Private Nothing Is Okay

[Iris Arani]

"I'm not going to destroy you here. But I am going to remove you from my head."

She kept her blade up, kept Domxite up. Catching the claws against the mystical blade. The crystal blade. It took more shape now, something akin to Domxite's true form, though obviously as a blade instead. She didn't move her eyes from the shadow, pressing back. Up before swiping across again with a quick flick of her wrist. Trying to drive the shadow back and away.

But the colors, she was aware of what was going on. Barely.

"It's his memories. Carnifex."

Darth Carnifex | Valery Noble

 

[Darth Carnifex]

They were almost evenly matched, skin slick with sweat as they moved back and forth across the courtyard. It quickly became apparent that one was starting to gain advantage over the other, a boisterous laugh upon their lips, when a voice froze them where they stood; eyes widening. They quickly split turning to face the source of the voice, backs rigid, and hands held deftly at attention. For the first time, and perhaps the only time, they would see a glimmer in the eyes of the future Dark Lord.

Not just fear, or even fright, but abject terror.

From the darkness beneath the courtyard's stone colonnade emerged a figure draped in black, wreathed in poignant prestige. Her face was angular and sculpted, her lips plump, and her emerald eyes glared derisively at the two boys now assembled before her.

Ashriel, the boy's mother, allowed her lips to curl back in a sneer. "Must you two behave like the lowest dregs?"

The response was immediate.

"No, my Lady. Grave pardons, my Lady."

"No, my Lady. Grave pardons, my Lady."

Ashriel huffed, taking several steps towards them before coming to a stop. The two boys immediately fell to their knees and lowered themselves until their foreheads pressed against the cool stone. Their mother chuckled as one hand reached down to gently stroke her swollen belly, already many months pregnant. "A mother can hope that her next child will not be such wanton fools." She looked between them, "And who among you elected to debase yourselves when you thought no one was watching?"

The young Kaine's mouth threatened to open, to divulge that it was he who had suggested they wrestle. But Mordecai was faster, his voice ringing off the stones and pillars of the courtyard.

"It was me, my Lady. It was my idea."

The words that Kaine would have spoken were now caught in his throat, for he knew just as well as Mordecai what awaited those who displeased their mother. She made a disapproving tsk as she walked right up to Mordecai, biding him stand with only a single finger curled beneath his chin. His body trembled and his eyes were wide with fear. "Is that so? Then you know the price for such insolence." Mordecai nodded and turned, walking several paces before stopping, and stripping out of his tunic.

Ashriel produced a small bladeless hilt from her sleeve, and presented it to Kaine. He arose and took it, his eyes glazed over as he distanced himself from whatever actions his body was taking. Then he stood behind Mordecai and flipped the hilt in a downward motion. An energy coil burst forth from the device, stretching out to nearly two meters and crackling violently. Wordlessly, he drew back his hand, and struck his brother across the back. A large gash split open from the impact, and the young boy coiled in agony but did not cry out; Zambranos did not cry out when struck, they suffered in dignified silence.

Ten lashes was what they were taught was an acceptable punishment, and so Mordecai received that many. His back was raw and bloody, the nerves flayed where the energy had bitten deep. They would heal in time, as did all of their scars, but the memories would never fade.

Not even a lifetime later.

Iris Arani | Valery Noble ​

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit | Weapon/Weapon | Appearance

Outfit | XoXo
Location | Voss
Tag | Iris Arani Darth Carnifex

"It's his memories. Carnifex."

Valery's brows furrowed and after briefly glancing in Iris' direction, she turned her attention back to the memory that was being displayed for them. It was almost haunting to see a man who she knew as an almost pure form of evil this way — that underlying darkness was there deep within, as it was with all Zambranos who were raised here and followed the directions of their parents. But to see them as kids, not far beyond years where they were so innocent, was difficult.

All those who terrorize others as adults once started like this, and given the wrong circumstances, even the brightest children could fall down such a path. As a mother, it was an almost frightening thing to see.

"Do you have an idea why this specific memory is being shown?" Valery asked quietly, right as a woman made her appearance, and the way she carried herself alone made it obvious who she was. With someone as dark as Carnifex, little thought is usually given to those who raised him or tried to.

But the way his mother addressed them, and the fear she could see and feel from the two boys made it all too clear she was a contributing factor to what was to come.

"This is how evil is created."

​