McGreggor - the price of power

Being led to a chamber located within the impressive constructions of the dark sith order McGreggor took a deep breath. He entered to face Sith Lord Vance Jas. The man whose name he had heard from fearful whispers. The man he believed to be the key to defeat the enemies of his clan and the one he had chosen to be his master for this final period of his life. 'If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.' Self-assertively the noble entered the chamber. He bent his head with respect to the lord. Holding the gesture for a long minute before he spoke. "Be greeted, my lord. My name is Wallace McGreggor."

The Sith Lord stood with his back to the approaching man, looking thoughtfully from his chamber window behind his large throne-like chair... "Greetings, young one..." The Sith Lord said, till looking out over the planetscape below from the upper levels of the Sith Temple, "From this moment forward, I will be Master... Stand and come to me." The Sith said as he slowly turned, his face hidden within his hood; only his ice blue eyes to be seen glinting in the darkened chambers, "Why have you come here, to this place...?"

McGreggor looked up, slightly astonished of the way he had been addressed. Approaching he caught a glimpse of the Lords' icy glittering eyes. Although the noble used to judge people after the veracity that showed in their eyes he wasn't able to interpret these ones. Keeping a respectful distance he answered the Sith Lords question. "Lots o' men are demented, Sire, blindfolded by the light. I too was blindfolded ere. Light.. hath betrayed me in times of need." McGreggor paused, suppressing the images of misery that accomplished these memories. "Now i know there is no justice on the earth beneath and no god to guard our steps. No longer am i willing to confine to the weakened, restricted force of the blinding light. I came here to request deliverance from its fetters, Master."

Looking over the arrival, the Sith Lord narrowed his eyes, "A wise decision, though one you should have concluded some time ago... The light is never as powerful as it is proclaimed to be, for it can still be overcome by the dark." He mused, crossing his arms within his cloak, "I trust that you have had some training in the Force... If my beliefs are correct, tell me of that which you know..." The Sith Lord turned, walking back to his black chair, sitting down silently, as his blue eyes reguarded the man before him; who could or could not be his new apprentice.

McGreggor slightly frowned recalling the long winter nights he had spent studiing all the subjects a young Shevinan noble was expected to be familiar with. History, including the Shevinan Blood Wars and the election of the House Desq’an as the Gendars, as the Lords of the Clans were called, sovereign had been one of the rather interesting subjects that unfortunately had been accomplished by a selection of other, awfully tiresome ones.

His father, wanting him to be prepared for his future task of leading their house had constantly urged on him and controlled his sons progress. One more reason for young McGreggor to ardently long for his uncle's visits to interrupt the boredness of everydays studies, bringing in something new to the adolescent. The knowledge of the living force and it's ways.

"The force.. is the energy field that penetrates everything and binds this galaxy together. Some beeings are attuned to the force, whether they understand it or not. Amongst those who understand, the force is called by different names..."

McGreggor attentively followed the Lords movements with his eyes. He had liked his uncle's theories concerning the force, but he had loved his combat lessons - the way in which he wielded a sword.. and this other, most powerful weapon that was called a lightsaber. Effortless, precise... and deadly. 'Both in fighting and in everyday life you should be determined though calm. Meet the situation without tenseness yet not recklessly, your spirit settled yet unbiased. Even when your spirit is calm do not let your body relax, and when your body is relaxed do not let your spirit slacken.' He remembered his uncles words like he had spoken them by yesterday.

Some years and countless spars later, his uncle had taken him out for a long ride through Shevina's heavily forested mountains and hidden glens. 'Crossing at a ford', he had said,'means setting sail even though your friends stay in harbour, knowing the route, knowing the soundness of your ship and the favour of the day. When all the conditions are met, and there is perhaps a favourable wind, or a tailwind, then set sail. If the wind changes within a few miles of your destination, you must row across the remaining distance without sail.'

Wallace hadn't been able to grasp the words meaning by then but he had understood them by now. Seeking out Lord Vance Jas founder of the Vance O'Fr'o'me lightsaber style had been such a crossing.. Only once had he heard about the style Vance Jas had brought to life yet the impressing image that had been created by the narrator's tale had never since left his memory.
McGreggor was longing to get to know this man's art and hoped he would prove worthy to be accepted as his apprentice...

