Campaign Hush Please | Tales from the Empire Pt. 1

[Akulak Mantacor]

Objective 1: Close the Breach| Collect Samples| Investigate Disturbance
Tags: Amur, (Anyone else that wants to have fun)

It was after his work was done, that something caught the Sephi's attention. It reminded him of the sounds a specimen would make in the moments before death, it was low, the grew higher, before reaching an pitch that rattled him to the bone. It was a howl of pain, anguish, suffering, then it was gone. He straightened his posture, his third eye seeking out the cause of the disturbance, though it could only see echos of a great anguish. It was the second sound that certainly drew his attention, as a great sound reverberated around the vicinity, shaking up the life it came in contact with, and sparking new wave of frenzy seemed to fall over the somewhat dangerous forest. A new environmental condition had been set? Had the specimens changed their behavior accordingly? Excellent. However, that first howl was near by, certainly closer. He had to inquire as to what it could be. If a great beast was slain, would it not be a prime target for examination?

Caked in the fruits of his work, the Sephi proceeded, trudging through the ramble of vines and nightmarish beasts, before finding the origin of the scream. What he found was not what he expected, rather than a beast, he discovered a lone form; a female of the human verity of all things. The third eye watched, paused in wonder as she pulsated with rage, fueling her own strikes as she waded into foe after foe, striking, breaking, rending, and repeating all over again. Her screams echoed into the darkness, though the expelled from her form like sound. It didn't take long for a name to be found for this specimen; Screaming Void. Yes, that would be apt for such a specimen. It seemed to be damaged, her limb was missing, yet she wielded her instrument with a ferocity that suggested she had no need for the arm. Adaptation at its finest.

As he watched the carnage with a degree of curiosity, a sharp pain exploded from his left shoulder, as a pincer from one of the creatures had run him through. This was the problem with the third eye, it blinded it's master to everything around it. Still, the pain was a welcome reminder, slightly to the right and he very well could have been killed. Eyeing over his shoulder, the beast looked like a deformed Reek, though it's horns were curved and far larger than they should have been. A soft chuckle carried from behind the golden mask, though it was short lived as the creature continued to push the pincer on through the wound. Reaching up to grasp the blood adorned pincer, the Sephi grasped the tip with his functional arm, and with a show of force snapped it off. "Enough." Stepping out of the bony structure he had been impaled, the Sephi held the horn in hand, ready for use. The creature howled in pain, jerking back initially, before it would attempt to gore the Sith once again. It didn't have a chance. Akulak shot it forward, using the force to turn it into a missile, and gave the misshapen creature a lobotomy. It tumbled forward, a low groan slipping from it's lips, as it's wound left it crippled. With the distraction handled, he looked to watch this Screaming Void (Amur ) once again, as he would need to let his shoulder correct itself. For now, he would 'clean up' behind this new specimen, after all why let all this biomass go to waste?

 

[AMCO]

Objective: Seal rifts, take samples, and study the torn fabric of reality.
Equipment: Shadow's Folly | G1 OmniLink | Various Sith Amulets and sorcerous implements.
Writing With: Ardana Vorco
---

Eyeing the expanding rifts with the sulking annoyance of one who got everything he wanted as a child and never quite learned to expect anything less as an adult, Adrian nonetheless quickly moved to compensate, slender fingers dancing back and forth as he began to sow shut the nearest rend in reality, all the while listening to Xanesh and frowning at other, still-expanding rifts.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with you on that, unless we find some way of closing them en masse. Even then, he could still open more."

Chuckling softly, the Sith Lord shook his head, the bulk of his attention still turned towards the nearest rift.

"It is not the love nor the attachment that is the problem - nor the rage at having it taken away. Those are all sources of power, to a careful Sith." Not to mention meaning, but he doubted that would sway her mind. "This blind rage, however, is something entirely different - it is the death of logic in the face of passion, the descent to one's most base and primal instincts. It is what every Sith in their right mind should shun like the plague."

 

[Ardana Vorco]

Benûwia Antares / Darth Xanesh / Ireria Antares
Sith sorcerer, alchemist, historian, Archon of the Primyn Group, Owner of UAAK and GBATS​

Objective: Seal rifts, take samples, and study the torn fabric of reality.
Equipment: Tactical Turtleneck | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit undersuit | Red blade lightsaber (Benûwia) | Red blade lightsaber (Ireria) | Multispectrum disguise suite | G1 OmniLink
Tag(s): AMCO

It was never a very good sign when someone saw things similarly like her. And now the young man thought the way as she did. As she made finger and hand gestures to close more rifts, she began to think. How could this have been solved? In addition to sending the Shadow Hand off the planet or knocking him down. Although these would also have been only temporary solutions.

”This is also caused by a force… if we could find or create an opposite force of the same size. Even something that would open rifts elsewhere. On a theoretical level, the two effects should extinguish each other.”

Suddenly nothing else came to her mind. No such problems were encountered in her time, at most on a theoretical level, but not in a practical form. So unfortunately she didn’t have enough experience in this yet. More moves and other ancient sith words. A veil closing inward again, but another open elsewhere. Or. Oh! She already knew! Wicked smile appeared on her face.

”Can you became a focus, Darth Prospero? Can you absorb the power of others and use it for a certain amount of time? If so, we will be able to share our power with you, to see if the three of us will be enough to close them.” she asked.

