Private Seek And Ye Shall Find

[Revna]

Her suspicion about the lesson being conducted away from the Cathedral was confirmed and she nodded in understanding. “Yes-it definitely is stronger in there. I feel like anything I do with my magic-uh, the Force that is-within the Cathedral itself would be…amplified, I suppose?” She replied with a questioning frown on her face, as if she wasn’t sure if she had explained it in the best way.

She listened as the Sith explained that the Force was always around them no matter where they went, and already curious questions began to form within her mind. Without anyone to properly teach her, Revna had grown up believing that her magic was something that was within her, which she was now learning was only partially true. “I always thought that my ability was just within myself and I used it to manipulate the environment around me. I didn’t know that the Force is in everything else and all around me.”

They passed by various structures on their way out, some newer and better built than others. She could see the layers of time and experience vs inexperience in building up the houses themselves. Some looked like they had been put together in a disorganized fashion, but they still stood despite this fact. Passing by these, they entered into the construction grounds at the canyon wall itself, and her quick eyes assessed all that was before her. She noticed the elevator as they neared it, and she stepped in after him, looking around curiously but also nervously as the doors sealed and they began the ride up the canyon wall. Her apprehension was due in part to the contraption they were in, but it quickly faded when she realized they were relatively safe.

Revna looked up at the Sith’s masked features as he spoke further to her, giving him her full attention and listening ears. She was like a sponge, soaking up everything he said. She would be very unwise to be distracted or disregard or otherwise not listen to him when he spoke. He was taking time out of his day to personally see to her training and lessons, which she surmised was usually fairly busy as he had a settlement to run and people to direct and look after, and it would be a great disrespect to him if she didn’t give him the attention that was due.

“A testing ground?” Revna swallowed a little hard at hearing that; she was both excited and a little nervous about testing herself on her own abilities in such a manner. “I guess that will be a good way to determine what I am able to do, especially now that I don’t have to really hide my abilities from anyone. I can finally see for myself what I am capable of.”


Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

"Indeed you can. It's a rather...cathartic experience in truth." Given how closely intertwined the Force was with emotion any usage of its power could be surprisingly relaxing afterwards. Especially when the Dark Side drew on potent emotions such as anger. There was little that made the tension in his shoulders evaporate like a good burst of lightning from his fingertips. "This will be a lesson in control as well as release however. The power that the Force offers us is intoxicating and overwhelming, and one can get swept up in it and be lost if they aren't careful."

It was a flaw that most Sith exhibited in one form or another, to varying degrees. Mostly in the form of ambition and arrogance. "You'll learn to harness your power, but you'll also learn to not let it harness you in return. Many who first make use of their abilities get a taste of the Force's power and develop an undying craving for more. Such a thing is dangerous and breeds recklessness like nothing else can." Even amongst the ranks of the cult's Sith there were those who would occasionally step out of line and attempt to rise above their station simply because they believed that their grasp of their own abilities meant that they were entitled to more.

Darth Strosius never hesitated to remind them that merit and loyalty were the values of their Order, not power. No matter how physical such a reminder had to be. "Not to worry though, there are numerous methods for ensuring that your composure is maintained. We'll go over those first and foremost." Finally the elevator stopped and the doors opened once more, revealing the top of the canyon. As expected it was mostly a barren and slightly rocky surface, generally flat aside from the occasional outcrop.

There were a few signs of activity though, even if the pair of them were alone. A spare stack of metal girders with a tarp thrown over them, a makeshift table and a couple chairs off to one side, and a few odd bits of material such as planks of wood and even some bags of concrete. He stepped out of the elevator and idly took a few steps to glance over the edge of the canyon, where one could see the entire settlement below. "Truly a great view." He muttered, seemingly to himself, before stepping away from the edge.

He sat on the ground with his back to the edge and gestured for Revna to sit down across from him. Suddenly his presence in the Force vanished, despite him obviously still being right in front of her. Like a shroud that concealed his otherwise obvious presence from being sensed had suddenly fallen over him. "Take a seat and center yourself. Close your eyes and reach out, not with your limbs but with your mind and senses. Tell me what you can feel." The distant feeling of the settlement's population would be the most obvious thing, a potent bed of life. But there were others, creatures flying though the air and smaller ones that crawled along the outcroppings. Plenty to be seen and felt but all distant enough that effort to do so was a necessity.

Revna

 

[Revna]

Revna understood the intoxicating flow of power-she had felt that herself the few times she had unleashed her darkness. The want for more had nearly dragged her into the depths. It was the very reason why she had come out here to seek guidance in the first place.

“I can attest to how…strong the want for more is. It was hard to pull myself back the few times I unleashed on others. It was tempting to keep going and just destroy everything around me, indiscriminately.” she said honestly. “But it was Nar Shaddaa…I think the galaxy could do without that place entirely. Maybe such a place can be destroyed and rebuilt the way we want it to be.” she mused darkly as the elevator they were in neared the top before coming to a stop and allowed the two of them to step out. She was relieved to hear that she would learn not only how to use her abilities, but also how to control them.

Once at the top of the cliff, Revna was able to look around and take in her surroundings. A slight breeze danced through the area at the height they were at, causing her hair to flow back from her shoulders and the folds of her black robe to flutter around her. She took a moment to just stand and enjoy the feeling of a fresh breeze against her skin and the sight that was something other than buildings or people. For all her time in slavery, Revna had never truly been away from any form of settlement. Even up here, the world felt open and exposed now. She noticed the gathering of items that were also at the top and regarded them for a moment before letting her gaze drift out around her to the distance in all directions. She even braved the edge of the cliff face to look down upon the settlement of the Dresuoti and its space port. Something about being this high up and looking at a location from a vantage point seemed to mildly trigger her deeply buried hunting instincts. For a moment, her entire posture and presence changed; she became more alert and even hyper-focused…like a predator looking upon its prey from a place unseen. Then she turned and stepped away from the edge and seemed her normal self once more.

She turned her eager gaze back to the Sith as she noticed he had moved away from the edge as well and had sat down, gesturing for her to do the same and sit in front of him. As she did so, she was momentarily taken off guard by the sudden…lack…of his presence. It was stark enough that it caused her to pause and stare at him with a somewhat bewildered expression. She was about to ask him how he had done such a thing when began her lesson in earnest.

Her questions would wait, then.

Revna followed the direction of Darth Strosius, sitting down with her legs crossed under her. She was still a bit distracted by his sudden lack of presence, but she forced herself to realign and focus her attention on what she had been directed to do.

There was a slight hint of embarrassment that passed through her with the knowledge that she would be doing this in front of another individual, especially the Sith. She felt a rise of uncertainty with her own capabilities but she banished that before it could worm its way into her skull and cause her to further lose focus. Instead, she took a deep breath and straightened her back before folding her hands before her in her lap and letting her eyes close.

She had done this before; reaching out and sensing things was not new to her, though at the time she had done such actions it had been minor as to avoid detection. She knew she didn’t need to worry about that now.

It took a few moments for the distractions around her to fade into the background. Her breathing slowed and evened out, and her head dipped ever so slightly so that her chin was near her chest. She let her awareness spread out from her, and immediately faint and vague whispers reached her inner senses, a myriad of voices that made her head twitch in the direction of the settlement. The place stood out to her mind, so vibrant and full of life and activity. She could sense the living individuals within, small sparks of light set against a dark background. There were a handful of these sparks which seemed to stand out brighter to her senses, however. Potent little flames of coiled energy. But what really stood out to her was the gathering of dark power in the center of the settlement that made her pulse quicken. Even from here, she could feel the potency of the dark energy that spread out from the Cathedral. It was like a deep, black void to her senses…both inviting and dangerously ominous.

“I can sense the settlement…so full of life. I can…feel the life essence of those within. Some appear stronger to me than others...more potent and powerful. I can feel the aura of power from the Cathedral, like a black void. I can also hear…whispers. Voices from those below echoing through my mind. I hear…laughter.” she murmured softly with another small smile. “I can sense…almost physically feel…the items that are up here with us.” She took a moment to truly feel her surroundings through her senses, before she pushed it out a little further. Smaller pulses of life sprang up to her attention, less sentient than the life in the settlement, scattered around in various hidden places. “There are…smaller creatures about-above and within the ground itself.” She pushed herself a little more, concentrating harder as a frown creased her brow. Far off in the distance, just on the edge of her senses, she picked up two presences within the air itself. “I…can sense something moving through the air in the distance. It is a little hard for me to pick that up, however.”

A small headache began to form within her mind from the strain and she pulled her senses back to herself. She tried to feel the presence of the Sith who sat directly in front of her, but she felt nothing from him except an empty space. Taking another deep breath, she opened her eyes and blinked back the brief fog of disorientation that came over her as her other senses returned to her.

