Private Deathshroud

[Darth Imperius]

Tash-Taral, Outer Rim
Darth Callidus

Little Korriban. It was a demeaning nickname, even insulting to the ancient homeworld of the Sith. Nevertheless it was the tomb of a great many Sith and Dark siders that claimed it as a consolation for not being worthy to be entombed on Korriban or having other reasons of doubtful logic. It was not a place for those that history remembered in capital letters, but such pride and arrogance had little place in the head of a Sith when it came to pursuing knowledge.

Darth Callidus, the new ruler of Denab, climbing across the dead bodies of her adversaries after they killed each other was a rising name among the Tsis'kaar and followers of the Sith Code. Imperius found her approach remarkably intriguing even though he did not agree with her claimed allegiance. But allegiance for a Sith was a stepping stone, a corpse to walk across. He was curious to see her abilities.

He arrived at the agreed location in the Vehemence, the ship setting down between the sands of the world on a rocky plateau. In one of the canyons below was the tomb of Darth Terminus, a pureblood Sith Lord who got buried here after a failed war with one of his rivals. A master of a special type of alchemy and sorcery, it were poison and dread that were his strengths.

 

[Darth Callidus]

Location: Tash-Taral
Tags: Darth Imperius

Darth Callidus stood at the edge of the canyon, her dark cloak fluttering faintly in the arid wind. The air of Tash-Taral carried the faint tang of decay and old blood, as if the sands themselves had absorbed the malice of the long-dead Sith interred here. She had studied this place long before her ascent to power. Its history whispered to her, promising secrets that could elevate her even further—or destroy her.

The approach of the Vehemence broke her quiet contemplation. Its sleek silhouette against the dusky horizon was as sharp and purposeful as its master. Darth Imperius. She allowed herself the briefest flicker of a smile, an expression so faint it might have been mistaken for a trick of the shadows. His invitation had been... intriguing.

Imperius had not cloaked his request in subtlety, which in itself had been a calculated move. He was no stranger to power or the games Sith played to secure it. But what intrigued her most was his willingness to meet here, in this place steeped in forgotten malice. Tash-Taral's tombs were a place for secrets, and Callidus was always willing to pry secrets from the hands of others—or their corpses.

She stepped forward as the Vehemence descended, her boots crunching softly against the rocky plateau. She made no effort to hide her presence, standing as a lone figure against the desolate backdrop of the canyon. She had no entourage, nor did she expect one from him. This was not the kind of meeting for witnesses.

As the boarding ramp lowered, she called out, her voice carrying over the arid expanse with a tone both commanding and sharp, like a blade hidden beneath silk.

"Lord Imperius," she said, her words clipped and deliberate. "Your summons was... unexpected. Tash-Taral is not a place most would choose to convene, unless, of course, they sought something. Or someone."

Her amber eyes burned beneath her hood as she fixed her gaze on the emerging figure of her guest. She tilted her head ever so slightly, a gesture of curiosity tempered by the natural wariness of one who had fought her way to power. Callidus knew better than to dismiss the intentions of another Sith, especially one with ambitions as sharp as his.

Imperius' choice of location was no accident. The tomb of Darth Terminus below them promised power, perhaps knowledge that had been forgotten or purposefully buried. She had agreed to this meeting not out of deference but out of calculation. There was always an angle, and Callidus intended to uncover it before he did.

"Speak plainly," she continued, her tone as smooth as it was unyielding. "Why have you brought me here? What game is it you're playing?"

She stood poised, her form a coiled spring of tension and readiness. The wind tugged at her cloak, but she paid it no mind, her focus entirely on the figure descending from the ship. Whatever Darth Imperius sought, she would ensure that she left this place with the greater prize.

 

[Darth Imperius]

Tash-Taral, Outer Rim
Darth Callidus

Darth Imperius descended the ramp of the black hulled ship with calm, clanking steps. He was clad from neck to toe into a dark plate, rich with runes and engravings, the power of the Dark side running through and emanating a sense of dread from it. Above it was a red tabard with a hood, heavy cloth that was as much protection as it was decoration.

"Lord Callidus." The voice was deep, speaking in a measured pace, echoing with gravelly and imperious undertones. It sounded like everything he spoke was a fact, a measurement taken and a judgement cast. "Your agreement to come was equally unexpected."

