A Graveyard for Sith Lords

[Matsu Xiangu]

Korriban
Mid-Day

“It was HORRIBLE, my Lord. It made no sounds. It just dragged itself along the floor.”

She had been sitting there, one leg crossed over the other and black metal hands curled around the edges of her throne, pretending to listen to the Acolyte’s family pleading for her to go see what had happened. In truth she’d been feeding - an eater, devouring the pathetic creature’s fear and sadness. But she had to admit...the description had intrigued her enough to center her attentions.

“And the faces…” The man shuddered, rubbing his hands together in worried fists, eyes haunted by whatever recent memory was playing behind them. “It had more than one face, my Lord. I did not dare get closer, for even in that pitiful state I’m sure it could have killed me. The eyes...they were all looking at me. I ran, coward that I am, my Lord. But I beg you, please find my son. He is no coward like me. He is strong and if he is alive in there he will serve the Sith well.”

She’d risen from her seat after contemplating his words, rolling her tongue along the inside of her ruined cheek. Regal and quiet, she’d let a heartbeat pass before she had answered him.

“If he is alive in there but unable to fight his own way out, he will not serve the Sith at all.” She’d snapped his neck then, weary of being asked for things as if the Sith were some benevolent rescuers. Their propaganda was beginning to wear on her nerves. It would have to end soon.

But regardless, she’d gone to the temple in question. She could think of nothing she was less interested in than the fate of the acolytes...unless it had something to do with the creature the man had described seeing when he’d gone to look for his son himself. If that beast had anything to do with the boy’s disappearance, she would gladly get to the bottom of the mystery.

She’d been there for close to an hour when she finally heard something.

Scsshhhhh…...scchhhhhh...scccchhhhh….

Something dry, something heavy, dragged over stone.

She followed, and she saw.

Three faces. It was beautiful in that horrifying way she sought so eagerly. Remnants of dark power singed the air, the scent of burnt flesh and hair penetrating her nostrils - some hideous ritual had taken place here, and fairly recently. She stepped from the shadows, normally dark eyes roiling bright with amber corruption in her excitement.

“What are you?” she asked. It gave no response. She narrowed her eyes slightly before reaching outwards with her mind, a telepathic tap against whatever consciousness lay behind the agonized faces encircling the thing’s skull. “What are you?” she asked again, her sea-glass smooth voice reverberating in the stranger’s head.

[member="Utukku"]​

 

[Utukku]

"What are you?"

Utukku's gaze turned towards the Sith Lord before him, each beady eye examining her with despair. The creature moaned and scoffed, as if attempting to speak, but to no avail. It shuffled about on the dusty ground, its faces shifting and twisting in a most unnatural manner. It watched the Sith with excitement, and with good cause. At last, someone had come to end this miserable existence. At last, the painful burden of life would be lifted. Yet the Dark Lord did nothing. If only the mute creature could speak, and tell her of the atrocities that took place mere moments ago. It had almost given up hope, prepared now to crawl off into the depths once more. When suddenly...

"What are you?" A soft voice resonated somewhere deep within Utukku's mind. This was their opportunity.

"We are Acolytes..." one voice said, yet Utukku's lips remained still.
"Now destined forever to serve..." another replied.
"Forever bound in unity..." the last cry fell.

What followed was nothing short of terrifying. The body twitched, its limbs now haunted by fearsome spasms. This chilling display would know no end, until the creature finally brought forth a most radical solution. It reached for the blade at its side, limbs flailing in agony, attempting to swing at itself in full force. Before the strike fell, however, another soul joined the chaotic dance, its voice strong and commanding.

"Silence! Your essence holds no power, weaklings! Go! Be forever condemned in Chaos!" it barked, and soon the breakdown ceased, now replaced by unbearable wailing. Its cries echoed throughout the ruined halls, awakening what lay in the dark.

One of the souls said its final prayers, backwards, in a tongue unknown to most, and swiftly perished. Chaos awaits those who align themselves with the darkness, and these Acolytes were no exception to the rule. They would now be blessed with the presence of Marka Ragnos, Naga Sadow, Ajunta Pall, and all others who dared oppose the light. Such was the fate of the Sith, even Utukku, though today he reigned victorious. He had fought death and lived to tell the tale, eventually.

"I do not recognize you." Utukku said, his voice filled with skepticism, with hints of fear, possibly intrigue. He knew well of the conditions he faced. It was in no way an acceptable position. He would have to act fast, for only a slow death awaited him otherwise.