“But I couldn’t feel you, with my senses. Where you were at was like an empty space. That…very much intrigues me. How are you able to do that??” Revna questioned the masked Sith before her.


Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

"Oh the things I would do to Nar Shaddaa..." A dark and sinister chuckle slipped from him at the thought, the wind seeming to chill for a brief moment before its morning warmth returned. Nar Shaddaa was but one of many worlds rife with crime and debauchery that he would thoroughly enjoy purging if he ever had the chance. Perhaps one day the borders of the Sith Order would encompass that horrid world and he'd get to be the first there. The first to level and destroy every last monument to the Outer Rim's unlawful nature. Perhaps indeed.

Darth Strosius watched Revna carefully as she took her own look over the edge, noting how her demeanor had shifted to one that seemed far more reliant on survival instinct. Tense and observant. This must have been the Revna that survived on Nar Shaddaa, that clawed her way out of the crime ridden streets of that accursed world to find a new life amongst his cult. The change was very brief but also very enlightening given what she would be tasked to do in the coming weeks. Now he just had to figure out how best to draw that side of her back to the forefront without any ledges involved.

The surprise that appeared on her face as his presence in the Force was snuffed out made him smirk underneath his mask, her genuine confusion at his missing presence being a far cry from the brief glance at her more aggressive side. A fascinating dichotomy really. Thankfully she was quick to sit and focus herself rather than try and figure out or question the specifics of his apparent cloaking. An astute student indeed. The masked man stared at the Acolyte as she focused and began speaking on what she could sense, watching her concentrate and make the effort to try and get the best sense of her surroundings that she could manage.

The question made him chuckle as the shroud dropped, his presence filling the air once more as he crossed his arms in his lap. "It's a somewhat advanced technique, one that you'll learn later on in your training. As you can tell, even living beings that aren't blessed with the Force can be sensed by the most basic probing. Being able to hide oneself within the Force is invaluable when engaged against those that misuse and pervert its power." As an example he withdrew his presence in the Force until it only encompassed himself, rather than allowing it to flow freely as he usually did.

"Your connection to the Force is strong indeed young Acolyte. There are many that struggle to gain such insight on their surroundings so easily when their training begins." There was a hint of pride in his voice, pride in the newest of his cult for being so capable already. "To use the Force alone to see the world around you is a skill that you must hone. Often our other senses can be clouded or suppressed, but the Force is rarely tricked so easily," Of course he had to make such a statement right after proving just how one could do some trickery regarding sensing in the Force. It was a lesson that every sense could be fooled, even one that most didn't possess and couldn't account for.

"The Force is ever present and ever watchful, it allows us to glimpse at the true nature of the world around us through its gaze. This is what you just did Acolyte. You closed yourself off and allowed yourself to see as the Force does." His tone was an odd yet potent mixture of instruction and reverence. It was as if he was reciting a sermon as a lesson. "But that only accounts for the external, to truly understand and master your blessings you must know how to peer within yourself as well. Allow me to demonstrate, focus on me with your senses."

Darth Strosius bowed his head and clasped his hands together in a manner slightly resembling a prayer, albeit sitting rather than kneeling, as his presence in the Force shifted. His normal calm and collected presence began a swirling mass of disparate emotions before prominent ones made themselves known. A deep burning hatred that chilled the air around them, a flicker of optimism and hope, a sense of pride and accomplishment interlaced with compassion, and finally the tide was pulled back just as quickly as it had been unleashed. Again his presence was serene and unobtrusive as he looked back at Revna. "You must master your emotions and be able to summon them at a moments notice, then banish them just as quickly. The most potent of your feelings and memories will empower you the greatest, but they will also destroy you the quickest."

Revna

 

[Revna]

She smiled in excitement; “Oh I can’t wait to learn how to make myself hide like that in the Force. But…one step at a time I suppose.” Her eyes flickered upward towards a glinting shape of an incoming spacecraft into one of the ports before returning her attention back to the Sith as she felt his presence retract until it was just around himself; even with her heightened senses it was hard to pick up his aura unless she was right in his face.

A very useful ability indeed, she concluded. She could make use of that in the future…when she learned how to, that was.

A hint of color touched Revna’s cheeks when her mentor complimented her strength in the Force as it was, even without training. She wasn’t used to such things, but she accepted it with gratitude. It felt nice to have an ability of hers actually recognized. She remained focused and attentive to Darth Strosius as he continued to teach her.

“Well…clearly the Force can be tricked…or rather, those that can use and sense the Force can be tricked.” She replied in response to his ability to literally hide himself within the Force itself. “I suppose that…having an understanding of how an individual thinks or works would then be used to find them if they are able to…hide themselves. I mean, that’s what I would do: learn and study them and their habits so if they were able to just vanish, I could still have another means of keeping track of them. But that is probably easier said than done.” Revna said to the masked Sith, voicing the thoughts that were rolling around in her head. This was a time of learning; she would only be doing herself a disservice by keeping any thoughts or questions to herself.

The little woman leaned forward slightly in her seated position as her mentor continued with his lesson, her gaze and expression hungry for more. So far, she was able to keep up and understand what he was telling her, but she knew that as time went by she would be faced with things that didn’t make sense or were challenging for her to pick up. She felt a smile touch her lips again at the reverent tone that the High Priest used while speaking about the Force. It was an infectious thing, as she too felt the awe and the stirrings of reverent fear for the Force as well. It truly humbled her that she had been gifted in such a way: the great might of a power and presence unseen had found her-a slave-worthy of its touch and strength.

Revna’s lesson moved into another portion, where Darth Strosius explained that to truly master and understand her ability, she would also have to exercise that which was within her as well. Following his instruction, she closed her eyes and allowed her senses to encompass and focus on him. She felt his shift in the energy around them both, and she was hit relatively hard with a chaotic whirlwind of…emotions. She very nearly had an emotional response to this, and had a brief and unexpected struggle to keep this in check. The chaotic mix from her mentor narrowed down to more precise feelings that she could sense and feel, the most startling one being the nearly overwhelming aura of hatred that wrapped around him like a cloud, chilling the air around the two of them noticeably. She reflexively swallowed the small knot that had formed in her throat; over the past day, she had only known him to be relatively calm and collected, perhaps a bit serious. To feel such a powerful and frankly potent emotion such as hatred spread out from him made her regard him in cautious respect. She understood how violent the emotion of hatred could be; it took someone of great strength and will to be able to control such a volatile emotion. But as soon as the feeling of loathing had come, it was replaced by other perceived emotions: hope, pride, confidence, and even the touch of compassion which stood out in stark contrast to the hate she had felt a moment earlier.

But as quickly as these emotions had come, they were gone. The petite woman opened her eyes to see the Sith sitting in his usual calm self, and she sat there for a moment in awe. She nodded at his words in silence, absorbing the lesson with wide, keen eyes. She knew immediately that this mastery over her emotions would be the first challenge she would have to face. The control in which he had exhibited over his own emotions was not something she had developed…yet.

“Well…I know that I can unleash my more potent emotions. But…banishing them at will? That will be a challenge, but I am more than willing to try. I can’t learn to do such a thing unless I practice, right? I would like to…try doing what you just did-with your permission, of course. I want to try to control them and cut them off at will. I don’t know if I will be able to at first; I’ll probably be overcome by my stronger emotions. If that happens, please snap me out of it. Smack me or something…actually, don’t do that. I might react badly to that and I would feel horrible if I tried to attack you or something.” She took a pause to breathe; she was suddenly very nervous about the prospect of testing her emotional control and the high possibility of losing that control. “But I am only willing to try this now because I know that I am safe in your capable hands.”


Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Darth Strosius took a moment to roll his head and shoulders to relieve the lingering tension from his little contained outburst, idly catching a ship landing at the spaceport out of the corner of his eye as he did so. His gaze returned to Revna as her wide eyed awe shifted to a more hesitant demeanor as she spoke on her own emotions. The concern was understandable, even he still fell victim to bouts of irrationality due to emotional outbursts every now and then. It was easy to reign in one's outbursts when in a calm environment with no threats or pressures present, but to do so in the midst of a battle was another matter entirely.

"I am glad to see such initiative and trust on your part Acolyte. Neither are misplaced, believe me when I say that I have dealt with plenty of out of control Sith in my time." The remark and punctuating chuckle were both lighthearted but the implication was less so. Conflict and turmoil were simply integral to the Sith and as such they often bled over into internal squabbles, with some more serious than others. Sometimes for good reasons, and sometimes for no reason worth fighting about at all. "Feel free to let loose as much as you'd like to practice, but first you should probably learn a good technique for dispelling such potent emotions no?"

