freedomliveson

You never see it coming[Freedomliveson/The Elvenqueen]

Gotcha! Posted by the way. Feel free to skip to Zinuthra :)

Hutt blood in next post!

You never see it coming[Freedomliveson/The Elvenqueen]

Yerbol had thought that his Masters at the Academy put him through the proverbial wringer until their first day of training with Renso. He warned them, of course, before they had begun early that morning. Training would be rigorous, intensive, like nothing else you two had ever experienced. Acknowledging what Renso said was extremely different than actually experiencing the conditioning runs he had them doing, sprinting through the pitch black tombs with nothing but their senses to guide every footfall, every subtle stride that avoided a fallen skeleton or skittering creature that called this morbid monument their home. Every fall was punctuated with a correction of mechanics("Feet need to be striding in FRONT, not the side!" "Focus on the environmental cues! Everything is obvious if you use that brain of yours!"), the falls not limited to just their physical conditioning runs; they were also instructed in saber techniques and Force abilities that gave them both new ways to tackle the "growing darkness" that Renso continually mentioned in their training. The first couple of days were aggravating due to Renso's constant correction on Yerbol's form, which the latter thought was serving him just fine thank you very much, but Renso was awfully good at convincing the both of them to listen. Unfortunately for Ari that meant lightning shocks, to which Yerbol protested vehemently. Those protests, however, were quickly silenced when a few moments after the punishment Aria swept through the air, slicing through the manufactured targets that Renso conjured(they were in the form of obsidian colored spheres that dissipated when struck) with a kind of fluid aggressiveness that Renso had been preaching to her. His partner was growing more powerful by the day and so was he. His defensive forms were sharpened by Renso, refined to cover glaring weaknesses that he would have never noticed until Renso pointed them out by striking him with gusts of Force energy that almost made his lungs shrivel into nothingness. Their combat and physical training culminated every day in application, Renso pitting them against Force projections of faceless forms armed with quarterstaffs that HURT when they connected. After the first week of fighting those, Renso pitted the duo against each other in a sparring match that he said was necessary due to their "opposing styles. It would be good for the both of you to know how to effectively deal with foes that are diametrically opposite from yours." It was odd to have Aria opposing him, even if they were just sparring, but her competitiveness and their mutual desire to refine their skills helped him set aside his reluctance.
"Not made of glass, right, honey?" Yerbol said teasingly when they began, their sparring matches proving that his partner was indeed a ferocious combatant even against her lover(he KNEW she was skilled, but having her knock him to the ground with a leg sweep followed by a ferocious leg scissors reinforced the idea).

