Peace is a Lie, There is only Passion

[Taeli Raaf]

Taeli couldn't resist clapping as her apprentice used her wits and was able to stave off a horrible end. She wondered who had deployed these particular Sithspawn during the invasion, or if someone was experimenting in their free time like she was. Could be both, it didn't matter truly as her apprentice was closing in on the dark side pulses. It wouldn't be much long until she had whatever object was calling out to her.

"Excellent work, Sophie, using your environment is an important aspect of fighting, both on the battlefield and off," she said, her words being transmiited through the familiar. "But do not become over-confident, the shadows hold many dangers. Be on your guard, other things will have been attracted to what you seek possibly."

[member="Sophie Gustav"]

 

[Zion Mirtis]

Another warning from her master and Sophie knew that things would only get harder from here. She picked herself up and dusted what she could from her dress before moving onward. She turned, looking back the direction she still needed to go, before walking onward. The pulse from the object was greater now. It was less than a mile away from her and Sophie felt like every step was a mile long. She stopped when she'd come to s stairway leading down further into the Undercity. Whatever it was that was down there she knew it was going to be protected or have some sort of obstacle waiting for her. Sophie needed to be strong. Any emotions she had needed to be ued as weapons instead of burdens. Finally gathering what courage she still had Sophie took the steps and went down, unsure of what she would encounter here.

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Taeli sent the familiar on ahead to see what lay along her apprentice's path, out of curiosity's sake. She could feel a ravenous hunger ahead, a hunger that would only be sated by the blood of a Force Sensitive, and a strong one at that. She kenw exactly what that hunger meant, but as this was a test, she would not tell Sophie. Her master had set her loose against a terentatek on her first day of training, almost as soon as she set foot on the city-world. Something similar was ahead for Sophie. She was now more curious than ever as she guided the familiar back to Sophie's shoulder.

Through it, she whispered, "Call upon the memories that give you anger, give you rage, you will need them my apprentice."

[member="Sophie Gustav"]

 

[Zion Mirtis]

The vauge words given to Sophie didn't make her feel any less safer. Whatever was awaiting her was something more ferocious than the others she'd fought. But with no choice she proceeded down into what she soon disocvered was an old facoty-like place. Old mahcinery long turned off and the only light coming from below, the deepest underbelly of the city. There was a small about this place too. The mahcines were likely generators of somekind, and now that they were deactive their runoff of whatever powered them was growing old and rusted. Whatever was down here Sophie hoped it was worth all the trouble to find in the end.

She continued to follow the source until she'd found herself in a large hallway, another maze to be sure. But there was something else down there. Something that had been snifing her out once she'd arrived. It was, as soon as Sophie discovered when it stood less than a yard away from her, was a Devourer ( http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100528130815/starwars/images/0/06/Devourer_JATM.jpg ) It's brutish figure had been imposing to Sophie to where she was scared to look at it.

It charged at her, giving a loud barking roar like a dog. Sophie turned and ran, unsure of how to fight such a monster with but her saber and the force. She ducked down one turn and hurried down another while feeling the beast chasing her the entire time. She was more afraid of it than the sithspawn above.

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Taeli watched her apprentice run from the Devourer, knowing she was letting her fear get the best of her. She had two of most dangerous weapons a Sith could have, a lightsaber and the Force. They would be sufficient for the task at hand. Using the familiar as a conduit, she began sending copious amounts of dark side energy into her apprentice's own Force presence, strengthening her and inciting her to harness the emotions she was feeling, not allow them to rule her. She needed to rule them, to take control of her fear.

"Stand and fight apprentice, stand and fight this beast that would try and stop you from rising higher."

[member="Sophie Gustav"]

 

[Zion Mirtis]

Despite her words Sophie still ran eventually stopping once she'd found a spot to hide. She could hear the devourer sniffing through the halls trying to find her. Sophie wished she'd known a way to lower her force presence but there was no time for that. Her master told her to fight and Sophie, needing to feel the need to win, began to call on the emotions that drove her this far. Her fear, her anger, her want for power and knowledge. All of this began to swell inside her as she stood, taking the lightsaber from her pocket and holding it at the ready. She walked out into view and sent a force push towards the monster, getting its attention. Both stared down at each other before the devourer changed, Sophie standing her ground. Once it was close enough Sophie activated the saber and chagred as well, both meeting in the middle. Sophie had managed to stick the beast right through the chest, killing it. But it had left a mark as well. It managed to sracth her side hard enough to draw blood. Both collapsed but at least Sophie was alive.

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Deploy some harvesters into the region where my apprentice killed that Devourer, I want it brought to the alchemy lab for further study," she said into her comlink as she watched her apprentice slowly get to her feet. Killing that beast was an achievement that Sophie should be proud of, not many acolytes could say they stood and fought against a full grown Devourer. She allowed her approval and praise to radiate out from the familiar, urging her apprentice to claim the prize she had come there for.

"Don't worry, your time is coming," she said, looking at the chained up prisoner. The only way to learn Force Lightning was experiencing it first hand, while she had done that on Ossus, it was always best to have a live target to practice it on.

