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Lycus was walking to the training when he saw a couple of children that were harassing another younger boy. "Hey..." he said, sticking up for the other. They weren't necessarily hurting him, just giving him a hard time. Lycus had grown his jedi powers quite a lot at a very young age. He looked at them and spoke. "You will turn around and go to class and leave this boy alone. You won't bother him anymore." He said. He was young, but he acted beyond his years. The boys repeated it back to him and turned around to leave the boy alone as they were told. Lycus turned a smile onto the other, his eyes bright. "Hey, my name is Lycus." he said, outstretching his hand to the other.
From that day, the boys were inseparable. Lycus was now 15 and the other was 13, both of them were the best of friends. One day, the sky darkened and something shot down from the sky. Lycus looked at his friend. "Run!" He said, but he had said it a moment too late, A cloaked figure with a red saber ran at him and used a push attack to bring the ceiling down, between Lycus and his friend. Lycus shouted for his friend banging his fist against the hardened stone. "No!!!!" He thought his friend to be dead as he sat banging on the stone. The figure yanked the male from the ground and drug him towards the ship, taking him away to never be seen at the jedi temple again.
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Today was his graduation into becoming a Jedi Master. His request to his master was that he go off on his own. Despite the warnings from his master, he was given the okay to seek out his friend. They had told him that doing so would only invite the darkness, it would only corrupt him and turn him towards the sith but he refused. He told them it wouldn't and continued on his stubborn adventure. He was told that his friend wasn't alive, but just as a master can feel their student, a friend can feel another friend through the force. He could feel his friend, and he knew he was still alive, faint as it was, he tugged at that bond. He used it to track down Derek and he would bring him home. Or so he thought.
His trip took him to a planet that was dirty, toxic in fact, special masks were needed to breath the fumes. He did come prepared, and he pulled the mask on to keep from breathing in the noxious gas. With his saber attached at his belt, he exited his ship leaving it docked as he walked out onto the dirt. Below his feet, the rancor mud pulled his boots into the filth. A disgusting planet, just one he would expect a sith to be hiding amongst. After the great Jedi and Sith war when Jedi's turned darkside and Sith had ruled over a lot, the Jedi finally got a hand in the battle and this must be where they cast them, those lucky to live. Ignoring how his feet sunk in the muk, he continued trudging on, the feeling of the bond getting stronger the closer he got. He could almost hear his friend's voice again. It had been 6 years since the day Derek had been taken by the Sith, he was likely only 19 now, where as Lycus was 21. More than old enough to make his own decisions. His choice was to come here, to find Derek, to 'save' him. Question was, was there anything of Derek left to save?
Lycus knew very little of the way of the sith, knowing only that they use mental torment and trickery to force loyalty. Likely telling him that Lycus never looked for him, and didn't care he was gone, hammering details like that into his mind. Lycus tried, many times over the years but had been stopped, like everyother time. Told that he was not to leave because he was still a padawan, or a sage, he was only permited to leave when he had nothing left to be learned from his master, seeking his own padawan. Or so they thought. The council didn't know of Lycus's plans, or they would have put a stop to it. The master didn't tell them, nor did Lycus fully explain his intent to his master, neither.
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He could feel the bond growing stronger as the other approached, the only thing that told him to dodge was the strength of the force that was thrown at him. He jumped back and his eyes fell on a cloak and mask. He at once knew this was Derek, but so much had changed. He didn't think his friend had turned to the dark side, but he was not thinking of much. His master told him he was lost, gone, but, he never once imagined it was because he turned Sith. He looked at his friend and drew his own saber. "Derek.." It was almost a question, but not quite. he knew that the man before him was his best friend. Their battle would play out much differently than it did when they sparred as children. He didn't want to kill his friend, but Derek was now a sith... fully clothed and corrupted as one. He couldn't believe it in truth and he tightened his grip on his hilt as his blade extended with a buzz. "You turned..." He said. "Forsaken the light and turned your blind eyes to the darkness... why... " he didn't understand what the Sith did to make a member Darkside. He didn't understand the lies and deceit that flooded into his friends mind simply by him speaking to him. He knew now however, he was in trouble. Not only had he come here claiming to be exploring unknown lands, not saying where he was headed, but he also lied to his master in what planet, in fact, what solar system he was headed to. Not only that but this boy was a Jedi master, one of the top ranks in his class, skilled and adapt at taking down large targets. He was known in the land as a guardian for a reason. He didn't want to kill his friend but if he truly fell to the Darkside, he would have no choice.
