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To master such a powerful and potentially dangerous lightsaber form was going to be a difficult task. It was not something which could be easily learned training in an empty room with a lightsaber training droid. No, this form required actual danger and sacrifice in order to unlock its full potential. There was no other way; Eryk would have to leave Naboo for a while and travel to some far-off, inhospitable planet. There he would put his life on the line as he constantly relied on the Force and his expertise to survive. There he would hone his skills in Vaapad as he fought to stay alive. If he did not risk it all, then he would never unlock the forms true power.

But where would he go? Which of the many planets in the galaxy full of dangerous creatures would Eryk travel to in order to risk his life to grow stronger so that he could protect the ones he loved? Having used the Force to dwell on this question, he had been shown the answer. There was one planet which stood out amongst the rest, one planet which seemed the most perfect. Eryk would travel to the planet known as Haruun Kal; the homeworld of Jedi Master Windu himself, and the place where Depa Billaba had ultimately fallen into darkness. There seemed nowhere more ideal and appropriate for Eryk to master the Vaapad form of lightsaber combat.

With only his droids for company on his journey, Eryk left Naboo on his own personal YT-2000 light freighter, the Novalis. With him, Eryk took his lightsaber, basic essential equipment and some spare clothes. He would live out in the wilderness for weeks on end, surviving alone with nature whilst mastering Vaapad through the necessity of protecting himself from the planet's dangerous inhabitants.

OOC: This post contains training for the Force power 'Instinctive Astrogation Control' (FU Level 5).

IC:

Wasting little time Eryk pulled himself into the pilot's seat and took manual control over the ship. Stars continued to stream past the Novalis as it continued flying through hyperspace without a course plotted into the navcomputer, which had been damaged in the attack by the unknown Z-95 Headhunter. Eryk would have to pilot his light freighter blindly through hyperspace in order to get him to his destination safely. Not completely blindly however, as the Force would be his guide. The Force would instinctively help him astronavigate his way through hyperspace.

The first thing Eryk needed to do was not panic. Panicking meant that he was not calm and relaxed and in control of his emotions, which in turn meant that he would not be able to take control of the light side Force energy. Taking deep breaths, Eryk slowed his heart rate down and began to focus more clearly on the task at hand, despite the risk of a major collision at any moment. Eryk needed to link with the Force on an intimate level if he was to begin sensing his way though space, so to begin Eryk began to call upon his body's own Force energy. Soon the midichlorians which formed part of his body's cell structure were able to awaken and strengthen his connection to the Force. Eryk could instantly feel a powerful surge of Force energy as it began to flow strongly through him. Wasting little time, Eryk controlled the flow of the Force and drew it up towards his upper body, and his head. There he relaxed himself and allowed the Force to flow directly into his conscious and then his subconscious mind. His mental abilities increased dramatically as the Force linked with him, giving him the ability to see and make sense of things much more clearly than normal. It also allowed Eryk to be in greater command of the Force itself. Eryk could already feel his Force senses heighten; he could sense the tiny Force aura of his droid companion behind him, but he needed to focus his senses outside the ship. Taking another deep breath, closing his eyes and pushing his senses outwards, Eryk reached deep into the depths of space, taking in everything he could feel through the Force. With the ship travelling at lightspeed this proved quite a task since as soon as he sensed something they had already passed it by. He could sense stars as they formed and then died, planets teaming with life, black holes devoid of anything; it was as if the whole galaxy was his to explore through the Force, which painted a picturesque map of life in his mind. Pushing his senses further, Eryk focused on what was directly in front of the ship. Taking hold of the ship's manual controls he began to slowly and gently manoeuvre the Novalis. With his senses heightened, Eryk could sense something looming directly in front of them, coming towards them at the speed of light. Nudging gently on the controls the Novalis glided slightly to the right as the sense of the large planetary body fell behind them. Using the Force to sense objects in their path Eryk was able to move the ship out of harms way, even when travelling at great speed, though it required great concentration. Eryk also needed to find their destination so he had a bearing, so reaching outwards again Eryk scanned the galaxy for Harrun Kal. He could sense many planets, all covered in many different and strange lifeforms, but which planet was the one he was aiming for? Eryk pushed his senses further, focusing on each planet in turn, all the while continuing to pilot the ship past incoming space debris and other bodies at high speed. Taking in each planet individually Eryk tried to pinpoint which one was Harrun Kal. Eventually he could sense a planet rich in jungle plants and volcanoes. That must be it as it fit the description of the planet perfectly; especially since Haruun Kal was a planet populated with Force-sensitive beings known as the Korunnai and Eryk could feel the Force was strong there, resonating with his own Force energy inside of him. With a steady hand and heightened Force senses Eryk guided the Novalis towards the planet as many more stars, asteroids and planets rushed past in mere milliseconds. After skilfully using the Force to manoeuvre around a few more large space bodies which lined his path Eryk could finally sense Haruun Kal directly ahead.

