Private Dark Ruminations

[Darth Imperius]

M O U N T _ S Y N D O R
N A T H E M A

Darth Prazutis​

It has been probably about two thousand years since he had made this journey. A mixture of devotion and disgust had held him back and the constant excuse not requiring to come here. He had been close, as warlord of the New Imperial Order and Empire, fighting alongside them against the Sith in the region, having been to Zygerria to crush slavers or making business in the Corporate Sector. But he never deemed it appropriate to come to Nathema. It was where He became immortal. It was where they found a way to murder Him. A place once a testimony to a single entities godhood, a place where its downfall was orchestrated.

Aurelian did not even consider it a reasonable place to be when he was Sith, but he was here back then and had built his powerbase from here with which he fought in the New Sith Wars. Despite the planet having 'recovered', as the narrow-minded fools considered it, the Dark side power was still strong, the echoes of the dead and of the dread just a tap away, martyrs for a greater good. For a greater purpose.

He saw it fit now to make it a possible starting point for a new consideration of relations towards the Sith, at least, some of them. There would be many who would consider him a hypocrite, a turncoat, a flag in the wind and as many fools as there were, it would not be surprising. His vision superseded petty allegiance and affiliation, his goals not comprehensible for neither average Sith nor Jedi, not to speak of the dull numbs who were unable to use the Force.

The ancient Zakuulan stood on a small plateau in the side of the mountain, his golden armor in stark contrast to the grey and brown of the rock around. He was alone, a shuttle landed a few hundreds meters down the mountain. He waited. He expected to meet a Sith. A former Emperor.

 

[Darth Prazutis]

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When the message came through, he was nearby, aboard the Eternal Rule burning a world that would only serve as a cog in the Kainite machine. It held things significant to him, to his research. It was pulled apart at the seams and set aflame leaving naught but ash and bone. It intrigued him to hear that the notorious Griffin of Zakuul wished to speak to him. The last time he'd encountered a member of the Eternal Empire it was ages ago. When their Emperor had dared to betray the Sith and stand against them. When he met Emperor Tacitus on the field of battle. That day the man had learned the error of his ways; his sheer power was enough to force the sovereign clear from the field in a full retreat understanding he couldn't come close to his wrath.

Nathema.

It was the ancient site of Darth Vitiate's rise and his demise. The world was forever touched by his presence even nearly four thousand years later. The dark side hung heavy over this world, saturating it deep within its soil. It was an interesting choice of world to call him to, in the realm of space that his Tenth Sith Empire once controlled. It wasn't far from the domain of the Kainate over the Sith Holy Worlds. The bastion of power that Malsheem often drifted through, where they prosecuted their black crusades throughout the outer rim and unknown regions. Through their presence there it bolstered their power as a major bastion within the Sith Order, their technological and economic superiority dwarfed all others. The Eternal Rule had entered the system with its own fleet of ships, and from it emerged a single black shuttle. The Midnight swiftly disappeared as its stealth systems engaged, only reappearing once they nearly touched down on the planet's surface.

Only one shape emerged from the belly of the shuttle.

The Dark Lord of the Kainate strode across the ruined path clad in a set of black zeyd-cloth robes. They glowed with the dim light of sith runes. A necklace held a powerful sith crystal around his neck and there were no apparent weapons hidden within his robes. The giant swept through like a living storm as he neared the individual waiting for him. Aurelian Sigismund did not disappoint in person the man was a living golden giant who stood even taller than him, it wasn't often something he encountered. The golden figure stood more like a statue than an actual man, resolute against the dull grays of Nathema by contrast he burned like a star, a star now drowned in the hurricane of black energy that followed him as he came upon the man. "Aurelian Sigismund. The Griffin of Zakuul stands far from the reaches of his empire, calling for me. You have me intrigued, Imperator. I have come."

