From Here To Eternity

[Lief]

╫ S E R E N N O ╫​

FROM HERE TO ETERNITY​

Once more the great, towering shelves of Lord Tyric's library lay before him. The tomes and datacrons which lined its shelves were innumerable and vast, cataloged impeccably and surprisingly dust free. Valin had always wondered how that could be; for all the time he spent within this wing of the manor, he'd never once seen anyone cleaning the space. In fact, for the most part he was left alone, one of the few true sanctuaries the estate held for the likes of he. Perhaps that was why he was drawn back to it time and time again.

Valin knew that even if he had a thousand lifetimes, he'd never have enough time to read them all. So he chose his selection wisely: something to further his understanding in the Force, a rather bountiful selection to decide from indeed, something which he found intriguing, and something to expand his knowledge on the Galaxy at large. A datacron for one, a leather bound tome for another, and the last an interactive atlas of the Tion Cluster - complete with holo projection.

Satisfied with his bounty, he found a quiet corner to curl up in and began his studies with a somewhat more vested interest than usual. Perhaps it was the projection, it was another way to soak in information that was for sure and held his often wandering attention better than the words of some dead man could. It wasn't that Valin didn't enjoy, or appreciate, the process of learning. Far from it, to say that he had only visited a small handful of worlds in his lifetime, existed within a rather sheltered sphere, he liked to believe he understood much about the Galaxy because of it. He was able to picture far off planets within his mind, live vicariously through the written adventures of his predecessors, and forget for a short time the pitiful life he'd been subjected to.

In the months since Lord Tyric's disappearance he'd found himself well and truly within a slump. Directionless, untested, he wandered aimlessly from room to room, discovering more about the man his Master was - or potentially had been - while his household staff kept things shipshape on the surface. If not for his rather large retinue, Valin would likely have left already. Not back to his parents, of course, they had already shown disdain for his presence as much as they might preach otherwise, but somewhere else... Far from their greedy reach. That, or he'd have withered away here, lost within the labyrinth of corridors and seemingly endless rooms.

Not that he'd ever grant them such insight into his thoughts. He didn't want them to think they held any sway over him, after all they were the servants not he.

But then again, what even was he at this point?

Valin added that to the mountain of unanswered questions he had, and turned his attention back to the Tion Cluster.

 

[Vaulkhar]

Outside of the missing Lord's estate, Vaulkhar sat in silence. His force signature was momentarily masked as he hid it with his own abilities. Rumor had it, a particular piece of lore was hidden away within the large archive and to say Vaulkhar was interested in it was an understatement. For years, the Sith Lord sought information on a former master of his who went missing many years prior. Unfortunately, he had exhausted all leads but this final spark of hope. Since the man's disappearance, the halfbreed had become noticeably sombre. What desires he had seemed to vanish along with him and so he hoped. Vaulkhar hoped in finding his lost master he would find his lost ambitions and what once drove him. And if not, so be it.

Vaulkhar pushed himself to his feet before prowling towards the estate. His fingers tapped away at a small device on his wrist and before he knew it, his form shimmered. He disappeared from sight as the cloaking device upon his back activated and he turned invisible. He mulled over the possibility of emptying the house of its inhabitants in traditional Sith fashion, but he thought better of it. As little as these servants mattered to him, he knew better than to blatantly murder an entire estate full of people. With each death, an outpouring of questions would follow. And while his training and time spent as an assassin for both past and present Dark Lords brought great skill, anything could happen.

The force blanketed him at his command as he peered about for an opening into the building. By luck alone, he spotted an open window. A servant dusted along the window sill which granted the opportunity he needed. He leaped into the air and flew past the servant. Only the faintest of a breeze spoke of his passing.

Vaulkhar landed silently before moving through the halls. He explored in silence for several minutes before he eventually came across the entrance to the library. He padded inside and paused shortly past the threshold. A force signature pinged within his mind. It was small, that of an Acolyte. One that spoke of the early stages of training. He almost missed the form of Valin, which was unlike him. As the young man moved through the archive, grabbing various pieces from the gathered information, Vaulkhar watched him. The Sith Lord's gaze momentarily moved towards the mass amount of gathered knowledge and he rolled his eyes. He wouldn't be able to search through everything in a timely fashion.

