On the fringes of the Outer Rim territories and famous for being the one-time location of the Rebel Alliance, Hoth is a frigid world marred with fissures created from the tidal pull of Hoth’s three moons. Blanketed in a frozen ocean, massive oceanic currents beneath the southern hemisphere are the cause of constant seismic activities that result in a constantly shifting landscape of tunnels and caves.

Buried into the side of a fissure reaching hundreds of meters into the core of the planet is a network of tunnels leading into a cave. Its sole entrance is suspended within the wall of the fissure, requiring one to rappel down the dangerous crevasse and into the tunnels; one small miscalculation could send explorers descending the rest of the unmeasured height deep within the planet’s core.

Insulated under several hundred meters of ice in all directions, the cave is protected against the gale force winds and the intense snowstorms that sweep along the planet’s surface. As a result, the cave is warmer than most of Hoth’s unforgiving cold with melting icicles dangling precariously overhead. In turn, this allows for more life to grow in addition to being a promising habitat for the hulking wampas that have been trapped this far below the surface. Beginning to thaw, it is obvious that this cave will eventually fall victim to seismic activity and disappear into the sheets of ice that surround it. Illuminating the cave’s interior with a dull blue glow, the luminous forms of lichen have taken up residence among the bones of the creatures unfortunate enough to be trapped here.

Caution must be exercised if one is to navigate the slippery slopes of the cave as melted icicles drip onto the cavern’s floor surface. In one corner of the cave, the ocean water has accumulated to form a large pool, providing sustenance to the rare lumni-spice growing within the crystalline complex, never to see the blue-white sun.

[Venue Note: It is assumed that both members are wearing at least a cold-resistant cloak in this venue, even if not included on their Loadout. All other ACC rules and guidelines still applies.]

Hoth was as cruel as it was cold. Unforgiving and punishing if you came to the planet unprepared. Something Morax Darkblade felt his new Apprentice should realize as soon as possible during their training. Failure was not an option in the Apprenticeship of the Anzat. Planning was everything and no matter how well you planned, things could still go wrong. You would need to adapt, think quick and act accordingly before you lose control of your fate and forfeit your own life to the will of other beings.

The crisp winds howled above their covered heads as the cold crept underneath the Seers clothes and armour, seeping into his bones like the lazy drops of water run into cracks on a wall. Despite having a cold resistant cloak to wrap themselves in, Darkblade’s body heat was whisked away in the winds leaving any exposed parts pale even though his blood still ran warm through them. The Anzats body heat wasn’t being drained or leached out slowly, it was abandoning him with brutal speed, beginning to leave him shivering ever so slightly. Morax concentrated on keeping his body warm, allowing the Force into his body and keeping his blood circulating at a slightly faster than normal pace. This in turn rose his body temperature to allow for a comfortable walk to where he needed to go.

The Sadowan seemed unaffected, having properly made the adjustments to his Mandalorian armour to stay warm in the cold environment. It took them around ten minutes to find the entrance to the tunnel system that Morax was looking for. From there they began their careful descent into the under cavern. Ice that had been here for ages could possibly be gone in a matter of weeks. The subtle dripping sounds of water from above dropping down to splatter on the floor beneath it was all they could hear. However if they listened closely, they could hear the sound of the wind ripping across the surface of the planet above them. The deeper they got, the warmer it became, though never warm enough to truly shed any protective clothing.

As they finally made it to the bottom of the cave, Morax briskly walked across the cavern floor, remnants of a previous battle with another Apprentice evident around them. As Darkblade shook his head to clear the images evoked by seeing the same place he had nearly died, he stole a look at Xuner Holst beside him. His new Apprentice had kept up easily with him and seemed comfortable with the pace Morax had set. Not much for questions, which Morax found odd for someone supposed to be wanting to learn, the human male seemed content with being led wherever his Master was taking him.

