Potential Birth of a Prophecy (Jareth)

[Aster Jen'allé]

Spoiler

I actually base Jareth's hand to hand skill on my own extensive martial arts training, which is generally why I make characters who are skilled in martial arts. That way I can add depth and realism to their combat. Also, Jareth isn't the kind who will be moved to strong emotion by threats to Jado. As long as he thinks he can protect Jado he will try to avoid anger because his father was so prone to strong emotion (which incidentally lead to the death of Jareth's fiancee) it won't be until Jado is killed that Jareth hits his breaking point. I really can't change that either as that is just the character of Jareth.

*Jareth watched as the glass exploded outward, violently it spread in all directions. Jareth was cut a couple of times, but most of the glass that would have hit him was blocked by the other mans body. Jado was virtually unaffected due to his body armor, and had rolled forward out of the doorway losing grip of the blaster pistol in hand as a piece of debris hit it. Jareth felt something though, pounding through the air. A build-up of power: raw, untrained, and full of anguish. It discharged, charging toward Jareth wildly as he jumped to avoid it. Some of the widespread red lightning arced off and hit Jareth, while the edge of the blast hit his left leg. He had experienced the pain of force lightning before at a similar level of power. Tara Sadow, who had given him some small amount of training in the force before now as a favor, had unleashed force lightning to train him. Her was not meant to harm him, but this felt different in that it was filled with sorrow and pain, no, anguish. Anguish and the pain of sacrifice. It didn't seem like he was holding back at all with this, but that it was untrained. Raw energy too spread out to cause real damage. Regardless, Jareth was able to recover from it quickly, with only minor burns along his leg from the indirect blast; however, this had started moving toward a still recovering Jado who was completely untrained in the force and was wearing highly conductive body armor. He might not fare so well...*

Jareth: "JADO! MOVE!"

*Jareth recovered as fast as he could force himself to and sent a force push toward Raien, merely hoping it would distract him while Jareth moved in to return to hand to hand fighting. Something he was much more comfortable with.*

[member="Raien Keth"]

 

[Raien Keth]

This one was resistant, powerful in his reserve, he reminded Raien of Manu a lifelong adversary, and one of the few to survive their crystal sleep, so resolved like Echani were. Though Raien had taken Manu, through their battles and shown him the truth, as he would show Jareth here. Without his stronger emotions he was weak, reserved, held back from his potential.

The bar would need to be raised, pressure increased and deepened, so his stance became stronger, metal digging into the ground. Force push hitting him, his boots instinctively gripped that ground, tearing along it as he slid backward. Lightening pushed along with it, Jareth had pushed Raien straight into line with Judo, and his friend was hit by the full force of this novice technique.

Fortunately or unfortunately for Judo, his armor was seemingly conductive, and while spared the glass, Raien was sure to channel that received pain straight into the body of the other, the man started to charge at the Sith but found himself wrapped up in red lightening, his armor aiding the effect of the neophyte technique, and lifting him off the floor slightly. Judo started to shake uncontrollably as years and years of torment were unleashed in one move. The real power of Sith emotion, and the old sith code, fear, anguish, pain, suffering, betrayal, pride, so many events had the betrayer seen, burning worlds, now a burning man.

Raien worked in absolutes, there were Jedi, Sith and then everyone else.

“Jedi,” Jareth might be controlled, but Judo was a gibbering mess, his helmet flying off with a small force assist, “always the same.” Raien’s head turned to Jareth slowly, looking right through him, at this point the piece of metal that Jareth had thrown at Raien earlier, still in his free hand, was thrown straight at Judo’s throat. “You hide the emotions that matter most, until it’s too late to save those you love.” Raien had moved beyond anger, pain, betrayal and suffering, to dominate them, here he demonstrated what his Sith mind thought the young man lacked, in the most visual and Sith way imaginable, an emotions real potential power.

He was helping him. Now one more life for the fire.

[member="Jareth Johnathon Holst"]

Spoiler

It does, I have some martial arts experience myself. That's completely fine play your character exactly how he is Raien will look for other pressure points, perhaps he'll get the death of Jareth's fiance from his mind if you like that idea? Jareth could have a flashback or some such.