Deactivating his armor, he reappeared beside Valin's table.

[member="Valin Seek"]

 

[Lief]

Within just a few short minutes, Valin had found himself rather enamored by the star map which illuminated his features and the area directly around him. The interactive aspects had drawn him in, hook, line, and sinker, and to begin with he'd simply zoomed in on specific sectors, trade routes, star systems, and planets. There was a lot to take in, much more than he had realistically anticipated, yet he wasn't feeling the usual migraine which accompanied laborious study.

When he finally regained some semblance of restraint, he picked the first star he saw and worked toward studying its system. Lianna, Coordinates S-6 on the standard Galactic Map. 7 orbital bodies, with a combined total of 15 natural satellites. Of course, the only real world of interest was that which was named after the star itself, though Aradian stole his attention for a few moments. He was quickly realizing how small he really was, the Tion Cluster was just one tiny speck in space, a blimp on the map, and the more he delved into it, the more subsectors and systems and worlds he unearthed.

His head swam with that thought; while it was not a new concept to him, to have it blown up in his face this way, a holographic projection which danced around his body, was humbling to say the least. Suffice to say, when the stranger appeared beside his table he was caught thoroughly off-guard.

The boy jumped, knocking the table and the projector with it, and held one hand to his chest where he could feel his heart pounding. Naturally he tried to brush away the shock as quickly as he could, compose himself so that he didn't appear like a child caught doing something he shouldn't have, before drawing upon the very Force around them in anticipation of... Well, what he did not know. For all he knew, the man before him was just another member of the household he'd never met. There were so many faces that he obviously had memorized them all.

Though, just to look upon this man he could sense something different about him. There was power in the way he held himself, in his eyes, that made Valin realize he wasn't to be trifled with.

The boy didn't need to be able to sense him through the Force to tell that.

He didn't say anything as his heart rate began to slow and an uncomfortable silence stretched on between them. Valin was certain he hadn't requested anyone's presence, yet it appeared in that moment at least that the stranger was likewise waiting for him to start up the conversation.

Whatever conversation that might be.

How strange...

[member="Vaulkhar"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar further studied the Acolyte before him with increased scrutiny. In no way did he mean to bring discomfort to Valin, but consistent years of isolation coupled with a Sith upbringing left little room for social graces. He raised a hand slowly and scratched at his cheek. A sigh escaped him as he looked at the fallen table and projector. Reaching down, he righted the table and lifted the projector to place it onto the table recently fixed. Once more, his dull gaze settled on Valin, though this time he made a notable effort to appear less foreboding. Vaulkhar motioned towards the chair with his, notably cybernetic, right arm.

"Please, take a seat," the Sith Lord leaned against another nearby table with crossed arms. "It was not my intention to frighten you, though in hindsight that was a rather rude gesture." Notably, the halfbreed's voice was devoid of feeling. While most Sith spoke with an air of arrogance, hate, or some other emotion, he appeared almost entirely apathetic to his surroundings. His outward demeanor did not speak of anything beyond a man that appeared emotionally dead. Physically, his appearance reeked of the Sith. His robes were a dark gray, trimmed in shadow. A longer than average lightsaber hilt hung at his side, appearing to require two hands. Long, raven colored hair spilled down his back from a loose top knot.

"So," after another stretch of silence he spoke once more. "You wouldn't happen to be Lord Tyric, would you?"

[member="Valin Seek"]

 

[Lief]

One quick glance over the man was enough to throw his servant theory into the Serennian sun where it could burn for all eternity. Servant, no... The man was definitely clad in attire befitting a Sith Lord, a title his Master had never - to Valin's knowledge - acquired. It stood to reason then that the man before him was the highest authority in the Darkside of the Force that the boy had met to date, and that realization had him deftly dip his head into a bow lest he find it removed all together. Everything he'd read on those that belonged to their ancient Order at large pointed toward such, a need for respect, that everyone be aware of their position.

