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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2018 21:52:12 GMT -8
The modern teaching methods she found today -- from the use of training droids to the sheer volume of students and masters that wandered these halls -- they were all new to Mariah. A fact she didn't let on right away, if at all. As Gavin furthered his explanation regarding his training methods of the Academy's students, her discontent continued to boil beneath the surface. Although she didn't vocalize it, everything that Gavin spoke of came down to one assumption. If Gavin's code was shared by the other Masters, it felt as though this was a contest. Whose student could surpass the other. If a student failed, a master would be blamed, their teachings put into question. If a student succeeded, a master would be praised, their teaching methods set as a shining example. Perhaps there were much more, and this was only scratching surface of the hierarchy. Nonetheless, it all seemed to lack one thing: accountability upon the student. In that power struggle among the masters, using their students like tools to prove the effectiveness of their methods, Mariah was sure that there were many missed opportunities even beyond the Zabrak youth.
Mariah's critical gaze flickered across the masses. How many here needed a push, some minor meddling? How many needed to see a different perspective from their masters? How many needed to grow from the little box they were being put into by these codes? Perhaps it was a good thing she was leaving for Sullust tomorrow, else she could find herself rapidly upsetting the balance here, and she would stare each master in the eyes who dared force her to stand down. That was the life she came from, even if that time was so far from today. A single master to train; a whole tribe to mentor. While these students had the Academy, it sounded far from a tribe. At least, if she gleaned the correct information in such a short amount of time.
However, she let that thought dissipate as smoothly as all the others. Wasting her energy on this topic would be fruitless. The matters here were none of her concern, no matter how many times her mind wanted to return to that topic. She was but an ally, and one who would be leaving in one day. That was the fact of it. At least Gavin had some knowledge of the one she was going to meet with. The Master Spellbinder. For a fresh ally of the Blackguard, Mariah was reassured that they were sending her to someone renowned by fellow Masters within the Academy. For all she knew of the arts, they could have sent her to study under a student, and it may have taken her a few weeks before she realized.
A final bit of advice before the two would go their separate ways. The library and the training area. While she had all intentions of visiting the training area first, his recommendation of the library sparked a new thought, one she hoped wouldn't flutter away like all the other ephemeral ones. It was imperative that she could hold onto it. With a nod of understanding towards Gavin, Mariah locked her crimson stare upon his piercing blue eyes one final time in a silent farewell while he wished her luck. She was grateful for the advice and insight into the Academy; however, she didn't vocalize it or anything more.
Once Gavin made his departure, so, too, did she. Although she had wanted her first stop to originally be the training area, the library was the first place she decided to stalk out. Raising the hood of her robes to suck away her vibrant locks, Mariah pushed herself off from the wall and began her venture through the halls. Once more, there was a hunt within a new, strange environment, and she was now at a further disadvantage. Eventually, though, she would manage to reach her destination. Even the scenic route, so to speak, would serve its purpose for future navigation throughout the Sith Academy.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2018 18:59:08 GMT -8
Following Gavin from the courtyard, Mariah caught up with him quickly enough."You're a terrible liar." Her words broke the silence, cutting the air like a knife. She had hoped that it would be enough to force another pause in this Academy Master, but either way, she charged full force. Brushing herself past him, she spun on a heel and stopped, forcing him to either stop with her or push past her. Either way, the fury in her eyes still burned. This time, there was something different about it, though. It wasn’t just an misunderstood hatred or caution. No, the way she looked at him could only be matched as the way he may have looked at an unruly student."That look in your eye... It’s the same reason it’s taken me this long to seek out the Sith and even offer my blade towards their cause. I don’t believe half of their ideals and still wonder why I’m standing here." She spoke openly, freely, uncaring of what students or masters might have overheard. As Gavin had put it before, he didn’t concern himself with what others thought. In that moment, she revealed a piece as to how much that truth reflected in herself. Of course, she had yet to realize that her earlier, subtle mention towards her alignment went unrecognized.“There’s something more out there. You know it as well as I do. Yet you’ve settled yourself here and called it a home. Even lying to yourself, hoping that the longing will eventually dull. It won’t.” At least by this point, he may have grown used to her sharp words. Still, there was something so much more about the way she spoke now. Her conviction did more than just cut and tear down his ideals for the home he wished to make for himself, but hopefully draw him out of this sense of false contentment. Either way, it was then that she realized how much energy she had truly poured out, and over what? Her words, like his, would more than likely do very little to change their paths. As that realization settled, Mariah’s gaze tore from Gavin and her voice quieted.“Maybe one day, after countless of your students roam these halls as Masters in their own right, you’ll convince yourself that you’ve found what you sought here. But is that truly what you want?"
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Nov 25, 2018 19:33:25 GMT -8
For the longest time, there was nothing but silence between them. The flow of students and masters were dwindling down here and there as many took to their rooms for the night, finishing off with some nightly meditations much like he instructed his students to do. Soon the halls would be vacant.
It was out of nowhere that her voice cut through the quiet that encompassed them, echoing slightly off the walls. His surprise of her only continued as she pushed past him and came to stop in front of him. At first, she had been nonchalant with their conversation, eventually turning to slight intrigue when they met again outside. That soon turned to something different as she had become silent and sought to leave. Now she was standing before him, forcing him stand still as she spoke, her words chastising as if she wanted to slap him around for lying to her, lying to himself.
And so he did. His gaze focused hard upon her, both of them challenging the other. It wasn’t something he cared to go into, though he himself didn’t truly know the reason why he felt like it needed to be. Was it shame that he was merely settling on whatever he could find? Perhaps it came down to not fully understanding it himself? Needless to say, despite lacking a reason to say, he knew what he felt.
However, there was something she didn’t fully grasp about his situation. It wasn’t about finding more out there, not him. Taking deep breath, he finally spoke as he let his own stare ease up. "Your right. There is more out there. But I didn’t just come here and choose to call this home. I’ve been looking for over ten years. In those ten, I saw and aided in the rise of the First Order, trained an apprentice, checked different worlds and orders, wanting to see if anything connected. Nothing did. When I came here, I came out of curiousity. I could have left at any time, but I saw something new, something I could help form that fit me. I call it home because it’s the closest I could find. And with things slowly changing, this could very well be the home I seek. But no, this isn’t my true home. I’m still searching, waiting for it to return once again."
He gave a sigh and shame of his head. "I know it doesn’t make much sense. But finding a place to belong doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time to truly see if you can call a place home. It’s home enough for now, enough to bring me back to remember what I’m truly seeking."
He gave it a moment before slipping past her, taking only a second to stop beside her and to look at her before continuing on towards his chambers. He wouldn’t deny her questions, wouldn’t refuse her the answers she sought. Somehow, he couldn’t. He couldn’t explain it, but she had touched thoughts deep within his mind that had been hidden away for longer than he had been here. Perhaps it was a chance to vent, a moment to let go of his calm easy going facade. While he was still calm, even now, it was clear she had stirred his heart and removed the carefree shield that covered him.
