Vanish!

[Darth Veles]

It’s been long since Avreet taught his signature power to someone worthy, and even she had managed to disappoint him. His last “student” turned out to be a traitor, choosing her sister above the needs of the galaxy. Darth Arcanix, also known as Taeli Rae or [member="Taeli Raaf"], a woman who had joined the Jedi for purely selfish reasons. Ironic how things work. Even before the raven-haired woman, most students seeking to learn the arts of Force cloak proved to be too weak to utilize the power’s great potential. Only very few have successfully grasped the principles of photokinetic manipulation despite the great demand, but the newest applicant was different – not an Acolyte, a Sith Knight who already followed the path of an assassin. She had built herself quite a reputation as an effective and efficient killing tool, albeit Avreet had yet to witness the young Rattataki in action. Still, just as she wished to learn from him, the Mon Cal felt a bit rusty when it came to his teaching ability. He was a master of an apprentice again, after all, and needed to ensure young [member="Kendrix"] understood what knowledge he wished to share with her.

The Sith Academy silently stood as a dark guardian of nightly Coruscant, proudly towering in its rightful place as if it’s always been on the former capital of the One Sith. It served as a bastion for all Sith and the Dark Side itself radiated from within the majestic structure, letting all Force users bask in its glory, draw upon its power and feast on it while listening to the promises of unlimited power and immortality. Little noise could be heard from within the tall walls of the Temple though; most Sith, students and teachers alike, have retreated to their beds, be it for the sake of recovering energy lost during the brutal training so typical for Sith or to engage in other activities. The Mon Calamari Sith known as Darth Veles stayed awake, wandering through the haunting corridors filled with darkness and the sound of his boots gently tapping on the floor. Something small remained hidden within his webbed hands as the amphibious assassin clutched it like a child. He met no Sith except for a few guards who immediately greeted the Sith Lord and continued on their patrols.

Surprisingly enough, the Sith Lord marched towards the exit instead of finding a training room for tonight’s lesson. The training was going to take place outside – combining fun with practicality. Night reigned over Coruscant, disturbed only by many lit windows and signs, yet the Sith Lord found himself surrounded by shadows as he set foot outside the Temple, enjoying the view and cutting through shadows with the vigilant gaze of his cybernetic orb. The planet lived still, many less-reputable individuals waking up at this hour. These unfortunate thugs would provide excellent volunteers…

Sitting on a step, he finally raised the mysterious object to his large mouth, revealing it to be a thermos flask. The night felt quite chilly, therefore his cloak and hot tea were depended on to provide some warmth. Sipping the dark liquid, the assassin’s eyes shut closed in focus on the Dark Side, his mind reaching out through the Force. So many signatures rested in the Temple in his back, yet none of them being his student.

“Darkness makes a wonderful ally, doesn’t it, Lady Ophidia?” he questioned in soft tone upon sensing her approach, not even trying to conceal his thick Imperial accent that originated in the Sith Empire that stood no more. Truly, shadows were as much of an ally to the Sith Lord as the Dark Side itself. Darkness concealed both him and the bodies of his victims, shielding them from the preying eyes of others.

“Would you like some black tea, my lady?” came another question as his big amber eyes opened, followed by a gentle chuckle, "I certainly don't want you to fall asleep as you listen to boring theory."

[member="Saiah"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Saiah had taken refuge in the darkness for so long it had practically become part of her. She welcomed it as more than an ally, it was an extension of herself. She allowed her signature to become visible as she emerged from the shadows and lowered her Terentatek-lined hood from her pale, bald head. A smile spread across her black lips, though there was little more than movement of facial muscle. Her pale grey eyes remained unmoved.

"That sounds splendid, Lord Veles. I doubt you could make me sleep, but in any case I will take some."

The Rattataki stepped closer to the Sith Lord with the fleet and silent footwork of an Assassin. She freed her hands from her cloak, one as black as ink, the other white as chalk, with a circle in her palm. He would probably recognize it as the growing Mark of Darkness. She sat down on the same step as Avreet, accepting a cup when it was given.

"As for darkness, it's one of the strongest. Lightning may take apart a foe, but a cloak of darkness can shatter empires."

She raised her cup in a greeting, sniffed the liquid out of habit and took a sip. She had never been big on tea, but this one did impress her. Perhaps it was a habit she would have to pick up.