She was fierce, he realised it the moment she put him as an equal. Good. She came here alone and without apparent ship or support which meant she was as strong as she was curious to see where this went, her figure against the vast sands being nothing short of proud and powerful. The new ruler of Denab was a rising star in the making.

"The Sith Order suffers from a disease, a cancerous tumor that is spreading through its body. I want to cut it out." His hands clasped on his back, as he moved past her to overseeing the dunes, rocks and canyons that lay beyond. As he passed her, the pale and cracked skin was more than apparent, especially around the black and red eyes. "A Sith does not work on merit or trust, to offer you a chance to share in spoils is my way of seeing and measuring your worth to me or to the cancer."

He did not wait for her response and continued, considering a response to not be necessary and instead offering her insight into what the reason for the location and the prize might be.

"Below lay the remains of the pureblood brute Darth Terminus, a warrior and sorcerer who had perfected the art of Sith poison and biological warfare. He himself was a biological experiment of combining devolved Massassi genes with Pureblood genes, making him an oddity. I have learned that his work endures in practical or theoretical form in the tomb below."

 

[Darth Callidus]

Tags: Darth Imperius

Darth Callidus stood motionless as Darth Imperius descended the ramp, the winds of the desolate landscape tugging faintly at the edges of her dark robes. Her figure was statuesque, her aura a quiet storm of barely-contained power, her burning amber eyes fixed on him with an intensity that spoke volumes without a word. As his armored boots struck the ground, she inclined her head only slightly—a calculated gesture, acknowledging his presence without ceding an ounce of dominance.

"Unexpected, perhaps," she replied, her voice a silken blade, smooth and sharp in equal measure. "But necessity has a way of aligning the unexpected into inevitability."

She turned to face the barren expanse beyond, her gaze briefly shifting to the horizon, as if measuring the weight of his words against the unforgiving sands. When she spoke again, her tone was steady, calculated. "A cancer, you say. How apt. The Sith are masters of creation and destruction, yet so many fail to see how easily one bleeds into the other. A tumor that begins with ambition, unchecked, devours its host before it can fulfill its purpose. Cutting it out requires precision, Lord Imperius. Otherwise, you risk severing the very lifeblood you seek to preserve."

Her gaze followed his as he surveyed the dunes and jagged canyons, though her focus sharpened at the mention of Darth Terminus. "Ah, Terminus. A name shrouded in both infamy and caution. A creature born not of strength but of tampering—an experiment as much a warning as a marvel. His work with poison and biological manipulation, no doubt revolutionary, also reeks of the same hubris that has undone so many before us. The creation of monsters is an enticing path, but one that treads dangerously close to self-destruction."

She stepped forward then, the faint crunch of her boots breaking the stillness, her amber eyes fixed on Imperius's pale, cracked visage. "What lies below may hold power, yes, but power untempered is a blade that cuts both ways. You measure my worth by my willingness to claim it? Then consider this: I do not seek to claim scraps of forgotten ambition. I seek to master what others fear to control. But mastery requires more than brute strength or blind hunger—it requires purpose."

Callidus gestured toward the yawning expanse where the tomb lay hidden. "If the secrets of Darth Terminus endure, they may offer insight—or a cautionary tale. It is no small irony that the creature who sought to perfect the art of poison was himself a poison to the Order. We would do well to remember that the monsters we create often outlive their masters."

Her voice lowered, laced with deliberate menace. "But make no mistake, Lord Imperius. If this is a test of worth, then let us both prove that we are not the kind to falter before power—or to become its slaves."

She let the silence settle once more, her gaze unyielding, her presence a reminder that her invitation had not been one of submission, but of challenge.

 

[Darth Imperius]

Tash-Taral, Outer Rim
Darth Callidus

Cold. Calculating. Measured. There was much of it to see in Darth Callidus and there was pragmatism and realism as well. She saw the Sith Order for what it was, a collection of powerhungry individuals where many lesser would not hesitate to bring down the bigger to justify their continued survival. Weakness accused could only be done from a position of strength, from overwhelming power, otherwise it would fade into meaninglessness just as the ones who were accused of it.

"Your words bear wisdom and clarity, Lord Callidus. You have set your sights and measures ahead and know what you seek. It is intriguing to see that your mind lives up to your actions." It was as much a compliment as to call ice cold or a rock hard.