"I could go on lecturing about the forces nature, Sire, for my uncle who hath thaught me the basics o' the forces ways hath been a learned and severe man. But the one who is able to wield words isn't neccessarily able to wield his saber."

The Sith Lord watched the young man, looking from within his shadowed hood, "You seem to talk a lot of your experience, and think upon it even more so..." Vance said, sitting forward slightly, "Even a Sith must not let his mind be troubled by thoughtfulness, for he must know the way in which he lives his life and must know what must be done in order to continue that path..." Then moving back once again, Vance brought his hands up before him, interlacing his fingers slowly, "You think to much, young one... You spend to much effort upon remembering than what you should learning... Of course, learning is also linked with remembering, but some things are not worth the effort."

Standing suddenly, the Sith Lord stalked forward, drawing his black lightsaber from within his cloak, "Come at me, let yourself go... You wish to learn my style of lightsaber combat and I will see if you are worthy..." The Sith Lord waited before the man, his weapon unignited within his hand.........

Wallace knew he thought too much, he had never been told he talked too much though and the statement hurt his pride. He had noticed the expression Lord Jas had used to point out his weakness. - 'Even a Sith..' - Apparently the Lord thought him to be believe the dark side was easier to use... maybe he even considered him to flee the lightside for lack of discipline... 'And damn it really seems so at the moment. I gotta focus my mind to the essential right now.'

'You wish to learn my style of lightsaber combat and I will see if you are worthy...' The sight of the efficient grace of Lord Jas movements immediately wiped off all useless thoughts. Wallace took a deep breath. He felt his hand trembling faintly as he reached down to unclip his weapon. He took his time... feeling hisself into the force.

Wallace brought to light a dark oaken saber hilt. The artfully carved handle was some inches longer than the average. Perfecting his conjunction to the living energy his mind silenced, ready to function without interpreting. A barely noticable nod indicated he was prepared..

The Sith Lord smirked within his cloak, which up close seemed rather heavy in weight, "You will now attack me, and do not hold back for if you do, I will end your existance..." He said in a low tone, his ice blue eyes narrowed as he continued to smirk, "Now come at me!"
Vance Jas stood before his possible apprentice, his lightsaber still held easily within his grasp, not activated.

Wallace didn't need to reflect. The Sith Lord undoubtedly meant what he said. Nevertheless Wallace didn't move. Seeming inactive he checked out his opponents bearing for a possible weakness but even the force wouldn't let him find a spot that presented itself to make a breach... Letting the force support his speed the young man suddenly sprung into action. Diminishing the distance through a nimble thrust Wallace whirled rightwards, his lightgrey blade igniting during the move as if it was driven out by the centrifugal force of his first slash it described a half circle downwards Lord Jas' clavicle.

The Sith Lord stepped to his right as the thrust passed his being, stabbing air just to the side of the cloaked figure before being pulled back to spin and come around at the Sith Lord once again, one fluid motion... Seeing the lightsaber blade arcing back inward toward his lower torso, Vance leapt into the air; spinning over the blade as it passed below him while the Sith Lord twisted parrallel to the ground!
Landing silently upon the other side of Wallace's attack, the Sith Lord's suddenly activated lightsaber blade at the young man's neck, "Good... But you still have died..." Vance said, his ice blue eyes glinting in the shadows of his hood...
Stepping back, while pulling his blade away, Vance brought his weapon up into a low guard across his body, around the height of his navel, "Again..."

The humming saber's deadly threat only few inches from his neck let the young man swallow. Vance' blade's silverish gleam revealed drops of sweat glittering on the noble's forehead. Wallace held his breath as he stared at the saber expressionless.
Then.. slowly.. the hum of death was withdrawn from the center of Wallace' perception. Unable to believe Vance had defeated him this effortless he glanced at the Lord. 'Again...' Vance' demanding voice pierced his useless reflection.