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

One of the large eyes of the Mon Cal swivelled in fashion that allowed for his gaze to fall upon the hand of his student. The tattoo that was different, yet same as his own that adorned his back. The same tattoo he had tried to remove when briefly exiling himself and leaving the One Sith. It genuinely surprised the Sith Lord, his eye narrowing for a second before the relaxed expression returned to his face. He believed these marks to be nothing but reminders of the past, an old tradition that no longer existed. He definitely did not notice the once famed and feared Marks of Darkness to be common, quite the opposite. When inquiring a certain Sith Lady about those, she had no idea what the Mon Calamari Sith talked about. And yet, this new, fresh Knight possessed one of the tattoos on her hand. Maybe the old traditions weren’t completely dead…

Not letting it distract him too much, Avreet quickly poured the dark liquid into her cup before repeating her gesture and sipping from his own cup, eyes watching the impenetrable cloak of night. A plan for a nice surprise was born within his large head, something he always did when teaching the power. A small demonstration to give the student a taste of what she’d wield one day. Quickly raising the cup to his lips to hide the smile that curled his lips, the Mon Calamari let out a soft chuckle, seemingly reacting to the bald woman’s words. In reality, he focused on the mental task of bending light and shadows next to the young Rattataki, preparing the trick. The poorly illuminated steps to the Temple only helped him in his task, as he did not have to bother with details too much.

“True, my lady. Although I have to admit, I’ve never been the strongest user of Force lightning. My old master though… a different story.” A gentle, short laugh and then it happened.

After falling silent, something materialized next to the Knight; now she sat between Veles and an illusion that appeared as a Togruta female, her cloak failing to hide the woman’s nicely curved features due to the fact she wore a tight bodysuit. It was clearly an illusion, as the apparition had no backing in the Force.

“That is because you foolishly believe the Light Side gives you an edge over Jedi, my dear Avreet,” the illusion spoke in voice to belonged to neither Avreet nor Saiah; it was a voice dripping with firmness and sweetness alike, Darth Zarrah's voice Avreet loved to much.

Right after the last word’s been spoken, the Sith Lord and his signature in the Force alike vanished. Someone else sat in Veles’ place – the Jedi Grandmaster herself, Corvus Raaf. Was this just an illusion though? The strange figure radiated the Light Side signature worthy of a Master, threatening to wake up half the Temple. This never failed to amaze the students. It certainly helped the moderate Sith Lord knew his Jedi rival personally, even getting drunk with her once…

“Lady Ophidia,” Corvus said, but it wasn’t her voice that said the words. The thick Imperial accent revealed the true nature of the culprit.

“Before we move to the practical and interesting things, allow me to introduce you to the theory, familiarize you with the power you are going to wield. Please, enjoy the tea while I explain it to you. If you have any questions, ask once I’m finished.”


"Force cloak, also known as Cloak of shadows or Force concealment, is the ability to bend light and manipulate sound waves to render one virtually invisible and inaudible. It is indeed a very powerful ability to possess, which could mean the difference between life and death. Also, it is an alternative to fighting when secrecy is the best course of action. In the beginning you will manage to do this in short bursts, but over time, you will be able to hold this form for longer periods. It is exhausting to your body, mind, and the Force that resonates inside you. Until you are completely in tune with this ability, I suggest not using on missions unless your life is in danger and there is no other way to escape for the exception of fighting. Also, with this ability you can sneak past rivals, guards, or others without alerting your presence to them. You will take fewer lives as well, which is usually a good thing, plus it allows for precise and ethical kills. Keep in mind that when you bend sounds so others could not hear you, you also won’t be able to hear the outside world."

Standing up and letting all projections vanish, leaving nothing but the two Sith, Avreet allowed his signature to become neutral again become raising his right hand and bending light around it, very slowly turning it transparent until the webbed claws vanished completely. Another demonstration for the Sith Knight, albeit a display of something much more basic than conjuring his mental images into the real world.

[member="Saiah"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

As Darth Veles spoke, Saiah drank her tea. Her pale eyes watched as the optical illusion of the togruta appeared. She liked this person he portrayed, agreed with her. Perhaps they would meet, perhaps not. She enjoyed the warmth of the tea he had brewed and brought. However, when he appeared as Corvus Raaf right down to the aura, she spat out her drink. Every fibre of her awaited a moment to strike down the Jedi Grandmaster, but she stayed her blade. Either because it was foolish to draw on someone so powerful, but also because it may be an illusion, as it turned out to be, judging from the thick accent.

