Private Seek And Ye Shall Find

[Revna]

Revna felt her cheeks blush slightly as Darth Strosius turned her words of thanks around on her. In all her years of existence, not once had she ever had someone tell her ‘thank you’ for anything she had ever done. She didn’t know what to say to that, so she instead simply dipped her head and accepted what the Sith said. He was right, of course. She could have gone anywhere in the wider galaxy, but she had chosen to stay here. It was a decision she didn’t regret at all, and she knew she was in the right place. She felt it deep within her very soul. She had only been on Formos for a short time and had only recently been inducted into the Order of Wonosa, but she knew that she would give everything she had and more-her life, even-to the cause. That was how deep her certainty that she belonged here ran.

The heat of the little woman’s anger levied against the Jedi simmered down to more background levels, though replacing it was a grim determination to make sure any she ever came across would suffer for their crimes. Maybe one day she could ask a Jedi why they chose to ignore the plight of the downtrodden and enslaved…perhaps get some sort of answer before she killed them. Though she bitterly mused that whatever response she would receive would be nothing but an excuse, which would just fan the flames of her righteous anger against the Jedi even further.

She accepted the small correction that the Jedi were more than just cowards and tyrants; that they were in fact warriors who sought to destroy those who served the Dark Side. That roused her anger a bit too; the fact that they would willingly seek to destroy someone like her, simply because of what she chose to believe or follow, stirred her fighting spirit.

Revna took a deep breath and settled herself once more, though the anger she had felt seemed to have energized her a bit. “Well if they want to make an enemy of me, then I can oblige them.” She said in a grim tone as she stared at the pathway ahead of her. They seemed to be headed back towards the training ground and obstacle course for the Squires which she had seen the evening prior. It had plenty of space and places for her to test her Force enhanced physical abilities…at least, she assumed that was why they were headed back in that direction.

The little Acolyte perked up as her Sith teacher told her to remember his lesson well, and she made sure to pay extra attention to him as he imparted his wisdom and understanding to her. She let it sink in deep, committing to memory.

“A lesson I shall remember and live by, High Priest.” She murmured, before a more sinister glint shined in her eyes as a dark thought passed through her mind and she glanced at the Sith. “Normally I would keep my darker…thoughts to myself but I think I am in a place where I can speak such things and not be made to feel…guilty for them. That being said…I am curious to know, have you ever offered up or sacrificed a Jedi in the Cathedral?” she inquired, keeping her voice low just in case any ears nearby were listening in. “I feel like such a sacrifice would…greatly increase the presence and power of the Dark Side here."


Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Darth Strosius looked back at Revna in surprise at her rather grim suggestion, however his stride didn't pause nor falter. He knew that the reveal of the more gruesome details of the Cathedral's operations wouldn't bother the young Acolyte too much, he even expected that she would be somewhat curious about such rituals, but to make a suggestion regarding them was sudden. Sudden and unexpected, but not unwelcome. "I have not, but I have considered it. The sacrifice of Force Sensitives, especially ones trained such as Jedi, has been done many times in the past. Reportedly the results have been...potent."

His voice was lowered and discrete to match hers, even as they walked farther from the signs of activity and towards the outskirts of the settlement where their conversation had little to no chance of being overheard. "Everything about a sacrifice is amplified when it comes to those blessed with the Force you see. The blessing can be returned back to the Force this way, empowering it far more than any other singular sacrifice could." Of course he had never done so himself, he wasn't one for wasting the lives of his Sith in such a manner.

The life of a Jedi was far less precious however. There was always the possibility of converting a Jedi to the ways of the Sith, as had been done many times before, but he highly doubted that any Jedi beyond the beginner level would be willing to see the error of their ways. "The only opportunity our order has had to capture Jedi was a short time ago, when we assisted in reclaiming the ancient Sith world of Dromund Kaas from the remnants of the Ashlan Jedi." An honorable duty that had been tainted by the custodianship of the world being given to those which had ensured the Sith lost it in the first place.

"We rarely take prisoners at the best of times, but we were in a real battle for the first time then. The order performed well." Despite the Wonosan forces only playing a minor part in the reclamation, valuable experience had been gained. The cult was allowed to glimpse their foes, both present and future, for the first time and did not hesitate or back down. "That battle is the reason that many of our Sith now wield lightsabers, claimed from the fallen Jedi that they bested like any true Sith lightsaber. Aside from Dromund Kaas and a short skirmish on another ancient Sith world called Korriban we have yet to meet the Jedi in force. And as much as I'd like to make use of our foes for my rituals, I'd like to keep it that way." Pirates and smugglers were still their enemies of choice. They simply lacked the numbers and weapons of war necessary for anything greater. For now.

Soon enough the pair of Sith had left the homes of the Dresuoti behind and were walking past the spaceport, with the masked man sparing a glance to see a ship taking off as the Squire's compound came into view. As he had expected it was devoid of any activity for the moment but the obstacle course that occupied the main courtyard had been reset. All it waited for was a willing and able participant. "Enough about the Jedi for the moment, there are more important matters to discuss. Your training awaits." Maintaining the training grounds was a daily chore so it was no surprise that it was ready to be operated.

Darth Strosius led the way down to what must have been the start off to the left-hand side, the area there mostly dominated by fake bridges and climbable walls. There was also notably a series of stones which varied in size that were assembled in a row for seemingly no reason given that they weren't facing any of the other obstacles. "First we shall start with some very basic physical augmentation. Strength, speed, and agility."

Revna

 

[Revna]

Revna gave the Sith a moment to digest what she had said, noting his surprise at her dark question with a small smirk, though part of her felt a twinge of nervousness at his surprised silence, fearing for a moment that she had said something too dark-but that was quickly dashed when he responded back. She was surprised to hear that sacrificing Force users, like the Jedi, was something that had been done before in the past. She wasn’t surprised to hear that such offerings were potent; she had a feeling that giving a Force user to the Darkness itself would increase its potency and strength in areas where it gathered…like in the Cathedral. Her suspicion was confirmed by the masked Sith as he continued, speaking about a previous conflict where he and the order had confronted Jedi before, and she took note of the name of the planet-Dromund Kaas.

She was mildly surprised at first to hear that the order didn’t usually take prisoners from their conflicts, but she supposed it made sense. Clearly they did at times, however, if the Sith made sacrificial offerings every now and then.

Revna perked up again when the Sith mentioned lightsabers again, and she gleaned some information from his words. She learned that the Jedi also used these lightsabers, and the Sith of the cult seemed to have gained such weapons from the Jedi who had died in battle. She also picked up on the fact that, while offering a Jedi to the Darkness would be very helpful, it also invited unnecessary danger and risk of discovery for the settlement.

But…it set the wheels turning in Revna’s mind, and she felt the presence of the Dark, the Voice in her soul, almost purr with satisfaction at the thoughts and ideas that swirled within her mind. Perhaps one day, if she could manage it, she could capture and bring a Jedi here as an offering. She made it a goal for herself, even though such a thing wouldn’t happen for quite some time.