She looked at the man curiously and questioned at the same time. This opportunity was developed in their lifetimes to be even stronger when they needed. It wasn’t too complicated, just though the Sith didn’t share his/her power with others by default, but this was a special situation now.

”Then if he is swallowed by one of the rifts he opens, he learns.” she shrugged.

​

 

[Ellie Mors]

DANCE IN THE DARK

Pain. Anger. Grief. Rage. Hate.

Pride.

From the six Vesta was born, from the six vis parents shaped ver, and from the six the shapeshifter's mother was drained of what precious force had kept her corporeal following the suicidal move over the charred husk that had been Borosk.

And it was, again, these six that Vesta could feel rolling up the endless stair in palpable waves from vis father. The pain in his chest, the throbbing reminder of losing what had been stitched into him like sutures to a wound; the anger to be deprived of his revenge, perhaps directed in part at the reminder of what he had that was no more; grief at having finally found something that could make him vulnerable, something that he could love, only for it to slip out of his fingers just as quickly, as suddenly, and abruptly as it had appeared to him; rage at the inability to have a natural child, that the only choice had been one made from its parents in a ritual that was too much for its mother because of what wounds she had sustained in a war the galaxy had perpetuated through cycles of conflict born from prejudice against the Sith; hate for the whole of reality for taking her from him, from a child that had required far more sacrifice than he might have been willing to make if he had known the price.

And pride, wounded, for knowing that for all his power, for all his influence, that mastery proved to be an illusion even to the Lord of Lies.

And for the first time since ve woke from vis "sleep", Vesta felt small beside vis father.

Uthax'ra.

Someday the skin-changer would stand shoulder to shoulder with vis father and mother in their prime, but it was far too soon for the facsimile of both to even hope to force their father to bottle their feelings within as vis mother could have. No, Vesta melted into darkness as the urgency in their heart grew with the pounding of the Lotek'k against their reality, a reality that vis mother had given everything for - as undeserving as this galaxy was for that sacrifice. Far down, deep in the depths of the ancient library-temple the Shi'ido emerged, rising from the shadows formed from the flames of light that emanated from the tear in the veil in a form that was wholly original to the product of the enraged Sith Lord.

"Father."​

The voice was shaken, concerned, and entirely abnormal for one whose lips they fled from - and yet Vesta spoke them all the same. The face worn was the one that had been etched into vis face at "birth", born to resemble both parents as best could be managed through the process of the shapeshifter's creation. If the appearance of the Lord of Lies' daughter, or child if one was adamant enough to deny ver that tie for vis gender identity, was not enough to give pause to whatever impulse there might have been to lash out then the part of Vesta that was made from vis mother, the part that could be felt through the force, would certainly shelter ver from a father lashing out.

Allyson Locke Taeli Raaf Ardana Vorco AMCO Akulak Mantacor Salamander Telis Taharin-Zambrano Amur Darth Prazutis

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Not Another One //:
//: Krayiss II //: Lost //:
//: Thinking //: Taeli Raaf //:
//: Watching //: Ellie Mors //: Darth Prazutis //:

​

Allyson did her best to remain hidden. Her eyes never peeling away from the madness that was occurring in front of her. As she stared, the HUD lens gave her readings of the power that was manifesting in front of her. "It's over 9000", The Corellian whispered to herself. There had never been a moment in her life that she had seen what the man below was doing. A cold and malicious air hung in the chamber, and Allyson instantly regretted her curiosity. ​

Groaning, she sunk behind the wall and tried to fortify her mind from the horrors that were becoming more and more apparent. Already with a fabricated mind, Allyson knew this was not the place for her to be. Her eyes closed as she tried to focus on her self and the Force. The thought shield would do some care to keep the horrors of the Sith Lord away, but the amount of pain and suffering she gleaned off of him was overwhelming. Her own mind poured into visions of losing the most precious person to her, to lose someone like that again would kill the woman. ​

Her mind started to betray her every lingering bond she still had pulled at her. She did her best to pull herself inward, all sources of the Force, and her own mind, she needed to protect herself. The world spun, and Allyson started to spiral into the depression she kept at bay. ​

Suddenly a voice cut through the fog, calling to her. Taeli Raaf had entered through the loose thought shield; she struggled to keep up. Allyson gathered herself and opened herself dangerously to the Force. She could feel where Taeli was, which wasn't too far. Allyson searched for anything electrical, anything that she could use her mechu deru to hack into and show Taeli what she was seeing. Taeli had told her to study and to trust the Force when it came to Mechu deru. ​

"Here goes nothing." The Corellian quickly whispered to herself before attempting the connection. Sensing the earpiece that Taeli had connected to her, Allyson forced a link between her and the woman. Through the devices, Taeli would be able to see everything the contact lens saw. Praz and the dark portal, along with a figure that seemingly was born from flames. Mentally she spoke to the Lady of Secrets; there was a panic that followed. <This isn't good Taeli, there's a lot of really messed up things coming into my head and I don't want to be here anymore. How the hell am I going to get out of here?!> ​

The Corellian tucked back down again and broke the connection between the devices. A part of her was thrilled and hoped that it worked, but the second part of her wondered if that was going to be her one and only time stretching her legs with Mechu Deru. She tucked her head between her knees, the world spun, and dreadful thoughts entered her mind. She wanted to get out of here, she wanted to be back on Yavin IV, anywhere but here would be ideal. ​

Allyson groaned as she did her best to protect her mind from the substantial amount of emotional turmoil and dark sided powers that filled the temple.​

 

[AMCO]

Objective: Seal rifts, take samples, and study the torn fabric of reality.
Equipment: Shadow's Folly | G1 OmniLink | Various Sith Amulets and sorcerous implements.
Writing With: Ardana Vorco
---

Eyebrows rising towards the skies at the Sith Lady's proposal, Adrian raised a finger but, with a thoughtful look, lowered it once more. It was quite insane, but that might just be what it would come to, in the end, if the Shadow Hand failed to regain control. "The veil is already in tatters, such a thing could work... but it could just as easily render the damage irreversible. I suggest we give the others a chance, first... but if that doesn't work..."