He relaxed once more as he sat up a bit straighter, his hands pressed together in front of his chest much like one would when in prayer. "The Force provides a solution to the maelstrom of the mind. Just as it can supplant the eyes and ears in terms of knowing your surroundings, so too can it supplant a turbulent mind with one of serenity." His eyes closed as he let out a breath and let his head dip down until the top of his mask rested against his fingers. "Let the Force sweep away your thoughts and feelings like a wave sweeping debris from the shore, allow it and it alone to fill your mind. To overtake your senses, to let all else dull as you drift in its embrace. Let the Force set you free." Of course he had to include a reference to the Sith Code in his lesson, especially when it was actually fairly relevant to the teaching at hand.

The masked man looked back at the younger Sith as his hands folded into his lap once more and his eyes opened again. "Meditation is but one method of centering yourself when bombarded by your own emotions. The Force provides an escape, but there are times where the maelstrom of the mind is simply to strong to escape. Should that happen to you now, I will be here." It was entirely possible given that Revna simply didn't have too much experience with the depths of her own feelings, at least in regards to how they interacted with the Force.

From what he could tell she had gotten glimpses of the power that she could access, her blessings from the Force, but by her own admission she had spent much of her life suppressing that very power. One day would not break the dam open fully of course, but an unstoppable tide could still come forth nonetheless. Either she was able to reign herself in and thus she was more adept in her own capabilities than he had expected, or she couldn't and he would get his own glimpse at her true power. Regardless he'd be more than satisfied to see the outcome. "Now, let loose your maelstrom Acolyte."

Revna

 

[Revna]

Revna dipped her head in agreement with learning a way to release or dispel her stronger emotions, also noting his comment about having dealt with out of control Sith before. Her curiosity of the masked man before her was further piqued, but she kept quiet in regards to this. She was here to learn, not distract by bombarding him with questions about his personal life and stories. Perhaps there would be time for that another day.

“Yes-I think it is wise to have a way to dispel or release stronger emotions.” She voiced in agreement.

She subconsciously sat straighter as well as she observed Darth Strosius fold his hands before him, listening intently to the knowledge he imparted to her. The Force truly was a magnificent thing, and she knew she had only barely scratched the surface on what she could do with it. Further wonder filled her as she mentally grasped the lesson and stored it for further contemplation and practice.

The fact that the Sith took the time to show her as well as explain what he was doing meant a lot to the young woman; the way he was teaching her was the best way for her to learn and grasp the knowledge and wisdom being given.

“Meditation? I…think I’ve done something similar before, but I’ve never…used the Force with it. It was more of a…forceful blocking of my emotions and feelings so I didn’t drown in them.” Revna said in a softer voice, her gaze turning distant for a few moments before she returned to the present.

Then he bid her to release the coiled monster she held inside, and she felt a pang of anxiety. Could she actually do it? She was in a safe and peaceful place; nothing was forcing her to unleash the dark emotions that simmered just underneath the surface. But then she recalled that he had mentioned that memories could be used to empower her emotions…but that ran the risk of destroying her just as quickly.

Other than being faced with life or death decisions, she knew her memories would be the best option to use in this situation. Once they were something for her to be afraid of, to keep locked away…but now they could be a very useful tool. A very dangerous one, at that.

Revna took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as she stared at the mask upon the Sith’s face. She was about to expose something which only a handful of individuals had ever seen…and they had all died shortly thereafter. But this wasn’t about unleashing it and trying to kill someone; this was about letting it free and then reining it in using the meditation method Darth Strosius had just shown her. At least, that was her goal.

If she failed to rein it in, then she knew that he would help her put an end to it…in his own way, probably. She had to be prepared for that event, just in case.

“Okay.” She breathed, her face growing a bit more pale as she took another breath, letting it out completely before she lowered her head and closed her eyes. This was either going to go very good, or very bad. The sound of the slight breeze drifting across the top of the cliff plateau whispered through her ears, and somewhere below came the sounds of construction. She listened to these things for a moment, before turning her focus to the sound of her own pulse. She let herself sink a little deeper, and then she was consumed in darkness.

From that darkness…came a memory, foggy at first-but then slowly it solidified around her. She instantly knew where she was; she was fully aware of herself, her own presence, even in the memory.

“You are a stupid, useless child. Bantha chit has more use than you…or your schutta mother. This is why the two of you are given the worst tasks in the household. Cleaning up chit is all you’re good for!” came the arrogant, snide voice of the middle-aged human man who had cornered the young girl. She had just bumped into him, causing him to drop the tray of dirty glassware that he had been carrying. A simple accident, but done against the wrong person.

Young Revna, no-Dara-stood there in shame…at first. Then the slave-man had the audacity to insult her mother, again. Her mother was not there this time to pull her away, to save her...or him for that matter. In fact…it was just Dara and this fething pig of a man. She didn’t bother resisting the temptation of the dark Voice as it goaded her into action. Rage flashed over her, burning her in its all consuming fire…but was instantly replaced by an icy tidal surge that seemed to erupt from within her, exploding out in a wave of invisible black fire, far more intense and violent than she had ever experienced, pushing her rage to new heights. Her vision flashed red and her ears rang with the intensity of the anger and savage hatred she felt for the man. Her small arm and hand shot up as if to hit him…only he was slammed back against the stone wall behind him and elevated by some unseen force, clawing at his throat as he dangled, choking and sputtering. Shock, and then genuine fear filled his watery hazel eyes as his face began to turn an ugly shade of purple. She could feel the ghostly presence of his throat in her hand and she squeezed, satisfaction mingling with the violent, aggressive rage she felt coursing through her veins as she felt and heard the crack of his trachea and the bones in his neck. Everything around her ceased to exist for a moment, except for this man at her mercy.

Mercy...

The mere thought of showing him mercy sent her over the edge, and she felt a wrath-filled scream rip from her young throat and chest as she brought her arm and hand back and forward again, slamming him into the wall behind with enough force to crack the stone. She wanted him to suffer for his transgressions, she wanted-

A harsh impact against her face sent her to the floor, and she turned her murderous fury towards the source of the blow…only to see her Mother bearing down on her with such fear in her eyes that it instantly doused the fires of anger within young Dara, and filled her with a sense of cold dread.

The memory flashed, whirled within her vision, and moments later she watched with sickening fear clutching her heart as her Master ordered her mother’s execution. Her mother…Force bless her dear soul…had taken the blame for killing the slave man upon her own shoulders to save her daughter’s life. Dara screamed, begged…but no mercy was granted. Blood for blood, a life for a life. Agony, pain unlike anything she had ever felt in her young life…ripped her soul asunder as the blaster shot echoed through the courtyard and her mother’s body dropped, her lifeless eyes staring into the void.

Other memories danced before her inner vision, each with a weighty emotion attached to them. Unknown to her, tears dripped down her cheek as her usually open and curious face contorted as she allowed herself to feel the full weight of her soul ripping sorrow and fear, her intense and fiery anger, and the deep and violent hatred she felt for all those who had harmed her. Her fists clenched in her lap as her breathing became rapid and uneven as she began to envision killing them all in different ways, their blood and screams satisfying some primal part of her. She felt power…her power…pulsing like blood through her veins, spreading out from her like an icy gust of wind. Incredible, fear-inspiring, addicting power. The more emotions that surged through her, the stronger she felt. It was just the beginning, a trickle before the flood.

She wanted that flood to overwhelm her, so she could turn around and unleash it.

Now is the time to bring yourself back, Revna. Don’t let it consume you, cautioned the voice of her consciousness. She physically growled, a deep sound rumbling from her chest and throat, and she tried to focus her mind on something else, but the worst of her memories kept flashing before her vision relentlessly, fanning the raging black fire that now burned out of control within her.


Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

"Blockage can only hold for so long Acolyte. You can always dam a river, but that river will eventually overflow and flood the dam unless it is allowed enough release to keep the water level low." Now that was something that he could speak on with plenty of personal experience. Years of having to hide his emotions when he was younger, lest he lash out and earn himself a beating from his owner, followed by the more recent years of having to bite his tongue around those who would masquerade as Sith yet existed as tyrants. One had to properly let loose every now and then, otherwise they'd simply go mad. "Such a technique isn't without value, but it is only ever a temporary solution. Never forget that."

Darth Strosius returned Revna's stare with his typical masked gaze, his reaction to her anxious preparation hidden with only his visor's reflection of her face to be seen. Her apprehension was understandable but it was a hurdle that she had to overcome. To be cautious of one's power was wise, but to be afraid of your own capabilities was quite the opposite. This was an exercise of trust in herself as well as an exercise in her power and control of it. If she couldn't trust herself to use her power, then it was simply useless.

