Private Of The Abyss (Revna)

[Darth Carnifex]

They were called the Black Cells.

Metaphorically and literally, they symbolized the darkest reaches one could ever be subjected to. The very walls of the prison were made from metal blackened to the point where no light could reflect off of it's surface. One could not tell where the walls ended and the ceiling and floors began. Prisoners were thrown into these darkened cells, made to suffer a seemingly endless nothingness. They would find that no matter how far they moved they could never reach the walls, even though they knew the room was not that large when they had been thrown in.

Time would not obey them either, for in their perception years stretched on in complete darkness while only hours passed beyond the walls of their prison. In such total isolation, the mind often succumbed to madness. When a mind was broken in such a way, it could be sifted through and dissected without the redoubts of mental defenses. Those that were discarded to the Black Cells emerged broken people, their minds shattered by the infinity of shadows. And when their gaolers had their fill, they were discarded.

She had only been within a Black Cell for a few hours at most, but in her mind it had been years. Hunger clawed at her belly, thirst strangled her throat, but she did not die. Her body did not wither, she did not age. Her hair never grew, she felt no other bodily compulsion other than an intense hunger and thirst. When they came for her again, the light from the exterior corridor was as blinding as the brightest star. They dragged her from the cell and out into the wider complex, passing by great temples to pain and suffering inflicted upon the enemies of her captors. Today, she would be spared the worst of it.

Where they left her, she could not know -- only that it was a room smothered in smoke and shadow. Her bindings had been removed, the metal having dug into the skin of her wrists and ankles during her captivity. She was left to linger in her misery for a time, before she could sense another in her midst. This was a different shadow than the one she endured in the cell, it was far more potent.

Worst of all, it was a living darkness.

She would only see His outline initially, a smudge against the indistinct smoke that bordered her perception. But, in an instant, it all bled away into normality. She found herself in a plain gray room, no larger than a modest living quarter, but still not alone. He was there with her, His towering presence casting a dire gloom over her. She knew His name, she knew His face, but that knowledge imparted onto her by her master and her comrades paled in comparison to being near Him. He radiated a malice so acute that her skin reacted with phantom sensations, as though it were crawling atop her muscles. An unnatural chill crept up her spine, her every instinct struggling between fight or flight, like she were left naked and unarmed before a great and terrible beast; one that would tear her to ribbons in a heartbeat.

"They call you Revna Sharr, do they not?" His voice was like the death-throes of a primordial world, the glacial annihilation of whole continents as tectonics shifted and collapsed in on one another. She would know in an instant that this was the voice of a being who had ordered the death of trillions, the bane of all life. There was no warmth, no solace to be found in familiar tones, only the harsh bite of each syllable as they crept through her inner ear. To hearken to Him was to hearken to obliteration, to keenly know the articulation of cruelty made manifest.

To gaze upon Him was to court the inevitability of an event horizon, to know certain death was imminent and unavoidable. Every inch was cut the image of a conqueror, a butcher, a tyrant. His shoulders were broad, body sculpted for war. A plain tunic of black cloth hung down across His torso, the edges embroidered with phrases of Sith scripture in the blasphemous tongue of ur-Kittât. He bore no weapon, for He did not require one. He could kill her a word if He wanted to, every action potentially lethal.

All of His being demanded submission, and her own body fought to obey that sensation; as though to not commit yourself to His will was wrong and grotesque.

"Your master makes very large waves for a creature so small, Revna Sharr. I want to hear your thoughts on his recent actions." Though she felt no compulsion through the Force, it was as if His very voice compelled her to do as He asked. "For the sins of the master are often laid upon the brow of the apprentice, are they not?"

Revna ​

 

[Revna]

Darth Carnifex


Revna was no stranger to darkness.

But nothing quite prepared her to face the abyssal depths of the cell she had been brought to after the savaging she’d received at the hand of one of the Kainite Dark Lords. How she survived…she wasn’t really sure. He had brought her to the very brink of death, but had allowed her to live. And when he had gotten what he wanted from her, she had been brought here and shackled down.

The darkness that surrounded her seemed…eternal. In fact, time seemed to not exist in this place at all, and it wore Revna’s mental defenses down little by little. She hoped that her Master, her cousin Malum…everyone she ever cared about…would come for her. Would break her free or demand her back.

But the longer she remained in the darkness of her cell, the more she began to believe that she’d been abandoned by those she’d given her life, her service, to. The pain that came with that belief was almost too much to bear, and her mind fractured slowly as hopelessness threatened to drown her completely.

She wasn’t aware that only a short time had passed while she’d been in the cell; to her, it had been days which had turned to weeks, then months…then years. It was enough to break anyone who was weaker, who might have been lesser. And though she did crack, she did not break completely. For even in the midst of her languishing, she began to notice that something wasn’t quite…right.

If she had been locked away for years, with no visitation…she would have died long ago from the hunger and thirst she felt.

There was no guarantee how long she would remain in this blackened space, but she needed to find a way to preserve her sanity. So to pass the time, and give herself a way of keeping time, she began to count her breaths. It took all of her discipline to keep it going forward, but Revna was - if anything - persistent and stubborn.

She noticed, as she focused on her breaths, the slight wheeze and crackle within her lungs. It seemed that the Dark side fire leveled against her had done enough damage that even healing couldn’t repair all of it. It made breathing…a bit labored, as if there was some fluid within the organs themselves. Something to adjust to…for however long she remained alive.

Young Revna was torn between a desire for life, and a longing for death. She wanted to live, to rise and prove herself strong enough to withstand this nightmare, to withstand the testing and trials her enemies put her through. But she also wanted the peace and silence that surely would come with passing on. She didn’t expect to live long in Kainite custody anyway, and so she accepted the fact that she might very well be executed at some point in the future. For why would the Kainites keep an enemy of theirs alive after they had taken all they wanted from such an individual?

But if she truly wanted to live…then she needed to figure out a plan, a way, to survive. And that meant doing things she utterly despised thinking about, let alone doing. She was at risk of losing it all…so what was she willing to sacrifice to keep a hold of her very life?

Bright light flooded the darkness, and Revna stopped counting her breaths. She remained still and quiet as figures approached her, removed her shackles, and hauled her from her cell. She went with them willingly, her somewhat dull eyes taking in her surroundings as they moved her along without compassion to her pains.

She wondered where she was being taken, and her mind pondered if she was being marched to her death. She accepted the possibility, and allowed a numbness to settle over her mind. She only hoped she would be allowed to die fighting.

Instead, she was forced into yet another chamber, filled with darkness that seemed almost palpable. The smog and smoke within agitated her already limited lungs, and breathing became an effort. But her new situation confirmed her suspicions: she hadn’t been trapped for years. She still felt hunger and thirst; and she still felt pain. It helped ease her tortured mind, and gave her a spark of hope.

Hope that she just might see the others again…her Master who was now like a father to her; her cousin Malum, her close and dear friend Zachariah…and even the wintry but beautiful woman that was the Empress. She had to survive…if only to see them again. Even if they hated her after all of this.

Revna existed in the shadowy room for some time, pondering what fate may be in store for her beyond this point. She was lost to her thoughts, until she sensed the arrival of another into the darkened space with her. Its presence made every nerve stand on edge, and dread prickled across her flesh as she felt the immense and raw dark power that filled the room. Her eyes spotted a darker shadow within the smoke, and she pinned it with a glare.

A blink of an eye later, the shadows within the room fled, and Revna was left to stare down the figure who had appeared in the chamber with her.

Darth Carnifex, in the flesh.

And he was far closer to her than she ever wanted him to be.

Many things washed over the small woman at that moment. Immediate sense of danger to her life, fear, anger, uncertainty…and a bitter hatred. It was all tempered by the feeling that she was prey here. Revna was acutely aware that she only existed and continued to draw breath in that moment, only because he wished her to. This was a Dark Lord of immense strength and power that she could hardly comprehend as a mere apprentice to the ways of the Dark side. Extreme caution had to be played if she wished to live beyond this point.

Her golden-orange eyes, glinting with the corruption of the Dark, narrowed slightly as she beheld the tyrant in all his infernal glory. She knew that he would not lower himself to be in her presence for just any reason; no - he wanted something from her.

When Darth Carnifex spoke, his voice rolled out like thunder to fill the space around them. He seemed to ask for confirmation of her name. Revna Sharr…a phony last name that hid the truth of who she really was. Did he not know that she was a Marr by blood? Truthfully, it may not have mattered to the tyrant Butcher before her…but she would operate under the belief that he didn’t know, and keep her connections to her family House to herself if at all possible.

But now she was faced with a new and different problem: the fires that had ravaged her had taken away her capability to talk aloud. She didn’t know if she would be able to speak to him telepathically, but it was worth a try. So she projected her mental voice through the Force, aimed at him like a spear, and hoped he would hear her.

-Yes, I am Revna Sharr.-

She neglected using any formal titles or respect or address for him - almost not caring if it brought consequences down upon her own head. Carnifex’s very presence demanded submission and compliance from weaker Sith, those too gutless to hold their ground and though Revna was afraid, she was no coward in the face of death and supremacy. Despite her instincts telling her to cower away and be deferential, she remained unmoving in defiance of his presence of authority and will.

Carnifex spoke again, and she listened as he commented on the actions her Master had taken over the course of time, more recent actions…though these had taken place months prior to her capture, perhaps even longer. The Dark Lord wanted to hear her thoughts on Darth Strosius’s actions. She tilted her head ever so slightly to the left as she regarded him in silence for a few moments. Internally, she smiled. The blackened cell she’d been bound in had been designed to break the minds and wills of those within. It had almost succeeded in breaking her too…but she had endured, if only barely.

But perhaps…she could use this to her advantage, and deceive the one before her into thinking that she had broken. Could she get away with it?

