Lighting The Fire

[Leira Rhys]

The murmur of mechanics hummed gently in Leira's ears as she stood in the monochrome elevator descending to an unknown place. Vereshin had told her she was going to train. With who she didn't know. She was accompanied by a guard who stood behind her to supervise her. She had been told it was simply to assist her in navigating the vast city. Leira was extremely doubtful of that as she felt more like a prisoner who wasn't trusted to not run away than a vulnerable child. She had half a mind to try to kick the guard down to spite Vereshin but her intuition told her it was foolish. Leira would just end up stunned and useless. Sometimes logic was better than a fighting spirit, she supposed.

Lightsaber combat... Leira thought. She had never held or seen a lightsaber. She wasn't sure what it was. Her mother had described it to her when she was younger as a sword made of light. It was powered by something called a kyber crystal that emitted a plasma blade and it cut through practically anything. The idea of having that power frightened Leira. This path of being a Sith Acolyte and being trained to kill was something she had no control over. Vereshin had put a metaphorical collar on her and tethered her to him with a leash. Even now, she could feel his presence within her.

She just wanted the cowardly bastard out of her. She wanted to be free.

Leira was in a way grateful to be being trained, though. Vereshin was putting a noose around his neck by enabling her to become strong; Someday she would overpower him. Someday she would figure out how to rid herself of the Force bond so she could kill him and win back her freedom.

The elevator doors slid open and she was prompted forward by the guard. She stepped into a room. In front of her was a metal table with an assortment of hilts. She assumed these were the lightsabers she had heard so much about, but she was confused on why there was such a large selection presented to her. Perhaps he wanted her to pick?

A few paces back from the table was a man. He was one inch shy of being two feet taller than Leira. Raven hair scraped his shoulder and behind scarred flesh laid two piercing yellow eyes. The man intimidated Leira. She squared her shoulders and stood straight defensively, trying to give off a false confidence.

She waited for him to speak keeping her lips tightly pressed together.

[member="Darth Sibilus"]

 

[Darth Sibilus]

BASTION​

Darth Sibilus had felt the young acolyte's presence minutes before she had even stepped out of the lift and entered the large room where the Sith Lord would tutor one of the innumerable young Force-sensitives stationed upon Bastion. He felt it was his obligation to ferry on his knowledge and gift it to the next generation of Darksiders, and after a brief conversation with Vereshin, the Lord of Torment had agreed to tutor the acolyte in the fine, precise art of Makashi.

The Epicanthix had laid out an array of lightsaber hilts, each one different from the last. Some were standard, completely devoid of features whilst some boasted grips, others curved hilts and even a crossguard blade. Behind the table stood the man himself; towering about the disciple and wearing a simple ebon tunic with a handsome belt, from which his own lightsaber hung.

He could feel her apprehension, taste her unease and smell her fear. She reeked of it, and silently Drios wondered what the poor girl had been through to warrant such negative emotions, and a small smile cracked in the corner of his lips as he imagined her unyielding power once she learnt how to harness her feelings. With a loud snap, Darth Sibilus ignited his crimson blade, admiring it for a moment before taking a few steps back into an open area of the room, fitted with rusted B1-inspired battle droids. They stood inanimate for a moment.

"Take a lightsaber, acolyte" he started, not taking a moment to introduce himself and glaring right at Leira "I assume you have wielded a blade before?" he followed up, admiring the song of his weapon as it cut through the air. Without an answer, he would continue. "Makashi is the dueller's form, it relies on steady yet nimble footwork, leverage and a calm mind. Should you falter whilst using this style, your defence will be slashed open and you shall be annihilated by a stronger dueller."

He took another moment to regain his breath. This information was crucial to the foundations of the Way of the Ysalmiri, and though he would begrudgingly repeat it, he expected the student to be listening and taking mental notes studiously. "This form is only to be used against other lightsaber users and until you are as proficient as I am in the form," he scoffed, arrogantly "I would heavily advise that you do not attempt to engage multiple foes using Makashi."

