Star Wars The Training of Darth Erebus: A Sith Empire RP

Dxun
Onderon Rising

As if curiosity finally won over indifference, high above the sky, Onderon began to move out of darkness, languidly peeking over at the events unfolding upon Dxun, as a mere crescent shape appeared up in the firmament.

Down in the darkened jungle, Vex drew strength from the focus granted by his training, to stay on mission and perform past the onset of fatigue, to remain alert while still in danger. It was that alertness combined with his force senses that allowed him to become aware of a new danger.

His warning instinct caused him to suddenly stop short, just as he come upon the grove. Indeed, it was a perfect place to gain purchase, and it would suit his purposes well. However, a careful inspection of his surroundings would reveal a near-invisible tripwire connected to a flash-banger. Upon seeing the first one, he was sure to see others nearby, securing a perimeter. Clearly, this was not the work of local ‘creatures’.

His sense of smell would also reveal the scent of something recently dead, somewhere in the vicinity, but unseen.

It was with great certainty that the zabrak could ascertain, that he dynamics in his training were becoming more interesting with every passing moment.



Tag: @Quinlan Vos

 

IC: Vex Nolzit, AKA Darth Erebus
Dxun

Vex scanned the surrounding grove, reaching out with his limited force ability to attempt to find every trip wire in the area. He could move on from the grove, but doing so would leave him no way into the trees, potentially costing him hours or even days in his journey. Mentally noting where each wire was, he carefully started forward, stepping lightly over the first of many to come.

As he made his way closer to his chosen tree, the smell of the dead creature grew stronger. He stayed silent and stealthy, trying not to alert whatever had killed it, and continued on his path. Approaching the tree, he made one last effort to reach out between him and his destination. Finding no more tripwires in his path, he hurried forward, intent on getting up quickly to get away from the danger below.

As he reached the base, he peered around the trunk. Behind it, he found the carcass of a massive creature, and his eyes widened. If something that big could be taken down by a predator, he would be nothing more than a chew toy if he wasn't careful. With that thought, he began to climb...

Tags: @greyjedi125

 

Dxun
By the Cover of Night

Within the jungle darkness, the scene developed in a curious fashion. Vex dealt with his obstacle expertly, and was able to cross over the trip wires without raising an alarm. The zabrak was able to continue forward as he moved silently and unseen.

However, a familiar sensation would settle in the back of his mind as he came to the trees. The sensation of being watched. No, this was very much unlike the eyes he now and again felt from the observing Sith. There was surprise here, curiosity and an undercurrent of malice.

The sensation was lost as soon as he peered behind the trunk to look at the dead carcass, as the line of vision was suddenly cut. It could be reasoned that Vex might have taken a quick reflexive glance, which would only reveal a suppressed heat signature ensconced higher in the trees. It hadn’t seemed like an animal at all.

Whatever it was, it was quite likely that it had spotted him by chance.

But what now?



Tag: @Quinlan Vos

 

IC: Vex Nolzit, AKA Darth Erebus
Dxun Night

Vex noticed the creature above him relatively quickly, with the help of his night-vision goggles. Without taking his eyes off of the being, he slowly drew his vibroblade, as he didn't want the ignition of his saber to attract any more attention. Moving quietly and delicately, he made his way along the lowest branch strong enough to support him to the next tree over, hoping the creature above wouldn't follow or wouldn't care. Maintaining eye contact, he once again grasped into his pack, pulling out a strangely-shaped metal object which could only have one use.

Continuing his path, he placed the motion-sensor on the tree he had just left. If anything so much as slightly shook the tree unnaturally, he would receive a heads-up on his goggles. As he drew further and further away, he resumed moving upwards in the trees, in an effort to regain his original vantage height.

Occasionally, however, he would keep looking over his shoulder, the feeling of being watched never quite leaving him...

Tag: @greyjedi125

 

Dxun
Hunter & Prey

Onderon moved across the night sky in her majestic indifference, displaying her pale glamour for all to see, yet for a moment, she seemed to languish, as if transfixed by a curious sight.