A single shrug from the icy-eyed Sith Lord finished the statement. He would do what was necessary, as always.

Matching her smile with his own, he nodded appreciatively at her second suggestion, a quick mental message drawing back his forward forces until a phalanx of steel and flesh had formed around them, each and every constituent component perfectly willing to die in his name.

"My new form should be more than capable of withstanding such energies, especially with this aptly-named Shadow's Folly serving as the focus." Pulling the talisman from a pocket, Adrian braced his mind and body for what was to come. "Beware - once we begin, they will know."

 

[Ardana Vorco]

Benûwia Antares / Darth Xanesh / Ireria Antares
Sith sorcerer, alchemist, historian, Archon of the Primyn Group, Owner of UAAK and GBATS​

Objective: Seal rifts, take samples, and study the torn fabric of reality.
Equipment: Tactical Turtleneck | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit undersuit | Red blade lightsaber (Benûwia) | Red blade lightsaber (Ireria) | Multispectrum disguise suite | G1 OmniLink
Tag(s): AMCO

”We think we are only minutes away from the actual disaster.”

Xanesh said in an emotionless voice, even before the other option came to her mind. She didn't know if they had enough time for the others to do something else. Fortunately, however, she remembered to share her power with the young man. However, her second idea apparently won the favour of the other as well.

”You have to be the focus. At least for our part. We can only share our power among living persons, for it is precisely this essence that the most experienced person should be given enough strength to be able to carry out what is needed. You can then pass this on to the amulet, but we will give you our own.”

Because she had to concentrate, she knelt on the ground and closed her eyes, after which she spoke.

”The most important thing is not to oppose or fight against me. It will feel weird, tingling and burning, and it’s like we want to penetrate your mind and penetrate under your skin. That’s partly true, but we can’t take control of you, and we can’t instruct you on anything. We also let you into our own minds because it is necessary and we will share with you how you can handle so much power because it is not an insult, Darth Prospero, but you are weak compared to us. On the contrary, you are more experienced at correcting such errors. Let's start the process. And you're right, they'll all feel it!”

Xanesh began to concentrate and reach out to the Force, find the First Archon through the Force, and then establish a mental and astral connection through the Force between them. Once that was done, she pounded all her power on the young man at once. If Adrian hadn’t struggled, it was still painful at first, as if he wasn’t alone in his body and mind. But he was not attacked and he was alone, he could only feel the full power of the woman. What was huge enough was stronger than what she had shown so far. It might have been a really burning sensation, but the less he fought with the woman's power, the less uncomfortable and less painful the feeling became.

The Force was concentrated there around them, with terrible extent, as for the first time since Xanesh's resurrection, she released all her power that could be felt even on the opposite side of the planet. Just like Darth Prazutis ’s power. And this was just flowing into Adrian on the built mental and astral “bridge”. If the man tried, then, as he sensed Xanesh's two consciousnesses, he knew exactly how to use and how he needed to use such a Force what he possessed now. The woman shared her knowledge and experience with him. Simpler and less painful than memory rob and more effective. If Adrian wanted, the woman could share other knowledge with him, which he could then use as if he had always learned. But just later, now they have to finish their job.

”Get started, child!” Adrian could hear the woman's voice in his mind.

​

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Things were becoming more unstable by the moment, portals tearing through the veil between worlds. Another spell from the Lady of Secrets sealed a rift that was allowing a massive tentacle to emerge, the appendage severed and writhing on the floor. But... her smile reappeared for a moment as her message had reached Allyson Locke . The prototype holo-device that she and her company were developing as a replacement for comlinks, datapads, and holo-transceivers worked beautifully as Allyson used her ability to link the device with her eyepiece.

It was good that she was testing her limits with mechu deru, just inching closer and closer down the path.... a path that could prove very steep very quickly, and what fun it could be to slide down it. But now wasn't the time for that. What Allyson revealed to her, the direct line of sight to what Darth Prazutis was unleashing in his grief... he was trying to bring the Lotek'k through into the temple! That would prove utterly disastrous, for everyone. That could not be allowed.

Allyson's thought floated across to her, and Taeli could feel her panic in the Force. Following the currents to where she was observing the Shadow Hand, she could sense the strain she must be feeling from being so close to the epicenter. It was time to show her that the Lady of Secrets could keep her promises.

This might be unpleasant, if it is your first time.

She normally did not need a spell to move herself to another point in space, nor did she usually need it when she was touching someone to transport them. She had learned the ability to teleport as the Nightsister matriarchs could from the tomes she had acquired with the Creeping Lignan, but they had said nothing about teleporting another being from a distance to the subject. In this case, her power would need a focus; combine the magic of the Nightsisters and the Sith into one. With Allyson's presence in this maelstrom in her mind, she sent a gentle tendril of the dark side to wrap around what would be the proverbial wrist of the girl. Now would come the unpleasant part.