[member="Leira Rhys"]

 

[Leira Rhys]

The elegant hilts stared up at Leira, the light reflecting off of them in a pristine way. She looked at the assortment, reaching out with the Force to see if any particular one attracted her. Near the end of the table, there was a silver double bladed saber with grips on the elongated hilt. It was a beautiful weapon. Leira felt as if she could feel every inch of the weapon from the exterior down to the crimson kyber crystal lying in its center. The Force sent it flying through the air. Alarmed, Leira caught it with her right hand. She put both of her hands on it and examined it. Cautiously, she pressed the button and it ignited with the signature saber snap-hiss. She looked up at Sibilus with confused eyes as the saber had not one blade but two. Little did she know it was kept together by a locking function and could be taken apart to be two separate sabers.

Swallowing nervously as the crimson blade that hummed gently stared back at her she looked at her mentor. She shook her head when he asked her if she had wielded a blade; Had Vereshin not informed him that she was merely a street rat he scraped off of Denon? She wasn't a combat trained killer. She was just a resourceful child who was strong with the Force and knew how to survive. Leira was surprised Vereshin took her instead of finding a battle-hardened Sith Knight to plant part of himself in and manipulate. He may not even have to do that; She was sure at least one Knight in the Empire would kill for him willingly. Some actually found pleasure in killing.

She listened to Sibilus as he described the strengths and cautions of the form they were learning. He slipped in a few subtle brags about himself, something she was used to. Vereshin thought quite highly of himself, too. Her eyes wandered across the room after he finished, looking at the lightsaber burnt dummies and weapons stored on racks. Obviously, she wasn't the only Acolyte who had and would be trained in this room. She waited for him to continue or question her on why she was so silent; That was definitely a question she got often.

[member="Darth Sibilus"]

 

[Darth Sibilus]

He studied her for a few moments, a small look of exasperation etching across his face, and he telekinetically released the fibrecord bond between the two hilts, leaving two lightsabers instead of one. One hilt floated back to the table, and the Sith Lord smiled pleasantly at the apprentice. "Lest you wish to lose an arm, I don't suggest that weapon being the first lightsaber you use," he hissed bluntly, before carrying on. "What do you know, then? - and please speak to me, child. I don't appreciate mutes." within the Epicanthix's free hand, a spurt of electricity danced between his fingers, crackling dangerously. This should have been all it took to encourage the girl from her aversion to speaking.

He did not have the patience nor the time for a rabbit in headlights. The Sith Lord had more important things to do. Sibilus wouldn't continue his instructions until after she had acknowledged him.

"The lightsaber is an ancient weapon, and this weapon alone is enough to strike fear into the hearts of lesser beings. It is an extension of your arm and must be treated with the utmost respect - it is the only thing you can trust, for it will never stab you in the back or betray you, acolyte."

 

[Leira Rhys]

[member="Darth Sibilus"]

Leira flinched as the second half of the blade flew through the air and back to the table without warning. She wondered why he disapproved of her choice. It seemed like a good choice to her. She didn't talk back, though. If she had learned anything by being around Sith was that they didn't seem to enjoy being questioned. She simply stood there, looking at him and awaiting instruction. He asked her to speak and Leira was wise enough to know she needed to obey.

"I know that lightsabers blades are made of plasma which is emitted from a crystal. It can cut through almost anything. I have no further knowledge other than that." She said, her voice clear and professional. She had been mentally preparing to speak in such a manner since Vi had informed her she would be lightsaber training with a Sith lord. She listened to his explanation of how the lightsaber was practically a Sith's best-friend, one that would never betray her. It certainly was an elegant weapon in her opinion. She had only dealt with knives and blasters in her life; The lightsaber was much more practical, less messy, did not require such close range nor did it rely solely on aim. She had no idea what to do with it though.

She awaited further instruction after he finished his sentence.