 

[Aster Jen'allé]

*Jareth didn't have time to save Jado, the jagged metal plunged through his throat before Jareth could even tell what was happening. He didn't want to believe it. Images flashed through his head. A father who didn't know how to control his anger. A fiancee who didn't understand how violent his father could be. One hit, not meant to kill, but followed by a sickening crack against a metal corner. Rage: pure and righteous anger. A storm of fury welling up within, and a father who could not control his anger was controlled. The labyrinth of his mind stretched before him, a being of light, and a shadow dancing at the edges of his vision, but no more. He was the darkness, looking at himself from the outside. He was on his knees, tears of despair rolling down his cheeks,*

Jareth: *With a strong edge of desperation, and an almost evil overtone* "You've taken everything from me!"

*He was darkness, staring down at himself, looking at the tears and feeling the despair. Jareth was there no more, trapped in the labyrinth of his anguish somewhere within his mind. The light stepped back, it let darkness do what was necessary as it went to find who Jareth was. No more humanity, no more pain, no more suffering, no more tears: only Dust.*

Spoiler

Jado dying was a sufficient pressure point. It brought pain anew and tore the pain of his fiancee dying from the deep corner of his mind where he had repressed it. Raien has now managed to send him to the breaking point, and then beyond.

[member="Raien Keth"]

 

[Raien Keth]

Releasing Judo, his lightening abated, “Did I?” Raien took slow metal steps toward Jareth, “think,” Thud, thud thudding steps, “who caused you to hide from your emotions till it was too late?” Raien did not know, he was reaching, probing, forcing by the most direct method imaginable for Jareth to face his rage. Jareth had begun his journey if he walked this path, it didn’t stop and end with one weakness expelled and rage found, there were so many more trials ahead, and this was just one of them.

This time Raien came at Jareth again, he wanted that rage ingrained in the others memory, what it meant and what strength it would give him, to show him the velocity and momentum that purpose gave. The first of the Sith emotions and a code to conquer. A roaring charge would go to simply try and knock Jareth over with his shoulder. Raien's weapon was undrawn, he was fighting in Jareth’s arena, hand to hand, only now with raw sith potential flowing from the young man.

A boot would come up to launch a heavy metal kick toward the other's stomach, even if a knight these were slower movements, devastatingly heavy with the metal, but slower. Pressure was increased, “I’ve given you who you are.” The left elbow came up again, repeating what happened before, this time the one he was educating might have purpose behind blocking it, strength, emotion and power. He might even push the betrayer back a step...

[member="Jareth Johnathon Holst"]

 

[Aster Jen'allé]

*Raien would have seen a sudden transition. All of the tears stopped in an instant. His face had changed, not emotionless but quiet. He stood up as Raien walked toward him slowly. He looked into the eyes of the other, his own eyes dark, cold: the stormy blue had turned to a nightmarish night blue.

“who caused you to hide from your emotions till it was too late?”

A good question. He could blame his father, after all his father was the one who couldn't control his emotions. It was more than that: he could only blame himself. Maybe not for shunning emotion entirely, but for letting that be a weakness. He was at fault. The other ran at him, he used a force push to dampen the charge. The kick came, he dodged to the side allowing the kick to sail past him, he moved his own left elbow to deflect Raien's elbow strike upward. He focused all of his anger, all of his suffering, every tear that he now suppressed into a brutal elbow headed directly for the Sith's throat. He was no longer fighting to defend anyone, for Raien had broken that mind-set. He now fought to kill: brutal strikes to take from his opponent what the opponent needed to fight. If a finger was left astray it would be broken, a leg unprotected turned into loose flesh, a trachea left vulnerable collapsed. This was the code of Dust.*

[member="Raien Keth"]

Spoiler

Were this a duel I would be much more specific in what Jareth was doing in his fighting movements, but I figure it's just unnecessary fluff in this kind of a thread to be terribly hyper specific.

 

[Raien Keth]

The other moved with emotion, he moved with anger, the first tenant, Jareths elbow did indeed catch Raien in the throat and that pain caused a palm strike to go straight for Jareths chest to give room, turning his body into the snap hit, his heavy leg went to push off the others knee. Whether either hit or not wasn’t important, the distance he the put between them was, Jareth had done what few did in his outburst, push the Betrayer back a step.

Impressive, searing pain was in the Echani's neck.