"Antai an Dzi tsiu," she intoned, gesturing with her hand. A black smoke would surround Allyson, changing and twisting her body as it became the dark side smoke itself and pulling her through the Force to rematerialize in front of the sorceress. Somehow, she doubted the girl had done this before. First time... she took a few steps back as the whirl of smoke appeared that would indicate the younger woman's reappearance in the physical place just to be safe. Hopefully, she had a light lunch.

 

[Darth Prazutis]

Location: Krayiss II, Temple
Tags: Ellie Mors , Allyson Locke , Taeli Raaf , AMCO , Ardana Vorco

T A K E I T A W A Y​

Finally.

As the Lord of Lies stood before the tear in reality that rapidly grew into a breach between the world beyond and this one, he could feel the presence of his other half grow and push itself through him. Enough had been driven into his vessel that it began to struggle and rip. Bones cracked and muscles started to tear as it pushed the body outward, and placed immense weight on the soul. In time once the transition passed into later stages it would become irrelevant, ripped and torn as he bonded himself less with this world and more with the one beyond if left uninterrupted. It was the most soothing sensation he'd ever felt as quite suddenly everything just dimmed. It was as if a greyscale descended over the world and for a moment he felt nothing. No more pain. No anger, grief, or hatred burning it all simply fell away in the moment as everything that mattered suddenly started to fall away. It was a struggle he'd always spoken of with his dearest wife Alekto one of the only ones who knew how it felt. Uthax'ra was an entity so alien to this world, bound to it through the part of itself that existed within it. It was what few could understand as the crazed sought power in the cosmic horrors, hoping like some dark god they would simply bless them. ​

​

This world and what mattered to the beings within it meant absolutely nothing to what lurked beyond the veil. It was only because of his unique past that put him in this position. Asation served to re-establish that connection. It would never understand. Why would something so elevated try to understand? It would be like if he tried to speak to the atoms that comprised everything? As the entity accepted his invitation and pushed its way deeper he could see the world the way it saw it, feel it the way it did and everything that mattered just ceased in those moments. They flickered in and out between his control and his ceasing control until finally it just...stopped. For what felt like an eternity all of the rage, the grief was suddenly and completely....gone. The storm it created grew drastically pressing outward with the ability to devour and destroy conscious minds. It was the absence of pain and the sudden nothingness that felt absolutely haunting. The barriers that held the beyond out cracked and the breach to the place where the Lotek'k dwelled expanded. It felt as if it was almost upon them.​

​

"Father."​

​

A redheaded woman seemed to materialize through blazing fire and stepped into the very hurricane of devastation that swirled in the entire chamber around him. It was enough to kill even the most formidable and sweep them away. Yet as she moved she was entirely uninhibited by it's presence. Even as the cold for the brief period took dominion where pain once dwelled she found herself unharmed, untouched. To the man within it was a presence foreign and yet familiar all the same. It felt like Alekto. It was so clearly, distinctly her presence that walked in yet the voice...that voice? There was another that he felt within her as well it felt like...home. In those moments the towering giant turned its face to look at her, to meet her eyes with its own and she could've sworn that it was someone else, something else looking back at her. It wasn't like the other beings that it passed over or wouldn't acknowledge akin to a person acknowledging a protozoa. It actually looked at her.​

​

The rift suddenly stopped.​

​

In the pits of darkness that were his eyes a glowing ember formed a tiny pupil within and suddenly the entity drew back allowing him back in control. It was an explosion of color as everything flooded back in once more. All he could see was her form and her eyes, and even then he could just register her form amidst his grief. All he could feel is the presence of Alekto emanating from her and it stung like the agony of a hot knife that still glowed with the heat of the forge. It was so familiar. "I...I know you." He uttered as he took slow, deliberate steps as if the entire weight of the world pressed down on his shoulders. The tendrils from his back seemed only to elongate and held his place without interruption.​

​

"How?" ​

 

[Elle Mors]

Get Away

She probably could have blushed harder - probably, like a tomato that could have been riper.

The hug was unexpected, quite honestly she expected an argument right off the bat. The moment they had parted ways, or rather the moment Ellie had quietly decided to leave Sylv in her room, Elle had recognized the mistake she was making - Sylvia had made it clear that she needed her, and Ellie had hurt her, which was only worse in the underhanded way she'd done it to get back at what she assumed as rejection. It wasn't fair. She smiled, like a friend ought to, she was happy to see Sylvia again, but she didn't say anything as the situation grew more awkward by the moment.

To Sylv it was like Ellie hadn't changed - like something that had been missing but was found again exactly as it had left like - but to Elle the friend before her was so much more different than she'd remembered, or maybe she'd just started seeing things clearly with time away from the corruption of an Overseer standing over her shoulder every day. "I've, uh, been around, y'know." She said quietly, still uncertain what, or more precisely how much, to say. "I was a prisoner of war, but I got away, I guess." She added noncommittally, though her gaze tried to match Sylvia's before realizing she had been looking away. The emptiness in her chest returned, and she wondered if she'd meant that last line.

"I promised you I wouldn't ever leave you, remember?"