Valin was still a nobody. And a nobody wasn't prescribed the same rights as a somebody.

"Of course, My Lord, forgive my graceless introduction."

He sat shortly after, having to pull the seat up from where it had fallen against the ground, and hazarded a glance up at the apathetic man before him. As much as he wanted to keep his head, there was an innate curiosity, a fire which burned within the boy, that immediately spoke to a more rebellious spark. He didn't care for the hierarchy of their people all that much, nor the societal rules Lord Tyric had glossed over with him once upon a time. He'd been spoiled here in his estate, pampered. Permitted to do practically as he wished without repercussion. But that did not mean he was stupid.

Silence, and then a question which had the boy nearly break his composure once more. So ludicrous was it that he almost guffawed in response.

"Me, My Lord?" he asked, quizzically, as though not quite believing what he was hearing. Valin was quite obviously young, even for an acolyte of the Sith who were not known for taking infants as the Jedi were prone to, and his jumpy response to the stranger's appearance spoke to inexperience if nothing else. "No, My Lord, I'm most definitely not Lord Tyric."

He didn't expand on that though. The man hadn't asked who he was, only if he was. No sense in wasting his voice if he didn't need to say more.

Truth be told, the boy had almost been tempted to go along with it. Tyric hadn't been seen in these parts for several months now, and whether or not he'd return at all remained to be seen. Still, he didn't like the thought of the old man's rage when he discovered that his Apprentice had tried to impersonate him, nor the response of the emotionless one before him should he see through the facade.

Valin was, if nothing else, overly attached to his head. After all, it held his best features.

[member="Vaulkhar"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

"That is unfortunate."

Vaulkhar turned his attention away from the young man before moving towards another nearby table. His hand moved along the fine surface, his head gently nodded in acknowledgement of the fine craftsmanship. Notably, the idea of Valin holding such a title at his age seemed entirely normal; expected really. However, his apathetic persona momentarily shifted to one of disappointment. His gaze scanned the entirety of the building's interior before he slowly returned his full attention on Valin once more. Various ideas raced through his head. He could torture the boy for information, though he found himself plagued with nightmares after such encounters. The Sith Lord could threaten him, but it seemed pointless given his lack of desire to cause any real harm. With a roll of the shoulders and crack of the neck, he released his held focus on his own force signature.

In what appeared to be an explosive display of power, the room was flooded in feelings of pure hatred, rage, spite, and strangely enough: despair. Vaulkhar's power would quickly crash atop the boy in unending waves, akin to a strong current trying to force him below water. His eyes grew hot. Where once they were a graying blue, now orbs of pure molten orange burned within his sockets.

"I'm going to ask you a few questions, kid. We'll make this quick and I'll be on my way," he moved towards Valin and stood before him. "What is your name and what purpose do you hold within this estate?"

[member="Valin Seek"]​

 

[Lief]

As Valin witnessed the sudden, unexpected outpouring of rage, and similarly placed emotion from the stranger, he sorely regretted not stealing Tyric's name for an hour or so. Quite clearly the man before him had indubitably expected to find the crazed old man here, had business he wished to conduct or something of the sort, and to find only a pest like he in his place was most inconvenient. After all, what level of assistance could a mere child bring to one who was so clearly a Master of the Force?

Nope, Valin was done for. It was as simple as that. Fiery, molten eyes fell upon him and all the boy could do was inhale through his nose and wait for the anticipated blow which would wipe him off the face of Serenno. Maybe he meant to melt him down, burn him with pyre no doubt crackling inside. It kind of made Valin wish he'd paid more attention during one of Tyric's lectures, particularly the which focused on the art of pyromancy. Boy, what he wouldn't give for some protection against that right now. Would his eyes pop, the way the storybooks said they might?

It would be most unfortunate for whoever had to mop him up, he heard the stench was unbearable and lingered like a skunk.

He closed his eyes, bracing for the inevitable heat to consume him, and then faltered.