"T3-N5, drop us out of hyperspace."

The little droid beeped in response as the Novalis slowed and the stars fell back into their normal pattern. Soon the ship fell back into its regular speed, and then stopped completely. In front of them, as Eryk had correctly identified, was the planet of Haruun Kal, just as the archives had shown it, with an ocean of toxic volcanic gas inter-dispersed with jungle and volcanic centres. It was the perfect, hazardous place for learning the most difficult and dangerous of all lightsaber combat forms.

OOC: This post contains training for the Force power 'Masterful Lightsaber Combat' (FU Level 10).

IC:

For the next few weeks Eryk lived alone deep within the dense, dark and dangerous jungles of Haruun Kal. He ate only what he scavenged from the different plants and animals, and drank water he obtained using the Force to collect moisture from the air. He spent the entire time linked through the Force with nature, living as one with the ecosystem. The majority of his waking hours were spent in combat with the large dangerous creatures that populated the jungle; those predators which hunted him and would otherwise use him as food. As he fought, each battle gave him greater mastery over the Vaapad form of lightsaber combat. In the beginning he barely survived the fights, each one bringing him to the edge of death, but each time he strove onwards, determined to master this powerful technique. By the last few days Eryk had gotten down the essentials of the form and was now proficient in its use. From now on his life would be dedicated to perfecting the form as best as he could manage; but that was for the future. Right now he had to make sure he had fully mastered these essentials. He knew the form inside out but he had yet to fully control it, and therefore had not yet mastered it. It was easy to learn, but there was more that was needed. Something was still holding him back and he needed to fix that before he could begin to really start to understand the forms true nature.

Eryk was tired. It had been weeks since he had seen any humanoid life, weeks since he had heard another's voice, weeks since he had slept in a bed or had any kind of comfort. For the past few weeks his mind and soul had been totally focused on lightsaber training, and on his own survival in this harsh wilderness. His clothes were torn and his skin felt cold and dirty. However, he was far from done yet. After another night of sleeping in the canopy of the trees Eryk ate some fruit he had scouted and then prepared to continue his training regime. He could feel it, today would be the day he would push past his mental and physical block and fully comprehend the secrets and the philosophy behind the Vaapad lightsaber form. Once he did that, then the combat form would instantly click in his mind and he would find that the Force that flowed through him would fuse with his newly learned style and his proficiency would reach that of a master.

Walking openly through the jungle, it wasn't long before Eryk came across a pack of Akk wolves, a group of three fierce and large native creatures. He had sensed them through the Force and tracked them down. He made no effort to hide his approach; he wanted them to know he was here. Sure enough the Akk wolves sensed Eryk and stopped what they were doing. The large, orange, reptile-like creatures which towered over Eryk surrounded him and prepared to attack. They looked hungry, Eryk was sure they would give him a good workout. Eryk ignited his lightsaber with a hiss, casting a yellow glow over their orange scales. Their scales were so tough that they blocked lightsabers, handy for allowing the battle to continue on for a long time, giving Eryk plenty of time for training. It also meant he did not needlessly kill any creatures.

These creatures were so big they could not hide within the jungle; they stood out like a sore thumb. There was little stealth involved in their attack; it was pretty much pure carnage. Their teeth could crush durasteel, one wrong move and Eryk would be cleaved in two. He would have to put his trust in the Force, in Vaapad, and in himself.