Darth Imperius remained unmoved, the tall figure simply staring ahead in stoic fashion, the dust-ridden winds of the tomb-world clawing into the tabard, stroking across his exposed cheeks. Truth was, he did not feel it, his skin was beyond the impression of mere touch and only few steps away from being considered rotten.

"It is not Terminus' work I come here to continue or immerse myself in his long-gone vision. I claim what he has left and is useful to me and use it to fuel my own needs. Neither you nor me are indulging in the research of the Sith of old to mimic and copy their ambitions, we are seeking what others are afraid to take, we use what others are afraid of wielding. Power belongs only to those unafraid to take it, bold enough to openly wield it."

"I know my purpose and the purpose of what I seek here. Do you know yours?"

His gaze turned towards her, from below the dark crimson hood eyes of an unsatiable malice and ambition stared at her. They were dead, soulless, looking not for life but for death. Imperius was taller than her, so he looked down on her, but it seemed that he looked down on everything and everyone he met with the same disregard of life and limits.

 

[Darth Callidus]

Tags: Darth Imperius

Darth Callidus stood unmoved, amber eyes gleaming like molten gold beneath her shadowed hood. The winds of the tomb-world swept around her, tugging at the edges of her dark robes, yet she was unshaken. Her voice, when it came, was low and deliberate, each word cut with precision, like a scalpel.

"Purpose, Darth Imperius, is not merely a destination. It is a crucible, a constant refining of will and ambition. To know one's purpose is to wield clarity as a weapon, sharper than any blade. You see only what you claim to take, but I see further—to what can be forged from the ruins of the past and the fears of the present."

She stepped forward, the echo of her boots swallowed by the ever-hungry sands. The air between them seemed to thrum with unspoken power.

"You speak of boldness and power, and you are not wrong. But power is not merely in the taking. It is in the shaping, in the control. It is not a flame to be brandished—it is the fire in the forge, tempered by discipline and vision. Those who wield it recklessly will find their hands burned, their ambitions reduced to ash."

Her gaze locked onto his, unyielding, unwavering. "I know my purpose. It is not bound to this place, nor to the echoes of the Sith who came before us. It is to strip away the illusions of strength that blind the unworthy and to build something enduring, unassailable. The power you speak of is only the beginning."

She paused, her lips curling into a faint, cold smile. "Do you truly know yours, or do you merely chase the shadows of those who claimed it before you? Perhaps we will find out within this tomb. Come, we have used up all the time for pleasantries I care for. Lead the way, Lord Imperius."

 

[Darth Imperius]

Tash-Taral, Outer Rim
Darth Callidus

Darth Imperius was as amused as he was intrigued by the one next to him. She was powerful in her mind and sharp with her tongue, seeing the Sith Order and its weaknesses in a similar fashion as he did. He saw the potential of more than mere cooperation. It was necessary to forge pacts with other Sith that offered a farsight and intelligence that was beyond the petty ideals of brotherhood and unity for unity's sake. The current Order, especially from what he witnesses on Echnos, smelled of the Brotherhood of Darkness, a ridiculous vision of unity sacrificing strength.

His lips curled upwards in a slight but cruel smile towards her question. "There is only one way to find out."

With that he set himself into motion. Down the rocky ravine he moved rather elegantly with long steps and precise jumps, even though the weight and hence sound of the armor drowned any subtlety. His eyes scanned the way ahead for the path forward with every step he made, seeing the path as he was taking it. Eventually it would lead them to a small cliff below which was the entrance to the tomb.

He did not stop for her nor saw if she would follow him and just stepped off it, falling the few dozen meters and landing in the sand with a THUD impact that send rocks and sand flying, his impact dampened by the Force. As Imperius turned to look at the entrance, he gazed into the face of death. Two hooded statues with large scythes guarded the entrance, one on each side, erosion having removed all but their basic features.

With a fluid motion he pulled back the hood and unclipped his helmet from his belt and placed it on his pale, bald head. A slight sound of decompression could be heard before he set himself into motion towards the entrance.

 

[Darth Callidus]

Tags: Darth Imperius

Amber eyes glinted beneath the shadow of a dark hood as Darth Callidus descended into the ravine, her presence like a storm cloud, heavy and oppressive. Each step was deliberate, as though the weight of destiny itself pressed upon her. The path to the tomb was treacherous, but her strides were steady, her command of the Force weaving a subtle veil of protection against the loose rocks and jagged edges of the descent.