Adjusting his footing and securing his blade in his hand he used his free hand not on the glowing blue light stick, to throw a large chunk of debris towards his opponent. He used the force to shield himself from the recoil. He'd come here to take his friend home, and that's what he planned on doing.
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Lied? What had he lied about. "Wait Der-" He was stopped by a side attack. He was slowed by the mud, where as the foe he was facing was not. He wasn't as skilled in lightsaber maneuvering as his friend was, he did however have the force to aide him. He used it to block the first attack and placed his palms against the others chest and shoved back at him using the force, he took the positioning as a chance to try and hit him from the left. A moment later and the move would have cut through his chest, barely knicking the flesh as he used his saber to block it wincing at the pain that even the small cut had caused him. He closed one eye and jumped back. "So be it." He said. He brandished his saber and pressed his hands together sending a huge shockwave of force at the other, at the very least unbalancing him. His next move he waved his hand in the air in a flat motion with his palm facing the ground, bringing a spike from a nearby rocky cliffside down towards the man. If he killed him, it would free him from the pain of being a Sith, right? Jedis were the good guys. They killed for a reason... right?
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Lycus wasn't expecting Derek to be able to dodge it so easily. He always wasn't expecting the saber to spin towards him. He quickly blocked it but he didn't notice the attack that Derek was executing till it was too late. He slammed into the ground electrocuting it and causing his movments to cease momentarly as he collapsed to one knee panting, holding his stomach. He panted softly with one eye closed as he struggled to stand again. He used the force to push his opponant to relive the memories, attempting to unearth the side of him he had tried so hard to bury. The paralisis slowly wore off as he stood and used the force to sorround Derek, attempting to lift him from the ground as he focused all of his energy on this move alone. From behind though, the fight was coming to a close. The man walked up behind the Jedi and lifted his hand, he used the force to squeeze the throat of Duukras opponant.
The feeling around his throat cut off his breathing and he was lifted from the ground, clawing weakly at his throat as if that would do something. Two against one. This was common for Sith. His eyes started to shutter closed as the choke continued until he was almost completely out. He was dropped roughly into the mud. His weapon faded and went back into the hilt as his force faded along with his consciousness. His eyes peered up at the masked man, the part of his mask where his eyes would have been. Taken down by the sith, the prodigy, the boy who mastered the force sooner than any other known to the jedi world, now, he was a pawn, he was in trouble. Blackness took over his vision as he outstretched his hand towards his friend and he passed out.
The master looked at his student. "Retrieve him. There is much we can pry from this man...." he said, hand outstretched towards the Jedi. He used his power to lift the mans saber into his own hand before walking off toward the compound.
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Lycus finally woke up and the first thing he tried to do was move, the next thing he tried to do was call his saber to him. Both of which failed. He opened his eyes and glanced around. He was cuffed to a table on his back, staring up at red and black lights on the ceiling. he looked around more and realized the room was seemingly small and stopped the flow of force for him completely because of the cuffs. Beside him now, he realized the man who he had fought previously was in front of him. "Derek..." He said. He had no idea what he was in for but he knew it couldn't be good. He sighed and closed his eyes, calming his inner body and trying to think of a way out. He let his passion override his jedi training. Passion was something jedi weren't allowed to possess, even sith weren't allowed to feel such a thing, and yet he did.
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Despite his attempts at remaining calm, this man threw it out of existence when his hand moved in front of Lycus. Suddenly, he felt the choke, but this was meant to cause him pain, not to choke the life from him. It was made so his breathing was erratic, heavy then light, hard then soft, the control over the force the other had was not unlike his own. Both of the boys were meant for greatness, both prodigies, only this one didn't get the chance to grow up in their world. Lycus curled his hand into a tight fist. "No Derek." He managed to get out. "You have been lied to by the Sith." The words were hard to get out, between the pants and gasps for air, his eyes were watering from the actions of the other as well. He looked up at the mask, he'd set a time bomb inside the others head, and it was still ticking away, showing him memories, unlocking things deep in his mind. It wasn't hard to make him relive it all. He looked up at the mask as the grip tightened yet again. He didn't know whatever they thought he did.
