Pre-TL: Rich and Blind

[Orbit]

Ender paid for passage to an Outer Rim world, not knowing the name of it but still drawn to it somehow. The ship rumbled as it slowly lowered itself to the ground as landing gears erected from its belly. When the ship finally landed on the rocky surface, Ender stood at the top of the ramp once it was lowered and turned to see the pilot standing behind him. Understanding the point, he reached into his pocket before he tossed the man a few credits. The pilot accepted the money with a simple nod before turning and heading back to the cockpit, now having completed his job.

Ender walked off the ship as he pulled up his hood to let block out the sun. The ship once more let out a squeal as fresh flames shot out from its engines. It lifted itself off the ground before shooting itself into the sky and out of the atmosphere to leave Ender on the planet by himself. He exhaled softly, his eyes scanning the surrounding area as once more he was lost and just relying on this "gut feeling" he felt for the past few days. Ender didn't know how to explain it, the best way being that he felt like there was something locked inside him and the unnatural presence he felt was the key he didn't even know he had been searching for.

Ender had used this trick a couple of times and knew what to prepare for now. He closed his eyes and reached out to the planet and the lifeforms that were hidden around him. He cut out the side chatter that attempted to pull his focus away from what he was searching for, a sweat bead rolling down the side of his face as held his concentration. But then Ender felt it, like a pulsar ping that was reacting to his own message. His eyes snapped open while he collected his breath, returning back to reality. Ender stood back up and followed the ping that he felt, feeling almost reassured that it was the right way to go.

@Phoenix

 

[Phoenix]

Talak opened his eyes and stood up from the floor of his freighter and made his way over to the cockpit. The ship had been floating idle in space for the last day while the young darksider collected the information for his next target. In this case, his target wasn't a person but a place. The Force spoke to those who could listen, but that whisper could be turned into a shout at certain locations. Seeking out those locations had become the backbone of Talak's existence.

His ship streaked through hyperspace and dropped out above a planet he'd never been to before. A glance over at the scopes on his dashboard showed the planet had no important landmarks or spaceports or population centers. It was an armpit, but there was something about it that drew Talak here: the Force resonated far more strongly than elsewhere.

The ship set down and Talak took a deep breath, descending the exit ramp and patting the double saber hilts at the back of his robes. It was a reassuring gesture to remember that they were present, and with that there wasn't anything more to consider. He slapped the controls to close the ramp and set out over the rocks. The sun was beating down, and the rocks had grown hot, but Talak was determined to press on until he found what he was looking for. He could almost see it in his mind already: a cave at the edge of a rocky precipice. An ocean's edge was hundred's of meters below. That was where he needed to go. He knew it. @Orbit

 

[Orbit]

Ender had walked for a while, the sun beating down on him as he hopped from rock to rock. So far it was a boring trek, it much more a test of endurance than anything else as he climbed over hills and steep inclines. The wind was brutal as well, making the force-user tighten his clothing so none of it could sneak in. The presence continued to call out to him, it stood out more like a beacon at that present moment the closer he got to it. As he continued to shorten the distance between himself and whatever was signaling, the sky overhead turned grey as he could also start to hear the crashing of waves.

When Ender crested over another hill he could finally see it, a cave with the darkness inside almost beckoning to come and explore it. He turned his gaze right and found the blue ocean staring back at him. It was in a battle with itself, waves rising up and collapsing in on themselves or into others. From where he stood, it was on the side of a steep cliff and one misstep could mean falling into the freezing depths below the entrance. Ender resolve didn't shatter at the sight, he had made it that far and he wouldn't let a tough climb stop him from whatever it was.

When he approached closer to the cliff-face and cave entrance, there was a makeshift path formed by the rocks. Not enough to easily walk it but enough to climb it securely. It took a few minutes and searching but eventually, Ender found a way to hug the wall and shimmy his way toward the entrance. The wind made it difficult and he had to take a few breaks for balance but he eventually made it. When his feet finally had more than a few feet of space to stand, Ender just stood there to stare at the cave, something about it different, like it was staring back at him and just observing what he would do. He pulled his vibro-sword from its sheath, keeping it in his right hand as he slowly stepped forward and into the entrance.