One of the creature charged Eryk, pushing past tree trunks. With quick movement and Force guided relexes Eryk sidestepped the creature and planted a fast strike with his blade on the creature's side. Sparks flew as the lightsaber made contact with the durable scales. The creature remained undamaged but it had been riled up. It let out a cry which stirred up the other Akk wolves. Eryk wasted little time and chased after the creature and attacked it again. The Vaapad form had an aggressive nature and to fully control it Eryk had to throw himself into the battle. The lightsaber caught the creature on the back again as it started to get more enraged. Eryk could sense the Akk wolves' anger growing. The battle was heating up and Eryk would need the Force to augment this new lightsaber combat form. Taking a deep breath Eryk relaxed his muscles and emptied his mind of conscious thought. Concentrating hard, Eryk called upon the reserves of Force energy which lay dormant inside his own body. As his body responded to his will, the midichlorians which lived inside of his cells began to stir into life and consequently began to awaken his own Force energy. In an instant, Eryk could feel the soothing rush of light side Force energy flow through him, sending calming and relaxing feelings to every corner of his body. Another Akk wolf began to attack, leaping towards Eryk's position. Through the Force Eryk could easily sense the danger approaching and quickly rolled out of the way as the creature dived overhead. As Eryk straightened out from his forward roll he stabbed his lightsaber upwards. Normally Eryk's instinct would be to use the lightsaber in a defensive stance but in keeping with the offensive philosophy of the Vaapad form he used his yellow blade to attack. The lightsaber blade hit the creature dead on its underbelly as it passed over head, as the Force aided Eryk to land a perfectly executed strike. Luckily, the underside of the Akk wolf was also plated with scales and so the creature was yet again unhurt. Eryk was playing a dangerous game, essentially toying with the deadly creatures in order to test his own strength and push the boundaries of his lightsaber skills. The Akk wolves started to reorganise themselves for their next attack, backing off and surrounding Eryk in a circular pattern again, their bodies slightly obscured by the trees and shrubs of the forest. The battle was becoming ever more dangerous and Eryk would need to make more efficient use of the Force energy inside of him to help him in combat. With Eryk feeling the powerful and calming presence of the Force within him, he now needed to fully take control of the Force energy, otherwise he would find using it most inefficient. Eryk needed to link his mind to the Force, to see things through its eyes and become unified with the light side. Taking a defensive position whilst keeping both eyes fixed on the wolves to make sure he wasn't flanked Eryk began to draw his own Force energy towards his upper body and began to gather a large proportion of it around his brain. There Eryk let the Force flow into his conscious mind. He let his mind go blank and empty to ease the process. Soon he could see the Force more clearly, could take a hold of it, yet still Eryk drew the Force into his mind. Soon the Force began to wash over his subconscious, delving deeper into Eryk's own self. It's calming feeling filled his subconscious mind as he felt himself relax mentally, giving him a clearer thought process. His body, however, was still on guard, but now under the watchfulness of the Force which would inform him of any danger or possible course of action. Inside his mind, the Force linked up with Eryk's knowledge of the Vaapad form, knowing how best to utilise this new form.

Another Akk wolf attacked, this time moving in slowly. Eryk watched carefully as the giant wolf edged closer, the Force in his mind feeding him a wealth of information on a purely cellular level, so that Eryk felt as if he had almost always been this way, as if it was natural for him to have such heightened senses, reflexes and dexterity. The wolf began to lash out, its paws swiping at the young Jedi Master; each sharp claw passing within inches of his flesh. Eryk jumped backwards, evading the attacks using the Force to guide him. The barrage of continued to come as Eryk neatly rolled out of the way. Still the beast kept coming as Eryk took to the air to leap clear. Now another wolf began to move. Eryk's lightsaber swung out, pushing the Akk wolves back. Sweat began to appear on his forehead; he could feel their breath in the toxic air. His body was beginning to tire as the battle raged on. He could easily escape at any time, but that was not why he was here. Taking control of some of his Force energy reserves, Eryk willed it to flow throughout his body via his body's natural networks such as the bloodstream and nervous system until it surrounded all major organs and muscles. There the Force began to sooth the tired bodily parts, absorbing their pain and releasing calming endorphins. Eryk could feel a boost of energy as he evaded another charge against him. The Force around his muscles also gave them extra energy, surrounding them and pumping them full of power. They began to work harder and more efficiently, pushing Eryk beyond normal limits. Eryk sprang into action, his lightsaber steady in his hands as the wolves came for him. Eryk leapt and dived around, the Force energy inside his body allowing him to perform fast, lightning attacks from all angles as he desperately trying to evade being hit whilst trying to get into decent positions in order to fight back. A couple of times the blade of his lightsaber struck hard and fast against the cold scales of the Akk wolves, yet still they came, seemingly enraged at his presence.

