Private One Fire Fights One Fire

[Pharus Dystra]

Pharus closed his suitcase, sealing the contents inside. His hands lingered for a moment on top of the bag, his shoulders hunched, before he picked it up by the handle and carried it over to the door.

The Sky Temple was eerily silent with the other children gone from the premises. Even the guards and attendants seemed to tread more softly, afraid to disturb this strange quiet.

Pharus walked slowly down the hallway, listening to the echo of his footsteps. Along the way, he passed by the door to Rhiannon's room. It was shut. He could've kept going, but he paused outside it. He had read about curses in the Sith books Arcturus had given to him to study, among other things. One particularly nasty curse sat on his tongue, ready to be lobbed her way. But he never uttered the words. Instead, he turned and walked away, his pace brisk as he headed toward the landing pad.

He was getting out of here today. Leaving to start a new life somewhere else. He couldn't go back to Eliad, but there were other worlds out there where he might make a name for himself. Other places far from this backwater planet...

Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Arcturus had been locked in turmoil ever since the stupid meeting to decide Theryn's fate. He was angry, he was hurt, he was concerned, but mostly? Mostly he was just deflated and sad.​

​

Everything was crumbling down around him. He would have preferred it was the Pantheon itself, this sick game they'd found themselves locked in, but it was his family instead. He'd given Rhiannon her space, she'd locked herself away in their room, had not slept himself, just paced, and roamed, and ruminated. The children had been sent to the city on the river he was building, alongside Semie and a host of nannies and guards. It was just them now. Rhiannon, Pharus, and Arcturus. Even the guards were quiet, the staff tiptoeing around.​

​

He hated it.​

​

Blocking the way out of the main doors which led to the landing pad, he waited for Pharus' descent. Was this really it? Had he truly failed his family in so many ways? All he had wanted to do was help, was ensure that Pharus kept his life and did not go to the way of his parents.​

​

Somehow he'd even messed that up, hadn't he? Sure the boy was alive, but now what? What would he do? Where would he go?​

​

Seeing him approach it all became too much, and Arcturus had to avert his eyes for a moment as they prickled uncomfortably. He did not reach out to Pharus as the boy neared him, though he did offer a hand toward his suitcase in an offer to carry it. He could feel his heart beating fast; he could also feel Pharus' excitement to be free from this place.​

​

"I'm sorry I caused you such strife" he said, doing his best to strengthen his voice when all it wanted to do was crack and break, "I was only trying to keep you safe, Pharus. Safe, and free. But I know you don't see yourself as free... And for that I am sincerely sorry."​

​

Grief welled up anew, and he looked away from the boy across the hallway which led this way and that through the horridly silent Palace.​

​

"For what it's worth, I'd trade all of this just to see you happy. The luxury, the titles, the reverence, none of it means anything to me in the face of my family." And Pharus had been family, in Arcturus' eye. It was not reciprocated, though, and you could not force a caged bird to sing, even if you did not realize you had locked them in a room to begin with.​

​

Arcturus stepped aside, opening the way forward, but he didn't immediately let up on his talking.​

​

"There is another case on the ship for you. Enough credits to see you live a pleasant life until you get on your feet. There's... There's also a ship, and a droid to fly it, waiting just outside of the system."​

​

He couldn't let this be it, could he? Couldn't just turn and walk away.​

​

His eyes misted over.​

​

"You don't have to go, Pharus, you don't have to be alone out there... I've lived that existence, it's not easy. If you really must leave, just... Please, please take care of yourself." He felt sick to his stomach. He was going to bring Pharus to the ship he'd procured for him by way of the Beholder, and then..? Well, then he'd likely never see him again.​

​

Arcturus felt nauseous. Everything was so broken and wrong, fractured so severely that he couldn't possibly see a way through to the other side.​

​

Pharus Dystra ​

 

[Pharus Dystra]

After what seemed like an unusually long walk through the Temple, Arcturus came into view. He was blocking the doors. Pharus scowled momentarily, thinking he was about to be denied his freedom, but then the God of the Underworld loosened up his stance and moved aside. He had an odd look on his face as he reached for his suitcase.

Pharus held his bag out of his reach. “I don’t need your help,” he said.

Arc apologized. Pharus said nothing. He didn’t ignore what Arc said to him—he was listening rather intently, in fact—but he had nothing to say to him either. At least, nothing that he wouldn’t regret.

