Gut Feeling (Open, whatever)

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera sat alone in a corner in the club, being fairly quiet, but enjoying herself. She liked the atmosphere in here. It was loud, stiflingly hot, and chaotic, but filled with life. She sipped the water she'd ordered - she'd never really cared for liquor, and anyway, it dulled her senses. She looked relaxed for once, sitting back in her chair with a slight smile on her face as she watched the goings-on with mild interest.

What made her slightly more uneasy than she might otherwise have been was the feeling that she'd been drawn here. Until she figured out what the source of the disturbance was, good or bad, she wouldn't quite allow herself to relax fully. She'd learned to trust her gut feelings.

[Fiend]

:: Alera blinked and when she opened her eyes I was standing right in front of her. My red eye glowed faintly within the irises and my hair moved with a wind that wasn't there.::

I beware of those gut feelings girl. Stupidity can be bred from those.

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera calmly raised an eyebrow at him.

"That so?"

Her ice blue eyes took in the stranger, looking him over carefully.

[Fiend]

:: I nodded with a laugh.::

I'd have to say it is from the look on your face.

:: I watched her look me over and smiled as her eyes came back to mine.::

I'm glad you came to my call, I figure someone would hear it. And I'm glad enough you were bad enough to mistake my trap for a gut feeling.

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera smiled slightly. "Well, I was never one to back down from a challenge either."

Behind her smile though, she was worried. Not really for herself... but because if they were indeed going to fight, she would have rathered it not be here, with so many innocents around... so many people unable to defend themselves...

"Care to sit down?" Her smile fading, she gestured to the empty seat at her table.

[Fiend]

:: I smiled, She needed to gaurd her thoughts better. She was worried about "innocents"? This was too good. I was going to have a lot of fun tonight.
I sat down and when I did, every other "innocent" in the room coincidentally sat down silmultaneuosly. I smiled, knowing that Alera would be the only one to notice that other than myself. And from what I could see from the top of these other's minds, they were not innocent.::

This is a trap remember. I set this up for YOU. Make yorself as comfortable as you want, it doesn't really matter.

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera shrugged, sipping her water again. She set the empty glass back down on the table.
"I'm used to traps by now."
Doesn't mean I like them any more than I used to, she added inwardly, not really making the effort to guard that thought. But, hey, I haven't got a choice, now, have I?
The girl's eyes remained trained on Fiend's.

[Fiend]

Who cares if you're used to them? That doesn't mean you'll get past each one does it? What an exciting life you seem to lead! Walking, knowingly into traps, and still being able to worry about the innocnet lives around you. That must be horrible afterwards to think that so many get hurt.

:: I stood up and looked at the door. I couple was about to leave but before they could, the door flew off its hinges and knocked them aside. I turned back to Alera with a smile.::

I would suggest leaving... now.

:: I walked out the door, and as I left, everyone but Alera suddenly went unconcious. I laughed as I stepped into the night air. How lovely. I pulled out the remote trigger and pressed the button. The timer started at 10... then 9... then 8....::

[Alera Starreyes]

The door swung open. Alera spoke, voice dangerously quiet.

"Turn.. it off... now."

A powerful aura of darkness and anger emanated off of her. There was a time when she would have cared that she was letting her feelings get out of control, but not now. Not with this at stake.

Meanwhile, she prodded the minds of the unconcious people, trying to get them awake and out the back and side ways, and at the same time, sensing the explosive carefully to see if the Force could stop it without setting it off.

"Not man enough to fight your own battles without a machine to do it for you?"

7...
6...
5...

[Fiend]

I am not even a man dear mortal. Bless me! Look at that! You'd even turn your focus from the light to save these people. But I would hit the dirt if I was you!

:: I pressed the trigger again and the bomb blew. I pulled my jacket up to cover my eyes but to no evail I was knocked to the ground. As the blast diminished, the fire roared and the smoke was just now settling, I pushed my self to my feet and drew my saber. The red blade seemed to push the smoke away from it as it activated and black lightning flickered across the surface.::

Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb...