It took the young man some seconds to regain his poise. Letting go on the fears that troubled his mind he first imitated Vance' carriage, that was the best possible bearing to attack or defend to either side. Reliing on the force to guide his motions Wallace then took a slow step backward into a diagonal combat position - left shoulder towards the cloaked man. His mind still unbiased he lowered his center gripping his saber with both hands.

Suddenly he bend his knees. Unweighting backwards he simulated the begin of a jumping, high attack before outstretching his arms leading his saber inwards in a low course aiming at Vance left hand with the tip of his saber. Yet ready to withdraw quickly to reestablish his defense.

As Vance watched Wallace before him, his blue eyes narrowed as he let himself fall into the Force. Suddenly, coming out from Wallace's very being, were many different images of the man, all in different poses and in a state of attacking... As Vance saw the young man moving to fill one of the transparent images, the Sith Lord was already moving to oppose; such was the Sith Lord's precise control of the Force in lightsaber combat...

Wallace's lightsaber tip came rocketing toward the Sith Lord's hand, but with his Force-awareness, Vance was able to knock the blade away with his own, coming across his body as he continued spinning! As Wallace's lightsaber went wide to his left, Vance completed his three-sixty spin, grasping the young man's weapon arm with his spare gloved hand, holding Wallace's arm away from himself; Vance's lightsaber pointed at Wallace's face once again...

"If you wish to get the better of your opponent, you must control the battle, you must provoke the enemy into doing what you wish..." Vance slowly stepped back once again, releasing Wallace's arm, "Not only is this tactic unexpected from a Sith, but it can also make a Jedi attack instead of remaining upon the defensive..." Vance smiled within his hood, "Tell me, young one... Do you have a second lightsaber?"

Again Vance had performed a maneuvre that not only had defended him but would have been able to kill his opponent within the first second. Wallace was struck by the hooded man's uncanny speed and precision. The mighty ones touch let him become aware of the aura of power, like force of higher density, that lay around the Lord like a second cloak. It felt as if he had been grasped even before Vance gloved hand held back his arm.
Wallace thankfully noticed the absence of the '..you still have died' - part and listened to the explanations most attentively before he answered the dark mans question. "No, Sire." He wasn't lucky he had to deny, but the fact Lord Jas had asked something like that seemed to be a good sign.

Vance nodded, his ice blue eyes staring at Wallace before him, "You must have another, in order to fully learn my style of lightsaber combat..." The Sith Lord stated simply, his voice low and menacing...
Standing up straight, Vance narrowed his eyes, "You must remember this, young one," Vance began, his lightsaber slowly moving before him, back and forth, "When a Sith enters combat, it is not efficient enough to merely be able to use your emotions to fuel your power... You must also be able to control the emotions of that which you use." Vance's features became darker as the light around the chambers started to dim, "For what good is being able to use emotion as power, only to be blinding by it...?" Vance then fell into a high defense stance, "Come at me again..."

Wallace face went expressionless with Vance' menacing intonation. He knew what he wanted and had given up worriing about the price. It was time to translate some of the Lords' teachings into deed. "I am a jedi" ,stated Wallace. His lightgrey saber to his right he stood motionless staring at the Sith Lord. "Thou art able to kill.." ,the young man widened his consciousness to perceive the pettiest motion within Vance' bearing, "..but you will never be able to turn me."

"Blinded by groundless arrogance you haven't even noticed i was lieing..." ,the noble readied his self for an attack now even smirking at Vance - a small.. a tiny part of his being enjoyed the deadly game. Inspite of serious doubts... or should we say.. FEAR.. that crept up within him he stuck to his kamikaze tactic hoping this was what the other meant by 'provoking the enemy'. "If thou really thought i considered abandoning the light to serve thou and thy darkness thou art artless as a newborn."