She felt that it would be a perfect way to give thanks to the power that had enabled her to free herself, the power that had given her a second chance at life. It had given her its gift, and she wanted to give back to it. And who or what better than the very beings who sought her destruction, and the destruction of all she believed in and held dear?

“Is that a Sith tradition? To take one of these…lightsabers from your fallen enemy?” she inquired of Darth Strosius as they made their way past the spaceport, briefly watching the ship depart before returning her eyes to the path ahead of them. She noticed the obstacle course from the day before, but it had been rearranged this time around. It was empty too, and she felt a sense of relief. While she was excited at the prospect of testing herself, she really didn’t want to do it in front of an audience…if she had any choice in the matter. She knew that, soon enough, she would probably be training with others and she’d have to get over what remained of her shyness.

Her stoic teacher made it clear that the time for discussion about the Jedi was over for the time being, and made sure to bring her back to the task at hand. She knew there would be time at a different point to learn more about the Jedi, though she did feel a small twinge of sadness at knowing that the conversation about them was over for now. She followed along with him as he led her to the start of the course, and she was able to get a good look at the obstacles and items before her.

Her eyes traveled over the fake bridges, the stones of various sizes, and the walls that could be scaled. The little woman’s mind began to formulate what she would possibly be doing when her thoughts were answered by the robed Sith. She would be learning how to enhance herself physically with the Force here…but she also realized that she would truly get to see just how strong, fast, and agile she truly was. Something she was very curious to know for herself, and something she knew her mentor would be curious to see as well.

"I...don't know if I will be any good at these things. But I suppose now is a good time to figure that out."


Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

"It is indeed. A remnant of the ancient days." Darth Strosius reached into his robes as he turned to face Revna, pulling from his belt what appeared to be a simple metal rod. It fit in his hand perfectly, with some runes and a few buttons adorning it's surface. A hole flanked by four rising spikes made up the top of the rod and with a simple press of a button the weapon flickered to life. With a distinct snap-hiss a red blade of light, not unlike the red glow that his mask seemed to emit in its crevices, shot up from the hilt.

"In days long gone the Jedi held almost complete control of the galaxy, but they especially controlled worlds where Kyber crystals could be found. These blessed crystals are perfect vessels for channeling the Force, allowing for those blessed with its gifts to craft these weapons. Lightsabers." He idly waved the weapon around, allowing the Acolyte to watch it in motion. HIs movements were not careless however, instead they were purposeful and ended in stiff points akin to the sorts of motions and stances done to stab an opponent. "Without access to these Kyber crystals, the Sith developed a tradition of claiming lightsabers from slain Jedi and binding them to the will of the Dark Side. I gained this blade in that manner, and one day you shall gain yours similarly." He deactivated the weapon with a flick of his wrist and returned it to his belt before nodding to the obstacle course.

Now came the fun part. "Fear not Acolyte, this course is not only meant to test but also to improve. Within the coming weeks you will visit here regularly to train your body, both enhanced and not, into the best shape it has ever been in." The masked man crossed his arms behind his back as he looked back at her. "You said that strength enhancement was of particular interest to you yes?" Given her small frame Revna might be able to navigate most of the climbing and crawling without too much issue, so best to start with what she was lacking and work their way up from there.

Darth Strosius fished a datapad from his robes and nodded to the stones before them. "Approach them at your leisure, I recommend doing some stretches before we begin. We don't want you pulling a muscle or anything like that which could be a detriment to your training." Some of the newer Squires needed to learn that lesson the hard way, their preferences for showing off resulting in quick trips to the clinic and a stern lecture. The body had its limits and this course was meant only to test them, not break them.

The stones were indeed an oddity among the rest of the obstacles, clearly carved from the same type of rock which made up the canyon that encircled the settlement. They were arranged from smallest to largest, with the smallest being roughly the size of a stool and the largest standing as tall as the pillars that held up the ceiling of the Cathedral. They clearly weren't arranged to be some sort of jumping or leaping obstacle however, not with the varying heights of the stones.

There was only one other purpose they could possible fill then. "Now with your bare strength I want you to try picking up the largest rock you can. I wish for us both to get some measure of your baseline ability before we begin enhancing it." Revna would probably have a decent idea of her own capabilities without the obstacle to test it but there was no harm in affirming just where her limits where. She would be the one improving her body after all, so intimate and up to date knowledge of her body's abilities was crucial.

Revna

 

[Revna]

The little woman watched the Sith with a head tilt as he produced a cylindrical object from within the folds of his robes and held it in one of his hands. Her brows dipped down as she peered a little more closely at this metal object, noting the shape of it and the various buttons and and the runic etches on its surface. She watched as he angled the object and some form of instinct told her to back up and give him some space and so she did, just as he pressed one of the buttons on the object. She startled slightly as a crimson blade of light erupted from one end, its glow reflecting off of both her mentor and herself. She felt the hairs rise up along her skin as she looked upon the object, and a wide smile split her face as her eyes reflected the red glow of the blade, revealing a look of wonder. “It’s so…beautiful!” she murmured, her voice also reflecting the amazement that adorned her pale face.

Darth Strosius moved the weapon as he explained briefly why the Sith had to take such weapons from the bodies of their fallen enemies, and she followed his movements with an intense gaze, listening as best she could given the moment. His last statement caused her to pause and blink before looking at him.

“Wait…I will be able to get one of these lightsabers one day?!” she exclaimed with more excitement and awe. “Oh that will be a glorious day!”

Revna paused and took a breath to pull her head back from the clouds as the Sith’s saber was deactivated and returned to its hiding place within his robes. She settled herself down once more, relaxing back into her more mild mannered, attentive nature as he turned to face the obstacle course before the two of them. The little Acolyte felt a knot form in her throat; while she was excited to test herself, she also felt a twinge of anxiousness looking upon the course. She’d never done anything like this before so of course she would be a little nervous. And to hear that she would be using this course until her body was fit and hardened only added to that anxiousness. She didn’t know exactly what she was in for, but she had an idea that she was going to be very sore for a while.

But she wasn’t going to let that stop her.

“Yes. I…am lacking in the strength area, due to my size and the fact that I am a woman. I’ve had to learn to adapt to that and make use of my other strengths. But I don’t want to be seen as weak anymore because of my lack of strength.” Revna replied honestly to the Sith as he questioned her. Her gaze flicked to his hands as he fished out a datapad from somewhere in his robes and she felt another small smile touch her lips. How many hidden pockets does he have in that thing?! She wondered to herself as she looked on and listened as he told her to approach a gathering of stones when she was ready. She looked back at the various stones, noting their different sizes and shapes and textures-from relatively small to absolutely massive.