Darth Imperius


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[Darth Imperius]

M O U N T _ S Y N D O R
N A T H E M A

Darth Prazutis​

The grey gaze of the Griffin followed the arrival and brief climb of the Dark Lord. A blink a few minutes earlier had told him that a fleet had arrived in the system, his own armors sensors as well as his shuttle's having picked up the signatures entering from hyperspace. A show of force or simply a convenience to take his war-party for a stride? It mattered not.

He was impressed with the physical presence the Sith Lord emitted. It was titanic, brutal, mountainous. The fact that he was dressed in a robe and unarmed just highlighted that fact. This way it seemed that no armour could clad this Epicanthix without bursting and it made the Zakuulan very curious to see him in armour and in action. Yet Aurelian kept his eyes unwaveringly on the man until he arrived in front of him and initiated the conversation.

"Aurelian Sigismund. The Griffin of Zakuul stands far from the reaches of his empire, calling for me. You have me intrigued, Imperator. I have come."

"Darth Prazutis." Aurelian's voice echoed like a final judgement cast. "If the reaches of an Empire were confined by lines on a map, none of us would be where we are."

His Empire. An interesting thought. And not one which was out of his own ambition. But it was not, not yet. The Eternal Empress stood firmly at the top of Kalidan's hierarchy and would remain there for the time being. Her resolute handling of the Empire in the past was for now a benefit and a necessity to rebuild an Empire which he could shape. Which he could prepare. Neither his Legions nor his Hegemony used the same political secrets as the Imperials did. Truth was that there was only one secret. His.

And any Empire was worth to be killed for it.

"The Shadow Hand of the Kainate came not alone." A brief, calm glance towards the sky and space where the ships were, unseen. "I have business to take up in this region of space and the proximity of the Stygian Caldera can be a certain asset, instead of a thorn." A brief pause as he let his grey eyes move along the horizon. "I have worked from this planet before, but not with a base of resources and power so far away as you truthfully remarked."

His lithic gaze found the Dark Lord of the Sith again. "Working with the local power is logical. Your progress to rebuild the Sith Worlds is remarkable and despite your victory at Tion, the Empires around, the rebels and Mandalorians are many an enemy. Mutual support can be gained for I believe that we have visions stronger than those petty fools."

 

[Darth Prazutis]

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"I hear many things, Overlord." The Dark Lord corrected, clasping his hands together comfortably. Deep within the cloak he appeared ever the moving shadow. Tattoos seemed to crawl over the exposed surfaces of his hands drawing in the light, unnatural patterns and runic script some Sith, many foreign in origin. "Your power grows by the day within the confines of your empire. The martial might of Zakuul will eclipse Kalidan before long. Perhaps the Eternal Empire will rise triumphant yet, perhaps with a stronger guiding hand they will see prosperity beyond anything they've experienced." The giant finished his silver tongued words alluding to a greater fate, tempting the fires of something already brewing beneath the surface.

When the mention came of his forces in tow he shook his head "I reaped a bloody harvest not far from here when I received your message. Their presence was merely a matter of convenience." The Overlord grabbed his attention fully when he began to lay out the reasons for his presence. Business hm? There was only so much business one of his stature could have so far from the reaches of his resurgent empire. This far away and so close to many of his enemies, it would mean less eyes on him. The less eyes on him? Even the golden titans of Zakuul can move in the shadows when given enough shade. "Our reach is immeasurable, Overlord. We shape the destiny of the Sith Order and every day our empire expands, the power of Malsheem is infinite. But what you say is true." The Dark Lord took a few more steps to close the gap between them. "It is in your benefit if you intend on business here. As for our visions I do believe our goals may align. The surrounding threats do not concern the Kainate, such trivial things no longer bind us. I can't help but see the advantages of your operation here however. So far from home, pressing so close to the chaos. You find yourself far away from prying eyes and ears Overlord. What business does Zakuul have so deep in the dark that the light of Kalidan cannot reach them?"