"For what it's worth, I'd trade all of this just to see you happy. The luxury, the titles, the reverence, none of it means anything to me in the face of my family."

That coaxed an involuntary reaction out of him: an incredulous snort. “I’m not your family, Mr. Dinn,” he said. “Your real family is in shambles right now.”

He hadn’t meant to rub it in… okay, yes, maybe he did a little. After all, Arcturus was the one who had seized him from his home, had dragged him into that room reeking of death and forced him to bend the knee. Then he had asked for legal guardianship over him and started calling him son. Honestly? Arcturus was just as insane as his wife for thinking that would’ve ever worked out.

“Thanks,” he said to the gift of money, a ship, and a droid. But when he turned around, Arcturus was crying.

"You don't have to go, Pharus, you don't have to be alone out there... I've lived that existence, it's not easy. If you really must leave, just... Please, please take care of yourself."

Pharus looked at him for a long time. Could he find it in him to pity this strange, delusional man? Yes. He felt pity for him, but not sympathy.

“Mr. Dinn,” he began, then sighed. “Arcturus, please. You’re not my dad, and you really never should’ve tried to be my dad in the first place. After I leave, you should try to pick up the pieces and move on. Forget this ever happened.”

Pharus was certainly going to try to forget. Since there was nothing he could do about Eliad falling to the Sith, he had hoped revenge might fulfill him. But it hadn’t. He had come to the realization that it was useless to endure suffering for the sake of vengeance, especially when it would hurt far more people than his intended targets.

Turning away, he climbed the boarding ramp of Beholder.

Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

It was, all in all, a less harsh response than he was expecting. It was harsh, yes, it cut right to the heart of the matter, but it wasn't.... it wasn't cruel. He expected it would have been cruel.​

​

"I know I'm not your Father, but... I can't bear to see people without." It was a very lonely, harrowing existence, but he wasn't going to put all of that on Pharus. Who knew, things may go better for him out there in the Galaxy, as his own free man.​

​

Pick up the pieces, yes. He nodded solemnly, but was otherwise quiet as they made their way to board Beholder. Up the ramp, and into the central control room, Arcturus walked, allowing Pharus to have his pick of the rooms to remain within until it was time to part. "Oh, the uh... Twins, they made pictures" he muttered before he shut the door and sank into the Captain's seat, setting the neurocrown helmet to his head.​

​

With little more than a conscious thought, Arcturus set a course for them. Pharus would have no way of finding his way back here, and Arcturus didn't know if that was for the better or not. What if he regretted it? What if he wanted to come back? All the same, what if he came back to exact revenge? Bombard the planet?​

​

This was ultimately for the best, however much it hurt.​

​

They hadn't been gone from Zaathru for more than a few minutes when a rather unexpected sight popped into existence beside him.​

​

"Mister Sandman?" the inky figure began, nerves and elation both coursing through the incorporeal being.​

​

"Yes, Wax?" he inquired, turning to face the familiar Shadow. He'd met him in the Netherworld while exploring Masque, and Wax had pledged to help Arcturus run the Hourglass in his absence in exchange for... Well, it didn't matter what. A great many different things had changed hands. He wasn't entirely sure it had been all that worth it, but--​

​

"We found them, Sir."​

​

Arcturus blinked. He couldn't rush into assumptions, could not allow his heart to leap for joy.​

​

"Them?" Arcturus retorted.​

​

"Lord and Lady Dystra, Mister Sandman Sir."​

​

WAX! he thought, I could kiss you! Only one was a Shadow, and the other a married man. He would never have kissed anyone, not even with how rocky things were between he and Rhi. He loved his wife deeply, in spite of everything. Worth every single exchange, this Shadow was.​

​

"Can... Can you have them brought to the Workshop? No, wait... Not the Workshop." The Workshop was no place for meetings to take place, it was always a mess. "The Chasm. Of Passing."​

​

Wax nodded his head, and just as quickly he was gone. Arcturus wasted no time in halting the ship and rising to his feet. Pharus would no doubt feel a very premature jolt as it stopped in place, then hear the patter of footsteps as Arcturus hurried to find him.​

​

"Pharus!" he called out, unable to keep his heart from racing, "Pharus, where are you?"​

​

He didn't know yet whether the boy would feel as much elation as he did in that moment, it had been a long, arduous, journey to get to this point, he'd traded a great many night's rest in search of them. Arcturus had felt extra forlorn at not finishing the hunt in time, but now? ​

​

Oh how the cards might change... if only Pharus trusted him long enough to do what needed to be done.​

​

Pharus Dystra ​

 

[Pharus Dystra]

Pharus immediately retired to his quarters, where he counted out the money in the case. He was plotting what he would do next and calculating the expenses required to accomplish his goals when Arc slammed on the ship’s brakes. The sudden stop rattled a few objects, but nothing was broken and no one was injured.

