In a dark place...

[Alera Starreyes]

The man, holding a sleek blaster in one hand, slammed his victim against the side of the building. The unarmed man cried out in pain as his face smashed against the hard surface. Roughly turning him to face him, the man held his blaster to his head. "You," he said coldly, "are dead." His finger started to tighten around the trigger. The young man closed his eyes and braced himself for death…
Suddenly, a voice filled the narrow alleyway. "I think not."
A figure stepped from the shadows.
Her shoulder-length hair was dark, in stark contrast to her pale skin. Her eyes were ice blue, and her cloak was so blue it looked black. The shadows in the alleyway played across her features, lending her an intimidating appearance.
"Who are you?" the man with the blaster asked, feeling a slight thrill of uncertainty down his spine.
A pure white lightsaber blazed to life in the woman's hands. In a clear melodic voice, she said, "I am Alera Elenedui. That is all you ever need know."
The man fired a shot at Alera. Opening herself to the Force, she moved swifter than lightning and deflected the shot back at him. The man gave a cry of pain and crumpled to the ground as the blast hit his leg.
"Run!" Alera called to the man's former quarry. Startled out of his shock - an interesting thought - he obeyed.
Snarling in rage at seeing his prey getting away, the man raised his blaster to fire at him. His shot went wild as Alera's boot slammed into his head. His blaster clattered to the ground, and Alera brought it to her hand with the Force. The young man disappeared around the corner.
Alera now stood over the man. Her face was expressionless. Only the trembling fist that clutched her lightsaber betrayed the struggle that was taking place within, as it had countless times before.
-Let him go,- she told herself. -You haven't saved one life only to destroy another. You are finished here. For Light's sake, go!- But a rage was building up inside her, a rage she constantly suppressed that could not be held in any longer.
The man looked up at her, fear in his eyes. -GO!- Her mind screamed.
But it was too late. Hatred and anger coursed through her, took hold of her. She was open to the dark side of the Force, and nothing could hold it back now. A shadow crept over her eyes.
Her lightsaber suddenly flickered, then changed. It was no longer the brilliant white it once was, but black, true and darkest black. So black that it still glowed, burning with its own darkness.
With a roar Alera attacked the helpless man on the ground, slashing violently with her saber. He barely had time to scream before he died.
Alera was about to disappear into the shadows again, when she stopped, blinking in confusion. The shadow left her eyes. She looked back.
The man's lifeless form lay on the ground.
Terror seized her as the full realization of what had happened dawned on her. Alera looked at her saber, and saw it in mid-change from black to its original white.
"What have I done?!" she whispered in horror, and collapsed to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably.

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier drops down from atop one of the rooves above the alleyway. He lands in a crouch, smiling slowly at what he sees. He slowly stands up fully and starts to clap as he moves towards the woman. His hands slowly slip back through his hair as he ties it back in a pony tail, his pale hands looking even paler against the bright yellow of his hair.

"Very good. The Darkness feels good, doesn't it?"

The young Sith Warrior grins slowly as he looks at her, cracking his neck quietly.

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera sensed the approach of the Sith before she heard it. At his words, a cold shiver ran down her spine. It did.
-No!- she thought forcefully. -I will not give in to the dark side! I can't!-
Wiping tears from her face, she said in a voice barely more than a hollow whisper, "I couldn't... hold it back this time..." She looked up, eyes sharp even when wet with tears as she looked over the stranger. Quickly, but shakily, she got to her feet. Alera deactivated her lightsaber, but held it ready to reactivate at a moment's notice. "Who are you?"

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier smirks slightly as he watches her deactivate the saber. He slowly bows then stands straight up once more.

"Xavier Sadow. Sith Warrior of The Sith Empire."

He cracks his neck slightly as he watches her, his arms slowly crossing over his chest after he tosses the bottom ends of his trenchcoat back behind him, the hilt of his double-bladed, black hued saber flashing for just a moment.