Finally she took another breath and it seemed as though her mental preparation was coming to fruition as her head bowed and her eyes closed. The masked man idly drummed his fingers on his leg as he reached out with the Force to sense the emotions roiling around in her form. Mental defenses would definitely have to be one of the next lessons, he could already feel the tightly wound coil within her starting to slip free. Whatever it was that she was reciting within her mind it was certainly working in drawing out her inner turmoil to the forefront of her mind.

He watched as her face began to contort and twist, tears even falling down her cheeks, as her expressions began to show the anger now exuding from her form. A very potent and deep seated anger that idly made him wonder how similar his own wrath felt in the Force. And with her anger and fury came her strength and power, as expected. Her presence in the Force grew and lashed out with a hatred that could no longer be contained or suppressed, a notion confirmed as she growled and the burning rage within her form flared up even more. Despite the situation, a smirk crept onto his face as he sensed her emotions running wild and chaotic.

A good display of what he could expect from her, a good view of her potent power that flowed alongside her anger, and indeed an experience that would no doubt be rather cathartic once it was all said and done. However, Revna would hardly learn anything while she was still almost frothing with rage. Spiraling out of control would result in either her tiring herself out for a good few days or in him having to knock her out with excessive force, neither of which were preferable for obvious reasons.

He calmly stood and smoothed out his robes, batting away the dust that clung to him from the ground, and cracked his knuckles with a sigh. Darth Strosius closed his eyes and stretched out a hand towards the sitting Acolyte as his presence moved to enclose around her own in turn. Like a hand clamping down to grasp an object, his presence began to press down and suppress her wild power. There was a risk of her lashing out both within the Force and in a far more physical sense as well of course, but he was strong enough to deal with such possibilities. Revna would not be the first Sith that he had to pull back from the brink and she wouldn't be last.

"Center yourself Acolyte. Let the Force wash over you and take your wrath along with it. Release your anger, let it fester no longer." Words of encouragement as well as orders delivered in a calming tone did help the mind to focus on something other than wrestling with itself. To an extent at least. If Revna was indeed too deep within herself to be pulled back by simple measures then he'd have to switch to some more aggressive ones, all of which involved unfortunately unconsciousness.

Revna

 

[Revna]

For a few moments which felt more like an eternity, Revna was caught in the heart of the storm that was her emotion-fueled power. She felt herself pulled in all directions, as if it was trying to rip her asunder, but she reacted in defiance and held herself together through her own strength of will. This storm of chaotic emotions would not be the thing that destroyed her now. She had come too far in her life journey to let this happen now.

The fire that burned within and around her was an inferno now; she tried once more on her own strength to dampen it, to cut off the flow so she could return to the present. Her will had to be stronger than the emotions and power that poured from her. She clenched her teeth and grimaced as the fight between the raw strength of her power and the strength of her will ensued.

If she wasn’t exhausted at the end of all of this, then she would be very surprised.

She was locked in a stalemate when she felt a presence wrap around her own, and bear down on it like a heavy blanket. She wasn’t expecting this, and her response was purely reactionary. Her instincts screamed threat in her mind, and she drew on the power that flowed through her with the intention of unleashing it with fierce aggression against this new threat to her.

…until she heard the newly familiar voice of Darth Strosius pierce through the haze. It was enough to give her pause, and those precious moments were enough for her to understand that the presence she was feeling wrapping around her own was actually his. He was giving her some aid to help her take back control of herself.

Center herself. Let the Force wash through her, and release her anger.

Even in the midst of the raging storm, she could feel the presence of the Force within and around her. What she needed was to find and redirect her focus on a more pleasant memory. Something that could allow her to do as she was directed. She didn’t want to disappoint her mentor; she wanted to show him that she was strong and able. She didn’t want to be so weak that she couldn’t even control herself.

Something about this train of thought seemed to fracture the tight grip that her darkened fury and hatred had on her, and she felt some of her emotions begin to drain away from her. Instead of fighting back against the dampening pressure she felt from the Sith with her, she willingly let it encompass her further. The more horrific memories that danced in her vision began to fade out, and she recalled a better memory from a time that seemed almost forgotten to her. Revna willed herself to focus on the sound of trickling water and distant laughter. Before her eyes stood a water-fountain, in the heart of a garden filled with delicate and beautiful flowers…flowers she and her Mistress had planted together.

Revna felt the touch of peace and tranquility that had come from spending time in the garden; it had often been a place where she could think and reflect on life, and come to terms with her guilt and shame. She felt the Force here, an all encompassing presence that promised both extreme power and respite.

She felt a smile touch her face and she willingly let herself fall into the gentle embrace of the Force. It was easier now to release the anger she had been feeling; the dark tendrils of hatred retreated back into her soul as well. She had been afraid that if she had released such emotions, that they would never return to her, and she would be weaker for it.

But now she knew that wasn’t the case. All her volatile emotions were still there, and just as potent and powerful as ever-they were just locked back inside, until the time came to unleash them once more. Revna’s breathing returned to a calm state as she relived the happier memory, before this too began to fade away and she began to feel the heat of the sun above seeping through her dark robes and searing her skin underneath. This sensation pulled her rapidly back to the present, and for a moment she simply sat there, reaching into the Force to help further sooth the last remnants of the storm that had raged within, and let it wash away the strain and stress and rejuvenate her at the same time.

When she opened her eyes, she noticed that her Sith mentor was on his feet and was staring down at her, with his hand extended outwards toward her. She still felt his presence over her own, though now that she was relatively calm and back to a more normal state of mind, it was beginning to pull back.

She felt her cheeks warm with a hint of guilt at letting herself go in such a manner, but she quickly frowned and banished that feeling. She had done exactly what she had meant to do, what she had been told to do; there was nothing she needed to feel guilty for. Yes, she had needed some help. But she had somewhat expected this to happen. Most importantly, she was safe and her teacher appeared to be just fine as well.

She looked up at him, having to crane her neck a bit to do so, still feeling the calming lull of the Force as she continued to let it flow through her, to douse whatever remaining sparks that were left behind. The energy within and around her buzzed, almost electrified, and she felt alive.

“Well…that happened. I…didn’t do anything to attack you, did I? If I did, I apologize.” Revna said to Darth Strosius, then a smirk curled on her lips. “Though I’m sure you can handle yourself against a young whelp like me. You seem to be just fine.” she chuckled softly as she tore her gaze away from him to stare off into the distance. “Thank you for lending me some aid. That was...a lot harder than I thought it would be. But now I have the knowledge at my disposal to work on getting better at...controlling myself."


Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Given how his presence enveloped her own, Darth Strosius could feel the that her instinctual resistance began to slacken and allow the dampening to push the slowly calming swirl of wrath back to its owner alone. The inferno began to simmer down into burning embers as her deep seated rage began to diminish and slink back into the depths of her mind and being, replaced by a much calmer and even seemingly joyful demeanor. "That's it, let the Force sweep through you and allow it to drag your hatred away with it." The smile that now adorned her face was a welcome sight compared to her earlier snarl at the very least.

Darth Strosius recalled his own presence and dropped his hand back down to his side simultaneously as the young Acolyte's eyes opened to signify the end of her vicious internal struggle. For the moment anyway. "Excellent work Revna. I see now the truth of your power and the potential within your blessings." He nodded in satisfaction as he folded his hands together and stepped back to give her plenty of breathing room. There was no longer any need to be so close as to intercept any potential movement after all.

"I've seen others struggle for weeks to have such breakthroughs and yet yours was accomplished in but a few minutes. To ignite such a potent fire within oneself so quickly is an impressive skill, one that will most certainly be honed later." It was a skill that he championed and enshrined in his lessons to the Sith of the Order of Wonosa, to summon their emotions on a whim and banish them just as quickly so as not to be overwhelmed. It was difficult even for the more experienced Sith in the cult to accomplish but in his mind it was vital for them all to learn and employ. He had seen far too many Sith claimed by arrogance and their own emotional turmoil when that skill was lacking.

The masked man scoffed at the question of attack and waved his hand dismissively, having to smother a smirk of his own when she remarked about him being able to withstand such an assault. "The only one in battle was yourself Acolyte, and it seemed to be a rather brutal one at that." His tone was measured, as though stating a simple observation, but there was a slight hint of curiosity. Of question and concern. He didn't know where the origin of Revna's wrath came from, not specifically at least, but he knew that it was something grave for it to be so powerful. He had a few theories and ideas of course but for now there was no sense in pestering the poor girl with questions of a past that barely mattered, now was the time for the future.

"In time you will become adept at mastering yourself and your emotions, there is no shame in needing assistance when first dealing with such things." The masked man allowed her a few silent moments to herself before gesturing for her to stand as he crossed his arms behind his back. "I suppose now would be a good time to display some possible...uses, shall we say, for that hatred of yours. Getting a better grasp at using your prominent emotions in small bursts of power will make controlling and taming the entirety of them far easier." Not to mention they could be fairly cathartic if one was careful in not getting lost in their power.