The ground would resonate under Jareths feet, not just crack to break his stance, but sped up so much that dust and small debris was thrown upward underneath him. This was a technique the Betrayer had used many times before, taken here to the place the pain on his leg, the glass cuts, the wound on his chest, and now the elbow to his throat had allowed him to reach.

Ruby Lightening – Focused Pain.

Raien’s Lightening would arc toward Jareth once again, it was not powerful or damaging but with the mounting wounds it was full of pain, a thousand wounds across a broken body expressed outward. That is what he would teach here, that sensation brought into the finger tips. If it hit it would wrack the body with agonizing sensations, a state of mind and body he could use if he harnessed it. “Use what your opponent gives you. Stand” That pain could be a strength, an outburst to focus on, lash against, fight through to better yourself. Jedi would let the pain go to ease the effects on the body and mind, wasting the opportunity, no not a true Sith.

The Betrayer's eyes flared the color of the ruby red lightening pouring out of both hands, aiming for one sensation the infliction of mind numbing pain, Jareth could fall to his knees, he could learn to control it, he could learn to let it go, or he could harness it! Any of these things would build his potential.

[member="Jareth Johnathon Holst"]​

 

[Aster Jen'allé]

*The palm strike landed pushing him back slightly. The heavy boot strike missed his leg as he moved back out of it's way. Both strikes had served their purpose: the creation of space. He felt the ground resonate, the charge of force lightning raised hairs on his skin before the ruby flash arced through the air finding it's mark. He felt pain, both mental and physical. This was strange, he felt empathy from deep within, the emotions of the other were becoming more clear. Every move the other made felt like anguish, sacrifice, pain. He and the brutal Sith weren't that different. He began to understand the other, but all of that calculation was buried in an avalanche of agony as the lighting arced through his body. It set in like a hook as He stood with his muscles clenched violently. He began to step toward the Sith, slowly as the lightning wracked his body. He imitated the other, turning the pain into strength. Slowly he continued to approach the Echani.*

[member="Raien Keth"]

 

[Raien Keth]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrxErfKLzfM​

Choice
​

Baptism by sacrifice and suffering. For what Raien could, he poured all of this novice technique into the ruby flares ahead, growing that sensation Jareth had to fight through, and still Jareth advanced through it, using the pain to push against and to grow. Darth Surtr did what he rarely if ever did, and perhaps for the last time as his mask was raised to his face, he smiled. Black totality covered his form, mask fitted in place, red eye sockets burned their glow behind it.

“I am Darth Surtr.” The voice stated as the lightening continued relentlessly from his free hand.

“There are three types of life. The victims,” he looked down at the fallen Judo, “the Jedi who let go of their pain, used up to fuel stronger Sith”, he flashed his saber on with a snap hiss, the lightening abating finally to finish, Edge of truth's crimson glow pointing out ahead to take its place, “and Sith who walk as you do, carrying their pain as a battering ram.”

Sith absolutes, no one else was of consequence. Saber out ahead, the burning beam directed towards the potential.

“Choose,” the gritty rebuilt voice stated, “who will you walk as from now till forever?” Dusk? A Sith? The name was his to take, the weak waited to be given a name, the strong took it and wore it proud.

[member="Jareth Johnathon Holst"]​

 

[Aster Jen'allé]

*He heard the question faintly through the crackle of electricity still sparking on his body. Who would he walk as? He walked forward now, wracked with pain but unafraid. The lightning was gone, and the only thing left to hear was the crimson hum of a Sith lightsaber. Was this to be the soundtrack of his fall? A fitting melody indeed.*

Dust: "I walk as me. The wind shall bear my name from this moment to the depths of eternity. Dust to Dust: all shall know the pain I feel, for this is eternity, this is humanity... That whichever way the wind blows; we are but Dust. Fickle beings who float on the strong current of change, our greatest plans and most noble notions never withstanding. Everything we believe, everything we hope for, everything we dream crumbles to nothing with the brutal winds of this existence. By this path shall I walk, a Sith accepting the reality of those who are born to this fate. Dust."