She raised an eyebrow at the mention of doing stretches before starting her next lesson; usually, slaves were not given the time to stretch or limber up before their duties began. It was wake up and immediately go to work, and maybe get food for breakfast if your taskmaster was in a good mood. Luckily for her, her mother had taught her very basic stretches as a youngling, to help her growing body withstand the workload that she was given.

“Good thing my mother taught me some basic stretches then.” She murmured as she began to limber up the way her mother had taught her. She felt a bit self-conscious doing these things with the Sith standing right there observing her, and her cheeks dusted a slight red. She did her best to mostly ignore his presence, so she could focus on stretching then the task that came next.

After a few minutes spent in warming up, the little woman turned back to face her mentor for her next directive: she was to pick up the largest stone she could lift with her own strength. She turned her gaze to the stones and took a deep breath as she approached them slowly.

The first stone was roughly the size of a stool; she tested its weight with her booted foot, noting that it was fairly light and wouldn’t provide much of a challenge so she moved on to the second rock and repeated the action, moving it with her foot to test its heft. It was a bit heavier than the first, but she felt she could still lift that particular rock with some ease. However, the third stone proved to be almost too heavy for her foot to nudge. Maybe too heavy for her to even pick up. She glanced between the second and third stones, internally wishing that there had been a stone between these two that she could have picked up. Oh well, she thought to herself as she looked over the stone with a careful eye before crouching down and wrapping her arms around it in the best way she could, letting her small hands find a grip on the hard, stony surface. She tested its weight by shifting it with her arms and hands, and grimaced slightly upon realizing that it was going to be a challenge to lift this particular rock.

But she had to try.

Taking another breath, she tightened her grip on the stone and used her legs to help lift her body up. Her face scrunched up with the strain, but she managed to lift the stone a few inches up off the ground before she had to set it back down.

Even with the proper stretches and proper lifting, she felt a deep stab of pain ripple through her lower spine and sent jolts of painful tingles down one of her legs, which gave slightly underneath her, causing her to grimace in discomfort. She tried to hide it from her Sith mentor; she didn’t want to show her weakness to him. She was afraid that if she did, he would send her away as being too weak to continue, unworthy of his time and effort, and this thought suddenly terrified her.

Revna felt the deep throb in her spine dissipate and she turned back to face Darth Strosius, her gaze somewhat guarded. She had a feeling he had noticed her painful reaction to lifting the rock, but she hoped he wouldn’t say anything about it and would continue with the next part of her lesson.

But she had a growing suspicion that he might question her on it, and she would have to tell him the truth.


Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

"Your stature and gender are hardly detriments if you know how to wield yourself properly Acolyte." The masked man tapped something on his datapad, seemingly taking a note of her remark as he replied. "Not everyone is meant to be a hulking brute of raw strength. True strength is not merely a measure of how much you can lift or how hard you can punch, but rather how you can make use of such things to accomplish your goals." While physical strength was fairly simple and straightforward that hardly meant that it was without nuance or variation. Especially when it came to augmenting natural abilities.

He did occasionally glance up from his typing to observe Revna's stretching technique, idly raising an eyebrow as he noticed the shade of red tinting her cheeks, but those glances were simply to confirm what he already suspected. Her preparations were basic, standard for those that had to hurry and prepare their body for a day full of hard labor. Almost every slave knew them in some form or another for that very reason. More efficient and fitting stretching routines would be included in some other day's training after all, simple hard labor might be a rarity for the cult but physical exertion in general most certainly wasn't.

Darth Strosius nodded as their gazes met once more, not bothering to reaffirm his order again as she turned back to the stones. This early into training he had to let her go at her own pace. Not only would seeing signs of hesitation be useful and enlightening, but rushing her to action when he knew so very little of her physical capabilities could prove harmful for the young Acolyte. Best to just sit back and watch for now.

Her measuring and silent debate of the first three stones was expected given her clever and inquisitive nature, his staare unblinking as she wrapped her arms around the third stone in the line. His fingers hovered over the datapad's keys as she managed to heft the stone a small but noticeable distance above the ground, a fact which he was quick to note down, but her next movements made that his stiff form twitch and tense in return. One of her legs almost gave out. Her recovery was swift enough that nothing seemed to be broken or too strained, either that or her pain tolerance was far higher than anticipated, but he knew that it had to hurt.

Long strides carried him forward and by the time that Revna had turned to face him he was already almost by her side, his datapad clenched in one hand as his other extended out. "Stand still for me Revna, just for a few moments." He stopped right next to her and focused, his presence and attention washing over her as his hand slowly moved from her head down her body. He never touched her, but his sensing would be obvious given the motion of his hand and presence in tandem down her form. After he sensed her up and down twice he clicked his tongue and finally stepped back.

"There will be some soreness tomorrow, but nothing that a warm bath and some good hydration can't fix." He nodded in satisfaction and briefly noted the moment of strain down with a quick flurry of his fingers before looking back at Revna. "You're still willing to continue, yes?" The masked man already knew the answer, so he didn't bother waiting too long for a reply. "Now that you've felt the strain and stress on your body, internalize that sensation. Remember it well and let it humble you going forward." Physical enhancements could make one feel as though they could fend off the very world itself after all. Best to have a good sobering reminder of what happens when the body is pushed to its limits in order to prevent such arrogance.

"The burn in your limbs and body, focus your attention on it. This is where you will channel the Force. Just like with Force Lightning, let it gather within you and spread it to your muscles. Allow it to seep into your very flesh, strengthening it. Strengthening you." To demonstrate he summoned forth his own essence to curl into his limbs, allowing Revna to sense as his body swirled with the Force before it began settling into his limbs and back. "Focus. Now pick up the rock again with your newfound strength, but do not let your control slip."

Revna

 

[Revna]

Revna startled when she returned her gaze to the Sith, only to find that he was practically already at her side. It seemed that he had noticed her brief flash of pain and discomfort, and she froze in place with his order to remain still, barely breathing as the only movements she made were with her eyes as she watched him guardedly. She had been similarly ordered to be still while being examined after injuries procured while still being a slave, and though she knew this particular situation was far different from her previous experiences, it still awoke that buried nature within her.

She remained still as she sensed his examination of her to see what all had happened. The dull ache of pain in her lower back was mild but still present, she had just learned over the years to live with it. Through his careful searching and sensing, he might have picked up on the fact that her bone structure wasn’t…normal for a human; there was a lot more cartilage where bone should have been. Not to mention the many different areas of thickened calcification where old fractures and breaks had healed over on their own-including two fused bones in her lower spine-and indeed there were newer injuries still healing, a few with clear indications of blunt force trauma, especially to a few ribs on her right side, as well as a healing fracture to her skull. The fact she wasn't paralyzed or crippled was a small miracle in itself.

After a few moments, the masked Sith stepped back and she relaxed a little, sensing that he was done checking her over for the moment. She gave him a rather sheepish smile at his comment about her possibly being sore the following day.

