Private Atonement

[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Anak Darkstar

Balance had been a harder thing to maintain with every passing day. Gerwald’s commitment to a more inclusive philosophy slowly deteriorated with every assignment he accomplished for Darth Empyrean. Whatever his views had been on the matter, the wolf embraced more and more of the dark side of the force, and the power it offered him. His resolve to rend the soul of Naedira Darcrath from the netherworld had led Gerwald to a place he would not be able to claw his way from. More of the dark side had claimed him, much more than anyone truly new.

Darker forests called out to the wolf he kept just under his skin. Jutrand lacked the foliage he longed for, but Dromund Kaas did not. Fortunately for the beast the world was a scheduled stop on a series of assignments his duty required of him.

Today he would unearth something lost to the Sith. Rumors of a temple existing in the heart of a rather dense forest had made their way to the emperor. While the world was under the control of Darth Carnifex, certain things of influence and power belonged with the emperor himself. Gerwald would see to it that whatever could be discovered, it would be. If there was any item of power of value, it would be secured.

There was no place to land the ship within the forest, which was all the better. It had been far too long since Gerwald let the wolf run wild, and since the location of the temple was not exact, the wolf would find it faster. His armor would shift with him in order to avoid the unpleasant and awkward situation of wandering about the temple completely nude. Gerwald was not alone on this, and this task was more supervisory in nature.

An acolyte accompanied the wolf. There had been conjecture on his need to prove himself, or pay recompense for past sins. Gerwald could have cared less what reasons he found himself on the mission as long as the Sith was able to do what was required. They would succeed in their mission because Gerwald would not allow failure.

“The temple is deep within the woods. We will find it and take whatever is of value to the emperor.”

A wolfish grin crossed Gerwald’s lips.

“Do keep up, will you.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth, than Gerwald ran down the boarding ramp. When he leaped into the air, it was head first, almost as if he was diving toward the dirt and moss of the forest floor. Bones began to crack and pop. The sickening sound of his body rearranging itself echoed in the eerie quiet that surrounded them. When Gerwald landed he was no longer human. A howl escaped his mouth and the wolf, almost twice the size of what was considered normal, ran into the dense foliage.

He moved with quick speed. It seemed almost unnatural. His muscles tensed and loostend as the stride of his movement was something of beauty to behold. Zigging and Zagging his way through the large tree trunks as he allowed his sense of smell to memorize the air and life around him. It seemed as though the animal ran without direction, just wild and random. That was not the case. In a matter of minutes the beast had determined its path, and bolted ahead with even greater speed.

“This way…”

 

[Anak Darkstar]

TAG: Gerwald Lechner

The Acolyte heard the siran of the ramp opening over the treeline, there was going to be no touch down. Anak prepared himself, he saw Gerwald Lechner leap off the ramp without hesitation, the Acolyte followed suite. The fall was twenty feet to the nearest tree, Anak used The Force to push him to it and grabbed a branch, an ill advised move at such speed, but necessary. He took hold of the wood and his body beat the other hands of the tree, and seeing a Great Wolf below moving at great speed, The Acolyte began racing down the limbs, his bones aching from impact and once landing on the earth floor he began chasing The Transformed Gerwald, who told him in a sharp tone,

“do keep up, will you?”

The Prodigal Son gave chase, following the erratic but determined pattern of the Lupo’s movements, they swept around trunks, and Anak ducked his head under a felled trunk that he dove under, his rib wound aching, still not fully healed. The mission was for Emperor Empyrean, this was his once chance to make penance, to expiate his faithlessness to Lord Nwul and prove that he could be a “great asset” to The Order.

The Son of Perdition pushed himself, conjuring The Dark Power to increase his steps, making one step as if three or five, anything to keep up with Lord Gerwald, who had allowed him to come on this Hunt. It was a special sign of trust, if Sith could use that word, a apprentice to a Sangnir working with a Lupine. Anak knew not if there was prejudices or bad blood between the diverse members and their tribes of the Sith. He only knew that he could not afford them: Undead, Sangnir, Lupine, Nightsisters, Witches, Vampira, and whatever else manifested as members of The Order, Anak would consider them all allies. He wished to learn the deeper secrets of the dark side, and being open to all increased his chances. Though he remained loyal to his Sangnir Master.

The Prodigal Son panted, his breaths flowing out in great clouds of vapor, was it cold? Or was he cold? What matterss if keeping pace with Gerwald. The Lupo did seem to be sensing a path through the forest, Anak could not see, the trees a great maze that only the One he followed seemed to know.

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Anak Darkstar

There was no room in the Sith Order for pettiness. It was as much a cancer born of arrogance as anything else. Gerwald had long thought the greatest sin of many force users was pride, and far too many continited to prove his assumption correct. A great many failed because they overestimated their own abilities, giftings, beliefs, preferences, and position. When compared to others it was always best to assume the other as greater, even if it would later be proven untrue.

Gerwald also knew the importance of being put in an impossible situation. There were times one did not know what they were made of if they never faced a challenge. Gerwald had faced many in his life and learned that not every ally was who they claimed, and sometimes a perceived enemy was truly a friend. It was wise to see possible alliances and enemies in everyone, because everyone was capable of duplicity and surprise.

This acolyte, Gerwald was still uncertain of. He seemed to have pledged his allegiance to Empyrean, but the wolf supposed this mission was in part a test of that. Gerwald was there to observe as much as he was there to ensure the mission succeeded. Whether it was by his hand or not was inconsequential. It only mattered that it did. Regardless of what happened, Gerwald would enjoy his run. It had been far too long.