One eye slowly opened as the man spoke, mere seconds having passed while his mind tumbled into turmoil. Questions... He wanted to ask questions?

The breath he'd been holding was released in a plume of hot air, and naturally the boy sat up a little straighter in order to pay better attention to what was going on around him. He wasn't a coward, not Valin, not even a little bit... He just wasn't stupid. Right? It would have been idiotic to try and fight back, surely?

"Valin," he said, visibly perplexed by the whole situation, "I'm Valin, and I'm just a student. Tyric's - erm, Lord Tyric's - student."

Well now he just looked like a blubbering fool, fumbling over his words like that. Sheesh, he really had to work on holding together under pressure, because cracking like this was not part of his modus operandi. Not at all. Perhaps he'd spent too much time alone. Maybe it was time to get out there and interact again, because he was definitely losing his charm.

He resisted the urge to pout at that thought, and instead focused back on the situation at hand. Sithspit, what if he was some rival of Tyric's? Surely he wouldn't have any bad blood with Valin over that... What a situation to be in.

[member="Vaulkhar"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

Another sigh escaped him and just as quickly as the swirling rush of emotions crashed out from him, it disappeared. The tension and confusion wafted off of Valin. It was enough to put Vaulkhar off from further pushing the lad. There was clearly enough common sense within him to not outright lie to a Sith Lord's face. His hand reached forward to nonchalantly pat his shoulder, as if trying to reassure him things were going to be fine. While the gesture was certainly meant to express such, once again his face had returned to its initial, apathetic expression. His arms crossed over his chest as he moved and sat on the table's edge beside the young Acolyte. It felt as if his path was quickly disappeared before him. His last and final lead truly exhausted, he was left with nothing but a near empty archive and a near powerless child lacking any real experience outside of perusing his instructors collection.

"So Valin, what does Tyric teach you exactly? Mathematics? Proper etiquette?" it came off harsher than he meant it, but what can you do? Vaulkhar tugged a nearby chair towards him with the aid of the force before taking a seat across from Valin. "Tell me about yourself."

While the half-breed had a genuine interest in the ongoings of this estate, he couldn't help in his gruff tone and demanding manner of speech,

Every so often, his gaze would momentarily flicker elsewhere. At every moment he was surveying his surroundings through the dark side. Each step taken, every movement made. As the door to the archive opened as if by a servant, an impartial flick of the wrist slammed it shut. The thud of an unconscious body followed the hollow slam.

[member="Valin Seek"]​

 

[Lief]

"No," the boy said, further perplexed by the odd pat on the shoulder from so stoic an individual; it was as though his mind and body were conflicted, he acted with what Valin believed to be empathy, yet kept it behind an impervious wall of apathy. "The Professors taught me those, obviously." What a strange thought it was, for his Master to have been teaching him such trivial facts and figures. Sure, his parents had shipped him off to one of the better institutions on Serenno while sizing up their prospects for his more metaphysical training, but that sort of thing could be taught by any old scholar, amidst countless other students.

What Tyric taught him, well...

"Lord Tyric does not teach me anything of late," he declared, allowing a little of his frustration toward that fact spill out in his tone. As though it was inconsiderate for the old man to go and get himself lost, or killed, or whatever ailment happened to keep him from returning to his estate, when he had a student at home waiting for him. "No, I think you're more familiar than most with the intricacies of what he was teaching me."

Clearly the initial fears he'd felt upon seeing the stranger had begun to wane, and as the boys confidence grew so too did his attitude. It wasn't necessarily disrespect, but it certainly seemed as though Valin felt his time was better suited to doing other things. Or nothing at all... He tended to prefer that option.

When the man took a seat, and spoke his next question, the boy couldn't help but feel like he was under investigation, that he was being interrogated, and his lips pursed into a displeased expression that sat as a mixture of a frown and a pout.

"Who are you, anyway? Why are you asking so many questions?"

The man's actions did not go unnoticed by the boy, particularly when the thud of what had to be a body resounded outside the doorway. Clearly he felt like he owned the place, though Valin knew there was no way he could as he wasn't his Master nor any relation judging by the way in which he had presumed he was Tyric.