It wasn’t long before they had reached his chambers. He looked around for a moment, ensuring none were around when he opened the door. If people were starting to think she was his student, Force knew he didn’t need them assuming anything else from this action. Once he was certain it was clear, he opened the door and let her inside. It was a basic room, small and comfortable enough for one. On a shelf to the left side of the bed was a single flute and the stand for his triple. To the right was an old style closet he had brought with two wooden swing open doors. And just left of the door in the corner was a deactivated droid of an unknown model.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2018 20:07:10 GMT -8
When she finally saw that hardened gaze meet hers, silently challenging her and her words, Mariah knew that she was finally stripping down that facade of easiness he had cloaked over himself. Only moments before then, she saw an impenetrable wall of contentment that not even she could break down. She should have known that idea of a home lingering somewhere would be the crack in his defenses. A trait they both shared. He could ease up the piercing in his gaze towards her; however, hers would only linger like smoldering embers.
His explanation came. His excuses, or so she classified them. She couldn’t understand why he confided such things in her. There was a more immediate concern for her now, however. She couldn’t understand why she cared -- cared that this stranger, who she had only just met, had settled here; cared that this was the life he had chosen for himself. She found herself speaking to him as though she was speaking to her apprentice. To her sister. When he brushed past her and found her eyes yet again, she could see a mirror of herself reflecting back. A stagnant version of herself. Her jaw locked, and for a moment, the fire in her eyes dimmed. Gavin continued onward, and the moment he was out of earshot, she muttered another harsh word under her breath in that strange language. It took the woman a few beats longer before she turned to follow.
"Take it from someone who’s traveled the stars all her life," she said, just loud enough for him to hear with the space that now separated them. "You’ll either become those you surround yourself with, or you’ll continue seeking what you truly want until you’ve found it. You cannot have both."
He lingered outside his chamber for a moment, giving her the time needed to catch up. She hadn’t rushed after him, the way she had from the courtyard into the Academy. From afar, she could see the caution in his movements. The hesitance as he ensured that no one was around. So he did care about their opinions, at least a little. The thought brought a flicker of a smirk on her lips, there and gone in but an instant. With a deep breath, she settled her mind and focused. With her next footstep, it was as though she vanished. Perhaps not from physical sight, but from the mind’s eye.
"You can at least be honest about these things."
Her words were there, ringing true of her presence, as she walked past him. Her physical body, though, was rendered like a dissonance within the Force. Her crimson hair was easy to see, a flash of vibrancy before it faded from memory, like nothing more than a vision or a dream. She didn’t sense anyone lingering nearby, and at least her presence was cloaked wholly. However, should anyone had caught a glimpse of her walking with him, she was, at this moment, just a figment of their imagination. She weaved this if for nothing more than his sake. She had already caused enough trouble for him in one day. Common courtesy, as he had put it once.
The moment she stepped into his quarters, she turned out of sight from the corridor, and with it, the shadow over her aura dissipated. Now inside, she took only the briefest of moments to examine the room, her gaze scouring every corner and detail as if looking for something that might kill her in her sleep. When she saw the deactivated droid, Mariah made mental note of its placement but said nothing. She turned her head, just enough to catch Gavin out of the corner of her eye.
"It’s none of my concern what you choose with your life, but the Force be damned, stop lying to yourself and stop making up excuses for choosing stability among the Sith."
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Nov 27, 2018 6:46:23 GMT -8
Gavin said nothing as she called out to him. To him, it felt as if his own words had not been heard. He had stated clearly that though he was here, he was still looking for that place he could truly call home. At least, he thought it was made clear. In that moment, an response felt pointless and repetitive, thus leading them both in circles. So he remained quiet as she entered his room with him right behind her.
But she wasn't finished speaking, it seemed. He stood there, leaned up against the door that had slid shut behind him, head looking to the ground. Her words resonated in his mind as a slow smirk came to his face, followed by a slightly release of air that resembled a scoff. Excuses? That was the word she had chosen for his reasoning for being here. It was amusing she'd think such about it. For all the answers he was giving about himself, it seemed that a picture was being painted about Mariah. All the questions about him and why he choose to do certain things, her silence and quick retreat and seeing that they held so much in common, to suddenly bearing down on him with such harsh words that held a conviction that had been absent until then, it all made it seem like she was hiding herself, running from the reality that such a thing was possible. And with her words, she had stoked the embers and reignited the fire inside him.
Through everything, it was becoming obvious the true difference between them. For all their similarities, even their differences had some connection to each other. But the dividing factor seemed to be perspective. They may have very well understood each other and how they lived their lives and why it had come to that, yet those experiences created different interpretations. For her, it was as if everything was black and white, one way or another, while he was the exact opposite, seeing reality in different hues.
Taking a deep breath, he stood straight and moved across the floor, covering the distances in smooth, easy strides. Unlike before where he had chosen to give her at least a foot space, he had closed the gap, being almost on top of her. It was then his gaze returned to hers, the piercing glow of his eyes once again present, the fire resonating within. When he spoke, his voice continued to bear its calm, steady tone, yet it was firm, full of confidence and certainty. "Know this. I may hide you I truly am from those within the academy. I may be in the process of remembering what home really meant to me. But what I'm not is lying to myself. I have come to terms with my past, worked to define who I am, and understood my own thoughts and feeling about my reality. The question you asked me was did I regret settling, to which I stated no. That is the truth of it. Regret nothing, fear less. I may still be searching for that place to truly call home, but I have no qualms with taking time to settle. It doesn't change what I think and feel, what I believe. It does, however, help me to reconnect with others and begins bringing me back to a point where I can belong and not be an outside. But it doesn't mean I'm here forever. Nothing lasts that long." Taking a breath, he stepped back out of her space though his gaze never left hers. "If the Blackguard was but another typical Sith order, I would not be here, nor would I have been allowed to walk its halls, much less teach. Yes, the foundation of this academy still lingers upon the old ways, but the one leading this new order seeks to leave that behind, to create a new, better order of the Sith. I came here in the early days and was welcomed by the Sith'ari, though it was clear to him of the kind of man I was. I saw it as an opportunity to possibly influence some of that change. That is why I've settled here for the time being. If it becomes that such a claim for change is but a facade, I will not remain. Besides, it's easier to keep tabs on the going ons of the galaxy when you stay within an order in one place instead of moving around."
It was then that he finally turned from her and moved towards the droid in the corner. Lifting a hand, two fingers touched the chest and the bolts that held it in place were removed by the Force. Removing it revealed the central core of the droid, it processor and power cores. With a few seconds of tinkering, he removed the processing core, making the droid a metal shell of nothing. It was the final piece that needed to be changed before he could send it off to Luxeria. But he'd finish it up after Mariah left. The small bit of work was to collect the thoughts running about his own head, not about himself, but the woman. He was curious about her, her name, why she was doing what she was doing, and so on. But he hadn't concerned himself to ask. But through all of this, one question came to the surface, one that needed to be asked. He looked over the core as he asked his question, not once looking back to her.
"For someone that seems to try and keep to herself and stay out of other's business, claiming she doesn't car what I choose with my life, you sure do have quite the questions about me, chastising me for the way I see things. Why is that, I wonder?" It was only then that he moved, first to the shelf with his flutes to replace the triple he carried and set down the core he removed, turning his gaze to her after setting them down.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2018 13:50:43 GMT -8
It was turning into an unending battle with no victory in sight. Like twin warriors forged by the same fire, trained by the same master of life and experience, yet trudging down two completely separate paths. It was only a matter of time before the Force would’ve have pushed them together, forcing their blades to lock. A cycle of repetition, until one could finally wear down the other. Just when Mariah believed herself to finally break through his facade, breaking the circle, only the exact opposite was achieved.