Darth Imperius
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[Darth Imperius]

M O U N T _ S Y N D O R
N A T H E M A

Darth Prazutis​

"The Kainate's eyes are never sleeping. Yet Kalidan and Zakuul are no competitors, they are pillars which may hold greater structures together if given the proper union and direction." Ambition was useful, but so was the right time for the right moves. He understood that there was no use in playing with the former with a Sith like Prazutis, it was their profession to see the elemental matters of an individual. One of the more useful traits a Sith had.

So Aurelian was not going down the path of trying something he simply was not good at. What he was good at, was using facts and the truth.

"As much as borders do not define influence, crowns do not make kings. Yet I would not consider your reach as unchallenged, your destiny shaping unique or absolute. The corpse sits the throne, the Eternalists play their games of expansion together with you and your nephew. Though I cannot deny a certain excitement to witness the Malsheem myself." His voice carried neither challenge nor mockery, it was as neutral and cold as rock. A statement, a fact to him and nothing less.

"I hope that despite that, your trivialisation of the states of the Outer Rim, is a testament of knowing your strengths rather than boasting arrogance. I have witnessed too many Sith considering themselves invincible, omnipotent and omniscient just to see them brought down by the inevitability of what has bound the Galaxy in a continuous stream of war for millennia."

"My business is to fortify my personal presence and power in this area of space, partly due to the distance to prying eyes but also because this region holds far more valuables in knowledge, objects and subjects than Wild Space. Knowledge is power. If our goals and visions do align indeed, what might your offer towards it be?"

 

[Darth Prazutis]

Conversation.

When one stood with another whose intellectual mind mirrored their own in experience, and overall skill even a conversation was a battle all its own. There was no doubt that the reach of the Kainate was unchallenged. If it was in such a strong position he would've utilized, it to wash away all opponents and nuisances. They were in a powerful position that much was true and far more prepared than anyone would expect, much was hidden from the prying eyes of peers and rivals alike. But the present was an ever-changing ebb and flow, like the oceanic tides they were never stable for very long. Only the supremely arrogant didn't change with the flow of the tide, adapt to remain where they were. Such was a fact all Maenans universally understood. The very moment you stop evolving, growing from loss and getting stronger?​

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You die.​

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"Kalidan and Zakuul are no competitors. But it is clear to anyone who carefully observes the two that Zakuul has long eclipsed the capital. Every day your light shines brighter, while theirs darkens with stagnation. The situation has changed Dragon. You no longer stand together as pillars; you will become the pillar to hold them up." The Dark Lord countered. It wasn't a venomous twist of words, rather a careful analysis of the growing situation.​

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"You speak truth. The grand game we all play is ever changing. It would be as ignorant as it is foolish to assume we were infallible. As for Malsheem? It awaits for those who walk the path." Prazutis paused, moving to slowly circle the Imperator. When he continued to speak every word came with the cold logic of a mind that spent countless hours analyzing everything involved. It was clear the Dragon came prepared for this scenario, he suspected it was a rare moment that the man was caught unprepared. After everything he uncovered about the man, the dossiers prepared, he was pleased that the actual man lived up to them and more. ​

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"I do not let emotion or pride stand in my way. This empire rises and operates by our will. I have analyzed our strengths, decades spent building us with specific goals in mind pouring over every detail. Only the fool both considers himself infallible. Through evolution and loss comes growth. I have prepared us I know of what the Kainate is capable of far more than any other. We will adapt to the ever-changing galactic stage, and I continually work to ensure the Kainate is prepared for the unexpected, for the losses we haven't yet seen." The Dark Lord stopped in front of him, he gestured out towards the desolate landscape around them. The wind tugged at his cloak.​