"Though I sense power in your presence, and find no harm in sharing what little I know of my tale. I am Utukku, and this is the body I subdued. However, as you can clearly see, it takes effort to retain control over that which is not your own. I am in dire need of assistance. For centuries I have slept, and now I awaken, reborn amidst the ashes. It pains me what I have become. A mere fraction of my former self... If I am to survive, however, I must learn now what I have forgotten." Utukku paused, breathing heavily and with great difficulty, before resuming his speech.

"I require your help, fair Sith, and promise to serve you in return."

[member="Matsu Xiangu"]

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

The cord of telepathy strung between them was quickly severed the moment the acolytes rose up against the presence stitching the last seams to keep their abomination of a body together. Though no direct answer came she gleaned enough just before the connection shot closed to realize - at least an idea - of what had happened. A gruesome fate...but what could have done such a thing? It suggested power.

As the corpse struggled against itself, triad of mouths gasping in fear against its eventual master, Matsu circled. Hands folded gently together behind her back, she observed as if it were an experiment she’d planned herself, eyes darting as limbs folded and crunched and snapped against each other in rebellious agony. At once it seemed to last ages and mere seconds, the body eventually falling to silence. Gently, gently she accepted the telepathic connection as it flourished again, a far more ancient voice floating through her mind.

"I do not recognize you."

Once, she’d craved anonymity. Everything she’d done had been with the intent of keeping her name out of it, her face from being recognized. Being underestimated had always had its advantages - who was watching out for the petite little Atrisian girl? But time and circumstance had made it impossible for her to hide. Her time with the One Sith had seen her Empress of Coruscant, her face glittering on the rotating oscillation of billboard propaganda. She’d been a warrior queen, the jittering holonews feed pausing on the static of her screaming in rage at opposing Jedi - eyes wild, hands bent in claws as she worked a spell. That image was everywhere, the frames replayed like footage of wild animals hunting and eating each other played on repeat. She was no longer blessed with the gift of being unknown, not here on a world like this. So when the thing on the ground said he did not know her, she filed away that usefulness.

However, she got the distinct impression it was or a reason much more complicated than simply not watching the news.

“Utukku,” she said quietly, coming closer though well enough out of reach of the creature’s arms. “I am Darth Yaomo.” She was quiet for a moment, contemplating his offer. Though most of her moves were calculated and weighed she believed in gut feelings above all else. In her mind the Dark Side was her companion, a lover, something to be consulted and sought and treated with reverence. It would never steer her wrong, not when she’d proved herself worthy and strong. But those who sought teaching were so often disappointing. Dare she waste her time?

“I will assist you for as long as you prove entertaining. Now, would you like me to call one of my droids to assist you, or would you like to crawl to the transport?”

[member="Utukku"]​

 

[Utukku]

"Very well, fair Sith, I accept your terms..." Utukku reassured the Sith Lord, before his head fell lifelessly to the ground.

A droid carried the ancient sorcerer's mangled body, even during his brief loss of consciousness. They now walked through the grand halls of a perfectly preserved Sith temple, a very uncommon sight on Korriban. Utukku's gaze rested upon the bizarre imagery decorating the crimson stone walls. He wasn't one for pointless torture, but rather saw it as an efficient means of extracting useful information. However, bestowing upon others the gift of pain and suffering for the sake of enjoyment did still hold a special place in his heart, even if he'd seldom admit it.

The group walked on to the lower levels of the temple, where all seemed eerily still. It gave the impression of a frozen time capsule, as if it hadn't aged a single day from its conception. The walls invoked a feeling of familiarity in Utukku's soul, though he could not quite understand why. He knew of his previous power, but who was he? That would remain a mystery for quite some time to come...

Entering a room full of glittering machinery, Utukku sat up on the droid's flat body. He glanced down at his feet, fully realizing now that he had lost them while booting the Acolytes out of his future residence. He gasped at the sight, but quickly he overcame this feeling of dread. There were no cybernetic limbs in his age, and so he stared in sheer fascination as the machines came to life. It was a slow and painful process, but the acolyte cared not. He did not rejoice in pain, for he had not felt it in millennia. He kept a determined mind, however, and soon found himself in a state of deep meditation.