The Sith Lord smiled within his cloak, his ice blue eyes shining brightly, "Indeed there light is still within you," He started, slowly moving his lightsaber back and forth before him, "Indeed you could possibly be a spy come to assassinate," The silver lightsaber continued to pass through the air, the Sith Lord's features still hidden within his hood, "Indeed you could use this tactic against your enemies..."
Slowly reaching down with his second lightsaber, Vance pulled forth an identicle handle, exactly like the one he held already, "But what you have just played out is a dangerous game," He continued, pressing the second lightsabers activation button, "For now you are wondering if I know the truth about you, or if I am not quite sure and I stand at a crossroads. One path leading to my dismissal of your provoking, the other to your death..."
Moving forward, Vance started to stalk toward Wallace, "Take action, fool, show when your true nature..." He hissed, bringing up both his lightsabers, the silver light flowing over everything within the dark chambers, "You have best hope your action was a wise choice..."

Wallace slowly gave ground. Vance had gained the initiative... anew he had transformed an attack, the provokation, to his advantage.. and the sight of the two humming sabers that now enlightened the gloomy chamber wasn't to ease the young man's mind. "My provokation was indeed far from being perfect..." ,Wallace' eyes attentively followed Vance' motions, "..but this only states that i need training." Wallace moved his saber according to Vance' motions to stay within the best possible defense... if one could talk of something like that facing a Sith Lord.
"Thou have now seen that i am willing to follow.. and to take risks." He tried to catch a glimpse of Vance' eyes. "My true nature, Sire.. is that of your apprentice.. or of a dead man."

Vance suddenly leapt forward, bringing his twin lightsabers around in a blur of light and movement; and Wallace suddenly found his lightsaber open the ground, his hands empty for the Sith Lord had unarmed him...
Looking closer, Vance's ice blue eyes stared into Wallace's, "Then a dead man you shall be..." Then Vance smiled within his hood, an evil, unpleasant smile, "Once, of course, you have succumbed to death... For now, young one, your destiny is with me."

Then, deactivating his lightsabers, the Sith Lord moved his hand in a small motion, lifting Wallace's lightsaber before him, "Before you are truly my apprentice, you must construct a second lightsaber..." Vance motioned toward a second door within the great hall, "There is a chamber which you may use for your crafting..." But then the Sith Lord started smirking, "But before you can create, you must gather... Outside of the Temple, there is a large forest, with multiple Sith Temples, much smaller than this one you stand within..."
Starting to walk, Vance made his way toward the main chamber entrance, "You must find that which you need while braving the forest and its deadly creatures... Come, I will show you to the starting point of your quest..."

Vance suddenly leapt forward, bringing his twin lightsabers around in a blur of light and movement; and Wallace suddenly found his lightsaber open the ground, his hands empty for the Sith Lord had unarmed him. Looking closer, Vance's ice blue eyes stared into Wallace's, "Then a dead man you shall be..." Then Vance smiled within his hood, an evil, unpleasant smile, "Once, of course, you have succumbed to death... For now, young one, your destiny is with me."

Then, deactivating his lightsabers, the Sith Lord moved his hand in a small motion, lifting Wallace's lightsaber before him, "Before you are truly my apprentice, you must construct a second lightsaber..." Vance motioned toward a second door within the great hall, "There is a chamber which you may use for your crafting..." But then the Sith Lord started smirking, "But before you can create, you must gather... Outside of the Temple, there is a large forest, with multiple Sith Temples, much smaller than this one you stand within..."

Starting to walk, Vance made his way toward the main chamber entrance, "You must find that which you need while braving the forest and its deadly creatures... Come, I will show you to the starting point of your quest..."

The forest was now growing dark, many creatures coming out of dens, in an attempt to gather food for the next day. The only movement within the forest was of two figures; one in dark black robes, the other in more defined and expensive attire. Both projected a sense of aura which kept the most wild animals at bay, though even so, it would have appeared that the cloaked figure was the cause for such fear within the animal presence of the forest.

Coming to a stop, Vance lifted an arm as he poined ahead, "Through this forest, on the other side, you will find a lone Temple... I visit this Temple on occasion, and I know of what is inside," Vance glanced to Wallace, his face in shadow, "You will find that which you need..."

Moving toward a leveled tree, the Sith Lord sat silently, looking at Wallace, "You may begin..." He said matter-of-factly, his black robes folding as he crossed his arms, waiting.