“I’m used to it. And yes, I would like to continue; a little bit of pain or discomfort won’t stop me now.” Revna replied somewhat quietly, dipping her head in acceptance of his words of caution; she was humbled, certainly. She straightened up her back, stretching out the last remnants of pain and exhaled heavily as she focused all her attention back on her mentor as he carried on with the next part of her lesson.

Being the quick learner than she was, she was able to feel and focus on the burn within her muscles from the strain of lifting the stone, following the example that she sensed and saw from Darth Strosius. Her eyes drifted shut as she sensed the energy of the Force within and around her, and almost instinctively relaxed as she felt its embrace. She imagined it flowing and fusing into her muscles and tendons, pulsing along with the timing of her heartbeat. There was strength there; she could feel it and grasp it and wield it. But even though she felt the power saturate into every fiber of her being, she didn’t move to lift the stone. Not yet, anyway. She simply just stood there, still and quiet, learning and calculating how the Force moved and interacted with her body to strengthen it.

She opened her eyes, still maintaining the connection she felt with the Force though she did feel it was a bit more difficult as there were more things to pull at her focus and attention. It took a bit more willpower than she was used to flexing to keep that control, but she gladly accepted the challenge it posed. When she was ready, she crouched down again and settled her hands on the rough, rocky surface of the stone. She felt the energy strengthen her grip, strengthen key areas of her body, and with a scowl of focused determination, she lifted.

There was still strain and weight with the stone, but not anywhere near like it had been a few moments ago. She slowly rose, using her legs like anchors to keep her planted on the ground, holding the stone with her strengthened grip. She managed to stand her full height with the stone against her chest and stomach, her brow furrowed as she concentrated hard at maintaining the connection and strength she felt, feeling it slip ever so slightly as noise from the spaceport briefly pulled at her focus, though the very brief sensation of added strain and pain forced her to renew that concentration or risk further injury. After a few moments, the little woman lowered the rock back to the ground, releasing it with a thud before standing back up, feeling the strength flow through her body and out of her until she felt back to normal once more.

This was definitely something she would need to work on. That…and learning to keep her focus when her eyes weren’t closed. She knew that, one day, she wouldn’t have the luxury of doing things with her eyes shut.

Revna turned to face her teacher once more, watching as he typed away on his datapad. “It wasn’t perfect but I don’t think you expect perfection right out of the gate. It is…definitely beneficial to have the Force when lifting or moving heavy objects. But it’s going to take some more practice on my end before I can move objects like that.” she said with a chuckle, gesturing to the tall pillar-like stone at the end. She did feel the temptation to try and lift that particular stone, but she knew that was her bravado and pride speaking and to do so, right now, would be very foolish on her end. She was smart enough to heed the lessons and warnings of her teacher. As much as she wanted to prove herself capable to him, she would win no favors by pushing herself too far or ignoring his advice and guidance.


Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

His investigation of the Acolyte's potential injury uncovered the healed remnants of wounds and abuses inflicted long ago, unseen scars that no doubt ran as deep as the memories that recalled their origins. It was little surprise that her complaints of her size and strength were so numerous given the condition of her bone structure. He did not record those findings on his datapad, but he most certainly remembered them. She was far from the only member of his cult to bear such markings and oddities after all, but hers were exceptionally disturbing. She was in dire need of a few sessions subjected to some regenerative procedures for sure.

Such things would unfortunately have to wait however, for there was still much to be done now and it seemed as though she would be none too pleased with the news that a few days on the mend were in her future. Instead Darth Strosius watched and sensed as Revna followed his instructions, letting her experience how her muscles were enveloped and strengthened by the Force. It was quite the odd feeling if one was unaccustomed to it after all so there was no need to rush her to action, not to mention the potential for aggravating her soreness even more.

She took her time with the new ability, adjusting to it and seemingly having to focus on it more than usual, but as expected when she attempted to lift the stone once more it came up far easier. Whether by carefulness on her part or struggle the process was slow but that was probably for the best anyway given the situation. Her speed would be the subject of an altogether separate test after all, and only later on would she be expected to exert her body in two such ways at once.

"Very good." Darth Strosius nodded and noted down her performance, only briefly pausing to return her gaze and receive her input before he finished his notes with a small chuckle. "Are you so sure that it will take that much from you to lift that one?" He gestured to the final pillar-like rock with a nod. There was amusement laced into his tone as he lowered the datapad to his side for the moment. "I beg to differ." His free hand shot out to the side and the fingers upon it flexed out wide, an unseen push sent across the rocks until it hit the final towering one. The rock teetered and fell over surprisingly slowly, making little noise as it impacted the ground.

The reason for the oddly quiet and slow fall would be revealed upon closer inspection. The last stone was not stone at all, but rather a very convincing and realistic looking paper construction. Hollow and light enough that the light breeze made it move ever so slightly now that it was on its side. The masked man allowed himself another moment of laughter at the sight of it and the Acolyte's reaction before he crossed his arms behind his back. "Everyone falls for that trick. Only a handful of Squires thus far have actually been bold enough to attempt hefting it up, the look of realization is something to behold." A great way to wound the pride of those that sought to stand out unnecessarily.

"Your skill with the power could indeed use some refinement, but that refinement will indeed come with time and training. Perhaps we should see what you can accomplish by wielding it in a more familiar arena hm?" He nodded towards one of the first obstacles past the stones, a climbing wall. Most of it was the classic rock wall but one half of it was clearly made to resemble a more featureless metal wall, with scarcely few obvious handholds or anchor points to be seen. Revna's smaller frame may have been a slight detriment when it came to lifting heavy objects, but pulling herself up a wall would be a different story entirely. His only hope was that the movements required to climb up the wall wouldn't strain anything else.

"Climbing over obstacles, whether it be to make swift advances or infiltrations, is essential for your operations as a Sith." The masked man began trailing towards the wall as he spoke, beckoning for Revna to follow. "On the left side you have the standard rock wall and on the right you have a recreation of a metal wall to simulate a building's exterior. For now the rock wall will be your only test so there is no need to be concerned by the latter." Darth Strosius nodded to the Acolyte and readied his datapad once more. "Since you know how to enhance your muscles already I will be watching very carefully to make sure that your first attempt is purely natural, but your second will require the enhancement."

Revna

 

[Revna]

For all her years in service, Revna had rarely ever been told she had done good at anything; in fact, before she ever came to Formos, she could have counted on one hand how many times she was told she had done well at something. Even her Mistress, who had been by far the best slave-master she had ever served under, hardly complimented Revna’s toil and effort she made in her duties. The words from her mentor’s mouth made another light blush creep into her ivory cheeks and she offered a small, pleased smile. It made her want to do more, try harder, be better just so she could hear those words again and again. They were motivating; and they were a sign to her that she was actually good at something for once in her short life.

The little woman narrowed her eyes at the Sith as he chuckled at her response regarding the bigger stone pillar, and she watched as his hand moved and…the tall pillar simply fell over with a light thud. She tilted her head as an amused smirk flashed across her face when she realized that the “stone” pillar had simply been a cleverly designed paper construction. Her blue eyes were set alight with her mirth as she turned them to her High Priest.