Her eyes remained locked upon him as he closed the gap between the two. Her figure, although small, stood unrelenting, unwavering under him. Even with him towering over her, speaking those same words she heard what felt like a thousand times, the challenge in her crimson eyes pierced into his blue. Mariah may have heard his words, but she couldn’t truly stand to listen to the same story, those same damned excuses, told over and over again as if something he would say would suddenly change her perspective. The confidence in his tones and certainty in his explanation forced her jaw to lock. Despite those same flourishes of his words, there was something that now caused her guard to break for but a moment.
‘Regret nothing, fear less.’ ‘Nothing lasts that long.’
Her breath was caught in her breast, until he finally stepped back away from her. The emptiness around her finally resolving, Mariah leaned back against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest. Her stare remained locked on him, still unceasing in her caution around him. Gavin could continue these explanations as many times as he wanted, but the look she stared him down with was just the same disapproving sharpness from before. She refused to continue this for another pointless circle, though, and remained silent.
When Gavin broke his gaze from her and now turned his attention towards the droid, it was an instinctive movement to reach for her saber's hilt. Never drawing it, but prepared, as if that moment would come. It wasn’t until she watched him remove the processing core that she relaxed and resumed her previous stance, as easily as if nothing had happened at all. He didn’t say anything for that short while, and Mariah allowed the silence to linger between the two. She refused to restart the cycle, to continue cutting into him and his views of this new Order of Sith. Force forbid that she point out that he sounded like them. Instead, she took the opportunity to take another glance around the room. With one of the few things here of concern now taken care of -- that droid -- she was able to relax, if but for that moment alone.
That peace was there and gone all too soon. His question resounded, his eyes finding her again, but this time, she didn’t meet that burning gaze she felt upon herself. A long silence filled the room, her gaze distant as she stared down the flute. There was a clear answer which replayed over and over like a broken hologram, her understanding of the answer creating a visible scowl. There were some things that were better off left unsaid.
“I wanted to test the resolve and loyalty of those not among the Sith within the Blackguard,” she murmured in answer. “You've presented the perfect opportunity to do so.”
There was a stark difference between his answers and hers. Gavin may have openly answered all that she asked, but it only heightened the contrast with how little she would reveal when the tides were turned. Whether this surface truth would suffice relied on one thing, if he could sense the lingering deeper truth she kept hidden. Her conviction was gone, and the pause before her answer may have been enough to reveal she kept something from him. However, on the surface, her answer was still sufficient enough for those who cared little to pry. Her eyes glanced over from the flute back to the deactivated droid, which no longer posed an issue to her earlier concerns. Studying it further, Mariah was able to better discern what the heap of metal was -- or rather, she could discern all that she couldn’t make sense out of with it being an unknown model.
“What’s its purpose?” she asked, her eyes only glancing over to Gavin again briefly, as if tracking his movements.
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Nov 28, 2018 6:41:33 GMT -8
As Mariah gave her answer, Gavin let himself settle against the wall, his arms crossing his chest. He was rather curious as to her response and when it came, the lie was made obvious. So badly did he desire to call her out, much like she had done, but he said nothing. His intense gaze and an amused chuckle were all he permitted to leave his person.
Just as she felt, he knew this was an unending circle. Their similarities and differences made it so, not to mention their stubbornness. He wasn't one to fully commit to the belief that the Force had a will of its own, but he wasn't fool enough to think that some things weren't guided by chance. Their meeting was one such case, something far more than coincidence. For Jedi and Sith to meet others among their order that believed and felt as they do was one thing. Yet, this was another matter entirely. The way he carried himself, what he felt and believed, even physical aspects could be seen before him in this woman. The odds that they would have ever crossed paths was near impossible. But here they were.
He opted to let let the matter slide by them, ready to move on from the repetition. Despite his curiosity, it wasn't in his nature to pry unless necessary. He had presented her question and it seemed to hit home. That was satisfying enough. No reason to poke the rancor further. But it was then that he heard it. A silent voice in his head. 'Push,' it said. It felt familiar and he passed it off as either Coretha or Vannihr trying to get him to further things with Mariah.
With that train of thought, he ignored it, turning his head to the droid as she brought it up. Welcoming the change in topic, he gave a nod, a bit proud of how it was coming together. "It's been a project of mine for the past ten years. Just couldn't do anything with it until now, thanks to the Blackguard's ownership of the droid foundries on Mustafar. It's meant to be a training and combat droid. Built on the frame of a Sith holo droid, I used Laminanium to create a new, bulkier body. Get rid of the skeletal frame and make it look more humanoid. The metal is capable of deflecting low level energy weapons and can even repair itself. It also retains the holo projector technology, making it able to imitate a person's appearance, voice, and fighting style. Enhanced servos give it peak human level abilities and its upgraded databanks can store more information, which makes it capable of becoming more diverse and skilled the more it analyzes. A final feature are small sensors placed all over the body in the location of vital organs and pressure points. Upon impact, they light up for a few seconds before turning off. Helps work on hitting precision strikes will in a real fight." He gave a small sigh, knowing he needed to get it completed soon. "It's meant to be a gift for someone, a woman in the Blackguard named Luxeria. While no longer an apprentice, she sought out my help in furthering her training after the Felucia raid. She's at the Dark Obelisk on Mustafar now and doesn't have anyone to really spar with to help keep her skills sharp. The abilities of this droid will help her with that, as well as aid her on any missions she may have."
There it was again, the faint whisper of words in his head, becoming more insistent. 'Push, push, push.' They were like words merely mouthed and imprinted into his thoughts, echoing louder and louder. The familiar feeling remained, yet he no longer believed it to be Coretha or Vannihr. They were normally far more vocal on such matters. No, something else was egging him on, trying to get him to push the previous topic, to not let up on her.
Finally, he gave up his resistance. Coupled with his own, restraint feelings, he couldn't help but push forward and see where this road carried him. Looking back to her, he cocked his head to the right. "I'm the liar, hmm?" He shook his head, an amused smirk taking shape upon his face. In that moment, his eyes viewed her as a hypocrite, someone trying so hard to refuse that her reality was the same as his. "Those words might fool others, but you have already betray yourself to me. The questions you asked had nothing to do with loyalty to this order. No, they were personal, focused on me and me alone. Then the sudden silence after I answered them, the inability to actually look at me like you're doing now, and the quick retreat. Follow that with the conviction in your voice when you expressed your thoughts against my feelings of home. And now, all of it is gone. The only one that seems to be lying to themselves is you. What are you trying to hide from, if not run from? What are you afraid of? Deny it all you want, but you've made it as clear as day since the courtyard."
His tone kept its usually calm presence, yet they were now as sharp as her's. If following this course was what he needed to do, then he would do so without restraint, no games. He didn't care just how deep the knife cut. For all that surrounded him, they would see. The Sith in the academy saw him as pathetic and one dimensional, while Mariah saw him as a fool and his calm essence a facade. Both were wrong. His carefree nature was real, but it was far from all he was. In time, those he resided with would come to know just how deep his character truly was.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2018 17:02:59 GMT -8
Mariah caught Gavin’s movement out of the corner of her eye, watching him settle like a mirror of her on the opposing wall. As if that wasn’t the only thing he mirrored about her. She could feel the intensity of his gaze, and the moment his chuckle resounded in the air, her body tensed. He knew. The question now was if he would mirror her further and rebuke her. For all of his prior passive nature, so easily put into a state of ease, she assumed he would simply dismiss it. She was like fire, he like water. Despite the physical tension that clenched her muscles, the thought sent the briefest flicker of a joyless smile, founded in disgust to their duality.