It was strange. As the battle continued, Eryk found fighting with these Akk wolves somewhat… enjoyable. Not the fact that he had to harm another creature, but he found himself enjoying the thrill and the danger of the battle. Normally his role as Jedi Grand Master was mostly diplomatic as of late; it had been a while since he had fought this much and put so much on the line. Fighting allowed Eryk to test his strengths and learn more about himself, but this wasn't really the Jedi way of thinking. Something had brought about this new found sense of fighting spirit, and Eryk knew what it was. It was the Vaapad form, or more correctly, it was the dark side pulling him in. If Eryk didn't do anything to stop it then he would find that this fighting spirit would become more tainted, more than simply being a way of testing and focusing oneself; fighting would end up becoming his only nature. He had to do something before it went too far, before the need to constantly be fighting consumed his soul. Eryk had to take control of this dark nature which dwelled at the heart of this powerful lightsaber combat form. But how does one go about combating something intangible? How does one quell ones own fighting spirit?

Eryk had little time to ponder as now all three Akk wolves were hounding him, each one closing the noose. As they began to synchronise their attacks more Eryk found it harder and harder to fight back. Soon he felt the cool ground hit him hard as he was knocked to the floor. Blood trickled down his face, mixing with his sweat as the wolves mercilessly began to bash him with their claws, toying with him. The Force energy inside him could do little to keep him stable as Eryk felt himself slipping into unconsciousness.

Suddenly, the image of the three wolves seemed to fade away. To Eryk it seemed as if he was no longer in the jungles of Haruun Kal. All around him there was nothing but white-ness; the floor, the sky… all white. There was nothing around him whatsoever; no trees, no animals, just empty space and nothingness as far as he could see. Then… in the corner of his eye, a tall figure approached him. Funny... normally Eryk could sense someone approaching him. Why was it different this time? And where exactly was he?

As Eryk looked up from the white floor of seemingly nothingness he felt a strange feeling. All the pain he had felt just a moment ago was gone. He felt calmer, more at peace. Then Eryk realised who it was who was standing in front of him, and why he was no longer in reality but instead in a Force induced dream.

"You..."

The figure looked at him as a smile appeared on it's ghostly face.

"Hello Eryk."

"Master Zarkin."

Eryk's dead mentor, Jodo Zarkin, had once again appeared in front of him as a ghost from the past.

"So… you are trying to learn Vaapad are you? I must say I am impressed."

Eryk lowered his head.

"It is a lot more difficult than I imagined", Eryk said truthfully. "I can feel the Dark Side of the Force tempting me with its power through Vaapad. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to hold it back."

"Master Windu had the very same problem. Do you know what he did?"

"He accepted the darkness and then he held it at bay with his extraordinary connection to the light side", replied Eryk.

"In a sense, and you must learn to do the same. Master Windu knew of the darkness, as you do, but found strength within himself to keep it in check. You need to find some source of strength within yourself."

"I'm… I'm not sure I can."

"Yes you can! Believe in yourself… why did you want to learn this form in the first place?"

"Because it was powerful and I needed to become stronger."

"You are strong, stronger than ever before; the Vaapad form just helps you express this strength. It relates to your fighting spirit. However, learning Vaapad is simply a means to an end. You wanted to become strong for a reason… what is the reason."

"To… to protect those I care about and those who look to me for protection. As leader of the Jedi I have to protect others."

"You have to? Why...?" asked Jodo inquisitively. "Is it your duty?"

"No…" Eryk said, as he finally raised his head in enlightenment. "...It is my choice."