“How clever! And devious!” she chuckled. “I can only imagine the looks on the Squire’s faces when they realize the truth. I was tempted to try and lift it, I won’t lie.” her smile widened some more, a genuine look of amusement and joy even, before a rather impish glint danced in her stormy gaze. “Though had I actually tried to lift it and realized it was a fake rock, I might have thrown it at you out of embarrassment.”

Her words were said in jest, her playful side coming out a little bit, before she settled back down and returned her focus to her training. It was good to relax and have some fun, even in the midst of training and work.

Revna listened to his assessment of the skill she had just displayed, nodding along with him. “I agree; time and training will improve any areas that are lacking.” She voiced as she turned her attention towards the next portion of her testing, which appeared to be both a traditional rock or climbing wall as well as a wall that simulated the outside of a building. Already, her eyes were dancing over their surfaces as she obediently followed her teacher towards the rock wall, her mind already formulating ways to scale the wall as she listened to him explain how climbing over obstacles would be an essential skill for her to use as a Sith operating in the field.

She tilted her head left to right as she studied the wall and the various hand holds and pockets. The top was a good ways above her head, and while the height was slightly intimidating, she felt a bit of confidence that she could reach the top without too much difficulty.

So he wanted her to climb it first without aid from the Force? Very well.

Revna backed up a couple paces and after a final look over the wall, she made a rapid approach and a small leap, the placement of her feet and hands perfectly aligned with the nooks and crannies and small shelves that she had already planned out in her head. She held herself against the wall, a couple of feet off the ground, for a moment as she steadied and balanced herself before her eyes flitted over the places that she needed to put her hands and feet. Then she began her climb, making small adjustments here and there, not rushing herself but not moving too slowly either.

She was doing good, reaching the halfway point up the rock wall before she made a miscalculation in her placement and felt one of her feet slip which unbalanced her. She sensed immediately that she would not be able to recover from such a slip, and she felt gravity pull at her. Instead of fighting it, she went with it, and perhaps one of her greatest attributes was suddenly put on display out of sheer necessity: her flexibility and agility. She would need both to save herself from serious injury.

She pushed off from the wall and her body twisted in an almost inhuman manner and she hit the ground with a near silent thud, landing on her feet with the grace of a feline.

Revna didn’t let her failure stop her, however. She turned her focus back on the rock wall, and leapt at it again only a couple seconds after slipping off, a determined scowl on her face. Once more she made her climb, taking care where to place her hands and feet this time, and after a brief pause halfway up to catch her breath, she nimbly pulled herself up to the top and crouched on the narrow top, looking down at Darth Strosius with the same, almost predatorial gaze she had had up on the cliff top when she had first started her lessons.

Almost as if being above others brought out a side of her that was not normally present on the ground.

She smiled then, and it reflected the hunter’s gleam in her stormy eyes...almost as if she seemed to contemplate making a leap to attack him. But she wouldn’t, of course. Not unless she was told to. After a few silent moments, the little woman pushed herself off of the top and once more landed with catlike grace on the ground, standing up straighter and pushing some stray strands of her dark hair out of her face. Despite her earlier strain and the slip she just had, she seemed uninjured and unbothered by pain or discomfort.

“I know I slipped up on the first attempt but…I think I did alright on the second go.” Revna said light heartedly, all traces of the hunter within her gone and hidden away again.


Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

The admittance of the temptation to lift the false rock, as well as the playful remark afterwards, made the masked man smirk and smother a chuckle. More and more it seemed as though the reserved and quiet persona that many slaves adopted was being shaken off of the young Acolyte. A good sign of development and comfort with her surroundings, but he didn't praise her on it. There was simply some matters that she had to figure out and handle for herself, unknowing of her personal growth being intertwined with her growth as a Sith. She'd realize it in time perhaps, but that would have to be a discovery made independently.

Darth Strosius raised up the datapad slightly as she backed up and sized up the wall, his thumb reaching down to press the record button. He was probably quick enough to type up Revna's first attempt as it unfolded but for the sake of allowing her to see her own flaws played back a recording was the best choice, it was just far easier to explain where and how she went wrong with a visual aid. That was to say, if she went wrong of course. There was always the chance that she was more experienced and capable than expected, her survival on Nar Shaddaa could have gifted her with such.

There was only one way to find out.

He watched as she ran and leapt onto the wall, noting her near perfect accuracy and landing in terms of good hand and foot holds. Her observation of the wall was more intent than he had suspected then, clever. With a good start up the wall already due to the leap she soon began ascending the wall, making careful movements and steady progress. Until she was about halfway up.

A slip of her foot made his gaze narrow and his shoulders tense, her subsequent fall being one of her own accord rather than as a result of panic. A good reaction for infiltration missions he supposed. His eyebrows quirked up in surprise beneath his mask at her smooth and flawless landing, blinking for a moment before simply nodding and making a note of her landing. It was impressive and certainly confirmed that this sort of obstacle was more in line with her experiences and skillset before joining the cult, agility was essential when navigating an extensively urban world like Nar Shaddaa.

Without much delay Revna leapt back at the wall and climbed up once more, still making careful and precise movements that steadily carried her up. She did pause to take a breath at the halfway point that she had previously slipped up on, but then continued on and pulled herself up to the top with ease. The masked man regarded his triumphant Acolyte with a nod of acknowledgement, letting the datapad drop down to his side, and making another silent note of the predatory glint in her gaze. Another possible way to draw it out was most certainly of interest to him.

"Most impressive Acolyte Revna. Few can manage all the way to the top on their first few tries." The rock wall itself wasn't too complex nor deceptive, at least no more than any other standard one would be, but for those who were unfamiliar or inexperienced with a good bit of climbing it was often their first real challenge. One that would always be conquered yes, but the first challenge is rarely ever forgotten by the newer Squires.

Another graceful landing later and the two Sith were back to their usual height differences once more, with Darth Strosius letting out a small chuckle at her sheepish remark. "Slip up? And here I had assumed that you simply wanted to show off your agile landing technique." That was most certainly noteworthy, as was her slip up in general though. "Overall you did very well. Measured, consistent, and steady progress. We can work on speed and efficiency later, but you have a very solid grasp on the basics so we won't need to test much further in that regard."

He nodded to the wall again and raised his datapad once more. "Take a breather if you'd like, then get ready. This time I want you to use the Force to enhance your body during your ascent. Let it flow through your body and use it as you see fit." He very noticeably didn't say exactly how to do such though. Clearly Revna knew how to climb and was capable of enhancing her body earlier, so a more in depth explanation wasn't needed in his mind. He was also eager to see if she completed her ascension to the top of the wall in a more unique manner than simply climbing, doing so would be using her enhancement in an unexpected way. And when it came to training, he rather liked unexpected.