As she had expected, he pressed onward, taking the bait of her last question. A half-hearted deflect that left her with an easy opening, and he refused to take it. With a deep breath, she relaxed the tension that wreaked havoc over her body and allowed him another silent pause to discuss all of the details regarding the droid. As he talked, she pushed herself off the wall and removed the cloak that shrouded her body. If this is where she would be staying for the night, she figured now was a better time than most to settle in.
Clothed in a black sleeveless shirt, Mariah came prepared for Iridonia’s harsh climate. Her shirt was now cut off around her midriff, and a bandage wrapped her midsection giving proof as to why he had found her in the medbay the first time he saw her. Once she had adequately folded the black fabric, she knelt down to set it down off to the side before quickly shedding the sheathes which held her two shoto sabers and twin curved hilt sabers. Her eyes glanced back up at Gavin, and Mariah listened to him go on and on with such pride about this droid, its capabilities and enhancements, that she couldn’t help but smirk. Perhaps using the droid was more perfect of a diversion than she had intended.
For all that she had set aside, Mariah hadn’t completely disarmed herself and now exposed a set of knives hanging on her left hip, a silver lightsaber hilt on her right, both of which glistened against the dark material of her pants. One might think her arsenal was overkill, but she had a feeling that questions or explanations on this particular topic wouldn’t come. Even if the topic would come up, Gavin provided ample information to deflect the conversation yet again. It was that name, again. Luxeria. Mariah revealed the slightest hint of recognition to it with a tilt of her head. The same one the Jen’ari brought up.
“Combat droids are a woman’s best friend…” Mariah offered with a half shrug.
Leaning herself back against the wall, the crimson haired woman resumed her previous stance, now a bit more relaxed without the bulkiness of her earlier attire. As she crossed her arms back over her chest, scars once hidden became evident, marring her arms with countless stories. No doubt, whatever afflicted her around her midsection would become just another tale. Before she had time to push forward, onto the next topic to keep Gavin busy, the blow she thought she avoided came with a sudden fury. However, now, her crimson stare was locked upon Gavin and met his condescending tone with a silent, warning gaze. Yet his words kept coming, not heeding that warning. He had but a moment after all was said. He was lucky he had even that. When he pushed the topic of her fear, her course was set.
"Tell me then, Master Phoenix,” she murmured, her voice resonating with low, murderous tones. “Since I’ve made it so clear."
In a fluid movement, she kicked herself off the wall and rushed towards him. Her left hand had the hilt of a knife within her grasp, a flash of metal within the light revealing its draw in a reverse grip. Fatigue from that death battle only hours ago weighed down on her. She could feel her wound starting to scream in protest. The dizzying side effects of the pain killers still lingered in her system. None of it could stop her; it could only hinder her, slow her down. However, standing against a student of the Academy was one thing. Against an instructor and Master was another. It clearly didn’t matter to her.
“Tell me!”
Her words pierced the air as she quickly closed the gap, her blade poised to lay against his neck, her arm crossed over his chest. She would need it to keep her hand steady, the rage which flowed through her, ravaging her body, disturbing the calm she would have otherwise felt with a blade in her hand. She wanted his answer, to hear all that he thought he knew. She knew he could only scratch the surface...
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
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Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Nov 29, 2018 8:24:02 GMT -8
As he described the droid and its purpose, it didn't go unnoticed that she began removing her cloak. Seeing she was ready to settle in for the night, he first took note of her weaponry. A rather large arsenal, just another trait they shared. There was a sudden desire within him to examine them as each had a beautiful appearance by what he could tell. A few memories floated into his mind briefly, reminding him of each moment he forged a new weapon, gave it life, and bestowed it with a name. It was an art form, one he greatly enjoyed and appreciated.
It was only after the flutter of the past that he took notice of her attire and body. He could see the scars of battle long past. He, himself, bore no scars if only due to his people's ability to fully heal, leaving no trace of injury. But what stood out the most was the fresh bandage around hr midsection, clarifying the reason she had first found within the medbay. He had thought little of the reason until now due to her strength and acting as if nothing was wrong. Even now, she seemed unphased by it, making it seem less of a concern than it truly was, something that sparked his curiosity.
However, such curious thoughts faded as he spoke his harsh words against her. Crimson eyes found his again, telling him to stop, less he invoke her fury. It did nothing to deter him as he continued. But for all her resolve to stay strong and disconnected from his words and keeping herself from acting, it was the condescending implication that she was afraid that caused her to make a move, further sealing that reality in his mind. Her moves were quick, despite her hindrances that were unknown to Gavin. It didn't go unnoticed either that she still had weapons on her person, something she had no qualms with utilizing in silencing or challenging him. In this game of who would break first, it appeared that he was the victor.
As she came, Gavin's eyes sharpened, shifting to a warrior's gaze in an instant. The distance gave him ample time to prepare, even with her quick and sudden actions. After all, he was teaching his students to evade strikes while within the arm's radius, so a room's length was more than enough for even them to anticipate Mariah's attack. In a swift movement, he stepped forward to meet her, stepping up with his right foot and slightly off to his right side. Flowing in a seamless transition, his right hand came up to his chest and outwards to intercept her left hand, grabbing her wrist and pushing it out to the side. Just behind that was his left foot slipping past and behind her as his left hand came up to her throat. Suddenly, his left foot swung back hard into the back of her legs as he caught her neck. The action would have been more than enough to send most slamming into the ground. She might have been easily readable, especially in her anger, but each fight he took seriously, no matter who he fought. He wasn't about to risk her gaining control and getting the upper hand or alerting the rest of the academy. His best option was to immobilize her immediately.
Once she was on the ground, he brought his left knee up to rest atop her right leg and waist while his hands continued to stay against her throat and fist, restricting her movements as much as possible without hurting her further. He knew the impact would do little to nothing to disorient her and it was highly unlikely she'd submit to her situation, still alive with fire and ready to fight.
His eyes never once left hers since she first made her move and now they pierced into her, making them seem to glow. "You're running from the reality that you could have a place to call home, actively refusing such a possibility or that you'd even be happy settling. You're afraid to trust, always feeling that if you did, those people would turn on you and stab you in the back. Always hiding yourself and your presence, keeping out of the business of others, and moving around as often as you can, hoping to remain unnoticed, believing that solitude and emptiness is preferable to belonging somewhere, being surrounded by allies, if not real friends. You fear you'll let down your guard and even open up to others, making you vulnerable. So instead you convince yourself the life you've chosen to walk is better, better to live each day merely surviving rather than having a home, friends, or even a family. Even now you're trying to hide from the truth that there are others out there like you, that have experienced things like you, who'd understand you, connect with you, even care about you. And what it all leads to is having something important too valuable to lose. You fear having something or someone so precious that you could lose, feeling it would be more than you could take, that it would tear at you. So you run and hide from it, believing that it is better to be alone than to be hurt in one form or another."
As he looked at her and spoke his words, he was curious as to her response. Deep inside, he could feel Vannihr stirring. She had already caught his interest and this kind of response would only increase it further. He wanted out, to tangle with her and have some fun. But he pushed him back. Had he allowed her to fight it out, it was possible that the demon would have forced his way out somehow. And that was something he wasn't about to allow. Just another reason to end things before they began.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2018 19:03:32 GMT -8
Despite the red that clouded her vision, Mariah knew all too well not to underestimate the target she charged towards. She expected a counter from him, that he wouldn't take her blade’s threat lightly. When his hand pushed her bladed one aside, she traveled with the momentum, her whole body moving with the action. However, the fatigue that shrouded over her slowed her, and before she could even follow up, Gavin immediately took the advantage. His feet snatched away her balance, his grasp around her neck guiding her to the ground.