He tried not to let the goings on outside the door chip away at his nerves. No, this was his home, gorramit, and he wasn't going to let someone saunter in and take over. Lord Tyric's seat was practically warm still, in a manner of speaking.

[member="Vaulkhar"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

"Name's Vaulkhar Zambrano."

His name rolled off his tongue so easily now. Once upon a time it was different. He hated the legacy his name carried. It brought shame and expectations he was too young to handle, but now things were different. The titles he beared carried a weight that appeared to physically weigh him down. All of his experiences however did not prepare him for such brash behavior from one so young and weak. He had to admit, it had earned an inkling of respect from the Sith Lord, which he openly expressed via the faintest of smirks.

"Honestly, I've got nothing better to do. Soon, the Empire will be wrapped up in yet another bloody war. I was hoping to find a former associate of mine before it began. You don't always make it out the otherside. I suppose I was hoping to say my goodbyes..." he allowed his musings to hang silently between them for sometime before lowering his gaze back to Valin. "For the moment though, I'm more interested in your power, or lack thereof."

And with that, the Sith Lord swiftly began. His hand shot out and a wave-like surge of energy burst towards the boy.

"You sure can bark, kid. Lets see what you got."

[member="Valin Seek"]​

 

[Lief]

Zambrano.

Why did that name sound so familiar? It was right there, on the tip of his tongue, he could practically taste it... Zambrano. Oh, Kriff. Wasn't the Emperor a Zambrano? Just what level of crazy had Valin gotten himself into, now? For just a moment he paled before Vaulkhar and lost a little bit of his shine. Zambrano... No, there was more to that name than simply the Emperor. Perhaps it was his deeds that the boy had heard of, had the Professors taught him those?

A slow inhale brought him back to his sharper state, just in time to listen to the man's woes. Well, Tyric certainly wasn't the friend in question which begged the question of why he'd come here in search of that person. Did he believe that these archives held the answers? Because if so, he was in for one heck of a wake-up call. There was no way he could scour through every single page, listen to every single datacron, or any of the holocrons hidden throughout the estate, not in one lifetime, not in seven.

"Why did you need Lord Tyric for that?" he asked, brows furrowing together. Was his Master more well known than he'd assumed? He mostly kept to himself, didn't seem to get very many guests, nor really leave the estate, before his disappearance. Was he hiding from something, from a past which had finally caught up with him? And if so, where did that leave Valin and his future?

Before he could receive any further answers, the boy felt himself flung back by the pure power of the Force; all around the pair tomes were scattered as the outward wave struck them too, and when he looked up from his place on the floor he watched as loose leaves of paper fluttered down toward the ground.

Great, someone would have to clean that up later and it sure as heck wasn't going to be him!

Valin moved to stand, bringing his left hand down to press firmly onto the ground. He channeled the Force through it then, into the ground beneath them, and the floor shook with a very minor tremor. The sort of earthquake that would make your footing uneasy, but leave all but the lightest of vases unmoved.

Still, he hoped it would be enough of a distraction to let him stand in peace. Otherwise he'd be fighting from the floor, and that was certainly no fun.

[member="Vaulkhar"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

"Hmm," Vaulkhar shifted his weight as the tremoring spilled across the room. His cybernetic arm gripped the nearby table to aid in steadying himself. He took the opportunity to study Valin's form. He recognized no wounds, prosthetics, or even a saber. A pang of guilt momentarily crossed his conscious, though this was the way of the Sith. The boy sought the power, he could literally see it oozing from him in waves. It was weak, but it was there. What most caught Vaulkhar's attention though was the boy's aptitude. It was reminiscent of his own bloodline, as if Valin was meant to walk this path. It both interested and concerned him. He felt there was an opportunity to make something of his young mind; mold him before he falls into the wrong hands. Though, it wasn't his life to live nor lose.