Tilting her head a little to the side, and bringing her opposite hand to rub over the bracelet on her dominant hand, she sighed. "I can't keep that promise, though, Sylvia, if I don't ask you this. Or I guess tell you this and hope you understand." Explaining herself without actually explaining herself was difficult, but it was the beating around the bush she'd become so familiar with these days - people tended to try to stab her before she could explain what she meant, particularly people with red lightsabers, and this disarmed most people at least a little. "I'm.. well, I'm not, but, I uh.. I've left the Sith Empire behind, Sylv, and I think you should too. They're using you - us - to give them power and control, not to make things right. Nobody cares about the little people, about people like you, in the higher circles."

"I've decided I'm going to try to join up with the Jedi, and I think that.. I would like it if you would come with me. I think it's the right thing to do, like I have a purpose, a real one, and part of that is.." Her voice trailed off, unable to say it - she'd been the one who had made the real decision to break things off before they could even begin, she had no right to ask her something so unfair. So she left it at that - a confession, she'd betrayed the empire and Sylvia, and a request to come with her.

Part of her was optimistic, that maybe she'd be forgiven, but she had no idea what to think anymore, not after she found out how many lies were being fed to her.

 

[Sylvia Virtos]

However, I'm starting to see this world in the right light
Yet it still gets darker
You see, it's just a simple symphony
Or a painting
Whatever ​

Their encounter had begun so promisingly. Her fears were, perhaps, completely misplaced and maybe their friendship wasn't yet lost. They were both here now, after all, and Sylvia had freed herself from the academy just like Elle had. Even though a little voice in her head told her something was wrong, for how could a prisoner of war get away so easily, but for the moment all disbelief was suspended. The promise the blonde repeated felt so good to hear, but it wasn't to last.

Elle explained how her life had changed since they last met, and it left Sylvia completely disoriented and confused. It threw her for a loop she didn't see coming, even if she should have. All this time she refused to believe the overseer had been right, but there was no denying it anymore. Elle had defected. Abandoned the only home the two had ever known. Suddenly, the magenta-haired woman remembered haunting task the overseer had given her and what Elle's defection meant. All her mind knew now, was conflict.

"You're asking me to abandon everything I have finally been able to build up for myself."

The image, the idyllic future Elle tried to implant into Sylvia's mind, was nothing but beautiful. What stood before her to get there was a leap of faith, one where she had to leave behind everything she had now. Finally she had a master who could teach her skills she could truly master, a group of individuals who had actually welcomed her in, and an actual future to build towards. She knew it didn't stack up to the feelings she had for Elle, and it still seemed like it was too difficult to turn her back on the empire.

Deep down, Sylvia was terrified.

"I..." She bit down and clenched her teeth, hard. Her lips trembled. It was impossible to say the words. She scolded herself internally for not having the strength to simply pull out her lightsaber and try to cut her down. At least there would be true finality, then. Either Elle died, or she herself. But she couldn't. She still cared for the blonde. More than that, she wanted to be with her. But like always, she was too weak. She was a coward.

Come on then, take the coward's way out. You were so close already, anyway. The voice was her own creation, yet it still cut her to her core.

"It's too late for me to leave, Ellie. I got an opportunity and seized it. To leave that behind and join the Jedi, I can't do that." It felt like plunging a dagger into her own heart. Sylvia was hurting, but was simply too afraid to do anything else. "I know the empire isn't innocent, but I don't see why I should trust the Jedi."

"I..."

"I'm sorry."

Elle Mors ​

 

[Elle Mors]

Someone Else

"I don't see why I should trust the Jedi."

"I don't see why I should trust [you]."

It didn't matter which way Sylvia had said it, which words it had been, or what Elle had heard - they both rang the same bells, both pierced just as deep. This, however, was exactly what she had braced herself for, what she'd expected when she'd recognized the change in Sylvia - or, maybe, when she'd finally seen what she couldn't before. Sorry? It didn't cut it, not now, anyway. The line was drawn, and it was only because of their history that the unarmed Ellie wasn't run through with a lightsaber or something just as lethal.

"No, I'm sorry. I should have known." She said quietly, her voice low not because she was being gentle but so she wouldn't scream.

"This is who you are, after all, always has been - and this was never me, not the me you knew, and maybe that's a good thing."

"Unless you're going to try to kill me for the liar that abused you, then I'm going to go - and I hope we don't see each other again, Sylvia." She said as her expression turned cold, the force running through her arm and the bracelet at the insinuation that Sylv would turn on her. "Next time I show up on a world ran by the Sith, it's going to be to bring balance back to the force by removing pieces from the dark side's end of the scale."

"Don't let one of them be you."

Turning away she started to leave but then stopped - hesitating.

"Last chance."

Without a moment of hesitation further she strode on - her words, and the distinct lack of patience on her part, were words unto themselves. Sylvia had been cold enough, doubting her intentions, so she made it clear she didn't believe in Sylvia anymore in the same dismissive way she'd been told she couldn't be trusted.

Sylvia Virtos

 

[Ellie Mors]

​

Vis heart sank at the lack of recognition - crafted from his own blood, even from his essence, Vesta was as much vis father as ve was vis mother. Still, ve was alive - living at least - and, as far as ve could tell, there wasn't any impending doom spelled out for the shapeshifter just yet. Not the physical, painful, kind anyway; the whole not-being-recognized-by-your-own-father bit was more than a little disconcerting. "It's me." Ve said, spreading vis arms out slowly to gesture to verself. "Vesta." Out of the corner of ver eye ve could see - or rather sense, mostly through the force - the presence of another, and then their strange disappearance, but that would have to wait for another day.

