Of Sith and Shadows

[Allya Vi'Dreya]

“Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it.” - Terry Pratchett

Theme



As Kahlil gained more power as both a Sith, and within the Empire itself, he had begun to make enemies. Those who are jealous of his bloodline, and those who felt their own growing power base threatened their future if he continued on his path. True to Sith nature, one Sith felt both. Rather than let this young upstart endanger all he had worked for, Darth Veratus would take the child out here and now.

However, he wanted to use this to bolster his own power base, to bring war back to the Sith Empire, so that he can expand his own forces, and territories. It was in the air, it could happen on its own at any time: War with the CIS. To this end, he set a trap for Kahlil Zambrano, and the youngest, but currently most public, child of Darth Metus, Allya Vi'Dreya.

For months he spread rumors of a terrorist plot, sent Knights Obsidian and Sith Intelligence scrambling, trying to keep up. Finally, Veratus' plan reached fruition, each child was supposed to meet a supposed informant about these terrorist plots in their regions, on a station above Usk, at the end of the Dead Road, hyperspace lane.

As the two walk in, almost perfectly from opposite ends of the station, the strategic placement of various force absorbing materials on it, kept them from feeling each other. When the Mandalorian Sith and the Epicanthix met face to face, distrust was immediate. However, it was a luxury they didn't have, as the entire station began to fill with a potent neurotoxin. Both were paranoid, and wore their specialized suits and it kept them safe, but neither anticipated the assassin droids, with the sole purpose to make a hole in their suits.

Doubt turned to a desire to survive and the children of two of the most powerful men in the galaxy fought side by side as wave after wave of assassin droids came into play. When it became obvious the two were ready for this type of assault, Allya picked up the power surge in the reactor. They tried to escape towards their shuttles only to find the way blocked. Eventually the two managed to get to the escape pods, as the core began to go critical. The girl managed to override the controls, and launched them at the planet, as the station exploded in a glorious fire ball and shrapnel. The pod got hid, and descended hard on the planet, its comms, and distress beacon shorting out.

The pod shook, and trembled, trying to tear itself apart, as it hit the planetary atmosphere. However, against all odds, possibly due to the two Sith inside, using the force to literally hold it together, the pod managed to land on the planet. The two had been through a lot already. Both understood they had to rely on the other to survive. There was no time for infighting, or power plays, this was survival at it's finest. A well prepared enemy was out to get them, and if they couldn't work passed their differences, passed the long histories of their names, they would die here, to the machinations of another Sith. Both of them were far to stubborn to let that happen. No, this Sith would die for his crimes. But to do it, they had to get out of where they were.


Allya kicked the hatch off the damaged pod. She didn't bother to grab any of the food, water, or medical supply kits from the pod. They had probably been poisoned or tampered with anyway. That station had been sacrificed to kill them. It was doubtful their enemy would leave anything to chance. Though it was possible, because he had left the pod in a working order, even if it had been locked down. The small Mandalorian Sith was in her full Beskar'garm, with her lightsaber, and blaster at her side. Eyes looked around what appeared to be a rocky wasteland. In the distance rocks crumbled down the canyon wall.

Scanners were soon switched on, and every sense she had was stretched outwards. The emotion, the fear, the anxiety, the excitement, it fueled her powers. However, her armor would be actively making it hard to trace her through the force. But she didn't think her companion had the same gadgets in his own armor.

“Alright, boss. We should move, now, fast. If I was them, the Hunter-Seekers would be deployed here, to harass us until the main forces get here. I doubt they are going to stop.” Pride of position was not one of her bigger weaknesses. She knew her mission, get this Sithling back to his space, and kill the kriffing bastard that had chosen to make an enemy of her. Rage flowed through her, and a smirk was held on her lips, under the helmet. “We have three minutes....We have two choices, a cave system nearby, or further into the canyon. You choose.” She didn't even care if they stayed there. The Mandalorian would destroy everything that came against her anyway.


