowd who'd naturally gathered to the commotion. Acolytes, mystics, servants, scholars. People who trusted in him, depended on him. These mountains had been claimed. It was time to defend them.

Walking casually to the opposite end of the cobbled yard in front of the Silver Temple, Venn mused over Marr's words, and then Alina's. They bit like sharp steel into his ego. After a moment's pause, he answered her. The ring on his finger burned with an evil light, and carried the Hierophant's words through the air. His voice seemed to echo off of every stone, whisper from every shadow.

"Ironic. You abuse my vassal, preaching of prey and beasts. You've stepped into the domain of a monster you do not understand... you're about to sympathize with the mouse."

Venn stretched his hand out into the air. There was a metallic ringing sound in the distance. "Perhaps you're right, Tremiru. I can no longer hide what I am: especially when I am spoken to in such a manner by the student of the Maw's now-dead heretic king."

Anvejîr flew down from the Temple's highest spire to Venn's open hand, its broken black blade already glowing like a sunset. "I am the Cinder Scion and the Silver Sage. I am the Eternal Flame and Scribe of the Pyre. And I do not deny myself a lightsaber. My blades of choice are of fire-"

A monster fell down out of the sky. "-and of fang."

The Drexl spread its wings, taking up almost the entire yard, eyes locked on Tremiru. Its violet coils shifted, agitated, its barbed tail lashing back and forth. Narroth had served Venn for years, but the huge serpent had never felt rage like this. Venn walked to stand by his pet, sword held loosely at his side. "Now, before I send you to meet Solipsis, perhaps you'll sate my curiosity, and tell me what the hell you wanted from me so bad that you died for it?"

Alina Tremiru · Nov 19, 2022

Fair?

Alina turned her gaze to Malum. Cold and hard eyes just stared at him. She didn't mind it. Perhaps it would be more of a challenge with a second. Perhaps it'd be more fun. No, Venn made his choice on that. She stayed unmoving as the Acolyte was dismissed. Stayed unmoving even as Venn brought out his weapon of choice. A burning black blade, and a creature. She tensed herself further, like a spring ready to be unlatched.

"Learn from who you can, all you can. That is the duty of a student of the Sith. My Master never cared who I decided to learn from, if it meant being more useful to her." It seemed Venn didn't know who exactly her Master really was. That was fine. She doubted the Lady of Secrets cared one way or another. Something she'd have to ask

Taeli Raaf about once this was over.

"Alisteri likes you. I'm here to see if you're even worth such admiration. Don't disappoint me, Venn."

Venn Kolis |

Venn Kolis · Nov 19, 2022

Darth Anarchis
THE SITH ORDER
Faction Thread: Kicking in the Door

~The Ring~ ~The Torch~
Temple Yard, Palace of Silver Rain, Saijo

The Temple's yard had been turned into almost an arena, the thronging crowd enlarging as practitioners came to investigate the mounting pressure in the Force. Venn hoped Marr was still watching; maybe Venn would quiz him later on what he observed. Alina's excuses for partaking in the Maw's teachings earned only a scoff from him. Typical of those who saw the Force as some kind of secular pursuit- if nothing is sacred, then everything is permitted? How dull.... wait. Useful to her? His intelligence on Alina was good, but not perfect. Something about that comment felt ominous... what was this familiar premonition?

A mention of Alisteri did strike his interest, however. "Ah yes, Darth Strosius. Favorite hound of the Snake. I certainly hope I live up to his telling!"

Flames engulfed Venn's body then, heat blasting infernally from his form as he dashed to close the distance, his sword arcing towards Alina's shoulder. Narroth let out a scream like an enormous mynock, causing many onlookers to fall back clutching their ears.

Bor. Bear witness. See all I do.

Alina Tremiru · Nov 19, 2022

"You very well might."

She kept her ground, even as Venn charged. Even as his creature screamed. The grating sensation in her ears would've hurt more when she was younger. Not so much now. Her blade caught his, pressed up against it as the red energy cackled along it. And she grinned. A wide, all too knowing grin as she flashed her own fangs.

"If you don't die."

Danger came from on high. Outside, the creature that brought her here could descend. Well, not really. Kraujas wouldn't dare get close to the flame of a Sith adept at using it. But it could provide some assistance. By dropping Alina's own black blade from on high. It dropped like a missile, it's edge cutting right for

Venn Kolis as Alina pressed further against his blade. All to keep him still.

"By blade and fang is how I fight, dear Venn."

Venn Kolis · Nov 20, 2022

Darth Anarchis
THE SITH ORDER
Faction Thread: Kicking in the Door

~The Ring~ ~The Torch~
Temple Yard, Palace of Silver Rain, Saijo

It all took only a moment.

One. Venn became aware of a shadow lingering over his head. He looked up from the clash of blades, his set teeth opening in awe, as a sigh passed his lips. "Pandemic." Form, color, movement and function. The Cirmuhai was a glorious instrument of Sith cruelty. The sight made the young beastmaster grin. Truly, this had to be Raaf's masterwork- wait. Raaf...

Two. The shock of putting two-and-two together caused Venn to snap back to the moment. The beast had dropped something, it was falling towards-. Oh, feth. Alina's lightsaber had blocked his strike, and now she was exerting quite a lot of effort to keep him directly under the very sharp-looking longsword plunging down at him. Damnit.

Three. "Narroth!"