'Then a dead man you shall be...' the Sith Lord's words had brought about a feeling of desperate terror within the unarmed young man. 'Once, of course, you have succumbed to death...' Wallace still felt like a cornered rat with Vance' malicious grin. He wasn't going to like this man, no.. he hated him.. already now.. and maybe this was what he was supposed to. The thought annoyed him even more for the Sith seemed to manipulate him the whole way long.. he was a toy in his hands, nothing more.

Wallace grabbed his lightsaber out of the air and clipped it to his belt, silent anger stiring his blood he followed the dark Lord out of the temple. Construct a lightsaber ? Had this bastard just said he should construct.. a second lightsaber ? How the hell should Wallace do this since even the one he wielded by now wasn't his own.. originally. Well, there was no use in complaining. He had come here to obtain the key, the ring, to superior power and would not give up this intention. Not now that he had once come this far. 'For the reign !'

Watching the black cloaked Lord sitting down upon a leveled tree Wallace wondered - at least it shouldn't be difficult to cross a simple forest with a lightsaber at hand. What he would do lateron, when he reached the temple and possibly found the needed parts to construct such a saber he would reflect upon later. 'They will hopefully provide a construction book as well..' thought he sarcastically, already knowing that such an instruction could not exist.
Without a further word the young noble set out for the temple. 'The path to power...pah.. this rather looks like a damn pilgrimage.. guess he just does it to humiliate me. I would think too much he said.. well, probably he doesn't spent too much time reflecting otherwise he should have realized it was an great honour to have a sovereign at his service.. an rightful heir of the McGreggor.'

Diverted by foolish and arrogant thoughts Wallace wandered the ancient wood. Eventually stumbling over a knotty root he realized he would better pay at least some attention to his surroundings, exspecially since the last rays of the red evening sun had finally been consumed by the shadows of the primeval forest. He fought back the the intention to use his lightsaber as a torch and picked his steps carefully by now trying to keep the right direction towards the temple.

Vance watched as the young apprentice ran into the forest, disappearing within a few moments within the darkness which was now taking over this side of the planet... Standing slowly, the Sith Lord started to walk into the forest himself, making for the ancient sith temple; the same that his apprentice was headed toward.

The large forest was alive with many night life creatures. From all around, one could hear small critters scavenging for food, large-bird like creatures up within their safe homes atop branches; as well the low growling of a deadly predator. Silently, moving with a grace over the forest floor only few creatures could, the white striped Tigrum bared it's teeth as it smelt a foreign scent! Sniffing, the beast's cateye's narrowed as it realised it was not the robed one, but another. Moving forward, the Tigrum started to follow the new scent, powerful legs pumping as it sped through the forest for the new arrival.

Hardly able to see lots of the environs an uneasy feeling overcame the young sovereign as the chilly night's darkness fully embraced the living wilderness. He halted to wrap the dark fur-lined cloak closer around his chainmail and leathern armor.

Maybe the task wasn't this ridiculous as he had assumed in first place. Remembering the Sith Lords' evil smirk while mentioning 'the forest and its deadly creatures' Wallace pricked up. He loved Shevina's heavily wooded landscape and had explored vast areas hunting on horseback.. but this forest seemed to be something different. Not only that he had to cross it on foot.. there was something uncanny about it.. something evil. 'Well, why do i make such a fuss.. ? Shouldn't i have expected something like this seeking a sith lord's advice ?'

In fact he hadn't. Not an officially trained jedi Wallace was inclined to regard some of the records that had been given to him concerning the sith and their ways as the usual prejudices institutions established against one another. Descending from a feudal system of rivaling houses the future heir of the McGreggor had become familiar to such defamation tactics. But now he wondered whether the jedi's attitude could possibly be based on facts. Something... dark.. seemed to have been unleashed upon this planet.

Trying to pierce the darkness he looked out, the feeling of unsafety leading his hand towards the lightsaber. The weapon's reassuring touch helped soothing his fears as he unvoluntarily clasped the oaken hilt. Hoping darkness would cover his cowardice he unclipped the weapon. 'There is no need to be afraid of darkness, you fool, its nothing more than the absence of light', thought he sullenly as he continued his march towards the temple.