“This is where I was once possessed by an ancient artifact, forcing me to battle my Apprentice Evelynn Wyrm. Even though my body was no longer mine, my mind was, I was able to fight against the spirit that had taken hold over me. Evelynn bested me in combat and the result allowed an opportunity to expel the spirit and destroy the artifact where it had come from,” Morax said as he absentmindedly toed the crushed artifact with his boot. These were the only signs of a battle having taken place. The cavern had deteriorated at an alarming pace, signaling soon that it would have a high possibility of collapsing.

“The lesson here is that no matter how strong you think you are, there will always be someone stronger. I am not all powerful, nor will I ever claim to be. However, like you, I yearn for knowledge and hunger for ways to become stronger. I believe this takes on the form of having an indestructible bond with an Apprentice. Our relationship is symbiotic, I learn from you and vice versa. Even though I carry more knowledge, experience and overall wisdom, I am not foolish enough to believe that I have nothing to learn from you, Xuner Holst,” the Anzat said as he reached into his robe and retrieved his lightsaber.

Turning to his Apprentice he looking the human in the eye he spoke again with urgency in his voice.

“Today we learn how far we are willing to go in order to trust each other. We will duel, using everything in our power to test each other. I will exert effort to hurt us by using the surroundings, my skill in the Force and lightsaber combat, whilst you will try to protect us from these elements and myself. The test fails when either of us is too injured to continue, we succeed when we make it out of this cavern together,” the Anzat stated before continuing, “We are here to not only test our bond, but to hone your skills during unimaginable situations and staying steps ahead of your opponent.”

“We begin now!” the Krath said as he ignited his saber and took a single handed stance, squaring himself with his right side facing his Apprentice. Almost immediately Xuner noticed that the Force was harder to call on. Realizing that his Master was serious, the human desperately grabbed for his lightsaber, activating it and barely bringing it up in time to block a strike aimed at his head.

Morax swatted the blade aside easily, overpowering the Sadowan with ease.

You lack skills in lightsaber combat, something you will need to work on.

Recognizing it as his Master inside his head, the Sith gritted his teeth and focused on leading Darkblade towards one of the tunnel entrances.

The Krath let out a sinister laugh as he raised his free hand above his head, shooting a bolt of lightning upwards. The blueish bolt raced from Darkblade’s fingertips, illuminating the cave with an eerie glow as its energy crackled and popped before burying itself into the frozen ice and dissipating. The impact shook the cavern as the booming echo reverberated out, causing a rippling effect that shook the icicles hanging precariously above them. Cracking could be heard as the chain reaction begun and all around them foot long icicles came crashing down, shattering on impact and spewing ice on the ground.

Realising what was expected of him, the Sith concentrated on the Force and propelled himself forwards swinging his blade wildly around him as he landed in front of Darkblade, raising a hand above his own head he created a barrier just in time as the first icicles began to crash down on their position.

The Sadowan was taller than his Master and looked down on him, concentrating heavily as he tried to keep himself connected to the Force which had become harder to call upon once their battle had started.

Morax looked up at his Apprentice and smiled favorably. As the Krath let go of his control of the Force, it became easier for Xuner to concentrate and the Force rushed back into him, embracing him and infusing him with its power, it's sobriety and most important, it’s familiarity. Thinking quickly before Morax could react, Xuner dropped his lightsaber and with his one free hand threw a punch at his Master, hoping against all hope it would be enough to disarm him.

The force generated by Xuner’s punch should have caused Darkblade to stumble a few steps back. It was the lack of traction on the icy floor, however that resulted in the Anzat sliding a few meters back. Morax The impact wasn’t what had surprised Darkblade, but the fact that his power has increased greatly since last they met.

Xuner stood back up. A loud hiss was emitted by the suit of Mandalorian armour worn by Xuner. He had reached up and detached the clamps on his helmet, removing it and placing it to the side. Xuner revealed a fairly light, almost pale skinned face with lifeless light blue eyes. He, for a brief moment, took a deep breathe in, filling his lungs with frigid air as he closed his eyes, having had contemplated what his Master had said earlier. Darkblade picked himself up and studied his apprentice. A moment of serenity passed over Xuner as he looked to his Master with his light blue eyes that matched the surrounding colour of the ice caves.

“Truly blessed are those whom in their moment of greatest fear and darkness stand never alone.” The Human muttered softly to himself.