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"As for my offer. Life is broken up into a series of key moments in time, decisions every individual makes that inevitably change the course they are on. Some are for worse while others are for the better. Take your idol. While you may have known him as Valkorion, he began his life as Vitiate the Great, Sith Emperor once favored by Marka Ragnos himself. One fateful moment in time, one decision made on this world countless millennia ago. That singular moment took him from what was, what is, to what he could become. The very moment he consigned this world to death his path changed, and he carved out his place in history. You stand upon one of those very moments, Imperator. I see how you chafe under the leadership of the Eternal Empress. She walks in the shadow of the one you swore your allegiance to, your true liege stood against me and broke before my might. I have taken the measure of you, I know of what you are made of. Every moment you spend under her banner is wasted. You are made to destroy, to conquer and rule. It's written into your very bones. You will never realize your ambitions under her leadership. You belong with us. Our blood runs through your veins. What I offer you is freedom from the shackles they've placed on you. Come to the Kainate. Take up our creed and we will lead you forward, see your ambitions realized. We will set the galaxy aflame and burn away the weak and build something new in the ashes. Do not deny who you truly are no longer."​

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Darth Imperius ​

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[Darth Imperius]

Darth Prazutis

Aurelian's figure was unmoved, his golden presence making him a stature by all measures. He was radiant but cold, a white light that blinded and killed, it was not warm and comforting, it lacked life and spirit, but made up with a valiant strength, an aura of strength and image of justice. He was an angel of death, an adjudicator of law, and a master of war. That was the veil, the heavy curtain that had been lowered a long time ago to conceal and remove any notion of what was behind. It was tiring. Aurelian was exhausted.

The Zakuulan did not move when the Sith started to move around him, he did not respond when the Sith pointed out his accomplishments and strengths, his achievements. He was not gullible, he was not tempted by compliments or by highlighting his own power versus that of his current 'superior'. The Sith Warlord was not as brutal and heavy-handed as he looked though, his allure would be tempting, would be intriguing to an individual who was not aware of the Dark sides lure, even then, it was difficult to resist such sweet words carved from cold steel.

Yet Aurelian, while initially here to negotiate and find a common ground, did not expect to find a common future. He heard words he knew, was shown realities how they were, but it was what he saw that was making up his mind. He saw a mind and intelligence which was equal to his own, a grand ambition and ability to see not only the pond, but the ocean. A brutal efficiency, a zealous belief and a power held by few individuals. It was not self-righteous, no petty goals. It saw everything. And it desired everything.

"I have found the truth, a long time ago, buried beneath thrones and hidden by councils. Overshadowed by wars without victors, I have had a vision of the future - a Galaxy that is mine."

His voice changed, it was a heavenly spear before, clean, echoing beyond any obstacle and its purity of judgement unquestionable. Now its tone slowed, a deep, resonant bass speaking with harsh, gravelly undertones and in a measured pace, deliberate weight added to every word, making every sentence spoken an unquestionable fact. His speech now exuding superiority, imperiousness and a disdain for everything weak and petty.

The Shadow Hand could see and more importantly feel the veil lifting. A sick paleness set into the skin of Aurelian, ageing far beyond what seemed reasonable or possible. The grey eyes, formerly carved from bedrock and unyielding as a mountain, were burned away by a deep red, fed by veins of blood running towards. In it's center a blackness that was as unnatural as it was unnerving. It was dead, void of anything that a sentient would rate as a soul.

"The Sith Empire was war made manifest and it was perfect. It has decayed to the same decadence, infighting and corruption that plagues the weakest wills and narrowest of minds."

"I will not stand for it, but I will stand at your side. Peace is a lie, only mongrels will pollute that truth for a sense of unity. A cleansing fire to stop the rot, to tear down the corrupt systems and embrace a new future, a future of fire and blood. I will burn down all failing, petty legacies and only those that embrace the flame will stand by my side. You, your nephew and I will bring about a new era, to witness my reckoning, the Sith reforged. My vision will come to pass."

The air cracked, reality splintered around him, the rock itself shattered around them as it seemed that not the planet was defining gravity anymore, but Aurelian. The Dark side of the Force was not simply present, it was amplified, it was vibrant, alive in an aura of unrelenting power and unlimited dimensions.