She watched Darth Imperius's bold leap with faint amusement, the other Sith's dramatic landing scattering the sand and loose stones below. For all his power, Imperius reveled in spectacle. Callidus, by contrast, preferred precision over flair, the scalpel to the hammer.

As she reached the cliff's edge, Callidus did not leap. Instead, she extended a hand, the Force coiling around her like a serpent. Slowly, deliberately, she descended, the air itself seeming to obey her will as it carried her down in a controlled, silent descent. When her boots touched the sand, it was with a whisper rather than a thunderous impact.

She turned her gaze to the statues that flanked the tomb's entrance. The erosion had dulled their details, but the malice etched into their forms was unmistakable. Their scythes stood as silent warnings to those who dared intrude. Callidus stepped forward, the faint sound of shifting sand beneath her boots breaking the silence.

"Death is ever the sentinel of secrets," she murmured, her voice low, a venomous whisper that carried despite the quiet. She reached out, the Force brushing against the statues like an unseen hand, searching for the faint echoes of their purpose.

With a slight tilt of her head, she turned to Imperius, her amber eyes gleaming like coals in the dim light. "Bold steps, my lord. Let us hope they are not reckless ones. The tomb hungers for those who misstep."

Without waiting for a response, Callidus turned back to the entrance, her gloved hand trailing briefly over the hilt of her lightsaber before falling to her side. She advanced into the shadow of the tomb, the air growing colder with each step. The Force stirred around her, whispering of ancient power and danger.

The darkness within was not inviting. It was a maw, and Darth Callidus walked willingly into its depths.

 

[Darth Imperius]

Darth Callidus

A fact was, Imperius was not really caring about spectacle. It was the direct way, the most pragmatic solution to a problem. He did neither fear the height nor what his descend could cause as he was more than certain that he could deal with it. It was not arrogance in his mind, he still had traits of who he was and exactly knowing what he could deal with and what not, was part of it. He saw information, he controlled them and they became facts.

On his back was his blade, Anathema, sheathed it lingered and whispered of the coming death it would bring, it wanted to bring. It was almost sentient and hungering for another feast, yearning to taste another challenge. But Imperius did not draw it yet, it might become necessary, but not for now. Traps, ancient machinations and guardians were what he thought ahead. A flicker of truth as it would turn out.

"Reckless is the one who does not know their limits."

Together they moved towards the lithic guardians, this gaze empty and their stance unmoved as the two Sith passed between them.

The entrance of the tomb was nothing more than a tunnel carved from rock, rough and without any decor or finesse. No signs, carvings or details that would leave any indicator of what it was they had entered and yet the air was thick, hot and humid. The apparent feeling of dread was pressing on their throats with every step they took further inside.

Imperius had no need for utilising the Force for vision, his helmet provided a multitude of information and a gaze piercing through nearly any darkness. Yet his senses were ahead, the Dark side fueling what his eyes could not see, his ears not here and his fingers not touch. It was a sensation of utter and pure submission, he did not only control the Dark side within him, but gained total supremacy over it. A cold, menacing singularity in his grasp.

One minute passed. Two. Five and nothing changed. Until the arrived in a room, square in its shape, about equivalent of an officers cabin in size, giving a slight impression of claustrophobia, especially with Darth Imperius large figure in it. And it neither door nor signs either. Carved directly out of the bedrock as well, it was completely smooth now though.

 

[Darth Callidus]

Tags: Darth Imperius

​

Darth Callidus moved with deliberate grace, her amber eyes glowing faintly beneath the hood of her dark robes, a predator's gaze locked onto her prey. The oppressive heat of the tomb seemed to ripple around her, as though the very air bent to her will. She followed Imperius silently, the faint hum of power emanating from her a subtle warning to any who dared to disturb her path.

When they entered the chamber, her voice broke the silence, low and rich with menace.

"Do you feel it, Imperius?" she asked, her tone sharp enough to cut the stifling air. She stepped past him, her presence both commanding and invasive, as though daring the room itself to defy her. "This is no mere tomb. It hungers."

She extended a pale hand toward the smooth walls, her fingers brushing the unyielding stone. The faintest crackle of electricity danced along her fingertips as she focused. Her connection to the Dark Side deepened, her breathing steady, her mind an unassailable fortress of intent.

"It is not coincidence that this chamber appears empty," Callidus murmured, her tone almost a whisper, yet it reverberated through the room. "This is a test—one of patience, perhaps, or cunning. The architects of such places rarely waste time with blunt traps when the subtlety of despair serves so much better."