Revna

 

[Revna]

“Really?” Revna replied, frowning slightly as she heard that few had actually made the climb to the top before on their first try, and she cast her gaze back to the rock wall. “I suppose…if they are not used to climbing or dealing with such things it would make sense. It certainly would have been a challenge for me if I hadn’t spent my time on the streets of Nar Shaddaa. I mean…the rock wall was still a bit of a challenge. But one I can manage-as you saw for yourself.”

She returned her gaze back to Darth Strosius and chuckled lightly in amusement. “I definitely slipped. I just made the decision to push off and try again instead of falling off and injuring myself, or making a fool of myself in front of you. That would be embarrassing…I’m not a fan of being embarrassed.”

The woman listened to his assessment and nodded in agreement. It appeared to her that she did at least understand the basics of what he was teaching her; a couple things so far were a little bit of a challenge but nothing she couldn’t improve over time. She eyed the datapad in his hand briefly as he gave her further direction, picking up on the fact that he didn’t give her specific directions on how to do this next portion-essentially leaving it up to her on how she completed this next test. She nodded once more in silence and took a few moments to settle her heart rate after her climb. Such physical exertion was not unknown to her, but she wasn’t in a rush here. Rushing would only cause her to make mistakes and make a fool of herself, or cause herself injury, which would only delay her training.

Revna considered the wall, and the options she had-especially with her new grasp and understanding of how the Force interacted with her body and how she could use it. She tilted her head slightly left to right as she pondered- something she did whenever she was assessing a situation.

She approached the wall once more, this time slowly instead of the short sprint, and craned her neck up to see the top. Her mentor hadn’t said anything about climbing it.

Maybe she could…use the Force to help her jump to the top? Or at least, close enough to the top of the wall that she could pull herself up the rest of the way?

Almost as if anticipating her thoughts, she felt the Force flow and coil within her-starting at her core and working its way through her limbs. She concentrated on sending that power to her feet and legs and felt it rapidly build like a coil under tension. Without really thinking too much on it, she crouched slightly at the knee-and launched herself as if to jump on the rock wall.

Revna was not anticipating the sheer amount of power that had built up in her legs. She was not accustomed to this, at all. She had been doing so good thus far in her first day of training…it was only a matter of time before she fumbled or miscalculated or made a mistake.

The strength of her jump sent her up faster and higher than she intended-past the top of the rockwall, in fact. She realized her mistake too late, and she twisted her body in an effort to hopefully catch the top edge with her hands on the way down.

“Oh CHIT!” came her exclamation, slight panic in her voice and on her face, before gravity took hold of her and she fell like a rock and disappeared behind the climbing wall.

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

As he had suspected Revna mentioned her time on Nar Shaddaa as the cause for her existing skill in regards to climbing, a confirmation that he was quick to note on his datapad. There was always a rather noticeable difference in the Squires born within the cult and those brought in from outside when it came to the first tests, as she had just proven. Those who had already experienced hardship and had to survive were simply far more skilled and trained, albeit in the most basic senses of such things, than those that had not. A useful trait to possess for sure.

Darth Strosius watched as she approached the wall again, her lack of a run up or seemingly any other preparation for a climb as she had done before being noteworthy. She appeared to be examining the climb once more. Perhaps she was planning or thinking up a more abstract manner of ascension? She had clearly proven that she was able to scale to the top without too much difficulty on her own so using the Force to enhance her abilities and climb up even quicker would only be slightly impressive. So what exactly was she planning then?

Thankfully he didn't have to wait long for his answer.

As she crouched and readied herself to jump, he couldn't resist the smirk that crept onto his face as he slowly raised the datapad and pressed record once again. He couldn't afford to let this opportunity slip by unremembered after all. Sure enough Revna leapt up towards the wall in an attempt to reach the top in one simple jump. One simple jump which she evidently was unprepared for in terms of regulating her own momentum, as she sailed right over the wall and dropped down behind it without even touching the surface despite her best efforts.

He stopped the recording and lowered the datapad back to his side as he shook his head, a grin adorning his hidden features as he chuckled to himself. "Oh Acolytes, they really are all the same sometimes." The masked man set off towards the rock wall with a casual stroll, his hands crossed behind his back as though he had not a care in the world despite the situation. It wasn't as though this little incident it was anything new to him after all.

It was not at all uncommon for the newer Squires to wind up overdoing their enhancements and throwing themselves around, at least when it came to tests of agility and speed. For strength they had bacta on hand given how often Acolytes managed to tear a muscle or even outright break a limb just to try and test the true limits of their empowered ability. Lessons in humility were often painful, but that made them all the more memorable because of it. For Revna he could only hope that she hadn't broken anything by landing incorrectly.

Depending on just how much strength she had channeled into her body there was a good chance that she would hit the ground with quite a bit of force, and that was where the danger would come in. He rounded the wall as he searched for the Acolyte, idly calling out to her. "Revna? Are you alright? Do tell me your landing skills are applicable to falling as well?"

Revna

 

[Revna]

She knew that the landing from the fall was going to hurt despite her natural agility, and acting on pure instinct alone Revna reached for the Force to protect herself. It was the only thing that came to mind before she made contact with the hard ground. She felt a sort of invisible barrier surrounding her briefly and the ripples of the impact passed (mostly) harmless around her, being absorbed and redirected.

But she still felt the shocking and rather painful sting of rattled nerves through her feet and ankles and legs from hitting the ground on her feet and it still carried enough momentum to cause her knees to buckle underneath her. She rolled with it before her body came to a halt and she laid out on her back, breathing heavily as adrenaline and the last traces of panic and fear worked themselves out of her system. She stared up at the backside of the rock wall, her feet and ankles still stinging but she could tell that no serious or lasting damage had been done.

She breathed for a few moments, wrapping her head around what had just happened. Then…she started laughing.

It was a giggle at first, but it quickly evolved into deep chortles from her chest and belly as tears began to stream down her face. She was still wheeze-laughing when she heard the approach of the Sith, and didn’t even bother to sit up when he came around the edge of the rockwall. She took a few ragged breaths to try and get herself under control, but when she finally turned her gaze to the Sith’s masked visage, she snorted and started laughing again.

“I’m…okay!” she managed to say between laughs. “Nothing broken…or hurt too bad.” No...just her pride, she mused to herself.

It took Revna a few more minutes, but she finally wrangled herself back under control and sat up into a sitting position and looked up at Darth Strosius, her cheeks bright red with her humiliation. “And here I was just saying that I didn’t like to be embarrassed. I suppose it was only a matter of time before I did something to embarrass myself. At least it was in front of you and not a bunch of people…”

She heaved a great sigh and stretched out her legs to ease the tingles and make extra sure nothing was injured or damaged. She had truly been very fortunate. “Well I can now add one more thing to my growing list of things I need to improve or work on. I…think I also discovered how to use the Force to cushion myself from the worst of it. At least…I assume that’s what I did. I didn’t have much time to think…I just reacted and trusted that the Force would catch me.”