[member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil dragged himself from the escape pod shortly after [member="Allya Vi'Dreya"] had opened it. To think, one of his own would go to such lengths to have him eliminated. It had been good he came without his usual group of apprentices and allies, less they too would have been killed. Still, he had lost a good group of soldiers who died protecting his life. Loyal to the end. A shame they had to be lost to this betrayal.

His shoulder had been dislocated upon the crash landing. His armor wasn't meant to cushion as he expected the Mandalorian's to. He'd have to get an update for that soon. With his staff in hand he forced himself to his feet, leaning heavily on the weapon. "The cave. Somewhere out of sight so we can lick our wounds for a moment and prepare for what comes next." With that he began his limp to the direction of the cave. "Destroy them all we want, we can't get off world. We have to lure something down that can get us free."

 

[Allya Vi'Dreya]

Allya's armor had been designed for orbital drops in fast moving pods. However, even she felt this one. Her armor's Valkyrie system already injected pain killers into her form, not that she would ever let the other Sith know. She was, however, worried about him. As she turned towards the cave system, without twitching a muscle, Dubiety would find his own weight lighter, meaning less strain on his injured form as she used a gentle form of telekinesis to help him. She walked a minute, then carefully ducked into a cave that her sensors said winded through the mountains. The girl didn't know if there was a way out or not, but, it was the best chance.

Once Kahlil was inside the cave mouth too, she reached out with the force, and ripped the rocks down, covering the exit. Turning back, she began to walk through the darkness. A headlamp in her armor turned on, and illuminated the shadows. This allowed them to find a way to squeeze deeper. “Where are you hurt? I can try and help once we get further inside, and out of sight.”

Finally, when they were deep enough inside to avoid the sensors of the Hunter Seekers, she turned to him, and a hand rested on her own hip. Her sensors scanned over the man she was with. Her emotions were running wild, and with each new feeling, she gained strength. However, at the core of her, she was not a standard Sith, she was a protector, a being of intense emotions, who simply followed them.

“Dislocated shoulder....leg trauma, contusions, bruising. But you will live....I have pain killers if you want it.” It would be up to the future Sith Lord to trust her or not. She didn't attempt to force anything. “I can also relocate your shoulder. We need you at as good as we can get if we want to survive.” Her voice was calm, and even, without any malice.

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

There was a click of his tongue as he suddenly felt his weight lessen. A simple trick, and one he hadn't thought of. He'd never outwardly admit it, but it certainly helped keep his mind focused on the task at hand instead of on the pain and panic this situation had brought to them both. Kahlil followed after [member="Allya Vi'Dreya"] to the cave, ducking low underneath the overhang. The curse of his height seemed to finally come into effect.

With the Mandalorian's headlight at least the darkness wasn't in the way. He avoided a number of loose rocks that would of sent him sprawling otherwise. Once they were deep enough in he leaned on an outcropping, letting his staff lean against him. "Only the shoulder needs tending. I can handle the pain, it'll only give me focus." As he spoke he turned his head away from the dislocated shoulder. As much as he spoke about handling pain, the Sorcerer wasn't built to take this kind of damage. "But yes, I'd like use of my arm back."

An unspoken sense of trust had formed with the young Sith beside him. Both of necessity and respect of her skills. Surviving the horde of Assassin Droids while his own men fell proved her skills.

Feed.

The gem of the staff whispered to him, demanding it's sacrifice. A sacrifice that if it wasn't met would end up making this situation all that much worse. A frown settled on his lips under his mask as he pushed that reality to the back of his mind. "We should start thinking on our next move. Do you by chance know anything about possible locals here? Or are we surrounded by a wilderness untamed?"