Her crimson hair piled around her features as she hit the floor. The fire still strong in her eyes, she stared Gavin down in full preparation to continue this fight. She still had free limbs; there was a way to break free from his hold. Instinctively, she wedged her free arm between them and sent a powerful blow of her elbow against his, breaking free of his grasp around her her neck. Her right hand soon grasped tight onto his upper arm to push him off of her. Before she could turn the tides, though, he had her pinned. His saving grace was that he pinned her right leg, leaving the wound on her left abdomen exposed to the movement she would need exert. Despite her attempts for a smooth follow up to her last blow, her body refused to move as swiftly as commanded, and the agony left her chained.
Left under Gavin’s harsh, glowing gaze and piercing words, the crimson warrior only stared him down. His words attempted to pick her apart, speaking confidently as if he was able to decipher every little secret she kept. Some of his words rang true, which came as no surprise to her anymore, even if that didn’t lessen the blow. However, there was still so much that was wrong. Words that rang hollow, which only did more to provoke her than silence her.
“You think you've stripped me bare so easily,” she snarled through gritted teeth. “You walk into my life like a mockery of it all. You and I may be similar, but don't you dare speak to me with such ignorance. You're but a stranger... you don't even know my name... so you can keep your silvery words that there are those out there that understand, connect, and care.” She spat those words like venom, those words he tried to use against her as truth. "I don't fear vulnerability, a family, a home. I cannot fear to lose what I've already lost. You wouldn't know the first thing about the family I would have died for..."
Her words trailed off, something more that she held back from the light. It was almost as if she was shocked to hear those words of admittance to him, one whom she had moments earlier called a stranger. The fire in her eyes flickered, dissipating, for but a second before returning. When she finally spoke again, her words were harsh, yet whispered.
“I can never regain my home, and it's no one's concern but my own. All I have now is to carve my way forward in this life, and I swear on that life, Gavin, I will cut you down without a second thought if you try to meddle in these affairs.”
The realization washed over her that he would still try. She could see the intrigue in his eyes as he awaited that answer, and she wanted to deter him, snatch away that possibility, and swiftly. In her current condition and situation, she was more than aware that her threat had no substance. However, she still met his gaze with that same hushed intensity as her words. He could only keep her restrained for so long.
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Nov 30, 2018 6:44:42 GMT -8
As expected, she continued to resist, even breaking free his hand from her throat. But Gavin had taken control of the situation, giving him an edge over the moment. Once his hand had been separated from her neck, he pulled it back long enough to find her other hand, taking hold of it. It pressed it down to the side, though the action forced him directly over her instead of a bit to the side. Even more was the fact it caused his body to lower further, growing closer to hers and putting more of his weight against her. At this point, he was certain he felt the faint breeze created by her breath.
When her words came, working to stand against his claims, his eyes squinted slightly as the ice blue orbs continued to press into her. So certain was she that she was without the fear he claimed, yet, in his mind, it only solidified it. He couldn't help the low growl in his throat as she finished. Strange that when all was said and done, they had found themselves in a role reversal, his voice elevating slightly, now filled with the same conviction hers had a few minutes before, working to break through the facade he believed to be there.
"You are a fool! You think that because you lost everything that mattered to you, there is nothing left to fear?! The fact that you've experienced that loss only confirms the opposite! You might be oblivious to it, to the lie you're telling yourself, but it's a reality you can't escape from. The life you've chosen to live proves it. After it was gone, you closed yourself off, convinced yourself that you could no longer have a home because the one you had was what home truly meant to you. That fear as directed your path ever since, residing quietly in the back of your mind, whispering itself into your psyche until you are convinced of your decision. You think you are moving forward? You are nothing but a shell of who you were, stagnating and trapped in time. The hands of the clock have stopped for you because of what you've lost. Anger and fear are the two most powerful emotions, capable of driving you to do things you shouldn't or keeping you from doing what you should. It was because of this very reason that I went into exile!" And there it was. What he had told her earlier about why he went into exile was true, but it wasn't until now that the actual reason was revealed. Huffing out a heavy sigh, he shook his head as his voice lightened, though losing none of its conviction. "You're right. I don't know anything about your family and I won't pretend as if I do. But I know full well what it means to lose one's family. When I was four, my brother, sister, and I watched as my parents were killed on the sands of Tatooine. Filled with anger, fear, and sorrow, we lashed out but were hardly a threat. My brother was taken to become a Sith, my sister lost, and I left for dead, so far from home and no longer able to remember who I was. When I was thirteen, I was forced to watch my adopted parents get butchered by Tusken Raiders. In my anger, I pursued them for three days and almost died. I was married at twenty and when I was twenty-one, left my home world to continue my duties to the order I served. She gave birth while I was away, twin girls, the first who was taken and her memory removed from my wife and the doctor. Three years later, my best friend took my wife and remaining daughter to another realm where time moved faster. A couple months here was twelve years there. I found them just in time to watch my love die in my arms after facing torture for all those years. I lost the chance to see my daughters grow up. Though reunited with both of them, I ended up having to bury them five years later. I adopted another girl later down the line and once again, I was forced to bury her. I couldn't take it anymore and ran, not wanting to face that again, believing that being alone was better than the hurting."
With another sigh, he let go of Mariah and pushed himself to his feet. He expected the chance she'd still fight once his grip was released and if he wished for that, he'd grant her that wish. Looking down to her, his eyes had long since lost the fire that sought to push her, the condescending tone he had gained. "I know full well what that pain can do. Even if you choose to say otherwise, I understand what you've felt as I have faced it many times over." He then held out a hand to help her up.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2018 12:20:49 GMT -8
Mariah predicted that her words to fall on deaf ears; what she didn't was for this warrior to come back with a fire that would match her own. The conviction within his tones, his words that berated her and beat into the facade he saw, hoping that it would finally break. Her threat was not as empty as one may have thought, though, and the more Gavin continued on, the harsher her gaze became. Like twin stars, the crimson of her eyes became alight. Her once hidden presence pulsed, like a caged animal beating against its prison walls for the lock to be broken...
His exile. She could feel the breath of his sigh, like a shock to her system. His scolding was finally over. Yet he still continued, listing every loss effortlessly, as if he thought of them as often as she thought of hers. The glowing anger in her eyes faded as quickly as it had revealed itself. By the time Gavin finished listing every last loss he had experienced in his life, Mariah had cut off her gaze from his as she tried to focus solely on quieting her erratic breaths forged by her wrath.
"Loss is commonplace."
Her whispered words were barely audible. A last defense to the prying, which would be to no avail. When she was finally freed, Mariah didn't move. If he was prepared for another onslaught, it wouldn't come. Instead, she only opened her eyes, dazing blankly up towards the ceiling. The more he had gone on about his life, the more vivid that day replayed in her head. The clashes of sabers, the screams, the fires, the deaths of those from both sides. She neither flinched nor pushed the thoughts away; she had long accepted what had happened. The earlier conviction in his voice compelled her to speak that which haunted her. A truth for a truth.