Xuner’s eyes began to glaze over as he stared at Darkblade for a few moments.

Xuner’s next words were not spoken to the Equite, but to another presence, one that responded shortly after.

Thank you Vesh. For being by my side.

This Sith spirit is a Sephi that has been with Xuner for many years. Despite looking to be around 36 years by Human standard, the Human was in truth 240 years old. Vesh however was more around 1100 years old, something that wasn’t considered possible for the given lifespan of a Sephi. Such was the case for Xuner as his family relied on the usage of periodically carbon freezing themselves while Vesh was a Sephi turned Sith Spirit trapped first into an amulet and now Xuner's cybernetic arm.

You’re welcome. Now let’s beat the bastard senseless. Vesh’s words reverberated through Xuner’s mind.

An indescribable sense came over the pair as Xuner entered into a trance. With a deep breathe, he closed his eyes and stood in place, concentrating on centering himself. Darkblade could not only sense a rising dark energy from Xuner, but also see it manifest in the series of glowing runes that raced up the Human’s cybernetic left arm. The cavern trembled as the Dark Side flowed into the Knight. His dull light blue eyes were now more alive than ever as they now a swirling yellow with a tint of red around his iris. The air that flowed had ceased as the tension suffocated the large cave. The Equite’s body shuttered to the change in atmosphere. He smiled as he brought up his lightsaber and awaited Xuner’s assault.

Without saying a word, Xuner began to truly show how much he trusted Morax Darkblade. Xuner could feel the energy from Darkblade’s fight with Evelynn. He understood where they now stood. This time, things were different.

Xuner stretched his arm out and reached for his lightsaber with the Force. The Knight’s lightsaber launched off the ground and flew across the air. But instead of going towards Xuner, the weapon was going to Darkblade. The lightsaber ignited in mid-air, aimed at impaling the alien. Darkblade almost instantaneously pivoted around as he bought his ignited saber up to deflect the makeshift projectile upwards. Xuner took this opportunity to charge at Morax by jumped high into the air, catching his lightsaber in mid-air and using the Force to enhance his strength as he crashed his lightsaber into his opponent’s. The impact caused the frozen floor beneath the Equite to collapse into a small crater. Xuner dropped to the ground and into a squat.

His second attack was a flurry of strikes as the Human used the Force to amplify his movements as he sprung from the earlier position. Each of these strikes were easily parried by Darkblade’s mastery of Soresu. Morax, as he was parrying Xuner’s attacks with one hand, used his other hand to reach over as remove his Armour-weave cloak and tossed it towards the Knight. Xuner made the mistake of slashing at the cloak, leaving himself open. The alien took this chance to time his swing and slammed his hand against the Human’s, causing Xuner’s lightsaber being knocked off to the side.

The Anzati’s training as an assassin paid off well as he retaliated with a fury of quick well placed jabs to Xuner’s upper chest, mouth and nose, and with a uppercut to his chin using the alien’s elbow. Xuner recoiled back, unable to guard against the final strike to his stomach. Despite wearing a full set of Mandalorian armour, the strength from each blow bit deep into Xuner’s body.

Both fighters retreated a short distance away from each other as silence filled the air once more.

“Amplifying your attack at the last second was a good idea. Using small bursts to keep yourself from becoming worn out too fast but also trying to maximize each hit shows careful consideration. It’s good to know you’re learning.” Morax replied as he smiled.

“But not good enough.”

Darkblade stood motionless in place, reaching out with his free hand, motioning for the next attack.

The Anzat carefully studied his Apprentice, cold calculating eyes watching his every move.

Do not hesitate to strike, the longer you think the more time an opponent has to attack you instead.

Xuner nodded his head and began his assault. Gathering the Force deep inside of him and letting it fester, he raced across the icy cavern floor with precision and bringing his blade above and around his head before swinging it downwards with a two handed grip. Unleashing a primordial howl that echoed off the cavern walls deep, places that hadn’t heard sounds for decades were pierced with the Sith’s anger infused yell.