"A contact of mine told me the lord had a lofty library and collected whatever information he came across. I thought he may have what I needed, though it appears I was wrong," another flick of his wrist sent the table and holoprojector spiraling towards the Acolyte after he managed to regain his footing. His gaze shifted elsewhere, though he sent another grouping of furniture at Valin.

[member="Valin Seek"]​

 

[Lief]

This time the boy did not bother to respond to his superior. Dun moch came in many forms, and though most Sith did not use it to its full potential there were snippets of it which were often executed unknowingly. The simple act of conversing mid 'fight' was one such way, admittedly not as focused as traditional utilization's of the technique which relied upon taunts and the like. No, talking was much too distracting especially for one so inexperienced as he.

So instead he focused, watched for any subtle sign of what was to come, felt for any shifts in the Force. And when he caught wind of something he braced himself and channeled the Force through his being this time, as opposed to their surroundings.

Though he had only just risen back to his feet, which were planted upon the ground with good form, when the table was sent his way he proved quick to act. Valin may never have practiced with a lightsaber, but he had put plenty of time into keeping his body and mind as healthy as possible. With that came agility training, pushed and propelled by his favourite crutch: The Force.

While not as perfect or extravagant as many practitioners of the Force could learn to be, the boy managed to leap out of harms way just as the table came crashing down on the spot he'd just been standing. By the time his feet touched the ground he'd already prepped for his first offensive move.

Vaulkhar may have had the advantage of experience, but Valin knew this library like the back of his hand. He knew which bookshelves were freestanding and which were mounted to the wall, which lights hung down on chains, and which had been cemented into the structure itself. So when he landed in place he reached out with the Force and tugged one of the hanging chandeliers down from its place above them, and watched in anticipation as it hurtled toward the Sith Lord.

[member="Vaulkhar"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

"Rather impressive," the musings were quickly interrupted by the sound of shattering glass as the chandelier rained down around him. His eyes closed before a sudden pulse of energy expanded outward from his form. Utilizing a more natural trick of his own, the half-miralukan seemed right at home by his 'sudden' blindness. As a protective bubble of energies formed around him in an instant, it also propelled him towards the Acolyte and out of the way of the raining crystal and glass. Another smile weakly tugged at the corner of his lips. The boy was certainly smart. What he lacked in experience and mastery he tried to make up for in tactic. Truth be told, it was a damn good strategy. One that was beaten into him many years prior.

This time though, mirth momentarily left the Sith Lord. It was replaced with a killer's instinct that burned from within him. Vaulkhar knew he had to push the boy, break him if need be. Valin's thirst for power was palpable, it was another feature of the boy that Vaulkhar picked up on rather quickly. From where once he stood, a swathe of glass launched through the air towards the student.

"You're smart, kid. I'll give you that," he paused, eyes still closed. "You're wasting your talents here."

[member="Valin Seek"] ​

 

[Lief]

Truth be told, Valin hadn't expected that the man would let the chandelier hit the ground, much less shatter, given his quick reflexes, and when it did he realized the error of his ways. Crystalline fragments dotted the ground, shards of glass splintering into a hundred pieces between them, all left for the taking. A whole array of weapons now readily at their disposal.

Adrenaline rushed through his body for the second time that day. The boy hadn't been tested in months, hadn't been pushed, hadn't been made to put in more than just the basest of efforts, and though he'd continued with his personal training regimen for fear of ruining his body he hadn't done much else.

Suffice to say, he was beginning to feel the burn already. And from the looks of things, they were only just beginning.

The room was considerably duller now that one of the larger lights was out of commission, but there was still enough sconces dotted around the place that he didn't have too much trouble seeing. Some things were more shadowy than others, though, which made it difficult for him to see the shards of glass barreling his way until the last second when they finally caught the reflection of one of the sconces. Even with the Force still propelling him, he found several chunks of broken chandelier bore into his arm before he could get clear.

He sucked in a breath, holding it for a long second, as he ducked behind the table which had tried to squash him earlier. When he released it, he did so with a curse to boot. Damn Vaulkhar had successfully distracted him with more superfluous talk, that was for certain.

