|
Post by Cain on Dec 6, 2009 18:18:13 GMT -5
Cain left the Mandalorians and returned down into the catacombs of the Jedi Temple. He entered the meditation chamber, candles now lining the walls of the room giving it just enough light for one to see the hand in front of his face. Cain's four students had been resting themselves patiently for some time now, each had suffered their own trial to make it this far.
Cain pulled back his hood and let his outer robe slide off as he stood before Ashley, Kayen, Janus and Tai, "Rise," He said simply, inviting them to stand, "You've suffered much to make it this far... but this is just the beginning. Despite your individual reasons, each of you has come here seeking power of some kind. If you prove yourself worthy, you will have that power," Cain paused a moment, looking over his students. Most of them bore severe injuries, some already looked exhausted.
"We shall begin with a simple question. Tell me what drives you. What has brought you here seeking the dark side's power?"
|
|
|
Post by DarkSaber on Dec 6, 2009 18:31:26 GMT -5
Ashley slowly opened her eyes after meditating after what seem like a weeks’ worth of clearing her head. She heard Cain’s voice and stretched her legs and stood up when he told them they could stand up. Her knees popped from sitting down too long. She cracked her neck.
"We shall begin with a simple question. Tell me what drives you. What has brought you here seeking the dark side's power?"
Ashley thought for a moment. “Power and ambition. The need to succeed in life.”
|
|
|
Post by Kayen/Saul/Katarina on Dec 6, 2009 19:15:06 GMT -5
Kayen was standing in the corner of the chamber with his arms crossed, only able to see with the force because he was as good as blind. He listened to Cain and then he stepped forward slowly to stand next to Ashley. "I seek to overcome my past. I want to use my emotions... instead of letting them control me...."
|
|
|
Post by Tai on Dec 6, 2009 19:17:15 GMT -5
Tai stood just looking at Cain for a minute not giving any answer. He took off his helmet in a struggle holding back tears of pain. He made a slight noise and winced as he did setting his helmet to the ground revealing his black hair and brown eyes. He was sweating and was very tired his arms still in pain. He finally gave his answer "The dark side is what drives me..." he said nothing more he just sighed and kept looking at Cain.
|
|
|
Post by Zilfer Of Shadows... on Dec 6, 2009 23:02:21 GMT -5
A lone longsword pilotted it's way down to the surface of Coruscant. It landed on the Jedi temple landing pad and the hatch opened however no one exited the ship. Within the room everyone was in, a figure dressed in white robes, a broken wing off to one side of him while the other remained hidden beneath his robes appeared from the shadows.
The figure bowed low before Cain, he knew it was probably a mistake to even try and come back here, however he had no other place to go. "Lord Hatori and I have failed to destroy the Army of Light, we were only to cause super ficial damage, once Lord Nanashi showed up.... I thought the battle was won however he has switched sides." said Karite wondering if Cain already knew about Zilfer's defection.
|
|
|
Post by Gamov on Dec 6, 2009 23:10:21 GMT -5
Janus stood as he heard Cain's voice echo into the room. His body still ached from what he had endured, but the worst of it had since subsided. He had even managed to catch a brief moment of sleep, tense though it was trying to find rest in a room full of Sith. But with each of them appearing more worse off than himself, he figured it was worth a chance.
He felt the muscles in his legs relax and stretch out for the first time in a few hours as he stood. Cain's words filled the room.
"We shall begin with a simple question. Tell me what drives you. What has brought you here seeking the dark side's power?"
A question that each of the others answered in turn for themselves. But, when it came Janus' turn to speak, he was not sure what to say. He did not seek power as the others did, only salvation. Still, foolish and simple though his motivations may seem in comparison to the others, he dare not chance showing any disrespect.
Janus felt slightly uncomfortable in his surroundings, but pressed himself to say what it was he truly desired from the Dark Side. "I seek no power, my Lord. Only salvation. Salvation from this torment that had ruled my life since I was old enough to remember."
He felt somewhat irritated as he sensed it, that thing, the other part of him, gnawing at the back of his skull. It clawed at his head, trying to force itself out.