She turned, fixing Imperius with her gaze. Her lips curved into a faint smirk, an expression that could not be mistaken for warmth. "Your blade hungers, I can feel it through the Force, but not all problems are solved with death. Not yet, at least."

With a flourish of her cloak, she crouched low, her gloved fingers splaying across the smooth floor. Her focus sharpened, her mind reaching outward into the Force, probing the unseen seams of the chamber. "The question is... what does it want of us? And how shall we bend it to our will?"

Her eyes gleamed as she glanced up at Imperius, her expression one of cold amusement. "Or, perhaps, we shall simply break it. A fitting reminder that the tomb's masters are long dead—and we are not."

 

[Darth Imperius]

Darth Callidus

She shared her thoughts, at least, many of them or so it seemed by the amount of comments and sentences she uttered when they reached the room. Imperius had been impressed by her keen sense of facts but rest assured, it was not hidden beyond a veil of silence. He, while certainly more counting on presence, was far more silent. He talked when he had something to say and wanted to share.

But it was in her flow of thoughts that he saw the truth and the path ahead. It hungers. While he was a supporter of desecrating and destroying the will and ideas of those who were dead, afterall they did not deserve any respect anymore, sometimes being subtle and approaching the matter from a sustainable angle can provide more for the future.

"It demands payment to enter. Payment that weakens us." He simply stated. His mind surged across the smooth rock, his senses taking in the dark sorcery that laid on it, he was sure he could break it. Entirely certain that they could do so together, but what doors would it shut that they required open? What abyss would it open that was better left shut?

His curiosity towards the person next to him yielded the way forward. "Do we break the lock or enter the key?"

Darth Imperius was ready to either combine their efforts to break through or to draw blood and open the enchanted entrance as it was intended.

 

[Darth Callidus]

Tags: Darth Imperius

Darth Callidus tilted her head slightly, amber eyes gleaming with a mixture of intrigue and cold calculation. Her dark lips curved into the faintest of smiles as she raised her arm, the gesture deliberate, ceremonial, and sharp in its finality. Her fingernail, sharp and meticulously maintained, traced a thin line across her forearm, leaving a crimson trail in its wake. The blood welled quickly, dark and rich, glistening against her pale skin as it dripped to the ground with a quiet, rhythmic splatter.

"To pay the cost willingly is not weakness," she said, her voice smooth and resonant, carrying an almost hypnotic cadence. "It is a demonstration of control. Submission to power on our terms, not its."

Her gaze fell upon the darkened stone, its ancient enchantments radiating a hunger that resonated in the Force like a deep, resonant drumbeat. "To shatter the lock may be satisfying, but destruction is an answer too often given by those who lack the vision to see beyond immediate gain. The lock, as you call it, is not just a barrier but a challenge—one designed to weed out those unworthy of what lies beyond."

Her blood, pooling now at her fingertips, fell onto the stone in a deliberate offering. The air seemed to shift, the oppressive weight of the enchantment stirring like a predator tasting its prey.

"We are not cowards to avoid the abyss, nor are we fools to charge blindly into it. We will give what it demands, but we will not bow." She turned her gaze to Imperius, her amber eyes burning with the intensity of her will. "For even in the act of offering, we remain its masters."

She extended her arm slightly, letting the blood flow freely as she murmured a low, guttural invocation in an ancient tongue, directing the dark energy that thrummed around them. "The key is not the blood itself, but the intent behind it I think. This place will know us not as victims of its hunger, but as architects of its purpose."

Her voice dropped, the words almost a whisper, but heavy with certainty. "And so we enter—not broken, not bent, but sovereign."

 

[Darth Imperius]

Darth Callidus

The crimson gaze of his helmet observed the action and accompanying words of the woman. The cold surface offering no insight but an ever-watching vigil and awareness of what was going around. Below he was fascinated by her almost casual sacrifice and her justification of doing it, her idea that while following the demand of what the creator of this place intended, she still imposed her will upon him. It was as much truth in there as there was nonsense.

Without any click sound or noise at all, the wall to their left opened. It simply vanished and offered a look onto a veil of darkness that covered the actual entrance into the tomb, an illusion manifested through the Force. It was a very complex form of Sith sorcery that had been used to conceal the gate.