Lightsabers clashed, hissed and spat as the two danced around the cavern floor once again. Darkblade was in top form as he batted away the strikes with relative ease, concentrating on his footwork and waiting for an opening his Apprentice would surely offer soon. Xuner’s form was an odd one, something Darkblade was unable to discern at first. It seemed as if his Apprentice lacked something. The swift nature of the attacks coupled with a dominating presence could have given the Anzat more pause in their battle. Though what usually was a balanced form and style seemed to unbalance the human simply because it lacked a second blade.

You’ll need a second saber or blade if you ever want to become a true practitioner of Jar’Kai.

Morax grinned as Xuner ignored his Masters jibe. Instead, the Sith used it to fuel his anger and frustration at the situation. How was he even supposed to win a battle against someone supposedly more experienced in the Force and lightsaber combat? Biting down on his tongue, drawing blood and clearing his mind, Xuner let go of the boiling rage he had been building up.

As power coursed through his body, strengthening him and clearing any doubt about his own abilities, he could finally see. The Force was not, nor would it ever be, a companion. It was a tool to be used for his own gain. If he wanted more power, he would need to take it. The relationship with the Dark Side of the Force wasn’t a harmonious one. The Force would give as long as you were strong enough to command it's powers and use them. If you took too much, it would destroy you, corrupt you and leave you a withered husk of what you formerly were.

Give or take, make your choice Xuner, Darkblade projected the words into his Apprentices mind.

“I will not give, I will only take!” Xuner shouted the words with power.

Winds swept into the cavern where there were none before and Morax felt the power of the Dark Side rising within the fragile ice caves. Tunnels began to crumble as the winds picked up in power, swirling around the human before him. A tinge of fear crept into the Anzats composure as he realized that the spirit inhabiting the caverns which had possessed Darkblade before and an unknown spirit to Darkblade which had apparently been hidden from him by Xuner, were working together, using Xuner as a conduit to funnel their powers and combine them.

Instantly realizing that this would be fatal for his Apprentice, the Seer sprang towards the Journeyman and focused on culling the Force that was flowing into Xuner. Struggling to keep his concentration as the winds whipped around him, bringing crashing sounds with it as even more tunnels began to collapse. A large cracking sound could be heard above them, and Darkblade instantly knew what that was entailing.

This karfing cavern is going to cave in on us, he thought to himself.

Switching off his lightsaber and flipping it so the pommel side was now away from his body and facing outwards, Morax Darkblade reached up with his hand and brought the pommel down with a heavy swing, connecting it with Xuner’s nose.

The brittle cartilage gave way with a sickening sound, like leaves crackling underfoot, as Xuner’s nose was hit, blood flooding out of his nostrils freely and quickly seeping across his Mandalorian armor before ending it's journey splattered over the icy floor below.

Eyes glazing over from either losing consciousness or losing control of his body to either one of the spirits that now raged for control over him, Darkblade couldn’t quite tell.

For additional security the Anzat allowed the Force to flow through him, infusing his arm with additional strength and bludgeoned his Apprentice one last time on the nose and watched in relief as the Sith crumpled to the floor, his head smacking the floor and sending a final crack throughout the cavern. As it echoed off the walls it was stopped short by the sound of ice crashing down all around them.

The battle of the spirits over Xuner had resulted in a furious storm which had eaten away at the already unstable cavern, finally starting to bring it down after having stood untouched for decades before Darkblade and Evelynn had made their way down here.

Sighing heavily with exhaustion, the Seer now turned his attention towards protecting Xuner, reaching down and grabbing the unconscious form of his Apprentice, swinging it over his shoulder and holding his free hand above his head. Calling upon the Force one last time, Darkblade focused heavily on the cavern around him and allowed the Force to guide his way through the tumbling ice shards towards safety. Although not an easy task, the Anzat was able to make it clear of the main cavern and find safety.

It was going to be one heck of a task to get them out of the rubble but Morax felt the bond between him and Xuner strengthened by this ordeal.

Setting his Apprentice down against a wall, Darkblade slumped down next to him and looked over at him, a feeling of pride enveloping him.

This Apprentice had much potential, like the others before him, if not more.