But when his foot crossed into the cave, there was a deep growl that came from the darkness and it made Ender stop in his tracks. There was a glint from four reflective eyes before there was another snarl. A Nexu leaped from the darkness with its claws outstretched and aimed right for Ender's throat. The force-user immediately brought up his blade, putting it between him and the creature as the Nexu's mouth latched onto the blade instead of the man. Ender fell to the ground with the creature on top, it clawed Ender's side before he was able to his foot underneath the creature's belly and push him off and over the top.

The Nexu landed on it's back before flipping back onto its legs, drool dripping from between its teeth as it started to circle Ender. He managed to get on his feet as well, his sides bleeding but his blade still prepared to counter as he collected his breath.

 

[Phoenix]

Talak's trek wasn't any easier. The heat beating down on him left him parched, and the beating of the ocean to his right only exacerbated the issue. How could he have not thought to bring enough water with him? And where would he get more? His teeth ground down on themselves as he shook the frustration from his mind and pressed on to the tunnel that was at least coming into view.

He was about to plunge over the edge of the cliff when movement ahead caught his eye. Out of reflex, he dropped into a crouch, sliding into the cover of a nearby boulder before peering around to watch whoever it was. Another man, human judging by the size but that was all he could make out at this distance before the figure slipped from sight.

Going to the cave, too? he wondered to himself. That had to be the answer since there was nothing else out here. But who was he? And why was he here? And would he try to stop Talak? There were plenty of Force cults out there who lacked vision and had narrow minded views who would have happily cut Talak down as soon as look at him. He needed to be ready.

He waited another thirty seconds before pressing forward himself, dropping down to the small ledge with the agility of a cat. The Force hung in the air around him, stabilizing his every step as he crept forward.

The next thing he heard was the sounds of a growl and a scuffle over the beating of the waves. He hadn't even realized what was happening before his saber was in his hand and he rounded the corner to see the man and some sort of predator locked in a fight. He had only moments to react, and his eyes quickly darted back and forth between the two. Neither were his friend. One would certainly kill him if given the chance, and the other might as well. Maybe he should let them weaken and kill each other before finishing off the victor. No, there might be something to gain from the man.

The thoughts shot through his head in the blink of an eye, and before the predator leapt at the man again, Talak raised his hand and channeled the energy of this place through himself. The predator was slammed back into the wall, and it would afford the man his opportunity to land a lethal blow if he was quick. If not, then things would get significantly more hairy.

 

[Orbit]

Ender's blade was horizontal in front of him, his eyes barely peering over the edge as he kept the Nexu within his sight. His footwork was slow and as was the Nexu's, both predators studying each other before engaging combat once more. Not that long into it though, the Nexu growled low to indicate its attack and it coiled its body before leaping once more at him. Ender was prepared with his blade, ready to counter and sink his weapon home but miraculously, the Nexu instead went flying into the wall and hit it with a hard smack.

He didn't need any more signals about his opportunity and he went and seized it. Ender dashed forward to the beast which was slightly dazed but waking up. It noticed him heading straight for it and the creature let out a quick hiss before swiping one of its paws at him. Ender did a quick sidestep before bringing his blade in after and cutting right through the flesh and fur of the Nexu's arm. It let out a howl of pain but he wouldn't let it last long as the vibro-sword would then be plunged straight through the cat's throat. It would silence the noise and kill the creature instantly right there. Its weight fell against the blade and Ender used his foot to push it off before wiping it on the animal's fur.

Ender knew just the wind didn't cause the cat to slam into the wall. He turned around and found someone new approaching. There was something about the man, it radiated off him and it had the same presence as whatever was in the cave. Was he like himself? Ender stared at the man with a slightly arched eyebrow, curious as to the reasoning to save him and who he was. He still had his sword in hand but his grip was much looser on it, more serving as a precaution. "You have my thanks." Ender gave the man a nod before he took a quick look at the cave and then back to the man once more, "You're here for the same reason here too? Whatever this is."

 

[Phoenix]

Talak watched the man descend upon the predator quickly and dispatch it with a few well-placed blows. He watched the man's footing and strikes as they landed and the blood that came flowing out. The man was pulsing with the Force, perhaps even passively absorbing it from the nexus, but it was raw and untamed. It didn't have the focus of a trained Force user, but there was so much potential there.

The darksider stood back from the engagement, relying on the defensive, as the predator was finished. And then there was silence. Talak's eyes continued to dart over the dead creature and now the man with the sword, but he didn't move to attack. He didn't put his saber away, but it was held casually to his side. The man wasn't jumping at him or vice versa, so while there was always a chance of violence, it seemed unlikely.