She raised her cup in understanding and enjoyed her tea as the Mon Cal explained the foundations of the skill he was about to teach her. She listened closely, snatching up every word and committing it to memory. Sparing lives, not so much an interest as sparing effort. If she could pass guard unnoticed, then she could make assassinations appear as suicides. Who better to blame for a murder than the murdered one? She did not want to create a debate about it. Learning is a time to set aside ones personal issues and commit to the teachings of another. What one walks away with is, however, easier to filter.

She watched as he made his hand invisible, and she coveted the power. It was visible in her eyes how she desired to learn this skill.

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

It did not stop there; once completely visible again, the Mon Calamari continued demonstrating the basics, to offer Saiah a chance of actually seeing the power’s advantages before boring her with theory. From experience, Avreet knew very well that many students fell asleep during his lengthy explanations. This play of light and shadow was an excellent way of both keeping his student’s attention and given the uncommon nature of the power, Avreet’s efforts were often met with success. Even if shooting the Dark Side itself out of one’s fingertips became an ordinary power commonly used among Knight and Acolytes alike, no longer being an exclusive signature of only the most powerful of Sith Lords, Force cloak and its derived powers still possessed that unknown that added to the mystery.

To further show his young student the power’s advantages, the Mon Cal clapped his hands. Once, twice. Both claps could be heard, resonating through the night’s silence. Then the fishy Sith smiled and repeated the motion – his mind now bending sound itself, so as his webbed hands connected, no sound came out. And it got better yet! Reaching out for one of his curved hilts that patiently waited hanging on his waist, the Mon Calamari unclipped the weapon and held it out in front of Saiah. No explanation, no words as to why he did so, merely showing her his finger pushing against the ignition button… and the crimson blade of superheated plasma sprung to life, except not accompanied by the weapon’s characteristic snap-hiss that always revealed a lightsaber’s presence. What more, Avreet pointed the blade at Saiah, close enough for her to be very aware of the weapon, far enough to not hurt her in any way. Then came an upwards swing that brought the blade vertically in front of the Mon Cal’s face, red illuminating his features, only to be swung down in a Makashi flourish that finished this salute to the student.

A standard move known to all practitioners of Makashi, but Saiah might have noted the lack of any humming even though the weapon was turned on, the lack of its singing as it cut through the air. And just like before, the Sith continued yet; his entire body, including the activated lightsaber, started to vanish like a ghost, becoming transparent and blending it with the scenery behind the teacher. Then he vanished completely and the stone step right next to the Sith Knight hissed and moaned, black scorched spot appearing in the solid stone as Avreet’s blade struck it. Admittedly, keeping an activated lightsaber was a very hard and draining task, one not completely easy even for master of Force cloak such as Darth Veles. Years and years of constant training and practice worked in his favour now though, all the hard work paying off.

Materializing behind the woman, Avreet first turned the weapon off and place it back in its place, letting it wait for another foolish Jedi to run through.

“What do you think, my lady?” Avreet asked the woman, his voice clearly dripping with humour as if he just told a good joke, “Do you find the power useful?”

[member="Saiah"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Saiah was good at keeping a straight face, but with the display the Mon Cal Sith Lord played out, it proved exceedingly difficult for her to keep her mask of approximate neutrality. She smiled at the display of prowess and sat completely still when the sabre carved into the stone next to her.

"My lord, I would not have come if I had not thought your ability to be useful. Now that I can sense it, I find it formidable."

She put the empty teacup down and stood up, turning gracefully on the spot to face her teacher.

"Now teach me how. Please." The please at the end was rather something of a courtesy word. She would not beg, but considering their polite exchanges, she deemed it fitting. She was ready to delve into the mysteries of this ability and to adopt it to her arsenal.

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

The way his young student said it after turning almost made Avreet chuckle. It was fairly obvious neither of them took the training too seriously – and why would they, given both were Sith. Saiah had yet to become an equal in rank, but Avreet cared little about that; by attaining the rank of a Knight, she had ascended already, being a true Sith. Other things mattered little, such as needless formalities. Curiously enough, the Sith took a step back, suddenly feeling somewhat uncomfortable to be this close to a woman that wasn’t his beloved Zarrah. Aside from that one step, he displayed no sign of discomfort, expression calm and relaxed, even the step’s been done with grace and elegance of his own.