[member="Sophie Gustav"]

 

[Zion Mirtis]

Sophie picked herself up, groaining in pain and holding her side. She began to follow the source through the halls before finally finding it. Behind a battered door was what she was looking for. But she could hear sounds inside as well. More animals, possibly devourers. She readied her saber in case. Using the force she pulled the door off before discovering what it was. The devourer's nest, with three cubs sitting in the center. They barked and yellped as they saw Sophie standing there, amongst them were old trickets here-and-there, possible whatever Sophie was supposed to be looking for.

Speaking through the familiar Sophie said "Master? I don't know what it is I'm looking for. But these devourer pups. Perhaps....we should claim them for th Order."

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Yes, they will be useful for us, my apprentice," Taeli said through the familiar, smiling. "As for what you seek, allow your own Force senses and the familiar to guide you to the trinket you seek."

While Sophie would search, Taeli sent a massive amount of Force energy through her familiar towards the Devourer pups, binding them in the Force to her will. Beast Control was such a useful skill, and essential for any Sith alchemist to control the creatures they created and used. The Devourer pups moved obediently out of the way, allowing her apprentice access to the trinkets they guarded.

[member="Sophie Gustav"]

 

[Zion Mirtis]

Sophie had felt the darkside pour through the familiar towards the pups. All three of them calmed and walked to the side, leaving room for Sophie look. She dropped to her knees and reached out the force before sensing it. The one thing she was after. She searched using her hands and pushing awya the junk and gathered staw and what-no around the nest. It was buryed underneath. It was some sort of amulet. Sophie held it up and in her hands, feeling the darkside coming from it. She began to realize the devourer wanted it because of it's dark signature. Showing it ot the familiar, which by extension meant [member="Darth Arcanix"] , Sophie hopped this would do.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"That will do just fine, bring that back to me at the palace," Taeli said, grinning even though the familiar couldn't convey that. She would be feeling the approval radiating though, something she could bask in and show that Taeli was pleased with her performance. "The pups will follow you back to the surface, and we will see about the injuries you incurred before continuing."

The fact the object Sophie had found was an amulet worked even better than Taeli had hoped, it would simply require a few changes to become something far stronger. She would still keep track of her apprentice's progress back though, the gang of men that had followed her for a time would most likely still be waiting and it would prove interesting if Sophie could kill multiple beings, multiple sentient beings.

[member="Sophie Gustav"]

 

[Zion Mirtis]

With more intructions given Sophie turned and walked back towards the surface, the pups following as [member="Darth Arcanix"] had said. She felt stronger now, especially with the devourer pups following behind her like loyal animals. She knew the sith would use them to be beasts of war, which suited her fine. Better they serve the sith than die of starvation without their mother. Upon coming back to the first layer of Undercity Sophie had cleared the path of rubble she'd created before. The Sithspawn never adanced on her or the pups. If because of her sense of power, the fact she had the pups following, or some sense in knowing she'd killed a fully grown devourer, the mutations never attacked her the entire time she continued up the the surface. Even as Sophie had reached the final upper levels whers she first entered no one had done or said anything. They only watched as the Sith apprentice made her way through the streets and eventually back to the landing port she'd arrived at. It was here she waited for the support her master promised to arrive and retrive her, the amulet, and the three new beasts of war.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Taeli, looking through the eyes of the familiar and listening over the comlink, followed the small team of troopers that would both bring her apprentice back and be going into the Undercity to retrieve the fully grown Devourer. Her apprentice had changed slightly, her presence in the dark side had increased and it was interesting to watch how the girl already strode about as the better of the people around her. She was on the path to greatness already, and she had just begun her training. So many things were to come.

She watched her apprentice clamber into the transport with some of the troopers, and she smiled as several troops looked uneasily at the familiar perched on Sophie's shoulder. They knew she was watching and only showed the greatest respect to the apprentice and the pups were allowed to stay near the girl. They would be brought to her personally.

"When you arrive at the palace, proceed to the basement, Sophie, I shall be waiting for you there," she said, looking at the prisoner who was struggling against his chains.

[member="Sophie Gustav"]

 

[Zion Mirtis]

The entire trip back Sophie was quiet. While her pups looked ready to pounce on anyone they stayed calm enough as well. Sophie was changed. She'd been through hell, or the closest thing, and come out with only sracthes. Everything had been afraid of her, a sign of the darkside starting to grow within her. Now she was no longer afraid. It felt like her fear had been pushed out of her and srpead to the others. She said nothing, only looking out the window and watching the entire trip back to the temple.

Once they'd arrived Sophie wasted no time in exiting. The pups followed her all the way down to the basement where, upon arriving, Sophie stopped to see [member="Darth Arcanix"] with the dead body laying nearby and the prisoner chained near the wall. She was confused, of course, but still said nothing. She only presented both the pups and the anmulet as further physical proof of her victory.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Sorry about the mess," Taeli said, looking at the dead body nearby. "Needed him for this." Taking the amulet, she moved over to the bowl of dark side empowered blood and dipped the retrieved amulet into the blood.