"I was eight when they were taken from me. My Master... My mother was a fallen Master Jedi of the Temple on Coruscant. Ten years after her fall, an underground operation spearheaded by Master Naima Starflight, her sister, was ordered to retrieve her. Something went wrong. I was a Blade and should have fallen with them that day, but..."
Through clenched teeth, a sigh cut off her words. There was so much more, yet nothing more she wanted to discuss. She sat up to find Gavin's hand extended towards her. There was a beat where she simply stared at it before she lifted her attention to find his gaze looking down on her. With a subtle shake of her head, she accepted his aid, pulling herself back to her feet. Although her eyes narrowed upon him, the sharpness in her expression had dulled.
"You talk too much..."
She turned her attention away from him to retrieve her blade, which had scattered across his floor. A moment lingered where she knelt by it and looked it over. She knew all too well that it was unharmed in the fall, but it was a moment longer she could dwell within her own thoughts before addressing him again. Another beat to inhale deeply, another to stand back to her feet and affix the knife with the others.
"You and I both know that it isn't so easy to reestablish all we've lost." Her attention found him again, but she was sure to keep her distance from him this time. "The family you're trying to make here, the allies I sought...? A challenge was issued to kill me almost immediately upon my arrival here. That is my reality, Gavin. That is the life I've grown to know. Allies? Friends? They don't exist unless I prove my worth, and they're just as quick to try and cut me down the moment I have no more use to them."
The fire in her was extinguished. She could continue to fight him, but he revealed his prowess in controlling the situation. She could pick up her things and leave, seeking refuge in her ship until the morning came, where she would board that ship with the one who issued that very challenge. However, after everything that was said, she found herself unable to walk away. There were things he had said; she couldn't deny now that he well understood a part of the flame that forged her. There were still so many assumptions, though, so many words she believed were spoken out of ignorance.
"You can say I live in fear, that I've closed myself off to possibilities. You can say that I'm a shell of who I once was, trapped in time. Stagnant. Whatever you wish to call me, it doesn't matter. I know I would be in Chaos today if I tried to walk a different path."
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Dec 1, 2018 12:57:55 GMT -8
And like that, the fire had died to a simmer if it continued to exist at all. In truth, he had only hoped his words would have reached her, enough to see she wasn't as alone as she expected. Her experiences could be found in others. There were, in fact, many who had faced similar situations, yet it seemed that he was the only one to ever speak about such things to her. There was no longer any reason to push, to reason to explain things, no reason to be so harsh. It might not have been spoken or even accepted, but for a moment, they had established a connection based upon their similarities and experiences.
He only gave a sigh with her first words slipped through her lips. "Loss is something that will always find us at some point or another. It matters not the time or place as we rarely are capable of accepting it." It was one of the hardest truths to ever accept, no matter how strong one became or how wise they were. It had taken him decades in his exile to finally come to terms with it, with the idea that he had created half of those deaths because of his power. It was only in the past year or so that he was able to finally let go and accept that things happen. But for it to happen again, he didn't know if he could just accept it or find that same hurt forcing its way to the surface. Either way, he knew that he was tired of being alone.
Helping her to her feet, he took a step back as to grant her a little bit of space. She had chosen to open up, if only for a small instant about what she faced. There were no details, no more than his own, but she gave enough to establish a picture in his mind. Just like his wife and daughter, his parents, they had been sought out and eliminated for one reason or another. It was planned, not happenstance. Such a thing usually created a greater pain when revealed.
Remaining where he was, he let his head ock to the side a bit as he watched her move across the floor to grab her knife. He observed her and the drawn-out moments of hesitance. Part of him wanted to continue now, to hear her story, to connect further and be there. But he said nothing, knowing tonight was more than enough. Walls had been cracked on both sides. It was more than enough. When she turned to face him again, she would find his eyes upon her, just watching, wondering. It was only when she spoke of proof of worth that he gave a response. It was first started with a deep breath, then a shake of his head. "Unfortunately, that's all it amounts to, and in this universe, it's becoming a greater reality. But you don't always need to prove any worth. Sometimes, you just need to be you."
Moving across the floor, he headed for his closet. He didn't know if the meaning of those final words would make sense to her, but it was a silent offer: friendship between each other. No cost, no expectations. As he reached the closet, he opened the door and began digging inside, crouching down to the bottom shelf. As he did, a light flickered across the open door, like light being reflected off something shiny. After a moment, he stood and closed the door, a set of clothes in his hands. Turning his head to her, he nodded his understanding. "Sometimes, no path presented towards us leads to great things. In which case, yes, the most we can do is survive and wait for the next fork in the road."
Turning to her fully, he lifted the clothes in his hands to her so that they were acknowledged. "Some clothes you can change into if you want." He then moved to the bed and set them there, a light black shirt and black sleeping pants. He then looked to her motioning to the bathroom. "Feel free to use the shower as well. The place is yours tonight."
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2018 16:48:58 GMT -8
All Mariah could do was stand there, unmoving, and listen to Gavin's words. Hearing him speak on loss and the opposite of all the universe had taught her, she could only turn her eyes away from him. Her narrowed crimson eyes found the pile of her things she left against the wall. Her focus found the single silver hilt among the pile, as if Veritas stared back at her. 'Sometimes, you just need to be you.' Gavin's offer in those words didn't fall on deaf ears; she had caught it long enough ago, even if she was only accepting it now. He offered his chambers. He had the chance to kill her, and instead took it as an opportunity to open her eyes to something she refused to see. His kindness and resilience was enough. It was as if she could hear the other's lighthearted laughter resounding from the crystal within that hilt. However, she took something more out of his offer than he may have intended. His piercing words resonated through her mind again: she was a shell of who she was, trapped in time. She had denied it moments before, but with nothing more to prove, nothing more to fight, it was only then that the truth of those words dawned on her.
Her focus was interrupted by the shimmer of light against the closet door. Catching it out of the corner of her eye, Mariah turned her attention back to Gavin. When he offered up his clothes for her, she nodded her head towards him in silent acknowledgement. An actual shower, an actual bed for a night, clothes that weren't old, war torn threads. He had gone through great lengths to push her to this point, to learn to trust and accept, and then continued, for reasons she couldn't yet fully comprehend. Overwhelmed by it all, she could only exhale a sigh.
There was a beat of hesitance before a whispered, "Thank you," managed to part from her lips.
As she watched Gavin place the clothes on the bed, she looked down at her own attire. The glimmering metal, which dangled from her hips, caught her eye. With another deep breath to steady her instincts, Mariah moved across the room, removing the last saber hilt from her hip and the knives on the other side. Doing so screamed warnings of their possible need for them, warnings long instilled in her mind and always upheld. To wholly disarm herself in front of another was something she never had done. Taking control of those thoughts, she finally relinquished the last of her weapons with the rest of her things.
Mariah glanced over towards Gavin out of the corner of her eye, although she still hadn't the motion to walk near him again. She had grown all too accustomed to pushing herself as close as she could manage and breaking through another's guard; her very style depended on it. With her weapons off her person and her own guard shattered, however, she kept that distance for now and settled herself against the far wall from him. She took a comfortable stance, with her arms crossed in front of her chest -- that once challenging stance, now quieted.
"Mariah," she said, her gaze lifting back to meet Gavin. "My name is Mariah Shadows." Up until this point, she knew he hadn't the slightest clue; she used that much against him. With the tension of the past starting to settle like dust between them, she figured that now was better than any other time. "I think it's only fair, since I've known yours this whole time."
