Faction Cut Off One Head, Two More Shall Arise | Sith Order

[Veradun Sharr]

Never had Veradun been so exposed to the depths of power that he saw on display in the Kaggath. Awe filled his eyes and his face. Chaos was unleashed within the arena as the two Sith Lords battled for dominion over the other; everything was at stake for them. Like many in the crowd, the young Nagai waited with bated breath to see just who would come out the victor, especially when Darth Strosius boldly declared himself as the new Emperor.

For some reason, it did not click with the boy at the time that for one to gain victory over the other, it meant that the loser would have to die.

But he quickly learned this cold, harsh truth when the sword of Darth Malum sank into the chest of his High Priest, and an explosion ripped across the arena and the stands that propelled the two combatants away from each other. When the boy had recovered from the blast, he looked up to see Darth Strosius ignite into flames, cloth and flesh melting away until all that was left behind was ash on the ground where a living man once stood and fought.

An icy pit filled the boy’s chest and the chill spread over his entire body, and the world grew still.

His High Priest? Gone?

No…No that wasn’t possible! It was just a trick…right? He’d reappear somewhere else anytime now…surely...

But as the moments passed by and the arena began to erupt further into chaos, the realization that he had just truly watched his greatest mentor die struck him hard. A thousand thoughts tore through Veradun’s mind then: what would become of his home? The people who relied on their High Priest to guide them forward? What…what would happen to his sister, Revna? Fear and sorrow filled the Nagai then as his mind turned to his sister. He knew just how close she had been with their High Priest - he knew in his heart that she would not take this death well. Or the fact that it had been her own cousin who had killed him.

Veradun blinked as he stared at the pile of ashes in the arena beyond, and something truly insidious began to crawl within him as he shifted pale eyes to the victor of the Kaggath. Disgust and something else far more…vile and caustic simmered within him. He had truly begun to respect Darth Malum - but that was gone in an instant as the boy processed the betrayal he had just witnessed. Not only a betrayal against a supposed ‘brother’...but against Veradun’s own sister, Malum’s own flesh and blood.

That was not something he could, or would, forgive.

A darkness, cold and serpentine - began to spread through him as violent thoughts and images began to play out in his mind…

He jumped when his Master laid his hands upon his shoulders and his voice fell over the boy’s ears, though Veradun hardly heard them through the violent fog that had descended over him. Somewhere, he heard a scream that rippled across the arena, and he could have sworn he recognized that sound...

But before he could try to discern further, he was firmly guided out of the viewing box and back towards the landing pads where the Dark Lord’s ship awaited. A numbness began to seep into the boy as he tried once more to process what had just occurred.

Darth Strosius was…was he truly gone?

As they neared the ship, the Sith Lord who was guiding him spoke once more, and his words instantly boiled the boy’s blood and sent him over the edge. Veradun came to a sudden halt and jerked his shoulder from the grasp of his Master as he turned to face the man.

“What …did you just say to me?” he asked, an icy anger edged in his voice as he had the nerve to speak in such a manner to the Dark Lord. “Don’t you dare dishonor him before me in such a manner! Especially in light of what just happened!” he snarled, his anger churning now and rising to get the better of him as the rest of what his Master had to say fell on deaf ears. He stared defiantly into the shadows of the Sith’s hood, his entire body shaking with his barely contained fury. “You said we were going to retreat into the darkness and prepare for our revenge. So let’s go.” he growled before stepping around his Master to continue onward towards their awaiting ship.

A voice in the back of his mind told him he had made a grievous mistake in lashing out with such disrespect - but at the moment he was too caught up in the storm of his emotions to care.

​

EXIT POST​

Darth Nefaron​

 

[Raxus Thul]

Raxus watched intently in his ship's quarters as the battle raged on. Aiming to learn all he could from his master's struggle with Malum. When his master proclaimed himself Emperor Raxus leaned in to watch even more closely to see what his next move would be. As Malum's final strike pierced Strosius, he collapsed to a pile of ash. Raxus watched with bated breath as the broadcast fell silent. Raxus stood up, rage welling up inside him. He had so much more to learn from him, how could he die now? Raxus threw his cup to the floor and he began to pace in his room.

"The fool actually got himself killed..."

Was Darth Strosius truly dead? Raxus fought with his emotions for a while before he could gather himself and decide what to do next. The scene repeating over and over in his head, he wrestled with anger and frustration, and Raxus came to a realization. He had to continue the work of his master set out for him, to spread the ways of his ancestors. So far, Strosius was one of the only people that Raxus had found that cared about the SIth of old. He was Darth Strosius' Disciple of Legacy after all. He had not forgotten the task he was given.

"The others, I wonder what they make of this."

He thought of his sibling apprentices Revna and Krinear. He wondered what they would be up to now that their master had perished. He was sure Krinear would use this as an opportunity to gain power somewhere, whether it be in the cult or elsewhere. He had no idea what Revna would be doing, perhaps she also felt a sense of purpose to continue the works to Strosius. For now, he thought it best to not make contact, for there was work to do, a void to fill, and criminals to bring to justice.

As Raxus approached the bridge of the ship, there was a deathly silence from all the cultists of Wonosa, they already knew what had happened, whether they had seen it or felt a disturbance. He could tell they all knew their master had been slain. He climbed the stairs in the bridge to address his men. "Listen well all of you!" Raxus yelled, with a shrill hatred in his voice. "We have a mission to carry out, we aim toward the outer rim. Not a soul there will escape the Lord Strosius' judgment. We will act as judge, jury, and executioner! Criminals and heathens alike will come to fear the name Raxus Thul! For I am Wonosa's Disciple of Legacy and all will come to know and fear me. Set course for Cotellier there is something there I wish to inspect."

Raxus sat in his chair with a forceful thud, thinking about what would become of the cult now. Would the members go into hiding? What would happen to Faldos, would it fall to ruin without a leader? Perhaps Raxus would go there after he completed his mission at hand. Raxus would use the loss of his master as a catalyst for his next conquest, with this loss he would gain so much. He was sure of it, he would not allow himself to wallow in pity, for this was an opportunity for him, an opportunity his master would hate for him to pass up. Not that it mattered, he was gone now. It is up to Raxus to continue the work he set out to do when he first started training with the Sith Lord. He had to restore the Sith of old, his people would demand respect again, even if it was he alone who demanded it. As the ship began to enter hyperspace Raxus stared into the void before him with sheer determination.

He would come out on top, he was sure of it. He will not fail now...

Darth Strosius Revna Krinear Malseren