When Saber's Clash!

[Death Knight Soth]

It had been week's later, when Soth put the final touches on the elegant weapon he was creating. The Death Knight had modeled and crafted the new lightsaber to the specification's of his former Master's, Xar-Kunn. Now in the possession of the Knight. However, unlike Soth's duel saber, this newly crafted one was a single bladed saber. It also had a unique feature to it. On the handle, there was an alternat switch, if hit in the heat of a battle, it would extend the blade it's self another foot in length! This would prove to be added advantage against the unwary to say the least.

Soth held up the saber to admire the week's of work that went into it. To the pupal, who was in the course of constructing such a weapon for the first time, the process could take up to a year or more. For the construction of such a prestigious weapon was a lesson all in it's self. But Soth had countless years in perfecting the art of saber making and he prided himself in that knowledge and craftsmanship.

A flick of the switch, and the deep violet blade hissed to life in front of him. It hummed as he looked on the blade in admiration and satisfaction. Soth stood to his feet and walked to a place in Chamber were he had ample room. There, Soth stood as a prostrate soldier at attention would. With both hands he grabbed the hilt and bowed his head as if in a state of meditation. A moment passed and the Knight of old came to life as did so the deep purple blade. The saber hissed at his sudden movement. Soth moved fluently with the newly crafted weapon as a dancer would with his partner. The moves were blinding as the Knight went into a sires of complex maneuver's. The room took on a strobe like effect as Soth with a searing passion tested the weapon and pushed it to it's limit's. It was now ready to be presented to his newly made sister of the Coven, Alana Stormcloud. This would be her first step into the realm of Lightsaber play. Soth knew that she was already a Master of edged weapon's, and perverse in it's art form. But there was a great difference between the two weapon type's. Both were indeed capable of killing, however, a wrong movement with a lightsaber, and it would end a career. Or worse, ... death!

The Knight stopped his ka-ta in the same fashion as he started it. Great respect did the Knight have for such a lethal weapon. It retracted, and Soth then closed his eye's. He reached out to the force to Alana. He would summons her there, to present the gift to her in person. Then they would train together, for this was the time and place!

[Alana Stormcloud]

Alana raised her head from the neck of her victim when she heard Lord Soth call out to her with the force. She let the mans limp, dead body fall to the ground. Alana drew her hand across her mouth wiping away the remaining blood from her lips. " What is it my brother?" Alana asked using the force to send her question. Her master had been teaching her to use her powers and there was still much she needed to learn.

"Come to me Alana my sister, come to me now!" Lord Soth's voice filled her mind. She could hear the demanding tone and the hard edge to his voice. Alana knew that what ever he had to say to her was of importance. Alana once again sent out her thoughts with the force letting Soth know that she was on her way to him. Alana using her newly acquired skill, ran faster than any human eye could see. She was not far from him and would be there in just a short time.

As she sped her way through the coven she once again sent out her thoughts trying to discern just what was wanted of her. Soth's laughter filled her mind. " Just come my sister, no more questions, if you think it is worth your time." A small smile played over Alana's lips. She knew Lord Soth was not to be trifled with and she also knew anymore questions would only lead to a sharp reprimand from him.

Alana slowed her pace as she reached the door. "I'm here my brother as you requested." Alana called out to him with her mind, respectfully asking him if she could enter. The door slid open with no command from her. She stepped through the opening, her eyes scanning the room in search of Lord Soth...

[Death Knight Soth]

The Death Knight slowly emerged from the shadowy recess's of the Training Room, adjacent from where Alana was scanning to see if she spotted him before he did her. But Soth hid himself from her through the force. He walked slowly to her with hands behind him. An emotionless face gave Alana the first impression that there was something wrong. His eye's never left her as he studied her. Master Saurron had done well in his making of her. And with the proper training, she would indeed be a force to be reckoned with. Her beauty was most breath taking and inviting.

Nevertheless, Soth's knowledge of her past as an accomplished swordsmen and a grappler only lead to her mastic. This night, Alana would be tested sorely on the account of her own knowledge. Saurron had given Soth the great privilege of training his fledgeling's in the art of sword and saber play. It was Soth's extensive past on the subject that Saurron himself found in the Knight of old, as best fitting for the task. Even the prince of the Coven, Gavin, was trained under the Dark Knight. He was now an accomplished Swordsmen that Soth was very fond of. He had taught him the deepest secrets of it's way's. And the philosophy behind the weapons he now had mastered. This was Soth's forum, and Alana would quickly learn that to fail, could mean death. To succeed in, would bring rich and personal rewards.

As Soth came to stand in front of Alana, a few awkward moment's past as he stood there without speaking to her. He then slowly walked around Alana. She could fill his eye's on her, studying her. She felt the coldness around him and the faint smell of roses about him. He came back into view and now stood facing her. His face still had a solum look etched upon it.