-His recent actions?- she scoffed through the telepathic voice. -My thoughts on his actions do not matter anymore, as I simply do not know what has transpired in the length of time that I have been your prisoner. He could be dead now for all I know.-

The sins of the master laid upon the head of the apprentice…yes, she recalled the words of the other tyrant who had nearly destroyed her; that she was suffering all of this because of the actions of her Lord. Though the situation she found herself in was far more complex than it appeared on the surface, she understood that she was here as a means to strike back against her Master.

An age-old battle of rivalries between Sith Lords and their powerbases. And the apprentices were often targeted - at least, that was something she noticed in her studies into ancient Sith history. And it was playing out before her eyes.

-It is quite possible that I am an apprentice without a master now, so I see no point in punishing me for his sins. But…if you so wish to know what I thought about his past actions…sometimes I found them to be…foolish. I did not always agree with him, or his plans. But it was not my place to question him; only to do as he directed me, as any obedient and loyal apprentice would-

She paused for a moment to try and bring oxygen into her stricken lungs, the crackling wheeze almost deafening in the silent chamber, at least it was to her ears.

-Surely you did not come to talk to a known enemy, Butcher. So what do you really want from me?-

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Quite diplomatic, a trait you learned from Alisteri no doubt. He has honed such speech to an art, straddled between self-preservation and fanatic violence. It would be commendable if it weren't so tiresome."

He reached out and gestured to the floor between them, which bulged out and began to rearrange itself as though it were made from liquid. The form of a table took immediate shape, and then solidity. A chair for her arose as did a chair for Him, although His was proportionally sized. A cup would also materialize from the table's surface, filled with crystal clear water for Revna to drink.

The Dark Lord then did something unexpected. He stepped forward and peeled back the glove from His right hand. Beneath the glove, the Dark Lord's bare skin was blackened with ink. From a distance it appeared as though every inch of His hand and forearm had been tattooed a single sleeve of black, but as her eyes adjusted to His approaching hand -- Revna would see that it was a tapestry of interwoven runic symbols, so tightly packed that from afar it appeared as a single mass.

His fingers touched her bare skin, and for a moment nothing happened. Then terrible agony lanced through Revna, a horrendous burning pain. But, to her astonishment, as the pain radiated through her body, the damage inflicted by unholy fire began to repair itself. In the span of a few seconds, though it felt like an eternity of agony, she was healed. She would know instinctively that the Dark Lord shared her pain, for nothing of the Dark Side could be so freely given.

As He pulled His hand away, stray discharges of electricity danced between her skin and His smoldering fingertips. "You misunderstand me, Revna Sharr. I do not seek to punish you, nor do I intend to wield you against your master; who has strayed so far from the path. No, I seek to learn from you, and through you perhaps learn from your master. I have always watched Alisteri Haxim from afar, though his attempts to shield himself from my gaze are numerous; they are all futile."

Carnifex turned and took His seat at the table, offering the other chair to Revna. When she was seated, He continued speaking. "I had always considered Alisteri Haxim as an oddity, a curious, if not brazen, zealot whose bark was far more potent than his bite. That was until he and the Marr boy managed to kill Darth Ophidia, who I considered one of the greatest assassins and swordsmen of our age. Then, he was no longer an oddity to be disregarded at leisure. He was now someone to take an interest in, someone whose potential could be cultivated. Unfortunately, He chooses the road of self-destruction, dragging you and the Marr boy down with him."

His eyes burrowed into hers, almost hypnotically.

"Tell me your true thoughts about him, Revna Sharr, and do not deflect. My patience for willing obstinance is not infinite."

Revna ​

 

[Revna]

Darth Carnifex


Revna narrowed her gaze as she heard the Dark Lord’s words; to her they were sarcastic. Her master, diplomatic? She scoffed aloud - or tried to, anyway. The effort left her in a small coughing fit that sent pain rippling through her chest. Her distrustful, wary gaze watched the man’s every move, prepared to defend herself or fight back should his intentions prove hostile. Not that she had any hope of fending him off for long.

Instead of outright assaulting her, however, he extended a hand and gestured to the floor between them - which, to her awe, began to shift and morph itself into a table and two appropriately sized chairs…one for him, and one for her. Materializing on the table closest to the smaller chair was a cup, though from the distance she couldn’t tell what was inside, if anything. The expression of surprise and awe remained on her face for a few brief moments, before it was replaced by the same wary glare as before, but she was quick to realize that perhaps the Dark Lord’s intentions were not as hostile as she initially believed. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have magicked up a table and two chairs for them to sit in.

However, she stiffened as every muscle in her body went taut when he approached her, removing a glove from his right hand as he did so. Her instinct was to back away and cower in hopes of avoiding any further harm being done to her…but she forced herself to stand in place and face whatever was about to happen next. Her eyes locked onto his approaching hand, and she noticed that it was covered by a tattoo that extended up his forearm, and just before his fingers touched her bare skin, the little woman noticed further that the tattoo itself was made up runic sigils, intricately inked into his flesh. She was stiff as a board when they connected, and for a moment nothing seemed to happen.

Then, pain pierced through her, flooding every inch of her body. Had she had working vocal cords, she might have screamed from its intensity. Instead, she squeezed her eyes shut tight against the burning agony, her fists clenched tightly as all she could do was endure. The Dark side seemed to flow and surge its way between them, and a streak of violence rippled through her mind, and she was intent on attacking the Sith before her when she gained control of her movements again…that was until she realized something was different about this fiery pain she was experiencing. It wasn’t like the burning of the blue fire that had nearly destroyed her.

This was more…purifying. Like it was purging her body of its weaknesses.

What felt like an eternity later, the pain eased and for the briefest of moments Revna could have sworn she felt Carnifex’s pain too, as if he shared in her suffering along with her. Her eyes opened, glinting golden as the pain made her feel the Dark more acutely, and as she sucked in a deep breath she realized that there was no longer any heaviness in her chest, in her lungs. The crackling wheeze was gone. In fact, her throat wasn't raw and burning anymore either.

Darth Carnifex, her sworn enemy…had healed her. "...why...why did you do that? Why heal my injuries?" she asked quietly, her confusion evident in her voice...which she found to be strong, as if it had never been damaged beforehand.

Revna blinked as the Dark Lord pulled his hand away from her skin, and she tilted her head to glance up at him as she heard him speak. His words only brought her further confusion; he wasn’t seeking to punish her or use her against her master? He wanted to learn from her? And by proxy learn from her master? She watched as he turned and sat down in the larger chair at the table, and gestured for her to do the same. The little Sith sat in her chair, and peered at the cup before her - noticing it was filled with what appeared to be water. She was very thirsty, but she was still distrusting enough not to take it.

The thundering voice of the Dark Lord continued, and Revna listened in silence to what he had to say in regards to her master, that Alisteri had been considered more bark than bite, until he and Malum had successfully killed Darth Ophidia. Though she did notice that Carnifex seemed to afford her master more respect than he did for Malum, referring to him simply as the 'Marr boy'. To hear her enemy speak with almost borderline respect for her master and his accomplishment was a bit of a surprise to her. She wasn’t expecting that.

In fact, she hadn’t expected any of this to happen the way it had. Her mild confusion showed on her face as she tried to make sense of what was taking place. It made her pause and think, and slowly a shift came over her features. Her hostility all but melted away, though she was still wary, still cautious. If Darth Carnifex wasn't showing hostile intent, then neither would she.

Revna pondered his words as his molten eyes stared into her own. Carnifex asked again for her to share her true thoughts about her master, and gave her a warning that his patience for her deflection and stubbornness would not last forever. It was then that she knew he’d seen through her deception, and it was pointless to keep up with it. She took a deep breath and crossed one leg over the other and folded her hands in her lap. She held the gaze of the Dark Lord for a few moments in silence, before dipping her head in understanding.

“Sometimes those you least expect to bite are the ones who rip your throat out.” the little woman murmured before clearing her throat, still surprised that it was strong and clear. “I…uh, thank you…for giving my voice back to me.” She replied, finding it a bit awkward to feel some gratitude towards her enemy. But, now it was down to business. He wanted her thoughts, and so he would have them.

“I think he is a powerful Sith Lord, perhaps not the most powerful around, but he holds his own in his own way - and he's survived this long surrounded by enemies, be they of his own making or not. He has guts and spirit and is fearless, to the point where he is willing to stare both you and the other Dark Lord down and try to kill you both, without batting an eye to the dangers levied against him. He’d go for the Sith Emperor the moment he had the chance, no matter the danger posed to himself. He knows the power you immortal tyrants wield, yet that does not deter him from his vision, his mission, his belief. And I have the utmost respect for him because of this. How many Sith can challenge you or Darth Empyrean directly and fearlessly, despite knowing the risks posed against their very life? Some would say it's foolish, or stupid…and perhaps it is. But he holds tight to what he believes, and he is willing to stand by it and fight for it and die by it, if necessary. That to me, is what devotion looks like. Darth Strosius is a devoted Sith, devoted to his cause, his purpose, his path.”

Revna paused, her gaze sliding away from that of Darth Carnifex to stare at a point beyond him. “But…if I can be frank…I think he is consumed by his lust for retribution against those who he feels have wronged the Sith. His hatred for you all knows no bounds…he is even willing to hate dear Lady Talon, simply by her association to the Emperor. This is where he and I clash. I much prefer to get to know or at least try to understand those who are supposed to be my enemies. I want to decide for myself if they are worthy of my hate, my ire, or not.”

Her gaze snapping back to him sharply, almost predator-like. She considered seeking permission to ask a question of him, but she quickly dashed that thought aside. Sith didn’t ask for permission for anything, and she certainly wouldn’t. “Your tattoo - how does it work? What did you have to do in order to have it inked upon your skin? Did you do it yourself? Did someone else?” Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Or is that some kind of forbidden knowledge beyond my scope of understanding?”