*One final tear left my eye, and fate watched on. The tear fell into the Dust below as did I.*

[member="Raien Keth"]

*He heard the question faintly through the crackle of electricity still sparking on his body. Who would he walk as? He walked forward now, wracked with pain but unafraid. The lightning was gone, and the only thing left to hear was the crimson hum of a Sith lightsaber. Was this to be the soundtrack of his fall? A fitting melody indeed.*

Dust: "I walk as me. The wind shall bear my name from this moment to the depths of eternity. Dust to Dust: all shall know the pain I feel, for this is eternity, this is humanity... That whichever way the wind blows; we are but Dust. Fickle beings who float on the strong current of change, our greatest plans and most noble notions never withstanding. Everything we believe, everything we hope for, everything we dream crumbles to nothing with the brutal winds of this existence. By this path shall I walk, a Sith accepting the realityof those who are born to this fate. Dust."

*One final tear left my eye, and fate watched on. The tear fell into the Dust below as did I.*

[member="Raien Keth"]

 

[Raien Keth]

“Then kneel as you are now, and rise as Dust, not for me, not for the men who will die as steps to your greatness, not for the force, for your own force of will, and what you will achieve.”

One of six that were left, a former midnight guard lightsaber was taken from his robes, inscribed with the Keth family symbolism, a burning golden dragon, phoenix of rebirth. It's dark hilt had been used in ancient wars fought by Raien, long since past into memory, by Echani warriors that had survived not only to become sun guard, but the psychological torments to become the midnight guard, hand crafted for the half dozen that had survived the final battle at Thyrsus.

Jareth might need to one day make his own, and he would certainly need training in it to use it properly, for now that saber was his. “All the weight is in the hilt, it is light and unwieldy at first, treat the weapon as part of your arm, with respect, it takes no force at all to cut a man, the simplest of touches will end life. Accent your grip at the back of the hand, not a hammer fist, your first two fingers should be loose, with your backhand to assist at the base of the hilt. A strong but loose grip.” Shii-Cho’s basic grip, broken down in all detail he might need, but he had to think fast!

Dust had committed in words, but the rustle of guards ahead, would need him to quickly adapt, and then adapt again, to the fact a dozen or more armed rodians were making their way over to begin firing on Raien, and perhaps Dust if he wasn’t careful, they were seeking payback at this point for the dead.

“Do as I do, watch my stance, watch my movements, imitate when it matters most.” He readied his guard, feet together sword straight up, sideways on. “Shii-cho, the basics, the foundation” for all Dust would do after this. It would be taught when his life depended on it, pushed to the limit every step of the way. Adapt or perish.

They came, firing and also running at Raien. Darth Surtr’s movements were simple, and yet not, the swings of his weapon were like simple sword strikes, linked trajectories, vertical, then horizontal, sometimes diagonal, executing strikes as if they were contained within a circle around the body, “the combat circle lays around the body” he called, instructing Dust as he killed men, using live targets to emphasis the basics of the form. “It has six target zones”

He swung cutting through one mans’ “arms and sides, each side is one”, demonstrating one zone, then he cut his beam downward, to take off a leg. “Each leg is one” to demonstrate another, moving through stunned men as if they weren't even there, because to someone who had fought this long in this many conflicts, these were fodder, they were nothing. Shots would bounce of his beam, and be reflected back into an unfortunate man’s “head, is one,” turning himself around, keeping a steady controlled stance, Raien’s beam moved to maximize his cover of these six zones, moving his body angled to show as little as he could to each combatant. To end he threw his saber straight toward a fleeing man, piercing his “back to finish”, pulling edge of truth to his hand in the force.

This was the basics of an often underestimated form, there was much more to learn and master, but he kept it simple. He would teach of stance, limiting angles of attack, by the time he was done, dust would while not an expert, be stronger than most of the fodder running around calling themselves duelists. Yes the Betrayer was thoroughly arrogant! He was a self-titled Sith Lord!

Right now however, Dust would find himself face to face with two Rodian's armed with a sword each, and the betrayer simply disengaged his weapon and watched what might happen.

Spoiler

Grip | Demo Wow that post went on longer than expected sorry

[member="Jareth Johnathon Holst"]​

 

[Aster Jen'allé]

Spoiler

Do you intend for the Sith name to be Dusk? Otherwise the name Jareth's dark side takes on is Dust with a T at the end. It's mostly up to you since you are my master.