He gave a nod to the man's thanks first and then another nod to the question. He wondered if the man new what he'd "stumbled" onto. He didn't trust the man, but he knew that he could test the waters.

A Force nexus, he said simply as his saber flashed out and he began to move down the tunnel. There would be no question that he was keeping intentional distance between the two of them and not fully turning his back on the man.

 

[Orbit]

Ender stared at the newcomer, inspecting him really as there was a power that swirled around him. He wanted to learn what this was, he wanted to control it like the newcomer as it already seemed the man had a grasp on whatever the energy was. This was the first time Ender had run across someone like himself and he didn't expect it turn out the way he did. Maybe a ceremony or grand reveal that he wasn't the only one in the galaxy but this mysterious figure was all he got instead. Glancing at the cave and then back to the man, Ender asked innocently, "What the hell is that?" The force? Is that the name of the power that he barely had a grasp on? There was much to learn and Ender was stumbling as he attempted to figure it out himself.

The sabers came into his view after he had asked the question, the renowned metallic hilt reflecting the sunlight as Ender could only stare at in silence. Instinctively, his fingers around his weapon tightened, not in a threatening manner but more along the grain of preparing himself for this unknown situation. "I've read stories about your people. People wielding blades of light that could cut through anything. Are you one of them?" Instead of answering his question at the moment, the man continued to head inside the cave without another word.

Ender stood in his spot, staring after the man before glancing around. He didn't exactly trust the situation but whoever was there with him hasn't attacked and at least answered his question. Nobody was following after him either, making him truly alone like Ender. The Jedi or Sith was the biggest thread of info that Ender had found about regarding the force and what to expect and he didn't intend to let it slip on by. Coming to his decision in his head, Ender slid his sword back in its sheath on his back and loudly enough so that the other could hear that it was put away.

He still had his hand hovered near his blaster, in case there were more Nexu or if the man decided to turn on him. But Ender purposefully left himself in a relaxed state as he followed behind, having the sense that the other man was able to determine whether there was going to be a fight by his emotions.

 

[Phoenix]

Druk, maybe this guy really didn't know anything about the Force, he thought to himself. And then next thing he thought was that this was an intriguing situation. Here was someone standing in front of him with raw, untamed potential in the Force who only needed guidance. If that wasn't an opportunity, then he didn't know what was.

He knew he had an unfair advantage over the other man in his knowledge of the Force, and Talak had no qualms about pressing that advantage. He could feel the emotions swirling around the man, and he was more than familiar with the emotions that surrounded someone on the verge of killing. That wasn't what he felt now. He felt curiosity, and that told Talak everything he needed to know about whether or not the man was likely to attack him. Of course, he didn't drop his guard entirely, but he knew that with a saber in hand, he could bring it around in time to stop a gun being drawn down on him.

He continued down the tunnel, feeling the power grow with each step forward. It felt good, sending chills down his body after the long, hot trek to arrive here. Everything about the process to arrive melted away and the thirst was suddenly gone from his mouth.

The Force is what drew you here. And you're "one of my people" too. You just don't know it yet, he said. He casually dropped the bombshell of a revelation in the man's lap as if he'd said nothing important and didn't stop to look back. No doubt he would be either reeling from the revelation or confused about what it meant. Either way, he would find out soon enough.

 

[Orbit]

Ender followed behind him, his eyes burning a hole in the back of the man's head until he started to scan around him. It appeared as an ordinary cave but something was different about it. He could feel it at his fingertips and the exertion he suffered from the fight with the Nexu completely vanished. It was a rush he had never felt before in his life and as he processed it the mysterious figure finally put a name to it for him, the Force.

Ender had heard of such stories but he never believed because he never saw actually saw it with his eyes. Now he was told just subtly told all those mythical stories were true but that wasn't even the biggest part. Somehow the man was able to tell that he was one of them but that he didn't know it yet. That made Ender stop in his tracks with his full attention residing on the person who just dropped on him that he was one of their kind. "I've never shown signs of being one of you." Thinking back on his childhood, he did always stand out amongst other kids, faster, stronger and a quick learner but he had just chalked it up to excellent reflexes and family genes.

