Legacy

[Darth Abyss]

Korriban

Valley of the Dark Lords, The tomb of Darth Bane

It only had been hours since the trail by combat had been completed, hours since one of the contestants had came out on top. There he was, the man who would become Darth Abyss legacy, who would stumble and crawl in his footsteps until he could stand on his own. He was raw and unshaped, but there was potential in him. Enough to form him into a powerful sith, if he would survive long enough to reach it.

Darth Abyss had taken place on the ground, his legs crossed as it was his preference when meditating. He had allowed his new apprentice to rest for the time being, to return to strength before they would begin their first lesson.

The place had been chosen not for the power it once held but that had long faded since, but because of what it meant. It marked the place were Darth Bane, the greatest of all lords of the sith had been buried, or at least what was left of him. It was a remainder to what a sith had to aspire to, but also a remainder that even the strongest being would die one day.

So he waited for the kaleesh warrior to arrive, awaiting the opportunity to show him the path of darkness in front of him. He would find the mans weaknesses and he would use them to taunt him with them, he would find his strengths and belittle them. He would find his fears and make him face them. And if would still stand after that he would know that he had made the right choice.

[member="Phar'ra"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

It had been a hard fought win, as Phar'ra learned in his duel against his fellow acolyte. It wasn't hard for the Kaleesh to understand the want, on how much his rival wanted this for himself, but the larger alien simply wanted it more. He had stood panting when he won, a single hand gripping the still burning line across his chest from [member="Darth Abyss"] himself. But, Phar'ra won.

He stood as Abyss meditated, silent, vigilant. Ever watching for a stir in who was now his master. The pain in his chest still rang through his body, but the Kaleesh knew there was power to be held within it. Power he didn't want to miss out on. Eventually his breath would even, and behind that bone mask he would once more feel calm, collected. Now he simply would wait for the next lesson to begin.

 

[Darth Abyss]

Without opening his eyes the sith knight remained in his position, nothing moving but his mouth. He had felt his apprentice arrive, without the need to see him with his own eyes. He felt strength in him, hunger, pain ... Dedication. To some degree he remained him of himself the day he stood before his own master for the first time, a mind to burn down a city in her name but without the power to do it.

"Sit."

His body was motionless, his mind was not. The presence of the sith was clouded by fear, a aura filled by the passion inside him that would never burn out until his last breath. The man needed to learn that a apprentice had to not only to respect his master, but had to fear him, hate him with every part of his mind. Only then would even have a chance to become sith.

"Tell me apprentice, what do your fear most?"

His words where imbued with the dark side, his mind touching that of the Kaleesh, trying to let his most innermost fears surface.

[member="Phar'ra"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

He sat.

Without question or hesitation the Kaleesh did as he was told, moving into a cross legged position with his back straight and his eyes focused on [member="Darth Abyss"] . There was no defense as Abyss made his way into the aliens mind, but he would find the same thing Phar'ra would speak out loud. Still without any hesitation, he kept his words brief and to the point. "To be forgotten." His accent was thick, a possible reason as to why he didn't speak much to begin with. But with Abyss in his head, the reason was easy to learn. Phar'ra did not want to waste time with long winded speeches or clever words. His duty was on the battlefield, not in a meeting room.

 

[Darth Abyss]

Under his mask, a small, cruel grin formed in Darth Abyss face as the words of the alien warrior meet his ears. His grip on the mans mind told him that his new apprentice told him the truth without any hesitation. No pride, no arrogance at least not yet. Good, he was yet to give him a reason to question his choice.

"Why do you think anyone will remember you? You are nothing, just another meaningless name in a never ending galaxy."

The insult was obvious to hear in his voice, and his face showed nothing else than amusement. He wanted to take away the mans calm, wanted him to let his temper break out. He wanted to see his hate, his anger ... and his passion.

[member="Phar'ra"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Confusion was next to fill the Kaleesh's mind. The words [member="Darth Abyss"] spoke didn't make sense to him. Phar'ra sat in silence as he mulled over the sentence, but with his master in his mind, which the acolyte couldn't even tell to begin with, Abyss would easily be able to sense his attempts to answer. He didn't want to insult Abyss, nor bore him, and there was hesitation all around. Finally, unable to think up a better way to say it, he spoke.

"I came do you do change zat." He continued to sit, confusion still etched into his mind.

 

[Darth Abyss]

"Than you understand nothing, at least not yet."