He stepped towards the materials that sat atop the cliff alongside themselves and raised a hand towards the makeshift table and simple chairs. "Watch closely and try to sense how my presence in the Force changes." Normally he would be hiding such obvious signs of power when in battle but there was no need to do so now, especially not when he was demonstrating his power. Again hatred and wrath began to stir within his core but they flowed easily, focused to his extended hand rather than exuding from his presence in all directions like earlier. His fingers began to spark and crackle with little arcs of lightning as the potent emotions swirled around his arm and hand.

Without warning a bolt of lightning leapt forth from his fingertips and struck the table before them, a small portion of his wrath carrying it out from his body to scorch the wood of the table upon contact. A simple flex of his fingers and the anger vanished again, the arcs in his hand disappearing alongside it. "Force Lightning. An ancient art of the Sith, one common and yet so deadly to those that are unprepared to stand against it. A manifestation of our blessings in a dangerous form."

Revna

 

[Revna]

Revna watched the Sith step back from her, now that she was back to the present and mostly clear headed. There were still some lingering surges of anger and bitterness that sought to overtake her again, but their spell on her was broken, and it was easy to will them back inside her soul. She dipped her head in acknowledgement of her mentor’s praise, still not used to such things, and was even further intrigued by his comment about others struggling for weeks to do what she had just done in one lesson.

Maybe she had more power and strength than she thought she did, she mused silently to herself. The knowledge stirred to life a hint of pride, but she shut that down immediately. She would not carry herself with an air of superiority just because she felt she was stronger than others. She still had a lot to learn, a lot of growth to do, and needed far more understanding of the true depth and might of the power she held within her. Maybe one day, when she was truly a master of herself and her abilities and her blessings, then she could afford to show her pride.

She was not surprised to see and hear Darth Strosius wave off her concerns; of course he was fine. She had a suspicion that had something truly happened, then she would have awoken back in her quarters later on. She didn’t think or believe that the Sith would have harmed her, but she had a feeling that had she lost control and needed to be reined in, then he would have done what he needed to do to protect himself, his people, and ultimately her. She was glad she had not spiraled to that point.

Revna looked away from her mentor briefly as he remarked about the brutality of the fight she had been in with herself. “It was pretty vicious. I remembered that you said that memories can unlock more powerful, deep seated emotions, so I let the Force decide which one I would recall. I had a feeling that if I…relived a memory, then I could let the emotions come forth and unleash that darkness that I keep hidden inside. I think it worked.” she said with a small smirk. “The hardest part was…blocking the memories from running rampant. That’s what got me into trouble a bit. Just means that my will is weak, and I need to strengthen it. But I have no doubt that with your guidance I shall become much stronger.” she said as she returned her gaze to the robed man.

“Yes-I will master these things in time. And much more. I want to learn everything I can about the Force, and what I can do with and through the Dark side. I want to find where my strengths and weaknesses are, I want -” Revna paused and took a breath; she realized she was getting rather worked up and excited and she forced herself to settle down. “I guess I want what any new Sith wants.” She finished with a chuckle.

She rose to her feet obediently when he gestured for her to, perking up as the Sith mentioned some uses for her stronger emotions and turning it into power that she could use, especially if it helped her control them better. She watched him intently, following his every move as he made his way over to the table and chairs that were set up on the clifftop with them. She moved over to the side a bit more so she could fully see and appreciate what her mentor was about to show her, and she pushed out her senses so she could feel what he was doing through the Force.

The energy shifted and once more, Revna felt the rise of his darker emotions-hate and wrath, coiling like an angry serpent, rising up through him. It was a potent mix that caused her some level of wariness like before, but she knew she was in no danger. I would hate to be on the receiving end of that kind of hatred and anger…Revna thought to herself. But unlike before, it did not radiate from him like a cloud, but was seemingly directed towards his outstretched hand, which was now facing the table itself. She frowned, tilting her head to the side as she observed this, both with her eyes and within the Force.

Then she saw the sparks of electrical discharge begin to snap and pop and build within his hand, the dark energy and power of his hate and anger concentrated there until it reached a threshold and discharged in a powerful burst of lightning that scorched the surface of the table. Revna jumped at the suddenness of the discharge, and she felt the hairs on her body stand on end from the close proximity of the electrical burst. Her eyes lit up-not from fear, but from fascination and excitement. Could she actually learn to do that herself?! A wide smile split her face as she glanced at Darth Strosius then back at the table. The little woman loved thunder and lightning storms; she was always so deeply mesmerized by the flashing light and the terrific booms that would rattle one’s bones.

To know that she could channel such power through her hand, and unleash it was…mind blowing to her. Oh please let this be a strength of mine and not a weakness…she murmured to herself.

“Force Lightning…oh I love it!” she exclaimed in her awe and excitement. “I love storms. I used to daydream about controlling the lightning storms when I was a little girl…I would dream that I would call the lightning down into myself and then I would unleash it against those who were hurting me and turn them into piles of ash. I never dreamed that I could actually…do that with my power, with the Force! Do you want me to…try and do this myself? I don’t know if I’ll be able to but I am curious if I can. Especially since the desire is there.”


Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

So it had been some distant memory that had stirred up such violent emotions within the young Acolyte after all. He had expected as much given how deep her hatred had ran, and how pushed aside it had been until then. A lifetime in slavery meant a lifetime of suppressing yourself from any notions or ideas that could result in pain or death alike. Anger was the most common one, regardless of whether it be at the barbaric practice of slavery and those who perpetuated it or at oneself for not standing up against your oppressors for one reason or another. An easy source of power but, as Revna had experience first hand, one that could also easily lead into self destruction.

Her willpower and her ability to block out or supplant her more inflammatory memories would both need to be trained if she had any hope of unleashing her blessings in any meaningful manner. There was plenty that she could do without having to tap into her internal strife and suppressed emotions, but none of them would be too impressive at her current level of power. "You'll grow stronger in time Acolyte. Patience is a virtue, especially when dealing with powers and abilities as volatile and wild as ours can be. Only once you've mastered yourself will you be able to master your power."

Best to temper her expectations early before she started getting grand ideas that she couldn't yet fulfill. Ambition was a dangerous thing, even if it was a powerful motivator. "Force Lightning is but one of many abilities you will become familiar with throughout your training. It relies upon using your own power to affect the world around you, to mold the air at your fingertips into bolts of plasma much like storm clouds do. Albeit with a bit more control and direction of course." Revna's recollection of her childhood daydreaming regarding storms brought a small smile to his masked face as he nodded and crossed his arms behind his back once more. There was no harm in seeing if she could manage a few errant sparks he supposed.

"It's a bit advanced compared to what you're used to thus far...but I suppose you can attempt it. Just listen carefully and follow my words to the letter, else you could wind up zapping yourself." Force Lightning was not a pleasant thing to be struck by, especially not when it came from yourself. A lesson that many new Squires learned the hard way whilst attempting to train themselves in private. "First focus on your connection to the Force, sense your blessing within your core and draw upon it."

Darth Strosius moved a hand to the center of his chest, his fingers splayed wide open before he clutched his hand into a fist to illustrate his words as he continued. "Gather your power as much as you can, then let it flow across your body to your hand." With two fingers he drew a line from his chest to his other arm as he extended it out towards the table once more, his fingers held open and apart. "Keep your hand at rest yet at the ready, as though you are preparing to grasp something. Make sure your fingers are apart or else the channeled power will not flow properly." He gestured towards his hand as he spoke in order to showcase the proper positioning.

"Now gather your power in your fingers and let it exude slightly, allow it to leak into the gaps between your fingers." Sparks began dancing between his fingers once more with small arcs of lightning flashing across his palm. "Let it pool for a few moments before expelling this channeled power outward, let your fingertips or your palm serve as the points of exit as you push your power from your body." Sure enough another bolt shot forth from his hand to strike one of the chairs, knocking it over and making smoke drift up from the now slightly singed back. "Don't let it collect too long, or else your power may overwhelm you again. Let it loose the moment that you feel it interacting with the air around your hand."

Revna

 

[Revna]

Patience.

Yes…that was something she was familiar with. She had exercised an enormous amount of it waiting for the right opportunity to free herself. It seemed that, as a young Sith-in-training, she would need to hold on to that virtue, as her masked teacher had called it. She was wise enough to understand the necessity and importance of patience, and she bowed her head in understanding and acceptance of his words of caution to her. It was very tempting to take a leap into the unknown and try to learn everything she could as fast as she could, but she exercised self-restraint and silently told herself to slow down and take it all one step at a time. She wasn’t going anywhere, and she had plenty of time to learn at the right pace; her Sith mentor wasn’t going to chase her away or cast her out.