The Drexl surged upwards, its wings taking it into the air with a scream. The serpent's mind, chained to the Alchemist's Eye, saw exactly what it had to do and why. The scaly barbed tail whipped around to bat the falling sword far away from the Sith. Lunging for the dark dragon, Narroth would attempt to latch its fangs around Alina's pet. Drexl were smaller than Cirmuhai, but Narroth seemed better-muscled than this other beast, and a Drexl's wings were less fragile, so... there was a chance?

Inside Venn, seeds of fear and doubt were planted. Doubt Narroth could win. Fear Venn had just sent an old friend to his death. Aside these, Venn planted a seed of envy, as he thought how badly he wanted his own Pandemic, and a seed of guilt, as he thought of Narroth's fierce service through many battles. The plants grew quickly. Choking, toxic weeds, thick and decaying. Venn took this poisonous garden....

and set it on fire.

Feeling Alina's pressure on his sword, Venn determined he would not give an inch. The yellow flames around his form flared brighter, his body becoming the center of a hellish firestorm. He pushed back against Alina's oppressive strength, driving the inferno around him through his own rage. She didn't want him to move? She wanted to stand so close?

"Well you can burn, then!"

Alina Tremiru · Nov 20, 2022

Venn Kolis said:
"Well you can burn, then!"

"No."

The fire came, but Alina didn't move. It never reached her. It wasn't how she wanted to combat the flame, but.. Use what she had, right? No, instead she stood her ground. Pressed against his flame. Let her void emerge around her. The flames that tried to reach her, guided by the Force, they never could. Her power severed it. And she let that void grow and grow. To consume his fire. To consume him.

Cut him from the Force completely.

"I don't think I will."

Above, Kraujas just stared in annoyance. Anger. A primative beast, sent to fight her?

"Why are you annoying me with this- Oh you can't even hear me." She sighed, casting a glance down to she who bound her. Then raised a clawed hand. Blood formed, pulled from the air as she flew back and away. Tooth and claw was not how she fought. Let the beast be a beast. A spell, clearly. A spell she unleashed a moment later. Bolts of Anima, condensed and hardened, sent out to shred the other creature's wings.

"Begone, pest."

Venn Kolis · Nov 22, 2022

Trayze Tesar
THE SITH ORDER
Faction Thread: Kicking in the Door

~The Ring~ ~The Torch~ ~The Blood~
Temple Yard, Palace of Silver Rain, Saijo

The poisonous garden in Venn's heart, set ablaze with passion, suddenly became cold and ashen. In all of a moment, the strength, the rage, it was gone. The Dark Side had gone quiet.

Alina's attack became unbearably heavy then, and Venn found himself angling his sword to the side, trying to redirect her strike to the ground as he sidestepped away from her, weary, a headache beginning. This was... Force Suppression. His pyrokinesis was useless in her immediate presence. Venn's rage was swept up in fear. Sith Sorcery was impotent in such a void.

This included the sorcery binding Venn to Narroth. The great beast was on its own. Chasing after its fleeing prey in anger, the Drexl was shocked when several bolts of dark red pierced the membrane of its wings. Six eyes blinking in confusion, free-falling towards the Temple Courtyard, its simple mind worked through some pattern recognition. Teeth, claws. flies... shoots back?... dropship.

Narroth pulled its wings in to its body, the little spears still in its wings dislodged or shattered by the folding membrane. Its fall became a plummeting dive, and as the watching crowd of onlookers dove for cover at his approach, the great wings unfurled again. Banking back into the air, Narroth soared around his enemy in a careful arc, eyes locked in cold hate. This thing looked like a beast, but it fought like a combat shuttle. Narroth had pulled plenty of support ships down out of the sky. Wings tattered and ragged, sporting a few holes, the Drexl had to fight harder to stay in the air. But it wasn't done yet.

And neither was its master. No choice left but to change tactics.

As the fire in his heart died, Venn awoke the beast in the pit of his stomach. Force Suppression could mute sorcery, true... but it couldn't unmake alchemy. Veins bulging, Venn stepped back into the duel with animalistic fury. His broken sword, now cold and black, flashed about his head in devastating cuts that sought to hammer down his foe's defenses. Technique forgotten, he attacked with the savagery of a Terentatek. Complex and refined passions had been extinguished, and given way to an all-consuming hunger. A desperate need to drink the blood of a Force Sensitive.

Alina Tremiru · Nov 22, 2022

"Oh begone already. I am not your opponent, beast." And now she was talking to an animal. How the mighty have fallen. The draconic entity growled under her breath as she watched the creature soar around her. Red Anima gathered again, coursing through the air as she brought another spell to fruition. A wave of red, sharper than most blades, to cleave the beast in two.

Alina was, as ever, unaware of just what was happening above. It didn't matter. Instead she pressed further against Venn's blade, now even with just one hand. He was little more than human now, wasn't he? Against her strength, without the Force, he was like so many other Sith. Rendered useless. Pathetic. Disappointment welled in her eyes as she reached a hand out towards her own black blade, wrenching it from the ground with far too much ease.

"I suppose Alisteri also overestimates those he lik- Oh?"

She twisted her wrist to block one of his strikes, assuming it the desperate attempt to keep some honor. Except there was strength there. Inhuman strength. She let out a laugh as her lightsaber spun from her grasp before she brought up her greatsword to catch the next. "Look at you! You're not like the common rabble here are you? Good, good!" Both hands gripped her blade as she fell to the defensive. Her might was no longer an advantage, but an equalizer to keep up with the savageness of his strikes. And where disappointment had bloomed, it was now filled with genuine excitement and joy.

"Tooth and claw, little Venn! Let your savagery bloom!"