The yellow eyes of the sith knight rested on the large alien, analysing and observing his behaviour, to find any small detail, and strength any weakness that was confined inside him. His answer was understandable but yet it was still wrong. He had to learn much to really get a grasp of what it meant to be a sith.

"I will not give you the strength to tear your mark into history. You have to take it for yourself. That is the way of the sith. If you really fear to be forgotten, than take that fear and let it drive you. Let your fear become anger, and let your anger become hate. "

[member="Phar'ra"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

The confusion melted from the Acolytes mind as the words finally began to make sense to him. Use fear as a weapon. It was a more complex fear for the Kaleesh, but if he could turn it into a sword in his hand, he could very well end up stronger. A single nod was offered to [member="Darth Abyss"] to show this understanding. Abyss wasn't his key to godhood, but a stepping stone. Phar'ra would have to claim his fame for himself, not take it from the shadow of another.

"Show me what I must take."

 

[Darth Abyss]

Darth Abyss rose to his feet, gesturing his apprentice to do the same. After this short time he slowly got a grasp of how the aliens mind was working, and he decided that another form of meditation would be better suited to introduce him to the way of the sith. Anyone who earned the right to be called sith was exceptional in his own way, and for Abyss it always was his mind and not his body that exceed any expectations. As it seemed this man had a sharp mind, but compared to him it was in balance with his body. His right tightly gripped his lightsaber, the crimson red blade igniting in an instant. His left moved on his back, revealing another hilt, a spare he took from a dead acolyte on the battlefield.

"To understand what it means to be sith, you have to understand our past, or culture and rules. Repeat my words, remember them, understand them."

The lightsaber that had been in his left was thrown through the air, ready to be grabbed by his apprentice. Without warning the sith knight released a quick and precise stab at the kaleesh, yet slow and simple enough to block or evade.

"Peace is a lie, there is only passion."

[member="Phar'ra"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

The code of a god.

The simple thought flooded the Kaleesh's mind as he stood up. His golden eyes traveled from [member="Darth Abyss"] to his active blade, to the inactive one. It wasn't hard to figure out where this was going. And a part of Phar'ra's mind was pleased. Greedily he snatched up the lightsaber, lighting the crimson blade with a simple flick. It was weightless compared to his simple vibroblade.

Further inspection would have to wait however. His master struck, and if it had been meant to kill, Phar'ra very well could have died. With a trained movement he brought the blade up to catch the Knights. It was a faster swing than he was use to, with the blade so weightless, and it was clear he was going to have to get use to the weapon. Or make a different one.

"Peace be ah lie, der be only da passion."

 

[Darth Abyss]

Darth Abyss slightly raised an eyebrow under his mask, when he heard this variation of his code, made by the thick accent of his new apprentice. It wasn't exactly what he said, but words where only words, and the thing about their code was what they meant and not how they are pronounced.

Darth Abyss showed a small grin as his blade was caught by that of the kaleesh. He could see that he made the right choice with this method, he could see the desire, the hunger the blade was summoning inside the aliens mind.

"Through passion, I gain strength"

His blade danced through the air, falling down on his apprentice in a high strike. Once again the attack would.be easy to block but would take strength to do so.



[member="Phar'ra"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

The words [member="Darth Abyss"] spoke echoed through the Kaleesh's mind as they were spoken. Like any disciple, he took them directly to heart. When a god tells you their code, you commit it to more than just memory. You commit them to heart. Phar'ra even looked over the talking while he and his master were fighting. Normally, he would be dead silent, but this was what was asked of him. Repeat the code that would become his life.

"Through da passion, ah gain Strength."

As the blade came down the Kaleesh made a judgement call, stepping to the side of the strike. He still wasn't use to the weightless blade, and wasn't about to catch the strong blow until he was sure on how. But he brought his saber up all the same, aiming to catch and push the blow away from his body in a simple parry. At least the lessons of his vibrosword could still be somewhat used here.

 

[Darth Abyss]

He allowed his blade to be blocked by the one of his apprentice, not because he wanted him to feel good about himself, but because it made sense to show him the codes function in real scenario, at least on a surface level. There was a small, unnoticeable hint of admiration in his face, as he saw that the alien would rathed evade his attack. No arrogance, no pride. Only promise.

"Through strength, I gain power"

This time the blade wasn't raised for another attack, instead he extended his left, a single blue lighting unleashing from his flesh on the mans body. If he had the strength to resist the pain or even block the incoming attack, he would come on step closer to the power he was hungering for.