*Dust recieved the lightsaber, listening to the Echani Sith as he explained the basics of grip. This weapon would take getting used to. He felt something with this blade. This was ancient in it's use. Guards came toward the two with the Echani standing forward, weapon ignited, explaining the Shii-cho with words and actions. Jareth mimicked several movements made by his new master while standing back watching the carnage. He felt a pang of guilt for these, but the path to strength was filled with bumps. He focused on the fighting itself. The saber was awkward at first, light weight compared to the swords he had fought with in his younger days, but he became used to the light weight. The two guards came with swords, lightsaber resistant blades made razor sharp through fine workmanship. The Echani powered off his weapon and stood back. The message was clear, and Dust ignited the lightsaber given him. The others would make the first move in this fight. One moved toward him, sword taking a wide arc from the attackers right toward the left side of Dust. Dust replied by moving his lightsaber to the left, stepping his right foot forward toward the other man and throwing his right elbow into the chest of the other, all in one smooth movement without breaking contact between his lightsaber and the blade of the other. The Rodian was pressed backward by the powerful strike, causing him to lean over slightly and pay less attention to the blade he was holding. Dust stepped back again with his right foot and brought the lightsaber down at an angle from left to right across the Rodians body starting at the base of the neck and going through to the Rodians shoulder effectively decapitating him. The other Rodian had started a straight stab at Dust from behind as he stepped back. Dust twisted his legs and hips around, following through from the previous strike to knock the other sword up and to his right before kicking forward with his left leg straight into the other's exposed stomach. The Rodian was pushed back by the kick and Dust followed through with a flourish over his head to redirect the blade down from his right to his left diagonally at the other as he stepped forward again moving his right foot forward. This was met by the sword of the other man in a block upwards. Dust then turned up, using his elbow to hit the flat side of the lightsaber resistant metal blade upward while he turned around and stabbed his lightsaber behind him and into the Rodian's chest.*

[member="Raien Keth"]

 

[Aster Jen'allé]

Spoiler

It will be difficult to teach Dust any specific style of lightsaber combat because of his past training in martial arts (and incidentally my own training in martial arts) which included sword combat (I was actually the number one sword fighter in my league for the last year I was at that dojo). That is at least the case for in-combat training, he will always default to what he (I) know(s) best in high pressure situations.

 

[Raien Keth]

Once an Echani who read everything through combat, or conflict, Darth Surtr was somewhat impressed with the martial ability of the younger man, he moved as though he was a finely honed instrument, offbalancing men, and then using lethality in his killing strikes. What they would need to do is, "we will work on the use of the force to enhance these attacks to become truly devastating". When it came down to it, you were only as limited as what you knew, what you could endure, and what your opponent could stop.

The only important thing here, was that he killed those Rodians, ending their lives, that any guilt or hesitation for the act left with them. “Those who stand before you,” Raien extended his palm to the bodies. A simple gesture, but showing something important, that “now your path is clear of them, my apprentice” Simple, easy, efficient, his wraspy voice stated the last word with finality, "they are nothing."

Dead on the floor, burning in the background, blackened Sith ground, a darkside nexus seeded as was promised, but none of that was of as much as consequence as his next question. “What do you feel?” Was the rage still there, was there guilt, was there conflict, or a Sith truth in its place. One more test, and any weakness or doubt would be eradicated.

[member="Jareth Johnathon Holst"]​

Spoiler

A lot of real life sword fighters like Shii-Cho for example as it is understandable and works for them as a real world sword fighting style might. Personally until Raien evolved into more of a brute, I liked Vapaad, and used to write it a lot, as you are using your opponent’s weight and momentum against them, and that was how my karate worked, throwing in real world leg sweeps, elbows, knee or throat attacks etc. You can always adapt your own style into the weapon/form, or even use an actual lightsaber resistant sword for example, there are several types. That way you’ve got all your real world experience to draw on, like how I write [member="Taiden Keth"]. You could even make your own unique trademarked form based on your real life experience. So it’s up to you entirely, but knowing the forms helps you counter them .

 

[Aster Jen'allé]

Spoiler

actually I've already written up a post explaining the light saber form I created a while back using my experience in martial arts. It's linked in my character bio even. And I intend to know the styles in order to counter them, but dust would have difficulty doing so in real combat due to his instinctive switching to his most comfortable fighting style so he would need a more controlled environment to learn alternate styles as opposed to a real combat scenario where he automatically defaults to whatever he feels most comfortable with.