But the more he thought about it the more uncertainty flooded into his head. There were always little unexplainable things that he did when he was younger, sometimes moving an object when he thought about it but repeatedly blamed it on his imagination or just a random gust of wind. The man was right as well, it drew Ender to that very cave and he wouldn't have found it on his own for any reason except for being tuned to it. "How are you able to tell?" Alak would be able to sense the suspicions in Ender's head about himself as he continued overturning memories and scrutinizing them about every detail he could remember.

Ender finally took one step after another and got back in place behind Alak. They continued deeper in the cave as the embrace of the force became more tantalizing for the two of them. If he doubted Alak before he didn't doubt him now. This was an untold power he had never felt before and Ender was relishing it in every possible way he could. Something popped into his head afterward that made him question Alak once more, "What exactly is your people?" From what he remembered, there were two sides and that one fought for the Light and one for the Dark. He wondered which one Alak fought for.

 

[Phoenix]

Talak continued walking, wondering how far this cave went on and pulling out a light to guide his way. He could still feel the confusion in the other man, and he could have done the kind thing and stop, but he didn't. He wasn't here to be kind. Just telling the man what was happening with himself was a kindness in itself, wasn't it?

You found your way here, didn't you? he asked in response to being asked how he knew. The spit of land they were on had no value at all apart from the Force that resided here. There was no reason for anyone to come here unless he could sense it. Even if he didn't understand yet what it was.

The path they were taking came to an end a moment later. They stood at another cliff leading to an underground pool with a light coming down from far above. It lit the room enough to make out what was going on, and the pull of the Force was stronger here.

Who were his people? That was the question that Talak had to answer next, and he wasn't sure he had a good answer. The truth was that he fought for himself and his own goals. He knew those goals could benefit the entire galaxy, but that was a long way down the line. And maybe it would never happen. But those questions weren't what this guy was asking.

People who can feel and use that, he said nodding his head forward in reference to the pulsing energy that even the inexperienced man would be able to feel.

Close your eyes. Reach out to it. Drink it in, he said. Whether the man chose to comply or not was of little consequence to Talak. Sure, closing his eyes around a man he didn't know was dangerous, but if Talak had wanted to attack him he would have done it already. This was a chance for Ender to take his first step into a much larger galaxy.

 

[Orbit]

When they stopped on the cliff to look below at the pool the two would be side by side but Ender's gaze was locked on the pool. Alak responded with people that could feel and use that; there wasn't anything physically there but the young man could certainly feel it. With him just barely discovering his powers, it was hard for Ender to sense the force effectively but standing right there at the edge of the Nexus, it filled his senses to where he couldn't get enough of it. It was a raw power that he had never experienced before and it was intoxicating.

There was a new untold strength that flowed through him that he had never felt before and he didn't want it to cease. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he breathed it in and was almost able to taste the very energy on the tip of his tongue. Ender gave a quick peek at Alak, the stranger telling him to close his eyes and just experience what pulsated throughout the room. Normally Ender wouldn't have done that in situations of the same nature but this was the first time he had found someone that was of his kind, at least he was told he was. There wasn't any reason to believe it after all that. While Alak wasn't as forthcoming as he wanted, his questions were still answered nevertheless and Ender had many more to ask.

Ender slowly closed his eyes and calmed himself, relaxing his mind as he began to form a connection with the Nexus. It took a few moments but he was able to reach out with the force, extending his invisible fingers as he united with the Nexus and let it flow through him as he flowed through it. Ender's breathing deepened as he focused on the force, attempting to control himself and around him. The cave would start to rumble softly, cracks slowly shaping in the ground as they led to some rocks littered throughout the cave. All of a sudden they would be yanked from the ground at once, pebbles and small boulders one by one floated in the air and by the force that emanated from Ender. The rocks only remained in a air for a few moments until they were flung violently to the other side of the room.

Ender opened his eyes then, sweat beading down his face as a surge of anger flashed through him for not being able to lift them longer. He whipped his hand and one of the nearby rocks shattered into pieces, lashing out with the anger and letting it depart from his body. Ender breathed heavily but there was a resolve in his voice as he turned his head to speak to Alak, "I want more of it. I want all of it." It wasn't just a want, it was a need and it had to be sated. That was just a taste and Ender wanted the whole feast that would be waiting for him once he learned to master his newfound powers.