"Hoc augmentum virtutis bullas, auctorem tenebris vim, ac vertetur in potential bene," she chanted, allowing the dark side to well up within the bowl. A black and purple cloud of crackling energy began rippling around the room, passing through both master and apprentice as it was drawn into the amulet. The blood began to drawn into the amulet as well, strengthening it even further and hardening it against destruction from most everything. Pulling the amulet out of the bowl, it had taken on a redish hue, with a black and purple energy pulsing within it.

"For successfully completing your task, Sophie, I gift you with this concentration amulet," she said handing the amulet back to Sophie. "Accepting this amulet, it will bind with your power and allow you to draw upon it to augment yourself. And now, for your other reward. . ."

Taking her apprentice by the shoulders, she brought her over to the chained up man.

"I'm going to teach you how to harness Force Lightning."

[member="Sophie Gustav"]

 

[Zion Mirtis]

Sophie watched with both confuison and amazement as [member="Darth Arcanix"] began to work her odd magic spell. Sophie had head of sith alchemy but had never seen it first hand. To witness it's power at play as her master had begun to infuse the blood within the pool to the amulet felt like watching some deeper black magic at work. Sophie watched with her eyes growing wider at the sight of everything, feeling the dark energy resonate throughout the room. Whenit was over Sophie accepted the amulet, nodding to her master before putting it on. She tucked it under her dress to keep it hidden from anyone trying to steal it. It was then that Sophie was turned around to face the chained prisoner that she soon lerned was to be killed with the force lightning skill her master had used on her. Meanwhile the devourer pups began to sniff about the dead body nearby, wanting to feast on fresh meat while they could.

"How do I do this?" she asked her master, referring to the force lighting.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"To unleash Force Lightning, as I'm sure you must have heard, it first requires you to have felt it upon you first," Taeli began explaining. That was first part was already accomplished, an image of what happened on Ossus passed through her mind briefly. "True Force Lightning, the kind I can unleash, requires a thirst for power, of a disregard to the consequences of unleashing pure dark side energy. To conjure it, you must direct the Force energy within you down your arm to your fingertips. When released, that energy becomes a lightning that not only hurts, but kills. Draining a person's vitality."

To demonstrate, she raised her hand, allowing her apprentice to feel the energy race down her arm, and unleashed lightning upon the prisoner, just a small burst but enough to elicit a scream of agony.

"The more you practice this technique, the stronger it can become," she explained. "It eventually can reach the point of being so powerful it can vaporize your enemies, but that will require more training. For now, I want to see if you can do it. Channel the dark side energy down your arm and unleash through your fingers, recall how it felt to be subjected to it."

[member="Sophie Gustav"]

 

[Zion Mirtis]

Remembering the events on Ossus from her own point of view Sophie was reminded of how harsh an exposure to force lighting could be. She even recalled how her time with Lisa Tiscon had almost turned into a lesson on force lighting before they were interrupted by the need for time. But now to have it taught by her actual master would mean she would have a better and more potent understanding. At least the first step of knowing what it felt like was out of the way.

Sophie's hand followed her masters before feeling the short but powerful surge of energy burst from it to him. She gasped, hearing his screams of agony, but looked back at her hand. For a moment she'd thought her skin would be burned or her fingers singed. But there was nothing. No marks of any kind. Now knowing it was her turn Sophie aimed her hand at the prisoner, who was at the point of begging for his life.

She focused pulling back memories of her pain she'd felt on Ossus. She pushed it through her other emotions and memories into her hand. Small sparks began to flit and ping at her finger tips as she focused more and more. She closed her eyes and felt sweat start to form as she put more and more focus into the lightning. Finaly a small but potent burst had struck the man, he screaming in pain from yet another does of raw darkside energy soaked into him.

The devourer pups had already started tearing at the dead bodie's limbs, enjoying the feast of meat.

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Taeli smiled as the small burst leapt from her apprentice's hand and struck the prisoner, all the while the pups tore into the meat of the deceased man. She was very pleased that she had been able to conjure even that little jolt, it was a sign the girl was embracing what she was becoming and had that desire that all Sith had. Now to keep her practicing.

"Excellent work, Sophie, really excellent for a first time," Taeli praised, smiling at Sophie. "Again."

[member="Sophie Gustav"]

 

[Zion Mirtis]

Sophie nodded before aiming her hand again. She built up more emotion and memories and concentration as before. Another jolt went out. This one a little stronger. It was clear on the man's body that the lightning was starting to take effect. Another bolt. And another. And another. Sophie continued to pour more and more force lighting out onto the prisoner. Every little bolt a little stronger than the last. A wild look was in her eyes. All of the focus was starting to cloud her mind. All she could think of was the power and how good it felt to make others fear her. Eventually she stopped, not because of the exahustion but because the prisoner was dead. It smoldering skinned body hung on the wall like a peice of new cooked meat. More food for the pups.

[member="Darth Arcanix"]