The Dark Lord moved towards it, looking at the portal and inspected it for a moment. It made him curious, its art and craft being exquisite, but nevertheless only a stepping stone. One he did not hesitate much longer before stepping through, entirely swallowed by the darkness before it spit him out on the other side. There was no feeling of transition other than that the air changed from humid and hot, to extremely cold.

On the other side there was a long column lined hall, its ceiling almost swallowed by the darkness, its end barely visible even through his enhanced vision. But something else was immediately off, the senses tried to narrow it down but it was difficult to grasp. It was alive. Something was alive in here and it was not excited to see intruders. As much as he tried to grasp its existence, he could not locate or identify it. He suddenly realised that it was very similar to the clones he had created.

"Something is in here and it is Force dead, be vigilant."

 

[Darth Callidus]

Tags: Darth Imperius

Darth Callidus stepped through the illusory veil with measured grace, her presence exuding an unshakable authority. The darkness enveloped her as she passed, its chill biting into her skin like the touch of an unseen predator. But the cold did not faze her; instead, it invigorated her, sharpening her senses and heightening her connection to the currents of the Force.

As the columned hall emerged before her, vast and shrouded in oppressive gloom, she felt the presence. Not in the Force, not as a ripple or a shadow, but as a void—a hollow absence that gnawed at the edges of her awareness. Her amber eyes scanned the darkness, narrowing as she absorbed the Dark Lord's words.

"Force dead," she echoed, her tone carrying a measured weight, neither dismissive nor alarmed. "A construct, perhaps. A being made of intent rather than essence. Or... something that has been stripped of its connection to life, leaving only hunger and hate in its place."

She stepped forward, her hand drifting to her belt. Her fingers brushed the hilt of her lightsaber, though she did not yet ignite it. "Curious," she murmured, her voice low, contemplative. "Such a creation would be rare—an art mastered by few, and attempted by fewer still. Whoever crafted this place wished for more than death to guard it. They sought a sentinel beyond the reach of even the Force itself."

She reached out with her senses, not through the Force, but through other means: the subtle perception of sound, air currents, and the weight of the silence itself. "This hall is a test, like the gate before it. It seeks to challenge our reliance on what we know, to force us to adapt. The creator of this tomb was clever. But cleverness," she added with a faint smirk, "can be anticipated. It is time to see if they anticipated us."

Her gaze swept to the Dark Lord, her expression coldly resolute. "Stay close. Whatever it is, it will reveal itself soon enough—and when it does, we will remind it that we are no mere trespassers. We are Sith. And we do not yield."

 

[Darth Imperius]

Darth Callidus

"Mastered by few, indeed." Imperius mused. Apparently, and satisfyingly, his previous occupation and being was behind a wall that few could or would see beyond and had gathered little attention so far. It was a state of things which would not endure for too long, the more he moved up the ladder of prominence and power within the ranks of the Sith, the more it would become knowledge.

Callidus would sooner learn and maybe even see his reach. He had made Force dead clones, troops of marvelous strength and uniqueness, bred to fight and defeat Force sensitives through simple skill and technology. They were at the front during the destruction of Exegol and the end of the Maw, they have endured past the shattering of the Empire and have maintained the Eternal Empire's sovereignty. Now standing silent watch over Zakuul and Iokath, waiting to be unleashed once more.

His strength and martial skill required little proof and while his blade hungered, he was silently accepting the fact that she wished to take point. Her skill at arms would certainly soon see itself tested, the adversary - whatever it was, was a guardian, a protector of what they were here to seek, so it would act to defend it, no matter what.

"Prepare. It cannot be intelligent or sentient if it was selected as guardian and it will attack no matter what."

The words were a prophecy, an act of foreshadowing.

As the duo made their way through the center of the hall, they heard screeching, scratching and sounds that seemed organic but so strange and unheard of, they did not seem to belong to any species known to either of them. It was nearby, to their left. No, at the ceiling, before it sounded to the left again. It was hunting them and it was lightning fast, using the darkness as its ally as it made its way around.

Neither them get a glance at the being yet, it was unnaturally fast and becoming one with the darkness . . . .

 

[Darth Callidus]

Tags: Darth Imperius

Darth Callidus stopped mid-step, her head tilting slightly as the sounds reverberated through the cavernous hall. Her amber eyes narrowed, flickering with sharp focus as she turned her attention toward the shifting noises. The screeches and scratches echoed in maddening patterns, defying the logic of their origin. The thing was moving—fast, cunning, and deliberate.