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Dec 2, 2018 8:11:13 GMT -8
The silence that filled the room allowed for her whispered words of thanks to be heard, which Gavin gave a soft, genuine smile and a slight nod. Saying such things didn't seem to be something she was used to or fully comfortable with, so he elected to make only a small acknowledgment towards it and let it move on.
He continued to remain silent as she looked at her person and began removing the last of her weapons. While not as slow, there seemed to be the slightest hesitance that remained within her, only he might not have related to, but could definitely understand. The way she had lived, surviving and avoiding others, keeping on guard, it all presented possible dangers. When one felt they could be betrayed at any time, it was always smart to carry a weapon, no matter the case. And to now surrender them and take a chance to trust must have been a big step to take.
But doing such had redirected his attention to the collection she carried. Did they have a story? Did she see these as merely tools or something more? Did they even have names? So many questions flowing through his head about something most wouldn't think too much on. It was only when she spoke that his attention shifted back to her. As his eyes settled on her, he could see she had come to relax, though opted to keep her distance. He let the name given to him mull around within his mind for a moment, letting it burn into his memory.
Two words developed to thoughts for him. One was her first name: Mariah. He found it to be a rather pleasing name. There would always be those generic names, then names that were too off the wall to take seriously. But then there were those names that sounded just right or were spelled in an interesting way. The second thought revolved around Shadows, a word he had long since thought about. For a few moments, he let his memory slip back to the years he spent among the order that bore the same name. An order of balance, yet, that purpose had long since been lost even before he joined. And as far as he knew, he was the last one still living that once existed within that order.
Taking a deep breath, he returned to reality. "Mariah, huh? Well, it is a pleasure." Turning his attention back to the weapons by her feet, he tilted his head and pointed to them. "That's quite the collection you have there. All your's or did some belong to others?"
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2018 12:23:26 GMT -8
Mariah caught Gavin's interest in her weaponry, which at first stirred an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach. Those instincts had been instilled and taught over and over again for many decades. Her biggest lesson here was to fight against that instinct, knowing it had no place, at least for now. However, there was still something more that sparked the caution within her, and that was the importance of each of those weapons to her. They each had their story, a reason she carried them. They weren't mere tools to her, especially two among the mix.
When his question came, revealing nothing but his curiosity towards them, Mariah exhaled a sigh. The tension in her hands relaxed, and she pushed herself off the wall to make her way back over to the small pile she had set aside. "Only two are mine," she answered, picking up the silvery one that had rested on her hip and one of the shotos she had discarded earlier, which held a golden glimmer to the embellished hilt. "Arcanum was my first blade." The way she spoke the name, it traveled with the hints of an exotic lilt before she effortlessly continued on in Galactic Basic. "I crafted Nihilo within a year after I started my travels alone..."
Again her words trailed off as something in her gaze sharpened upon him. The battle in her mind was far greater than imaginable. The caution still lingered, far deeper than a single meeting would heal. She inhaled a slow breath, however, and with it, she approached Gavin and extended the golden hilt towards him in offering for a closer look. The only thought that could quiet her mind in doing so was having the other firmly grasped in her left hand.
"I was growing older, and a single shoto could only serve me so well. I decided that it was time to craft something more standard, and that is when Nihilo came into my life." With that mentioned, she extended her other hand to show the other hilt, silvery in appearance and not nearly as adorned as the other. "Over time, I learned to use both."
In truth, there were a multitude of techniques she had learned and practiced using multiple sabers. They had been her sole companions over the years. How deeply woven she had become in finding new styles and techniques with them was something words couldn't express. With his questions, though, she found her own curiosity bubbling to the surface. She knew that he, as an instructor and Master, he surely had sabers of his own, especially if he, too, knew the hardships of wandering. Her years of solitude left her uncertain, what were considered normal practice and what were those traditions long ingrained within her. Although she knew he was not among the Sith here, she wanted to learn whatever she could in the little time she was here, so long as they were on the topic.
"...and what of you and yours?"
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Dec 2, 2018 12:52:40 GMT -8
He watched as she moved back to the pile and began removing a couple. He had expected a simple, straight to the point answer. However, she had elected to share a bit about them, even if there was more that she keeping quiet. For that though, he wouldn't push. Only two were hers and clearly, it wasn't the two curved-hilts he had noticed. To him, that meant these weapons were more than tools to her and each of them had a story worth telling, even if she wasn't ready to convey them. That garnered respect from him.
As she walked over and held up her hand, he moved slowly, reaching up with both hands to take both sides of the hilt offered to them. Even when his hands found it, he waited a moment before gently moving away, handling it as if it was a precious and fragile treasure. He examined it thoroughly, moving it in all angles to see all he could. When she held up the other enough so that he could see it better, he let himself move closer so to see it better as well, though didn't take it as it wasn't offered. After a moment, he handed the one he had back to her. "Quite the exquisite craftsmanship. Very beautiful, indeed. And the names are excellent as well. Are they names that relate to the weapon itself, or are they names that you thought sounded good?"
He took note of the mention of using both, easily picking up her ability in Jar'Kai. But what else she knew from utilizing two blades was another matter, one he would have loved to witness sometime. But when she turned the question back to him, he couldn't help but give a smirk. Moving back over to the closet, he opened both doors wide. Reaching down, he grabbed a bag and took something else from higher up. The most immediate thing to note was that he carried a large sword, the source of the earlier light. Looking to be nearly four and a half feet tall from end to end. While the blade style resembled a katana in nature, it was clearly too big to be considered as such. At the tip of the blade, two extra, smaller blades curved upwards, one behind the other like claws. Approaching the hilt, a curved blade extended off the bottom and back over the hilt. The hilt guard was a dragon's head with the blade exiting its mouth. A pair of horns curved back to the hilt while another pair curves down to the chin, meeting underneath and seemingly holding the bottom curve in place. The hilt's design resembled the spine of a creature. At the end of the hilt, a four-point spear styled as a Fleur De Lis extended off the back for an extra place of attack. In the dragon's eyes shone two silvery crystals. Despite its size, he picked it up and set it on the bed as if it was an easy task, one aided by the use of enhanced strength by the Force.
Putting the bag next two it, he pulled out a group of sabers, five single hilts and a double-bladed as well as a belt of throwing knives, each shaped to resemble feathers. He spread them out so she could see, giving a chuckle as he did so. "As you can see, you're not the only one with a large arsenal."
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2018 14:40:40 GMT -8
Mariah watched as Gavin handled the hilt delicately, as if it could shatter within his hands. She had expected for him to handle it the way he would any saber hilt and had prepared to cage the thoughts which murmured beneath the surface, speaking that he would try to cut her down with her own weapon. Instead, to see him handle it so differently brought the hints of an amused smile just at the corners of her lips. As if that wasn't all, when he handed the shoto hilt back to her and complimented it, she had to tear her gaze away if but to steady whatever sparked the hints of that smile.
"I was four when I first started working on Arcanum," she explained, glancing back at him briefly to catch his reaction before she glided back over to the pile of her belongings. "My Master had a great hand in helping, though, as did my father... and Avia..." A beat. "...my grandmother. I've heard it's more traditional for the younglings to do such things themselves, but..."