“Of course!” he assured with a nod, then took a glance at the dark night behind the woman. How did he use to explain it during his lessons? Force cloak was hard to learn. Very hard. Students essentially had to discover it themselves, the teacher offering nothing but guidance and examples.

His gaze returned to the woman and locked with her cold eyes.

“I’ll use the metaphor of water to teach you this technique.” Mon Calamari.

“Imagine yourself underwater. The water all around you is the light and sound. To disappear, think of not allowing the water touch you, push it away. It is hard, but there is no need to rush. You have as much time as you need. Bend the water so it would not touch you. Once you get a hang on it, it will become slightly easier. Do not stress yourself if you fail, just try again until you get it right. If you wish, open yourself to the Force and find my presence, feel what I do and try to replicate it.”

Just as Veles said, he did; again, the Mon Cal started to disappear in front of the woman’s very eyes, taking his time to allow he to feel it, observe it, study it. That was how he's been taught it in the first place, therefore Saiah was free to fill a complaint and send it to Darth Zarrah.

[member="Saiah"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Imagine herself under water? She nodded tried to simulate the feeling of being submerged. Saiah delved deeper and deeper into the idea until she could practically feel the pressure on her skin. Then came the next step: Push the water away. This proved to be much more difficult. She tried to press out, but created only circular surges of force energy, blasting dust away from her epicentre. It was frustrating, but she tried again. She tried to open herself and feel what Avreet was doing, it helped some, but in the end she would have to make it happen herself.

She pressed out, trying to press the imagined water out and away from her. If she pressed too fast or too hard, then it would burst and she was back to scratch. Yet she had to push, lest she would be stuck. At one point, she was about to get it right, but she also pushed away the very air she was supposed to breathe.

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

The Knight's effort could be literally tasted through the Force, her incredible determination to press on and succeed. Very admirable; Avreet had no doubt the woman's efforts would soon produce results, however small they were. She now knew why the power's been such a rarity in the galaxy, never being very common despite its great usefulness, which made all Sith Assassins knowing it lethal weapons, unheard and unseen by their enemies until it was too late. Avreet also personally liked to use it to execute traitors; what better way to kill one than by slaying them without offering any chance of fighting back?

Stopping with the demonstration, the amphibious Sith knelt down on the cold stone, webbed hands placed on his hips, eyes still focused on the Sith Knight. Eagerness danced within his orbs in expectation of seeing the woman's success, hoping the sheer effort and energy drain the power required had no negative effects on the woman's body; falling unconscuius in particular being one of them.

"Please, don't push yourself too hard. Take a rest. Meditate. Let the Dark Side provide you with the energy you need," he offered a bit of advice and closed his eyes, opening himself to the Force and drawing it in, basking in the Dark Side and enjoying the cool breeze that occasionally brushed against his sensitive skin.

[member="Saiah"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Saiah stopped as the Lord told her to and took a deep breath. She started pacing back and forth with calm steps as she calmed down and drew the energy of the Dark Side to her. The ability was surely enough quite taxing, and she had not yet been able to fade away. She knew her limits, and often skirted them. Sometimes, even busted through and created new ones. However, this would not be the time to break limits, but stretch them to fit her new skill.

As she walked back and forth, she let her flesh rest and let her passions churn up new energy to fill her stores. She would press on further in a moment, but first she needed to replenish. She broke from her pace and filled her cup half-full of tea, which she would let glide smoothly into her mouth.

"Right, once more onto the breach."

She stopped and exhaled as she centred herself and called upon the power of the Dark Side. She stepped back from the idea of water, and tried to simply do as the skill commanded. To bend light out of her way. It was harder, but she thrived under pressure. She stood there for a minute, staring ahead with a blank expression as she worked with the Force. Then, parts of her faded. It reappeared and faded again. She was working out the ticks, but she believed she had cracked the code of bending light.

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

Almost like a dry sponge, the Knight started absorbing the Dark Side after the first attempt somewhat failed – quite common when it came to such an advanced power, the current master of Force cloak in front of her was no exception. Before the pale woman tried again, the Mon Calamari offered an encouraging nod, once again watching her body carefully to see if even a little part of it started to vanish at her command. Similarly to before, the Sith Knight visibly focused very hard, immersing herself into the Force and concentrating on the task at hand. This time, Avreet’s favourite Rattataki became one with darkness, blending in with her surroundings as she partially vanished. A small smile broke the Mon Cal’s stone expression, curling his lips. Saiah’s technique still lacked stability, plus this imperfect cloak of shadows drained much more than necessary.