"I want this.... thing out of me. Whatever it is, this alter ego. I want it gone. I want its taunts removed from my mind.... I just want to be sane again."
|
|
|
Post by Cain on Dec 6, 2009 23:25:03 GMT -5
Cain smirked, his eyes closed lightly as he listened to each student's answer. They were pretty standard, nothing unexpected. But when it came to Janus Cain couldn't help but chuckle, "Hmph... but you do seek power, young apprentice," he responded, "You will need power if you are to control that which torments you. Perhaps you will even learn to use it... to have it obey your command. The darkness gnaws away at you because you do not understand it. I can help you to know the dark side, to know the force and to tame it in kind. I suspect this power will also help you in taming your... darker half."
It was then that Karite entered the room, giving his report about the failure over Raxus Prime and Hatori's death... which Cain had indeed felt. Cain's face went cold, his yellow eyes flashing down at Karite, "The penalty for failure is death, Karite," As Cain raised his hand, Karite recoiled, but Cain hesitated. A smirk growing faintly over his face, "Do not worry... I'm not going to hurt you," He said calmly, "They are. Kill him. Kill him now," Cain said taking a step back and motioning for his new apprentices to finish off Karite.
|
|
|
Post by Tai on Dec 6, 2009 23:32:21 GMT -5
Tai only turned to the newcomer but he did not try to attack. He only circled to one side of the room slowly leaving his helmet were it was his arms still dangling. He did not even try to grasp his lightsabers he just walked calmly until he made it to one side and stopped. Tai was focusing he would not be the first to attack, he was no dummy, if an illusion by the master of the sith could do such damage to him imagine what this guy could do. Tai waited for one of the others to make an attack before he would do anything.
|
|
|
Post by Gamov on Dec 6, 2009 23:52:39 GMT -5
Janus didn't want to control this thing, he didn't even want to manage it. He just did not want it in him, period. It signified a twisted, horrifying part of his life that has followed him since the age of ten. The things it had made him do, the people it undoubtedly hurt. He had no idea what he had done when it was in control, but when he saw it in his mind, coalesced into a corporeal phantasm by the Emperor's coaxing.... That was all the convincing he needed to know that this thing was not a force to be trained or honed. Instead it was a poison, slowly draining his will and his sanity from him.
And what is worse, now it knew. It understood. It has thoughts of its own, actions, feelings, ideas. It is his doppelganger. And it lives in him, commanding him towards ends that any sane person would never even contemplate.
But, before Janus could muster his words in response to Cain, another figure entered the room and bowed to the Emperor, delivering a report about some failed military action over Raxus Prime. At first, Janus felt relived. Perhaps now the Emperor would focus his power elsewhere and leave them.... Him, alone for a time. However, it came as a great shock when Cain stayed his hand and instead ordered his new found apprentices against his broken servant.
Janus scanned the room nervously, waiting. He had no power over the Force, no sophisticated weapons as the others did. He was but a mere man. He felt somewhat relaxed when one of the others stepped forwards. Perhaps he would do it and save him the agony of having to endure more of the Sith's power. But the Captain's spirits sank slightly as the apprentice only paced around the servant, stopping and waiting as the room fell silent again.
No one moved or even took the initiative, save for the one. And he had so far done little with his motions.
"Do it...."
Janus fought back the voice in his head. That sinister urge boiling up in him again. "I.... I can't take anymore of this.... I can't"
"Fool! Kill him and earn the Emperor's trust!"
A throbbing pain pierced Janus' head, causing him to stumble forwards as a blinding ache engulfed his mind. He breathed heavily for a moment, his eyes clenched tightly shut as he clasped his hands over the sides of his head. As had been the case twice thus far, his alter ego took over once more, its power over him seemingly increased to a more potent level in the presence of the Dark Side's power.
Looking back up, Janus eyed the servant before him before glancing swiftly to his right to the woman. A plot began to form in his head as he cracked his knuckles. It should work, none of the focus seemed to be on himself at the moment. They were all too worried about the Emperor's demands, their attention elsewhere.