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera returned the bow. "Alera Elenedui." She raised an eyebrow slightly. "Xavier... You wouldn't be looking for trouble on a night like this, would you?" With the Force she spoke into his mind.
If you're planning on a fight, Sith, you'll not find me easy to defeat.
She seemed more composed now, but in truth she was still in shock at herself, more afraid than she'd ever been of anything - and it was herself she feared.
Alera pushed those thoughts away. She must focus on the situation at hand. She watched every move this... Xavier made, completely alert.

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier smiles slowly and holds his hands out to the side for a moment.

"Me..? Look for trouble? Never."

He chuckles slightly.

"Usually yes but not tonight.. not right now atleast. I was just roaming.. and I found it rather odd for a Jedi to kill at random."

He smiles slowly as her sense of fear for herself.

"Well well.. Afraid are we? Of me.. or of what you just did?"

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera sharply drew in a breath, and remembered how auttuned to such emotions the Sith were.
She looked away, eyes falling on the dead man's body. Nothing could have hid the tremor in her voice as Alera spoke. "You don't scare me... and I'm not afraid of what just happened." she paused. "I'm terrified." Indeed, she was finding it hard to breathe. She forced herself to be calm, to take deep breaths, but it was hard.

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier smiles slowly as he begins to walk towards her slowly, his arms unfolding from across his chest.

"Let it out. Give into the fear.. the anger you feel inside of you. You will become more powerful than you could ever become on the path you have chosen thus far.."

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera stood where she was, chin up. Her eyes blazed. "Power! What does that accomplish? All it does is hurt people. I became a Jedi to help, with what power I do possess."
Her treacherous mind sneered, -You did a good job with that today, didn't you? I'm sure that man over there is better off for your 'help'.- Alera's hand clenched into a white-knuckled fist in anger at her thoughts. She blinked and unclenched it slowly. It was happening again. She was lettng anger get to her. Quietly, she stated, "I will not be swayed by these lies."
-But who is lying here, Alera?- part of her wondered. -Is it him, or is it you, lying to yourself? Do you really belong with the Jedi?-
Her hand was a fist again.

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier smiles at her slowly. He begins to slowly walk in circles around her.

"Your thoughts betray you, Jedi. You would be better off leaving your foolish quest to be a Hero of the Light..."

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera stayed in her position, refusing to be intimidated. Voice still quiet and steady, she said, "It is not a matter of whether I would be better off, Sith. I do this for the people who need me, not myself."

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier chuckles quietly and shakes his head head. His hand slowly waves over the dead bodies.

"Well.. this person needed you. And look what you did to him, Jedi."

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier chuckles quietly and shakes his head. His hand slowly waves over the corpses on the ground.

"This person needed you.. look what happened to him, Jedi."

[Alera Starreyes]

It was too much like what she was already thinking. Alera shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts.
She glanced at the dead man and a wave of guilt and sorrow passed through her. -Maybe he's right. Maybe...-
Sudden anger flared through her. He had no right to make her feel this way, think this way. No right.
Before she knew it, her lightsaber flashed to life in her hands. To her dismay, it was the same black color it had been only moments before, flickering only briefly to white every now and then.
-What 's happening to it? What's happening to me?-
She could feel the anger burning furiously in her veins. It wouldn't be long before she lost control again.

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier smiles slowly as he sees the Jedi's saber flickering from black to white and back again. He reaches into his trenchcoat slowly, unhooking the saber from his waist and igniting only one end of it.

"Angry are we? Isn't that against your rules, Jedi?"

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera bit her lip until it bled as more anger surged through her at his comment. Her arm shook with tensity from the effort of not attacking when she wanted to terribly. Sweat beaded on her forehead. Despite all her will, it wasn't working... the dark side pulsed within her with every beat of her heart... the saber was almost completely black now... and her arms started to lurch forward...
With a strangled cry Alera hurled the lightsaber away, where it skidded across the ground to bump against the wall of one of the buildings, deactivating. She didn't dare pick it up again.
When her eyes returned to Xavier, pain, sorrow, and fear shone clear in them. "What do you want?" she whispered.