In retribution he closed his eyes and felt around the room through the Force, latching on to one of the freestanding bookcases which towered over them and to the Zambrano's right. Valin didn't bother to lift his head up in order to watch the case tumble, he didn't need to see it in order to figure out whether it struck or not. And besides, he didn't want to make himself any more of a target than he already had.

Instead he used the break in direct combat to glance down at his arm. He counted five shards, embedded pretty well. Though there was a small trickling of blood, so long as he didn't prematurely pull any of them free or try to flex that arm he might fine until he could head to the medbay. Possibly...

Valin was no medic, what did he know?

[member="Vaulkhar"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar blinked as the sound of a large shelf swiftly began to fall towards him. He looked towards it and considered his options briefly. While he could dash aside or slice the furnishings to pieces with clean, swift strikes, he waited. The shelf crashed atop him and he flattened beneath it as the weight of the furniture sent him slamming into the floor below. White hot pain shot through him as he could feel ribs crack beneath the pressure. His eyes momentarily filled with white as the world and his body lit up the very world around him. While a feeling of regret momentarily swam through his mind, something else bubbled forth. Feelings long dormant he had nearly forgotten.

Joy. Pain. Anticipation.

For a moment, nothing happened. Only the sound of Valin's breathing would cut through the silence of the room. However, the boy would feel a terrible aura of dread drifting outward from where the Sith Lord had been buried. In an explosive flash of brilliant lightning, the large shelf was thrown up and away from the fallen man. He slowly rose to a standing position as the shelf cracked against another nearby shelf and the two tumbled down, crushing a smaller table.

The earlier aura had reignited. Where once the strangely apathetic man stood, now a raging storm of emotion burst outward in waves that blanketed the room. Blood ran from a cut over his left eye, nearly obscuring the molten glow of the hidden orb.

The nightmare had awoken.

Wholly unbothered by the pain, Vaulkhar's hand drifted up to run across his left shoulder. The bone pushed beneath the flesh out at an odd angle, clearly dislocated. The pain appeared to drive him forward in that instant as he stepped towards a nearby shelf. A sickening crack echoed through the chamber as he slammed the bone back in place. He rolled the joint, accepting the burning pain within him for what it was. A warm and familiar feeling he appeared to long for. Slowly, his gaze swept over the room before falling to Valin behind the downed table. For a moment, Vaulkhar had forgotten about the boy. Just a moment.

In but a second, he cleared the distance between them. The table splintering and exploding into two before being thrown away from the duo. He moved fast; inhumanely so. Blood dripped beside the boy as the Sith Lord stared down at him.

"Stand."

His voice seemed to boom from within him, though it was hoarse. The sound was notably different from earlier. It was very much akin to two jagged rocks scraping against one another as it escaped his throat.

[member="Valin Seek"]​

 

[Lief]

Whatever the kriff was happening beyond the table, Valin decided he wanted none of it.

He remained crouched down, practically curled up in the fetal position at this point, while the air around him stagnated and tensed with static. As though the oxygen was sucked inward to the place where the bookcase had collapsed, as though the Force which swam through all things had too retreated. Whatever was causing that could not be positive... No, he'd stay where he was thank you very much. Take comfort in whatever sort of protection the table might bring him.

A crack of lightning exploded within the room, the shockwave it caused seeming to wreck more of the library from what he could hear; another crack followed soon after, though it was decidedly more organic in nature. The thought of breaking bones made the boy nauseous, and the blood which seeped from his wounds did nothing to help.

He believed himself safe, but the splintering wood laughed at such a childish thought. He raised his good arm, using it to shield his head as the table he'd refashioned as shelter broke apart into innumerable shards and flew back from him. A few smaller splinters joined the glass within his flesh, but at this point he could barely feel them. What difference could they possibly make when compared to the damage already done?

That was how he was found, not so much cowering as shielding himself from the madness of the library. More blood dripped down to coagulate with his own, and his trousers soaked in a hefty amount of it and clung to his knees as a result. A booming command was made clear, and there wasn't a bone in Valin's body which wished to defy. His good hand slipped ever so slightly as he used it to push himself to his feet, and his pale skin turned a very light shade of green in response.

