Private Best Intentions-LOTS

[Darth Acharon]

Acharon stood in silent contemplation outside the chambers of the being he had come to see, the smallest traces of sweat rolling down his face, despite the cooling system installed within. Even the hallway he now waited in was cold, locating nearly a kilometer beneath the surface of Korriban. An ancient tomb, of that there was no doubt. The pillars lining the hallway leading to the chamber before Darth Acharon told of a Sith Lord that had fallen in some war unremembered. Tombs like this were not uncommon on Korriban, and Acharon himself had explored several of them during his time training on Korriban years ago. However, this one was special for a singular reason from what Acharon could tell.

The doors were massive.

For what was likely the tenth time, Acharon glanced past the two Sith sentinels standing guard outside the chambers the Worm Emperor, the leader of the Lords of the Sith, had claimed for their own use. The door was easily four meters in height, and decorated in ancient ruins and carving from a variety of languages, with Acharon only able to understand the barest traces. Closing his eyes, Acharon folded his hands behind his back, a calming action for him as he began to pace again. A pathway of sand and dust had been created in the floor along the path Acharon had chosen to pace along. The bottom of his black robes were becoming covered in the stuff, and Acharon made a mental note to ensure he cleaned it after the meeting. If he survived it anyway. He had asked for this meeting with the Worm Emperor, and perhaps strangest of all, the leader of the Lords of the Sith had accepted.

Suddenly, the door leading into the chamber beyond began to slowly creep open. Small tendrils of black smoke escaped from the opening, licking up at the heels of the two Sith sentinels who stood unmoving. Staring into the pitch black depths, Acharon did his best to control his breathing, an exercise that failed when a screeching laugh echoed from the depths, the voice of a child. Acharon knew he could not delay this any further. He tapped into the Dark Side, focusing his mind on it, and letting the familiar taint fill his body. The cold began to vanish from his senses, replaced by a void as empty as the darkness before him.

Unfolding his arms, Acharon walked across the short distance separating him from the chamber, and stepped in to the darkness beyond.

Aspect of Passion

 

[Aspect of Passion]

The Darkness was infinite - choking and heavy, there didn't seem to be an end. With every step it seemed to increase in its density until Acharon would feel as though he were walking submerged in water; until finally he could move no longer. For a brief second, he would feel as though he were drowning - in the air, in the dark side, it did not matter only that it was all encompassing.

Yet when it seemed as though the mere presence of the Worm would kill him, the abyss broke - light breaking through the darkness until Acharon would find himself standing only a few meters away from the Worm Emperor - who's back was away from him. Instead, the Worm was staring at a tomb, or at least what could be considered staring. Five electrum masks each with voids for eyes stared unmoving at a statue of a long dead Sith Lord whose name was lost to the annals of history.

Around them, his servants. Some in the floor with little more than a deteroiated carving of their name to signify they ever lived, while more still were raised to vertical coffins along the walls. Death hung heavy in the air as they stood, until a low exhale that seemed to echo against the walls took its place.

"Magnificent isn't it.", a regal, masculine tone offered without a glance back.

"Once, this very Darth held an iron grip on legions many sizes greater than our own - killed by his apprentice before he could usurp the Sith Emperor of his time.", the Worm said.

"Replaced.", a man chimed in a calm tone.

"Replaced by someone stronger.", the original voice reassured.

"A shame we have come to this point."

The Worm turned at once, each of his five masks finding their place staring at Acharon as he stood there - and as the attention found itself upon him, he would feel its unbearable weight.

"Darth Acharon. I understand you require something. Speak your peace, my child."

Darth Acharon

 

[Darth Acharon]

Acharon trudged forward slowly, forcing both his mind and body to push through the encompassing and overwhelming darkness. Acharon began to reach out for the Force, just as the darkness seemed to be ready to overwhelm him...and then it was gone. Acharon stumbled forward at the sudden lack of resistance, and his hand shot to his saberstaff out of habit. He resisted the urge, forcing himself to straighten his tense body as he looked around the room.

Acharon averted his gaze from the Worm Emperor quickly, staring down at one of the beings servants on the ground. Acharon was not necessarily terrified of the Worm Emperor, though the beings recent ploy certainly made him more cautious. All things could be explained, and even the seemingly all powerful Worm Emperor could be rationalized if Acharon had all the information. Still, that did not mean that Acharon was stupid enough to presume too much during the first official meeting he had with the leader of the Lords of the Sith.

As the Worm Emperor began to speak of the original occupant of the tomb, he felt the return of pressure on his mind, and fresh pools of sweat began to pool beneath his clothing. Grunting, Acharon tried to force himself to stand steady, forcing out a brief connection of Force energy to reinforce the mental barriers he had forged in his mind.

"Yes...Emperor. I have been searching for the final resting place of Darth Vorkar, an ancient Sith Lord of the reformed Sith Empire. He was an individual of unrivaled power during his time, Emperor, and his mere existence brought the Sith Empire of the time to the brink of collapse. His final resting place was never discovered, and I believe it to be located beyond the Tingle Arm, at the very edge of our galaxy. I require more resources to find the resting place of Darth Vorkar..."

Aspect of Passion

/[div]

 

[Aspect of Passion]

"I know the name.", the Worm offered.

Whispers filled room, always seeming to be coming from just outside of Acharon's field of view - always moving as his head turned to spy for them. Visually, they were alone, but Acharon would feel a thousand people in that small tomb with them.

"Perhaps once he was feared.", he regally followed up, as though dismissive.

"A heretic of his time.", a man chimed in from directly behind Acharon - only to be missing if he looked.

"And what do you seek in his tomb?", the Worm asked through empty eyes.

Darth Acharon

 

[Darth Acharon]

Acharon turned his, trying to catch the briefest glimpse of the source of the voices, before simply looking down at the ground. He knew the Worm Emperor enjoyed these games, it kept individuals on edge and vulnerable. A vulnerable Sith could be exploited, and those who were exploited were easy to recruit. The Worm Emperor was a master of the game, but Acharon reminded himself he had a purpose here.

"Darth Vorkar had the command of a mighty army and fleet. Even after his defeat, he would have maintained control over an impressive force. The army is likely long gone, but the fleet may yet survive. Those ships could prove helpful to our cause." Acharon tried to stop speaking then, closing his mouth and resisting the urge to divulge all, until a force within him forced the rest to come rushing out.

"And I seek the holocron of Darth Vorkar for myself, Emperor. It will offer me the chance to grow more powerful than I am now. I must have it."

Aspect of Passion

 

[Aspect of Passion]

"To our cause?", the voice asked him incredulously.

"Or yours?", a woman offered from the darkness.

"You ask me for a boon, so you may attain a boon you can not receive on your own. Instead of finding the strength to get it yourself, you ask for a crutch, a lift, a step ladder to a goal just out of reach like a petulant child.", the Worm Emperor chastised.

"I will offer you a meeting before the council - to discuss your idea; but I need proof you are worth our time. Speak to Qual'Al-Selim, take ships to Alderaan and capture Faith Organa and her kin. Bring them to me, and we may yet offer you a chance for your holocron.", the voice said as whispers began to trail in from the silence.

Darth Acharon