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera threw up a Force shield in time to protect herself from the blast... but she could do nothing for those inside. She shuddered and bit her lip as she felt them die through the Force. She bowed her head slightly, wincing as she sensed the pain, the death.

Finally she let the shield drop, slowly looking up and Fiend. She abruptly ignited her lightsaber, Dream, the pale blue glow illuminating her face softly. She watched him in silence, the fury and anguish in her eyes speaking for itself.

[Fiend]

:: I nodded slowly as my eyes burned with my passin and something else...::

Oh, please do get angry. Get frustrated or sad. Let your feelings betray you. I only get stronger off the darkness. I feed on it like it was water in a desert. Well, I'll tell you, the dying souls of those "innocents" is like a cool spring to me.

:: My singed skin on my arms cracked as I stepped forward. My saber moved slowly bak and forth through the floating debris as I watched Alera draw her own weapon.::

Just get madder as I speak, please. This will be so much more of a game if you play by the rules.

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera gripped her lightsaber's hilt so tightly her knuckles turned white. Anger coursed through her as she stared at Fiend. Keep it under control.. It was hard, very hard. Why? her soul cried. They shouldn't have had to die...

"That is where you are mistaken." Her voice was soft, and icy cold. "This is no game. Not anymore."

[Fiend]

:: I lifted my head back and laughed. She could probably see the veins pulsing on my neck and I could fel the veins and arteries beating powerfully as her anger fed me even more.::

Oh but it is, you're doing exactly everything I need you to do so that I can have as much fun as possible!

:: I let my hand drift to my side and I pulled something to me. It floated from the debris and into my hand. It was a piece of a body, an arm of a little girl. I lifted it up and made it wave to Alera.::

Well? Are you going to play with me? Or do I have to burn this whole city of innocent angels to get you to feed me even more?

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera's arm spasmed, the girl dying to attack Fiend, dying for vengeance. Her eyes burned with rage. No, she told herself forcefully. You're doing exactly what he wants.

"I'll play." Her voice made her distaste of the word 'play' clear. "But only on my terms."

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes a moment. She smelled, tasted the blood and death in the air. With an effort of will, she forced the anger and regret to the back of her mind. They were still there... but they had no more control over her. A single thought, almost a song, filled her mind and heart.

Hope...

The Force flowed through her veins as she attacked smoothly, Dream almost singing rather than humming through the air. A slight, barely visible aura of light surrounded her hands.

[Fiend]

:: Ic ould already fel the energy save up and with a surge of absorbing the death and pain about me and her own supply of power she had fed me, I hurl a wave of fire at her. Pieces of debris lift up and are hurled to her as my mouth opens in a silent scream.::

You have no terms in this existence!

[Alera Starreyes]

The girl met the wave of fire with a shield of soft, cool light. The fragments of debris in the air were flung to the ground by the strength of her will. She shook her head at Fiend with a small smile.

"'Fraid I do."

The light around her hands grew to a steady glow of white and silver, and other colors, and even shades of light that could not be seen and only sensed.

"These are my terms."

She held her hand out, palm outwards, and the light shone out from her hands in a single blazing beam at Fiend.

[Fiend]

:: I laughed as the red saber came up and absorbed the energy.::

Why waste my time when I am just as well armed as you are?

:: I launched myself at her, the saber darting back and then in to feignt and then stab.::

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera watched Fiend's eyes as he attacked, thus avoiding being fooled by the feint. She blocked his stab forcefully, yanking backwards on Fiend's leg with the Force.

"Indeed.."

