Darkness Embodied

[ToKola Bakari]

Malakai made his way down the halls of The Chimera, his master's call prompting him to the bridge of the ship. The halls were quiet and void of any engineers or soldiers, by Malakai's estimation it was the beginning of the night shift so most of the ship's crew were asleep or on their break. He found himself staring at the entrance to the bridge, his Master's form awaiting him as he stepped forward.

There was a slight frustration radiating around Malakai, his master had, in a way betrayed him. Though the betrayal was not surprising it was no less insulting. Taking apprentices behind the Sith's back, it gave him a feeling of insignificance,

As he stalked towards Mepherium he attempted to mask his presence, his hand moving to the lightsaber that hung on the side of his hip. He continued to close the distance between the two, until there was nothing but mere meters in between the two.

Drawing his lightsaber the apprentice leaped forward, only one of his dual-bladed lightsaber blades igniting, the violet hue caressing the dark scenery around them. He aimed the blade of his lightsaber for the Dark Lord's back, wondering if now was the time when he would take his legacy in his own hands.

 

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The seed of disdain had been implanted in young Gratua's heart.

Since his youth, Mephirium had raised the boy to believe he was special. He'd taught him his unique views on philosophy, religion, and other matters of importance to a sentient's characters. More importantly, he had worked to expand the boy's control over the ethereal realm. He showed great promise, and Mephirium had found that he was fond of the boy on a level that he did not share for most of his constituents, but he was nowhere near the end of his training.

The boy had been allowed to take up the title of Darth to fuel his arrogance. Mephirium wished him to think he was greater than what he was; that he was above the sum of his parts. It had seemed like a badge of honor for the young man, for whom better to stand at Darth Mephirium's side as they brought peace to the core? Surely his closest ally would bear the title of master.

In the end, the title was nothing more than a joke. Darth Malakai was something Gratua aspired to be, not what he was. The boy had many years before he might call himself a lord, let alone a Darth. Yet Mephirium had allowed it, and now the boy's sense of purpose was shattered. His self-importance had been betrayed the moment he learned of the other apprentices' existence.

It was all a test, and at the moment, Gratua was failing.

With a lofted brow, Mephirium felt Gratus draw close. He felt the snap his off the lightsaber; the heat of it against his back. With a simple thought, he delved through the great ocean, sought out the essence of the weapon, and became one with it. He saw the make of it: an elegant yet brutal weapon. He gave it a telekinetic shove, unscrewing the delicate bolts that held it together and killing the power to the emitter. At best, the weapon would cease to function. At worst, it would fall to pieces in Gratua's grasp. Mephirium did not care which.

"You've grown bold," he said, turning his apathetic gaze upon Gratua. "Perhaps too bold."

[member="Darth Malakai"]

 

[ToKola Bakari]

The blade to Malakai's blade dissolved before him, the key components to the blade having been disrupted by Darth Mephirium's invisible hand that was tethered to the nether of the Dark Side. He looked to the hilt for a moment as his master spoke to him, rather than give a weak excuse or justification the apprentice simply fell to one knee, bowing his head respectfully. "I but embrace the way of the Sith, My Lord."

In most aspects that statement was true, it would be a lie if Gratua said he wanted nothing more than to kill the Dark Lord. That statement held both true and false. Mepherium was, in most ways, the closest thing Gratua ever had to a father. He had cared for him when the galaxy had abandoned and forgotten him. The man had showed him the ways of the Dark Side and how to harness his true power that laid in waiting, Regardless of his feelings he knew that one day Mepherium would have to die, because one day Malakai would become more powerful than his master. For him to truly honor his father he would have to prove he could take his place, something he had yet to do.

He continued to hold his head low before speaking in an indignant tone to his master. "Do you doubt my power? Am I not your hand as you said I was to be?" Even Gratua was surprised by the statement, had Mepherium's other apprentices caused such frustration to the boy? He dared not glance up at his master, for his trespasses for the day were already more than he suspected would be tolerated. Instead he prepared himself for the punishment that was sure to be brought down onto him.

[member="Darth Mephirium"]

 

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The excuse was inadequate, but Mephirium accepted it nonetheless. The boy was well read, as all Mephirium's students must be, and knew the ways of the ancients. He understood that the Sith of old were to kill their masters and take their place. He had not yet imparted in the boy that doing so is the work of lessers; that the two strongest must rule alongside one another. Eventually, time would take Mephirium, but he doubted Gratua would be the one to kill him. As starling as the boy was, and as much as Mephirium had taught him, he felt that the boy would come to understand that killing him would be detrimental to their efforts.