“Excellent work, my lady,” the Sith exclaimed in praise, clapping his webbed hands, “I suppose you understand the principle now, so allow me to give you a few warnings. First, Force cloak is very draining until you are more experienced and learn how to use it truly efficiently. It is not draining you as fast when you're meditating, as the meditation provides you with some incoming energy, though it is not enough to feed the cloak for a long time. My suggestion is to practice the power while meditating, as it will greatly increase your Force energy reserves as well as teach you how to bend light faster. Right now, I guess you will be able to maintain Force cloak and Force stealth while moving for about...,” the Sith stroked his barbels between his webbed claws, orange eyes staring right at the bald woman.

"Fom three to four minutes? Give or take. It will get much better with practice, trust me. I suggest always meditating to replenish your energy after using Force cloak. You can keep your signature hidden though, that is not a very draining power and what you get from meditations is more than what it uses. Do not use it on missions for too long! You might find yourself drained and defenceless, therefore the best tactic would be to empower yourself, disappear and swiftly move to another position where you meditate again, or use any other method for refilling your energy, eh."

“Second, cybernetics and species with unique eyesight, such as the Mon Calamari...,” Veles smiled, “Some species possess excellent eyesight and see in unique wavelengths, which allows them to see you even if you hide with Force cloak. I can see you, no matter how hard you try to hide. Same with those who use cybernetic replacements for their eyes.” A wink of his right eye has been sent towards the Sith Knight. “Once you get good enough at bending light, I will teach more advanced applications of bending light.

Falling silent for a moment, the Mon Calamari’s expression’s been replaced with a roguish smirk.

“Now, please, rest for a bit and repeat what you just did a few times to ensure you understand and remember the way you did it. After that… try to do the same thing with sound waves, my lady. Bend them to your will. Make your footsteps soundless.”

[member="Saiah"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

3-4 minutes, yes that sounded about right. She could feel the drain especially when she let go of the shroud, as if it caught up with her at the end. She tried not to show, but sweat had begun forming beads on her forehead. Yet, she did not relent on her concentration, she still snatched up every word thrown her way. Perhaps it would be ideal for Saiah to get a cybernetic eye for detection.

She took Darth Veles' advice and sat down smoothly. Her hands folded in her lap as she exhaled and let her body fall back into place. Her spirit churned up more energy and she gathered the Force around her to reinvigorate her through passion. Before long, she was ready once more and stood up with determination.

"Bending the sound-waves then."

She focused on the air around her and tried to feel it as she lifted her foot, stamping it down, she tried to bend the sound waves, but nothing happened. She tried once more, twice more, thrice more. She needed further practice, or some miraculous advice.

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

Again, the Mon Cal did not disturb his student as she mentally prepared to test her skill once more, feasting on the endless sources of the Dark Side. Her success in the previous task very much pointed all evidence towards her being a particularly able Sith, one that should encounter little trouble on her way towards power and greatness, conquering this cloaking technique as any other obstacle in her way. Still, Saiah’s body had yet to reach perfection; while not weak by any means, Avreet would never dare to think of this particular Sith as a weakling, the girl’s physical form had yet to get used to the immense drain of more advanced powers.

It was not right to find the student’s attempts this humorous, especially given the young Knight wished to learn such an advanced power. Still, Avreet lost the battle against the smile that curled his lips, therefore the Sith Lord turned his focus to making it look like one of his encouraging smiles and resisting the urge to snicker. The image of a powerful Knight stomping her foot as if trying to crush some pest underneath her boot simply looked amusing, especially if one knew the Knight in question was a deadly and ruthless creature.

“Hmm,” Avreet muttered, “Let me try to help, Knight. Immerse yourself in the Force and feel. ”

In the same way he had done thousands of times before, Veles slowly bent sound waves around the woman, creating a small bubble around her body that no sound could penetrate. Soon, the young Knight made no noise, no matter how much she tried, be it clapping or talking. She also found herself deaf – such was the price for being completely soundless.

“Just what kind of Sith are you going to be?”

A pointless question given his student’s state. Avreet left the woman like that for a minute or two, muted and deaf to allow the silence to sink in and let her get used to it. It was quite relaxing, actually.