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Because it is in my power to do so." The tone with which the Dark Lord took was one of a teacher explaining a simple concept to a student, one that was obvious and self-evident. "To be a Sith is to impose your will upon those around you, to shape the galaxy as you see fit. It is of my opinion that too many new generations of Sith in our Order twist themselves into knots obsessing over justifying their actions to others and to themselves. Power is the meaning, it goes no deeper than that." In this, the Dark Lord succinctly summed up His entire philosophy, which was exemplified in the motto He'd taken for His house.

The strong do what they wish, and the weak suffer what they must.

He then listened in silence, never taking His eyes off of Revna as she spoke about Strosius. He never once interjected or appeared to lose interest, His full attention was raptly fixed upon her; for good or for ill. When she was done speaking about Strosius, He allowed the silence to build between them as He ruminated over her words. When He did speak, the sudden breaking of silence was abrupt and startling. "I think that you and I think alike on this matter, but not entirely the same. Alisteri Haxim is a very devoted and passionate Sith, but he's fallen into the trap many of our ilk fall victim to. He's become entirely directed by his passions, chiefly his belief of ideological purity. It motivates every action he takes, there is nothing he does that goes without pure zealotry guiding his hand."

"Zealotry is a double-edged blade. It is good to feel so strongly about the prevailing thought of our Order, if we were to be so vacillating in our beliefs then there would be no reason to exist. But our Order has survived because of our pragmatism, our ability to shift and bend with time and new conditions. Our evolution is our strength, we are never the same thing twice. Alisteri Haxim's ideology was born during an era of strife and upheaval, when the prevailing order was being dissolved and a new one arising. I don't believe he's ever truly left that time, his mind cannot move beyond it. That is why he fixates so strongly upon an idealized and abstract notion of revenge."

"What he fails to grasp, and what Darth Empyrean has grasped, is flexibility in ideology is imperative for our survival. Not the wholesale abandonment of our most sacred tenets, that would be suicidal. I have no doubt that Alisteri Haxim holds dearly to our core fundamentals, I would not call him anything other than Sith. But he is inflexible, holding all of his prejudices as immutable. It would take great effort to disabuse him of certain notions, chiefly those that he holds against myself and Darth Empyrean. You have inadvertently revealed his hold upon your mind as well, Revna Sharr, when you referred to us as Immortal Tyrants, a term more accustomed to the mouths of Jedi and their sycophants than a Sith."

"But, I can forgive him of this. He does not know the rapture, nor will he in truth. He seems like a man who would accept his death if it came for him, that is why he acts so boldly where others would exercise caution and restraint. Faith motivates him more than survival, and religious prophets become elevated martyrs when their life passes into the Force. Those that follow him most acutely will continue to herald his teachings long after his bones are interred within the earth."

The edges of His mouth curled up into a wry smile, a dark glint of mischievousness sparkling in His eyes. "No knowledge is ever forbidden, Revna Sharr, but only those who have the power to seize it can understand it. The mysteries of the Force, and of the Dark Side, are there for any to find if they are driven. Only the Jedi destroy and censor knowledge, because they understand it's danger to their Order. So many of their kind have been driven to ours arms because they refuse to share the secrets of the Force." He steepled His hands, "My tattoos are the culmination of years of study of our ancient forebears. The red-skinned kings and priests of old understood the power of mathematics and symbols, and they inked such potency into their very flesh. I have taken great care in rediscovering that power, and have made my own skin a tapestry in their veneration."

Revna ​

 

[Revna]

Darth Carnifex


Revna was still as the Dark Lord explained his reasons for healing the rest of her injuries - and it was a simple concept, one that she understood and accepted almost as soon as she processed his spoken words. He did so because he had the capability, the power, within his grasp. For a few heartbeats there was silence, before the young woman gave a short nod of understanding. She found it rather odd that she was actually agreeing with his statements; it made her wonder what else he would say that she might agree with. It made her ever present, ever hungry curiosity lift its head a little further.

“A simple enough explanation behind the ‘why’. Something I can understand and I agree with.” Her brows dipped ever so briefly as she mulled over his words. “I don’t understand why younger Sith feel the need to justify their actions. That is something the Jedi do - or try to.” she said with a soft scoff before continuing. “I say and do what I want because I can; if I am corrected for it, then so be it - it is a learning opportunity for me then. I suppose I was more…surprised that you would heal instead of harm. But that just goes to show that I have so much more to learn yet.” Revna said in a more quiet, reflective tone of voice.

Carnifex remained silent as she spoke and gave him an answer to the statement he had asked of her. The silence was heavy and reigned over the chamber they were both in for a few moments, and the young Sith shifted in her seat to get a little more comfortable, the device embedded in her back oddly…quietly. It was strange to feel a lull from the near constant pain it had brought her, but she wasn’t complaining. A brief reprieve from the agony was more than welcome.

The Dark Lord’s voice shattered the silence that had hung over the table in an instant, and almost by instinct the young Apprentice sat more straight in her chair, almost as if coming to attention. The suddenness of his voice reminded her briefly of the tone the Battlelords who had overseen portions of her training had taken with her and her fellow Squires; it was enough to make her zero in and listen with her full attention.

Darth Carnifex's initial statements brought a small smile to her face; he stated that Strosius had fallen into the trap that so many of their kind seemed to fall prey to, and she was amused by this simply because he echoed the same words her own Master and said to her in the very beginning, except in reverse. Revna continued to listen in silence, affording the Dark Lord the same respect he’d given to her while she had spoken. His opinions and understandings of her Master and his inner workings did amuse her to some degree; she of course was somewhat privy to understanding the deeper meanings and workings that Darth Strosius was trying to achieve, beyond his zealotry and faith. There was a trust and a bond that had formed between Master and Apprentice, and had afforded her with knowledge and understanding that others simply didn’t know.

Even if they thought they knew.

Still, there were points that Darth Carnifex brought up that she could understand and even agree with, in his assessment of the man that she had come to revere. Another small, knowing smile touched her face with his statement about Strosius’s more fervent followers carrying on his teachings - even after his demise. She considered herself to be chief amongst those followers; she was bound and determined to carry on the legacy of Darth Strosius should she outlive him. Of course…she would do that in her own way. She was Revna, not Strosius, afterall.

She had a duty to learn all she could from her Master and rise above his weaknesses, and be stronger, smarter, and wiser where he had not been.

“As you stated for yourself - a Sith does not need to explain themselves to anyone. You do as you do, just as Darth Strosius does what he wills. And who can say that he is wrong for it? It could easily be argued that your own point of view is flawed, and that you are wrong for doing what you are doing...and there are plenty who believe that. I can name a few as it is.” the young woman tilted her head in thought before continuing.

“But - I think it would be fair to say that you don’t care about the opinions of others in regards to how you choose to operate personally, and neither does my Lord care for the opinions of others - especially those of his enemies. He is responsible for his beliefs, his actions and yes…he is my Master, and he teaches and guides me, but I am my own person. I can take or leave what he teaches me as I see fit. That is why I said I don’t always agree with him, nor do I always see eye to eye with what he says or does. I do not call you ‘Immortal Tyrants’ simply because he does, I do so because it is what I see: great Sith Lords who are nigh unkillable, practically gods at this point and who - in my eyes - are tyrannical in their own ways.” Again she paused, weighing her thoughts carefully, before she chose to reveal more hidden thoughts - for good or ill.

“Truthfully…I admire the strength and the power that you and your ilk wield, even that of Darth Empyrean. I would say that I am envious of it, to a degree - well, minus the part of being a living corpse. It makes me stop and wonder how I, too, can attain such strength and power for myself. Of course…such things require immense sacrifice, as the other Dark Lord so kindly told me after he nearly burned me to death.” she finished with a dark chuckle before she fell silent for a moment, eyeing the cup of water before her before cracking and finally picking it up to take a much desired drink to satisfy the parched feeling in her throat.

Revna seemed reflective for a few moments, before she lifted her gaze back to Carnifex to ask her question about his tattoo, and she noticed the small smirk that danced on his face, the mischievous glint in his fiery eyes. It seemed he had caught on to her mild sarcasm about the forbidden knowledge part, and she listened almost eagerly to hear the Dark Lord’s response, and she was not disappointed. But his response only further stoked the fires of her burning lust to learn more, to understand more, to claim the knowledge for herself. No doubt that longing burned in her own eyes, though she kept herself composed.

“...how does it work, exactly? Do you just…think about what you want to do and then use the Force to guide your will, via the marks inscribed on your skin, or does it operate some other way? It is utterly fascinating …but everything about the Force and its applications is fascinating to me.”

The young Sith woman didn't expect the Dark Lord to divulge the information she sought - but she figured she wouldn't know unless she asked. Either she'd learn something new, or he would deny her the information and she'd have to figure it out on her own in her own time.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

He laughed after Revna had finished speaking. "I do greatly apologize for Lord Prazutis' zeal, he is greatly loyal to me and to the eclipsing mission. He takes security far more seriously than I, and has very little patience for those who are perceived to be amongst our foes. But, he is a great deliverer of pain for good reason. Pain is instructive, my young Sith, and through it one can learn many truths. I find pain highly euphoric, enlightening even, and I endeavor to indulge in such nirvana was often as I am able."

With great care, the Dark Lord rolled up the sleeve of His right arm. More tattoos were revealed, the true extent hidden behind the rest of His clothing -- but it could be surmised that they encompassed His entire torso, arms, and perhaps even more. The tattoos seemed to become larger the farther up His arm they traveled, becoming more distinct and separated. It was only at the forearm to the tips of His fingers than they appeared to become obscured from a gradient to a solid block of color.

"Such art has been lost for many years, but by delving into the teachings of Darth Krayt I have rediscovered them. You could say that I am a disciple of Krayt's teachings, though I had not always been so. When I was a young Sith, no more of standing than you are now, I followed a Dark Lord of the Sith called Darth Moridin. Though He was not my immediate instructor, he was my mentor and idol. I, among others, were his protégé. He taught me many things, imparted onto me many truths. His name is no longer remembered among so many of our kind, but I have never forgotten; and I never will."