 

[Allya Vi'Dreya]

Reaching out, her armored hands reach for his shoulder. “Forgive me. This will hurt a bit, but not to much and the pain will pass quickly. Just relax, it will make this a lot easier.” If he allowed it, she made the Sith lay down on a fairly smooth part of the floor. The girl would then move his arm slowly away from his side, and above his head. After, she carefully placed his hand on the back of his head. It was slow movement, gentle and practiced. Once it was there, she applied the pressure, having his hand reach for his opposite shoulder. There would be a loud pop and while it may hurt, it would also give a lot of relief from the pain and make movement of it so much easier. When done, she would help him back to his feet. There was a soft smile on her lips under her helmet, and the girl gestured back down the dark passage way. “It's our best shot. As for people, yes. Smugglers. This rock is in a good location, but native population less. So, its used by smugglers. There is a base of them not to far from here, spotted them before I landed at the station.”

Eyes went to his staff, and narrowed. Oh, she was aware of Sith artifacts and sacrifices. Her father, and uncles were big on it. She, not so much. But so long as it wasn't her own people that were eventually consumed in that thing, she wouldn't care. Though, she wasn't exactly sure that is what it did. It was a guess, based on the other things like it she had seen. Who knew, it could be for giving tickles. Time would tell.

“It's a good place to get a transport....or people. It's also where they will expect us to go.” Her lips pursed together and she gave a loud sigh. “Alright, first, this way. My scanners are saying out best chance to get out, lays back here.” Gloved hand pointed down into the darkness, her lamp still gave a good amount of illumination.

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

The resulting pop of [member="Allya Vi'Dreya"] 's efforts eared a loud hiss of pain from the young Zambrano, followed by a faint groan as he grasped it tightly with his free hand. He truly was not a man made for this level of injuries. Once the pain finally died down he rolled to a seated position, his hazel gaze falling on the cave around them. "Smugglers that will either be slaughtered or bought before we find them, if we take too much time at least."

Kahlil snatched up his staff in his good hand as he followed the armored Sith, his gaze already adjusting. There was something more to where they ended up. Briefly deeper in he saw a faint shimmer, two pinpricks reflecting the light Allya shined. A frown settled on his features as his grip tightened on his only weapon. "This cave isn't as empty as it appears."

 

[Allya Vi'Dreya]

Allya reached out and touched one of her arms. A holographic console display came up, and she pressed several of the buttons there. “Well, the computer seems to think there is a way out. Oh and I never said we were alone in here. Giant rodents. I think a few diseased sentient beings as well, probably made with insanity. We aren't alone here.” Pain and suffering were part of life, and how it went. To worry about every danger that you came across was silly, at least to her. One day you would die, that's how it worked. Today, tomorrow, a thousand years in the future, what was the difference? It was fun to live on the edge.

“If you are still hurting, just stay behind me. We will make it through quickly.” As she walked further into the darkness, her saber lighting up, with the familiar hum and blaster in the other hand. Raising her blaster, she fired into the darkness, and a giant rodent like creature fell dead, on the floor, skidding in front of them. “Simple, right? And if the Smugglers are bought off, we just kill them all. Easy. Then we strangle the Sith who set this up.” Her voice was filled with a darker passion. Inside her helmet, there was a big grin on her face, and eyes shown with excitement. Oh, this was going to be a fun day.

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Good to know one of us is in high spirits." Kahlil mumbled as he followed [member="Allya Vi'Dreya"] along. Despite the predicament, the young girl's confidence was rubbing off on him. For once since this whole thing began, he let himself smile. As another of the rodents came forward there was a brief flash of lightning from his outstretched fingers, frying it almost immediately.

"It won't be long till they find us. I imagine some scanners have already been sent for the wreckage. Given my limp, I don't doubt they'll catch up shortly. Hmm, just a moment." From a leather pouch on his hip the young Sith pulled out a black tome, flipping it to a random page with a thought. As they continued to walk he mumbled under his breath, his free hand already moving through the motions of his incantation.