When the effect vanished with nothing but a flick of the wrist of Darth Veles, the pale Rattataki was free to try it on her own again.

[member="Saiah"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

As the Mon Cal Sith Lord interjected, she seized her stomping and did as bid. She immersed herself in the Force and felt what was done around her. Then, when she felt the soundwaves bend and heard the lack of sound, she started stomping, clapping and even yelling. Yet nothing was heard. A smile spread over her lips for a second, then she saw Avreet speaking. Had he been a human, then she could have read his lips, but his features were too different for her to distinguish exactly. And she could hear nothing, of course. She begun to understand the feeling, perhaps now she could replicate it?

As the sound came back. She almost jumped a little. The first time going deaf, then hearing sounds again, was quite peculiar. Now she had to learn and then master the ability. She took a moment to collect her energy, standing upright with her eyes half closed. Having now experienced deafness, she could feel the sounds all around her. Ophidia created a bubble, almost tangible in the beginning, but then it attuned to sounds. It was much like tuning a radio, and she snapped her fingers to test the sound. Slowly, bit by bit, the sounds were extinguished.

[member="Darth Veles"]

Spoiler

Sorry for the lateness. Lost my muse for a little bit there.

 

[Darth Veles]

Sometimes it took only a small nudge to push students towards the right path, their way to greatness. Such was the case with this Knight – and Avreet appreciated he did not need to go to particularly great lengths to share his knowledge with the pale Rattataki. If only all students were this competent… ! Then again, it took more than physical ability and solid grasp on the Force to make a good Sith – and Veles still did not know much about the woman’s mindset.

Sooner rather than later, Veles’ temporary student grasped the basics of yet another new technique, knowing everything necessary to fully unleash the power of Force cloak upon her enemies. Before being even remotely competent in the power’s application, she’d have to spend long and countless months by practicing relentlessly. That is, if she had a natural knack for the power; if not, what awaited her weren’t months as much as years. The Mon Cal actually found himself curious of how the woman faces the challenge laid before her, if she finds a way of mastering this powerful technique.

Connecting his mind with that of his student, only for the means of communication as she would most likely not hear him otherwise.

“Knight, rest again and prepare for your final task. I want you to both bend light and sound to sneak up on me and strike me down. Don’t worry – I won’t cheat.”

Naturally, the Sith had his own surprise planned for the woman; while it appeared he remained standing in place, in reality the amphibious Sith had cloaked himself and created a perfect clone that posed as him. The real Mon Calamari hid his signature and presence before walking away a few steps, invisible in the dark of the night, silent enough so he did not even have to bend sound to be soundless. Quietly, both big eyes observed the student’s approach of this situation – hoping to not see or hear her soon.

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

The Rattataki sat down, making herself ready for the next task. Removing herself from sound and light had both been difficult tasks. Now she would have to do so again, and both at once. She presumed hiding her presence in the Force would be prudent as well, but she would first have to establish her physical cover, seeing as that was the task of the lesson. Once again, she called the Dark Side to her and enveloped herself in it. She felt the power surge inside her and when she felt it reinvigorate her, she started to vanish. First she removed sound, then she appeared to be enveloped in a fog of transparency. She could feel her limited stores of energy already draining, yet she wrapped herself in a cloak of insignificance, and whisked away her presence in the Force.

She stood up cautiously, The sand shifting under her feet made her aware of her footprints. She would need to tread lightly and avoid giving herself away. She was about to face a Sith Lord after all. Gingerly, Darth Ophidia stepped around the Mon Cal in a circle, attempting to throw him off completely. She put her lightsabre hilt in her hand, took a position behind Darth Veles' left side and activated the blade while lunging forward with a thrust that would, if hitting perfectly, strike through his left lung and heart. A killing blow. If the Sith Lord was worth his salt, then he would not be taken down by a Knight such as her.

As she struck, her field wavered, she was not used to such exertion in the ability yet, however she kept it as strong as possible for as long as she could. She appeared as a shade, more so than giving him her full features.

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

The Sith Lord observed the student’s work; both through his large eyes and the Force. Darkness and deafening silence took her as their daughter, stealing the woman for themselves as she vanished from sight – albeit Avreet had to admit he could still see a faint outline, be it due to her lack of practice and experience or his excellent eyesight. Either way, the Sith Lord found himself smiling when the Knight’s presence vanished just like its owner, or even better, indicating she had used and practiced the power a lot. Overall, the amphibian couldn’t have been more pleased with the Knight’s skills, all he needed to focus on now was this surprise for her, another little demonstration of what bending light and sound could do and also a small reward for her patience. Not every Knight got to kill their teacher by the end of a lesson, right?