At least…she hoped not.

If he wasn’t interested in teaching you then he would have sent you to that Academy instead; came the voice of reason through her mind, in an attempt to settle the sudden rise of anxious uncertainty that squeezed her heart. Don’t focus on that, focus on your lesson instead. It took her a moment, but she brought her attention back to the present, hoping that he hadn’t noticed her momentary lapse of focus.

Upon hearing that Force Lightning was an advanced technique, especially compared to what she’d been able to do thus far throughout her life, the small woman felt a small rise of apprehension. Or perhaps it was better termed caution. This was further reinforced by the understanding that she could actually hurt herself doing this technique, especially if she did it wrong. She knew how devastating, and frankly lethal, lightning could be.

But true to her ever curious nature, Revna was game to at least try. She would never know that she could do this unless she gave an attempt in the first place. She watched Darth Strosius closely, even mimicked his gestures so that she knew what to do before attempting it herself. Once more, the lightning discharged from his hand and knocked a chair to the ground, the scent of charred wood and ozone drifting into the air.

The sight and scent sobered her a bit, and she turned more serious than she usually was. She steeled her nerves and let her eyes drift shut as she took a deep breath and exhaled softly. She brought her hand against her chest, feeling the steady pulse of her heart beneath, and for a moment everything around her ceased to exist. It was just her, the pulse of her heart and beneath that, further down, was the dark thrum of power. She opened herself up to the presence of the Force within her, acting as a conduit for the power that brewed within. For this occasion, Revna chose to focus on drawing on anger over her hatred; though her anger was potent and powerful in its own right, her hatred was far more intense and she knew she would spiral if she tapped into it again so soon. Her anger on its own could be reined in and controlled with some effort. She had to do that throughout her entire life…she just got tired of doing so in more recent weeks.

Revna allowed the barest hint of a more recent memory surface, enough to trigger the anger that simmered within. The darkness within responded to her call, uncoiling once more as she felt it rise from the depths. Let it build…but not too much, came a cautious whisper through her subconscious.

Now was the difficult part, or what she assumed would be the difficult part…getting that power that now pulsed like an angry black heart in her chest into her hand so she could physically express it as Force Lightning. Think of it flowing down your arm and into your hand, and will it to be so; as it flows, extend your hand out like he showed you; came the whisper once more.

Revna felt the energy swell, and when it reached a certain threshold, she felt her hand leave her chest and extend out from her, as it did so she mentally willed the power to follow the veins of her right arm and to collect in her hand. Surprisingly, she felt her anger flow to that hand as well. She didn’t know how this was possible, but she was definitely going to work with it. She envisioned the power of the storm in her hand, just like she had as a child, and it seemed the energy and power was more than eager to take form. She felt small, electrical tingles spread from her palm to her outstretched fingers, building rather quickly. She noted that there was a sort of “timed” moment with this; when the power was primed, then it could be discharged. And it was getting primed fast.

One last thing to do now…envision a face you’d enjoy obliterating.

That part was easy; a target for her anger which seethed from her like a breath of cold air, and was collected in her hand as raw power. The desire to damage the invisible face before her (in reality it was the secondary chair by the table) was the catalyst that pushed the power from her hand, and two small arcs of lightning shot from two fingers of her right hand, wrapping around the chair for the briefest of moments before it was fully expelled.

Revna felt the power leave her and she opened her eyes to see faint hints of smoke rise from the chair and slight char marks wrap their way around the legs and across the seat itself, and this surprised her. Perhaps even more surprising to her was the fact that the anger she had called upon to create the small electrical discharge seemed to have drained away, leaving behind a smoldering ember of its presence, and a sensation of release.

In short, Revna felt good. She smiled and lowered her still slightly tingling hand to her side, a slow curling of her lips as she turned her gaze to her mentor, pride dancing in her stormy blue eyes. It definitely wasn’t anywhere near as strong as the bolt from Darth Strosius…but it was something, and she absolutely would take pride in that.

“I hope…that was satisfactory for a first attempt. I honestly wasn’t expecting anything to happen at all…but it felt a lot more natural than I thought it would, and seemed to flow more…easily, I suppose? Certainly feels good to release a bout of anger in such a manner.” she said as her smile and her gaze turned more dark as a hint of her more sinister side peaked through for the first time since meeting the High Priest. “I could see myself having some fun with that in the future…a lot of fun.” She paused, her expression thoughtful as she turned to face her mentor directly once more. “Is it…possible…to have natural abilities? Gifts or abilities that just come…easier than others?”


Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

The masked man let his hand drop back down to his side as his gaze turned from the chair to the land on the woman at his side, her eyes now closed and a hand pressed against her chest. He said nothing as he folded his hands together and took the slightest step back, just enough to give her a bit of extra breathing room while remaining quiet. Even before he reached out to sense what was transpiring in her form he knew that Revna was concentrating and focusing on attempting to mimic the technique and he had no plans of disrupting such focus. The consequences could be fairly drastic if her concentration broke at a critical moment after all.

Darth Strosius sensed as her anger began to flare up and boil to the surface, less potent and a good bit more stable than her earlier hatred which had overwhelmed her so much. That she was learning to pick between sources of strength already was a very good sign. So long as she could manage to make a weaker source work for her at least, but that would be proven soon enough. He felt her anger shift through her body as her hand outstretched towards the table and still standing chair beside it, his masked gaze flickering from her face to her fingers.

The sight of small arcs and bolts starting to appear in her hand drew a smile to his hidden features, the power now residing in her extended limb and digits beginning to grow with each passing moment. Then finally it was set free, leaping from two of her fingers and curling around the still standing chair like a vile serpent preparing to strangle its prey. The bolts themselves weren't the most powerful nor effective of course, but the fact that she could manage them at all given her inexperience was most impressive. "Hm. Good work." Darth Strosius nodded in satisfaction and turned to face the Acolyte and meet her ever excited gaze once more.

"Remember what I told you Acolyte Revna, these abilities are blessings from the Force. They feel natural because they are natural, they want to be put to use. The catharsis is merely a pleasant byproduct." For a moment there was a flash of something else, something far different than simple awe and excitement as was usually present, in her expression. A flicker of something in her eyes and tone that went beyond mere pride. He made a note to keep an eye out for further signs of such a thing, but for now the Acolyte had a very good question.

"Oh most certainly." The masked man nodded and idly gestured with his hands to help further his words as he continued, seemingly in a subconscious manner. "Much like any skill, some are simply more naturally gifted than others with the Force. Telekinesis is the most common ability that Force Sensitives possess without training, but higher perception and reaction times are also common and inherent. Many natural pilots tend to have some level of Force Sensitivity aiding them for example, albeit in subtle ways of course."

Darth Strosius then gestured to himself. "I myself am not naturally gifted, at least not to the extent of others. The first time I managed to summon my blessing was much later into my life and even then it was only to enhance my strength and reflexes for a very short time span. What you've done in a single day took me weeks of training to accomplish when I was an Acolyte." Much to his own chagrin, and frustration, the Force simply did not come easy to him. Years of training and learning how best to summon its power had been necessary for him to advance to the level of strength that he was now. Many long years that had humbled any sense of superiority or pride in his own power that he might have accrued otherwise.

"With the proper training and techniques however, natural advantages or disadvantages can often be rendered null and void. An untrained Force Sensitive that can manage a couple of flashy abilities will burn out like a candle, a properly trained and honed Acolyte will be able to use their power far more effectively and efficiently. All that differs is the level at which one begins their training." That lesson was hard learned among the Squires, many of whom couldn't help but flaunt their abilities to their peers. All were equal underneath the Dark Side, regardless of whether they liked it or not.

Revna

 

[Revna]

It made Revna happy to hear that her attempt at casting Force Lightning had been decent enough, the more care-free emotion completely erasing what was left of the residual anger she had called forth. Though it hadn’t been a strong reaction, it still proved to her that she could do it. Now, she just needed to hone that ability. She definitely wanted this tool in her arsenal to use against those who courted her wrath. The idea of incinerating slavers with a burst of lightning from her hand made her heart race a bit in excitement, but she was quick to calm herself and temper that thought. No need to get ahead of herself right now.

She listened to the Sith as he responded to her curious questions, folding her hands in front of her and nodding now and then as she further absorbed the information passed to her. She was a bit surprised to hear that her own mentor had struggled with the Force, and had to work very hard to get to where he was at now with his own powers and abilities. She felt her brows lower in an introspective frown when he informed her that she had learned in one day what had taken him weeks to learn. Perhaps to anyone else hearing this, it might have caused an extended ego of one’s own prowess, but for her…hearing this actually humbled her. Yes, she was proud of the fact that she was able to pick up things so quickly, and that she had this natural connection to the Force. Revna knew that not all things about the Force and what she could learn from or do with it would come naturally or easily. She knew there would be things she struggled with, even things she couldn’t grasp.

