Cedric Grayson
Ashlan Kaiser
It had been many years since the exile had set eyes upon the fabled world of Zakuul. Not much had changed in his absence: the people remained all too reliant on their religious faith for guidance, and the potential of their inert fleets for galactic dominance was, as always, ignored.
In the past, he might have thought that the force had guided him here. Now he knew better. Darius had come of his own volition to serve his own private ambitions, though he viewed those ambitions as wholly benevolent in nature. Others might have disagreed with him, but then their opinions had little relevance to him. Results mattered, not the bickering thoughts of those that would stand on the sidelines and moralize as if they were greater people for their cowardice.
Such thoughts passed through the exile's mind as he traveled through the depths of the empyrean. Only a handful of beings in the galaxy were aware of the webway the Jedi Shadows had forged across the near entirety of the galaxy, and even fewer of that number knew how to make use of it. The sensation of having one's body rendered into naught but living energy had been disturbing at first, but he had long since grown accustomed to its unique state of unreality.
When he emerged on the other side of the invisible gate, Darius found himself standing just outside the doors of a great spire that seemed to travel up to the very heavens themselves, and further beyond. He reached out once against into the empyrean, and felt no protective wards to bar his entry. The knowledge of the old ways was known by far too few, and Zakuul had never had to contend with the powers of the Jedi Shadows - they likely had no idea such feats were possible.
Pleased with this revelation, Darius called upon the energies of the empyrean to manipulate the very shadows themselves. They clung to his cloaked form, drowning him in a drape of darkness that blended in perfectly with its surroundings to any that lacked the power to see through his disguise. His footsteps were silent as he jumped through the empyrean itself the short distance through the spire's front doors. From there, it was a careful process of moving in just the right ways that he would go unnoticed by the dozens of personnel within. He found himself waiting for half an hour before someone decided to take the elevator up the spire. With practiced steps, the exile followed them aboard, and watched as Zakuul quickly shrunk beneath him through the transparisteel windows.
When the occupants stepped off the elevator, he quickly accessed the primary console and sent the elevator on a continued course to the apex of the spire.
It was only when the elevator reached to spire's peak that he cast aside the cloak of shadows that obscured his form. The guards' weapons snapped to life immediately, the intent to kill clear in the way they moved.
Darius moved with practiced confidence, and waved a hand to indicate that he was no threat. "I've a proposition for the exiled mother of Commenor," his voice carried across the chamber, "You would be wise to let her hear it."
[member="Kay Arenais"]
In the past, he might have thought that the force had guided him here. Now he knew better. Darius had come of his own volition to serve his own private ambitions, though he viewed those ambitions as wholly benevolent in nature. Others might have disagreed with him, but then their opinions had little relevance to him. Results mattered, not the bickering thoughts of those that would stand on the sidelines and moralize as if they were greater people for their cowardice.
Such thoughts passed through the exile's mind as he traveled through the depths of the empyrean. Only a handful of beings in the galaxy were aware of the webway the Jedi Shadows had forged across the near entirety of the galaxy, and even fewer of that number knew how to make use of it. The sensation of having one's body rendered into naught but living energy had been disturbing at first, but he had long since grown accustomed to its unique state of unreality.
When he emerged on the other side of the invisible gate, Darius found himself standing just outside the doors of a great spire that seemed to travel up to the very heavens themselves, and further beyond. He reached out once against into the empyrean, and felt no protective wards to bar his entry. The knowledge of the old ways was known by far too few, and Zakuul had never had to contend with the powers of the Jedi Shadows - they likely had no idea such feats were possible.
Pleased with this revelation, Darius called upon the energies of the empyrean to manipulate the very shadows themselves. They clung to his cloaked form, drowning him in a drape of darkness that blended in perfectly with its surroundings to any that lacked the power to see through his disguise. His footsteps were silent as he jumped through the empyrean itself the short distance through the spire's front doors. From there, it was a careful process of moving in just the right ways that he would go unnoticed by the dozens of personnel within. He found himself waiting for half an hour before someone decided to take the elevator up the spire. With practiced steps, the exile followed them aboard, and watched as Zakuul quickly shrunk beneath him through the transparisteel windows.
When the occupants stepped off the elevator, he quickly accessed the primary console and sent the elevator on a continued course to the apex of the spire.
It was only when the elevator reached to spire's peak that he cast aside the cloak of shadows that obscured his form. The guards' weapons snapped to life immediately, the intent to kill clear in the way they moved.
Darius moved with practiced confidence, and waved a hand to indicate that he was no threat. "I've a proposition for the exiled mother of Commenor," his voice carried across the chamber, "You would be wise to let her hear it."
[member="Kay Arenais"]