What more could ve say? "Your.. daughter..?" Ve added, a little hint of confusion to vis tone, with a questioning voice while ve continued to walk closer. "I know I resemble.. her.. but it's me." Vesta explained, emphasizing the difference. "I might have misremembered the details, it's hard - so many faces - but it's me, the daughter you left at home, on Maena - the one sleeping that wouldn't wake up." The skin-changer continued slowly, until there was only a small distance between the two of them. It was apparent that Vesta was nervous, ve had expected vis father to at least recognize ver - instead it seemed like it was what was part of ver that he saw.

"It's okay to hurt, I am hurt too, but if you keep doing this you're going to hurt yourself, and me, more."

"Let's go home. You need to grieve, and your daughter needs her papa - don't take that away from her too."

Despite the internal recoil at misgendering verself, it was important to relate things to him in a way that was comfortable and familiar - ve couldn't risk causing greater chaos than what already was.

Darth Prazutis Allyson Locke Taeli Raaf

 

[Sylvia Virtos]

While Sylvia was filled with conflict, Elle showed none. She stood there, paralyzed from the words spoken to her. They sounded cold, final- the blonde had asked her to blindly follow her to make what was possibly the most impactful decision she'd have to make her entire life, and her hesitation wasn't tolerated. If Sylvia had plunged that dagger into her own heart, Elle twisted it, and that was infinitely more painful. All of those years they grew up together meant nothing to Elle anymore, or so it felt.

Was everyone like this? Was it normal to so easily turn your back on others? Perhaps it was all her own fault, maybe she'd done all of this to herself. She didn't know anymore. Everything in her mind was spinning and nothing made sense anymore. This side of Elle, this cold and distant Elle, it didn't feel right. Even though she was right there in front of her, Sylvia refused to believe this was the blonde's true self.

"Don't let one of them be you."

The task given to her by the overseer continued to linger, and when those words were uttered Sylvia accepted how their next encounter would end. It continued to hurt, her heart was in agony, but her life simply wasn't meant to be a happy one. Even though there was one single moment of hesitation on Elle's part and a 'last chance' was given, it didn't feel sincere. While Elle walked away tears began to pool in the magenta-haired girl's eyes once more, cursing the Force. Life was cruel.

"The next time we meet, I will not hesitate, Ellie." She turned around and began walking the other way, every step being more difficult than the previous. "If this is who you are now, and you would be willing to end my life like that, then when that day comes I will not be any different."

"The overseer tasked me with killing you. My reward would be the title of Sith. I guess that's all I have left to fight for now."

Elle Mors ​

 

[AMCO]

Objective: Seal rifts, take samples, and study the torn fabric of reality.
Equipment: Shadow's Folly | G1 OmniLink | Various Sith Amulets and sorcerous implements.
Writing With: Ardana Vorco
---

Power. Searing hot and glacially cold, it flowed through his body - the power of two-Sith-in-one added to his already formidable reserves, bolstered by items of power and drawing from their surroundings. Flesh seething ever so slightly as the strange alchemies he had performed upon his own body did their work in channelling and controlling the invisible power, the Sith Lord drew a long breath.

In and out. In and out. He had felt comparable power before - more, even. But never like this, never in the midst of chaos incarnate.

No matter, his body could take it, as could his mind - he had sculpted them both to that effect, in very different ways.

<This is quite something, Darth Xanesh - I have never experienced such raw power outside controlled ritual environments.> Flexing his fingers as if in preparation, the Sith Lord allowed the other entrance into his mind - the upper portions, anyway, there were things he was quite unwilling to show to anyone, let alone someone he did not know all that well. <You are right, let us begin.>

Reaching towards the skies, he sensed the fabric of reality and the holes therein, the power flowing from both sides... and some sort of distraction from Darth Prazutis . Perhaps someone was getting to him, in his madness. Good. The consequences of his actions still had to be mended, however, and so the Sorcerer continued undeterred, power rippling outwards as he sought to Force shut the wounds in the veil.

The beings that had sprung forth from that place would know what he was attempting in an instant, no doubt.

 

[Ardana Vorco]

Benûwia Antares / Darth Xanesh / Ireria Antares
Sith sorcerer, alchemist, historian, Archon of the Primyn Group, Owner of UAAK and GBATS​

Objective: Seal rifts, take samples, and study the torn fabric of reality.
Equipment: Tactical Turtleneck | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit undersuit | Red blade lightsaber (Benûwia) | Red blade lightsaber (Ireria) | Multispectrum disguise suite | G1 OmniLink
Tag(s): AMCO

Xanesh acknowledged with satisfaction that the young man was able to handle the amount of power and strength she had handed over to him. Figuratively and literally. In the distance, she felt the Shadow Hand calm down, his anger as if he had been cut off in an instant. Maybe someone did what Xanesh thought and knocked the man down after all. No matter, the point was that now was the time.

”Well, it’s also a controlled ritual environment, because we keep it completely under our control. Although we do not deny that this is a rather extreme circumstance in which we are. When this is over, don’t be surprised that you will be very exhausted and tired, which will probably be accompanied by a huge hunger and thirst. Your body is not used to this, so it will be a very exhausting process, but you can get used to it with practice.”