"In ancient times, almost a thousand years ago, the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Krayt, ruled the Sith in secret. His Order, which has come down to us as the One Sith, ritually tattooed their entire bodies red and black in veneration of the Dark Side. Though the tradition has faded since Krayt's time, some of us have never forgotten our heritage." He offered for Revna to take a closer look, even though it would bring her within striking distance of His vitals. That He showed no fear or even slight trepidation was evident of His confidence, He did not view her as threatening. Then again, how could He? She had been reduced to speechlessness before she'd arrived here, broken in body though not in spirit.

He'd restored her body, but nothing amongst the Sith was ever done in charity. "I call upon the Force the same as you, Revna. My tattoos merely hone my power, allow it to be more precisely wielded. Beyond this physical form I exist as energy, infinite and formless. The power I possess would tear apart a body such as yours if I were to inhabit you, Revna. Such weighty power is not suited for corporeal existence."

Revna ​

 

[Revna]

Darth Carnifex


The Dark Lord’s laugh momentarily startled Revna - it seemed he must have found her particular words about the other who had burned her to be amusing; an agreement on the dark and morbid circumstances she had found herself in. Hearing him laugh did not bother nor offend her; she had chuckled at the recent, horrific memories herself. She caught a name - Prazutis. Now she could place a name to the face - if she ever saw the giant again.

She hoped she wouldn’t. She didn’t know how she would react upon seeing him again - but she had a feeling she would be seeing the brute at some point sooner or later.

Her thoughts were pulled away as Carnifex continued to speak about the other Dark Lord - and about pain. Almost as if to reinforce what he was saying, the device embedded into her spine pulsed and a ripple of burning singed her nerves, forcing her to clench her fists tightly in her lap as her nails dug into her palms and her jaw clenched tight as all she could do was simply endure. It was almost as if it was aware of what he had said. But that couldn’t be possible…

Clearly, she had not come to the same appreciation for pain as these Dark Lords had. Karking nuts is what they are, she growled internally to herself as the pain subsided and she relaxed slowly, her breaths coming slightly heavier as she forced herself through it to listen.

There were seeds of knowledge, of wisdom, being passed onto her - by her enemy, of all people. That understanding was not lost on her. She silently accepted what he gave her, and sealed it away in her mind for later recall and reflection. As much as she didn’t want to agree with him, she knew he was right. Pain was instructive; it was a very harsh teacher, far more harsh than any Battlemaster or Sith Master could be. Pain was real, and honest - there were no hidden agendas, no fickle opinions. She could trust in its truth.

With every action, there was a reaction. If she did something that would bring pain - then agony would come.

Revna watched with growing eagerness and her ever present curiosity as Carnifex rolled up his sleeve a bit more, allowing her to glimpse a bit more of his inked skin. As he did so, he found it reasonable to share with her the history behind such markings, and the young woman listened with rapt attention. She was somewhat familiar with the name of Darth Krayt; she’d done some studies and readings into ancient Sith history - though she hadn’t quite gotten to more modern history before she’d been taken. Names of Sith after Krayt’s time were unknown to her; Darth Strosius had decided it would be better for her to get a grasp on ancient Sith lore and their history to better understand the present history of the Order she had sworn her allegiance to. Thus, she listened with eager ears, storing the knowledge Darth Carnifex saw fit to pass on to her.

The small woman found it fascinating to hear a small bit of the Dark Lord’s past; it was difficult to even believe that someone such as he - as powerful and almighty as he was - had once been an apprentice much like her. It was easy to forget that truth sometimes: all Sith - no matter their strength and standing, had started out as mere acolytes, as apprentices to someone else. Hearing him speak now breathed a little bit of life back into her aspirations to rise to new heights of her own.

Carnifex’s admission that the name of his own mentor was largely forgotten by the wider Sith of the day, but not by him - struck a chord within her. One day…she might find herself sitting in a similar situation, the rest of the wider Sith having forgotten the name of Darth Strosius, but she knew she never would. How could she, after all he'd done for her - after all he'd become to her?

More information, more knowledge, flowed and she drank it all in like a man dying of thirst. The Dark Lord who sat before her shared how Darth Krayt and his Sith, ritually tattooed themselves in honor of the Dark side. That piqued her interest, and she tilted her head slightly as her earlier expressions of anger and distrust and even hate disappeared entirely to be replaced by her curious and ever hungry nature. Carnifex was getting the very same attention and expression her own Master would receive when he taught her or shared something with her.

Her brows dipped ever so slightly when she heard that the art, the tradition, had largely been forgotten. Revna was, if anything, a lover of tradition, of heritage.

“It is a shame that it is a tradition that has been forgotten over time. At least there are some willing to carry it forward.” the young woman said softly, knowing full well he could hear her. Perhaps this would be a tradition she could take up herself - but that was far in the future, if she lived that long. It certainly was of keen interest to her, and she pursued that which interested her with dogged determination.

She was…surprised…by his offer to allow her to get a closer look. She hesitated only briefly, before her curiosity overrode her sense of caution that rose up within her. Revna moved to get a closer look, casting a somewhat wary glance at him as she came within striking distance. Truthfully, she knew without a shadow of a doubt that if he wanted her dead there would be nothing she could do to stop him. He didn’t need a weapon in order to kill her, and he didn’t need to be within striking distance either. There was an inherent risk in getting this close, but again…if he’d wanted her dead before now, she’d be nothing but dust and ash on the wind. The confidence he had in even allowing her somewhat near was not lost on her; had she had a weapon on her, or in her hand, she would have been well within striking range of his vitals. In the back of her mind, she could almost hear her Master’s voice screaming at her to strike…but she knew better. Besides, she had no weapon, and the skills and abilities she did know would be easily brushed aside. There was no point; it would have been futile and frankly stupid, and they both knew it.

Revna let her gaze travel over the intricate marks, her brows furrowed as she studied them, utterly fascinated by what she was seeing. There was awe there, written on her features, and no fear to be seen or felt. That came with the understanding of the truth of her situation, and her acceptance of it. Again - she’d be dead with a simple gesture of his. And yet he allowed her to live, and even granted her this privilege of showing her the marks, and passing on knowledge.

The young Sith wouldn’t forget that.

After her study and inspection of the marks, she sat back down and returned her focus to him as Carnifex continued and shared a bit more. The marks honed his power to a farther degree than what was normally possible. He saw fit to tell her then that he existed outside the form she saw seated before her, and the truth that the power he wielded would utterly destroy her - though she found his words informative if a bit foreboding: he existed in a body, his essence beyond the mortal coil. Once again, she was reminded of how little she truly knew about the Force, the Dark side. But at the same time, she felt as if she was on the very precipice of stepping into all the knowledge there was to learn, to gain. The whole of everything was available to her - if she knew how to pursue it properly.

“I…see. I can understand why…I think. Correct me if I am wrong in this but, you have to inhabit strong living forms that can withstand this kind of power. I imagine it must…destroy and corrupt the bodies you inhabit, and you have to…refresh the bodies? Kind of reminds me of the ability of Transfer Essence, but I don’t know if that is what you are referring to.”

She rubbed her chin in thought as she pondered on this for a bit, before she returned her attention back to him. There was a glint of wary suspicion in her eyes now. She’d been a Sith long enough to understand a bit of the game to be played; nothing was ever given freely. She’d asked for the information, and he’d given it to her. But she had a feeling it wasn’t the end.

“I may be foolish at times, but I am not stupid. I asked, and you gave. But information and knowledge comes at a cost. What am I to pay for all of this? What will you demand of me? I…sense the other Dark Lord has some sort of purpose or design for me, though what it is I am not sure…so what about you? I’m not exactly in a position where I can refuse. I want very much to live, and we both know a Sith will go to almost any lengths in order to preserve their life. I am no different.”

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Flesh is transient, but power is enduring. Without proper precautions, the Dark Side can bring about the ruin of one's self. I have taken such precautions to exist as you do, of flesh and bone. It is an unfortunate truth of our universe that power can only be channeled through a physical medium. An artificial body bereft of such flesh has crossed my mind, but there are earthly pleasures that I would rather not relinquish." The Dark Lord's numerous progeny was a testament to that, His myriad children spread far and wide across the galaxy. Some heeded their dark father's call and stood by His side, but others rejected the call altogether; or had otherwise escaped His control.

Carnifex slowly returned His glove back to where it rested atop His skin, pulling the fabric taut and flexing each finger. "You speak truthfully, that all knowledge comes at a price. Look at Darth Empyrean and see what such a price exacts. Fortuitously, I will not demand such a thing of you. All that I ask in return is to think about what I have imparted onto you this day, Revna. You have great potential within you, I would be displeased to see it squandered on another man's delusion." There was no doubting who the Dark Lord was referring to, even when not mentioned by name.

"And, if you ever truly wish to learn, then I can show you the path to true power. Not the simulacrum your masters deem sufficient. All you need do is accept what is given." The Dark Lord's eyes burned viciously, radiating with the power of the Dark Side. There was much she could learn from Him, but what other costs would it incur? He was being exceptionally generous this time, and had shown mercy by healing her body with the Dark Side and answering her questions. But such generosity would not boundless, eventually He would require something of actual substance from her. Whatever that could be, she could only guess.

"I do no require an answer at this very moment, take as much time as you require. I will persist." Rising, the Dark Lord's shadow fell over Revna. "I will have you transferred to more satisfactory accommodations. Think of yourself not as a prisoner, but as a guest. You will leave here, in due time, but for now you must endure."

Revna ​

 

[Revna]

Darth Carnifex


She knew the Dark side could, and eventually would, destroy one’s body. A price to be paid if one wished to dive deeper into the mysteries of the Force, and understand its darker secrets. It was something she had contemplated herself many a time in the privacy of her solitary quarters. She had asked herself many times: was losing her body, the one she inhabited now, worth it to gain the knowledge of the Force, of the Dark side?