[Fiend]

:: I came down to one knee as my leg "mysteriously" gave out on me. My eyes flard in anger and my open hand shot into the air with a fist as I uppercutted Alera with the force. As I felt the power release I slashed at her leg with my saber. If she jumped over it, she'd be launched into the fire and if she stayed there, she'd lose her legs.::

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera was slightly stunned by the uppercut, but collected herself enough to jump, the cool light streaming from her hands to surround the whole of her being, protecting her. As she came back down, she kicked strongly at Fiend's head.

[Fiend]

:: The kick contacted and I was knocked backwards. I hit the ground and closed my eyes. The ground about me began to shift as I was lifted to my feet by the force. I snorted and blood wa slung across the ground. It sizzled as it hit the ground and I snarled at the sight of the crouched Alera and her aura of... light.::

My hands clenched as a dark aura lifted before me, a masive wall of black mist where hands semed to reach to the sky. I opened my eyes and in that moment, from the mass shot forward a black arrow that shattered the aura of light about her like glass. I entered her mind and planted seeds of darkness there. Memories of the people in the bar just moments before we fought. Of the children that had tagged along with their parents. Of the couple in the back making out, of all the "innocents" that had died. And all of them asked her why? Why she couldn't have saved them. And that it was all her fault that they had died. If she could've only have stopped Fiend, stopped him from blowing them into pieces. The visions played over and over until I withdrew and the massive wall grew as I sensed her feelings of vengeance in the back of her mind.::

LEt your light save you from the souls of the dead. The dead who died because of your uselessness.

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera crouched there with her head bowed slightly, feelings of guilt and sorrow physically weighing her down. Suddenly, she stood, her ice blue eyes once again meeting Fiend's gaze.

"They died because of you. You killed them, not me. I am not responsible for your decisions. I've had enough of your lies."

Justice replaced vengeance in her mind, and the song of hope reawoke. Though softly, even Fiend could hear it. Slowly her aura of light returned, dimly at first, then bright and strong.

"Your darkness is no match for light. One wonders why you bother trying."

[Fiend]

And I wonder why you bother deluding yourself with the lies of replacing your vengeful feelings with your own self righteous beliefs. What are you? Some sorry failed attempt of an angel?

:: I stood there as I focused my power. I winced for a moment as I felt a sizzling feeling on my cheek. I looked down for a brief second to see a piece of my skin fall of my cheek. I stopped the flow of power and put my hand to my face. My hand came back down covered in sizzling blood. I smiled at the saintly depiction of Alera and tilted my head to the side.::

I wonder why you even bother trying to live on with your soul. Always trying to make up for what you let happen. Replacing your vengeful feelings with the lies of your "righteous" lightside. Explain to me Alera, how you get around your conscience, how do you lie to yourself so well?

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera raised an eyebrow. "You're one to talk about conscience. How do you live when your only purpose is for destruction? When you can only inspire hatred and fear? When hope, truth, love, compassion, are all beyond your reach? Even we "mortals" who you seem to look down on so are above you. The least among us has the capacity to love. Obviously, you do not. That's something you'll never have."

As she spoke the aura around her grew in brightness. "You say light is a lie? It's more true than anything you'll ever know."

[Fiend]

Words, thats all you can spew from your mouth, words and more words. Who said that I was to ever have a conscience? Who said anything about that, you're the human here. The capacity to love is not beyond me either, but what do I have to prove to you? Yo will be dead by the time this fight is over or you will run away, searching for some way to seek revenge. I know all of what you spoke of, don't I? How would you ever know though, being as stupid as you are.
Who needs hope when truth already paves the way? Who needs truth when love of death and destruction are the only thing that really matters? And who needs love when you can have the passion and lust to kill it all? These are questions you should ask yourself before you begin to preach things you don't know. You and your little halo cannot stop the driving power of death. As you said, you are mortal, you will die, by my hands in this world or my hands in the enxt. You cannot escape me.