Again, she found herself granting this information freely without a second thought, and her words drifted off, halting her explanation. Her critical, narrowed gaze drifted off as she took a few steady breaths. Reminding herself of the lingering question, she forced herself back into reality and set down the silvery standard hilt to retrieve the other shoto among the pile. In its own way, it was one of many parts of an answer to that question which had no simple explanation. Before she could offer it, though, Gavin provided his own arsenal. She watched him skeptically for a moment, crimson eyes glancing down to the blade and back to him several times. She was no stranger for utilizing the Force's aid regarding weaponry; there were countless times where she needed to do the same. Owning a blade of that size, however, seemed counterintuitive to any purpose she could fathom.
Slowly, she reapproached Gavin near where he rested the blade. For a moment, her gaze lingered on it, her right hand instinctively reaching out towards the guard of the dragon's head. She paused, though, suddenly pulling back and standing back to her full height.
"A family heirloom?" she asked, the only answer she could come up with. Her questioning gaze found Gavin again, and with it, his earlier unanswered question echoed about in her mind. "My sister's first blade," she offered, holding the two together, side-by-side within her hands. At a first glance, the other silvery hilt was simple in comparison to Mariah's golden one, but if he would actually take a look at the two, they carried striking similarities despite all of their differences. "Together, their meanings intertwine with each other. Both opposites, yet arguably necessary for the other to continue existing. That was the way my sister and I were trained."
It was the best answer she could give him regarding their names; however, it also shined a bit more light into their earlier argument, her stubbornness, and the deep link she still had towards all those who were lost, despite the multitude of years that had passed. At first, she felt the answer was simple enough. The more her words stewed in her mind, the more she seemed to raise her guard again, and the harshness in her eyes returned. It could only be caught for an instant before she turned her attention to the plethora of his weapons now sprawled out.
Setting down both shotos on the bed, Mariah brushed her fingertips against the surface of the double-bladed saber, revealing her intrigue in that particular weapon among all of the others. "How well-trained are you with this one?" she asked, turning her head to glance back over at Gavin.
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
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Affiliation: The Dark Jedi Order
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Dec 2, 2018 15:10:55 GMT -8
Gavin listened as she spoke of its origins, still opting to withhold information. There were indeed many stories by what he could gather, some relating to the weapons, others to family in general. Somehow, his earlier words had opened her up just a little to make mention of them, at least. In time, he hoped she'd feel comfortable as he had come to be in sharing the past, if not with him, then another she came to trust.
He then merely watched as Mariah's hand drifted towards the large blade, mainly towards the guard, yet stopped before reaching it. It didn't bother him in the least as she was free to handle any of the blades. In her hands, he noticed she had decided to gather up the second shoto. It was then she asked her question about it before remembering his own question about the names of the sabers. He gave a nod, grasping the sense of what these sabers truly meant to her. As she held them up, it was easy to see both the differences and similarities. Crafted by those of the same heart, yet two separate hearts. "I see. Sometimes opposites make us stronger. I have pair much like them in that regard." He motioned to the pair of sabers that held a striking resemblance to each other aside from the fact that one was of a black chrome accented in crimson while the other was silver and sapphire. "Deepstrike and Blockade one tied to the darkness and offense while the other the light and defense. Bound together to create harmony in one's style. They are the oldest pair in my collection. The names are dull when compared to yours but otherwise state their purpose.
He then looked back to the large sword. "Not at all. I made it a few years ago. I typically always carried a sword of some type that wasn't energy based. Somehow, they always got a little bigger than the one before. Strange in its size and shape, I know. I just felt a desire to craft something a little more intricate than I ever had before."
It was then that she took an interest in the double-bladed saber. It was an interesting piece of work, carrying a few tricks outside the ordinary. Appearing slightly longer than most saberstaves, it held a black chrome hue that was broken up with silver accents. Nothing too fancy in its appearance except the four bulges at each end of the saber just below the emitters. Picking it up, he twirled it around in his hands. "Kolk Illuminate, or Depth's Illumination in Basic. I'm quite proud of this one. It has a few tricks you may never see on other sabers. Such as these." Pressing a switch, the eight bulges shot up, extending over the emitter now. Sharp blades measuring two inches in length. "I can use this as a weapon with or without the lightsaber activated. With a phrik weave, it also works well in locking other sabers in place when our blade meet. Also." He then twisted the hilt and it came apart into two sabers with a thin chain connecting them together. "I'm able to disconnect them for two sabers. The chain allows me to utilize a particular style I created for myself." He then reconnected the staff and held it out to her for her to observe if she desired.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2018 17:07:48 GMT -8
The more that was discussed, learning of each blade's origin and meaning, Mariah found her narrowed gaze glancing all around. While the saberstaff had her attention, Gavin pointed her to other various weapons in his collection. When he brought up the dual blades and their purpose not only alone, but together, she couldn't help but glance back at the last two sabers she'd yet to bring up. Through clenched teeth, however, she tore her attention away from them and opted to focus solely on his. It was easy enough when he claimed the names of his dull in comparison to her own, to which she was swift to dismiss.
"They only sound exotic to those who don't know any better," she murmured, offering Gavin a slight, reassuring nod of her head. "The names I've chosen for mine are really quite simple to those who would understand." Yet that was all she offered for now.
Her attention returned to the sword, her slender hand running along its spine detail while her crimson eyes looked throughout the rest of it. The idea of wielding such a thing in a true battle scenario was something odd, if not laughable, to her; however, she said nothing. Who was she to question one who had already bested her? Even if she wasn't one hundred percent, a battle was still a battle, and it was one she initiated and lost. For all of her earlier fiery words, it was clear that he had garnered some respect from her, even if it was only starting to be revealed more as she relaxed. Despite her personal opinions over the sword, she couldn't deny the astonishing intricacies of the blade, even if she only revealed that with her locked interest instead of with words.
It wasn't until Gavin picked up the saberstaff and began to explain its specialties that Mariah's gaze turned back to him, only really to keep an eye on the weapon he now wielded. Her eyes narrowed on the blades at each end, as if the woman was making a note of their existence. The phrik weave, its purpose, and then a specialized style on top of it all. That cautious expression shifted, piercing into Gavin.
"I look forward to seeing it in action one day."
The way she looked at him, it was as if she expected herself to be the very one he would be fighting against when that day came, and something in her eyes changed, from mere caution to something that could only resemble excitement. When he offered it out to her, she accepted, her hesitance slowly beginning to melt away. Although not as delicate as he was with her shoto, she handled it carefully, observing the details and the way to affect the components. She remained otherwise quiet as she continued to make note of such things like its weight as a whole, even separating the two to feel the weight of the two sabers in her hands and attempting to decipher the multitude of uses for the chain by eyeing it alone. Truth be told, there was a burning desire within her that wanted to explore those uses now through action; however, the pain in her side was a constant reminder to her limited mobility. With a quiet sigh, she reconnected the two and handed it back to him.
Again, her attention glanced back to her own, but as quickly as her gaze turned away, it was back to the weapons spread out on the bed. The belt of throwing knives was the other set of weaponry that caught her gaze immediately, next to the saberstaff. She tilted her head just slightly as she examined the feather details on each of the knives, her crimson eyes locked upon them. "I don't imagine you carry all of these on your person at any given time," she whispered, referring to all of the weapons that he revealed. Then again, simply because she was running out of room on her person didn't mean others had their own tricks. "Do you use these often?" The care she held when paying mind to any one of his weapons was something easily noted. Despite her clear interest, which shined more as the conversation continued, she neither reached nor handled any of them, as if she waited for some sense of permission, be it spoken or inferred, with each and every one she inquired about.
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