The Faultering of the Sith

[Jin Phoenix]

Later that day after he had returned to the academy Zhen sat in the central room and slowly lifted the two lightsabers off his belt and placed them in front of himself. He then lifted the one which had belonged to Exar Kun with his mind and made one of the blade receptors parrelel to the ground. He then in one instant jerked his head and the saber was split into its two halves and the deep red crystal was revealed. Zhen smiled softly inside the darkness of his mask. The red crystal floated slowly to the ground, and he reached into his robe and pulled out a translucent black crystal. He lifted it and put it where the red one had been and with another jerk the saber was whole again. He stood and plucked it from the air and in a swift wovement ignighted both ends of it. If the room had been dark then it became pitch black with the shadow cast by the black and white blades. He grinned and deactivated the blades. But now he needed to test them somehow. He turned to the Sith Saber and raised it and suspended it in the center of the chamber and levitated above it waiteing for someone to accept his challenge.

[Blessèd Sith]

Meditating and half asleep, Nalaen was jerked back to full consciousness by the Force. She felt tendrils of eagerness creeping through the academy, even with her less-than-perfect abilities. Someone really wanted something . . . Touching the Force with her mind, she recognised the vibration in it almost immediately. The feeling of the Force from the Dark Lord had been something she learned quickly. He wanted something.

 

Well, even if she couldn't give it to him: she doubted she wanted to be on the receiving end of this, she could still go speak to him. Standing slowly, she pulled her cowl over her head and walked out of her room, following the Force to the threshold to the room where Darth Zhen stood. Watching him, head bowed in respect, she waited for him to acknowledge her.

 

She really needed something to do.

[Writer]

((Well, well... what have we here? Didn't realize this one was back going... not entirely sure what to post:p ))

 

 

Kira had returned to her room, a little tired from the exercise she had gotten by fighting the spiderlike animals in the tomb. After a brief meditation, she fell asleep.

 

Moments later, she awoke again, sensing a challenge. She was never one to turn down a challenge, so she immediately leapt off her bed and lunged for the door. As she sped into the hallway, she nearly collided with Nalaen. This near collision caused her to forget Darth Zhen's challenge. Instead, she stood still, staring at Nalaen.

 

"You have answered his call for a challenger as well," Kira finally said, standing back a little. Her voice was dripping with tension. "By all means, go ahead."

[steven]

"where am i?" he asked himsel for the hundredth time. He'd been stuck in this room

"your in my tomb!"said a voice.Steven looked around him but couldn't see anyone "and mine. HAHAHAHAHAHA"

"I take when you refered to this as your tomb, your the acient sith lords who's body was bearied(sp)." said steven ignited his saber

"that's right. and by looking at you your bandons brother. He came here once but couldn't defeate me. He escaped before i could kill him though" said the voice, but louder this time

"how? i don't see a door anywhere"

"fool. you trust your eyes!"

[Blessèd Sith]

(((You do realise that if you find the tomb and Nalaen finds out [as its her temple], she'll gut you with her bare hands n_n Oh, and wb wildjedi )))

 

Nalaen stared at Kira as she took a step back cautiously. Smoothing her robe she studied the other girl then shook her head slowly, peering up from under her cowl.

 

"Shockingly enough, I'm not here to challenge our Lord." Her tone was dry as she ignored the tension. "If you wish to die," here she gestured towards Darth Zhen, "then go ahead. I'll stay in the shadows until he acknowledges me." A slight smirk alighted her features. "I'm just waiting for some work."

[Writer]

"I was just waiting to see if someone else is stupid enough to accept his challenge," Kira retorted, almost sounding as if she wished Nalaen would be stupid enough. "The shadows hold us both, but if you can't stand me, perhaps you'd better find a different shadow."

[Blessèd Sith]

Her too sweet smile was all that was visible.

 

"I remember being here first. But no matter, there are plenty of shadows. Besides, weren't you the one rushing over to the Dark Lord?"

 

She shrugged nonchalantly, glancing over at Darth Zhen. When would he acknowledge her? Was he too filled with bloodlust to bother speaking of work? If someone would only challenge him, she could get something to do! But she didn't want to be the one putting her life on the line.

[Writer]

"Does my haste in arriving imply an eagerness to fight one so decidedly above me?" Kira asked, keeping her voice calm though her rage was building inside. She sighed, allowing some of the tension to escape. Then, with a smirk, she said, "We have only a little while to wait. One of the others will have heard Lord Zhen's challenge and approach our powerful master."

 

With a little laugh, she rubbed the back of her neck, where her scar was. "We both know how that will end."

[Blessèd Sith]

After a brief chuckle at Kira's statement, an honest, sudden grin spread across her face as she pulled her cowl back.