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"You're Naive ..." he said. The choke came stronger that time, soon making him close his eyes as he struggled against the binds obviously doing nothing to help him at that moment. "You were in training to become a Jedi." He said panting. "Your master Took you from me. Not the other way around..." He said.
The master entered then. "Jedi are weak, they do not harness the feelings of anger and hate for power. However, we do. I realize you're the prodigy jedi, supposedly the one that is supposed to change the Jedi world according to prophecy, too bad you won't live long enough." The Sith master walked up beside the jedi with his saber out. "You made two mistakes here Jedi, coming here without the back up of your order, and attempting to get your 'friend' back. You are nothing to Duurka. You were never there. You never helped. The Sith freed him, taught him the power of the darkside and guided him in a direction that resulted in his strength today. You are weak." He placed his saber blade inches from the Jedi's left eye.
He could feel the heat from the red blade, almost burning his flesh with pain. No marks were made however, the heat wasn't causing any physical harm at the moment.
"Either embrace the darkside and bow to me - or - You won't make it out of here alive." Sintus said. He withdrew his saber and used the force to bend the mind of the other.
The power that was being used to corrupt his mind was too much and his eyes widened in pure torment. The master let him go and he trembled against the table.
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Lycus could tell that the other was becoming corrupted by thoughts, but he didn't make a comment on it. The master told him to move him to a cell and Lycus was just glad to be off his back as they moved him. Lycus moved in front of his friend the cuffs still on his wrists and ankles keeping him from producing any force power he could manage. He didn't try to run, he instead did what he was told to and awaited his next orders. "You can feel it can't you." He said, tuning into the change in the others countenance. "Think back. I was with you from the beginning..." He said. He didn't speak anymore, waiting for his friend... or who used to be, to decide on the next action.
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Lycus could only sit on the bench and mediate on the feeling of the force around him. He was unable to manipulate it with the cuffs, but all the same he did what he could to make sure that the man wouldn't break him any time soon. He vowed to return home with his friend even if it killed him, which it just might given the circumstances so far. He watched Derek storm off slamming the door and sighed. He hoped that he could sway Derek in coming home, but even if he did, could he ever take the sith out of the man? Or was it pointless...
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Lycus could feel the emotions the man had been putting his friend through, he had every intention to eventually kill the master. "He's using you." he said. He was trying so hard to come up with things that would change his friends mind, or help him in any way. Regardless that this man was now sith, Lycus didn't care. It was still his best friend that he was trying to save. "Derek... please listen to me... I want to help you, I really do." he said softly. "But you have to help yourself first... stop letting him control you..." He said. "The day you were taken from me you had been taken by that man, I couldn't get to you because he collapsed a wall between us." he said. "I want so much to help you... but you have to want to help yourself or I'm going to die in vain." He tried to convince Derek to wake up and kill the Duurka, bring back his friend.
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Lycus knew something was up when the man lead him to a room where he was watching what was happening. "You're using him to get to me. A jedi is taught to look past his emotions... you are attempting to turn me to the darkside by using this man as a means to make me feel regret or pain. I feel neither... He should understand now you don't care for his wellbeing... I won't let you control me by torturing him." All of the talk was just distraction for what he was really doing. He had been working on it now for more than a couple hours, weakening the bonds and attempting to slip out of them. "You are using him. you lied and told him that I abandoned him, if you didn't have a use for him he'd be dead." he said. his eyes narrowing. He undid the binds around his wrists and just before they hit the ground he used the force to grab the sith master and slam him against the wall. He tightened the hold on the master meanwhile using his other hand to snap the cuffs that were on Derek. Either he realized it now, or Lycus was dead. He freed the second opponant of his own free will, possibly part of Sintus's plan, but he would soon find out.
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At first, he could have sworn the man was going to kill him when he said move, but he moved back from the door and the man shoved the saber through the control panel. He used force power to throw the master out of the room and took off with him. ' Too easy.' That was way too easy, he thought to himself. He was right. He wouldn't completely drop his guard with the man. He could have been planning on this all along. Jedi were smart, they saw through deception and trickery and saw deeper into the motive of another. "Why did you help me?" He asked. "You had an awfully fast change of heart, Derek." He said, glancing at the other, ready to fight if need be.
