An Apprentice's Training.

[Zasz Grimm]

The Kehedrin landed on Vjun. He looked around the landing pad, where he was. The ship was safe here, from the acid rain. He stood up slowly. It had been quite a long trip from Hoth to Vjun, but of course, it was well needed for his apprentice. Zasz stood slowly, and moved back to the very end of the ship. He stood at the doorway where Grev was.

"Are you ready?"

He asked as he then turned his back, not really giving him a chance to answer him. Zasz pressed the button to the door, and it slid open, the ramp moving downwards a small bit. He started to move down it. He inhaled, taking in the musk smell of the planet.

Vjun. Nothing like it.

Bast Castle was ahead, but he was headed for the area to the side of it, somewhat like a garden, but more a cemetary for the dead plants and such. He headed for that, hearing Grev not that far behind him.

"I assume you've completed your lightsaber, Grev?"

[imported_Grev Drasen]

“I have,” he spoke as he ventured behind; the newly constructed weapon clutched inside of his palm. He had used every portion of time since their departure of Hoth to Vjun to complete the project, saving no time for recovering from the mission spent on the ice planet. Taking a heap of the planet’s pungent air, Grev couldn’t help but cough, considering the slight ailment he had received due the hypothermia of the lake water.

Never minding the sickness, Drasen took a quick grasp of the surrounding planet. It here he had been summoned to by the Hobgoblin, but not before being instructed to seek a master in Grimm. A cold and battered man, Grev took behind Zasz as they neared the “garden” of sorts.

“You would like to see it, Master?”

[Zasz Grimm]

Zasz didn't respond until he entered the courtyard. He turned around to look at the things on the ground, the dead plants, and then to his apprentice. Apparently, Zasz's test changed Grev. Rather, it changed his eyes. They were solid black now, and Zasz liked the change in his apprentice. It suited him.

"No, I don't need to see it. I trust it works...well."

He grinned as he slipped his hand slowly towards his lightsaber hilt, and his fingers slid around the cold metal. He took the cylinder in hand and held it lightly to the side, paying no attention to it, just watching Drasen. He still had symptoms of hypothermia. Treatment would do him well.

"Prepare yourself."

Zasz ignited the blood red lightsaber blade. He held it tightly in his right hand as he moved forward. He aimed it towards Grev's face. If he did not ignite his blade and block, or dodge, he would surely die.

[imported_Grev Drasen]

As they furthered into the “dead” courtyard, Grev stopped as his Master turned to stare him down. His reply gave away any surprise that Zasz had intentions of breaking in the newly built weapon. While Grimm was fingering the hilt of his own saber, the apprentice began to inch a suiting grip on his own.

He had never seen Zasz in combat since their acquaintance, but then again nor had Zasz seen himself in battle yet.

“Prepare yourself.”

Drasen watched on as the blade ignited, and Zasz soon followed forward in a threatening manner. Taking a quick step back, Grev’s own saber was ignited in a blue flash and hindered the near fatal blow, the blades now grinding against each other near inches from his flesh.

[Zasz Grimm]

Zasz held his saber, quite hard against Grev's, causing his apprentice's saber to be pushed towards himself. He looked into the black eyes, the black eyes that acted as mirrors. And he saw himself, grinning. Impressed that his apprentice held his ground.

"Tell me, Grev, why are you no longer with The Order? What are the details about it?"

With his last word, he pushed against Grev's saber quite harshly, causing him to be cast back. Zasz looked as he backed away a small bit, slowly twirling his saber blade around, and around.

"Hm...?"

[imported_Grev Drasen]

Allowing his left leg to slide back to form a base for support, he continued to press his own blade into Zasz’s to attempt to ward the saber from his face. Taking the shove he had no other options but to stumble back, collecting his balance and listening to the question posed by his Master. A question regarding the Order.

“Tell me, Grev, why are you no longer with The Order? What are the details about it?”

Although his face remain in its impersonal expression, Grev held back a burst of animus which had been kindling inside of him since his mishap at the Order. Instead, a grin twisted along the apprentice’s rugged face, as he began to answer to inquiry.

“A certain Master at the Order - Malice Draclau,” he lingered on the name, depicting the worst form of infliction he could repay the old man.

“The so called Sith put his ‘love’ for a Jedi over what I was brainwashed into believing was his ‘brethren,’ being myself,” he spoke through clenched teeth remembering the event (http://www.sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24927) to the exact detail. “Alera, I believe that was her name. His ‘love’ which he prided over one of his own.”

“I merely escaped death from the two, and the council - they could have cared less.”

[Zasz Grimm]

"Betrayal."