Mephirium was building a dominion for this child to rule one day. Gratua would come to understand that in time, but for now, Mephirium would let him think that such archaic practices still had merit. In a way, they most certainly did. The Sith who sat upon the lower tiers would succeed those above them, and the cycle would continue all the way up to Darth Mephirtium's personal constituents. It was only the Dark Lord who would live outside that cycle; forever cultivating the violence, but not taking part.

A dry laugh rumbled up from Mephirium. "You sound like a woman I took back on Corellia. She was displeased to know that she was only a paramour for the evening, and that I held no love for her. You are reminding me of her now: a spoiled woman whom thinks herself more important than she truly is. Were I any of my other peers, I would have taken your head for your insolence. Remember that."

The words were spoken as if they were facts, without contempt. "Gratua, the Sith Order must be rebuilt under my jurisdiction. If you are to take my place one day, you must have others to stand as your council. A Sith Lord is nothing without his allies. I have every confidence that you will retain your place at my side, for I have raised you since you were just a boy. You have taken my late son's place, and I love you as my own child, but should one of these others overtake you, then my confidence is misplaced and my seat is not worthy of being your own."

The words were spoken like a father explaining to his child he could not eat his desert. They carried real love, but a strictness that brooked no disagreement. "It is clear to me that you have grown overconfident in your abilities. Perhaps my fondness for you has allowed your ego's growth to outpace that of your talents."

[member="Darth Malakai"]

 

[ToKola Bakari]

His Master's words were as harsh as always, but as usual they were true and necessary. It was in the moments when Mepherium chastised and lectured him that he felt both the wisest and the most foolish. His father's words pulled him back into reality, returning both his emotions and ideology back into check. He stood, looking to the man for a moment before speaking plainly. "My foolishness dishonors you father....It will not happen again."

It was a difficult bite to swallow, Mepherium's comment on his overestimating his own abilities. He clasped his hands behind his back, remaining silent for a moment more before deciding now would be the time to reveal his own plans to his master. "Your teachings will yet bore fruit, Master." The Sith pulled a datapad from under his cloak, holding it out to the Dark Lord.

The datapad held a series of jumbled information, to most it would appear random and recorded in no particular order. This was merely a code developed by Gratua in his childhood, allowing only two people in the galaxy to possibly understand the information, his master and himself.

"I've spent much time in our archives. Researching our ancient ancestors and their works. Darth Celestae had a plan, some sort of....Sith enhancement program. I believe it would be a great asset to our Empire." He paused for a moment for his master to review the data. "I could begin to pick up where he left off....if I am careful I can have human trials in less than two years."


[member="Darth Mephirium"]

 

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If nothing else, the boy was obedient. Gratua would not betray him, at least not yet. He was a crutch Mephirium could fall upon should have to, though he doubted things would ever come to that. No challenger could stand against him alone; not since [member="Soeht"] had added his strength to Mephirium's own. No, they would use cunning and trickery to slit his throat. That was where the military would come in; whilst the Sith jostled for power, the backbone of the Dominion was firmly aligned with their leader. Mephirium was Sith and Imperial both, and that helped him to maintain the balance quite well.

"See that is does not," Mephirium affirmed, his eyes falling past Gratua. "Understand this, Gratua. The Sith are a broken thing. Our ancient ideals have not withstood the test of time. One day, you may choose to end me, but know that doing so is counter-intuitive. He whom seeks power for his own sake is a fool, for at the end he finds only annihilation. He whom seeks power for the betterment of all is the most powerful being in the galaxy, for he has no enemies." He chuckled, "I have walked both paths, my boy. I will bring peace, and order to the galaxy. When that time comes, we will have no need to destroy one another, for we both will hold all the power these is to have. I encourage our peers to follow the old arts, because it keeps them from rising up against me. I cannot establish order if I am constantly putting down rebellions."

He gestured toward the stars behind him. "One day, I will die. I have no intention of remaining after my body has ceased to function. When that time comes, this will all be yours. You must learn to control the Sith, to keep them in chains, for they are volatile. To keep our chains broken, theirs must be reinforced. Allow them some freedom, but do not let them gain enough to effect anything beyond their small realms. Do this, and whatever you build will last for an eternity."

A hulking figure clad in a massive cloak strode down the walkway. Its head was bowed in reverence, and its reptilian smile could just barely be seen under the hem of its cowl. Mephirium smiled.

"Shlurk," he said. The Graug nodded, "Grax'thor. I had been wondering when we would embark." The massive Graug's nostrils flared as he walked up alongside Gratua. "Is this the boy?"

"He is."

"He smells like you did when you were just a pup."

Mephirium rumbled with quiet, albeit true laughter and walked down to Gratua. "Two years you say? I will permit this, so long as you only operate on dissidents -- of which I've no doubt you'll have an endless supply."