Combat was paired with the teachings of the Sith, which was a breath of fresh air for the Champion, hanging to the words of Renso for dear life. The philosophy of Balance, of harmonizing the Force and maintaining control while knowing when to unleash it's full power was everything Yerbol had craved to hear on Tython. Before falling asleep on their ship with Ari nestled against him, he would pore over the few texts Renso had preserved from Quensu, attempting to absorb all the information presented. They were to be teachers, after all, arbiters of a new era that would hopefully establish the kind of unifying harmony that was only a pipedream just a few months before. It was thrilling, but sobering as well; Renso made sure to remind them that the Xiis were out there, hungering for the power that they believed Renso stole from them through his zealous idealism. It was on the fourteenth day that the Xiis became his sole focus, barely able to rise from his meditation when the duo walked in the chamber when he breathed out:
"They are growing in number."
"The Xiis?" They came close to him, helping him straighten up as he nodded.
"I could feel those who awoke leave this part of the galaxy. They were silent, but just now...now there are more." He walked shakily to the exit of the chamber.
"They will stop at nothing to devour the galaxy." He motioned for them to follow, hanging a right at the exit of the chamber and descending further into the tombs, a path familiar now to the duo.
"Chaos is their primary focus, to destabilize. With your government already in a fragile state, they will take advantage of this." Sighing as he continued:
"Their very presence constitutes a threat to the existence of the Force. You must stop them."
"There are only a few left though...with our numbers-"
"It's not about the strength of your forces, Yerbol!" The Master snapped knowingly as they curved left, heading slightly upward, the air hanging damp and heavy.
"Has anything sunk in that I taught you? Strength of number is less important than strength of will. These creatures will outlast any large contingent of forces by their tenacity and power. Throwing wave after wave of soldiers against them will do nothing but feed their bloodlust, which will only make them grow stronger." The path was now illuminated with flickering blue flames emanating from scones on both sides of the hallway, which abruptly ended a few feet later with nothing but a square pedestal.
"This will be my last gift to you both." He curtly observed as the pedestal sunk into the floor, gently clicking in place. The once solid wall facing them opened up in two spots at shoulder height, serving as hiding places for two very special objects.
"Two halves of this crystal, when embedded in separate lightsabers, create an electric field around the blade. Focus hard enough and you can project bolts of lightning every time you swing. Careful not to injure friendly parties, though." He finished with a smirk, handing Aria the two glowing halves before retrieving a silver hilt embossed with navy blue circles across the surface.
"Your strength and power is too blunted by a single saber. This double bladed saber will serve you well in the times to come." Yerbol took the heavier hilt with caution, examining the etched grooves right as Renso collapsed to both knees, jaw slack. He pushed the duo away when they tried to help, admonishing them:
"Finally...pea...c..e.." He groaned, hands on the ground.
"Th...e..f...o..c...e..balanc..." His weakened body collapsed to the cold tomb floor.

____

"YUN!" Her neck craned towards her brothers, their arms laden with the bodies of those in front of the ruined temple. She cackled gleefully, bounding towards their kills, grazing her fingers over the flesh with eager anticipation.
"Sleep has only made us stronger, has it not?!" She jubilantly proclaimed, eyes cast towards the entrance, moving to the high ceilings, memories flooding her mind. The torturous needles, the countless beatings, the indoctrination that this place stood for...she swore they would pay; and although the last of their kind is gone in this strange new world, there was still opposition. Blood sport. Bodies to eviscerate, humans to feed on, a government to topple. They would re-establish their dominance, starting with this decrepit excuse of a world. Such cowardice! Shuddering in alleyways, shooting each other with blasters from afar, pathetic groups attempting to impose themselves on even weaker parties.

Yes. This would be the perfect starting point.

"Dispose of these?" One brother asked, sharpened teeth chattering.
"For now, let them be a warning." She ran a hand down his muscular chest, tongue running over her lips.
"The fat slugs above need tending to."
"Slugs!" Another repeated.
"Patience, brother." Her hands ran over the form in front of her, tracing down his lower back. He would do as her first in a LONG time.
"We will strike when our sisters have returned with favorable news."
"When?"
"Soon. Very soon."

You never see it coming[Freedomliveson/The Elvenqueen]

Sooooo I realized that this post might be longer than normal due to naming one of the main instigators within the Xiis/talking about Nar Shaddaa/etc, which translates to me wanting to know how you'd like to proceed. I know we worked out a rough outline for events, but now we can get a bit more specific. Allow me to spell out what I've got going on in my head and then you can modify/add/subtract as you see fit:

-Yerbol and Ari learn everything they can from Renso before he dies, which includes a warning about the Xiis being "implanted" on several worlds within Galactic space that are more than likely the targets of the Xiis who have already awoken.

-Deciding they'd need back up first, Ari and Yerbol go to Zinuthra where they talk to the Council, which agrees that an academy should be formed sooner rather than later. A call will soon be put out for any Force users willing to be trained to go to Zinuthra where the makings of the first academy will be. (we need to name the Order around this time, yeah?)

-After talking with the Council, Saresh puts in a call to Zinuthra asking for Havoc Squad to investigate a deathly silence from all comms on Nar Shaddaa. Yerbol and Aria, thinking that it might have something to do with the Xiis, join the squad.