"Pharus! Pharus, where are you?"

Clambering to his feet, Pharus peeked outside his door. “Here,” he said, not sure what was happening. Had Arc changed his mind and decided to murder him? No, he didn’t sound angry enough for that. “What is it?”

Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

"Oh"​

​

Arc wasn't sure why he'd expected him to be anywhere other than his room, but even so it took him by surprise when he peeked from the door. ​

​

What was it?​

​

Oh! Yes!​

​

Clarity returned as did excitement. "Look, kid, I know you don't like me, and you have little reason to trust me anymore, but... Give me an hour more of your time, before we part ways, and I promise, I promise, you won't regret it. Please?"​

​

He was bursting at the seams, but he didn't exactly want to ruin the moment by spilling the beans. Instead he reached out a hand toward Pharus. "Please..."​

​

Pharus Dystra ​

 

[Pharus Dystra]

"Look, kid, I know you don't like me, and you have little reason to trust me anymore, but... Give me an hour more of your time, before we part ways, and I promise, I promise, you won't regret it. Please?"

Pharus’ eyes darted down either end of the hallway, before settling back on Arc’s face. “Okay,” he said, not sure what to expect…

Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

The hallway was empty, but Arcturus' hand wasn't for long. He reached out and touched Pharus' arm, and then all at once they were being whisked away again. Beholder remained where it was, for now at least, as did the ship he'd secured for the boy, but... he realized that might change and made a mental note to summon Wax again.​

​

Either way, soon they found themselves within the Nether once more, specifically beside the River of the Dead like last time. He glanced this way and that, making sense of where they were, then - without releasing Pharus' hand - took one small step forward which seemed to drag them miles away. Still beside the River, but now a huge chasm lay before them too.​

​

He gave Pharus a moment to recollect himself, then turned full circle, eyes narrowing down the length of the chasm's edge in search of---​

​

Wax appeared in front of them, causing Arcturus to briefly leap from his skin. He let go of Pharus, and reached a hand up to his chest.​

​

"Chaos, Wax, you're sprightly today. Are they here?"​

​

"Almost, Mister Sandman, I'd give it 5... 4... 3... 2..." The Shadow clicked, and then suddenly there were not two humans but four. The other two Arcturus had never seen, never met, but Pharus? Well, Pharus ought to recognize them immediately.​

​

After all, they were his parents.​

​

Pharus Dystra ​

 

[Pharus Dystra]

Arc grabbed his arm, and they were whisked away. Cold realization seeped through Pharus as he suffered a flashback to their first trip to the Netherworld. Not again…

As his feet found the ground, Pharus bent at the waist and vomited upon the dust. When he recovered, he stood up slowly, glaring with homicidal intent at Arcturus. “That was a dirty trick, you slimy bastard—”

He froze, initially because he was just now seeing the Shadow, then because of the faces he saw beyond the creature. His eyes widened and his mouth hung open.

“Those ghosts look like my parents,” he said. Glancing at Arcturus, he blinked. “Don’t tell me they are my parents…”

Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

"I had hoped to reunite you with them sooner, but... They were hard to find. Wax here's been working tirelessly, and most nights I came in here to seek them out too."​

​

Arcturus rubbed the back of his neck, showing no response to the names he'd just been called by Pharus, then turned toward the Dystra's. They were staring at their son as though they had never before seen such a beautiful sight, his Mother was trembling and his Father's eyes were wide and misty.​

​

Lucretia Dystra and her husband Cronus took tentative steps forward, hands outstretched though they dared not touch him lest they discover this all to be a falsity.​

​

"You can touch him" Arcturus said softly, before looking back to Pharus, "They're tangible in here."​

​

The man took a step back to allow the trio to speak or embrace in private. He turned his gaze down to the Chasm below, where so many souls came to finally rest in peace, then spoke quietly to Wax.​