On the next one she just nodded to start Prospero doing what he wanted to do. Meanwhile, she continued to maintain the mental and astral bridge so that the other Sith Lord could access and use all her strength to close the rifts. Anyway, the woman was quite discreet, compared to at least one Sith. The man could feel the woman keeping what she had promised and said, not even going near his memories, not looking at them, and not searching in Adrian's mind.

Her job wasn’t much in this mission, just to concentrate and maintain the bridge for Darth Prospero. And she continued to do this task perfectly.

​

 

[Salamander]

Objective: Avoid the holes in reality, watch the fireworks, debate philosophy with a child
Equipment: Paranoia, Regret, Suspicion
Writing with: Open

They quickened their pace as they continued to move away from the rift. Eventually they reached an area full of large scattered rocks, some of them flat enough to almost pass for stone benches. It was there that Messala felt Allyson Locke's presence abruptly disappear in the Force, moving to a different location.

Vaslav looked up, wrinkling his freckled nose. "She teleported."

"Indeed." The Half-Bothan sat down on one of the smooth rocks, his armor clanking together noisily. As he rested his bones, he sensed a spike in power from the direction of Adrian Vandiir and Darth Xanesh. Prazutis was distracted, and they were taking advantage of the opportunity to hold back the horde. The rifts began to seal, the creatures inside scrambling to escape before they were cut in half by the closing doors. Messala removed his helmet and set it down beside him, exposing his leathery, grotesque countenance to the bleak light of the stormy day. "They are closing the tears. Won't be long now. I don't think we'll find much trouble here. Those two are taking care of things quite nicely."

"Huh?"

The Sith Lord pointed. Spinning around, Vaslav spotted Amur and Akulak Mantacor near the opposite edge of the clearing. "The angry lady and the man with a piece of pottery stuck to his head?"

"Yes." Messala chuckled. "I believe they have the situation well in hand. Might as well wait it out."

Vaslav hopped up onto the stone and watched the other two. Amur was still violently destroying any interdimensional creatures that came her way, while the venerable Akulak gathered the remains for study. It was gruesome, bloody work, but not much worse than seeing animals being butchered in a slaughterhouse. Vaslav, who had killed his fair share of the creatures earlier on, swung his feet as he watched the carnage, his chin perched on his hands.

"Why did the holes open?" he asked suddenly.

"Because a foolish man with too much power became very sad."

"Why was he sad?"

"Because his wife was gone."

Vaslav glanced at his master, whose voice had suddenly become soft and quiet. A curious choice of words, too—normally Messala would not shy away from discussing the harsh realities of life and death. "Where did she go?"

"From what I hear, she ceased to exist." The moment had passed, and Messala's voice was strong and clear again. "Though she and her husband apparently tried to give her new life before she died. A rebirth of sorts. I doubt they got the results they wanted. There are many pathways to cheat death in this galaxy of ours, but no good can come of any of them."

"How come?"

"Because we are all at the mercy of the will of the Force. The Sith think they can manipulate it to their own ends like a tool, but it is far beyond their control. The Jedi believe it is on their side, but it can have no allegiance, for it knows no prejudices. I wish I knew what it wanted, what plans it had in store, but I haven’t received even the vaguest glimpse of the future." The Sith looked at his young apprentice and sighed. "The Force allowed me to create you, my secondborn, and all the rest of your brothers and sisters. I should be content with that. But like Alekto and Prazutis and all the rest of the Sith, I cannot stop searching. I hunger for more than what fate has given me. I crave something beyond my feeble destiny."

Vaslav's brow was furrowed, his eyes wide. He didn't understand, not completely, but he sensed that Messala was troubled. "I hope you find what you're looking for," he said, not realizing the weight of his words.

Messala grunted in acknowledgement. "It is the pursuit which should be savored, I suppose." He turned back toward the chaos before them, a smirk curling his wretched mouth. "Show me slowly what I only know the limits of."

 

[Darth Prazutis]

Location: Krayiss II
Tags: Ellie Mors , Allyson Locke , Taeli Raaf

M Y C H I L D​

Rage.

The Death Lord could read her the reaction written on her face, he could feel the turbulence beneath her skin. As she began to speak, he knew her but he couldn't remember her. Rage burned so brightly across his mind it bathed the world in the sanguine color of blood, driving out tangible thought. In his jarring return to reality he was suddenly reminded of the conflict raging. Even now with the portal's growth halted, a world standing on the knife's edge of oblivion he could feel the horrors surge. They were bound by his will and he could feel his rage and grief carry through them, spurring them forward into a blood crazed frenzy to destroy everything that existed for the one who was lost, for her. Braxus Zambrano was drowned so deep into the depths of his own rage that he struggled even now, to force buried memories to the surface. It felt like trying to dig away snow amidst a blizzard, it was all a crimson haze.​

​

Maena.​

​

In a hidden corner of the world they poured the epitome of their knowledge in the profane and unnatural, the sheer magnitude of sorcery poured into her creation would've killed scores of lesser magicians insane. While Vesta might not have been born naturally she was perfect, she was their child. The memories trickled in one after the other while her words cut like blades into the deepest recesses of his mind, striking into his fury to drive reason back into him. ​