"P͙̞̪ro̟͖͇͈͚̫ ̻̰̬͉̹͎̮ṱ̯͚͞a͇͠v̛̱̦͉e̺ ̲̣͖͈̣͍j̯̜̼e̸͓̠̰̗͎̞ń͉͖̤̬̩̪\̺͚͇ͅͅ'̯̖̼̭͉ ҉̭̳̙͚̫n͚̼͡u͙͖ ͙͕̼̖ļ̰̬͎͍á̫̖͖͙̘̱͍y̱̗̩͎̟ ̰̠̝̹͎̬̖s̪̩i̩͙̬s̪̩̖ͅ ̡͖̠̤ͅn̛̜̜̜̭è̥͇̼͓d̸̠͉̹̬͎̠a͈̱͠ͅ.͍͕ ͇͉͎̞̫K͇i̟͖͞ͅa ̠̠̬́b̞̜͔̦͖̼u̧̮͚͎̦r̪̖n͢ ̪̹͇̟̫e̶̳d̰̤̞̻̖o̡̙̤̣̘ṳ̜̞̙͖̯͇ị͕ ͖̞̫͟ķ͉ú̺r̢͙̺̺̣̝̜i̱s̯̻͉̲͞ ̹t̡̖̦a̞͉̭̗͖p̞t͎͖̝̘̳i̳̗͖̰͕̹͍͞\̢̼͉̼̟̱̞̜'̦̰̼̥͈̥͢ ͙͎̗̥̟͖p̹͕̫͠ͅr̮o̰͠.̲̹ ̶̣̦̗̪̮̺̹Ǵ̲͓̫͍̻̪a̜l̝̩̞͙e̠z̷̭̼ ͅe̝̭̕d̡̬͙o̬̕u̻̣̼̙̺̖͜ì̥̟͚͉̼̖ ͕̱̬̀k͚̲͕̝͍̜͚͜u̺̬̝̖̮͘ri̩̳͕̝̦͡s͇̮̟̰͉̠̞ ̴̗̳̖s͙̰̟ţ̖̘͕ȩ͔͓ḇ̤̻̜̖̕ͅe̫̬̣̝̜̱͚ ̫͞e҉̮̫̯͇i̱͉l͖͖̩̲e̠̰̫͈͎ ̤̰̝̗̰k͇͝i̙̭̫̱͔͜a͓͓̠ ̴͍a͔͚s͍̰̺͚͇̹h̙̼̣̣̫ͅͅ.̲̞̬̱̻̝͕"

As he spoke the light the Mandalorian had dimmed and flickered, a side effect of the spell. It lasted only for a moment as shadows began to cling to the walls even under the light, writhing on itself as it rested there. Once finished, Kahlil snapped his book closed. "That should slow them down."

 

[Allya Vi'Dreya]

She smirked under her helmet as he set up a trap as well. “Great minds think alike. I rigged the escape pod as we were shot at the planet. A few grenades a top the generator. Should make a nice boom, and buy us even more time. If we head deeper quickly, they may not even know we survived.” As the floating droid orbs moved onto the pod, and began to scan it, true to Allya's words, the grenades exploded, causing a reaction in the pod's generator. It exploded in a brilliant fire ball that took out most of the droids the floated around it.

She didn't have all of Kahlil's abilities as a Sith Sorcerer. No she was a Sith Warrior. Her mind thought the straightest path, and would utterly destroy anything in it. However, unlike many others of her type, she could also think, plan, and plot. “That damned man...he has no clue what he is about to Unleash on himself. And your leg will be fine. Like I said, any time it slows you down, I can kill the pain.” Whether Allya was in pain or not was irrelevant. What had just happened to her was nothing compared to the whips of her trainers. Perhaps a part of her mind couldn't understand why the older man was being a baby about it. However, she was also a compassionate sort. Kahlil could feel a singular thought floating in the air around her. She would protect him, and cut the head off of the one who attempted to kill them. Her confidence was created by a life of war, and constant attempts on her life. She had yet to meet someone she couldn't out think.