​

"I'm going to need a favour" he mumbled.​

​

"What is it, Mister Sandman?"​

​

"Beholder is just inside the System, depending on how things go here, I need it returned back to Zaathru. Please."​

​

"Of course, Sir,"​

​

"And one more thing..."​

​

"Yes, Mister Sandman?"​

​

"Have the Huntress sent back to Kal with my sincerest apologies for changing my mind."​

​

"But then, how will the boy--"​

​

"Don't worry about that."​

​

Wax bowed then disappeared again. Arcturus kept his gaze down on the chasm and remained that way unless spoken to.​

​

Pharus Dystra ​

 

[Pharus Dystra]

Pharus stared at the spirits as they reached toward him. Arc told him it was safe to touch the ghosts, and so Pharus did, reaching out to clasp the hands of his parents. They felt… strange. Fleshless, bloodless, and cold, but tangible.

“Mom…” he whispered. “Dad…”

"Yes," his mother said. "It's us. Pharus..."

"You've grown," his father murmured. "Has it really been so long?"

Just then, Pharus overheard Arc talking to the Shadow, and his hair stood on end. “What are you doing?” he demanded. “What is this? Why are you sending the ships away?”

Did he intend to abandon him here in the Netherworld? Was this some twisted method of execution he had hatched? Bringing him to see his dead parents, so that he would be more content with his own death?

Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Having been overheard, the accusations soon flowed. Arcturus hung his head for a moment, how had things become so unsavoury, and then turned back to face the trio.​

​

"I have not yet officially sent anything away" he stated plainly. "Wax awaits my official sign off on those orders."​

​

That likely wasn't helping matters, but he wanted it known that there would be options going forward. Options best left up to the boy and his family to decide together.​

​

"I can bring them back with us, Pharus." He looked across their faces, then settled specifically on Pharus'. "With you, I mean. To somewhere else in the Galaxy, with more credits than I'd previously promised. You... You can be a family again, far from the Sith. I can set you up with enough funds to find a house, a ship of your own, the three of you."​

​

Arcturus swallowed, nervous about how either of them might respond, then hung his head again.​

​

"I only became more adamant to adopt you when I thought they'd already passed on. When I could not find them here, when Wax and his friends could not find them. I did not want you alone, but... Fate has conspired in your favour. If... If that is what you want."​

​

He did not look up, in fact he appeared meek and reserved. This had been his hope all along, to have them unified, he just hadn't been able to share that information lest he fail.​

​

And... he almost had failed, hadn't he?​

​

Pharus Dystra ​

 

[Pharus Dystra]

Of all the responses he had guessed at, not a single one was anywhere close to what Arcturus actually said. For a few moments Pharus could only stare, slowly letting his words sink in. He was offering to resurrect his parents, give them more money, and send them anywhere in the galaxy they wanted to go…?

“What’s the catch?” he asked. “There has to be one. You can bring two people back from the dead without there being a price…”

Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

"No catch" Arcturus stated, "At least, none you need to worry about. The Price falls on my head, and it is the least I can do for all you have endured."​

​

This wasn't as complicated as it had been with Rhiannon, given that she had been brought back only partly. It was more akin to when he'd pulled Seydon of Arda from the Dreaming Dark and brought him to one of the many rifts. Or when they'd done the same for Spencer.​

​

"You've seen it first hand, Pharus, you know that I can do as I'm promising to you now. Say the word, and I'll bring you somewhere safe. Naboo? I hear it's lovely this time of year... There's a rift just behind us."​

​

It was the one they'd been drawn back to after saving Spencer, the one Asha Sar'andor had sat beside to guide them home.​

​

"Somewhere random? That I have no way of following? I have a door in my workshop here, in Masque... It will put you on a random world."​

​

What was the Price? Arcturus would not find out right away but he'd discover it in time. He always did.​

​

Pharus Dystra ​

 

[Pharus Dystra]

The price would fall on Arc’s head? Pharus considered it for a few seconds.

“...Okay,” he said. “Naboo works. It works, right Mom? Dad?”

His parents seemed a bit dazed by all this, though his father recovered quickly. “What’s the price?”

“No no, don’t ask, don’t tell,” Pharus urged him. He was smiling, just a little. Even if they came out on Naboo, he could take his parents somewhere else. Get lost in the galaxy. All of them, alive and together. Yes!

"Do it, and I'll be out of your hair forever. No revenge, no vendettas. We'll be even, Arcturus Dinn."

Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Even as Pharus urged his Father not to ask, Arcturus was shaking his head.​

​

"It does no good to speak on the cost of a gift, Lord Dystra." Pharus' response was emphatic, genuine, and Arcturus could feel the boys excitement rising. It hurt his heart too, to know that he would never see the boy again. That he'd be gone... Forever. He did not let that show though, would not ruin this moment of reunification with his own woes. He was a grown man, he could handle this. More now that he knew Pharus wasn't going to be alone.​

​

In fact that aching pit in his stomach was easing up too.​

​

"Follow me" he instructed, with a soft inclination of his head. As he walked, Wax reappeared at his side and drifted as they talked.​

​

"So?" Wax inquired.​

​

"Do as I have bid, friend. Have Beholder and Huntress both returned to their rightful homes, and have Pharus' belongings recovered and placed by the rift on Naboo."​

​

"Very well. A different ship too?"​

​

Arcturus nodded. "One large enough for the three to be comfortable. Oh, and Wax... Empty the safe in the back of the storefront, will you?" That should more than suffice to get them on their feet. "Have it and Pharus' things set aboard the ship."​

​

Wax bowed and disappeared, and by the time their conversation was done they'd reached seemingly nothing at all. A lone rock in the grass. But if one stared at the air around it, they'd notice the odd glimmer, shimmer. Arcturus turned to Pharus, and offered the boy his hand to shake. He wanted a hug, he'd always wanted a hug, but any chance of that was gone now.​

​

"You stay safe out there... And if you ever need me? For whatever reason... Call out for The Sandman, someone will hear it and find me." By someone he of course meant one of the Shadows. He glanced over to the Lord and Lady. "You raised a strong and willful son... Please, journey safe out there."​

​

Then he stepped back, and allowed them to step into their new lives. On the other side of the gate they'd find themselves back in their bodies, new and rejuvenated as though they'd never been harmed in the first place. Wax was on the other side, informing them that a ship would arrive within a couple of hours. Until then? Well, the Mountain they stood upon was very beautiful indeed, a nice place for a catch up.​

​

Pharus Dystra ​

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Emerging from the portal upon the mountain, Pharus embraced his resurrected parents joyfully. In the hours which followed while they waited for the ship to arrive, the family talked, reminiscing and making plans for the future.

Everything was going phenomenally well. Pharus was astonished that his little misadventure had turned out this way. But it wasn't quite perfect. Eliad remained under Sith control, where no doubt its citizens were being exploited and mistreated by their new overlords. It was doubtful that the Galactic Alliance, fattened up on territory but weakened by its war against the Maw, would do anything about it anytime soon.

That thought darkened Pharus' enjoyment of his new life. So it was that a couple of weeks later, while sitting and drinking tea with his family on a beautiful tropical world, he realized that this wasn't enough. He was not content.

"I'm going out for a swim," Pharus announced, getting up. "Would either of you like to join me?"

Mother declined; she was tired and wanted to rest. Father hated the beach; his fair skin burned easily. So Pharus went out alone, diving into the crystal clear waters of the sea in the hopes that it would clear his head.

He emerged minutes later, saltwater dripping from his hair. The swim had done little more than crystallize his lingering anger into something sharp. Something he could use as a weapon. But on whom?

He had nearly cursed Rhiannon before he left. What had stopped him? Fear of discovery? Yes. Arcturus was too close by. He would've sensed it, and Pharus would be dead for even attempting to do harm to the man's family. But now that he was far from Zaathru, and no longer in Arcturus' talons, there was nothing to stop him. He was untraceable.

Pharus bit his other hand hard enough to puncture the skin. As blood dripped onto the white sand, he began muttering under his breath. Not in the Sith language—he cursed Rhiannon in common Basic. She wasn't even worth the pomp and circumstance of ur-Kittât.

"You want to birth a pantheon of gods? By my ancient blood, may your next child wither and rot away. Both of you will know pain and loss like nothing you've ever experienced, and you won't be able to fix it as easily as you fixed Starlin. You'll just have to watch, helplessly, as what you love is slowly but surely devoured and taken from you..."

Pharus poured his foul and pernicious intent into the Force. Power thrummed through him, eager to carry out his revenge. He grew faint from the effort, black spots floating in his vision, until finally he collapsed near the water's edge. Eventually they would find him and think that he drowned.

Arcturus Dinn