The moment seemed to stretch, the darkness held its breath. Unseen eyes watched.

Vex moved with great care and kept his eyes on his target, which in turn seemed to keep its eye on him. But like Vex, the target also moved slowly, readjusting itself upon its perch. The Sith Apprentice would get a better sense of what he was looking at, as he continued on his path. Despite the suppressed heat signature, the zabrak would guesstimate that the figure had to be some kind of humanoid.

Nothing occurred for several moments, at least not until Vex began to make his climbing motions.

The figure didn't seem to move, at least not in any way Vex could perceive at his current distance, but an alert on his goggles flashed, as the motion sensor he set was triggered.

At the same time a red dot would appear on his chest. His force senses would blare, warning him of DANGER.

That's when the crimson bolt would lance from the target -straight for his chest.

Indeed, Vex had taken practical precautions to ward him against unsuspected surprises and the force also alerted him. But, were his reflexes fast enough to save him? Would he prove Lord Manticore right or wrong?

Was he Hunter or Prey?


Tag: @Quinlan Vos

 

IC: Vex Nolzit, AKA Darth Erebus
DANGER!!!

It seemed as though the universe had slowed for the split second as the bolt arced through the air on its path of death. A million thoughts flooded the mind of the young Zabrak, as his life flashed before his very eyes. He contemplated allowing death its victory, as he certainly should not have come this far considering all that he had already gone through in the jungle. It was only right that this dark and foreboding place that had shown him life as a Sith would also bring about his demise.

He blinked.

NO!!!!

This was not to be his legacy. He would not become another forgotten apprentice, felled by the terrors of the dark moon. He would not allow his name to fade away into obscurity on the long list of those who had fallen before him. He had chosen this path that lay before him, a path of death and darkness. He would see that path through to the end.

Thus, the story of Vex Nolzit was brought to an end...

... and in his place, only Darth Erebus remained!

With force-enhanced precision, the newly-found Sith launched himself towards the trunk of the tree, narrowly avoiding the wicked bolt that struck the tree directly behind him. He drew upon his pent up anger, of all that he had lost, all that had happened to the man formerly known as Vex, and destroyed every memory, turning them all into a massive pool of rage inside of him.

Drawing upon this new power, he ignited his lightsaber, launching himself back the way he had come, aiming directly for the creature that had just moments before been on the attack...

One of them would meet a gruesome end, and Erebus had already decided that it would not be his own body falling to the ground below...

Tag: @greyjedi125

 

Dxun
Darth Erebus Ascending

Somehow, incredibly and inexplicably, the killing shot had missed. That wasn’t possible as the target was in a compromised position. But there was no time to ponder that mystery.

Something fundamental had changed between hunter and prey.

The tables had turned.

Darth Erebus would sense a sharp feeling of shocked surprise, followed by blooming fear, intermixed with faltering determination- at the very moment he’d ignited his lightsaber.

A second shot was fired, then a third.

Darth Erebus deflected these with contemptuous ease and uncanny precision as he moved forward- his intention was unmistakable.

There was a tactical pause from the attacker perched on the trees, as a last gambit was being played. A powered shot was charging. The timing would be close -too close for comfort, but only one of them would live.

From deep within the dark jungle, a pair of fiery eyes observed the unfolding scene - as did many others. Lord Manticore slowly nodded to himself, then ever so slowly, at the corner of his black lips, a hint of a smile began to form.


Tag: @Quinlan Vos

OOC: Nicely played. I rather enjoyed that moment. Feel free to resolve the final blow as you see fit. The hunter perched on the tree is desperate to make the kill.

 

IC: Darth Erebus (Formerly Vex Nolzit)
Ascension

As Erebus bounded from branch to branch, closing quickly upon his quarry, he noticed a subtle change as his target had ceased firing. Sensing an energy build-up through his newly-heightened Force abilities, he summed that the being he was getting ever closer to was charging his weapon for a strong blast, one that would almost certainly destroy Erebus as soon as it touched his body. But he would not allow that to happen.

