The Dark Academy on Korriban

"Is the reward is worth the effort?" He asked.

"Zhat iz for zhe suitor to decide. Perhaps it iz just a lot of pain for zhe privilege to be vith one of zhe Farro. Or, perhaps our rituals are more zhan just lipservice to a non-existent god. Perhaps you vill feel zhe embrace of zhe Dark Side und see it for vhat it truly iz. Perhaps ve vill be united in zhe darkness."

The double entrentre was more than apparent.

He smiled, "I could see some functional utility in that."

Then chuckled, "You've piqued my interest fair Jun-tsu."

He reached up to gently caress her cheek briefly if she allowed.

"Though for now, I suppose I should focus on the more immediate trials that approach. Though far less enticing as the ones you speak of may be."

She leaned in to whisper in his ear, "Have you ever killed a man?"

Her veil brushed his cheek and she drew back to offer an innocent smile.

He nodded. Not entirely sure at what she would do or say he just watched her carefully.

"Zhen maybe you are vorthy of my time," she said placidly and returned to her tour of the gallery.

"But for now, I zuppose you are right, zhe trials must be first. If you do vell I may give you further conzideration."

He smiled confidently, "I'll be sure not to disappoint."

He followed closely beside her as she walked, "I must give you thanks for giving me yet another reason to do well on my exams. Through passion I gain strength."

"Gather vhat strength you must, from vhere you need it," her tone calm, controlled.

"I sense zhese trials only begin the pangs ve must suffer to attain consummation. Zhankfully I have long endured zhe unfettered darkness."

She closed her eyes and centered herself. "Consecrated glory of zhe Dark Side, shining over Dark Bogan, in zhe baleful light of Ashla, I am your wessel. Vill me as yours."

She spoke the prayer quickly and under her breath.

He peaked his eyebrows, "A prayer of your family?"

"V'one of zhousands. A simple litany in times I vish to remind myself zhat I am but an enwoy [envoy] of zhe Dark Side. I vork itz vill zhrough my actions. I am a lens, a prism, zhrough vhich the darkness passes to maniwest [manifest] more fully. Vhen I grow uncertain or preoccupy myzelf too much vith vhat vill be I recite zhis und remember zhat it vill be az zhe Dark-light vills."

"And what of your own desires? They are subjugated to the will of the Dark Side?" He asked.

"In a zense. For masterz zuch as mein great-grandmuter zhere is no difference. To know vhere v'one begins und zhe other ends iz almost impossible. Zhat iz zhe unity every Farro strivez for. I vould like to zhink my desires are merely a reflection of zhe impulses of zhe Dark Side. Zhat I am, myself, only a reflection of itz wast, eternal powver."

She smirked, "but perhaps zhat is more philosophy than need be espoused zo early in zhe morning."

He chuckled, "Sure enough. We can talk about combining together in the darkness when it is a bit darker outside."

She gave him a sardonic look and moved on, not bothering to comment. A pale hand ran over one of the metallic rails that surrounded the next display of a broken lightsaber hilt, charred and mangled with a plaque. She read it but seemed unimpressed by its overall banality. Another trophy of one of the interned lords.

"I vonder vhen zhey vill challenge us to create zuch a veapon."

"Probably some time soon. We have several more weeks here... It's usually before the end." He replied.

"I truly vonder vhether I vish to vield the veapon." (Try saying that ten times fast). "I have for years trained vith zhe ancient blades of zhe Sith. It iz zaid zhat in zhe ancient days zuch blades vere used as a focus for zhe Dark Side. Zhat one could vield zhem against any foe. In truth zhere iz mention of zhem facing zhe blades of zhe Je'daii. I believe it to be a lost art."

Sylvain nodded but replied, "I'm sure it's useful in its own right, but lightsabers have considerably more utility. They are dangerous from all sides, they cut through all forms of matter. They are less of a encumbrance."

"Und yet I vonder if ve made zhe shift to zhem because of efficiency or because of eaze? No doubt it iz ztill an elegant veapon, but I vonder if people just zimply adopted zhem because zhey did not vish to put forth zhe effort to master zhe old vays? It smackz of the veak using a tool to eqval zhe strong."

"But the strong who use the more effective weapon will be stronger than those who choose to stick with what does not work as well. The weak and the strong are both lifted to a new plane of strength when there is an improvement in technology. A heightened level of competition brings only better results and greater power."

"But does it truly make uz strong? Or did ve just give up zhose old vays for zhe easier route? Did ve zomehow gain? It seemz like ve lost zhe old traditionz of zhe Dark Side. Onez to make ewen zhe physical swordz a weapon able to combat zhe Je'daii. It seemz ve are at a loss to me. Vhere v'once ve could make any veapon a zhreat against our ancient foe, ve now are relegated to only zhe lightsaber."

"The lightsaber also requires skill and strength to create. But even then, there are those who continue to make the ancient swords and practice the old techniques. As of yet, I do not feel we have lost anything... but indeed have become stronger. Ancient Sith fought with sticks and rocks, but battle-cruisers are far more effective and powerful today. There are things that remain strong throughout time, and there are things that die out. That is the evolution of things... However, if those that die out were weak at the time they died out but have utility now, then they must be pursued and mastered."

"It iz a matter of diwining vhich is vhich. Too often ve regress, allowing zhe tool to take zhe place of skill. It iz an old idea, but I vill not set something azide zimply because it has become passe. Zhere lies zhe road to idleness."

He smiled, "If it can be proven to be demonstrably better, then it should be preferred. Things that aren't suitable for the moment, need not be utilized in that moment. They are better suited for the time and conditions in which they would be most effective. 'Passe' is not an eternal condition, nor is whatever is commonly accepted today. Your family's preservation efforts are of great use, because even if not universally applicable in all cases, it provides venues to access elements of past knowledge that could be used effectively today. Power is an ever-changing and elusive thing; it's best to have more ways of accessing that power than less."

He smiled and chuckled.

"And here we've run off again on a philosophical topic in the morning."

"Yes," she let the matter drop. "I suppose in the end I may not have a choice. Nor does it preclude the use of the truth Sith sword. And one cannot argue that it is a powerful weapon, though such physicality of the Sith has never been my focus."

He smiled, "You and I are similar there too. Though with enough training, even that will change eventually."