Awaiting indoctrination

[Salem Ave]

The youth stood silent. Excepting his scrolling eyes, his whole body remained motionless in the darkness of the chamber, all but his pale skin merging in with the shadows. For some time he remained silent, his head canted in thought as he waited for some recognition from those who were supposed to 'greet' him. After mere minutes, he gave in and spoke.

"...Greetings."

[Jeseth Cloak]

"What do you want?" Jeseth narrowed his eyes at the visitor, pacing behind him. It wasn't everyday someone just showed up and stood on the Sith Palace's doorstep... but when they did, it was usually to ask things of which they had no knowledge. Training as a Sith. Hardly any survived the training which they so eagerly sought. "The Palace is closed to visitor's for the day..." Jeseth had a feeling the man wasn't a tourist, but all the same, he'd regard him as one... just for the moment.

[Salem Ave]

"I do not seek entrance to the Palace. I come in search of tutelage..."

Salem regarded the man with a slight insecurity of his actions as his mind turned over to try and figure out which of the famous Sith the man could be. He drew no names from his mind, and left himself at the conclusion that he was one of the peasants the Darksiders held as a servant.

"...from one of the tutors here."

[Jeseth Cloak]

"Then it seems you've come to the right place..." Jeseth raised up a control pad, pressing one of the many buttons upon it's black steel face. The door behind them, which led out into the deeper recesses of the palace, began to hiss open slowly. "Walk." Jeseth walked on ahead, passing through the glistening white archway. This door normally opened only to members of The Sith Order. "We tutor in all subjects, of course. Which is to your interest?" Jeseth seemed to be quite sincere, but he wanted to hear exactly what the man wanted.

The door shut behind them, leaving the two in near total darkness. The beautiful facade of the exterior areas of the palace had melted away. This section of the castle was much less charming... and very cold. Jeseth lifted a hand, reciting a few words whispered words, and watching as a few torches along the walls bursting into flames. The hallway was illuminated just enough for Salem to get a better look around.

[Salem Ave]

The torch flame gave the hallway an extra touch of atmosphere, adding to the already macabre image it portrayed. Pacing behind Jeseth slowly, Salem looked around his full 180 degree line of vision to take his surroundings as he walked.

"The dark arts. What else would I come here for?" After speaking the words he cursed in the back of his mind - he had no inclination of the tolerance of attitude that the Sith possessed, although their anger levels he did know of. Perhaps he shouldn't have said that?

[Jeseth Cloak]

Jeseth continued to walk onward, arriving at a door with a retinal scanner. He placed his eyes to it briefly and allowed it to clear him for entrance. It hissed up in a flash, and Jeseth stopped. His arm went back and grabbed Salem, tossing him into the room as if he were no more than a common criminal. "As I thought - You are not mindful of your thoughts, Salem Ave." Jeseth stepped in, looked down at the man who had just nearly stumbled onto his face. The door hissed behind them. There was nothing in the room as far as he could see... only a light in the center of the room where they now stood. "Tell me how you came to be here before me." Jeseth's wings burst open slightly, stretching out. He rarely got a chance to exercise them anymore...

[Salem Ave]

He leashed his thoughts quickly, focusing them on the now winged man before him. In the dark room he looked like some angel of death, a gothic messanger of the fate awaiting all those who stepped out of line, mentally as well as physically.

"I heard of this place by chance... sir," he added hestitantly, "Some students of my academy spoke of it one night, unaware of my listening."

His throat ran dry quickly as he swallowed down a lump of ... something.

[Jeseth Cloak]

"And what do you know of the Dark Side? Did you come here seeking power... thinking it would help you realize some dream..?" He walked behind Salem, then back in front of him again, almost pacing. His hands were behind his back as he bent down to examine the man closely. "Now you show respect, but moments ago you did not. That is your first mistake. I've done nothing to earn your respect..." Jeseth grabbed the man by his throat, pushing him back so his legs bent painfully and his head touched to the ground with a thwack. "...nothing yet, that is... You will learn in time to address me as master. Is that understood?"

[Salem Ave]

Again, a mass was pushed down the length of his throat. From his current angle looking up at the Sith, he looked even more melancholic than before.

"Yes... Master," A pain throbbed in the back of his head as he ran his tongue over his dry lips.

He was unsure whether or not a response the the first questions was required, however it seemed wise to think that one was - angering the Sith further was not a prospective he found appealing.

"I know nothing more of the Dark side than it's nature, Master."

[Jeseth Cloak]

He pondered for a second, holding Salem's skull against the cold marble floor. The pressure continued to mount until Jeseth finnished considering the options. Lifting him off the ground quickly, he dropped Salem's onto his knees and pointed another hand to the wall behind him. A click was heard and a holo-projector turned on. Jeseth walked up to it and pulled something out of his coat pocket, then slid it into the snall machine. The image of a man popped up upon the display."We will start then with a history lesson. Tell me what you know of the Force."

[Salem Ave]

Kneeling before the projector, Salem stared silently for a second or two until his mind settled once more after being thudded against the marble beneath him.

"The Force is everything. Each and every living thing is the Force. The Jedi use it peacefully to try and protect the...'innocent'... where as the Sith tap into it through their negative emotions to gain power."

[Jeseth Cloak]

He shook his head disapprovingly. Salem knew the traveler's tale of the Force. He didn't know what the real Force was... not in the real sense of the word, that is. He invisibly pressed the switch to shut off the holo-projector from afar, and then placed a hand on Ave's shoulder. "I was wrong. It is not time for a history lesson yet. First, you learn the true meaning of the Force... the true feeling." Lightening cracked the darkness open, shattering blood vessels along Ave's back as Jeseth did not one release his hold on the man. He wasn't screaming yet... that was an admirable trait.

"Do you it feel it now, Salem?" The lightening intensified, smoke trailing up from the man who was on he's knees, convulsing and shuddering from the surge of lightening... until in a flash, it was gone, and the darkness washed over him again, soothing his wounds. Jeseth released him, opening the door to the dark room. "Get up, and walk. We shall see about your admission - If, that is, you still want it?" The winged knight grinned. In most cases, the applicants backed out here, and then he executed them neatly. He made an attempt to pry at Salem's senses, hoping to peer into his mind for a second.

[Salem Ave]

Salems form hung rigidly, the sudden jump from extreme pain to nothingness shaking his perception. His eyes moved upwards to look at the Sith slowly, watching as he opened the door into the next room. What would be beyond the threshold? More torture no doubt. He had two choices now. Run and die, or stay.

"Yes," Salem rose to straighten his posture, nodding to the man as he stepped forward, his right foot almost giving way beneath him - the muscles still in shock from the electric bolts.

[Jeseth Cloak]

[Continued here: pub23.ezboard.com/fthesit...=238.topic (http://pub23.ezboard.com/fthesithordertraininggrounds.showMessage?topicID=2 38.topic)]