-The Xiis who awakened first have caused much havoc since getting off world, going to Nar Shaddaa and finding their way to temple ruins beneath the massive complex built over it, awakening more of their kind and...well, I'd like to surprise you :p

You never see it coming[Freedomliveson/The Elvenqueen]

Aaaand it'll be tomorrow. My brain is scrambled egg. I'll make up for it tomorrow! Just you wait! Hutt blood everywhere! xD

You never see it coming[Freedomliveson/The Elvenqueen]

Let's just say that it's going to involve Hutts being ripped in half in a very literal manner 0_0

Update: ALMOST finished grading for the day/helping kids out on essays, so I'll get my post up later today! Sorry for the delay!

You never see it coming[Freedomliveson/The Elvenqueen]

Awesomesauce. You need to make sure that Aria has a chance to use her screams/new abilities VERY soon. Also, did I read your post right concerning Aria's form? Is she changing stances or lightsaber types?

Bah, like I said earlier, unless/until our arc becomes written into an Old Republic video game/comic book/movie, we're fine. Besides, it encompasses EVERYTHING that Renso has tried to impart to them in one compact phrase.

I'll build on what you laid down, then carry us to Renso's death? Sound good? Then from there we can move on to Zinuthra, then...well, let's just say that Nar Shaddaa is going to get a very big makeover that our dynamic duo is going to have to see in person

*rubs hands together maliciously*

You never see it coming[Freedomliveson/The Elvenqueen]

Yay for chills and yay for tragically flawed hero to come across! Glad both happened xD

Two weeks it is! Uh...montage probably, right? Two weeks of receiving training might bog us down. Maybe write in a couple of anecdotes that highlight their training? However you wish is fine by me :)

Also, I figured that that the duo would be receiving philosophical instruction as well as combat knowledge/experience, so in both our montages we can allude to that, yeah?

You never see it coming[Freedomliveson/The Elvenqueen]

There we go!

How long should Ari and Yerbol's training period be? I was thinking a couple of weeks? Renso is on his last legs anyway xD

You never see it coming[Freedomliveson/The Elvenqueen]

Exactly one of the questions Yerbol had wanted to ask himself. Why were these blue creatures so intent on eviscerating them on the spot? How were they automatically tied to the Sith in their minds? And how on all that was holy and true in the galaxy could they just break out of a wall without prior notice? Thankfully Renso's frail, rail-like frame was standing tall and not near as wobbly as just a few seconds ago, which he hoped would mean answers that were longer than a few fragmented sentences.
"They are products of my own egotistical approach." Renso spat out angrily, his voice condemning and harsh.
"The 'Xiis', they call themselves. Botched attempts at trying to cull out genetic weaknesses in a race that desperately needed it." He shook his head.
"But why speak when I can show you?" He motioned for them to sit, following his own gesture by planting himself in the center of the chamber, legs folded. After the duo took their positions, he closed his eyes, a soft, deep humming coming from his throat for a few moments. And then...

Then they were standing in a verdant grove, lush trees and foliage serving as the surroundings to blue humanoids, their eyes tired, muscles weak. Across from the humanoids was a hardy Renso, yellow eyes blazing with determination, waves of black hair emanating from his scalp down to his shoulders. Flanking him were two men, human in form and appearance.
"Keep at it!" The humanoids limped towards them, saber hilts lazily wafting into their hands as they shuffled forward.
"They're not going to survive another thrashing..." One of the men commented, his hands tensing into fists.
"They have to! They must if they are to overcome their weaknesses!"
"Renso, this is-"
"Enough! We MUST test them!" When the humanoids were within a few feet, their sabers were raised for just a flicker of a second before Renso and the two humans delivered a series of swift, methodical strikes that were loosely parried, but in the end the humanoids laid still on the ground, chests barely moving, eyes closed in welcome respite from the trials they had endured.
"No, no, not good enough."
"Crusading to save them isn't a good use of your time. We knew they were weak; why allow them to suffer any longer? Leave them be, Renso."
"And miss our chance to have their potential for good fully realized? No! We carry on with the trials, we weed out the ones who can't survive and then begin to breed."
"The way you speak of them..." One of the men's faces contorted in disgust.
"They're like animals to you, aren't they? Any speck of sentient, thoughtful life that they might have possessed gets replaced in your mind by what? Scientific curiosity masked as a noble race against the ravaging plague of genocide?!" The man turned away from Renso before adding:
"We won't support you any longer. This is madness. The Council will ensure these experiments don't carry on further."
"SHORT-SIGHTED MORONS!" Renso helped one of the humanoids to her feet, looking her over carefully.
"This ONE Xiis has more good in her bones than the lot of you combined! I WILL prove this to you, no matter what the cost!"