Revna felt a small smirk tug at the corner of her lips with the Dark Lord’s remark about the earthly pleasures he didn’t want to let go of; it was no small secret that the man before her had many companions. And many offspring because of this.

The little woman watched in silence as he pulled the glove back over his hand, her gaze rising back to his face as he spoke once again. She huffed with a touch of sardonic mirth at his agreement that knowledge came at a price. His example of the Sith Emperor brought back memories she had of him, like the first time she ever saw Darth Empyrean, at a Gala where, ironically she’d first seen Carnifex as well. She’d seen what the Emperor looked like a few times, up close - though she didn’t know the story of just how he came to be that way. But judging from Darth Carnifex’s statement - it had something to do with the heavy price one had to pay to the Dark side to gain the power and knowledge that one sought after.

She tilted her head slightly once more when he asked that all she do was think about what he had told her thus far, and her right eyebrow arched slightly at the comment directed towards her Master, as a ghost of a smile touched her face again. She didn’t think someone like him would even be bothered by or care about what became of her potential. "We all have our own brand of delusions - some we choose to believe ourselves, and others we force onto the masses."

Carnifex’s next statement, however, made the young Sith go very still - and her gaze boldly held his, even as his ember eyes flared with power…something that perhaps would have made weaker beings tremble in fear, but not her.

…Accept what was given.

The Darkness within her raised its head, alert to an… opportunity that was now laid bare before her. But it was by no means an easy thing to consider, especially considering just who it was coming from, and the animosity she felt towards him that had been cultivated in her by her Master. Now a war waged between two parts of herself: her desire to remain steadfast and loyal…and her driving lust to gain the knowledge and power she sought after. No doubt the Sith before her would feel the stirrings of that inner turmoil, until she drew a blanket over it to hide it from view.

Revna barely registered that he had risen to his feet, his great form casting a shadow over her. Her eyes narrowed slightly at his words: he would require an answer from her in regards to the choice he had laid before her, though not at this moment in time. She seemed to almost stare through him, to the wall on the other side of him, as her mind turned into a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions that clashed. She blinked, before her attention returned back to him.

She was…thankful…that she was being moved out of the darkness she had been trapped in before he summoned her to his presence. She truthfully didn’t know how much more of that timeless darkness her mind could take before breaking completely, and she wasn’t in a hurry to test that.

“Come what may; if I am to endure, then I will. But the answer you seek from me is not an easy one for me to give, Darth Carnifex, and you know it - though I do appreciate being given time to consider this. But I do have a request of you: allow me to speak with the Empress, Lady Talon, on this matter. If there is anyone in this galaxy that I would trust to give me advice on this…it would be her. I know that you two know each other, she makes no secret of it. And I am - grateful - for the change in accommodations; will I be permitted to move about freely as your guest, or will I be confined to these new quarters?”

Revna held the gaze of the Dark Lord of the Kainate, hoping that he would acquiesce to her request - but also prepared herself for him to deny it, along with her question in regards to her being allowed to roam more freely. Her appeal to him to speak to the Empress hinged on the hope that he and Srina had a decent relationship between the two of them - enough for her to leverage it on her behalf. Either way though, he would have his answer, for she knew that he would demand it of her when the time came.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Baleful eyes stared down Revna, processing her request. He could have refused her, it was well within His power to do so. He could also have reprimanded her for such a bold request, withdrawn His earlier privileges, and send her back to the darkness. But He did none of those things, chiefly because He found her request intriguing. To ask an audience with the Empress would have drawn sharp condemnation from other Lords, ones who knew the Silver Dragon less than He did.

But He did know Srina Talon, intimately. He knew what she might say to such a request if He relayed it to her, and on some level He suspected she already knew. Her presence upon the Malsheem had become a welcome fixture, a cool familiarity radiating out from the library; comforting in it's frigid chill. "I will bring you to where she resides," answered the Dark Lord, "But it will be in her power to grant you audience. I cannot make that decision for her."

The door to the interrogation cell opened, and the Dark Lord led Revna out into the corridor with a sweep of His cloak. As she was led out of the detention center, she could feel the atmosphere around her shifting; changing. Whereas before the Force reeked of pain and desperation, it now thrummed with power, authority, and regality. This was no longer a place where the condemned were made to suffer, but where the powerful made their home and played at the great mysteries.

A door eventually loomed before the, wide and imposing, inscribed with historical murals regaling many epochs of Sith history. Unbidden, the doorway swung open, revealing a sprawling library that seemed to stretch endlessly in every direction, dozens of floors trailing away towards an unseen ceiling. Numerous attendants roamed the labyrinthine shelves, busying themselves with the endless upkeep of the library. Darker entities floated just beyond perception, cautiously probing at her thoughts to determine friend or foe.

"She is within. If she wishes to be found, you will find her. Otherwise you will be lost."

Revna ​

 

[Revna]

Darth Carnifex


There was tension for a moment between Revna and the Dark Lord as he processed her request. His gaze upon her was piercing and sinister, and she felt a chill race over her skin under that fiery stare. Yet she pulled her courage and boldness tighter around her and remained steadfast and still in her seat. Knowing that he could destroy her with a simple gesture or spoken word banished nearly all of her fear. She was in his domain, and though she would make an effort to defend herself if necessary, she knew that he was well within his rights to do as he pleased with her.

After what felt like an eternity of staring into the eyes of Chaos itself, Darth Carnifex finally spoke and declared that he would bring Revna to where the Empress…resided? This opened up far more questions within her, but despite the heavy frown that creased her brow, she wisely kept her mouth shut and her questions to herself. What Lady Talon did and where she went was of no concern to Revna, even if she did find it deeply intriguing that she had a place to reside wherever the Dark Lord made his home. Revna wasn’t entirely certain as of yet where she was exactly, but she had her suspicions.

“I understand. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity.” The little woman responded in her neutral tone of voice as she finally rose to her feet and as the Dark Lord moved, she fell in behind him as she was led from the chamber where they had their discussion. His strides were long and forced her into a somewhat quick pace just to keep up, but after everything that had happened she was thankful to be able to stretch her own limbs for a bit. As they traveled, she noticed the area and the atmosphere change from one of pain and torment, to power and regal authority. It came to no surprise to her that she’d been detained and held in an area that was specifically designed for captives and prisoners of the Kainate…for that was exactly what she was: a captive, and a prisoner.

No matter what Carnifex called her or said she was - her status was that of a prisoner. By his word she may have more…allowances and privileges, but that could be revoked on a whim, or by her own unwise behavior.

Eventually, she was brought before a great and looming door and her golden eyes traced over its surface as she came to a halt, still purposefully behind Carnifex. She was not his equal, therefore she did not stand side by side with him. It was the same respect she afforded to Darth Strosius when she had first been around him; she had always made sure to stay just behind him, and always let him be in the lead.

As her eyes roved over the surface of the great door, she noticed it move and swing open to reveal perhaps the only thing that would have made her lose her composure in any other situation.

A library.

Revna’s eyes widened at the sight before her as her jaw partially gaped open. For a moment, she forgot where she was and who she was with, as the fires of hunger and curiosity made her eyes glow. After a moment, however, she wrestled herself back under control and reluctantly tore her eyes away to glance at Carnifex, the glint of childlike wonder gone and replaced once more by wariness.

His words, and his warning, brought a dark smile to her face.

“I can think of worse ways to die, than being forever lost in a library…” Revna quipped as she stepped past the Dark Lord and into the labyrinth beyond. Her gaze touched upon the many attendants within, some of whom cast their attention her way, but most ignored her to carry on with their duties. Beyond them, Revna could feel pressure against her mind, probing to see if she was a threat or not. At first, her instinct was to force them out…but she released her tight hold on her mental defenses and let the shadowy entities poke and prod at her. They would ascertain that while she was not a friend and she was a self described enemy, she did not have hostile or aggressive intent.

No…all she wanted was to see and speak to the silver haired and icy woman who held her heart in her hands.

Revna took a deep breath and winced as she felt a spasm of agony roll through her, induced by the device in her spine. A reminder of the choices she had made, of the choices made by others, that had brought her to this point. Her fists clenched tight and she felt her nails dig into her palms painfully as she forced herself to endure.

But as soon as the pain came…it went. She released her held breath and stepped forward once more, her attention shifting over the many rows of tomes and other items of objects of knowledge. Her deep lust and desire to absorb all that was within the massive chamber was powerful and nearly overwhelming, but the little apprentice of Darth Strosius exercised the control she had been taught. She was here for a singular purpose, and she would not get distracted.

Finding a place amidst the endless collection, Revna lowered herself down until she sat cross legged on the ground. She folded her hands in her lap and bowed her head, almost as if she was praying to some deity or entity. Then, she reached her mind out to the tether she had formed with the Dread Queen of the Sith, Srina Talon , tugging on it gently and almost playing it like a musical cord. A thought, an emotion, a feeling would traverse along that tether…seeking the woman’s council as well as her familiar, cooling, and comforting presence in a place that had brought Revna so close to the Abyss. The little woman did not speak telepathically to the Empress, for she knew that the woman would sense and hear her regardless.

 

[Srina Talon]

Tag: Revna | Darth Carnifex
Location: Malsheem [Archives]
______________________________________________________

The oppressive stillness of the library was palpable, broken only by the soft rustle of pages and the distant murmurs of varying attendants. The air with ancient knowledge and secrets felt heavy, and every shadow seemed to hold a watchful, perhaps vengeful, eye. Most would feel disturbed, and uninvited, but Srina found the polished floors and neurotic archivists a welcome reprieve from the chaos of Jutrand.

She was a dark passenger; there and not there.