"I am Darth Imperius and I will join your Kainate."

 

[Darth Prazutis]

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Perhaps the only semblance of emotion came in the twisted grin that formed on his face when the Dragon pulled back the layers of who he truly was, no longer hiding behind the facade. Words carefully tore down what existed and revealed the truth underneath that had formed ages in the past when ancients once walked the earth. The very moment he first laid eyes on the Dragon of Zakuul he could perceive what was hiding beneath, the man couldn't entirely shroud his true nature not from him. It took a careful touch to bring it crashing down, the very darkness around them seemed to react at this revelation, a dark omen to what now unfold as they took these steps forward together.

"Darth Imperius. We will usher in this new era in blood and fire together. It is time you complete the transformation. Kneel before me and you submit to the Sith Dyarchy, pledge yourself to the Eternal Rule. You will pass from the ashes of a failing state and into an empire that will see everything torn asunder. You will no longer chafe under the leadership of failures and cowards; you will stand amidst titans who will excise the decay from the Sith, who will crush your enemies."

The Dark Lord who stood before him gestured down towards the blackened earth. It was the inevitable final step the moment the gold-plated warrior cast aside who he was and became Darth Imperius. The very moment he promised to join the Kainate all paths led to this final confirmation of what was truly said. To submit to the will of the Eternal Father and the Shadow Hand, the Sith Dyarchy or the Dark Dyad. Everything that was to happen would begin right here, the new brighter future before Zakuul and Iokath began right here. No longer would they remain chained to Kalidan and the shards of the past, they would no longer be the pillar others relied on to hide their own weakness.

Darth Imperius | Darth Carnifex






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[Darth Imperius]

Darth Prazutis | Darth Carnifex

"I have pledged myself to you and your nephew, to the Eternal Rule. But I will not kneel, never again to any monarch nor master. I have broken my chains and will not forge new ones by throwing myself into the dust in front of you, Darth Prazutis."

The words were sharp but he kept his pace calm, measured as he spoke. There was a finality to it that would break the very rock if they were to be contested. Imperius did not lift the curse of service from his shoulders to submit feebly and weakly to a new overlord.

"My pledge is loyalty to Eternal Rule, to bring down the weak-willed and petty creatures that claim to rule this Galaxy. You have my word but do not expect me to accept another pair of chains by throwing myself down in awe, former Emperor. I am at your side, at your command, but I am not a servant."

His void-black gaze calmly turned towards the stars, the augmented vision seeing more than just dots through clouds, he saw the beauty of what it held, a beauty only mortals could perceive as beautiful. To him it just now became clear of what it actually was. What it meant. He had fought for generations among weakness, lowered himself to service, shamed himself in protection of the lesser. It was no more. He stared at the stars and he saw the eradication of weakness. He looked to the stars and saw the future, a galaxy in flames.

 

[Darth Prazutis]

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It would be enough.

Out in the wastelands of Nathema came a pledge, an oath of submission and servitude to the faith of the Eternal Rule, and service to the Kainate. In many ways the attempt to make the man kneel was a test to get the measure of him. The Kainate didn't need any inept, mewling sycophants, there were other lesser creatures who would be made to prostrate themselves before the Dyarchy. If Aurelian Sigismund was everything he claimed to be, everything he suspected him to be, and everything Darth Imperius could be then it would be the perfect test. The utterance of submission was enough for the Dark Lord. It was a vulnerable display that the man wouldn't normally convey.

"Then so be it. I accept your pledge, your oath of servitude and welcome you to the faith of the Eternal Rule, and the Kainate Lord Imperius. A reckoning comes and we are its heralds, Imperator. Now come for Malsheem awaits." Prazutis finished. It was a short response that conveyed everything he desired to say. The Dark Lord didn't wait for a response, he turned away from the Dragon and began to cross through the ruined wastes back towards the distant shuttle, and the promise of a new, brighter, more prosperous future for both of them.

Darth Imperius




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