"Not sentient, perhaps," she said softly, her voice carrying an edge of calculation, "but it is not mindless. It stalks us like a predator, testing our defenses, seeking weakness."

She drew her lightsaber with a fluid motion, the twin crimson blades igniting with a hiss that echoed through the oppressive darkness. The red light cast jagged shadows on the stone columns and walls, painting the scene in a stark, hellish glow. The weapon hummed steadily in her hands, a stark contrast to the erratic noises of their unseen adversary.

"It uses the dark as its weapon," Callidus continued, her voice calm but commanding. "Let us remind it that we are masters of the shadows it hides within."

Her gaze flicked toward Imperius briefly, her lips curling into a faint smirk. "If it seeks to hunt, then let us turn the game upon it."

Without waiting for acknowledgment, she raised her free hand and channeled her will into the Force. The air around them stirred as she cast her senses outward, not to search for the creature itself but to disrupt its hunting ground. With a sharp twist of her wrist, the darkness around them recoiled slightly, dim shafts of light breaking through as if the shadows themselves bent to her will.

It would not fully illuminate the space—the sorcery of this tomb would see to that—but it might disorient their foe, if only for a moment.

"Move with purpose," she said firmly, stepping forward into the dimness. "It is fast, but speed alone will not save it. When it strikes, we will be ready."

Her grip on the lightsaber tightened as she attuned herself to the rhythm of the predator's movements, its unnatural swiftness weaving an erratic tapestry of sound. Callidus's expression remained calm, cold, her focus razor-sharp as she awaited the inevitable confrontation.

And when the guardian finally revealed itself, she would ensure it learned the price of daring to challenge them.

 

[Darth Imperius]

Darth Callidus

And with purpose he moved. He always did. Despite his size and weight, Imperius was quite nimble and quick on his feet, speed an ally as old as time. In a fluid motion he drew the blade from his back, the unsheathing almost unsettlingly loud in the situation and tense atmosphere. The sword almost swallowed light itself, a deep black that turned into pure gold towards the edge. It was as if a nightmare was given shape and the freedom to breath.

Darth Imperius observed Callidus' shifts of light with curiosity. Did she reinforce light or bend the shadows? A philosophical and technical question for a time in which the two Sith were not hunted.

A shriek. A hiss. A shadow hurled itself towards them from above. It was almost born out of the darkness that she tried to control as it materialised. The beast was falling, accelerated by a jump or push, towards them, it's Forced dead aura approaching them with it's void, untouchable feeling.

It attacked each of them with one of it's spear-like talons, a part of it's arms or it were it's arms. The speed of the guardian was unnatural, it's black, dead eyes seeing nothing but hunger, covered entirely in dark scales that seemed to be purple and red, it seemed difficult for it to hide. But it did, light broke on them, the glow of the lightsaber nearly entirely swallowed.

Imperius blade parried the talon, the metal screeching along the red-purple substance it was made of. He swiftly turned in to follow up with a strike, but one of the guardians regular arms scratched across his torso, barely leaving a mark on the armor, but shredding the tabard.

Callidus' lightsaber would meet resistance from the beasts scales and talon as well, though the surface seemed burned, almost mattening in the process of touching the heat. It was fully capable of keeping them busy and injuring them, strongly aided by his abnormality in the Force.

 

[Darth Callidus]

Tags: Darth Imperius

Darth Callidus shifted with fluid precision as the creature descended upon them, her amber eyes narrowing with predatory focus. The twin crimson blades of her lightsaber spun in her hands, intercepting the talon aimed for her chest. The impact sent a shock reverberating up her arms, and her feet slid slightly on the stone floor, but she held her ground.

The creature was formidable, its unnatural speed and Force-dead aura making it unlike any foe she had faced before. As her blade burned against its scaled talon, she noted the resistance—how the heat of her lightsaber barely penetrated the outer layer, leaving the surface charred but not cleaved. A challenge, she thought, and a dangerous one.

"You hide behind the void, creature," she said coldly, her voice cutting through the din of combat. "But even nothingness has its limits."
She stepped back to create distance, her movements precise and calculated. The creature's next swipe was met not with a block but with evasion, her form a blur as she twisted to its side, her lightsaber carving a sharp arc toward the joint of its limb. The blade connected, and though it did not sever, the strike left the scales smoldering, the mattened surface evidence of her attack.