​

"I....I remember you." He replied to her words. The disturbing transformation of his form had almost entirely receded to reveal the true form of the giant. The Shadow Hand closed the little distance between them to gently caress her cheek, grabbing just under her chin and look into her eyes of the child who wouldn't wake up. It wasn't the first time he breathed life into something through the arts of magic and alchemy, but no matter what they did she just wouldn't wake up. Some said it was impossible to create true life. The horrors that were Sithspawn were merely pale imitations, they abominations created to fulfill a purpose. Those among his tight knit circle of advisors said that he was trying to do the impossible to create true life in his own daughter. But he spent his entire life shattering the glass ceilings above him and tearing off the shackles of expectation. He only she didn't have to die for this earth shattering revelation to occur: "Rage clouded my thoughts...but I see you now. I see you. My child. My Vesta." Braxus said, the molten ember grew to push back the blackness in his eyes to the very fringes as he took back control, and pulled her into an embrace.​

​

"Let's go home. You need to grieve, and your daughter needs her papa - don't take that away from her too."​

​

In the moments after her words he seemed to hold his daughter and feel the life pump through her body. She was right. This path was only one of misery and loss. To leave his daughter alone in a world she barely knew, orphaned by her parents. It wasn't what she would've wanted. If Vesta was here then he wasn't completely alone, and she wasn't completely gone."Alright." Braxus whispered. He used one last extension of his power to slam shut the door to the great beyond. All at once the portals dissipated across Krayiss II along with the horrors they spewed into clouds of black smoke. "As long as I draw breath you will never be alone, my daughter." She would never be alone.​

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Not Another One //:
//: Krayiss II //: Lost //:
//: Buying New Shoes for //: Taeli Raaf //:
//: Running From //: Ellie Mors //: Darth Prazutis //:

​

Allyson opened her eyes for just a moment to catch a glimpse of the other that appeared. Tilting her head, she watched the odd interaction long enough to understand that they were familiar. Reports stated that Alekto had been killed on Dubrillion with the former monarch of Eshan. Allyson rubbed her eyes and realized that the figure wasn’t the lost Sith Lord, but someone else. Tilting her head, she wanted to know more, the curiosity was about to kill the cat until Taeli’s presence wrapped around the Corellian. “Shit.” Was the last word the woman spoke as she felt her body ripped from existence. ​

Being the brave soul that she was, her eyes opened to the mesmerizing void that she was torn through. The feeling was something she had never felt before and hoped to never feel again. Time and space were void in this place, and the Corellian looked down at her hands but found nothing. A scream that never echoed came from the essence of what the Corellian used to be. Panic settled in as she wondered how the hell this was going to work out for her. Yet before her thoughts went down the slippery slope of forever darkness, she was plopped out at Taeli Raaf’s feet. ​

Landing on her hands and knees, the brunette woman stared at the ground and took several deep breaths. She patted the ground, then patted her legs, her face, and lastly, her chest. “Oh my Force everything is --” She paused and patted her rear end and sighed with complete relief. “Everything is still here,” She stood up quickly, fear and confusion still written on her now pale face. One could mistake her for an Echani hybrid; her skin was so translucent.​

Suddenly the translucency of her skin disappeared as she turned a slight tinge of green. It seemed standing up as quickly as she did was possibly the worst thing she could have done. A hand moved to cover her mouth, but there was no time. At, around and possibly on Taeli’s feet, Allyson would introduce the woman to her foot-long bantha meatball sub with extra marinara and provolone cheese. The Corellian would finish after a few moments, then look at her sandwich and then back up towards the Sith Lady. “Sorry? It was delicious, trust me.” An embarrassed smile spread across the younger woman’s face as she looked back down at her sandwich in the purest form of sadness. ​

Allyson slumped to her knees as she groaned and held her stomach. She wasn’t the biggest fan of the spell that Taeli had used on her, but she was thankful. As she laid on the ground, holding her stomach in the fetal position, she squeaked out her thanks, “Thank you, it was scary back there - who was that guy…?” ​

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Allyson Locke Darth Prazutis Ellie Mors

"Well of course it is still there, I wasn't about to splinch you," Taeli responded once Allyson got over her temporary panic and her breathing steadied out. That certainly confirmed it was the first time the girl had ever teleported before. It could be a very... disorientating and frightful experience that first time. As she stood up, rather quickly, Taeli was impressed. "And congratulations on your first teleport, and I'll admit I'm impressed. Most people vomit on the fir..."

And she was cut off by Allyson promptly expelling her lunch onto the floor and Taeli's shoes. Oh well on that one.

"Well as long as it was good going down," she sighed, stepping out of the muck. Well, guess it was as good an excuse as any to go shoe shopping once the current interdimensional crisis was resolved. Although... she was sensing a calmness returning, the rifts were closing on their own. Something or someone was calming down the Shadow Hand, but still... he was in for a lecture on pushing the Asation experiments further and faster than he should have. Honestly, she set guidelines up for a reason.

"You're welcome, by the way," she continued saying, squatting down to Allyson's position on the floor, gentle smile in place... but a good distance back in case her lunch wanted to be followed by her breakfast. "I told you I would look out for you. And that, my Miss Locke, was Braxus Zambrano, otherwise known as Darth Prazutis, the Shadow Hand of the Emperor. His wife was killed in action at Dubrillion and he is grieving, although I think we both can agree tearing apart the veil between dimensions is not a healthy way to do so."