 

[Phoenix]

Talak could feel the excitement. A mix of cold and hot seemed to run in waves over his skin. It was easily one of the most exhilarating feelings in the galaxy. He never felt so alive as when he was bathed in the Force. But he wasn't just here chasing the thrill. He was here because he needed to know about the Force. He needed to know what it really was and how it functioned. He didn't believe that it was as binary as the sects had claimed through the years, but he never managed to find the answer. He had to believe the answer was there.

He drew its energy into himself, but everything he pulled was immediately tainted by his own emotions. His own beliefs. Like the rest of the galaxy, it only existed through the lens of the viewer. He saw flashes of his past. Death of loved ones. Pain. It enraged him and angered him, leaving him a swirl of emotions. It wasn't the answer. His eyes flashed open and the Force flowed through his fist before he slammed it into the stone of the wall. It left a dent in the rock, and the impact would have easily broken his entire hand had he not been using the Force for precisely that reason. For that matter, pain and blood still dripped from his fist.

It took him a moment to draw back from the past, from the flow of the Force, and from the answers he didn't have back into this present moment. He almost didn't hear what the other man had said he was so lost in his own experience. The cold, hard exterior that Talak had maintained up until now was melting away and even Ender would be able to feel a swirl of dark emotion there now.

I can teach you, he said. He didn't know Ender, but he knew that look in his eye. It was the look of someone who had a taste of the good life and wouldn't give it up now.

 

[Orbit]

Alak had his own flash of anger as well as he slammed his hand against the rock wall and leaving a crack. The strike should have shattered every bone in his hand but it was just bleeding from a cut. If the rock Ender destroyed and the small show of strength of Alak was a small window of what was to come, he wondered what he could in the future when he mastered his powers. Since he stood at the force nexus and knew what he was actually experiencing, Ender was able to sense Alak's anger that flowed through him. It was the first time he was able to tell what somebody else was feeling and it mystified him. Was he open book as well to those around him? How was he even able to do it?

But what interested him more was when Alak offered to teach him. Ender couldn't help but offer a skeptical eyebrow at the man. This was the guidance he had been looking for all this time and it was offering a hand to help him. He could tell this would be no ordinary teacher, still able to feel the dark energy his opposite drew on and that radiated off of him. But he was powerful and Ender wanted that power more than ever. His thirst for it was insatiable and this was most likely his only chance he would get another opportunity like this.

Ender stared at him for a few seconds as his thoughts swirled during that time. But he eventually nodded at Alak, "I'm ready to be taught." He had been lost for a while, just scraping by with rewards from bounties in hope of landing a rare prize that he could retire with. It was different the moment he entered the cave, he was part of something larger and as the force proceeded seeping into him, Ender was prepared to do anything to achieve this and follow his destiny. The hand that had hovered over the blaster the enter time cautiously dropped and placed behind Ender's back as it interlocked with his other hand. "When do we begin?" That was the only question that mattered to him. For too long, he had neglected his powers and what he truly was. It was all about to change and Ender was accepting it fully.

 

[Phoenix]

Talak took deep breaths as the anger subsided. He didn't know what he had expected to find here, but he was starting to feel like he was trying to grab a shadow. Always just out of reach, but just at your finger tips. You were about to grab it when it slipped through your fingers again, no matter how many times you thought you had it.

He began to wrap up his hand without standing, cursing his impulsiveness. Self-destruction. Sloppy side effect of the Dark, he thought to himself, grinding his teeth together.

No time like the present, he said. Where could he even start? He'd never tried to train anyone before or even thought about training someone else before. He was a loner, but this was an opportunity, and he didn't want to pass it up.

The Force... he said, trying to pick the right words. He wasn't even sure what the Force was. He knew all the explanations of a dozen different sects and cults. Some thought it was an extension of the dark, others thought it was naturally Light, others still that it was binary between the Light and Dark. Was it a sentient being or a distant amoral field of energy? These were the questions that Talak wanted to answer.

...it connects everyone and everything. Piercing all of us and surrounding us. Certain people - our people - can communicate with it and it with us. Control it. And there are some places like this that are stronger with it than others, he said. Should he invite this man who he didn't know on his journey to try to divine the true nature of the Force? He didn't even know his name yet!