He slowed as they reached the dark ruins. The force had been the wolf’s guide as he shifted back into his human form. By the time Gerwald stepped onto the first stone step of the once glorious temple he was a man once more. His eyes opened, the usual blue hue tainted a sickly yellow and red. The dark side was strong in this place. He could sense it freely, and the wolf drank it in.

“Your attempt was satisfactory,” Gerwald said as the acolyte came up beside him. “Do you feel it?”

Of course he could, but Gerwald wanted him to say it. It was rich and thick, almost moving in a way. Pockets of dark power like this were often used to draw one deeper into the influence of the dark side. It led to more power. Gerwald wanted more power. Watching the way Srina had unbound Naedira sent Gerwald on a quest to grow stronger. Yes, her bond with Empyrean had granted her strength beyond what most would ever experience, but Gerwald knew his limits could not become obstacles.

His ceiling would become his floor.

“Empyrean wants proof of this place. We will go inside and find something which could not have come from any other temple on this planet. You will find it.”

Gerwald motioned for the Sith.

“Lead the way.”

 

[Anak Darkstar]

Anak watched as The Lupine transformed back into a man at the steps of a temple. The Ruins whistled with the howl of wind bending around arches of the outer wall, they were like pipes singing tunes of woe. Then he felt it, that familiar chill that fulled his bones and wrapped around his spine as a serpent. Most would recoil at its touch, he drank it. The Darkness he welcomed to himself as a disciple, raising his arms in adoration, he said aloud,

“Bogan.. she is here.. her presence intoxicating, and threatening, as any true Mistress.”

The Prodigal Son referred to the dark side as a lady, a queen even, who showered favor one moment and could fell you the next. The key was to dance wisely, or be swept up and churned out as so many who had been culled by her before for their weakness.

Gerwald Lechner then urged Anak to take point. This the Acolyte obeyed without hesitation, he unclipped his saber and ignited its garnet red blade, stepping into the dark
Entrance. There in the portal, two great gargoyles of hound shape, their fangs hanging from great snouts, and their stone eyes giving a haunting look. Anak held his saber to look at one before moving on, not noticing the stone eye with its slit moving slightly as he stepped away.

The Son of Perdition led further in, ever sensing Lord Gerward close behind. He knew very little of The Lupine Lord, this being there first mission together. Perhaps it was careless to trust a Sith he barely knew, and yet he depended on his help to find and retrieve what belonged to The Emperor who they called The Dead God. Anak knew Srina, she had been one of first Sith he met on Juntrand, The Emperor on the other hand one did not demand an audience with. An Acoyte such as he would have to earn His attention, and more than that, in Anak’s case remission of his sins.

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Anak Darkstar

Bogan, the word was not one Gerwald had heard too often, nor had he depicted it as female. To him it was a moon, and every moon drew the wolf to heel. His instincts were drawn to a full moon in ways that were difficult to control. It held a power over Gerwald unlike any other force in the galaxy. A full moon had been the lantern which lit the canopy under which he experienced his first change. The wolf would always be drawn to the moon.

He smiled at the man’s response. Gerwald was not certain he understood everything his words reflected. Did this Anak know the mistress which Gerwald had served faithfully for over a decade. There were none as fierce and alluring as Srina Talon . Gerwald feared, admired, and loved the Echani in equal measure. She had earned it, and even if she had not, the wolf would have given it to her anyway lest she take what she wanted.

“Then you have not met Darth Omnia. Not even the great Bogan herself would diminish her radiance.”

It was simply the nature of things.

They passed into the temple, the young acolyte brandishing his crimson colored saber. The wolf had yet to sense a need for the weapon, but he supposed he could not fault the Sith for wanting his lightsaber at the ready. Gerwald had to remind himself that humans could not see in the dark the same way he could. While his eyesight was much stronger as a wolf, Gerwald still had clarity in darker places as a man. His eyes, ears, and nose painted a more complete picture of what they were heading into.

He could hear the stone shift as the statue moved its eye.

His attention was fixed on it, drawing his hammer as he waited for the acolyte to enter the building. Gerwald would watch and wait to see if the beast would stir. He was not afraid of it, nor would he hesitate to kill it if he must. How the other had missed it would remain a mystery for now. If it did attack, Gerwald would end it. For now, he slowly moved over the threshold. Perhaps the sentry would leave them alone as long as they left the dark temple relatively undisturbed.

“We are being watched,” he said in a hushed tone. “Stay on your guard.”

 

[Anak Darkstar]

TAG: Gerwald Lechner

The Acolyte used his saber as a torch, peering in the passageway. He heard Gerward speak of a Lady, “Omnia? Who is she?” He kept focused as the garnet light helped light the way, then The Lupo told him to be on his guard. The Son of Perdition had sensed something, however he was ovwrwhelemed by His Mistresss’ presence. She had found hum once more after a severance after the Gala, on the planet he called Abaddon. Here she seemed more potent, his breath turning cold as if he was upon Rhen Var.

“Lord Gerward, what is this place? It feels like a nexus of the Dark.”

The Acolyte then came upon armor, two sets with skeletons in them. Two souls who had bor gotten far. Their plate had claw marks, making Anak turn to Gerward. Had he led others here and they failed the test? The Aon of Darkness hestiated as he examined the two skeletal remains. Anong one was a Light Pike. Taking the long obsidian shaft handle. Deactivating his other saber, he lit the pike which gave a cobalt glow, which meant the crystal had not been bled. Using the Pike as a walking staff he lead on, his suspicions growing with each step.