"Fascinating... In ways I cannot express with words. Thank you, Master, for the blessing you have bestowed upon me." Utukku could give only praises as he stiffly roamed the Sith Lord's suite. After all, he had never seen such miraculous technology. Indeed, it would take time before he'd grow accustomed to this change, though he was grateful nonetheless.

Utukku knelt before the great sorceress, hand firmly clenched into a fist. "I pledge myself unto thou, great Lord of the Sith. Grant me the power to become a staunch protector of the Dark Side, allow me to consume my foes and bring death upon those who dare resist our call. Together, my lord, let us conceal our enemies in the Dark Side's unforgiving shroud!"

His enthusiasm was clear and intention pure. There was no shadow of deceit in Utukku's words, no sign of treachery. If only for this day.

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

She was no stranger to the operation he underwent with the swiftness and precision born of practice that her team exhibited. Both of her arms had been replaced numerous times, as early as 18. Nearly 40 now, Matsu had felt the agony of replacing her limbs more times than one might care to remember. That first time had been exceptionally painful. She could still remember the smell of her flesh as her lightsaber burned through her arm, peeling away flesh she’d been forced in to believing was burning and would consume her if she did not remove it. As much as it pained her then, it was the very source of her power now. Pain was the path to perfection, was it not?

This new creature was a mystery. Had she not possessed the ability to sense minds and emotions she might not have believed his tale, but it was impossible to ignore the ancient feel to his power. She would not deny that whatever he might have seen fascinated her, but neither would she hide the truth from him - the galaxy had moved on, so very very far.

When he knelt before her she marveled at the formality. Much of the ancient Sith, and even the not-so-ancient Sith, had been lost to the Gulag Plague. Centuries of tradition had been wiped from the galaxy. But she knew they had seen ritual and rite as far more important than Sith now. It seemed those records were true.

She waved a hand, fingers curling inwards towards her palm in beckoning him to rise.

“Yes, yes... “ she said, tasting of his mind for treachery. She did not find it there, despite looking. That was surprising. From her readings she assumed all the Sith of old knew betrayal as innate and natural as breathing. Interesting. “The legs are a gift. Let them be a reminder that as easily as I gave them, I can take them away. Now,” she said, raising a hand to beckon him along beside her as she walked. She was short and her strides would be slow compared to his, a boon when he was learning to use the cybernetics. “I have something to show you, but as we walk...can you tell me what you remember? Of your life before?”

[member="Utukku"]​

 

[Utukku]

The spirit nodded in response. He understood what it meant to be Sith. What was given could be taken away, and this was a fact of life. Gifts were not eternal, just as life was short and sabers fierce. He had little more to lose, however, and so he found the offer of apprenticeship more than generous. In this way, he was not unlike the ordinary Sith acolyte, most of whom fell to the Dark Side out of desperation, hunger, or the fear of death.

"Power..." Utukku said, walking down the vast temple corridor. "I remember great power. I could bend the storms to my will, unleashing wrath upon my foes. I was respected, and never held foes among the Sith. I cannot recall any specific events, it seems. None but my final moments." he deeply sighed, wishing so very desperately to grasp his old strength once more. Perhaps his memory was not lost forever, though it would take many months, if not years of retraining to regain it fully. And even then, did he truly have what it took to be Sith?

"The Jedi wrought havoc here on Korriban. There was no escape. Not even for the red-skinned Sithlings. Most died immediately, yet I held out. I planned a ritual of sorts, I remember feelings of desperation as it neared its completion. And then... Nothing. Just as my life arrived at its close, I was reborn. Wounded, crippled, on the verge of death, and now I am here."

Utukku stopped dead in his tracks. Something occurred to him now. Something very odd. "Yet interestingly enough, despite this bout of amnesia, I can recall the ancient Sith code effortlessly." He took a deep breath, ready to embrace the sheer power those verses held. "Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, power. Through power, victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall set me free..."

The acolyte trembled with joy. He once taught these words as fact, finding no reason to doubt their validity. Before his untimely death, however, his views shifted significantly. The code was truly ancient, as was its wisdom. With age, Utukku found that it grew outdated. It could not adapt to the new Sith ways. "I disagree with it." He plainly said.
"Passion may grant the Sith their strength, though integrity drives them forth towards power. And why assume that you must possess power to break chains? These chains are but figments of our thoughts, and may only truly be broken when the Sith learns to master his passion; subdue it, as the Jedi do, though to a lesser extent. Why force upon yourself extremes, when you may use the truths of both sides equally?" Utukku preached, his voice calm and gathered, like that of a seasoned mentor. He likely spoke more to himself rather than his master, but it was wisdom worth considering nonetheless.