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier disengages his saber quickly and slides it back into the clip on his belt. He glances at her saber for a moment then looks back to her.

"How long have you been a Jedi..?"

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera let out a shuddering sigh, running a weary hand through her hair. "There's absolutely no reason for you to know that."

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier shrugs slowly and cracks his neck lightly.

"Just curious..."

He smirks slightly and glances around for a moment before looking back to her.

"Not long I suppose.. or you would not be so quick to anger.."

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera closed her eyes briefly. She felt drained, and she knew the night wasn't over yet. "Not long," she agreed, refusing to reveal any more than that. She flashed him a wry look. "So I suppose the only reason you came here was to taunt me and make light conversation?"

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier chuckles and shakes his head slowly, closing his eyes for just a moment.

"Not at all. As I said.. I was wandering around and saw you in this alley and what happened. Why do you keep up with your foolish quest to save people?"

[Alera Starreyes]

Softly, looking at the ground, Alera replied, "Because of something a good friend told me once... it's better to burn out than to fade away..." She looked up, sharp eyes curious. "Why did you become a Sith?"

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier smiles slowly at the question. Surely she had heard his last name before.. if the Jedi studied the Sith at all.

"My heritage. I am the last decendent of Naga Sadow, one of the great Dark Lords of the Sith from over a Millenia ago.."

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera nodded. "Ah, yes... I had forgotten." The young woman looked at her hand. She took a deep breath, breathing in the night air. "I'm so confused..." she whispered. A little louder, she continued, "It's... scary to learn, to really learn, that you can't trust yourself anymore."

[Xavier Sadow]

"You can always trust in yourself.. your feelings can be deceiving though. And being confused about what just happened is understandable though."

He smiles.

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera shook her head. "I don't know what to think anymore." Shooting him a wry look she added, "And YOU confuse me. Shouldn't you be trying to kill me, or something? After all, I'd be an easy target, without... that." She gestured vaguely at her lightsaber. "Sorry if I sound ignorant... I'm just very... messed up, right now."

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier shakes his head slowly and chuckles.

"You have much to learn about the Sith. We kill when we want. And right now.. I don't really want to kill you."

[Alera Starreyes]

"I suppose I should consider myself lucky then," Alera commented dryly. Tentatively, she reached out with the Force and brought the lightsaber back to her hand. She held it for a moment before quickly replacing it at her side, suppressing a shudder. "I don't think..." she began, then hesitated and shook her head. She didn't seem inclined to continue the sentence.

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier raises and eyebrow slowly as she stops in mid-sentence.

"What were you going to say?"

[Alera Starreyes]

She hesitated, then continued slowly as if she weren't sure she should say this, or even if it was true. "I don't think that... even if I don't join the Sith - which I have no intention of doing..." She paused, taking another deep breath. "I don't think I will be able to stay a Jedi if... this... thing... if I can't find a way to control my emotions." Her voice got quieter. "And if I can't be a Jedi, what do I have? What would I do?" She sighed.

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier leans his shoulder against the wall slowly as he looks at her, his arms crossing over his chest.

"You could always become a Sith.. and if not that.. a Dark Jedi. Seems there are more of them now than ever.."

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera shook her head. "No, that's not for me... I might be angered easily, but I hate hurting people. Any people, no matter what they've done." -I just wish I knew why I get so angry...- she thought sadly.
Alera chuckled slightly. It wasn't a particularly happy sound, more lonely than anything. "Well," she said, "we've talked about a lot of reasons why I should join Darkness, but how about you? Why shouldn't you join Light?" Her eyes seemed like icy fire.

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier glares at her after the comment and growls quietly. He shakes his head then looks to her again.

"I would never join the Light. I would disgrace my heritage and my father. I was raised to be what am I.. and I will not go against many years of family tradition.."