Still, something within him remained sane enough to carry out the task of standing. He swayed on the spot, held his lame arm to his chest, and slowly lifted his head in order to look upon the imposing figure.

Valin could barely recognize him.

[member="Vaulkhar"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

Silence rang loud through the chamber, broken only by the occasional jolt of static from broken or damaged technology. It was apparent in this silence, the Sith Lord thrived. No words escaped him, his movement was minimal at most. Instead, the one clear eye bore into the young Sith with such clear agony. Pain coursed through Vaulkar, but it did not appear physical. It ran much deeper. His every movement thus far spoke of a man broken down by what has been taken from him. First, he broke into the estate of a total stranger off the most minimal of leads. His being spoke outwardly of apathy, but he raged inward as the emotions tore at him until eventually they escaped.

The moment seemed to stretch on forever. The two men locked a few feet apart, as if time slowed to a stop. Eventually, the glow within his eyes faded. His prosthetic arm wiped the gathered blood from his face, though he retained eye contact through the endeavor.

"I've walked a long, bloody path," his voice was soft and empty once more. Vaulkhar appeared mentally drained after the display, though it was still clear he was far from exhausted. "I've been fighting an unending war since I was your age. I've lost more than I ever thought I could gain. Good people stolen from me as if fate chose my life was a worthy toy to coddle. In my years of service to the Sith, I've taken many apprentices. None survived."

The declaration hung between them for several long seconds before he wet his lips and continued.

"Very few have shown the aptitude you've displayed this day. What do you seek, Valin?"

[member="Valin Seek"]​

 

[Lief]

When the silence which had stretched on between them was broken, and the man revealed more of his past, the boy continued to simply stare. For how eccentric Tyric had been, he'd clearly never been exposed to this level of crazy; that wasn't to say he believed Vaulkhar himself was crazy, that couldn't be judged by so little interaction, but the oddities which had manifested around him - the dwindling levels of static for instance - were wholly unexpected and previously unexperienced.

He didn't quite know, to begin with, what the man expected from him. Why he was being told such details. Had he killed his own students? Had his regimen been so brutal that they simply buckled under the strain? Had they been overly ambitious from the start, bitten off more than they could chew and paid for it with an early grave? Valin didn't like the thought of any of that, in fact he rather liked the idea of living a longer life than that granted to a now dead student.

Of course, further insight was soon provided.

To be frank, Valin didn't believe he'd shown much in the way of aptitude in the minutes which had passed since Vaulkhar's appearance in the library if any at all. He'd been knocked to the ground, embedded with glass and wooden shards, and found hiding behind a table when things got a little too deadly for his liking. All that showed was that he had a survivalists mentality.

"Seek?" he inquired, finally finding his voice. The tone was almost a squeak, though he promptly coughed it away and stood a little taller. When next he spoke his voice was decidedly stronger. "What is there to seek, in a place such as this?"

And how presumptuous he was to believe that Valin had any say in his own future.

[member="Vaulkhar"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

"Everything, I imagine... or nothing at all."

The answer sounded far more cryptic than he intended. Perhaps it was due to the faint pause mid sentence, but he really didn't have an answer for Valin. Vaulkhar moved to right a nearby chair. It was mostly whole, aside for one splintered and broken leg. He dragged it towards a wall, propped it up, and sat down. His gaze moved across the room to survey the destruction he had wrought in such a short time. Tables were smashed to pieces, shelves thrown asunder and charred heavily. It had been years since he allowed himself such a delicious outpouring of powers. He knew he missed it, but never did he realize how much he did.

Power was addictive. It spoke sweet words to you when you least expected it. Power sang songs of glory and legend that enticed the young and old alike. He remembered seeing it first hand in his youth, thinking everything would come so easily to him once it was attained.

He was wrong.

As the young often are.

"Everyone wants something. You appear to seek knowledge. Why else would you dedicate so much of your time to an archive of information as large as this? I can help you, kid."

[member="Valin Seek"]​