The Master and the Apprentice (NPC Thread)

[Vandal Saar]

"I'm not done yet." Vandal beamed.

With a few more deep breaths he reached out again. There was something in the air this time. Kalus could sense it. The blade actually vibrated a little in his hand however he never took his gaze off of young Vandal. The boy continued to struggle but it was clear he was trying. His brow began to sweat and he seemed to breath differently. Even as the blade seemed to react nothing happened yet again. Vandal broke away and gave a little shout of anger. It was mainly due to how easy Kalus made it seem while he was barley able to accomplish something so simple.

Kalus shook his head and replied "How sad to see the line of the great Count Dooku come to this."

"Shut up!" Vandal shouted before trying yet again, this time Kalus stopping him with another light Force Push.

 

[Vandal Saar]

"You have anger. Good. But you don't know how to use it." Kalus said. "If you want to take this sword from me then you have to let your anger fuel you. Only it can help you focus and do what you want the Force to do."

Vandal was all the more annoyed by his words. The accumulation of pain from the training, the belittling from Kalus, and now him stealing his sword was starting to wane on him. But he refused to let Kalus leave with his blade by the end of this day. It was more than a weapon but a symbol of what was meant for him. If anger was what was needed then so be it.

Vandal tried again, only now he thought back to how he'd used the darkside before during the fighting. He didn't need to force it but let it flow through him. His hatred, his want, his pure and raw emotion. It had to be the driving force behind his actions how. His hand slowly went out as he reached with the Force towards the blade.

Kalus could feel it again. He could feel Vandal's presence changing around him. The darkside was starting to develop through him instead of just around him. Under his mask he was smirking as he felt the sword vibrate again only now he had a better idea of where Vandal's power was coming from. To keep up the challenge, however, he kept his grip tight on the hilt.

 

[Vandal Saar]

Eventually the grip Vandal had on the blade via the Force was strong enough to bring Kalus' arm up. The blade fought against his hold on it as Vandal continued to pull. Kalus was able to keep his foot but it was clear he wasn't just going to give it up so easily. If Vandal was going to take it he'd have to do it with as much of the Force behind his moves as possible.

Finally, after what seemed like an invisible battle, the blade flew out of Kalus' grip towards Vandal. However Vandal had not accounted for it swinging about in the air. Afraid the blade would come to stab him square through the chest he ducked as it drove into the wall behind. Vandal looked, realizing how close he'd come to killing himself, while Kalus could not help but laugh.

"At least you're quick on your feet, boy." he said as he watched Vandal carefully recover his blade. "At least you're getting the hang of it. And you've just taken your first step into a larger world."

 

[Vandal Saar]

After finally retrieving his blade Vandal looked back to Kalus and said "And I intend to take many more."

Kalus nodded before saying "We're done for today, boy. Go back and get some rest. You need to recover after today and you're no good to me if you can't even move."

Vandal nodded before turning to walk away. Kalus watched as he did before seeing him stop. Vandal seemed to hesitate before finally turning, a question he'd asked before bearing on his mind even now.

"You said you had to know an enemy to beat it." he began. "And you speak of the Jedi as if you've known them. How?"

Kalus was silent before saying "I told you before that answers like that are earned. But since it seems that it'll keep you up all night I'll suffice to say you're right. I was once a member of the Order and trained as a Jedi. But then, like every tragic story, things didn't go my way and I chose a different path. And that's all you'll know for now. Try not to let it ruin your sleep while trying to figure out the mysterious aster of yours."

Vandal only replied with a slight bow of his head before leaving, the two not meeting eye-to-eye for the rest of the day.

 

[Vandal Saar]

Vandal finally returned to his bed in the medical wing and rested. Despite the officers telling him he should not have been out, and further complaints about his newer wounds, he ignored and simply sat himself back to rest. He left his blade at the side but could not help but continue to look at it. He thought about when his father had first shown it to him and explained how important it was. He thought about how the night he ran away from home he stole it from it's hiding place. And even the events of today when Kalus had taken it before Vandal had early killed himself with it. The blade had already had a long history yet now it seemed Vandal was destine to carry a new one for it.

Meanwhile Kalus stayed within the training room after Vandal had left. He tried to think on what would next be taught for Vandal come their next test but his mind was a little preoccupied. The talk about his past had brought up old memories Kalus was not too happy to have return. As expected a man who turned from the light side to the dark had a complicated and painful history but not one many like him would share. Perhaps one day he would tell Vandal the whole truth but that would not be for a long time.

In his contemplation Kalus took out a small hologram device and activated it. Two figures, a woman and a young girl of five, stood there with smiling faces.