I'm Talak, he said after a moment. Trust would come with time - or with the Dark Side probably not at all - but a name here couldn't hurt either of them. He had a feeling they were going to get to know one another much better in the days to come. @Orbit

 

[Orbit]

While Ender was still completely new to the prospect of the force and its implications, he wasn't blind. He was able to... feel Alak's emotions and how he had reacted when he reached out with the force and found nothing. Both of them reacted in anger and destroyed some rocks, was that the Dark Side? When he let out of his anger, it was like he released all the tension his body and into the one strike when he flung all the pebbles and boulders at the opposite wall of the pair. It was... addicting and that was the only way to describe it, that use of power that Ender never knew that he had.

When Alak offered to start his training right then and there, Ender was ultimately shocked. He thought he would be given a line about how to meet his teacher at a certain time or place before disappearing in the mist. But Alak seemed perfectly fine to reveal what he knew to the man right then and there. Ender was quite pleased with that, cutting right through the chase and getting down to the nitty-gritty. Alak started with the force and possibly the most perplexing thing about his life and Ender's new one. He explained that it flowed and pierced through everything that it touched. They and others like them were the only ones who could communicate with it and it made Ender wonder how many of his own kind was out there. Were they lost like him? Were they like Alak who knew how to at least control it and Ender being the one behind everyone? That led to the next question he had to ask, "Are there more of us? I know from stories we used to be endless but things have changed. Are they just hiding out or are we a dying breed?"

After his introduction to what the force was, Alak finally introduced himself with a name. Ender brought his attention to his master, teacher, a friend maybe if the cards play right. Ender really didn't understand the type of relationship that he was getting himself into but at least he had a guiding hand. This bridge that was going to be built between them had to start somewhere, even if it was just the first cinder block of that relationship. "Name's Ender."

 

[Phoenix]

Talak finished binding up his hand and put away the small medpack he'd been using. This place had led him to just more empty promises. That was the way of his life: so many possibilities, and all of them ended in nothing but disappointment. How many paths would he have to walk to find his answer? Were the answers out there at all to be found? He let out a slow, steady breath and stood up. He wouldn't find it here.

He turned toward the exit they had come in and began to think about his next goal that needed to be met. The next object or cult to hunt down. He was always on the road without ever finding his mark. When they made it out to the open air again the sun was beginning to set and the waves were still beating on the cliffs below.

Talak took a seat on a stone overlooking the small sea. What do you think? he asked in response to Ender's question about other Force users.

Can you feel them out there? What do you feel when you reach beyond this world? The Force connects everyone no matter where, he said. As it had been in Talak's life, the answers wouldn't all come easily. He would make Ender work for them because that was what shaped the greatest Force users. He could feel that familiar hunger inside Ender that reminded him of himself. Being told answers wouldn't satisfy him; he needed to find them himself.

 

[Orbit]

What did he think? Alak was supposed to be his teacher and he wasn't providing the answers that Ender wanted. He would be able to feel another brief of anger from the younger man but Ender sighed as he closed his eyes once more. This was his second time doing this and he didn't know if he could stretch himself across the galaxy to find others but Alak appeared confident. With the Nexus right there beside the two of them, it was an amplifier of Ender's powers and he was grateful for it, still feeling the raw energy flow through and power him.

When he first reached out he couldn't understand anything. It was like he was standing right underneath a waterfall, the weight of it crushing his shoulders and the rush around him preventing him from being able to decipher anything. It was a cacophony of noise but Ender honed in on it. With him able to see another Alak right beside him and controlled his own powers, he knew it was possible and he wouldn't give up that easily. After a few seconds, the waterfall that crushed him soon turned into a stream, Ender honing it down into something more approachable. He carefully navigated up the invisible stream, stretching out his powers and "fingers" to touch everything that was connected to the force like he was.

After a while, Ender's eyes finally snapped open. He took a big inhale as he adjusted to reality and stepped out from the pool of force. "We're both. We are hiding but there aren't many of us. At least not like the olden times." While he truly didn't know if he did it correctly or not, it's what experienced when he extended out. When he did, it was like he was able to see blips all across the galaxy, not knowing exactly what planet or even section of space they were in but they were there and waiting. "They're out there. Waiting for something."

Ender glanced back at the Nexus before exiting the cave with Alak. The body of Nexu was still there and he gave it a quick push of the force with the help of the Nexus to let the carcass be food for whatever called the ocean it's home. He stopped when he reached the end of the cliff-face, his toes a few centimeters off the edge as he stared down at the water. A few moments later he turned his attention back to Alak, "What's our next move then?"