The armored girl walked down the narrow rock corridor, weapons in hand. Her light illuminated the darkness, even though, she didn't even feel like it was dark. With the force and the technology in her suit, there was nothing in here to fear. “You are a powerful Sorcerer. My name is Allya Vi'Dreya. I'm the daughter of Darth Metus.” She spoke as they walked down the stone tunnel. More rats were shot with pinpoint accuracy. Her saber, strangely, was rarely used in this.
[member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Smart." The explosion from [member="Allya Vi'Dreya"] 's trap echoed through the cavern after he spoke, causing him to chuckle casually. "And apparently effective. Should buy us some time by getting rid of any tracks on where we went." He continued to limp along, clinging to his staff as a cane. As a sorcerer he wasn't built for this head to head combat. Not like the Mandalorian before him.

She, but a child, was more prepared for this than he. Kahlil frowned at his lack of foresight. If he was going to continue through the ranks, he'd need to be as prepared as she was.

"Take my ability to walk and I can still kill countless before me. You needn't worry about my well being, though the expression is kind." Kind wasn't something the young Sith was use to. Allies helped keep one another, but it was to keep themselves alive. Always for a selfish reason. Feeling the desire from the Acolyte beside him to protect him without any desire for a return made him incredibly uncomfortable.

"Kahlil Zambrano. Son of the Emperor."

 

[Allya Vi'Dreya]

The young Sith was very much like Kahlil. She had been pressured, trained, degraded, warped. In her own mind she was a living weapon. She had to be strong, able to take pain. The massive amount of torture done to her allowed her to be able to take so much more of it. The life of constant fighting made her physically strong, always thinking. Abused, thrown around, constant assassination attempts. Allya had seen it all. If she seemed kind, that was because...despite everything else that had happened, she had a single redeeming light in her life. Cardinal. Showed her how to be passion, rather than hate. How to enjoy rather than destroy. She was Sith, but a different type now. And this girl had a blast here. The near death, the uncertain future, the struggle for survival. Oh it made her blood boil, it made her heart race. This was fun. As for how she treated him, well, he was a powerful man in his own right. Not powerful like her, but few were. She had a different sort of power, and he had his own. She was a Sith Warrior, he was a Sith Sorcerer. So of course, she took front.

“Kahlil. Good name. Strong name. Strong blood line. It was hard, I am sure.” She shook her head, and just focused on what was in front of her for now.

She dove deep into the caverns, and Kahlil would hear this happy little hum come from her lips. Insane? Perhaps. But more....carefree, as if she didn't actually feel like she was in any danger at all....or simply didn't care. She had been in this situation before, hundreds of assassin droids going after her, no place to go. Only that time she didn't have her weapons, or her armor. She had also been two years younger. Compared to that, this was a down right cake walk. Water dripped down, and a small stream began to go down the stone passage. Several more rats were shot by her, and soon, sounds were heard from in front of them. Under her helmet she grinned and pointed to his staff. “I can feel it you know....want to give it a try?” Her voice a bare whisper in the halls. She looked around a corner, and there were several pale, disheveled creatures, around a fire. They were all armed with slug throwers, and ate several of the rats.

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

f̝͍͔e̗̩̹͚̱͉͝a͉̟͙ͅs̹t͉͕̠ͅ​

Kahlil continued after [member="Allya Vi'Dreya"] at a slow and steady pace. The sharp pain from earlier in the crash had dulled into a throbbing one, but the Knight wasn't sure which he preferred. Really, he didn't care for either. Let the warriors take the blows, the sorcerer was meant to control the field of battle from afar. Or at least, that was his romanticized belief of his own position. It was slowly becoming apparent that such a life wasn't going to be possible.