Idly…The silvery woman wondered if Kaine might visit her and discuss all she had learned from skin-bound tomes and blood-scrawled pages. The Dark Lord was a frequent companion, but just as he acknowledged her duties, she knew his and respected that Darth Carnifex could not be at her beck and call. She expected to feel the booming presence of his aura come closer. She could feel him…Not far away.

Metaphysical fingers reached for her Kaine in a cold and wordless greeting…But they were stopped by the unexpected.

Revna.

She paused in reading and her finger stilled on a passage while elegant brows drew together. That was not right. Her Master hated the former Sith Emperor with a fury that could only be matched by the wrath of an active volcano. He loathed all of them, prodigiously, and with equal measure. He was a fool…But he was not the fool that would send his progeny into the maw of a starving hyena alone. Srina waited for a moment, sensing, the little one coming closer. Nearer. Separated by hundreds of stacks and thousands of artifacts and scrolls. Interesting…

The subtle call to her subconscious was met with the tome closing where it found a place beside all the others. Neatly, on the floor. Oh—The archivists hated it. An Empress of the Sith choosing to sit on the floor rather than the gilded tables and comfortable chairs they had procured, leaving the precious possessions of their Dark Lord so very disrespectfully on the floor! She was like no woman; no queen they had ever met.

There was also no woman they feared more, for her gaze alone, could freeze a man through and through. So, the rumors claimed.

Slowly at first, but with increasing clarity, Revna would notice a scent begin to permeate the air that erased the musty atmosphere of old leather. It was a delicate fragrance of jasmine mingled with the fresh, indisputable aroma of rainfall. It grew stronger, wrapping around Revna like some disembodied embrace, heralding the approach of the one who haunted these halls.

A soft, almost inaudible whisper of fabric accompanied the scent. From the depths of the labyrinth, she emerged. The diminutive queen moved with a grace that seemed to defy the natural world, her steps light and precise, as if her feet never touched the ground. Her long, white hair cascaded down her back, catching the light in a way that made it shimmer with an ethereal glow. Her crimson attire was regal, a perfect blend of modesty and allure, the fabric hugging her form in a manner that spoke of both influence and elegance. She exuded…Many things. Beauty that was borderline cruel, matched with a serene, yet formidable presence that seemed to make the very air tremble.


Without a word, Srina knelt before Revna with a refinement that seemed almost birdlike. One moment she was by the entrance, the next, so close that they could breathe the same air. The Echani reached out with both hands and cupped Revna's face as if it were made of glass. Pulling her from her silent prayer, answering, the call that brushed against her psyche with the lightness of a feather. Her touch was cool and soothing, a stark contrast, to anything the Malsheem had to offer.

"You do not belong here…", Srina's voice was soft, barely above a whisper, yet it carried undeniable authority. Her unfeeling gaze searched Revna's face, emotionless, and empty of all things. Her touch moved with a tenderness that was almost at odds with the crushing might she radiated, her fingers finding the lines that could not be hidden, reading her, through physical contact. "Why?"

The singular word held…So much weight. Why was Revna on the Malsheem? Why was she in such a state? Why had she come to her, here, of all places? Where was Kaine? Strosius?

Her jaw tightened. Hardening, in the dim light. For a moment…Her achingly beautiful features seemed to change. It became gaunt. The burnished gold of her eyes turned to an unforgiving amber and the attributes of a skull began to press from beneath perfect cheekbones. A demonic monstress beneath the visage of an Eternal Queen, an angel, amongst so many sins. Had Darth Strosius left another of their young behind? In his efforts to gauge their aptitude?

"…What has become of you, my little one…"

 

[Revna]

Tags: Darth Carnifex // Srina Talon



The sounds within the great library possessed by Darth Carnifex faded out as Revna concentrated further on that precious tether that linked her to Lady Talon. Even the pain that radiated through her spine and her entire body lessened to some degree as she plucked on it with her entire being. Her pulse slowed and her breathing became shallow and quiet. Had anyone seen her in the moment, they might have thought she was a living statue.

Time crept forward; she knew the Empress had heard her call, felt her. The scent of rain, the delicate aroma of jasmine…met her senses, and began to encompass her. She knew that scent well, and though every fiber of her being wanted desperately to hide away in it forever, she maintained her stillness and prayerful posture. She waited longer, hoping the Dread Queen would summon her to wherever she was within the maze, but there was no voice…no summons. A spike of forlorn fear tried to pierce its way into the young woman’s heart, but she pushed it away. When Lady Talon was ready…she would call Revna to her.

The apprentice heard the barest rustle of fabric, but her mind cast the noise aside as a play on her imagination. The Queen would not come to her…surely not. Revna would be summoned if her call was accepted, and she would go to the woman…her Empress. That was how these things happened, the natural order. And the small woman accepted that as truth.

That was until she felt two cold hands cup her face, and her fiery coal orange eyes flew open to look upon the face of the woman her heart had hoped and prayed to see, on her knees before the small apprentice. She hadn’t been summoned because…Srina Talon had gone to find her.

If Revna had any left tears to shed in that moment, should have done so.

For a moment, no words were exchanged between the women. The Revna that Lady Talon would see before her was not the same as the one she’d seen before on Jutrand. Violence simmered just under the surface, carefully - if only barely - restrained, its intensity reflected in eyes that burned as hot as coals. Darkness radiated from her, far more potent than it ever been before.

But the black emotion that threatened to consume Revna slipped away for a moment, as the whispered words of Srina draped over her. No, she did not belong in the den of her enemies.

Why? She was asked.

Revna said nothing in response; she simply looked upon the frigid and beautiful face before her. A face that others feared to see, but one she found comfort in. A light, in a very dark Abyss. She noticed the hardness pass over Srina’s face, her golden hawkish gaze taking on the hue of Dark corrupted amber, as she asked what had become of the apprentice of Darth Strosius.

“It would be better to simply show you, than tell you…” Revna whispered, her voice brittle and strained. Icy. Flashes of images would pass along the tether then, along with the ghost of emotions tied to them.

A ship holding precious cargo…slaves, men women and children - leaving a world near Kainate controlled space, but not quite in their territory; of being halted in place, drawn in by ships of Kainate design…of Revna hiding the rescued souls as she prepared to defend.

Of monstrous Dashade boarding, a fight she could not win…the sounds of fear and death; a heavy fist bringing darkness.

And then? A massive chamber, and a Mountain seated upon a dark throne of power. Rage and a hatred so deep it would sear and burn like an invisible fire. Foolish disrespect and defiance in the presence of a Dark Lord…Of red streaks of lightning, extending…to punish. But even then…there was no submission. No recognition of authority, until it was far too late…

More images would flash…a disrobed Dark Lord as he descended from his throne, of a fight that was unequal…next would come a vision of the Dark One above her, the surety of death in his eyes, on his face…as blue fire was summoned from the depths of Darkness and into his hands. One last act of courage, of defiance, in the face of total annihilation…a surge of powerful Force lightning from the apprentice to part the cerulean flames, of power against power in its rawest form.

But it was simply not enough.

Srina would see through the memories that Revna revealed to her, the flames that brought her to the point of death, that burned her away. And through the tether, she would glimpse the sheer agony that the little woman had experienced…a pain beyond what should have been possible. When the flames died away, what was left was unrecognizable…yet somehow still defiant and unbowed in the face of Death itself.

A burned body held by chains…then the shattering of her spine, and the bitterness of yielding and of submission…before a battle of minds ensued as the Mountain sought to rip what information he wanted from her. The desperation, the need, to protect all that she knew…that she cared for. That she called hers…flooded through her memories. Everything she suffered, she did for those who were once slaves, to keep them from the sight of an enslaver. And the undeniable bond she had with her Master…to protect him too, even at the cost of her own life.

Then another memory surfaced: darkness, hovering so close to death - a body wanting to be released to the void but a soul that wasn’t ready to let go. The Empress would understand that Revna’s life was spared by the very one who had sought to destroy her, and would have…had she not impressed him by her display of power. She had been healed of most of her wounds, her flesh knitted back together with no regard to her comfort.

What was left for the Echani to see was a young woman - once bright and full of zeal and curiosity - left in chains in an endless void to have her mind broken, to be reshaped and molded at her captors’ whims. A device was embedded in her flesh at her back - giving her the ability to walk again but one that purposefully and cruelly denied her peace, denied her comfort and rest through crippling waves of agony…pushed her to the very brink of losing herself completely.

Somehow, someway…Revna prevailed. She was disfigured and voiceless due to the fire that ravaged her body…but she was alive. The mercy of Carnifex, even towards one who was his enemy, was last to come through. A flash of pain, of healing completed…an understanding between the two of them as they talked. Of wisdom and knowledge passing from one to the other.

When the flashes of images finally came to an end, the little apprentice hadn’t moved an inch, but every part of her was hard like stone, like ice.

“...I am here, because there are Sith who are simply stronger than me, or my Master. Sith who do what they want, when they want, how they want. No one has come for me, that I am aware of. Even if my Master wanted to, he cannot help me; others have seen to that and will continue to see him beaten down until he is no longer a threat. But I did not reach out to you to waste your time with my sob story of suffering. Neither did I reach out to you to save me from this, as I am here for a reason, one still unclear to me. Darth Carnifex was gracious enough to allow me a chance to speak to you, as he has given me a choice…one I will be required to make, at some point in the near future. And the only one I wanted to speak to, for advice, was you…as it is not a choice I feel I can make on my own. I don’t trust myself not to do or say anything more reckless than I already have.”

 

[Srina Talon]

Tag: Revna | Darth Carnifex
Location: Malsheem [Archives]
______________________________________________________

Srina held her, this sithling, that seemed to have a penchant for flirting with danger.

Careful fingers drew up and brushed raven locks back as if she were holding an ancient doll. Something that might shatter, or crumble if she mishandled it. Aside from her initial query, the Empress let her presence offer what words could not convey. The power the Malsheem inherently exuded was nothing compared to the pure state of being the Echani effortlessly maintained. Calm and chaos, twined intimately until she became the eye of the storm. An eclipse.