Utukku's ideas may have been untraditional and unlike those of most Sith, but he was, quite clearly, whether he'd accept it or not, indeed unlike most other Sith. Perhaps there was more light in him than he would willingly admit. Perhaps it was merely the creation of his dangerously efficient mind. Despite his lack of extremism, there was no doubt about Utukku's true allegiance. He was an unwavering warrior, dedicated fully to the Dark Side, and that would never change.

"What might this mysterious thing be? What is it you wish to show me?" He hissed with curiosity, venturing forth into the cryptic corridors ahead.

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

She was certain that seeing more of the galaxy would be the most extreme case of culture shock the man - for lack of a better word - could imagine. From what little had survived of the galaxy’s history since the Plaque had destroyed much of their knowledge, Matsu at least knew that the explored portions of the galaxy were far smaller in his time than they were then. The sheer size of their universe would be dazzling, let alone how time had changed the Sith order.

Though listening to him recite the code, she wasn’t sure the fundamentals had changed all that much.

“Time has seen fit to reshape the Sith as you might know them, as it does all things. I believe you will find many who share your views, though just as many who still believe in burning the galaxy to the ground simply because they can.” She lay somewhere in the middle, but that was for another day. “Much of our history was lost when a plague ravaged the whole of the galaxy. We can only hope that in time your memory returns to you - the Sith would be indebted if you could share some of your knowledge.”

By the time the conversation had switched gears, they’d reached the elevators and moved subterranean. Matsu had many labs, factories, farms - whatever term one might use to label the place she stored and created her...children. It was only prudent considering the enemies she’d made in the last few decades. As such, spreading out her assets was the only feasible solution and when Korriban - a Dark Side hub to feed her energies - became available she’d taken full advantage of creating another set of labs beneath her temple apartments.

Immediately the post-modern backdrop of her lavish rooms fell away, giving over to the traditional reds and blacks of ancient Korriban. Fires raged in sconces along the old stone, casting eerie shadows over the cells in which things stinking of rot and offal shuffled. When their Master drew near they became more animated, clambering for the cell door and smashing their rotten skulls against it in a frenzy to be released. Blood spattered up the glass as one of them slammed itself so hard against the door in an attempt to get to her that its brains slopped from its head.

“I read of sorcerers in your time, men and women that fought in your battles from above, raining death on their enemies while your warriors fought on the ground. The idea was appealing, but I cannot forego the rush of battle. So I learned their ways and made them my own. Though it is not my first love, necromancy is how I’ve conquered worlds.” She paused, a note of obvious affection for her decaying army in her voice. Looking to Utukku, she tilted her head in curiosity. “As I’m sure hasn’t escaped your notice, I have cybernetics myself. As such, I know the best way to get used to them...is to use them. I’d like to see how you fight. And my Dead are adequate substitute for a Jedi - at least for now.”

[member="Utukku"]​

 

[Utukku]

"And so it has." Utukku sighed, walking alongside his new master, observing the long forgotten beauty of Korriban once more. His thoughts strayed elsewhere as the smell of sand brought him back to the old days. He was home, and that much was beyond doubt.

"As do I. If ever my knowledge returns, I shall once more become the great Sorcerer of Korriban. Second only to you, of course. I wish not to take your title, but only to earn my rightful place." Utukku spoke no lies at this time. His reassurances were honest. Violence, infighting, betrayal and deceit were not in his nature. Of course, as one of the Sith, he knew well that all three were necessities in the path he chose to take, and yet he did not wish to rely upon them.

The acolyte gazed at the curious beings, who like criminals were bound to their cells. They were mindless, or so they seemed. Whether or not they would show prowess in battle was questionable. Nonetheless, Utukku had faith, as much faith as he could bear, especially so when it was the sorceress to whom he entrusted it. He glanced back at her as she spoke, with fascination observing the creatures she had made.

"Necromancy, you say? How very curious!" he said, praising her work. His tone grew rather cheerful, at least for a gloomy character such as himself - it was surprising to see genuine excitement within him. Observing such sorcery brought him joy, and yet a wave of dread came over him, as he himself did not hold the potency for such spells. "To show such mastery of the Force - I mean, the Dark Side of it - It is frankly quite unbelievable! To wake the dead amidst their endless sleep? I can only imagine! It would take less than half the effort to revive oneself, let alone raise an army of resurrected corpses!"