Dust: "I feel... Purpose. I was once wandering, gathering knowledge of the force and trying to discover what I wanted to be, what I needed to do. Now I have found that purpose, an absolute goal from which I cannot deviate. There is no conflict in ME, only that sole driving force which pushes me to do what I deem necessary, regardless of the means to the end I desire. Does that satisfy your question, my master?"

[member="Raien Keth"]

 

[Raien Keth]

“It does.” Raien’s rasping voice stated, his iron aura carving certainty of purpose into the ground. The betrayer looked out at the devastation around them, it seemed the guards were pulling back or regrouping, the bodies around useful tools for today’s demonstration, regrouping were locals, a small mob of violent clan rodian's gathering.

“You have raw martial ability, but you must feel the force in each swing my apprentice, that is what will set you apart from the common force user”, he looked toward the gathering crowd, a crowd who were going to surge forward, guards and civlians both. Lightly armed but at least a couple of dozen. If there was any doubt or guilt in Jareth he wanted it removed, he wanted him committed utterly.

“Drawn on that emotion and purpose when it serves you, do not serve it, bring it into your arm. Let it fuel your blows. These people want you dead, their rage and anger is absolute, look into their eyes and know that rage and vengeance, know that harm they mean you, and become it.”

Sith absolutes, time to conquer rage, time bring it full circle so the other could harness it and this memory forever. Surtr would walk with him into the storm of bodies ahead, his lightsaber ignited. “Walk with me into the storm of Dust.” His storm, his moment, and his conviction.

And so they came, men, women, old, young, guards, and civillians, together they would stand, and together cut a path through them. The Betrayer lept ahead, absolute conviction, raw unabated vengeance in his eyes for all the wounds inflicted on him, his weapon swung true.

[member="Jareth Johnathon Holst"]​

 

[Aster Jen'allé]

*Dust walked forward behind a master whose name he still did not know, and struck out at the mob. Blades were swung toward him, clubs, whatever they could find directed toward him and summarily cut from their possession just before their lives ended. They were angry, and he fed on that rage, putting the power of their own raw emotion to work against them, letting his own unflinching purpose guide his blade. This, was a slaughter, a necessary evil.*

[member="Raien Keth"]

 

[Raien Keth]

Dust only knew him as Darth Surtr, the title given before the mask was fitted, he would not gain Raien’s real name until he had earned that in single combat, another test for another day. He would however be the last man to see Darth Surtr’s face behind the mask, or look upon what was before the manifest destiny to come.

“All of them.” He simply stated, a command to eliminate them all. The first command to his apprentice, to grow his connection to the darkside, and to establish where his power came from, deepening the connection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PNCSRhdtec​

And so they burned to strengthen Jareth.​

The sweeps were long, they were lethal, if Jareth had thought Darth Surtr methodical before, when he really set his mind to eliminating something, it was not unlike watching a brutal rendition of a twisted Echani's dance, communicating through combat. Smashing clean through, hammering men aside or cleaving them out of his path. Djem So, his favored form, left nothing to the imagination.

The last moments of those he faced, the culmination of their life's work and training given to him as they fell, were of little note. Jareth however had the emotion, good now one step further! "The darkness opposed and evident in all life, explore it, breathe of it, and amplify your technique, let it fill you, and then command it!” Not just force speed, that was for lesser creatures, not those trained by Surtr. Force Enhancement, able to give momentary bursts of ability in any technique force or martial, but draining to use at length. It deepened and enhanced your connection to the darkside, sometimes at personal cost to yourself.

Much like what happened to the rubble they were standing on. The screams of remembrance that the Betrayer called for that day, would not only haunt anything still alive that looked upon it, but the ground itself, so stained with the death and final moments of the vengeance filled crowd. The rodians died on their feet, most of them cut down before they could draw their weapons or take a shot, some fired into the melee, some were reflected into their own companions, others tried to flee, but none were spared.

Though he had jumped forward into the fray first, he did not shield Dust from any of it, the sights, the weapon fire, the instruction, he let him find his own feet, and stand on them against the tide.

Fin?

Spoiler

Want to move to your dev thread now or do a few more here?

[member="Jareth Johnathon Holst"]​

 

[Aster Jen'allé]

Lets go ahead and call this thread

Done(TM)

[member="Raien Keth"]