Then came the moment of truth, the projection of the Sith Lord standing there, looking around and searching for the pale woman, apparently unable to spot her. When Avreet, the real one, saw her get near, his double closed his large eyes as if reaching out through the Force to make it appear the woman had caught him completely by surprise. The combination of Force cloak and one of the presence hiding powers made a truly powerful and deadly weapon. How can one fight against something that cannot be seen?

Ophidia’s blade visibly threatened to completely ruin her efforts and tear down the cloak covering her in shadows, yet by the time she attacked, it was too late for the Mon Cal. The superheated plasma cut right through the Sith Lord with the same ease as if it cut through anything else – lightsabers were devastating and unforgiving weapons. His eyes shot open, a gasp leaving his mouth, the hissing of vaporized blood and flesh coming from within. Falling off the woman’s blade, the Mon Calamari landed with a thud, never to get up again.

The projection did not vanish yet as the real Avreet silently approached his student from behind and wrapped his right arm around Saiah to hold her tight and restrain her movement, the other hand holding an unignited lightsaber, its cold hilt poking the woman into back. Only then the Mon Calamari broke his focus and finally allowed all tricks vanish as if they were never there.

“How did you enjoy killing me, my lady?” Avreet questioned, not letting go of her yet, letting the unspoken yet obvious threat of igniting his crimson beam of energy through her spine linger in the air.

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Ophidia's eyes widened as she felt the arm around her shoulders and the lightsabre at her back. After his display of prowess with illusions, she should have expected something like this, yet she gave almost no tell of her surprise. The Mon Cal could most likely feel a fraction increase in her pulse, which settled rather quickly. Her invisibility and silence dissolved quickly and revealed her sweat-soaked face.

"It's not every day I get to kill a Sith Lord. Even an illusionary one."

Her scarlet blade snapped back into its hilt as a sign of non-agression, but through her mind ran a hundred possibilities of getting out of her current situation. Many Sith Lords liked to put their students in peril, even after they had struggled to teach them a vital skill. She could not be sure it was a harmless situation.

[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

Careful words, but what else to expect from a Sith Knight talking to one that would, in theory, be capable of defeating her in a matter of moments. In practice, Veles was a strange case; his fondness for diplomatic solutions and general distaste for pointless bloodshed meant he was less likely to see battle than his colleagues. Still, with the terrible war tearing the galaxy apart, he had to leave his dreams of peace behind and focus on defeating the enemy like everyone else. He hated war. He hated the One Sith, he hated the Republic, he hated the entire galaxy for never learning its lesson and constantly depopulating itself every few years. Nothing made sense, but why would it when most sentients outright refused to not repeat the mistakes of the past?

As the hiss coming from her lightsaber indicated the weapon no longer presented a threat, the Mon Cal clipped his own blade to the belt before letting go of the Rattataki assassin, taking a step back to put some space between them again.

“And so the lesson ends, my lady. If there isn’t something else you’d like to discuss, then I’ll return to my tea.”

His voice was soothing and calm, serene even, smooth as silk and yet deep as the deepest trenches on Glee Anselm.

“Good evening, lady Ophidia. I hope we’ll never cross blade; it’d be a shame for the Sith to lose either of us when there are so many Jedi to send to the Void.”

And with that comment, the amphibian returned to his spots on the steps, continuing to gaze over Coruscant. The planet looked so peaceful when it slept and the night was still young, prompting the amphibious assassin to think whether to go to sleep sooner or take a stroll through the streets first.

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Darth Veles let her go, and while she could have enjoyed a bit of tea, she desperately needed a shower and some rest. She would not be wandering the streets of Coruscant this night. The city life was not exactly her strong suit in any case.

"Perhaps we will enjoy conversation and a cup of tea on some other time. I'll be looking forward to fighting alongside you, Darth Veles. May they never see us coming. Until then, farewell."

She smiled at the Mon Cal Sith Lord and gave a small bow before passing him and walking up the stairs towards the main-locale of the academy. She turned and looked one more time at her temporary teacher before she stepped over the top and vanished from sight. He had given her a key to a hundred doors, and Ophidia would have her work cut out for her in opening them.

[member="Darth Veles"]