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"For one, I do know how to Fly. My ship is docked on the edge of this god forsaken spit of land. And for two, whether you like it or not, you are Derek. You were stolen from the Jedi Order, you were my best friend." He said, his eyes narrowing on his form. "What ails you now?" He asked, noticing the other seemed to be in pain. He could feel through the force that something was wrong, and he wanted to know what. "You're not going back." He said. He tried to Jedi mind-trick him but he blocked his memory off. 'Clever.' He thought to himself. "Why would you go back there, hm?" He asked. unsure of what exactly this guy was up to. "You remember that day? The day you met me?" He asked. "You were young, me, being the prodigy, and you, a lowly slave boy brought in because you showed keen powers in the force. Our master trained you just as he trained me... don't tell me you have forgotten who you were before the sith corruption." He said.
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He watched as Derek destroyed two fighters that came after him, without blinking an eye he killed them, friend or foe he didn't seem to care. "You're still a child." he said. "No one came after you?" Okay, he could understand why sith were so angry, because he could feel the rage burning in him. "I risked my life and my station in the jedi order four times going after you and I was only 15!!" He shouted. "You have forgotten everything, it's really a shame... I thought you would never change." He glared at him and then shook his head and pushed the anger back. "You betrayed us." He said. "Not the other way around." He had his hand rested on his saber holster. He'd grabbed it as they ran. He felt like there was more to this story. Controlling his rage was something he never struggled with, but right now more than ever he wanted to almost choke the life out of this kid, spoiled, unappreciative, pompous, this wasn't his friend anymore, but a spitting image of the Sith walking on him for almost 7 years.
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Lycus ignored the other male as they pulled up to the planet. He got off and motioned to his master. One of the masters motioned to him and he blinked but followed after. Moments later without Lycus knowing it, Derek had been captured. Lycus followed after the master wondering what he wanted. He followed without looking back at Derek. He didn't know what would happen, but, Derek DID bring himself here, so he would have to deal with the consequences of that he supposed. "You wanted to see me ?" He asked, wondering what they wanted. Furthermore, why was Derek acting so strange.
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Lycus knew full well the jedi wouldn't approve of the sith being there, he was thankful that they didn't suspect him, though. He sighed. "I let mye emotions get the better of me." He said. "I could feel the dark side pulling at me, the rage... I forced it down but it shouldn't be there at all." he said. "I've trained to let go of it and it bubbled up as I spoke with him... The hatred towards the jedi council for not helping him, for not letting me help him... the anger and resentment I have towards them for what they did, I hide it well, cover it with loyalty and respect for the order, but I'm angry at them. If they had acted when it happened, my friend would not be in this position... what will happen to Derek... ?" He asked, legitimately worried for good reason.
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They said he was not allowed to see him and he narrowed his eyes at this. "I brought him back... why can't I be the one to remind him... to bring him back into the light... " It was very obvious he had no intention on staying away from that room, betraying the Jedi was far from his mind, but not an impossibility if they refused to cooperate with him. He was stronger than most at the order, he could use that power but chose not to due to his loyalty. "This is disrespectful, even of the Order. If I'm this so called prodigy that is meant to change how things work, then why am I treated like garbage, like some pawn?" His voice was starting to raise, he was starting to understand full well why Jedi were weaker than Sith. Treating him like this... He swallowed his anger and looked at her for an answer.
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He did indeed follow her and glared down his ally. "Let me do it." He said, he'd betray them if he must, but he'd rather ask first. They couldn't afford to have both powerful men against them... could they? He looked over at his friend hoping that he was alright, then returned his glare back to the other Jedi that had been clearing his mind for answers. "If he dies while in Jedi care, You can be sure I will not sit idly by." He said, his warning more of a promise.
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Derek was suffering more than ever, Lycus could feel it. He glanced at his master and the look in his eyes was thankful as he moved into the room. "Derek..." He moved up to stand by the other. "I apologize if that man hurt you... this wasn't my, nor our masters intent..." He said. Their master had always been there for them as they grew up, just as she was now. "I know you're weak, I can feel it... " He walked up to him and put his hand on the others hand, touching it and closing his eyes. He transferred some of the force into the other to give him more strength, he wouldn't be able to use it outwardly, but, inwardly it would help. "This room is made with a force block from the outside, your captor can't reach you here." He looked upon his mask. "I want to remove this mask, Derek. I want to see what you've become." He was expecting his friends face to be corrupted by the darkness, lines, dark spots, discoloration...