Jodo Zarkin smiled.

"Yes, and the Light Side of the Force respects your choice, and will offer you its help… Good luck Eryk."

The strange, white, fantastical surroundings began to fade away as reality crept back into Eryk's conscious. The Force ghost of Jedi Master Jodo Zarkin faded away into memory once again. Eryk could once again feel the cold, uncomfortable ground as pain returned to him. The wolves were still watching him carefully from the jungle.

Slowly Eryk stood up. Holding out his lightsaber in his hand Eryk extended the yellow blade and took up the Vaapad's main attacking stance. It was weird, but he felt a new surge of power within him, as if a weight had been lifted from him, or as if he had uncovered some new source of power. Eryk could no longer feel the dark side hounding his spirit. All he could feel was the light side of the Force flowing strongly through him. His Force aura flared up as he readied to attack.

The wolves snarled and rushed at him. In a split second Eryk launched himself into the air and somersaulted over the nearest wolf, landing neatly behind it. The Force energy inside him felt powerful as it gave him all the energy it could. Bringing the Force energy quickly up to his right arm Eryk unleashed a fast barrage of lightning fast lightsaber jabs and slashes. As the Force energy in his arms augmented the Vaapad fighting style Eryk pushed harder. The wolf, which had turned to face Eryk, was shocked as it was met with an onslaught of bright yellow flashes which stung as they hit. Eryk took a few steps forward, pushing the wolf back as it stood almost mesmerised by his attacks. Eryk could feel the light side of the Force inside of him, his willingness to lay down his life for the sake of others was exactly the strength he needed to hold back the form's dark centre. As long as he fought with the wish to protect others, Vaapad would not let him down. The light side of the Force calmed Eryk, relaxing him as he continued to assault the wolf with quick, deadly slashes.

The wolf howled in terror, calling for its friends who came to its aid. Eryk paused for a moment. It was time to unleash the true potential of the Vaapad form of lightsaber combat and truly control and master the illusive and ferocious form; finally bending it to his will. Gathering as much of the Force energy left in his body, Eryk direct it to flow into his right arm. His arm began to tingle with the abundance of light side energy. The wolves edged closer, snarling loudly and surrounding the young Jedi, but Eryk remained calm and collected. His eyes were closed as he gathered up all the strength he could muster. The wolves slid closer; Eryk could feel their breath on his skin.

Suddenly, Eryk's eyes flicked open and he let loose the light side energy he had gathered up inside of his right arm. The yellow blade of his lightsaber shot forwards and curved upwards in an arc which scratched the face of the Akk wolf in front of him. Sparks flew as the blade hit the scales. However, Eryk didn't stop there. The lightsaber blade kept moving, faster and faster as it circled around him. Eryk pushed the Force further and then suddenly, as if by magic, another yellow blade seemed to appear, and then another, and another, and another. Streams of yellow light seemed to surround Eryk in a spherical pattern as his arms moved blindingly fast. Eryk's arms moved with liquid motion and sheer precision, arcing all around him in 360 degrees, as well as above and below him. From the wolves perspective it seemed like a constant, near-invisible weave of energy was surrounding the young man. Eryk's arms were now a blur, moving faster than humanly possible. Sparks began to fly all around Eryk as his lightsaber blade made contact with the wolves from all angles simultaneously; a pure barrage of a seemingly unavoidable and impenetrable wall of attack. Confused and scared by what was happening the Akk wolves howled and backed off... for good.

Eryk released a deep sigh of breath as he slowed down his arm's movement. The Force energy in his right arm began to return to its normal direction of flow as he relaxed his control over it. As his arm stopped moving so fast it was clear that there were no other blades, just that the sheer speed of his attack meant that they had flowed into each other until it ended up as a fast blur of movement. With the battle over Eryk stood victorious, and tired. Deactivating his lightsaber Eryk replaced it onto his belt, still somewhat surprised at the power he had just shown. He had just mastered the illusive Vaapad form of lightsaber combat, though in time he would learn to perfect it. It was his hope that together, along with the light side of the Force, they would be able to protect the galaxy and make it a safer and peaceful place to live.

The word hit Eryk hard. So hard in fact his jaw almost metaphorically hit the floor.