And that was okay. She wasn’t expecting to be perfect at everything-but she did want to excel and refine what she could do. But she had to learn, to study, and search to find the depth of power and other abilities she could hone. Force Lightning might be one of those abilities she was naturally gifted with; if that was the case…then she would work to perfect it and empower it.

“Well…I would like to think I’m too stubborn to burn out...or maybe it is because I’m too curious and too thirsty to learn more, be more. I’ve already learned so much since arriving here than I ever have on my own, and I know it’s only the beginning of my journey. If you don’t mind me asking…what else are you willing to teach me, at this time? Or have you noticed anything thus far that needs improvement-anything that could use some strengthening?” Revna asked him, opening herself up to possible critique or correction. She had never done well with criticism growing up as a slave, often getting emotionally unsettled when such things happened. But here, she found herself wanting to know of areas that needed improvement in her abilities. Perhaps it was too early to ask about such things, but she wouldn’t know unless she did so. The sooner she could identify areas that needed work, the sooner she could work at strengthening those areas within herself…and thus make herself stronger.

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Darth Strosius paused to consider his response carefully for a few moments, idly letting out a little hum as he crossed his hands behind his back. Indeed the Acolyte seemed eager to learn more techniques, and of course there was so much to teach, but there was also no need to rush her lessons already. She was still new to the basics of using the Force even if she was naturally adept at it. "Refinement will be your focus for the rest of the day." He finally decided with a nod.

"You are capable of learning more than I initially expected, but I'd rather not have you overwhelmed on the very first day of your training. We'll stick to some basic techniques and focus on ensuring that you have a stable foundation with which you can then make use of your power easier." There was no point in her learning some more specialized abilities if she was still struggling with regulating and summoning her strength after all. "You seem to learn well when it comes to application, so we'll focus on two very basic yet integral powers that come naturally to many Force Sensitives. Telekinesis and physical enhancement." From what he had seen earlier the young Sith seemed more than capable of thinking on her feet and in the moment.

Best to put that particular skill to use then, especially with her knowledge of how to move her power around in her form still fresh in her mind. "Have you ever made use of telekinesis before Revna? It's a very versatile ability." To demonstrate the masked man pointed at one of the chairs and slowly lifted his finger upwards, the chair rising up into the air in tandem with it. He let the expression of power be obvious and overt within the Force, allowing Revna to easily sense how his will stretched out and grasped the chair like an unseen hand.

"Many assume it is just levitating things or summoning objects into your hand, but it is much more than that. Just as easily as it can touch and grab objects..." His finger began curling back into his hand, the chair starting to shake in response. The wooden legs began to snap and crack from the sudden pressure as the whole chair appeared as though it was being squashed from all sides by the unseen force. "It can compress and crush them. Such a power can even be used on objects of a more...biological persuasion." Darth Strosius released his grasp on the chair and let it fall to the ground, several splinters from the now cracked legs now littering the ground around it.

"If one is careful enough, you can break bones within the body of your enemy without ever having to lift them from the ground. Throwing entire people around is possible, but many Sith prefer to choke their foes with such a power. Or simply snap their neck for a quicker death." Despite the rather grim implications his tone remained casual and informative. He had all but explicitly said several times before that fighting was essential to many operations that the Squires were dispatched on, no sense in beating around the bush about the more violent implications of their powers. "Try manipulating one of the chairs, see what you can do with it."

Revna

 

[Revna]

“As you wish.” Revna said as she dipped her head, accepting that the rest of her day would be spent in refinement, and she did readily agree that not being overwhelmed on her first day was wise. “As much as I’d like to keep learning new things, I agree with you. Understanding the basics, building that foundation, is very important. I know that I will learn new things when you feel that I am ready to learn such things.”

She tilted her head at the mention of telekinesis and physical enhancement, her eyes following the Sith as he asked her a question and gestured towards one of the charred chairs, watching it rise as at his invisible command. She couldn’t help but smile at this, her eyes glinting with recognition as she felt the expression of power from him as he exerted control over the chair.

“Yes, actually. Well…up until recently I didn’t know it was called telekinesis. It was the first thing I learned to do on my own…probably to no surprise to you as it seems to be a fairly common ability to make use of for someone untrained.” Revna replied as she continued to watch as his fingers curled and the sounds of cracking and splintering wood echoed across the clifftop. The sight of it brought back an echo of the memory she relived earlier, and with it came a ripple of hatred intermixed with satisfaction, then fear before those disappeared into the background once more.

She turned her face from the chair to her mentor as he continued his explanation of the uses of telekinesis, a far more somber expression on her face, especially when he said that Sith tended to use this ability to choke or even snap the neck of those within their invisible grip. His lesson hit home for her; yes…it was a dark lesson to be taught-learning techniques with which you can kill someone with-but Revna had long since lost her innocence in the area of willingly killing others.

The little Acolyte lifted her hand toward the mostly undamaged chair and with an ease that only came from years of practice-often in secret-she used her will and her power to manipulate the chair itself, even feeling the ghostly presence of it in her hand if she concentrated hard enough. She had no need to close her eyes for this, and she fixated her intense and darkened gaze upon the chair as it lifted up off the ground and wobbled side to side a bit, before she rotated her hand and willed the chair to spin as she did so. She lifted it higher, a couple feet off the dusty and rocky ground, and watched as she made it rotate and dance as if it was being manipulated by invisible strings controlled by a puppet master. For a few moments, she was quiet, a contemplative expression coming over her face.

“There was a man with whom I had dealings with when I was but a young girl. A fellow slave, but he was a favored slave of our masters at the time…and he let it get to his head. For some reason…he hated my mother and I. Just a foul man…worse than some of the slave-owners I’ve had.” she murmured, her voice dropping a bit lower than what it usually was, and was now carefully and purposefully devoid of emotion. She continued to move the chair around using her Force ability, feeling the presence of the material in her outstretched hand a bit more clearly. “I had already discovered I had my magic, and had worked on it over those first few years. It helped me in my duties and I used this ability when I could, when it was safe to do so.” She then brought the floating chair to a halt, hovering up off the ground by a foot or so. She glanced at her mentor, a storm churning within her eyes. “Well…that man took every opportunity to insult my mother, insult me, and she just…let it fething happen. And expected me to deal with it. One day…I had a simple accident and bumped into him and caused him to drop a tray of glassware. He wasn’t happy, as you can imagine. He felt it justified to berate a young girl and remind her of how pathetic and stupid I was, how useless I was, and I had enough. My mother wasn’t there to stop me that time. And she arrived too late to save him from my rage.” With a quick clenching motion and a twist of her hand, one of the legs of the chair snapped, the sound echoing loudly through the air, and a flash of violence could be felt through the energy around them, rippling from her robed form.

“By the time she got to me, his throat had already been crushed by the same power that I used to bring objects to my hand.” And with another flash of residual disgust and blatant aggression, she propelled the chair against some of the other materials up on the clifftop with them, and watched it split from the force of the impact, the broken pieces collapsing to the ground in a heap as she lowered her hand back to her side and took a deep breath and slowly exhaled before looking back at the Sith. “He was the first one I killed using my…blessings. I was nine or ten years old, I think. He deserved it, even though he was a slave like me, like my mother. Unfortunately…my reckless attack on him had consequences. If I had simply walked away…my mother would still be alive. This…was the memory that returned to me when I unleashed those more…potent emotions a little bit ago.”

She sighed and her shoulders dropped a bit. “I suppose I didn’t need to divulge a story from my past…but your lesson reminded me of it and it just…kind of spilled out.” She fell silent for a moment, seeming lost in her own internal thoughts, before rallying herself and perking back up a bit and offering a more open and relaxed smile to her Sith mentor, any trace of the violent aggression now gone. “What amazes me about this ability is how gentle you can be with it…then in an instant use it for violence; shatter items, shatter bone…crush the life from someone. This ability is very useful on so many different levels. It’s why I tried to hone this ability as much as I could given my circumstances, once I had discovered my ability. But…I’m sure there is more to it than what I’ve figured out on my own.”


Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Thankfully Revna didn't seem bothered at all by taking her training more gradually, something that did often cause a bit of friction between himself and the more unruly Squires. While she did seem capable and naturally gifted with the Force, a notion reinforced by her acknowledging a familiarity with telekinesis on her own before coming under his tutelage, the basics were simply too essential to ignore. Not to mention he'd rather not have to worry about his newest Squire accidentally loosing some lightning in the event of a simple argument. He'd dealt with too many of those occurrences already to know better by now.