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera raised an eyebrow slightly. "So that's the only reason why you are what you are? Tradition?"

[Xavier Sadow]

"That and I like what I am. I have nothing against the Light. Though I see it as rather mundane and pointless. I am one of the few who realize that Darkness cannot exist without the Light."

He smirks slightly and runs his hand back through his hair.

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera nodded slowly. "Yes... nor can Light exist without Darkness, I think..."
She glanced again at the dead man and shuddered. "I don't think that I'm ever going to forget that... certainly I'm not going to be able to sleep soundly for a good while." She admitted. She sighed. "If only the past could be changed... but that's silly, isn't it?"

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier nods slowly.

"You are right.. the past cannot be changed no matter how much we wish it could be. But things happen for a reason.. perhaps this one was a sign maybe.."

[Alera Starreyes]

"Perhaps..." Alera looked at her hand again. Almost in a whisper, she added, "But what of, I wonder?"

[Alera Starreyes]

(ooc:) hmm... I think I'll add a little excitement here ;)

(ic:) Suddenly, Alera felt something echo in the back of her mind. Something dark... and familiar...
"Oh no," she murmured.
Someone walked around the corner. His heavy footsteps echoed menacingly. The figure was tall, and shadowy. As he got closer, it was plain he wore all black. Black pants, black shirt, a black cloak, and large black boots. The only thing that wasn't black was his hair, which was a dark shade of red. The dark tremors in the Force as he approched were incredibly strong.
Finally, he reached the general area of where they stood. "So, Alera. I see you've made a new friend." His voice was low and slightly mocking.
Alera forced herself to be calm, not only outwardly but inwardly. "Jared. What brings you to this part of theh Universe? Don't you have better things to do than follow me around?" Her tone was light, but it carried a hard edge.
He laughed softly. "I was in the neighborhood, and I felt something... interesting..." His black eyes glittered with amusement and malice. "Thinking of joining the dark side, hmm, Alera? We could use you... you do have great potential, though in your current sorry state of affairs you hardly put up a challenge at all." He smirked. "Though you did handle that fellow there nicely." He waved at the nearby corpse.
Anger surged through her as he spoke. Struggling to regain control over herself, she said steadily, "I would rather die than become like you, Jared."
Jared raised an eyebrow slightly. "Perhaps that could be arranged..."

[Alera Starreyes]

(ooc) Hmm, it turned (ooc : ) into a smily, lol

[Xavier Sadow]

"Perhaps it is a sign that you are something you were not meant to become. Perhaps this is the Force's way of telling you that you did not take the right path.."

He smirks slightly and leans his back against the wall, crossing his right ankle over his left.

[Alera Starreyes]

"Perhaps..." Alera sighed. "Perhaps, so many things, perhaps. I just don't know..." She closed her eyes and heard again in her mind the man's strangled scream of terror, felt the dark humming of the lightsaber in her grasp. She shuddered, fiercely hating herself for what she'd done.

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier closes his eyes and takes in a deep breath as he smiles slowly.

"Hate is not the way of the Jedi.. even if it is just hate for yourself.."

[Alera Starreyes]

"No." she agreed softly. "It's not." Alera drew a shuddering breath. Suddenly her arm spasmed and lashed out, punching the wall of one of the buildings, leaving her knuckles bloodied. "Blast it, what am I becoming?!"

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier smiles slowly and uncrosses his ankles. He leans up off the wall and begins to slowly circle Alera. He gets behind her and leans in, whispering into her ear.

"Everything you hate."

He smiles slowly.

[Alera Starreyes]

An involuntary shudder passed through her. Those three little words had an enormous effect. Terror, anger, guilt, hatred, filled her to bursting. "No..." she whispered, but she knew she was lying to herself. How long had she been lying to herself? Did it matter?
"No!" she cried, almost screaming it. She whirled around, almost nose-to-nose with Xavier, which she would have found comical if the situation hadn't been so dire. "Never! I'll die first!"