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Laughing was a far better sign than screaming and a far more welcome noise to hear as he rounded the wall. He spotted the Acolyte still lying on the ground and seemingly uninjured, a sight that made his shoulders relax ever so slightly as he approached her. "I am glad to hear it. Evidently your funny bone is still intact at the very least." He noted with a chuckle of his own. There were no moves to rush Revna to sit up or compose herself though, just in case she had indeed acquired a minor injury. A proper checkup could be done later.

"I'd be more concerned with personal safety rather than embarrassment if I were you Acolyte, but I do understand the sentiment." It was only natural to feel a bit of anxiety and trepidation when one believed their performance to be lacking after all. "Fear not, I won't mention your mistakes to anyone else. They shall be kept between you and I." It wasn't like Revna was the only Acolyte or Squire to make a mistake, to overcalculate and wind up regretting it in front of him. He might not tell anyone but he would certainly keep such things in mind going forward, for training purposes only of course. Definitely no other purpose.

Darth Strosius perked up as she mentioned that she managed a new technique, quick to note it down on his datapad as she spoke. "Ah yes, that is indeed what you must have done! Very nice reflexes Acolyte." Well that was one advantage to her little miscalculation he supposed. "The Force can indeed be used to cushion one's fall, ideally through a mixture of Telekinesis and physical enhancement but one or the other can also work just fine as you've discovered." He nodded in approval as he offered his hand to help the Acolyte to her feet. "Now come up and let's give you a quick look over. I believe that we've covered enough material today and after your falls some rest would probably do you good."

There were still other aspects of enhancement to explore of course, speed and reflexes would be two in dire need of testing in order to see Revna's existing limits and skill of course, but better to quit while they were ahead and she was still unharmed. Pressing further could result in fatigue and thus more incidents that could prove far more dangerous than simply jumping over a wall. For now it would best to let her rest and think on the lessons and powers that she had learned today, give her time to reflect personally without his guidance and presence. In that reflection she would find her greatest strength.

Revna

 

[Revna]

She chuckled at Darth Strosius's comment. “It feels good to laugh. It is good to be in a place where I can laugh…even if it’s at myself. And I’d appreciate that.” Revna replied lightly with a rueful smirk on her face when the Sith said he’d keep her mistakes-those embarrassing moments-between just the two of them.

Revna took his hand, her grip fairly strong despite the small childlike size of her hand, and rose up on her feet, dusting off the bits of dirt and grit that were attached to her new robes. At least she was breaking them in some, she thought to herself. She remained still and quiet to give him a chance to make sure she wasn’t harmed, but her gaze shifted to his masked face when she heard him say that the rest of the day should be spent with some rest, mentioning her falls as the reason behind it. She frowned and felt a rise of resistance surge through her, and she tensed slightly. She wasn’t ready to quit just yet, and she voiced her opinion on the matter without really thinking it through.

“I’m fine! I’m mentally sharp still and my body isn’t broken or damaged by the falls. I can continue.”

It did occur to her after the fact that he was just looking out for her safety and wellbeing, and there came a twinge of regret. She was suddenly torn between apologizing and going along with his decision, and her sudden curiosity on just how far she could push her luck with an obstinate attitude.

You really shouldn’t test your boundaries and luck on your first day. You know how that turned out the last few times you pulled chit like this…you never learn, do you? her conscience whispered, but she chose to ignore it this time.

The Acolyte decided to press her luck and see what would happen and how Darth Strosius would react or respond to her. Maybe she could get away with this and then see what else she could get away with in the future. Or maybe she would be corrected and she’d learn another valuable lesson.


Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

His examination of Revna was quick, a slight circle around her as he idly sensed over her body, before nodding in satisfaction and stepping back. Thankfully he found nothing of note really, aside from some possible bruises but that was to be expected. Darth Strosius quickly tapped on his datapad to finalize his little report on her first day of training when she spoke up and reaffirmed her desire to continue. He paused and fixed the Acolyte with a glance as he cocked his head to the side.

"Your tenacity and dedication will be noted Revna," Very admirable traits indeed. ", but no you cannot continue. Not today at least." He clicked off his datapad and slid it back into his robes, sensing that the Acolyte wasn't willing to be taken out of the fray so easily. She was far too driven and eager for that. A little bit of discipline and wise words would hopefully be enough to sate her for now.

"You are still capable yes, but how much of that is simply the adrenaline pumping through your body hm? Remember what I warned earlier about overdoing it and exhausting yourself?" His tone was a mixture of sympathetic and firm, soft yet strict, the exact sort of tone one would take when admonishing a subordinate for their betterment. "You've tested both your blessings and your physical prowess today like never before, for the most part at least, so you are more than due for a bit of rest and reflection."

Between the physical exercises and the earlier emotional outburst while wielding her power properly, he had little doubt that the young Sith would indeed be exhausted if she allowed herself to feel it. "There will come days when I won't be as lenient. When you are indeed put to your limit and asked to go further, because in battle your opponents will not care about what is too much for you to handle, but that is not today. Today you have impressed me and displayed a talent for using your connection to the Force that some would pray for every night."

He gestured back towards the Dresuoti with a nod. "It is only your first day as an Acolyte, you should not expect any more of yourself than I do and you've already surpassed my expectations. Now you will be granted time to rest your weary body and mind, to think on the day and dwell on your performance both good and bad. Do you understand?"

Revna

 

[Revna]

Revna crossed her arms over her chest as she awaited the Sith's response. She tensed a little when he cocked his head and regarded her before he made it clear that she would not be continuing lessons for the rest of the day. She felt a twinge of disappointment, but she expected the answer to be a ‘no’. Now to see how he would respond to her mulish attitude. He turned off the datapad and placed it back inside a pocket in his robes, and proceeded to gently but firmly admonish her.

“I remember, yes.” She still felt very energized…but he was right. How much of that energy was actually adrenaline keeping her going at the moment? She returned her stormy eyes to Darth Strosius as he continued with his admonishment. He warned her that there would come a time where he wasn’t as lenient with her as he was being in the moment, pushing her past her limits in her training and lessons, and she took a hint that she should be thankful for being given time to rest and recuperate.

Revna was torn; she was used to going all day - morning to night - working doing various tasks. She had learned to deal with exhaustion, ignoring it to get through her workload. Having rest or time to herself was a novelty, and it would take some time to adjust to a new way of living. Just another thing for her to come to terms with, now that she was free.

“...I understand.” the Acolyte replied to her new Mentor after a moment of silence. “I guess I can take this as a reward for doing everything you required of me today. I want to continue but I am sure there will be more lessons tomorrow that I can look forward to.” She sighed softly as she dropped her stubborn demeanor. “I’m just not used to it…being told to rest instead of work until I drop.”