[member="Darth Malakai"]

 

[ToKola Bakari]

Gratua maintained a solemn stance as his father spoke to him. There was still much he had to learn, this fact was not foreign to him, nor was it one he intended to ignore. If what Mepherium said as true his time would come, and now was the time to prove himself, regardless of his feelings towards the other apprentices he knew he would have to work with them. In time he would prove himself his Master's champion and there would no longer be a need for his emotions to flare as they had this day.

"I will do as you say father." When the hulking footsteps of a Graug became apparent Gratua canted his head to the side, allowing him to see the creature as it stalked up next to him. The creature had been seen around the ship many times yet Gratua often paid it little mind, Mepherium could give off the persona of a collector of odd creatures and people, seeing another strange alien was little surprise.

Rather than acknowledge the creature he returned his attention to his master, taking his datapad back before speaking once more. "I will need access to labs on Denon and aboard the ship, as well as funds for such. I can handle the rest on my own, Master." Gratua often wondered if his master appreciated the initiative that he attempted to take, but he quickly took the thought from his mind. It was an irrelevant thought, regardless of the answer. "Master, why did you summon me to the bridge?"

Mepherium had yet to divulge the information that initially brought Gratua from his quarters on The Chimera, let alone his plans for the future, he was curious to see what the man had in mind.

[member="Darth Mephirium"]

 

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"Then you will have it. See to it that this project is a success, Gratua," Mephirium instructed, a hint of pride in his voice. It was only the slightest shift of his tone, but it was enough to inform the boy that Mephirium did indeed approve. He gave the datapad one last look over and turned away, his attentions shifting to the great stars beyond.

"I wished to see how you would react to learning of other students. Evidently, not as well as I had hoped. Nonetheless, you will learn to work with them. [member="Enma Jayss"] in particular intrigues me. I've yet to ascertain as to what form of creature she is, and so you will do so. She is not your rival. That woman is a servile creature, though she has great potential. With the right cultivation, she may prove to be one of the best of us. It would be wise for you to learn what you can of her, and perhaps teach her what you already know. Cultivating an alliance with a fellow student is a key to victory."

He paused, gesturing to Shlurk. The Graug lofted a scaly brow, but said nothing. "That is the only advice I will give you one dealing with your fellow students," he turned about, "Shlurk has been by my side since I was an infant. He has been my protector, and my brother. He is far more powerful than you, my apprentice."

He nodded to Shlurk. The alien produced a massive double-bladed lightclub from his cloak. It was as thick as a human forearm almost a full man's length. Shlurk wielded it as if it were a simple child's toy, the twin blades hissing to life. Each was a starry black; the color of the void itself.

"You will do everything in your power to kill him. Begin."

In silence, Shlurk moved forward, his massive weapon carving through the air to bisect Gratua from shoulder to hip.

[member="Darth Malakai"]

 

[ToKola Bakari]

The aspect of working with others was not Gratua's favorite. He would be the first to tell anyone that his social skills lacked a certain...existence. The boy had been initially raised by droids and computers, leaving little for the ways of socialization. Yet his Master had commanded that he find out what he can, so it was his duty to do such. He watched as Mepherium introduced the creature, it had a name that was as ungracefully fitting as it's appearance.

There was an abrupt hiss, a lightsaber being activated beside the boy, it caused him to quickly turn his head towards the Graug. By the time his head turned the behemoth's lightsaber was already flying towards him, leaving little time to counter the attack. That left the Sith with only one option, evade.

Quickly rotating his feet to face the Graug, Gratua forced his heels into the ground, allowing him to swiftly slide back from the lightsaber's, narrowly missing the hot blade of his new opponent. He glanced down to his lightsaber and cursed himself for a moment, the broken tool would be of little use here.

Gratua took a moment to release the claps on his cape, setting the fabric down on the ground while taking a rather odd fighting stance. The Sith lowered himself down to a three point stance, his eyes trained on the creature, awaiting it's next move. All the while he began to reach out with the Force, hoping to gain ground mentally, if not physically. He knew if he began to slowly break down the mental barriers of the creature he would have a chance to create an opening.

[member="Darth Mephirium"]

 

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Shlurk's fighting style was not terribly refined. The Graug favored brute strength when it came to physical contests, and while the majority of his strikmes never hit, the ones that did were devastating. He'd often won battles strictly on rules of attrition alone. His reptilian physiology allowed him far more stamina than most other creatures, and he had the raw strength required to hurl a speeder with one hand should it be required. Needless to say, any strike of Shlurk's that actually struck home would easily cleave someone in two.

Just as Gratua evaded him, Shlurk twirled. He leveled his blade, holding it back as if he were going to hurl it like a spear. He took three harsh steps forward, the steel floor creaking under his immense weight. Rather than hurl the weapon, he stabbed it forward in an attempt to pierce Gratua's heart.

"You are quick, pup!" He snarled, "But I am faster!" A bellowing laugh followed the Graug's words. As they left his lips, Mephirium began to move.