Acting swiftly, Janus shot a free hand towards the woman, grasping her saber from its place at her hip and igniting it in a snap as he lunged forwards towards Karite, gritting his teeth as he swung the saber downwards towards his head in a cumbersome, overhead chop.
|
|
|
Post by Kayen/Saul/Katarina on Dec 7, 2009 3:47:32 GMT -5
Kayen didn't hesitate like the others. He had killed many and this would be just another of his trophies. He quickly pulled the double, yellow lightsabers from his belt and ignited them together. Even though he was blinded, he had been focusing through the force the entire time and he was able to see the target, Karite. He quickly circled around Karite's back as Janus attacked him. Kayen lunged forward at the same time, swinging his right lightsaber at the back of Karite's right leg and then he twirled through the attack, his other lightsaber going towards Karite's midsection as he finished his graceful twirl facing his target, ready to defend if he had to.
|
|
|
Post by Tai on Dec 7, 2009 11:08:32 GMT -5
Tai saw that Janus had taken her lightsaber so Tai threw his blue one (Devons lightsaber) to her "Ashley!".
|
|
|
Post by DarkSaber on Dec 7, 2009 17:17:10 GMT -5
Ashley listened to Cain as he spoke. Before she could even grab her lightsaber she felt Janus take her saber. Then she saw Tai throw her a saber she used the Force to bring the saber to her and she ignited the blue the blue blade at the familar sound of a snap-hiss and she Force-leaped into the air and she swung her saber and aimmed it at Karite's right arm and cut it off and she quickly used the Force to take any weapons Karite had strapped on him.
|
|
|
Post by Cain on Dec 7, 2009 21:32:30 GMT -5
Karite may have tried to defend himself, though Cain discretely began to drain the life from the Mitsukai. Already exhausted from the battle earlier and now from the drain, Karite would not be able to react in time to the onslaught, being hacked into several pieces by Cain's new students.
Cain glanced up at Tai, he having been the only one of the students not to attack, "You still hesitate..." Cain said simply, "How many arms must you have crushed before you learn not to hold back?" Tai may have expect discipline to be forthcoming, but Cain merely shoved the corpse of Karite out the door for the medical droids to clean up. The blood stain still clear on the floor in the center of the room.
"I can not teach you any techniques until you understand how you are to go about using them," Cain began, "you must understand that the true power of the force is the power of the dark side. In order to obtain this power you will have to act without hesitation to identify weakness and destroy it. You will need hatred, you will need anger, you will need pain." Cain paused, taking a deep breath before addressing each of his students individually.
"Ashley... you seek power and an ambition of success... you will only succeed when you are better prepared for battle then your enemies. You were easily deceived by illusions and may very well have died chasing shadows for no other reason then your ignorance. You must know your enemy and his abilities better then you know even your own if you are ever to hope to have power. Remember this before you engage any foe from this day onward."
"Iridonian, you are, as always, an animal ruled by his emotions. If you wish to become strong and use this powerful weapon you have to its fullest extent you too must learn to know your enemy. Not all foes can be conquered by outbursts of rage, and though you may have been aware that you were fighting illusions, your emotions blinded you from any critical thinking. There is nothing wrong with the rage you hold, Iridonian, you must simply learn where and how best to use it. Close yourself out to your opponent, do not listen to their words, only to the force. Decide the most efficient means to eliminate your foe and attack. Never let up, never lose your focus. Though your hatred may be an inferno on the inside, I want you to display an outer demeanor as cold as ice."
"Janus Kine... you are afraid of yourself. You are afraid of what you might become. You are afraid of the idea of power. Fear dominates you, it is what has brought you here to me. You are weak, you cannot even wield the force, but I have spared your life because you have potential. Janus, you will find that the realities we cling to depend greatly on our points of view. If you choose to be afraid and see your alter ego as a curse, a plague then that is what it will be. Only after you are able to free yourself from all these fears will you see clearly once more."
"Tai, your encumbrance is quite the opposite of the others. You over think and underestimate, you are unsure. Your emotions are a weak weapon indeed, instead serving only to stay your hand and make you second guess yourself. Though you were the only student to truly calculate the abilities of your opponent, you were also the only student unable to attack. Mercy is an emotion your enemies and your peers will not share. When you hesitate, when you allow your foe any room to breathe that he has not earned you weaken your chances and strengthen his. Had you been stronger, had you not hesitated and eliminated your brother the moment you perceived him as a threat, then Kendal would still be alive today and you would be in your father's seat of power instead of the shell of a man you are today. Do not forget your failures, whether they be represented in pain emotional or physical... failure... pain... it is the price of power."
|
|
|
Post by Gamov on Dec 7, 2009 23:02:35 GMT -5
Janus worked to calm his breathing as Karite fell before the flurry of saber strikes. Each one finding its mark from each respective pupil and carving the unfortunate Mitsukai into pieces. A new feeling surged through his body. A feeling of power, penetrating him to the very core and heating his own living blood. It was indescribable to him, he had never felt anything like this in the entirety of his life before.