She stretched, wincing slightly as she tried to ease out some of the soreness from her muscles that was slowly starting to creep in now that she was paying more attention to her body and its needs. “Alright…you win. I will take your advice and rest and reflect on the day’s events.” She paused as a curious thought passed through her mind and she looked at him with the familiar curious frown and tilt of her head.

“You…wouldn’t happen to have like…reading material, would you? I was thinking that maybe I could start to study and familiarize myself with the Sith and their history. I feel it’s kind of important to know about them and their history if I am going to be given the opportunity to be counted amongst their ranks. Unless you had a different plan or idea in mind.”


Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

The masked man felt his shoulders slacken ever so slightly as Revna reluctantly accepted the end of her training for the day, relieved to not having to argue with the Acolyte. Not on her first day at least, but he had no doubt that one day she would push her luck. Something to be corrected and learned from later on. "I can understand the sentiment, but you're no good to anyone with an exhausted and broken body when it is not expected nor asked of you. As I said there will come a time when you want nothing more than a minute to catch your breath, a minute that will be denied, but it is not today."

Revna was far from the only one of their liberated flock that was still in the mindset of endless labor that had dominated their life before the cult, and unhealthy habit and intuition that needed to be broken down. In time it would be replaced by something far more useful like a ceaseless dedication, but that would take time. A weathering down that would come in tandem with further training to make use of such a determination.

He nodded as she stretched and decided to heed his advice without further complaint, turning away and briefly brushing the dust off of his robes that had accumulated from their trek around the obstacle course. "Hm?" Darth Strosius glanced back at the Acolyte as she spoke up again and asked about potential reading material. A smirk stretched across his hidden visage as he nodded, maintaining an air of formality despite his excitement at the question. "Well of course! I usually save a proper study session and history lesson for after your initial trials are over, but since you asked,"

He gestured for her to follow after him once more, eager to make the journey back to the Cathedral with a slight pep in his step. "Keeping records both of and from Sith history is something that I consider to be of primary importance. It is rather difficult to uphold a grand legacy and pursue ancient missions if no one knows the context behind such things after all." Ignorance damned many Sith, and indeed many people in general, but it would not claim any of his cult if he could help it. "In the Cathedral I keep a library with archives and books alike for you to peruse, but I'll just give you some documents and records on Sith history to start. Then you can explore oj your own as you please."

Revna

 

[Revna]

He was right, of course. She would be of no use if she was broken and hurting and exhausted. But hearing that the day was coming where she would be pushed beyond her limit and denied that moment of reprieve gave her a sense of caution, as well as reinforced the fact that the rest she was being told to take now was a gift.

A gift she would be a fool to turn away. The rest of her bull-headedness crumbled away with that understanding and she returned to a more compliant mindset.

Excitement lit up across Revna’s face when the Sith confirmed that he had access to information regarding the Sith and their history, and she could barely contain herself as he gestured for her to follow him back towards the Cathedral.

“I figured you would have had something for me to read or study, but I didn’t want to assume. Oh this is exciting! I love learning about new things. Wait…does this mean I get to actually study with you…or will I be doing that on my own?”

Revna’s excitement only grew when she learned that there was a whole library that would be available to her to look through…a novelty idea that nearly made her giddy. While her Mistress had been kind enough to teach her how to read and write in Basic and little bit in Huttese, she had been denied access to anything that would have given her the idea of hope and freedom, of having dreams beyond being a slave.

Perhaps that was why she was so hungry to learn about things that were not directly related to any physical skill or labor. Reading about lore, of history, languages, and other things was something she had dearly wanted for a long time. Wonder filled her eyes and face for a moment as a fact, no…a truth…finally dawned on her.

“The Force really does hear and answer prayers…” she said in a whispered voice of awe. “I have been longing for the day where I could learn about things that were not related to my work or chores. But…I wouldn’t have had that prayer, that wish, granted if I hadn’t…fought for it. The Force…rewards those who make an effort to do better, be better…doesn’t it? I wouldn’t even be here if I had not…seized my chance for freedom and gave it everything I had.” She smiled again, her eyes bright with the revelation she had received. “The strong are rewarded for their efforts. And I proved myself to be strong by casting off my chains. And now I am given the reward of living in your library as I consume all the knowledge therein. I shall not rest until I have absorbed everything!” The little Acolyte said the last part with humor, making it clear that she wasn’t being serious, and she gave the Sith a half-grin to convey her playful spirit.

“I look forward to seeing what documents and records you have to share with me. I am curious though…are you going to be testing or quizzing me on anything that you give me to study?”


Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

"We could study together if you'd prefer, I just assumed that you would be tired of my company after these past two days." The masked man shrugged, figuring that the Acolyte would rather read in the quiet solace of her room after a whole day spent out and about training. It wasn't too surprising that she'd want to do the opposite though, if only to have a bit more direction in her studies and a source of clarification should something arise that confused her.

Given how uninformed and uneducated slaves were kept, himself included, there was often very little context or background knowledge that they could rely upon when learning the history of the Sith. Even members of his cult that had never known chains could get confused at times. To this day there was still a constant period of needing to explain that the Galactic Alliance of the modern day and the Galactic Republic of old are indeed two very different institutions despite their similarities. And that didn't even begin to address just how many Sith states and empires there had been over the years until the Rule of Two was implemented, and then those that would appear long after the Gulag Plague up until the modern day.

He was pulled from his musings as he heard Revna whisper, his head cocking back slightly to regard her with a glance over his shoulder as he led the way back to the Dresuoti. "Once again you prove incredibly insightful for your youth!" He nodded and chuckled for a moment. If only he were that wise at her age. "Indeed, the Force is very generous. Only those that are willing to reach for its gifts however, to struggle to achieve them, will know of the true extent of its blessings."

"To be strong is to overcome the challenges that the galaxy lays out before you, and that strength is rewarded by the Force in turn. I for one find it an incredible honor that you believe our work and home here to be such a divine reward." She wasn't the first to make a remark like that, but she was so eloquent about it that he couldn't help but grin in response. That and her desire for knowledge made him feel very nostalgic for a few moments as he recalled when his master brought him to a Sith library after his first trial.

Perhaps one day he'd have to take Revna to Krayiss Two as a though to uphold a little tradition from his master, once it was rebuilt and refurbished of course. "Oh certainly, I have to make sure you know the material after all. A Sith that knows nothing of who the Sith are or what they've accomplished is hardly a Sith at all." Ignorance damns progress and all that. "But you won't have to worry about any quizzes or tests of that nature for quite some time. As I said, normally you wouldn't even be expected to read records or documents this early into your training, so you won't be tested on them early."

In truth she could probably handle whatever basic quizzes he could throw at her after a few days of study, if her determination thus far was anything to go off of, but there was hardly any need to rush her training. Darth Strosius was not one to deny his followers hobbies and especially not when those hobbies were productive. "I'd rather your studying material be of the more formal variety anyway, this will be more akin to casual reading by comparison."

Revna