As he expected the Acolyte was able to lift and manipulate one of the chairs without much issue. They were light and made of wood so it wasn't like they were any heavier than what she could manage with her bare hands, but it was her technique when doing so that he wanted to see. Revna hadn't even bothered to close her eyes despite the great focus she had on the chair, a far cry from when she was attempting to use Force Lightning or summoning her hatred earlier. It showed a level of comfortability with her power that she had yet to display. A very welcome sight indeed.

His head cocked to the side as she began recalling someone from her past, surprise etched across his hidden visage as she spoke of this foul man. He barely even paid attention to the chair's movements with anything more than an occasional glance and instead focused entirely on listening to her recollection with bated breath. That was until the snapping of one of the chair's legs made him give the object a proper look. The sight of it smashing against the other assorted materials made his head tilt up slightly in surprise before his gaze slowly turned back to meet Revna's own. He let silence reign between them after the Acolyte finished recounting the bitter memory, his form still and his visor's stare solemn.

Her remark about the versatility of the power that she had just displayed did seem to stir him from his stupor however, a nod serving as his response as his arms crossed behind his back. "There is indeed much to learn for you still, although you seem to have quite the good starting place." He opened his mouth to continue with some lesson or critique of her technique but nothing escaped his mouth. He was silent again for a good few moments as his gaze slowly trailed upwards to regard the sky above.

"When my parents died, my owner 'adopted' me. I became his favorite little errand boy, running his orders back and forth to his overseers and my fellow slaves alike." There was an odd mixture of venom interlaced with melancholy as he spoke. The memory wasn't a fond one clearly but there was also something nostalgic about the way he spoke of it. "One day the head miner of one of the crews finally had enough of me being the mouthpiece that kept telling him and his friends to work themselves until their fingers were bruised and broken. I was barely twelve at the time, but he didn't care. He threw me to the ground and broke one of my hands. He told me 'that's what it feels like to listen to you, damn pet.'"

The masked man clicked his tongue and shook his head slightly as he continued. "When a passing guard saw me and heard that the miners wouldn't work anymore, they were all rounded up and beaten to death in front of me. The other miners didn't endorse what their friend did, they actually tried to give me some medical attention even. But I was still the cause of their deaths regardless of how they tried to help me." He rolled his shoulders and let out a breath that he wasn't aware he had been holding as he finally looked back at Revna.

"What I remember most though is what my owner told me after the last of them stopped breathing, their skulls smashed in and their faces rendered unrecognizable. 'This is what happens to those that touch my property, boy.' I heard that phrase in my nightmares for two years afterwards." He stared at the Acolyte for another long moment before suddenly turning and gesturing for her to follow. "Come along, there's something I want to show you. It's back at the Cathedral, I think you'll find it rather interesting."

Revna

 

[Revna]

In the silent moments that passed between them, the little woman realized that he had been the first person she’d ever told about that particular memory, and it appeared that it had some kind of impact upon her mentor, as he remained still and quiet for a length of time afterwards. For a few uncertain moments, Revna wasn’t sure if she had done something wrong by sharing the memory with him, and she suddenly felt very open and vulnerable. Such things were more personal matters and not everyone was comfortable hearing closer, more personal stories or information about another person they don’t know well.

He remarked that there was still much for her to learn, but he seemed…almost torn, unsure of what to say or do next. She watched him as he lifted his head to look into the sky above them, and then he surprised her as he began to open up and share a memory from his past with her. She hadn’t expected that, and she gave him her total attention, so that he knew she was listening. Sharing something from one’s past left one open and raw, and Revna had no intention of interrupting him. It gave her a window into what might have helped shape him into who he was now.

A myriad of emotions rippled through her-anger, disgust, and melancholy-as she listened to his tale, and she didn’t bother trying to hide them. Slavery was a cruelty that only those who had suffered under its yolk would truly understand.

Darth Strosius rolled his shoulders and looked back at her as he finished telling her the memory from his past, and she was fine with letting the silence fill the space between for a few moments before he suddenly turned on his heel and started to walk away, beckoning her to follow him. She didn’t hesitate, trotting up to his side to catch up with him as he told her that they were returning to the Cathedral, as he had something to show her.

Now she was very curious.

They stepped back into the elevator that would take them back down to ground level, and now it was her turn to be a little bit speechless in the aftermath of what he had told her. She looked out over the sprawling settlement that glinted in the daylight, and noticed a few people off in the distance going about their business.

“Our memories can make us or break us.” She murmured, being lost in thought for a few moments. “Thank you for sharing that with me…I know you didn’t have to, but the fact that you chose to isn’t lost on me. Sharing something from one’s past with someone whom you don’t know well can be very hard. My…Mistress, who purchased me after the death of my mother, knew I carried heavy burdens and she tried to get me to share them with her. She told me that talking about them…the memories…helps release their hold on you, allows you to heal. I told her some of mine, but not all. She never heard the memory I shared with you.”

Her mind drifted into the fonder memories she carried, the times spent with her Mistress. It was as if the universe knew Revna needed a break from the cruelty before tossing her back into the fire.

“I wonder if maybe, one day, I could find her again.” Revna said softly before she sighed and she shook her head as if to clear her thoughts a bit. “Or perhaps it would be best if I didn’t go looking for her, and just let her carry on with whatever life she’s living now. So…what is this ‘something’ you have to show me?” She questioned, perking up a bit from the solemn mood she had been in, raising a curious eyebrow to the robed man beside her as she tried to glean more from him.


Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Darth Strosius nodded as Revna murmured during their ride down the elevator, his visor's gaze facing forward as they descended past the various levels of construction and excavation. "Memories can give you great strength and bring pain or ruin great enough to rival it as well. You've experienced that first hand earlier. But we are more than simple recollections of the past, for we have the gift of the present. The gift of decision, the ability to choose what we gain from our memories." Although there would always be certain emotions or feelings originating from particular past experiences and memories there was always the choice of how one responded to them. One could fall in and be enveloped totally by the past, or one could persevere and use them as fuel for the future. A hard learned lesson that all had to come to terms with eventually.

The masked man didn't comment on her musings about her old Mistress, preferring to let Revna make her own decision regarding such a personal matter, and instead glanced down at her at the question. "The Cathedral's aura, the presence of the Dark Side that it exudes. You've felt it and its the main reason that Squires and Acolytes such as yourself are trained on the outskirts of the settlement. There it can be of no use to you, no crutch to lean on for assistance and no easy access to the Dark Side other than yourself."

He knew that the Acolyte was well aware of it given their earlier discussions about the Cathedral and her initial reaction to entering it, but a reminder never hurt. His gaze returned forward as the elevator stopped with a small shudder and the doors opened. "I'm going to show you its source." Darth Strosius strode out of the elevator with purpose and determination, giving the work crew of a dozen or so miners and construction workers a nod as he passed them by. Evidently the pair of Sith had came and gone right as their work day was getting started. Just as planned.

Once the work crew was well out of earshot the masked man continued without bothering to glance back at Revna to confirm that she was following along. Given what he was bringing her to see he had no doubt that she'd be right with him no matter how fast his long strides were. "The Dark Side of the Force blesses us with many varying and unique techniques to make use of its power. Some more...elaborate and eccentric than others." He chose not to go into too much detail about such things as of yet, not when Revna's understanding of the Force's power was still so new and lacking in comparison to his own at least.

"As such many Sith over the years have developed their own methods of harnessing the Dark Side's power in intricate ways aside from their own emotions and physical means. They imbue the Dark Side's power into artifacts and relics, some with only enough power to be sensed within the Force and others that are strong enough to be used as powerful weapons and devices that can achieve things a single Sith could not." Of course he had gathered quite a few relics over the years, ranging from weaponry and tomes to even holocrons. Most of them were kept within the Cathedral but they were also secured and hidden so that their inherent power didn't tempt any of the Squires that guarded the doors.

He knew well enough that power could be lusted after in subtle ways so he saw no reason to leave such valuable artifacts lying around to fuel that endless hunger. "When crafting them the Sith will often pour powerful and potent emotions into these vessels. Hatred, agony, guilt, passion, so on and so forth. Effective but not without their varying drawbacks and costs." There were more than a few prideful and dangerous holocrons that exemplified those drawbacks simply by their very existence.

"I however chose to focus my work on a very different emotion and source of power. Devotion. My own devotion to the Sith and the Dark Side serving as the main source, but the devotion of the cult itself was what I was interested in seeing." The Cathedral came into view once more, looming over the rest of the settlement as it always did as they entered into the more active part of the Dresuoti. "The Cathedral's aura is the culmination of our devotion Revna, the proof that our efforts and beliefs are not in vain. And the proof that my designs for the Sith Order will succeed."

Revna