She took in the changes of the apprentice in the same way she had, not so long ago, on Jutrand. The simmering promise of violence. The barely restrained darkness that radiated from her like heat waves rising from duracrete on Geonosis. Yet, beneath that, she saw the same fierce spirit that regardless of her trials remained unbent and unbroken. She could sense fire. Taste, the ash. Srina had warned her to beware the flame upon their first meeting. Perhaps, some things simply could not be avoided.

When Revna offered to show her…The Empress allowed her memories pass forward, run through her, like a searing river of molten silver. The mind of the wintry woman was a bastion very few would have the ability to crack and therefore required access. Revna’s memories were broken. She didn’t have the necessary skill to transmit them as fluidly as she might have liked but it still carried the overall picture of what had happened. Srina’s eyes closed for a moment. Sorting, the timeline. The images. Words that were slow to catch up to the present like an old voice-over holo-film.

Srina stopped mid-memory when she realized which Dark Lord had left her burned, beaten, and broken. Her spine had been shattered versus being run through with a metal pike but the presence that filtered through that unspoken dream was the very same that had been on the Fortressa. The very same that had left Gerwald Lechner ,her wolf to call, half-dead and skinned with blood and meatier chunks staining so much of the snow surrounding him. They would call it a gift that he was left with any life left inside him at all. A gift, a mercy, that they’d left anything of him behind for her to find. That, he still drew breath.

Her position had required that she swallow that slight while she stitched him back together.

Would she be required to do that again?

“A moment…”, she asked of Revna, still, moving through the mass of data that had been emptied into her cranium. Srina had every faith that Darth Carnifex would allow them the time she desired. It wasn’t as if they were going anywhere, nor, had he dragged the sithling to her feet in chains. She was a prisoner pf circumstance, it seemed, but the Kaine she knew very rarely made a move on a whim. If he offered her this freedom, no matter how small, there was something…Something—She did not yet know or understand. The fierce words the little one issued at the end caused her eyes to open and a mixture of mottled amber-gold bore into her… “…Oh…little one…”

Her words were tainted, coupled, by things that were…Beyond her comprehension.

“That is not why you are here.”

Because certain Sith just happened to be stronger than she was? Because her Master apparently couldn’t hold his own in a quandary of his own making? That his progeny was left to suffer for his very Sith-esque mistakes? They were certainly all factors to be considered in the chain of events but they were far from the primary focus. There was one rule among Sith Lords in any domain, the one thing, they were all limited by: Power. Not strength. Power came in many forms and often masqueraded as something else…But Srina had been around long enough, had suffered enough, to know the inherent difference. “You do not waste my time. If I had not wanted to hear you…I would not have come. I would not have asked.”

Slowly, Srina settled down on the floor with her. Slender legs tucked to the side beneath silken crimson skirts and the ghost pale Empress drew Revna closer. “How long has it been since you have rested?”, it was a question that was completely other, altered, by the fact that the apprentice didn’t really want her help. She didn’t want to be saved and wasn’t asking to be.

The warrior in her respected that.

“Come…”, she patted her lap, quietly, offering Revna a safe place to rest her head for a little while. “Close your eyes and tell me of this decision you must make. You needn’t worry….”

“I will stay.”

 

[Revna]

Darth Carnifex // Srina Talon


Revna’s gaze upon the Empress was hard as she heard the pale Echani declare that Revna was not held by her captors for the reasons she stated. And as much as she wanted to resist that, she knew Lady Talon was right. There was more at play than the apprentice knew.

“...and why do you think I am here?” Revna asked quietly, her voice edged like a blade. She had her own ideas on why she was here. Truthfully, both the Dark Lords had stated their own reasons for keeping her here. Carnifex didn’t want her potential squandered, and the giant known as Prazutis seemed to think that she lived for his purpose and design and that was it.

A shiver of uncertainty rippled across the young woman at the memory of the Dark Lord’s words to her. She still didn’t know what he wanted with her, his plans or purpose. He kept her alive, even if he had broken her and tormented her. And she knew he wasn’t going to stop there.

Revna’s eyes dipped slightly, her way of letting Lady Talon know that she understood that she was not wasting her time. Indeed, if she had not wanted to see or speak to the little apprentice, then she wouldn’t have.

Her question about rest brought a shadow over Revna’s face. She blinked once, then twice. “I…I don’t know. Hours…days…weeks. Time means nothing in the darkened cell I was chained in. Every time I tried to… this thing on my back would…I tried to rip it off. I paid dearly for that. There is no true rest. Just pain, so much of it. It makes one long for death. But I refuse to die. Not yet. My purpose has not yet been achieved.”

The young Sith watched as Lady Talon shifted into a lounged position, then drew her closer. At first, Revna resisted the embrace that pulled her closer, but she relented and found warmth and safety with her. She shifted and laid her head down gingerly, as dark hair streaked with silver cascaded over the fabric of the Queen’s dress. She fully expected the contraption on her back to fill her nerves full of acidic fire…but for the moment, she had a reprieve from the worst of it.

Who knew how long it would last?

Revna let her eyes drift shut, though anxiety rippled through her. She half expected to open her eyes and find that she was hallucinating this whole thing, and she was actually back inside that black cell, chained and bound like a slave once more. Her fists clenched and unclenched, and she fought her breathing back under control.

If she had been strong enough, she wouldn’t have ended up in this mess. She could have defended…saved…escaped… but it didn’t matter now. What was done, was done. Now she had to prepare for her future, as uncertain as it was. Survival was all that mattered now. Her survival, at any cost…

What was she willing to sacrifice to stay alive? To see her family, her Master, again? There were things she wanted to tell him, but never got the chance to.

“...Darth Carnifex granted me healing, spoke with me, even passed some knowledge over to me. He may be my enemy, but I would be a fool to disregard such…mercy. And I don’t deserve it, and I know that. He does not want to see my potential squandered on my Master’s delusions, as he called them. He offered something to me that I don’t think he extends to many outside of his own: a chance to learn, to have him to show me the path to true power, as he put it. That all I must do is accept what is given. I...sense a deeper meaning behind his words.”

She paused for a moment, as a ripple of pain radiated through her spine and then throughout her entire body, and despite her best efforts a muffled groan of pain escaped her throat. Her breathing became erratic as she fought against the agony, seeking to throw it off of her. But it was all in vain. Her small body trembled, and all she wanted to do in that moment was scream, and destroy - to surrender to the violence that darkened her soul, and unleash all that was building up inside.

Moments that felt like days later, the pain finally subsided back to background levels, and Revna was finally able to finish what she had been trying to say to the woman with her.

“I…would be a fool to accept his offer. And I would be a fool to reject it. My place here is conditional; I live and breathe at the whim and allowance of my captors. That mercy can be revoked at any time. I want to live, Lady Talon. I want to rise, to be more than I am now, more than I ever was. If I accept and ask him to teach me…I don’t know what I will be required to sacrifice for it. But if I reject it…he will find another purpose for me, and who knows what that purpose will be.”

Revna opened her eyes and looked at Lady Talon for a moment, the shadow pain still cast over her face and haunting her eyes. “It is a damned if I do, and a damned if I don’t. I am torn; I want to remain faithful to my Master, for reasons that I dare not utter here. But I will never get this opportunity again. And if I ever do find my freedom from here again…I will have knowledge and experience that I otherwise would never have had. My Master won’t always be around, and perhaps neither will Darth Carnifex. And I have entertained the thought that my Master is...dead by now, and that I may be holding out hope for something that is no longer there. I know that in the end, this choice will be mine to make. You know Darth Carnifex, my Lady. I won’t even pretend to know or understand your connection to him, and that is why I wanted your council, your advice, with this. If he offered this to you…would you take it? Even if the risks were unknown?”

 

[Srina Talon]

Tag: Revna | Darth Carnifex
Location: Malsheem [Archives]
______________________________________________________

Lovely.

Even in this moment, her deepest pain, her weakest hour—The apprentice of Darth Strosius was…Lovely. The shattered timeline of events that Revna had produced for her were punctuated by intense suffering born of fire and shadow. Many would have broken before such torment but the sithling seemed to have maintained her sanity and self of self. How cold the Empress had become. Rather than finding horror in her predicament her analytical mind pressed past the agony of the flesh and moved toward a deeper truth.

She was not dismissive, merely, logical. Her consideration and inherent understanding would not change anything for Revna. It would not whisk her away from these halls. It could not turn back time. It could not undo what had been done.

It did not resolve the anguish the little one had endured nor remove the device in her back.

The apprentice was unchained—But still in bondage. She was not free.

"You are caught in the current of something…Far beyond us. We speak infrequently of the truth of our nature. So, infrequently of the Darkside. It is an ocean as vast as the void of space, more powerful, than every sun a star in the sky represents. There is a price for our power…For our superiority…"

Her eyes closed, briefly, while her head tilted. Memories were still flooding into her in fragmented shards that were blurred by inexperience. "For our privilege…The tide, it seems, has finally come for you…As it comes for us all."

"Power…Freedom…Come at a cost."

Revna would recall the story that Srina had given her not so long ago. The explanation of how she had lost her first child. The agony of a mother, knowing, their young would never draw breath. Never cry. Never experience anything but the imperfect solitude of the grave. The price for their sins would not always come to every Sith in the same way. Nor, would that cost be fair. It could not be dictated or prepared for. It was a trial. Not meant to overcome—But to endure.

Srina would not let the apprentice go. She could…Feel her resistance. Feel her need to stand on her own and keep fighting in the only way she knew how. By not giving up. Never, giving in. What the Empress of the Sith asked of her was a relinquishment of that strength. A deviation from a stubborn will to survive and an impossible inkling of unearned trust. "Rest…", she repeated again, softly, gently running her fingers through her hair. Smoothing back the silver-streaked raven tresses while her eyes grew distant as they focused on the shadows of the archives…

Her jaw clenched.