"I have no brother; I have no siblings at all."

"Well okay, maybe not proper brothers I'll admit. More like half-brothers. For you see, you and I have the same father."

"This is ridiculous; I will hear no more of this."

"You do not believe me? Very well, go ahead and use your Jedi tricks on me. Scan me with the Force like you do and see for yourself that what I tell you is indeed the truth."

Reluctantly Eryk used the Force to sense the stranger. Tried as he might, Eryk could pick up no hint of falsehood. Whoever this guy was, he honestly believed he was related to Eryk. Eryk was lost for words. Seemingly satisfied with Eryk's findings, the young man continued to speak.

"Are you surprised? Yes... of course you are. You would have never believed that something like this was possible in your 'perfect' family life."

"My father…"

"…Died when you were a child?" said the man, pre-empting Eryk's statement. "Yes, but not before he had an affair with my mother".

Eryk couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Of course he never admitted it, never atoned for what he had done. No, he ignored what happened, choosing instead to live the lie he had with you and your mother… playing happy families together. So on Empress Teta, whilst you got to live in luxury, my mother was left to raise me with nothing. Whilst you were protected from Imperial eyes because of your family's status, my mother shipped me off for military training as soon as I was old enough to no longer be a burden to her."

The young man's voice began to turn angry as Eryk sensed anger rise within him.

"Do you know what Imperial military training is like? I was stationed on Carida. We were forced to fight rancors and perform other highly dangerous missions with little chance of success. Half the class died in the first year. However, I survived… because my bloodline has an advantage… doesn't it… brother."

Eryk knew what he was hinting at. The Force. It ran through this man, as it did Eryk; and as it did their father, and their grandfather.

"I was never properly trained in the Force, never knew much about it, but I could always feel a presence, its influence. It was why I choose a particularly risky mission this one time. For you see, I had been having strange visions… suggesting to me that I should leave the academy on Cardia for a while. I never returned. Do you know why!?"

Eryk remained silent… again, he knew what the man was hinting at. The young man's voice was now beginning to fill with rage as he began to pace around.

"It was because of you! You Jedi destroyed what little I had to call a home when the Sun Crusher caused the local sun to go supernova! After that, I fled the military; we were all considered dead anyway. I delved deep into these mystical powers I knew I somehow possessed. I learned of the Force and I trained my new found power with one goal, to hurt those who have caused my life so much pain".

The young stranger's voice fell calm again as he directly faced Eryk.

"That was when I learned of you… my half-brother. How fitting it is that all the sources of my hatred are represented by just one man. You. You who are the favourite son in our father's eyes… you who was loved by your mother when all I was to mine was an unwanted burden to be cast aside… you who are the current head of the organisation which caused the destruction of the closest thing I ever had to a home. I tracked you down; using my new found Force abilities to my advantage. You escaped my grasp once before and it took me weeks to relocated you. This time, you will not be so lucky."

Eryk looked on as the stranger reached for a lightsaber hilt at his waist. It was crudely built, but Eryk was amazed that this man had managed even that. Building a lightsaber from scratch was a difficult thing to do, and Eryk suspected that this man was proficient in a number of Force techniques, some of which would most likely be very powerful and draw on the dark side of the Force.

"They call me… Zero".

The stranger, calling himself Zero, ignited his lightsaber. A bright, blood red blade extended out with a hiss into the cool air.

"Zero… because, thanks to you, I have lost everything. I will make you pay a hundred fold for the harsh life I have had to endure."

"Listen, I am sorry. If I had known I had a half-brother I would have come looking for you. I did not mean for any of this to happen".

"It is too late for that brother. The damage has been done and you will suffer for it. Let me show you now the result of the years of training I have endured. My Imperial academy training augmented by my Force sensitivity will overpower your puny Jedi fighting techniques. I will have my revenge".

"I do not wish to fight you", Eryk said as he gripped his lightsaber.

"You may not wish it, but it is going to happen anyway. That's life."

"I sense anger and hatred inside of you. You are tied to the dark side of the Force. Please let me help you."

"If I am tied to the dark side, it is because of you. Long have I waited for this moment. Good bye… brother."