Zasz spoke slowly. He grinned, he understood that all too well, especially with the Council Members of the order. Namely, Lady Vader. He narrowed his eyes to his apprentice as he stepped closer.

"And did you trust this...Malice Draclau? Was he a 'friend'?"

Zasz asked quite curiously, slowly moving closer to his apprentice. Trying to move in while he was speaking, to throw him off, so that Grev would realize he was inching closer to him.

To striking distance.

[imported_Grev Drasen]

“Hardly a friend,” he replied, shaking his head, “It was a given respect considering he was a Sith Lord. But I had no friendships at the Order.”

He noted Zasz’s enclosure, but thought nothing much of it.

“I was ignorant then, and too lenient with my trust.”

[Zasz Grimm]

"Then? It was not too long ago.."

He smiled slowly, stopping for a moment, reflecting on what his apprentice had just said. He gripped his lightsaber tighter, bringing it up, to stare into the blood red blade, to look at it as it pulsed back and forth. It was pleasant to watch. To know this blade could kill.

"A lesson you must learn. Trust isn't given, it's earned. And even then, it may still be better to trust no one but yourself."

[imported_Grev Drasen]

“A lesson I learned the hard way,” he eyed the lightsaber in Zasz’s grasp, expecting some form of backlash.

“The best way to learn, I suppose.”

He hadn’t yet trusted Grimm, but then again probably wouldn’t trust anyone fully. The advice was well adjusted in Drasen’s mind; but he had a respect formed for Zasz already since their meeting. They would have to settle on a mutual respect, as trust would be a long earned goal to obtain between the two.

[Zasz Grimm]

"Indeed, it is."

Was his response. He sat there, watching him fairly closely. Zasz stood about three or four feet away from the apprentice. Perfect. He grinned and then lunged in, aiming for Grev's chest.

But he blocked, quite quickly, as if expecting. Zasz narrowed his eyes and then stepped back, moving to the left in a crouching manner, he then twirled the blade towards his legs.

[imported_Grev Drasen]

Coming off the block Grev quickly pushed into a vertical jump as Zasz’s blade moved towards his calves. As the saber passed under him he directly moved his own weapon into a downward swipe to parry any chance that Grimm would try attacking him while he was airborne.

With a sidestep as he landed he positioned himself in front of Zasz, readying himself for any follow up attacks that might occur.

[Zasz Grimm]

Zasz stepped back, avoiding the slash that might have hit him, had he attacked his apprentice once more. He was skilled, this was extremely obvious. But Zasz had no doubt had that figured out upon seeing the former sith. He stayed back, showing no aggression...

"And how do you feel about that? That betrayal of trust? Being left to die? What should be done to the man who betrayed you, for a Jedi?"

He asked, stopping his movements.

[imported_Grev Drasen]

A certain pause lingered over Grev’s mind to the question he had been asked. There was no punishment he could imagine for the Sith, but death was far out of the possibilities. He figured it too easy of a consequence.

“Death would be the obvious answer, but that would be child’s play.”

He went silent for a moment, before acknowledging Grimm with his own question.

“And what would you have in mind for him?”

[Zasz Grimm]

"The downfall and entire destruction of The Sith Order."

Zasz replied to Grev. He looked to him, letting his words sink into the man. He wondered what his thoughts would be on this? He grinned.

"For you said the council, betrayed you also? Death, though quick, is a punishment. However, whatever you should think up, would be...Accepted."

He grinned as he held his own saber, thinking. What would please him most about this thought, was thinking of Lady Vader, being stretched on a rack. Even slowly beaten, cut..

[imported_Grev Drasen]

Those words were like a revelation to Grev.

“The downfall and entire destruction of The Sith Order.”

He nodded, warding off a smile that wanted to ease itself to the surface.

“I believe you’re on to something,” he cackled to himself, “The downfall of the Order seems all too fitting.”

[Zasz Grimm]

"Indeed it is....Indeed."

Zasz's saber slowly slid back within the confines of the metallic cylinder. He then moved to clip it onto the belt. He looked into his apprentices black eyes, grinning. Yes, their objectives and goals were all too alike.

Very alike.

Then he turned. Slowly making his way from the courtyard, towards the gates of Bast. He motioned for Grev to follow him. Drasen had to be accepted by the others, for Zasz to further his plans more-so. He looked back to him..

"Grev, Hobgoblin sent you here for a reason. I believe that reason is for you to join up with The Black Hand. And from what you've displayed, I would think you would want to join as well."

He stood at the gates, and he stepped back, allowing him to go forward.

"Prove yourself. Summon the Gatekeeper."