[member="Phar'ra"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

The blade was brought back close to the Kaleesh's figure as he moved back from [member="Darth Abyss"] . He had expected the master to continue the attacks, but the man simply stayed behind and spoke. Confusion filled Phar'ra's mind, but that quickly changed to surprise, to pain. Lightning from fingertips. It was a staple of the Sith, but the man was still fresh from his planet.

The lightsaber in his hand deactivated as he dropped to his knees. Never once did he scream however. Instead, he focused. He focused on the words that were spoken to him, both here and back in the initiation. Power would have to be taken. Pain was a weapon. Pain was a tool. With a rather animal like growl the Kaleesh stood back up, basically spitting out his next words over the crackling of lightning.

"Through strength, ah gain powa'!"

 

[Darth Abyss]

A small, cruel grin formed in Darth Abyss face as he watched his apprentice stumble and rise afterwards without a sign of weakness in his dedication. Sure he wasn't strong enough yet to fight against the the most famed skill the sith possessed, the ancient art of summoning lightings composed of nothing but the dark side.

"Through power, I gain Victory."

His left extended once more, this time releasing a wave of telekinetic energy, meant to push the Kaleesh of his feet. He wanted his apprentice to know that victory was far away from him, remind him that only if he would walk and survive on this part long enough he would one day be powerful enough to be victorious, not only against his master but against anyone that stood his way. It was also a remainder that this day was in a distant future, and that he would crush him with no remorse if he made the mistake to challenge him to early.

[member="Phar'ra"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

The pained form of the Kaleesh was easily knocked back. He fell, landing with an audible thud. Pain wracked his stimulated nerves, and a hiss escaped his form, hinting at the pain he was trying to hide from [member="Darth Abyss"] . But again he stood, pushing his form off the ground in a defiance to not only his own weakness, but to the man, this god before him. Abyss said he would have to take for himself. Make himself feared.

This was the beginning of it. And he would not falter.

Golden eyes glared at the master in that same golden color they did before. On his feet, he planted himself and struggled to stand tall. And, ultimately, he did.

"Through powa', ah gain Victory."

 

[Darth Abyss]

His grin stayed in his face, satisfied with how his new apprentice was handling this situation. He was struggling, stumbling but unbroken, his passion burning brighter with every part of the code he had repeated.

"Through victory, my chains will be broken."

This time no attack followed, as his chains where in his mind and not on his body. Combat would give a sith strength and power, but to become truly and fully sith a individual had to leave behind everything that bound it to this plain existence.

"The force shall free me."

[member="Phar'ra"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"through victory, mah chains be broken." With the lack of another attack the Kaleesh stood tall, brimming with a new sense of.. Confidence? Passion? A smile crept on his lips as he let the feeling wash over him. This new sensation was almost enough to fill him with pride. But he remembered how easily [member="Darth Abyss"] had subdued him. How easily he was beaten down. No, he wouldn't allow this feeling of pride to muster. He had not earned that. Not taken it.

Determination filled his mind as he snapped his saber back into existence, letting those golden eyes glare right at his master. When the time came, Abyss would be his final hurdle. Then, and only then, could he take pride as being a Sith.

"Da Force set me free."

 

[Darth Abyss]

"These words are more than just a code. They are our mantra, our modus operandi, our only state of mind. Remember them, but more important learn to understand them. These words are what makes us what we are, they are the thing that sets us apart from everyone else who roams the galaxy. Follow me."

Without a further look the sith knight turned around, walking deeper inside the tomb with slow steps. If the kaleesh wanted to understand what it meant to be sith, he had to do more than swing a lightsaber, or learn who to wield the force. He had to learn their history, he had to get into the heads of the beings that created the path he chose to walk upon. For this reason he had chosen the grave where one particular sith, or at least what was left of him, had been buried. Bane, the man who lead the sith back from the edge of destruction, and brought the order into a state of being that over time made them the rulers over the galaxy.

[member="Phar'ra"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Phar'ra knew nothing of Bane and his legacy. Knew nothing of the rule of two, or the rule of one. He hadn't even known what the code of the Sith was until [member="Darth Abyss"] had mentioned it. And now, all the young acolyte wanted to do was learn. Take the knowledge before him as often and as much as he could. So he followed his master, silent as he had been before. Power radiated from the tomb, so much so that it was clear something important below.

"Who be burried hea'?"