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier smiles slowly, holding back a chuckle. Even if she did not find it funny.. he did. He leans back slightly and slips his hand back through his hair.

"Oh yes it's true. You are turning into something that you've tried so hard not to become. But do not be discouraged.. there is much power in what you do not truly understand... yet."

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera felt tears leaking at the corners of her eyes and blinked them back furiously. -Why is this happening?!- she screamed inwardly. -Why do I feel so out of control?-
-Because this isn't in your control,- a part of her whispered softly. -The dark side is calling you... it's your destiny...-
-Oh shut up!- she told it wearily. -I don't want this!-
-Then don't choose it.-
Alera blinked. She looked at Xavier again, and this time, she no longer felt the anger, or the hatred... she felt pity. He spoke of what she didn't understand... how much didn't he understand?
"No," she said again. "I can't..." she searched. Those weren't the right words. "I won't."

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier shrugs slowly before he quietly cracks his neck. He smirks as he looks at her.

"Your loss, Jedi."

[Alera Starreyes]

"I'm no Jedi," she said, more harshly than she'd intended. "Not... after this. I don't know what I'd do if... what if I lost conrtol again? What if I ended up... killing one of them?" She shivered. "No... that path is no longer mine." With that, she took out her lightsaber. For a moment, her resolve wavered. The lightsaber was almost a part of her... destroying it was incredibly hard... what if she'd made the wrong choice? What if...
Alera threw it hard at the wall, using the Force to throw it even harder. The lightsaber shattered into pieces.

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier shakes his head slowly as he watches the hilt of the saber shatter. He sighs slightly and glances around for a moment before looking back to her.

"No matter what path you take.. that was not the smartest move in the world. What if I did wish to kill you?"

He quickly unhooks the hilt of his double edged saber and moves infront of her, putting the hot black beam only an inch or two away from her throat, just close enough so she could feel the heat of it.

"What would you do if I did wish to seperate you head from your body?"

He disengages the saber and smirks, hooking the hilt of the saber back to his belt.

[Alera Starreyes]

Calmy, Alera replied, "What will happen, will happen. And there are other weapons than lightsabers." She folded her arms in front of her, meeting his gaze squarely.

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier smirks slightly. He tosses the bottom ends of his trenchcoat back slightly.

"I'm sure there are.. but none with as much honor.. and none that can strike as much fear into someone's heart as a lightsaber can..."

[Alera Starreyes]

Her eyes blazed like blue fire. "It is not the weapon, but the one who wields it."

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera recalled the look of terror on the man's face as she'd struck... her eyes grew sad, for she no longer thought of herself, her revulsion and loathing for what she'd done, but pity and sorrow for the man. She did feel anger, but she forced it to the back of her mind. She would no longer be a slave to her fury.

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier smiles slowly at the feeling of her rage building up. He was pleased that he was able to increase her anger this much.

"It is both.. the lightsaber is more than a weapon.. it is a symbol."

[Alera Starreyes]

She raised an eyebrow. "Of what, exactly?" She knew, but she wanted to hear what he thought it was.

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier smiles as he leans in slightly.

"Of power! It symbolizes power. Power of the mind and power of body!"

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera shook her head. "That is what it stands for... for you. True power, yes... but not the kind of power you're thinking of. True power... bravery, strength, honesty, peace, compassion. That is what it stands for, what it means to be a Jedi. Sith are just their darker side."

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier growls loudly at this last comment.

"Peace! Compassion! Honesty!! They are nothing compared to pain, suffering, hatred and fear! You have felt what true power can be.. you felt it when you were slaughtering those men!"

[Alera Starreyes]

"I felt it," she said tersely. "I will not deny it. But I still believe that, no matter what, that is NOT true power. Not at all. True power lies within bearing up, not shoving down on the weak."

[Xavier Sadow]

"Shoving down on the weak puts them in their place. Where they are suppose to be. Though you have a misconception of the Sith. We do not shove down on the weak to prove anything."