 

[Phoenix]

Talak watched the waves hitting the cliff face below. It was peaceful in its own way, and there was a part of him that would have preferred to stay here. Just lose himself on a beach world and leave the rest of the galaxy behind. It wasn't that easy, and he still had responsibilities. People he loved had died, and he couldn't let their deaths be in vain. He took a deep breath and let the thoughts evaporate as he blew it out.

As for what their next move was, there were a hundred different possibilities. Ender seemed serious about his training, even if it was already exerting him, but that was good. The way of the Dark Side wasn't to coddle you, and Talak had experienced far, far worse horrors in his own training. It was what had turned him into the... thing he was today.

What is it you want? What are you after in the galaxy? he asked. The answer would tell him a great deal about who the man was, and by extension what they needed to do. To train in the Dark Side required Talak to know things about the man, and what's more, to teach him to hate. The thought made a lump rise in Talak's throat. Memories he wished he could forget came flooding back and he didn't look forward to putting someone else through the same. Learning to hate was what had broken a part of Talak, but this was the way. This was the Dark Side.

 

[Orbit]

Both of them stood there on the edge, both watching as the waves churned and did their usual dance. Ender knew Alak thought about his question the moment he asked. At first, he thought he was going to get the answer of doing basic training exercises or some applications of the force. But again he was given another question that he would have to answer. The difference between the new one and the last ones was that this one completely stumped him in his tracks. Ender didn't really know what to say, opening his mouth at first to let a stream of thoughts spill out but nothing did.

Most of his life could be described as being a wanderer. Just making enough scraps to live by and attempt to live at least a comfortable life. Every time he tried to remember anything before that, it was just blank and it couldn't be helped. Even if he scratched and clawed with his nails into the blankness that was his head, it was always hopeless and was a crucible of his sanity for some time. The only thing that he remembered was an orphanage, some raggedy but still appealing home. If someone even asked where he was from, he wouldn't know what answer to give.

When he began discovering his powers that's when he finally able to peel back some layers of the cloudiness in his head. That's when he discovered that there were others in his childhood, faceless children that were vaguely familiar to him on just a pull from his heart indicating that he knew them. Whenever Ender tried to speak to them they spoke blunted jibberish, nurturing his confusion of them in the recent months.

Ender found his answer, not knowing why but it resonated with him and undeniable prevalence that he couldn't quite fathom yet. "To protect myself and the ones I care about." Alak would be able to since a stir within Ender, something ugly and dark that even Ender didn't perceive yet as it nestled deep within him.

 

[Phoenix]

Talak reached out with his feelings, not just to the world around him, but specifically to Ender. There was something below the surface, dark and angry that the man either denied or hadn't yet unleashed. It was the evil that was all-too-familiar to any darksider, and it was what would grow within Ender until it consumed him if he let it.

The emotion you feel are the source of your power, he said. There were powerful emotions tied to those Ender cared for. He didn't know who they were, but he could feel the power emanating from just the thought of them. He also knew well the anger and hatred that had to be harnessed to master the dark side. He knew that he was only a portion of the way to his own potential, and he knew what had started him on that path.

Pain.

Pain had started him on that path, and not just physical pain, but the agonizing mental pain of loss. He knew what he needed to do, and he hated himself for it. He hated the idea of turning someone else into what he had become. He hated what he was, but it was necessary.

He stood from looking over the edge, his fist half crumpled into a claw as his jaw clenched. Just get it over with, he told himself. His eyes closed and he focused on that anger, harnessing it. His fingers sparked for only a moment, and then his arm extended and a bolt of lightning leapt from his fingers. It would strike Ender, and be painful. A corrupting, evil burning. Tal knew it too well. His master had tortured him with the accursed blue lightning many times, and his body still bore scars from its influence. But that wasn't why he hated it most. He hated it because the woman he'd loved had been executed with it. A wave of emotion that was more than just anger washed over him. Loss and regret. He channeled them into his rage.

He snatched both his sabers and tossed one of the hilts to the ground in front of Ender. The pain would have already begun to subside, and Tal could feel the anger emanating off of Ender now. Embrace your anger. It's the only way to protect those you care for, he said. He tried to make his face hard, unflinching, but he was sure it betrayed his own disdain. But it wasn't against Ender. It was against himself. Ender needed to learn the ways of the dark, and this was the only way that Talak knew.