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Lycus moved his hand to the others head and removed the mask. He was able to look into the eyes of his friend for the first time in 7 years. He hadn't changed much, still what he remembered, although older. He could almost see the playful smile and laughter from him. He put his fingertips against the others forehead and stopped the flood of memories to help him calm down, reversing what the first had done. "Talk Derek." he said. "What happened when you were taken from here... " He said, he pulled up a chair and sat near the table, waiting for him to speak. Lycus's blue eyes locked on Derek's brown ones, intent on knowing and doing everything in his power to help his friend.
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It was clear that Derek didn't want to speak to him. "I remember those days you know Derek." He said. "You were always such a happy kid... clung to me like I was some type of security to you... Inseparable is a good word to describe what it was like with you." He said. "You know that I cared a lot for you, don't you Derek?" He asked. "That day, I watched as something shot from the sky, falling beside you. I know now that it wasn't something, but someone, that man. I told you to run, and despite my efforts at dragging you away, he seperated us with a powerful push that knocked me back into a wall as the ceiling collapsed between us. I bloodied my hand smashing at the rock to try and get to you, lifting it countless times only for it to fall back down as he battled with the force with me." he said. "You were screaming for me, screaming 'Lycus, please help.' And try as I might, I was unable to... Do you know how that felt to me... how I felt - not being able to save my best friend... then, when I went to the order they told me to give up on you, that you had died, and the whole time I didn't, I didn't give up on you, I trained - I honed our bond and kept myself very aware of the faint light that we still shared. As soon as I was able, I went after you, stopped a couple times by the order and forced to train more to slip past them. Finally, I was able to go, with Masters blessing no less... despite the warnings of it turning me to the darkside if I listened more to my emotions." he said. He paused and looked at him. "You haven't changed in look, but your heart... I fear that I am nothing to you now... " He said, the regret very plain on his face, and through that bond that the two had. He almost had tears in his eyes, but he was holding back every shread of that particular emotion that he could manage to.
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[/td][td] Derek listened to Lycus though he did not know how to respond or what to believe right at that moment. He moved some though so he could look at the other. His memory though faded tried to grip onto what Lycus was talking about. He then said faintly due to how tired his body was."
You also were getting in trouble cause of me. They said I as a bad influence.
" It was true many of the masters had said that Derek was bad and could not be mended, that he should have been kicked out of the temple.
Derek then stiffened his eyes dilating some as a memory hit him fast and hard. Grabbing Lycus weakly as the memory took over his senses the other would see the memory as well.
It was Sintus and he was walking towards Derek who the memory was clearly through the eyes of. The older Sith had the boys body pinned as he spoke. "You have grown a lot my student but you still have much to learn. Though I plan to teach you something else tonight." He then approached the other.
Derek was able to brake the hold but it was clear he was suffering his eyes unfocused as he tried to pull himself back. [/td]
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Lycus listened to the other for a moment, when he recalled that moment he grinned softly. "I wouldn't have changed you for the world." He said. "Bad influence or not." He smiled softly at him.
The smile faded quickly when the memory was flashed at him but just as quickly ripped away. "What was that Derek?" He asked. "Show me what happened to you..." His hand moved to his friends, falling into it as he held his hand. "They can't reach you here, your memories are your own. Show me ... I'll do what I can to help." He said.
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[/td][td] Derek struggled to stay calm though the memory had played enough for him to know what happened next
Pain and screaming of a young man was heard as the body above him took what it wanted
Derek flinch from Lycus trying to prevent him from knowing. "
Please don't.
" He said quietly. It was more a plee for Lycus not to learn of the shame he felt or pain of it all. He knew that Lycus could take what he wanted from him if he pushed hard enough. His insides flipped and he felt sick from the memory as well. [/td]
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Lycus let him see enough of the memory to remember what his 'master' had done and he pushed the memory back for him, it was there, but not in the forefront of his mind. "Derek." He said. "Your 'master' doesn't care for you like I had." He said. "Please, keep this in mind." He held Derek's hand for a short time before moving back. "Master, can we please uncuff him and give him a more suitible cell for comfort... I'd like for him to sleep off the night so I can speak to him later. keep the collar on..." He looked at him 'it's a nice touch...' He thought to himself, after locking his master from his mind just in case.
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