"Imperius," she called out, her tone sharp with command. "Its strength is its armor and its speed—but even the finest armor has joints, and speed falters when it is forced to defend."

The creature lunged again, its talons cutting through the air like scythes. Callidus parried with one blade, the other striking out with precision at its underbelly, testing for weakness in the shifting mass of scales. She moved not with brute force but with the cunning of a predator herself, each motion designed to probe, distract, and eventually dismantle.

"Do not let it dictate the pace," she added, her voice a low snarl as she ducked beneath another strike. "It cannot overwhelm us if we strip it of its advantage. Work with me, and we will end it."

Her confidence was unwavering, her strategy clear. The creature might be fast, but Callidus was faster where it mattered—in her mind, her will, and her ability to adapt. She would turn its strength into its downfall, one strike at a time.

 

[Darth Imperius]

Darth Callidus

Darth Imperius wielded his sword with a graceful brutality. The weapon came to life in his hands as it not only utilised the blade in the traditional grip for parrying and blocking the attacks of the guardian, but he actively changed the location of his hands, grips and even direction of the weapon. Every step was calculated, every dodge perfectly executed to allow him to counterattack immediately. The attacks were coming with the blades tip, its edge, the handguard and pommel as well as the man's own hands and bracers.

The beasts talon which was fighting the Dark Lord became more unpredictable as with every hit from the blade it received, it seemed to hurt, the cursed weapon inflicting pain not only to its physical but mental self. It screamed. It was like a sonic attack that could shatter durasteel from nearby and was actually hurting, even through the helmets dampening insulation.

In its fury towards the black knight, it let its guard slip towards the other opponent. Callidus strike found its mark as it sliced a portion of its belly open, streaming intestines being revealed as hot, thick blood dropped to the floor, the color of obsidian. The shriek that followed was equal parts agony and fury, louder than before and wilder. It lashed out against both of them to drive them back and it itself started to fall back, run away even.

Recovering from the scream, Imperius hand came up, the flow of powers directed, the Dark side manifesting in invisible control as it grabbed rocks and debris from behind to hurl them towards the creatures back and legs, attempting to make it stumble for the other Sith to finish it . . . .

 

[Darth Callidus]

Tags: Darth Imperius

Darth Callidus advanced without hesitation, her amber eyes locked on the retreating creature. The beast's shriek, a deafening assault on the senses, caused her to grit her teeth, but her focus remained unbroken. She spun her lightsaber in a defensive flourish, the twin crimson blades carving through the air as she pressed forward, each step measured and deliberate.

When the beast staggered under the barrage of debris hurled by Imperius, Callidus seized the opportunity. Her lightsaber cut through the gloom like a vengeful flame as she leapt, her movements swift and precise. Landing in a crouch, she sprang forward again, driving her blade toward the exposed wound she had created moments earlier.

"You cannot outrun death, creature," she hissed, her voice as cold and sharp as the edge of her weapon. "Not when it carries our names."

Her strike connected with precision, her blade sinking into the beast's flank. The creature howled again, its void-like presence flaring in its death throes. Callidus twisted the blade, severing sinew and scale alike, her expression unyielding as the beast buckled under the assault.

It tried to lash out one final time, its talons striking wildly, but Callidus stepped back, her body moving like a shadow. She pivoted with lethal grace, bringing both blades of her saberstaff down in a scissoring strike aimed to sever the creature's head from its body. The motion was smooth, decisive, and unrelenting—a testament to her mastery.

The beast collapsed in a heap, its body twitching as its lifeblood pooled around it in inky rivulets. Callidus extinguished her lightsaber, the crimson glow fading as she straightened. Her gaze lingered on the corpse, her mind already analyzing the battle and the lessons it offered.

She turned to Imperius, her tone calm but edged with a faint note of satisfaction. "Efficient, though its cries were an unwelcome distraction. Your strikes rattled its defenses, giving it no room to recover. A fine demonstration."

Her amber eyes flicked back to the fallen guardian. "This was no mindless beast. Its design and tactics suggest a purpose beyond mere protection. Whoever created this tomb crafted not only barriers of stone but guardians of intent."

Callidus paused, her lips curling into a faint, cold smile. "A waste, really. All that effort, only for their creation to fall at our feet. Shall we continue, Imperius? I suspect the challenges ahead will be... equally misguided."