In one deft move, he reached down into his left boot, where he had hidden his blaster earlier, and removed it smoothly, taking aim mid-jump.

Time seemed to slow.

Slowly aiming the blaster at his prey, he watched as the being leveled its own weapon back upon Erebus.

Less than 10 meters away from his former stalker, he pulled the trigger...

He watched in slow motion as the bolt was loosed from his blaster, simultaneously with the being before him placing his own finger upon his own trigger.

Would the shot reach in time, before he was decimated by the blast that was about to come forth from the barrel of his enemy?

Or would he simply cease to exist mere seconds from now?

.......

He tripped upon a vine, no longer able to defend himself, and fell forward in this slowed time, grasping at the air around him, waiting for the end to come...

Tags: @greyjedi125
Observing: @Sinrebirth

 

Dxun
The Climb


The moment. Who really knew how long it lasted. Perhaps a blink of an eye, or several habits, if that. Onderon wasn’t sure, but didn’t care much about that particular detail. She wanted to see more, needed to get higher, craved a better vantage point- and for that, she had to reach her apogee.

Partially illuminated by the indifferent moonlight, they sailed, piercing the darkness between them. Darth Erebus took a shot at his adversary with his Blaster, his senses and reflexes enhanced by the darkside of the Force. He who hunted him relied on his keen hunter’s know-how and his knowledge of his preferred Hunting Rifle. Both men were experienced in their specific craft, experts in their element; both intent on making a kill.

Angle, distance, relative speed, vector, inertia, momentum, fall-off, all these calculations and more were resolved in their minds at near light speed, and immediately acted upon. Both simultaneously became hunter and hunted.

But who accounted for the vine?

A simple and lonely vine. Who knows when it had sprouted, or for long had it been there, or even for what purpose. Did it know that it could affect the trajectory of a grown humanoid in mid-jump, and by doing so change the course of a fated outcome? Or maybe, it was the vine itself which was ‘fated’? Who could know for certain.

The shot by the sith apprentice would hit its unmoving target with uncanny accuracy. The blaster bolt would penetrate the target’s skull with clinical precision, leaving a clean perforation and instantly killing the hunter in the process.

Due to his rate of motion and linear vector, the hunter’s charged bolt would hit Darth Erebus squarely in his chest- if it were not for the vine, which cause a slight directional adjustment to the zabrak’s motion: It caused the horned sith to spin and rotate out of the projected target zone. Instead of hitting his chest, the charged bolt only grazed Erebus’ shoulder and continued past him - hitting the nocturnal flyer which was suddenly descending to snatch him up.

The high flying creature had spied the zabrak in motion and saw an opportunity- instinctively, it swooped down to catch its prize. A shriek of pain and surprise was cut-off as it disintegrated into nothingness once hit by the errant charged bolt from the hunter's rifle.

Darth Erebus fell to the damp ground, hitting hard, but not losing consciousness. Zabraks were a hardy species, quite resilient as they possessed indomitable spirits and twin hearts that lent their bodies superior performance. This was par for the course. 'Just a scratch' as they saying among warriors went.

Erebus would notice where the hunter, the humanoid who had fired upon him, would fall unceremoniously to the ground from his perch, and remain unmoving. After taking a few breaths himself, he would also hear a growl, and see the outline of a carnivorous creature, one that would first sniff the recently killed body, then slowly drag it away- all while keeping its beady eyes trained on the zabrak and his weapon.

Dxun was not done with Erebus, far from it. The pain on his shoulder would remind him that he still had a mission to complete, but he would also feel the galvanizing power of the Darkside of the Force, as it granted him more than enough energy to complete his task.

He’d encountered one hunter at this point, such would serve as confirmation that he’d stumbled into something. The zabrak only had one option really, and that was to go forth.

His Master would certainly think so, and so would his Master's Master.


Tag: @Quinlan Vos ( @Sinrebirth *mentioned )