"I had warned you of the fire. I did not assume…It would arrive so soon."

Not while Revna was still an apprentice, new, and vulnerable to this world. Srina was silent while Revna explained and merely kept up the same, gentle, repetitive motion. It was the same way a mother might treat an injured child. Her posture also reflected the same thing, regardless, of the fact that Revna's Master would have thrown up at the sight. The sins of her dark Inquisitor Father were not her own.

"What makes you think that you are undeserving?"

Srina stilled when Revna began to experience something unpleasant. The Echani frowned while her form began to constrict and shake. The helplessness that the Empress felt in kind caused her ire to grow exponentially. It was not a feeling she was accustomed to, nor, was it acceptable in any form. She couldn't remove the device that was harming the apprentice because she didn't know what it was. If she tried…She might cause more damage. More pain. Irreparable, pain.

In lieu of the Dark Lord that put it there the pale woman could only hold her through it. Whisper small words of comfort that most would think the Empress incapable of. They were cold. Frozen—But little reminders that the apprentice was not alone. That the pain would pass. That she was strong enough to survive it with or without her. Words that…Slipped languages. From basic, to sith, to echani…The intent was still there. Until her breathing slowed. Until, the pain receded.

Darth Carnifex would not be surprised to find the Empress on his doorstep after this.

He knew her better than most. He knew…Very well—How this not only manipulated the apprentice but the wintry woman that lived in his library just as much. Intended or not…It was a direct consequence.

Revna, however, began to explain further.

"My connection to Kaine…to Darth Carnifex does not allow me to answer this for you, little one. He is not to me as he is to you. I could place my life in his hands. I could place the means of my destruction in his hands—And I know for certainty…That he would never betray me. He would keep me…"

Her hand rose to the phylactery that hung around her thin neck, gesturing, toward the shining bauble that screamed with secrets from the void. "As I keep him."

It would be difficult to explain her relationship to the Butcher King without taking a walk down a lane of emotion that was entirely outside of her skillset. There were some things that defied nature to exist—And their kinship was one of them. There was no risk involved between herself and Carnifex, save, for what was brought in by outside forces. From their respective parties that found their respect and care for one another…Just one more bit of heresy.

"Your Master is not dead Revna. I can say that for certainty…But I also know that it is highly unlikely he would be able to enter this place with any degree of effectiveness. Fooling the Kainite once is the feat of a lifetime…Doing it again? The odds are not in his favor.", she continued on, lightly, and with honesty regardless the topic at hand. Srina would not sway Revna one way or the other because it was not a situation she could fully imagine. She could not give an informed decision…Because this would never be. No matter how Srina felt…She would need to make her own choice. "For the sake of answering your question…I would not refuse Darth Carnifex. It would never cross my mind to do so. But I am not you…"

"And if you choose to accept you must also know…Your Master will never forgive you. There is sacrifice no matter which option you choose. You must only decide what you are willing to give. What you are willing to lose…"

The words came from a place of calm, though, when their eyes met there would be a hollow in the crimson-clad Echani. These were the exact circumstances that Srina had hoped her discussions with Revna would help her avoid. The back of soft fingers drew lightly down her cheek. Like a midwife that ran their knuckles down the sternum of a newborn baby to encourage it to breathe… Her expression was almost cruel with how impassive it was. How unfeeling, how, non-human it appeared to be. A droid could have expressed more and with far greater realistic success.

It was in that touch that Revna would feel what it was that the Empress could not express.

Remorse.

"…Are you certain that you would not welcome my interference?"

 

[Revna]

Darth Carnifex // Srina Talon


Revna absorbed the words of Lady Talon, and they brought clarity into the darkness of her trial, her tribulation. She asked the Empress why the woman believed Revna was there, in the heart of her enemy’s home…and the response she was given made things click into place.

There were things in motion, at play, that were beyond the little apprentice’s understanding. But she knew the cold harsh truth that the Dark side had a price to pay, and perhaps this trial she was enduring was the Dark’s way of having her pay her dues. And if she wanted more? She would have more she would need to pay, more she would need to sacrifice.

Power and freedom truly did come with a price tag attached to it. And she was beginning to truly understand that now. It made her shoulders slump a bit, as both the light of understanding and the darkness of it passed over her face and eyes. She remembered the story the Empress shared with her, so long ago now it seemed - of the pain of loss beyond something that Revna had yet to understand or experience herself. But there was a correlation there - the Dark brought a trial, made them both pay a cost - and all they could do was endure.

The strong endured. The weak broke under that yolk and turned to dust.

The Sith Empress was not weak - and in her Revna saw true strength, true power. And if the wintry woman could endure a lifetime of paying her dues to the Dark, then Revna could as well. She drew inspiration and strength from the cold, impassive woman. She reminded her so much of her own mother…

Perhaps that was why she found a place of comfort and connection to Lady Talon.

The Dark took much, but it also brought treasures, wrapped in a veil of shadow and mystery. It had done that since the very beginning for Revna, and she knew it would continue to do so. She only needed to have the eyes, the insight, and the wisdom to see through that veil. And be willing to make the sacrifices necessary to take those gifts that were hidden away.

Revna was told to rest, and though every part of her wanted to do nothing but fight back, she found herself slowly giving way. Of letting down her guard. To just breathe. She blinked slowly as she heard the woman’s cool voice remind her that she had been warned about the fire, of being burned. She could recall those words of caution; she had taken note of them then, but she didn’t think it would be literal fire that seared her.

Lady Talon’s question of why she felt she was undeserving made her pause for a moment, and when the waves of agony came, the wintry woman with her was there beside her through every moment and when it finally had passed, Revna was able to reply.

“Because I am an enemy. What Sith shows mercy to their enemy? Mercy has been called a weakness. I have slain his own people, simply because they were Kainites. I’ve made it no secret that I despise him and his kind. Perhaps…this thing on my back is a reminder that, despite their mercy - I am still to pay for my actions committed against them, to pay for my disrespect. Truthfully - they could have killed me outright. And I know that I would have deserved such a fate.” Another long pause, before she voiced her inner thoughts aloud again. “Maybe the other Dark Lord will reveal his intentions to me the next time I must go before him. There is a reason, a purpose, behind it all. There has to be. Even if I don't know of it yet.”

Lady Talon listened as Revna laid bare her thoughts, her concerns, of the choice laid before her. And when she asked for the elder woman’s council, she listened intently as Srina responded with the harsh truth. She couldn’t, and wouldn’t, make this decision on Revna’s behalf. The little apprentice knew she wouldn’t be able to, and wasn’t asking for the woman to make the decision for her…simply to provide some light that would help Revna make the best decision. As there really was no right choice in any of this.

The Disciple was mystified by the bond shared between Carnifex and Srina. She didn’t think anyone outside of his own could have that sort of connection with him. Her eye was drawn to the necklace around Lady Talon’s neck; an item that radiated with Darkness, but never something Revna had truly paid attention to. Who was she to pry into what jewelry the royal adorned herself with? But her sharp insight was quick to pick up on the fact that this seemed to be... connected to the Dark Lord’s safety?

A flash of insanity zipped through her mind. If that item was destroyed…could he also be destroyed?

Tempting.

But Revna did not move; she simply gazed at the bauble as she made the connection and understood. But now she had knowledge of it, and she stored it away within the vaults of her mind. She felt relief to hear, to know for certain, that her High Priest was not dead as she feared. But she agreed with Lady Talon on the truth that he would not be able to reach her here.

And with his forces in shambles, needing to be rebuilt?

If Revna was ever going to see her Master face to face again - it wouldn’t be because he came to save her. It was agony - but the little Disciple let that hope go. She would not waste her days wondering and waiting for something that would never happen. She was wiser, smarter, than that.

But this now led her to the dark center of why she wanted to speak with the Empress, to hear what the woman had to say, her counsel on the dilemma Revna faced. Of course, Lady Talon would not reject such an offer from Carnifex - but that came from the understanding, the bond, she had with the Dark Lord. Revna did not have that. But if Revna did accept that offer - she feared in her heart that what Srina said was right.

What was more important to her now: continuing her learning, despite who was teaching it to her? Or refusing and stagnating in her own power, her own ability to grow and rise - because she didn’t want to face the wrath and unforgiveness of her Master?

Perhaps…perhaps he might surprise them all, and let such a sin of hers go. Especially when he finally hears what Revna has wanted to tell him for so long. But if he didn’t? Even after everything…could she face that pain? That rejection? That destruction?

There was only one way to find out. And Revna was a Sith, in her heart. She would always do what was best for herself. Regardless of how it affected others around her.

“Thank you, Lady Talon - for that wisdom. That is what I needed to hear. I know this choice is mine to make and mine alone. But I also know how valuable wisdom and insight from others is. It will help me make the best decision in the end.” Revna murmured, her gaze fixated on the other’s pale, emotionless face - even as cold fingers traced over her cheek, and that simplest of touch said so much to the young Sith.

Revna could have wept in that moment; for all the strength she tried to build for herself, she felt suddenly so fragile. Was this what a mother’s love and care was supposed to look and feel like?

“As much as I would be forever thankful for your interference, there are some things that we Sith must face on our own. What would I learn if I let you save me from this mess I made for myself, or lessen the impact it would have on me? If I am meant to survive through this - then I shall, and I will be much stronger for it. If I am not, then I will perish. Just…please -” Revna paused and heaved a sigh.

“-don’t let him do anything stupid. He may not have the resources or the capability of trying to assault this place and take me back but we both know he would try. There are things I wish to tell him - face to face. I can’t do that if he’s dead. And if he does get himself killed well - then I will find a way to raise him back to life so I can beat him senseless, then kill him again for his audacity to die on me.” she huffed sharply, finishing her words with a growl. She didn’t have to say his name - she knew the Empress would know of whom she spoke of.