Jedi Insurgency 273

Using the scrying orb, Corvus could not only spy upon others, but also send messages. Effectively using it like a telephone. 

Speaking with both Jax, and Yon, he had summoned them to the Order Master's spire. 

Before they arrived, he had decorated the place with a few of his accomplishments. Hanging up on the wall were the blasters he had seized from Cad Bane, the broken Rakatan Mind Prison, the last card he had used to defeat Hondo Ohnaka in a game of Pazaak, the lightsaber of the Zabrak Kern whom he killed on Illum, the blaster rifle of the very first clone trooper he slew on Coruscant, and the giant laser cannon taken from the Tarkin mech. Lastly, the broken bits of the Infinite Gear were prominently displayed, marking his triumph over Vader. 

Lesser objects, such as a Jawa, Tuskan, Gungan, Eriaduan, Kaminoan, and other traditional clothing items of worlds he visited were plastered on mannequins. He truly was going back to his gamer roots, and was practically throwing all his loot up on the wall. 

Various other bits & pieces of his victories told a story about the struggles he had gone through to reach this point. Each one of the items-besides the blaster rifle of the ordinary clone trooper/clothing-had a bit of feel to them in the Force. If one focused, they could feel the weight of history in them. Even Cad Bane's blasters had this feel, as the most notorious bounty hunter of his era had established himself as a legend. 

The mostly barren office room now had a hint of his individual flavor. Hopefully it inspired curiosity, and a pinch of awe. Visiting this room, he imagined, should be like going to the principal's office turned up to 11. 

He only wished to learn more mystical artes in the future, so he could casually flex his power. Like imagine a miniature healing spring mimicking that green room? Or a pot that generated [Force Lightning]. Did it have a practical use? Of course not! But damn would that look cool. Other Force Adepts would be scratching their heads thinking ‘how the kriff did he do that?!’ 

It was a petty ambition, but part of playing the role of a space wizard is to appear unfathomable. Corvus wanted one of those reputations where just by saying his name alone, others were deterred. For one, that would save him a lot of hassle, and secondly, reputation was extremely important in the galaxy. People would fear to rebel, or attack Jedi backed installations so long as he sat in this chair. It was his goal to break Imperial propaganda, and reveal his power. Perhaps this scratched some point of vanity, but ultimately, it would deter lesser Darksiders, and force spineless cowards like the now deceased Nute Gunray to fall in line. 

Where other Order Masters perhaps would dedicate this space to star charts, poems, meditative prose, or lectures, he had chosen to fill the empty space with what he knew best. Perhaps this wasn't the most healthy direction for the Jedi Order to go in, but they were officially known as the Jedi Knights. Part of his efforts to renew them, was to inject that martial spirit back into the group. 

Sitting behind the desk on the first floor, he snapped a finger upon sensing his students’ arrival, opening the grand door with the Force. 

“Master!” Yon called out like an eager puppy, and ran forward. 

“Master.” Jax inclined his head, and slowly walked into the room, his observant eyes taking in every decoration within the room at a glance. 

“Boys.” Corvus chuckled, noting each of their reactions. 

“Your robes! Could you make me a matching pair?” Yon was quick to ask. 

Corvus was going to comment, when he noticed something peculiar. 

“Jax. You truly are determined.” He sighed in both concern, and a hint of wistful melancholy. 

Yon rolled his eyes at being ignored, but even he couldn't help but look at his rival with a conflicted look. 

Squeezing a mechanical hand, the white haired teen bowed his head in apology, yet not a hint of regret entered his eyes. 

“Thank you for your life saving grace, Master. The hands you restored upon me for survival's sake, I will cherish them forever. However…this is something I must do on my own.” Jax said with deep gratitude, and sincerity. But the fire of determination was lit in his eyes, and nothing anyone said-not even the words of his Master-could convince him to stray off this path. 

Corvus could only sigh. For such a taciturn teen, the boy was extremely stubborn…just like his Master. 

“...this is your decision. I apologize for robbing you of the opportunity to heal yourself, but I know you understand…very well, I shall not reprimand you for this self harm. However, do be careful. A darkness is deeply hidden within you, and going to such extremes frequently holds the risk of falling.” Corvus said in a somewhat helpless, yet stern and caring tone. 

Jax had all too often strayed towards the more wild, primal side of the Force. The aura of the Zillo Beast had only grown thicker around him since interacting with that clone. Losing that connection so quickly after it had formed…it was clear as day that his son was still hurting. 

This extreme measure of lopping off his own arms was an example of that. He only hoped that this student of his did not go to other extreme lengths. Whilst on the surface, it was easy to worry about Yon, the short teen actually was just a little bratty at times, perhaps a tad murder-hobo esque, but ultimately acted as a Jedi Shadow should, only lacking a little tempering & maturity that would develop into adulthood. Jax, meanwhile, should know better. He was calm, intelligent, and fiercely protective, yet these same qualities were what truly made the most powerful Darksiders once one had flipped. The Skywalker family was evidence of this. 

“You two worry me.” Corvus said, standing from his seat to ruffle their hair, he then slapped their heads together like a pair of coconuts, just as his own father had done to him & his older brother back on Earth. 

Yon & Jax rubbed the side of their heads, then with a glance at one another, wordlessly tackled Corvus against the desk. 