"Your Master Saurron wishes for you to be trained in the art of Saber combat. I will teach you this young fledgling. I know of your past Alana. And I hope it serves you well this night." His word's were firm and subtle, but sharp as Sith steel.

Soth pulled the newly crafted weapon from behind him and presented it to Alana. Her eye's widened momentarily at the gift. After she thanked him for the elegant weapon, Soth briefly instructed her on how it worked and the danger's there of. He could already see and sense that she possessed a deep respect for the weapon as she ignited it, Alana studied the weapon, then retracted the violet blade.

"I must warn you Alana Stormcloud, if you give me less then what I know your capable of,..." Soth paused. "I will kill you!" Alana knew the Knight was mysterious and a bit unnerving at time's, but she also knew, that he was deadly serious.

[Alana Stormcloud]

Alana bowed to Lord Soth humbly thanking him for the beautiful weapon.

"Lord Soth what is it that you will teach me?" Alana asked in a curious tone.

"As you know I'm well versed in the art of sword play but I have never handled a weapon such as this." Alana raised her eyes to meet his.

Alana's eyes smoldered with anger at his words, as her lips smiled not betraying her true feelings. "Like I would give him any less!" Alana thought to herself with gritted teeth.

Alana had been a bounty hunter as well as a free agent who could be hired to kill. She had learned how to fight early in life by her uncle Mocky. Alana remember the long days and the tears of pain when he taught her how to fight with a sword. Her uncle had never taken it easy on her no matter how young she was, he to expected no less than he thought she could give.

Alana could fight like a rabid dog when need arose but she never lost control of herself. Alana studied Lord Soth knowing that she would not be able to win this fight with the Death Knight but she sure as hell was going to try.

Alana tilted her head to the side knowing he wanted to speak more with her. She relaxed her body automatically preparing herself for the battle ahead. In most cases Alana would always attack first if she knew there was a fight to be had but with her new brother in blood she was unsure of what was expected of her.

Alana's long hair was tied back behind her in a thick braid. It swung gently as her head moved tracking Soth. Her knees slightly bent her arms bent slightly and the weapon in her hand ready to be ignited.

Soth knew a battle stance when he saw one but he was not done talking to this feisty fledgling yet. A small cold smile played over Soth's lips. "I will take great pleasure in teaching this fledgling a few lessons." Soth thought to himself.

Alana's eyes snapped with fire when she clearly heard his thoughts. Just as he intended her to she was growing more than angry. He was pushing her and Alana knew it. He wanted her to use the rage that would sustain her through the battle
and help her to call on the force.

Alana's temper had always burned hot, she would have no problem using it in battle. Out of the deep respect she had for Soth she would not attack unless he made his move but she fairly quivered with the need to do so. Her mind was already thinking of how to get the better of him......

[Death Knight Soth]

The Dark Knight was amused with the thought's of Alana's disposition on the matter at hand, but there was no indication of it written on his face. Alana could fill Soth closing his mind to her, his thought's were no longer available to her. To her this was a strong indicator that the moment had arrived. Soth could see her tense at the realization of the barrier that he had put up. She was indeed ahead of her time. Soth thought to himself, still studying her intently.

"Indeed, m'lady, ... But you will learn." Replied the Knight as to her question in a firm tone. Soth still rested his hand's behind him. He could feel the hate and anger rising in the fledgling Vampyre apprentice.

"Good, good, ... Let it flow through you Alana Stormcloud. Feel it burn with in, resist it not m'lady." Alana hearing his word's in her mind. Soft taunting word's, that seemed to stung her being.

Soth quickly glanced over Alana's shoulder at the many weapons that lined the wall of the room. Every make, of every imaginable weapon was represented here. She traced his eye's at that moment. But what was he thinking? She dare not take her eye's off of him due to a posable frontal assault. Then Alana heard a slight creak behind her. One of the weapons had somehow dislodged it's self from one of the many rack's. A trident to be exact. And it was moving towards her at a terrible speed!

Alana quickly spun around, in the same moment, igniting her new saber to greet it's rear assault. And then the she heard it. The wicked hiss of the Death Knight's duel sabers coming to life! Something Alana already anticipated from him. Alana tore at the trident as it descended towards her. Clipping it in such a way that angled the head of the trident's trajectory as she leaned from it's path.

A swift kick to Alana's lower back sent her reeling forewords as she heard the severed trident head hit it's mark with a low thud. Soth growled in pain as she rolled with the blow she had just took. Only seconds had past, but time seemed to stand still.