 

"I just had an idea," Nalaen said quietly as to not disturb the Dark Lord, her finger trailing thoughtfully down one of her facial tattoos. Her eyes were glinting excitedly, knowing that if there was one person who would agree to this, it would be Kira. "Why don't we go get Steven? I'm sure he could use the . . . practise."

 

There was, of course, her own modivation to this: it would get him out of the damned tomb.

 

"Well?" she said, crossing her arms gently.

[steven]

"the last person to visit me was a sith women."said the voice

"Nalaen?"asked steven

"thats her"

' no wonder she didn't want me coming down futher. She'd keep somthing like this to her self' he thought "so why am i here?"

"i'm going to test you. to see if your strongh enough for my wisdom"

"okay... so whats the test?"

"you must kill all of my spiders" a big tile fell front the ceil, steven jumped out of the way just in time, and then the gaint spiders came out of the hole. Steven was able to defend them off for 10 minutes but one was able to bite him and made steven even more angry.

 

Steven unleashed a forcepush so powerfull that it though all the remaining into the wall squishing them "where did that come from?" he asked himself. He knew at no apprentis at his level could do somthing like that

"your must hold the key artfact. this one that enables you to enter my tomb"

 

(erm sith, it's not 'her' temple. she's not the one who's burried in it is she?")

[Blessèd Sith]

(((I never said she was interred there. That tomb is her temple and her secret area. It's where she goes when she needs to be alone, or wants to learn more, or meditate . . . or whatever. It's "hers" and having someone else in on her secret will make her very angry. VERY angry. Note: it's her TEMPLE. I really hope for your sake, if you make it in, that you don't touch her altars or anything -_- Y'know, if you don't wanna end up bantha fodder or something ^_^ Oh, and a powerful Lord wouldn't be so petty, but that was just my thought. I mean, why would he TELL you what to do?! He's SITH, not jedi! Wouldn't he just try to kill you, then if you're able to pass his "tests", then he'd grudingly let you in? Again, that's just what I figured.)))

[Writer]

A genuine smile spread on Kira's face. "It's a deal."

[Blessèd Sith]

Taking one last glance at the Dark Lord, she nodded towards the shadowed hallway behind them.

 

"Then let's go," she murmured, "or he'll get himself killed before we can." Glancing about furtively, she then lifted her cowl back up to cover her head, all but her mouth going into blackness. Reaching out with the Force, she touched a tendril to her double bladed sabre, finding comfort in its presence. They could fire Steven up, get him eager to challenge their Lord and whatever happened would happen. It would get him out of the tomb at least.

 

Plus, it would be fun to play with him.

[steven]

After spider fight the spirit seemed leave so he decided to do the same. He made his way to his quaters, packed his stuff and started to load his ship in the hangar

[Writer]

Kira closed her eyes, and reached out with the Force. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open in surprise.

 

"He's by the ships!" she exclaimed. Shaking off her surprise, she turned to run in that direction, calling back to Nalaen over her shoulder. "Let's go."

[Blessèd Sith]

Hearing Kira's words first shocked her; then her beckoning put her into gear. Running along behind and gradually closing the gap between then, she reached out with the Force. It was more difficult to do when running full tilt, but she managed to get a hint of what Kira had felt: he was indeed somewhere around the ships. She couldn't get anything more accurate as she was trying too hard to not stumble or smash into walls as they careened around corners.

 

What the hell was he doing at the ships? This thought flashed through her mind as she put out her hand to avoid a collision with the cold stone of a corridor wall. Why did he leave the temple: did he find her temple? And if he did . . . but no matter, the larger question was why he was getting a ship. That probably meant he was leaving. Why was he leaving?

 

Robe trailing behind her in a twisted mess, flying out at the rather fast speed they were going, Nalaen chanced a glance at Kira. Perhaps she wasn't so bad. The animosity had faded, at least for now. There were bigger fish to fry, and it was better to have an ally than enemies all around. Especially when hunting.

[Writer]

Kira attempted to slow herself as she approached the entrance door to the hangar, but the floor was too smooth. Her boots began to slide and she immediately realized that she was going to ram the door if she did nothing. In a quick movement, she leapt off the ground, placed her feet on the wall, and backflipped over Nalaen's approaching form. The result was satisfactory; she dropped solidly on her feet behind Nalaen and let out a sigh of satisfaction.

 

"Not every day you're faced with something like that," she said, grinning like a maniac. Then, she joined Nalaen at the door and waited for it to open.

[Blessèd Sith]

Nalaen had seen the hangar door just before Kira, and was able to slow herself more gradually, avoiding the slip on the smooth floor. The other girl went up over her head and landed in a well-executed backflip. She grinned back at Kira with a short laugh.