F̘̜͙̦̞͚̕e̙̯̝̘a͇̯͙̲͜s̰̼̠̳͖͔t̸̳̱͙̪͙.​

​

"I wouldn't say it was hard, not like you'd imagine. I'm not weak of body for nothing." For a joke it was pretty spot on. Kahlil wasn't beaten or otherwise abused physically for the longest time. He was only hated. Despised by his siblings. His parents. He spent his years in isolation with only books as a friend. Perhaps that was why he strives to become the strongest of his family. To prove them wrong.

F̷̭̺̥͖̰E̲͔̞͙̱̹̕A͏̹S͇̱͙̝͜T͜​

​

​

The demand tore through his head like a blade, causing the young Sith to double over. Between him and the red gem of his staff a cord had formed, red in color. Damn you. The staff's demands were ignored, and the punishment was to be rendered. Kahlil stumbled past [member="Allya Vi'Dreya"] , acutely aware of the presence of life close by. Of souls. More red tendrils formed, reaching through the darkness to the forms of the cave dwellers as they turned to stare at the tall Knight, ready for their next meal.

But before they could, the tethers reached them. A new sound flooded the caverns, one of misery and pain. The already disheveled creatures began to whither, the moisture of their bodies being drained drastically as the gem finished the ritual without it's masters help. One by one they fell, empty husks that lightly bounced off the ground without a sound. As they landed the other half of the ritual completed.

They rose once more, their hollow bodies standing before their new master. Kahlil himself stood taller, the headache gone, and the wounds that had transfixed his body healed. ".. Better. Go." The zombies passed by them both, blasters still in hand as they walked towards where the assassin droids would come. An explosion rocked the back of the caverns as Kahlil's trap went off, unleashing an intense heat.

"They're closing in. The husks won't hold them for long, and such a cramped area will be problematic for my spells. Too many things that could get in the way. Let's continue."

 

[Allya Vi'Dreya]

She watched in wonder as his spells, did their work. Allya knew some necromancy from Tacitus, but it was minor at best. Her existence had been as a Force Hunter, she was trained with what she needed to know to be able to hunt down other force users. However, as a Mandalorian, she had also learned a lot about combat in other ways. Still, it was always impressive to watch, gave her a lot of ideas for her own training. “We are almost out. Those people had to get in here some how. Scanners are showing it's right up here.” The girl picked up the pace, and went through winding tunnels. Force and technology combined to lead her, to the point it almost was like she had been here before. But it was all pings, and bleeps, that showed up on her HUD, and a generally feeling of where out was through the force.


However, she does not take them out the same entrance the people had come from. Instead, it was a small crack, and a tight squeeze, but they could make it through. Her armor scrapped on the stone, but she manages to squeeze out of the hole and pop into the dying light with an oof. She looked around quickly. They were in an area with a good amount of brush and trees, it would be good for avoiding detection. They were on the opposite side of the ravine from which they originally landed on, and on some type of mountain side. She quickly ducked into the brush. Her smaller size made this easy, however, she then turned to look at her much taller companion. “You may have to get on your hands and knees for a bit here, sorry. But, I need to have time for the scans to update.”

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Good." Was all Kahlil muttered as they continued through the cavern. He seemed drastically different after his staff had devoured the souls, pulling away from [member="Allya Vi'Dreya"] to stand on his own at his full height. The staff had done it's job of healing it's master in exchange for devouring souls, though the Knight didn't seem that pleased with it. He hated necromancy.

Once they made it outside he took in a deep breath of the fresh air, letting himself smile for a faint moment before it faded, back to an emotional neutral. "Don't worry, I'm able to stand again. Though, I doubt I could keep up with you should we quicken the pace." With a quick stamp of his staff he cast another spell without any incantation or somatic. Seven black orbs began floating around the Knight in a ring, each a pit of eternal darkness. Power welled under his control as he turned his head back to the crack.

"They shouldn't be able to slip through that quietly. It'll buy us some more ti-" He paused, his gaze narrowing. "The husks are destroyed. They're almost upon us."