He drew in a few deep breaths, staring blankly at the pile of remains that used to be Karite. Had he really done that? Or was it the others? Everything after grabbing the saber seemed to be an incomprehensible blur to him. There was no recollection of events for almost a minute worth of time form when Cain set his students against his former servant, to when the deed had been finished.
Janus suddenly felt somewhat dizzy, almost as if a great pressure had been released in his head. He felt a throbbing in his temples as it seemed like every drop of blood in his body had surged to his head all at once for no reason. Bringing a hand to cover his eyes and massage his aching temples, he stumbled backwards slightly, his back landing flat against the wall behind him. As the sensation grew in him, Janus sank to the floor of the chamber, sitting alone, oblivious to events until Cain's familiar voice once again bellowed into the confusion of his own mind.
Looking up from his position, Janus had responded just in time to see the Emperor turn his gaze on him. A feeling of overwhelming uneasiness came over him as he stared into the sickly eyes of the Emperor once more, his dark stare piercing through him, almost as if he were looking directly into his soul.
"Janus Kine... you are afraid of yourself. You are afraid of what you might become. You are afraid of the idea of power. Fear dominates you, it is what has brought you here to me. You are weak, you cannot even wield the force, but I have spared your life because you have potential. Janus, you will find that the realities we cling to depend greatly on our points of view. If you choose to be afraid and see your alter ego as a curse, a plague then that is what it will be. Only after you are able to free yourself from all these fears will you see clearly once more."
Janus swallowed uncomfortably, sweat beading up on his forehead as the Emperor addressed him. Afraid of what he would become? Of course he was.... To the best of his current memory of events, he had just willingly assisted in killing another being. And for what purpose? Because the Emperor was displeased with him. Glancing down to his hand, Janus blanched at the sight of the saber in his grasp. Though it was now deactivated, appearing as little more than an innocuous silver cylinder, he knew what it was capable of.... What he was capable of with it in his possession. Reacting to the sight, he tossed the weapon away, sliding it into the middle of the floor as he stood listlessly from his seat.
See his alter ego as a curse? What other way is there to see it? So far it has butchered himself and another.... That he is aware of. God only knows what other atrocities this thing has unleashed on those around him. Part of him wanted to know, know just how truly evil and insane this personality was. But the other half of him was just as content never knowing such details. Maybe he never should have left that facility on Kessel. What has he done that is worth a damn since his escape? Nothing in recent memory that didn't result in self mutilation or the death of some other person.
Rain was right, this whole place, it was the very definition of insanity. She had protested coming here from the beginning. Why didn't he listen? Why did his own selfish ambitions always get in the way of sense? It was because of that damn thing inside him, that's why. It wants out, it doesn't want to be controlled. It wants to be in control. And what's worse is that it is willing to kill its host to accomplish what it wants the most.
Janus' mouth felt dry as he tried to conjure a sentence to plead with the Emperor. But he restrained himself. Cain had already been gracious enough to spare him from death because he had "potential".... Whatever that meant in the Emperor's twisted view of things. Instead, he composed himself, standing up as straight as he could and giving Cain a respectful nod.
"If I have even the slightest hope of gaining control over my life once more, I submit myself to your teachings." He reviewed the words in his mind as he bowed his head to the Emperor. On second thought, that may have been a "weak" thing to say. "Submit".... The whole point of his still being alive, according to the Emperor, was to learn how not to submit to fear any longer.
"You're a damn fool." He thought inwardly, expecting some kind of retaliation from Cain. At this point he could only hope that he had the will and resolve to stand up against the Emperor's trials and earn his freedom.
|
|
|
Post by Tai on Dec 7, 2009 23:02:36 GMT -5
"... If it was not for you being here emperor... these others would have failed.. making my opponent even weaker... it is not hesitation... it is not my emotions being weak... It is me using my head... following the force... listening to it.." Tai said slowly to Cain "When my comrades would have failed... I would of killed him... unlike them... my power does not drive me... my mind does.. and the force leads me... making me one step ahead of everyone else..." He paused for a second before finishing his small little lecture "my lord...".
|
|