 

"No, it isn't -- nice flip, by the way," she added smoothly, her grin fading into a genuine smile. She was starting to . . . like this other woman. It wasn't often Nalaen made friends; she was too busy trying to become the best of the best: or at least one of the best, to bother socializing. Or on missions and killing people for the Sith. But this girl . . . she was so much like herself: in a good way. Not enough to be grating, but enough to be able to work with her. Perhaps their previous animosity could be put behind them. After all, it did seem that they made a good team. But the real test would come in a second.

 

Turning back to the door, she watched as it opened in its own leisurely time. It didn't seem to understand the situation and wouldn't hurry for them. Or maybe it was her impatience which made the door seem like it was moving a bit slower than usual. Once more, she reached with the Force to touch her sabre, just to check. She wondered if she would need to use it.

 

After all, why was Steven fleeing? A Sith getting up and leaving for no apparent reason was never a good thing, unless sent on a mission by the Dark Lord. Which she knew hadn't happened, unless it was a long outstanding order.

 

The door finished its slow trek and she peered into the hangar. Taking a step in, hoping that Kira was with her. If she was going to get into a fight with a fellow student, she wanted someone else there to back her up. Not on a fighting level: she had handled Jedi before, though hadn't won without being completely unscathed. No, it wasn't for the extra skills or blade. It was for the moral support. They could feed off each other, and know that if the other was doing what she was, then they were doing the right thing. After all, she didn't want to be punished by Darth Zhen.

 

Now: where was Steven?

[steven]

Steve got into the cockpit of his ship. He flicked a few switches and his ship started the lift of the ground. He left the enclave and then the planet. While in space he looked at his map of the galaxy "so where shall i go to train? How about Ord Mantell"

 

He landed at a spaceport on Ord Mentell. he got out and went to a hotel for the night

[Writer]

Kira rushed forward at the sound of a ship being started, but it was too late. Steven's ship had lifted off and flown away by the time she reached the spot it had been. She gave a sigh of disappointment.

 

"Gone," she grumbled. Then, she had an idea. Turning to Nalaen, she grinned. "Do you want to follow him?"

[Blessèd Sith]

She opened her mouth and closed it a few times, eyes going wide. First, she was stunned at how easily Steven had got away: if given another chance, she would have dismembered him immediately, instead of waiting. Now, she had the choice to follow.

 

"Uh," she gaped, "shouldn't we ask Lord Zhen about this?" Her eyes darkened as they narrowed, a snarl twisting her face. "I don't like how this smells. He searches a tomb, tries to pry into my privacy, then suddenly leaves the academy. This smells VERY bad. And it's getting out of our hands. The Dark Lord wants blood. We will give him that blood."

 

She started walking out of the hangar, the Force around her thrumming with anger and loathing. Looking over her shoulder at Kira, she said, "You coming? It's time the Dark Lord did something about . . . Steven . . ."

[Writer]

Kira's eyes widened as she listened to what Nalaen was saying. Finally, the other girl finished speaking and Kira nodded wordlessly.

 

"I'm coming," she said slowly, shaking her head. "You're right... something's wrong here."

[steven]

"hmmm, i bet the dark lord would be wondering where i am. I'd better send him a message." he said getting up.

 

He walked to his ship and got in. He flicked a few bottems a message to the academy saying "Master Zhen, I'm tracking down one of the ebon hawk crew who killed a bandon. After that i'll be doing some training. If Nalaen and Kira ask to follow me, please don't let them, they'll get in the way"

[Blessèd Sith]

Nalaen strode purposefully through the dark, cool corridors to where she supposed Darth Zhen still stood. She knew it could be dangerous to approach him when he wanted an opponent, but that had to be pushed to the back of her mind. There were other things that had to be taken care of, had to be brought to his attention. Glancing at Kira to make sure she was still with her, she took a deep breath to centre herself and remove all inner trembles. What would the Dark Lord say? What would he do? There was really only one way to find out.

 

Entering the large chamber in which he was standing, Nalaen walked over to him, then dropped down, her head bowed. She couldn't see what Kira was doing and at this moment wasn't concerned.

 

"My Lord, I come not to challenge you, but to bring you word of . . . occurances of late. Steven is up to something," she said in a rush, chiding herself for her meekness. Stablising herself, she continued: "He just fled the academy." There she paused, knowing she didn't have to say anything more. He would sense her desire: that she wanted to hunt Steven down and skin him like the beast he was.

[steven]

He did sence her disire. "man, what dose that women have against me? the fact that i don't listen to her or the fact i made her temple a bit mesy?"

 

He got on a speeder when sped into a canyon.