[Alana Stormcloud]

Alana was thrown forward with the force of the Death Knights blow. Then tucking herself forward rolling with it so that she could regain her footing quickly. As she came out of it, Alana faced Soth extending the lightsaber in front of her ready for the attack she was sure would come. Alana's eyes locked on Soth's. The trident she had deflected had imbedded itself in his shoulder. Soth's wicked eyes gleamed brightly. A mocking smile came to his lips as her pulled the trident from his shoulder with only a small grunt of pain.

Her eyes widened as the gapping hole in Soth's arm closed quickly the blood pulling back into the wound as it healed. Alana ground her teeth in anger at the taunting smile that twisted his mouth.
She growled in anger and frustration. Standing quickly using her vampyre speed she rushed toward him. Alana brought her lightsaber forward keeping it in front of her body. They began to exchange parries back and forth. The sabers hissing as they met repeatedly the speed of there movement blurring there body's. Alana could tell from long experience that Soth was toying with her. He easily met her every move as if swatting away a fly. "Damn you Soth." Alana growled under her breath.

As there sabers locked together, hissing as they did. The Death Knight and Alana's eyes locked in there own battle. Suddenly Soth's foot came up and kicked Alana backwards throwing her to her back. She quickly flipped back to her feet, her knees bent. Rolling the saber in her hand twisting it. Its movement so quick the tracers of light it left were constant. Bringing the saber in front of her, Alana attacking again rushed at Soth ducking and twisting her body in a 360 turn she extended her arm as she moved aiming for Soth's lower body. Alana hit the release that would extend the lightsaber to its full length, giving it another foot. Soth moved his saber in a downward motion to deflect the blow. Not expecting Alana to use the extra length he was lightly clipped on the leg. A growl of pain coming from him.

Alana leaped backwards away from Soth landing with her feet apart and the lightsaber in front of her. He paid no attention to his wound as he smiled at her.

"Very good m'lady, but you will have to give so much more if you want to beat me.." He said, in a mocking tone. Soth held his lightsaber to his side igniting the duel lightsaber. Bringing his hand up slowly he pushed Alana backwards with the force, sending her soaring through the air and slamming her into the wall behind her.......

[Death Knight Soth]

Sticky situation's had a funny way of bring out the best in other's, and Alana was no exception to this rule. Her saber play was simply, ... superb! If it was this quality alone that the Death Knight mistook this in her, then it was marked as so. Her ability to seize the opportunity that was granted, indeed left Soth with the impression that she was no amateur. Now was his opportunity to press the matter at hand, to truly test her metal.

Alana quickly regained her composure from the blow she had taken from the adjacent wall. Her breath was a bit labored as she forced the air into her gasping lungs. The innate ability in the Vampyre race to regenerate from their wound's, enabled the two combatants to recover slightly.

She circled cautiously around to were Soth was standing. And again, Alana felt a wave of force over take her. She felt as if someone, or some unseen force had violently shoved her backwards, knocking her off balance. Alana's low stance to the ground caused her to fumble for the footing she had now just given way to. She used her saber hand to steady herself, but soon found that she could not recover from it. She was now sitting on the ground.

Alana looked to where she thought the Dark Knight had been. She quickly glanced up, hearing his duel saber's wine. And to her disbelief and utter amazement, Soth, was now coming out of a complex midair roll that twisted his body in a 360 degree spin that finished right at her feet!
Soth wasted no time with his assault on her. He quickly jabbed downwards at her torso with one of the blades. Alana could barely respond to the almost instant attack. She managed to parry Soth's saber as it then imbedded it's self between her leg's. Soth was standing slightly side ways to Alana when she felt his hard boot catch her under the chin. The blow was as such, that it sent her reeling backwards flat on to her back. Alana now fought another battle as a darkness washed over her mind. She had been in tough scrap's before, but to loose consciousness at a moment like this would mean certain death! A familiar taste of rust was now in her mouth... It was her own precious blood.

[Alana Stormcloud]

Alana lay on her back fighting the blackness that tried to overwhelm her. Her mind clearing as she concentrated. She knew that if she succumbed to the darkness she would die. Alana's eyes silted slightly to see where the Death Knight had moved. Already she was thinking of her next move. Soth was moving in on her readying himself for another strike. Twisting her body to the side and coming to her feet in a crouch. She ignited her lightsaber a low growl emitting from her throat.
Soth stopped his eyebrows raising slightly. Alana stood up her litesaber extended in front of her rushed at him with the speed of her new race. Soth raised his saber to deflect the blow he thought was coming. Alana stopped suddenly about three feet away from him launching herself into the air. Twisting her body in mid air as she soared over Soth's head and brought her saber down clipping Soth's armor. As she landed behind him she quickly crouched down and swept her leg in a full circle kicking his legs out from under him.