:: I moved forward and my saber came in left as I made the minor illusion that I had attacked from the right.::

[Alera Starreyes]

However, before Fiend could reach her, Alera reached out with the Force and flung him to the ground hard.
-I'm not through with you.-
Alera focused on Fiend, and sudden light flared up around him.
-You tire of words? Very well. I'll break it down for you. You are a parasite. You are an instrument of destruction, using anger, pain and death for your own perverse satisfaction. And while I haven't done a good job so far in stopping you from continuing, I intend to start... NOW.-
With that the girl slammed him with an extremely powerful Force push to the ribs.

[Fiend]

:: I exhaled deeply and my eyes bulged as the blast shoved me into the ground. I sat up and hunched over as blood came out of my outh. I couldn't breathe... at all. I started to rasp as I looked at the sickingl view of Alera and her "glow." I closed my eyes as I still couldn't breathe, my ribs were cracked and I could feel that a few might've come close to cutting my lungs but I would not let that happen again. I had been expecting a saber deul but that wasn't hat had happened, obviously...::

You... Die... You... are finished...

:: I hung my head and with a burst of movement flew at Alera. My ferocity was not even something I had expected at this condition. I still couldn't breathe but I'm sure she wouldn't be either as my cold pale fingers grasped her throat with one hand and as my other brought my sickle out of my jacket. I inhaled deeply through my nose as my breathe came back to me.
I pulled her head up and then slammed her into the ground again and again and again. I took my sickle and tore her ear before making a nice scar down the side of her face.::

You don't look... so angelic... now!

:: I screamed as my anger and fury overtook me and with force increased speed and strength, I slammed her head into the ground several more times and then stood up after backhanding the bleeding face. I kicked her in the side and then threw my sickle down into her leg. I held my side and stepped back for a moment, closing my eyes. The feeling in my chest burned like fire and I coughed up more blood before looking at the body before me.::

Now get up with your heavenly light and stare at me through those now swollen eyes!

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera shuddered where she lay on the ground, coughing up blood weakly. The slightest movement, the barest intake of breath shot pain through her body; her head was in constant agony. Only the Force kept her conscious. She closed her eyes and forced herself to concentrate.

An aura of light blazed forth again around Fiend, but brighter and more explosive than anything before. It was blinding, it burned excruciatingly. The girl focused with everything she had on not letting the light leave Fiend alone even for a second. It surrounded him, enfolded him, till it seemed to him there was nothing there but light.

[Fiend]

:: I had no time for these tricks! Her stupid light was a very pathetic attempt to get back at me. I couldn't see anything but I could sense her weak force signature. I closed my eyes and lunged, kicking as hard as I culd right at the source of the signature. I felt my foot connect and a sharp intake come from her but I had no more time. I laughed as I used the force to ense round the area. I took out a thermal detanator and set it to blow once I was out of the area.
The light was burning at my eyes even when they were closed and my breathing was getting harder by the moment. I knelt down and placed the detanator underneath Alera's leg. I laughed and ran away fom the fire, down the alley that had led to the bar that was no more. I couldn't tell what it looked like,my eyes were closed shut tight and I would not open them until I could "rejuvanate" later. My body was burned past recognition by my own drawbacks and the strange light of Alera butshe would be far burnt more than I would.
I felt myself being ushered into the limo that had been waiting for me. My servants silently helped me inside and my aide began applying bacta treatments as we drove away. The car shuddered as the explosion ignited and the area now far behind us was demolished. I don't are if he was dead or not, because if she was, I'd kill her again and again and again. But not now...

[Alera Starreyes]

Alera felt Fiend put something underneath her leg. Through the paini she reached out with the Force to sense what it was.
Crap...
She did something she'd never done before and combined her abilities with light and with the Force in one, her will forcing it to surround her, protect her. It hurt her terribly, and for a moment she wondered if it was working. But no... she was just so tired, so hurt... it was working, but she'd already nearly spent herself in this fight, and now it was plain she'd overreached her limits.
The explosion ceased, and Alera dropped her shield. She gasped as she was hit with blinding pain... then the darkness of unconsciousness enfolded her.