“Ha ha ha ha, one day, you will be stronger than me, but today is not that day!” Corvus laughed in good cheer as he tossed Yon over his shoulder, then kicked Jax's leg out from him, tripping the white haired teen. 

“I want new robes, Master. I've been wearing the same rags for months!” Yon growled, jumping on his back. 

The black haired boy clung to him like a monkey, placing him in a chokehold. Despite having his windpipe restricted, Corvus laughed as he let Yon vent his frustrations. Running backwards, he rammed them into a pillar, crushing the teen. Yon gasped, yet tightened his grip, refusing to give up. 

Jax, meanwhile, ran at him with a flying kick. At the last second, Corvus rolled forward, tossing Yon at him. As the two teens were about to collide midair, they both used the Force to halt in place. Yon adopted his specialized form he learned in the holocron, and started to float in place. Ever since that crash on Eriadu where he almost died, he had learnt how to breathe in the void of space, as well as fly. Meanwhile, a wild look appeared in Jax's icy blue eyes, and the barely contained aura of a beast radiated from his form. 

Flexing his shoulders, a series of cracking sounds came from his body like a skeleton in a horror movie. Then, the shadows in the room flickered, and merged with his body. He had activated the [Shadow Wrath State]! 

“Ah. I don't think I need those robes afterall, Master. If there's nothing else, I'll see myself out.” Yon coughed politely into his hand, and was already jumping out the window. 

Jax didn't look away, steadily looking at the shadowy texture that costed his Master's form. 

Pulling back his hand, Corvus retrieved his fleeing student as easily as one might grasp a rubber ducky out of the bathtub. 

“Gaze upon this. Study it. Learn from it as it clashes with your bodies. One day, this shall be yours.” Corvus said, his voice coming out raspy, and with some difficulty. 

Although the system helped him a great deal, the [Shadow Wrath State] was still a precarious ability. It was extremely unpleasant to maintain, drained his energy at an exaggerated level, and was constantly threatening to tear his molecules apart. This was the perfect example of costly power. 

Knowing that his students could learn from him just by watching him practice his techniques thanks to his System ability, he wanted to train them responsibly. To let them understand not to treat the [Shadow Wrath State] lightly, lest they lose their lives to it later. Essentially, he was teaching them how to drive a car & shoot a gun simultaneously for the first time. A naturally dangerous prospect!...he totally wasn't engaging in such shenanigans just to beat them down, and reestablish his authority as a father figure. 

“Come. Show me your progress.” Corvus beckoned, applying a [Blunt Resistance] to everyone present so that they could truly go all out. 

Yon & Jax glanced at one another, then rushed him. The black haired teen came flying high, kicking at his shoulder, whilst Jax rushed low, transitioning from a leg sweep into a sideways elbow aimed at Corvus's ribs. 

‘Ah, there truly is nothing more Star Wars than the students trying to kill the Master.’ He thought to himself with pride. 

Instead of dodging-which he could easily have done-Corvus met the boys head on. He slowed himself down, directly tanking both strikes. Deliberately allowing them to feel the texture of this cold, malicious technique of his. 

“Yon, let me see your highest flight speed. Jax, I know you have more ferocity to unleash. Do you both intend to disappoint your Master? Were you this embarrassing when the other Jedi witnessed you fight upon Coruscant?!” Corvus lectured like an Asian parent disappointed in his sons’ math scores.

Jax didn't growl, but the icy cold feel about him intensified. He came at Corvus with a flurry of bestial claws, open palms, knees, and elbows. Combo after combo, he left afterimages in his wake as he slowly got into a rhythm. 

Yon, meanwhile retreated to the far end of the room, and then came rocketing at Corvus with a flying knee. His speed was in a similar tier to a speeder-bike. 

“You call those claws? I know you can make yourself sharper. Deflect my fist!” Corvus sternly declared, meeting the flurry of blows with a slow-yet powerful-punch. 

Jax grimly put all his effort into his attacks, trying to halt his Master at all costs. Ultimately, he tapped into something primal, and using all his strength, altered the trajectory of that shadow-clad punch. Sweating, and paler than usual, Jax gasped from exhaustion. Yet determination still burned in his eyes. 

“Again.” The teen coldly demanded. 

“Hmph.” Corvus snorted. 

They continued several more times until the boy could no longer sustain himself, and collapsed unconscious with a fist to the face. 

Yon, meanwhile had kicked, punched, kneed, and struck Corvus again and again after retreating, then lunging. The spot he had impacted was just above the collarbone. By now, the shortie was green with exhaustion, but triumph colored his face as he noticed his rival's state. 

“Are you determined to train into unconsciousness? Are you truly better unless you give it your all?” Corvus whispered. 

Triggered by this statement, Yon poured every last drop of energy into his next attack, and broke his previous speed record. Flying through the air, he collided with Corvus so hard, that his shin broke. Collapsing to the ground, Yon didn't pass out. Instead, he floated himself back up, and prepared himself to lunge once again. 

‘Ah. Perhaps I've raised a pair of lunatics.’ Corvus idly thought to himself. 

Then with a wave of his hand, mended the boy's broken leg so that he could come again. 

‘But maybe I'm a little crazy myself!’ 

“Good, Yon. Again! We won't stop until my [Shadow Wrath State] ends, or you are unconscious. Come!”