[Alera Starreyes]

"No. You shove them down to make yourselves feel powerful." Alera sneered slightly, unable to stop herself. "If you'd been in my place, would you have taken joy from what I did? Would you have enjoyed it?"

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier smiles and slowly nods.

"I cannot deny that I would have enjoyed it. But it would not make me feel powerful. Killing Jedi will make you feel powerful. We beat on the weak because we enjoy it, not to show strength."

[Alera Starreyes]

A tingle of anger flared within her at the mention of killing Jedi, and beating on the weak for enjoyment. -Keep it under control, girl.- she thought, and spoke. "You say I don't know true power, truely... but I fear it's you who doesn't understand true power."

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier chuckles and shakes his head slowly.

"There's that emotion again. Fear.. you mention and feel Sith emotions far too much, Jedi."

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera took in a deep breath, let it out. "I am no longer a Jedi, Sith." she reminded him. "Fear of course... I do feel, but in this case perhaps believe would be a better choice of words." Her face darkened. "I'm learning that emotions can't exactly be controlled... but in some cases they have to be restrained. It just isn't possible to not feel anything. You can ignore it, but you can't not feel it. It doesn't work." She paused. "Just like you can't not feel those other emotions... compassion... honesty..."

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier smirks a little and sighs quietly.

"You still have much to learn. I only feel compassion towards one. Other than that.. honesty, compassion, and peace do not exist in me."

[Alera Starreyes]

"That's what almost all the Sith I know think..." She sighed, remembering a specific one. "And they're all wrong. There's good in everyone, no matter what's happened, no matter what they've done, no matter who they are. As we said before... Light and Darkness cannot exist without each other."

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier nods slightly and smirks.

"Light cannot exist with the Dark and the Dark cannot exist without the Light. Though if the two mix it can be disastrous. It can destroy the person who tries it aswell.."

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera nodded. "And so a choice must be made between them... though, of course, there is always the opportunity to change your mind." She looked significantly at Xavier at that.

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier smiles slowly and chuckles. He shakes his head slowly.

"Aye you can change your mind. Your mind does not change unless you want it to. Which I don't.."

He smirks.

"Unless it is the Force's will."

[Alera Starreyes]

"I understand." She sighed. "My choice... I'm still trying to figure that out."

[Xavier Sadow]

"Choices can take a while to make. But for your sake.. I hope you think about it long and hard. It could decide the rest of your life.."

[Alera Starreyes]

"Indeed." Alera's eyes seemed sad. "Perhaps the lives of others as well." Her eyes became considering. "What do you think? About what I should do." She chuckled slightly. "Should I even ask?"

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier smiles a little.

"I think you already know what I would tell you. But it is not my decision to make. You must decide it yourself."

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera nodded. "You're right..." She sighed. Quietly, she said, "I hope I make the right decision."

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier gives her a slightly reassuring smile.

"I'm sure you will.."

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera was silent for awhile. At last, she spoke. "Well. I certainly have a lot to think about." She sighed. "Perhaps it is time I left.." A ghost of a smile appeared on her lips. "Unless, of course, you've changed your mind about 'separating my head from my body' while I don't have my lightsaber."

[Xavier Sadow]

Xavier chuckles and shakes his head slowly. He crosses his arms over his chest and smirks.

"No. I do not kill people who are not armed. No sport to it. Even if it is just a vibroblade they have..."

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera nodded. "Well then. Farewell, Xavier. Perhaps our paths shall cross again one day."
As she turned and started walking away, she tossed her cloak behind her slightly, revealing a sheathed sword at her side. She flashed him a grin over her shoulder.

[Xavier Sadow]

He looks at the blade then back up to her, smiling a little. His hand slides back through his hair slowly.

"Fun weapons.. though a little primitive. Farewell, Jedi.."

He smiles slightly then turns and starts to slowly walk away.