Soth caught by surprise stumbled and fell. In a matter of seconds he was on his feet facing Alana who was already rushing at him for another attack. Soth bending low as she came at him kicked his leg up catching Alana in the stomach sending her flying backwards with the powerful blow.

[Death Knight Soth]

The Death Knight wasted no time on the now slight advantage he had on Alana as she fell from the blow. She was proving to be more then a hand full with her grappling technique's. An advantage she acquired from all the years of experience gained in fight's and confrontations.

Alana managed to block the first series of strikes that Soth was assaulting her with. He swept his duel saber low, bringing the blade low as he aimed for her exposed side. She deflected the blow as she fought him on her back. The Knight kicked at her now exposed head the same time she managed to flipped to her feet, narrowly missing it. Alan's back was now to Soth as he brought his other end of his saber down on her. Alana raised her saber above her without looking to were Soth's saber would strike. She masterfully deflected the deadly blow. Then a sharp intense blow in Alana's spinal region sent signal's of pain coursing through her back. Her head snapped backwards as she sprawled forwards. She was now on her hands and knee's.

[Alana Stormcloud]

Alana groaned in pain at the blow that caught her in the spine. If she had not been vampyre it would have broken her back. Alana winced at the evil laughter the came from the Death Knight mocking her. Her anger flowed through her.

"Seems I have you over a barrel m'lady." Soth said with pure malice in his voice. Alana looked back at Soth from her current position on the ground baring her fanged smile, as he stood there lightsaber twirling over his head in a playful manner mocking her defenseless position.

He ran at her with a speed that no mortal would be able to see. As he reached her Alana kicked her leg straight up catching him in the midsection doubling him over. "Yes, Sir Knight it seems you did." Alana growled at him as she got to her feet and rushed at him while he was bent over from the blow. Alana stopping just close enough to deliver another blow to his face sending him flying to his back.

She pounced on him immediately her lightsaber flashing through the air ready to deal a killing blow. Lord Soth deflected the downward swing that was aimed for his head. The two sabers locked with a loud hiss. He shoved her back from him causing her to stumble back a few feet. As she regained her footing he was up and rushing at her. Twisting his body in a full circle extending his leg as he spun, he caught her in the jaw. Alana's head snapped back with the powerful kick, knocking her to the ground.

[Death Knight Soth]

Alana's constitution as a Vampyre was remarkable. The blood line from Saurron, indeed made the young apprentice strong. As a fighter, she was vicious, and her tenacity for never giving in to the fight, left Soth with a deep respect for her willingness. A willingness to the bitter end, until the battle was won, or her life was forfeited in doing so.

The Death Knight had one critical lesson for Alana Stormcloud before the melee finished. Now he would show her the true nature of the Dark-Side! How it played as an important key element that could decide a battle in simply a moment's notice. To never take an enemy for granted regardless of how the out come of a fight went or how it insued. To be precise and quick was the way that he wished to teach her. Yes, there would be many more session's between the teacher and pupal to come, but in it's self, this was not merely a lesson in saber play. But one of respect and discipline.

"Yes, Alana, you do learn quick,... But now you will see the true power of the Dark-Side...!" Soth, grimaced through clenched teeth. Alana regained her footing as Soth spoke to her. Her precious blood now stained her already crimson lip's. She fought the cob web's in her mind that tried to claim her thought's for there own. Alana locked with Soth eye's once more. His eye's blazed to the point of a hot brilliant red hue. She could feel the immensity of hate that welled about him as he raised his hand towards her. She began to move towards the knight as he relaxed his posture. But what came next, caught Alana by surprise and forced her to see the importance of why she was truly there.

As she began to make her movement towards Soth, the pain of a thousand dark word's pierced her mind. She froze, the shear agony of it caused her to drop her saber to the ground. Alana covered her ear's, as if to muffle the word's inside her mind. Her head reeled from side to side as she tried to shake the evil with in. Alana fell helplessly to her knee's as blood streamed from underneath her clenched palm's that tightly covered her ear's. Two thin path's of blood made there way down either side of her delicate neck where it pooled momentarily at her collar bone, then continued there path down her ivory chest. She was dying. Dying from the word's that burnt and seared her mind. The fire within began to consume the vital tissue's of her brain. If the Dark Knight continued, Alana would soon loose all facilities that made her what she was. Then Soth heard a word of command come to him. A command, that not even he could not ignore.

"Enough...!" Came Saurron's word's, as sharp as Sith steel to Soth's mind. "As you wish, m'master." Soth then released his grip on Alana that he had over her. She fell limp to the floor with a soft thud. The Death Knight walked to where Alana lay. He slowly bent down, and then lovingly picked up his sister in blood as she fell limp upon his armored chest. Her arm's dangled loosely, moving slightly back and forth as Soth walked her to the bac-ta tank far below in the Coven's belly to recover.