Suddenly they were in a darkened chamber lined with cylindrical tubes, each containing some kind of viscous fluid that occasionally jostled by the breathing patterns of the occupants, which were more of the humanoids, except their bodies were strong, laced with toned and thick musculature. From their right, a worn Renso emerged, taking a worried look back from where he came, then down to his hand, dripping with blood and viscera. Horrific screams trailed in from where Renso had come, followed by a handful of blaster wielding, armored humans, panting.
"There are too many of them! Squads Echo and Omega are taken out!" Renso grimaced, brushing the gore on his left leg before grabbing his saber hilt with both hands.
"Leave them to me. There's a passage behind us that will lead out to the hangar. Go now."
"Master Renso, we-"
"That was NOT an invitation for discussion." Cackling. Sickening. Chilling. Renso stepped backwards a few feet, readying himself for the oncoming battle. A moment later, screams of command:
"SLAUGHTER HIM! SMEAR HIS BLOOD ON THE WALLS! CONSUME HIS HEART!"

Their forms laid on the ground, blood soaking the stone chamber. Renso stood gasping for breath, various wounds covering his now almost naked body, clothes that he had once worn torn to smithereens. He looked at the tubes, their occupants and nodded.
"It is for the best." He wheezed out, walking to a control panel embedded at the other end of the chamber and slammed a protruding button, the already dim lighting shutting off, leaving nothing but blackness.

When they finally returned from their visionary trip, Yerbol's stomach felt like it had been turned inside out, nearly falling over if he hadn't straightened his spine and closed his eyes, recentering his focus. Those visions, while out of context, told the whole story. Nothing else needed to be said. The self-righteous pity Renso had on creatures from another world, his quest to cull their best genetic dispositions to further the explosive potential these being had with the Force, his relentless tests despite other members of the Council furiously rejecting his attempts, the corruption of those "Xiis" who refused to bow to Renso's Sith philosophies and desired power over their self-proclaimed savior, the vicious rebellion that led to hundreds dying, the stasis pods that left the last of the Xiis in hibernation, their reawakening...it all made sense.

"You see now?" Yerbol could only nod.
"The Xiis, just like Bracknell, was a product of my ego. I thought I could better the galaxy through the Xiis and I didn't learn my lesson very well. Bracknell's communion with me proved this." He stood up.
"The chaos I caused, the lives that were snuffed out due to my own short-sightedness, the imbalances that were so blatantly prompted my actions...my self-actualization cost much. And for this I will never forgive myself. I will not permit myself to be one with the Force, but I can give you two the skills and the teaching necessary to ensure that others will find the peace I cannot."
"You can...control that? Being one with the Force?" A knowing, sad smirk formed on the old Master's face.
"I've used the Force to sustain my life energy for thousands of years, an ancient meditative technique known only to a small few. Exploiting the Force as I have leads to consequences, one of which...well, there will be much more to explain later."
"So you want to teach us all you know?"
"As much as I can in the period of time I have left. I've expended almost all of my energy and my time draws to a close. You two can help rebuild what I have torn down, using the teachings of the Sith as a foundation for true peace across the galaxy."
"Why not talk to the Council now? You know they're more powerful than we are."
"But they do not have the blood flowing through your veins, the raw power that the both of you carry simply due to your heritage. You are True Sith. Embrace that." Yerbol looked to Aria with hesitance.
"What do you think?"

You never see it coming[Freedomliveson/The Elvenqueen]

That revelation will probably come later in the day. Grading as usual xD