A thin cylindrical device flew through the air toward Gratua. The weapon was of a far older make; its blue blade begging to be ignited. Shlurk ignored the gleam, keen to continue trying to spear Gratua on the end of his weapon.

[member="Darth Malakai"]

 

[ToKola Bakari]

Gratua had anticipated the next phase of the creature's attack well, as the beast charged forward he clenched his cape into his hand. The moment the behemoth had gotten close enough Gratua swung his arm forward, slinging the cape into the creature's face, hoping to distract it. Immediately after Gratua pushed off with his legs, his hands coming into contact with the floor as he rolled past the Graug. As Gratua recovered his hand flew to the air, catching the lightsaber that had been thrown to him by his Master.

The hilt was older and classic, but it would do the job, he quickly ran his thumb over the activation stud, watching as the sky blue blade came to life, just in time for the Sith's counter attack. He turned towards the creature, giving a graceful flick of his wrist while moving his arm in a whipping motion, allowing the blade to kiss the back of the creature.

Gratua was wary of getting too close and immediately fell back away from him, hoping to become more stable before moving into close combat. He watched the beast closely, trying to judge the best way to handle this opponent.

[member="Darth Mephirium"]

 

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The cape did indeed find itself plastered over Shlurk's reptilian visage, but the Graug would not be so easily undone. He sunk himself into the depths of the Bogan, that of which his master called the ethereal, and his blade moved in tandem with his thoughts. Faster than any beast of his size had any right to be, Shlurk twisted his lightclub back so that the blade was splayed along his spine. It caught on Gratua's blade, and did not so much as waver an inch.

With a roar of annoyance, Shlurk flicked the blade back to cleave Gratua in two, just as he kicked his whole body back to crush the smaller man. His eloquent speech had devolved into various roars that might have been threats: it was truly hard to tell

All throughout, Mephirium watched from his perch. A brow was lofted as Gratua ignited the lightsaber Mephirium had carried as a Jedi, and a quiet laugh fell from his lips when the cape hit Shlurk's face.

Chuckling, Mephirium spoke, "Shlurk is a better swordsman than you, but he is large. Rely on your wits and your speeds. Immerse yourself in the currents of the force, and you may yet find victory."

[member="Darth Malakai"]

 

[ToKola Bakari]

Gratua was forced to push away even further from the creature when it attempted a counter to Gratua's strike. He kept his distance, not wanting to allow an opening, because it would only take one blow from that creature to end the young Sith's life. He glanced to his master, taking in the words that were spoken to him. He began to circle the beast, trying to figure out his next move, obviously a frontal attack would be useless, so he had to rely on his speed as his master had said.

The creature seemed far more seasoned in combat than Gratua, hell there was no telling what the limits to his ability is. He moved forward, only to strafe back to his previous position, the Sith focused on the current of the force around him before bringing his hand up, dipping into the endless nether of the Dark Side. Small strips of lightning rounded his hand before his finger tips gave life to long streams of lightning, burning towards the creature. A flashy, yet capable skill, his force lightning was still i need of much development before it could harm a beast such as this, but perhaps another window could be opened.

[member="Darth Mephirium"]

 

[Placeholder 04]

The lightning made Shlurk's spine shake. the Graug's back arched as a growl of pain was forced past his lips. he whirled toward Gratua, all the rage and pain induced by the younger Sith's attack fueling him. He would have surely cleaved Gratua in two neatly carved pieces, were it not for the hand that Mephirium held up at the stroke's zenith.

The blade cut through the air alongside Gratua, rather than straight through him.

"Enough," Mephirium ordered. "You now have a taste for Shlurk's abilities, Gratua." He gestured toward the Graug. Shlurk bowed his head somewhat in obedience, and drew his cowl back over his face.

Cyril turned to his student. "You've accomplished more than I thought you would in this bout. It is difficult to harm Shlurk," the Graug gave a noise of derision. "In the coming days, you will train alongside him It will be good for you to fight against such an opponent in this fundamental stage of your training."

[member="Darth Malakai"]

 

[ToKola Bakari]

Gratua found himself undefended as his opponent lashed back at him, he brought up his lightsaber to defend against an attack he was sure would kill him. When the attack was diverted his eyes glanced to his Master. Still, his master was having to pull him from the fire, he exhaled before nodding at his Master. "Yes Master, he is to be my...sparring partner?" Even Gratua knew that training with a beast such as this would be more than good for his training. It was merely a matter of if he would survive or not.

Once he was sure the bought with the creature was over he deactivated his lightsaber, the blue glow of the blade dying into the hilt once again. He approached his master holding the weapon out to him with an arched brow. "Yours? From your time as a Jedi?"

[member="Darth Mephirium"]