Utukku bowed down once more, as was custom in his age, drawing his most ancient blade. "You have made your power clear, my master. Now I beg you to set me free, so that I may ravage your demonic spawns. Allow me to unleash my wrath upon them, and so prove my worth. My blade is yours."

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

Truly, she’d never considered the possibility of reviving herself if the time came. She supposed she’d glanced death more closely than perhaps nearly anyone in the galaxy - save, now, for her new apprentice - between her hobby and her power. But she considered it a finality. Whenever she died she would remain there.

But hopefully that wasn’t for years yet, for ironically the only life she found valuable was her own.

Her eyes followed Utukku as he bowed once more, and once more she waved him from his knees. “Good. I would like to see how you ancients fought,” she said, before - without warning - raising a hand and unlocking the door behind which several of her creations slavered at Utukku. As soon as they realized they were free they slammed themselves bodily against the iron to break it down, nearly toppling over each other in their haste. Matsu took slow steps backwards as the space turned in to a battleground. There had been a part of her that had toyed with the idea of bringing her apprentice towards the huge room where she observed her more...unique experiments, pitting him in coliseum battle. And perhaps that was still on the table. But there was something utterly appealing about unleashing a sudden onslaught against him and watching how he handled it, forcing him to fight in a tight space against a dozen opponents.

The hallway was small, iron bars lining it fully as more undead still trapped in cells stuck their arms through to try and reach the target. Their screaming was frenzied, deafening as they reached with gnarled hands. Those free from confinement showed their dangerous capabilities almost immediately. These were no shambling, brainless creatures. They were eerily fast, their corpses substantial despite disgusting rot, their grips strong and enhanced by the bastard sorcery that made them. But worst of all was the ability one displayed perfectly as it made a horrifying gagging noise before hurling a gob of acidic bile at Utukku. It missed narrowly, hitting the wall beside the apprentice’s head and leaving a sizzling, dissolved hole where the acid burned through the temple stone.

It would clearly burn through flesh even faster.

[member="Utukku"]​

 

[Utukku]

Ships rained down hellfire upon the planet's surface - Republic ships. There were many, more than he could count, and certainly more than he could defeat. All suffered on that day, even the unarmed people of Korriban, who had no part in the great war. Despite their innocence, artillery fire from above burned their bodies to a crisp, leaving behind nothing but piles of ash and bones. The sorcerer had only just completed his long, tiring experiment. He stood in the tomb of a great Sith Lord, preparing the ritual. Just as all the symbols and idols assumed their position, a blast of hot matter shot through his body.

Utukku had awoken from his deep trance, confused, unaware of his surroundings. Something, whatever it was, went very wrong with his mind. Perhaps it was a side effect of these recent events, perhaps it wasn't. Either way, he knew well to look out for such bodily failures in the future. It did not take him long to recall his state, and soon he was standing ready to slaughter his opponents.

Blade drawn, he placed it over his shoulder in a defensive stance, extending one leg before the other, bending his knees. He was not trained to handle many combatants at once. However, taking into account his own superiority in terms of equipment and training, he did not waver. As soon as the first and fastest creature lunged towards him, he took a step to the side, sending his blade diagonally down onto his foe. He did not aim for any particular area, whether it be the head or limbs, as his style of combat was far from elegant. Indeed, it might have appeared as a rather dishonorable form of fencing, and yet Utukku found that exploiting one's weaknesses in a way that brought him closer to victory was perfectly acceptable.

The blade did not cut through its target. It wounded him, yes, but rarely could a solid blade cut through so many layers of flesh. In fact, it was undesirable to leave your weapon lodged inside the enemy, and so he had adjusted his blow, avoiding exactly that. Soon, multiple other spawns rained down upon him from the corridor. He managed to kill one with a mighty overhead strike, but his sword sunk deep into its flesh. He knew the creatures were nimble, weak, and hardly qualified as challenging foes, but he hadn't expected such a scene. The weapon became stuck halfway into the corpse's chest, and a stream of blood blinded Utukku.

The other fighters soon overwhelmed him, falling onto him and clawing away at his frail armor. He kicked off a few with his new legs, crushing others with his clenched fists, but the effort was futile. He raised his arm in resignation, leaving behind a total of six fallen enemies.