Return of the Warden: Salvor Arnex

[The Red of Sinner]

Hoth​

​

It's fething cold, so cold that Romeo despises the place, but it keeps his students safe. The academy has gained many students, and refugees in the wake of its building, and all of them, safe. They know of the darkside, but only how to use it for the sake of others, here, they are family. The Academy of Bogan strives, and lives.​

​

Inside, Romeo sits at his desk at the top of the academy, writing down notes on the darkside, he calls them The Rising Shadows. Soon the Vahla will publish these notes into a book, and release it to the world. He has plans, but they were halted by news from Eclipstica.​

​

The False King destroys us, help us King of Shadows, we were fools to stay behind. ​

The note is short, probably quickly written and sent in hopes no one would figure it out. Who could have sent it?​

​

"Celty, get me my Shadow Warden back. I require his fellowship once more."​

He says out loud to the woman sipping on coffee across from him. She nods, picks up a datapad, and with a few seconds later a message is sent to [member="Salvor Arnex"], Warden of the Shadows, Apprentice to Romeo Sin, and long time friend.​

​

It reads.​

​

Salvor Arnex, Warden of the Shadows, Apprentice of Master Sin, and fellow friend.​

Romeo calls upon you, Eclipstica is in trouble. It is in the hands of a Faking King. He needs you for this. The people need their Shadow Warden back. You know where we are. ​

 

[Salvor Arnex]

[member="Romeo Sin"]

It was late, and Salvor Arnex stood alone in his private chamber aboard The King's Justice, staring out at the stars on the other side of the rather large view port inside. He tried to concentrate- a task he found impossible lately- but his mind was unfocused, after ten minutes of trying to clear his mind he gave up with a sigh and walked away from the window, the tail of his cloak flowing across the floor behind him.

Salvor twisted the ends of his sleeves between his fingers, refamiliarizing himself with the feel of his robes, he had been spending so much time in his armor lately he feared he would forget exactly what it felt like to wear his robes. There was a knock at the door.

"Enter." said Salvor. In came the Captain of his personal guard, Charisma Raenaii. Salvor had known it was her before she walked in the room, her presence was starting to feel almost as familiar as his own. He glanced at her as she stopped in front of him standing at attention.

"Message for you, Warden." Said captain Raenaii. Salvor could guess it was something important, It wasn't Charisma's place to deliver messages and from the look of her, someone had chosen to wake her up before bringing the message to him. She was wearing her officers uniform in place of her armor, her hair had been put up hastily and she was devoid of make up, though still quite stunning.

"From?" He asked her.

"That Vahla woman." she asnwered back.

"The ambassador?"

"No, Warden. Romeo's, mate."

"At ease." Salvor told her as he chewed over the sender of the message. It had been a number of months since his last contact with Romeo. Salvor sailed out here in the stars with ships that came from Romeo's ship yards, with men and women who hailed from Romeo's kingdom and yet he only managed to contact him when he needed something. Salvor contemplated ignoring it completely.

"Read it." He told her.

"Yes, Warden." Replied Charisma before reading the contents of the message. Eclipstica bled did it? The rule of this 'Faking king' was turning his kingdom to ash was it? Why should Salvor care? Why should he help Romeo recover a planet and a people he abandonded?

Salvor could feel his captains eyes. He knew he hadn't hid his contempt, he knew she was worried and that she wanted him to go, to help Romeo, to save her people.

"You have family on eclipstica, Captain." it wasn't a question. She worried for them so plainly he could almost see their faces.

"Yes, Warden and so does, most of the crew." she replied rather unecessarily.

"Tell the bridge to set course for Hoth."

 

[The Red of Sinner]

Time ticked on the planet, seconds turned to minutes, minutes to hours, and hours to days. Still, Romeo continued his notes, writing everything he could on the darkside, it's power, and it's corruption, but also it's natural state of being something that had always been there, and thus didn't make it pure evil. He studied his history, pulled up what he could in the One Sith archives he was allowed access to. There was much still hidden to him.

"Romeo, he is here."

Celty intruded on his studies. Romeo ran his fingers through his hair as he came back to reality and sighed. two lightsaber's rested on either side of the belt around his waist/ The Vahla stood up, and adjusted his clothes.

"Let us go greet him then."

The dark presence that was Salvor rose up inside the core of Romeo, he smiled.

"He's gotten stronger, much stronger. I wonder if he is still angry at me?"

The long walk down the academy inner spire seemed to take forever, but finally they were down at the land pad corridor, there they waited for the Zabrak.

"He's been working a lot, becoming independent. One day he will surpass you."

"Ha, I hope so."

[member="Salvor Arnex"]

 

[Salvor Arnex]

[member="Romeo Sin"]

Salvor disembarked from the transport shuttle, the golden skinned Zabrak was clad in a familiar black cloak that he wore over his smoke colored tunic. His steps so light they hardly made a sound as they were easily drowned out by the heavy foot falls of the five soldiers that filed out behind him
They all wore the armor of Erebus company soldiers and all had the same gold markings that marked them as Salvor’s personal guard and top soldiers. They followed behind their Warden, five gold trimmed shadows all prepared to lay down their lives for him.

Salvor and his guard crossed the landing pad in a few purposeful strides, hardly feeling the biting cold of Hoth as he came to stand in front of his former king.

“My king.” Salvor said coldly as a greeting, ignoring Celty completely. He did not bow, nor kneel, not even an inclination of the head. He’d traveled half way across the galaxy and had no time for pleasantries.

 

[The Red of Sinner]

[member="Salvor Arnex"]

Romeo, whom now saw the Erebrus armored mercs, and Zabrak before him, titled his head and rubbed his chin.

"Am I your king Warden?"

The Dark Master turned his gaze towards Celty, then back to Salvor. There was still that line of tension between the two that would never die, it was a relationship no one else understood but the two of them. Romeo stepped towards the Warden, looked him in the eyes, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It is good to see you friend."

 

[Salvor Arnex]

[member="Romeo Sin"]

“You are as much my King, as I am your Warden it would seem.” Salvor replied bitterly. They had both become shadows, both had allowed their empires to crumble to dust or fall in to hands of those who would bar the door to the enemy but fail to notice the keep burning around them.

“It is good to see you friend.” Romeo told him placing a hand on his shoulder.

Salvor ignored his words “Sin, tell me of Eclipstica.”

 

[The Red of Sinner]

Romeo removed his hand with a grimaced look as he went to speak, and moved past Salvor to look out the windows of the corridor. "When we left, and brought those with us who now live in the under city, it appears a man took the throne, and is whipping the citizens of Eclipstica into slaves. He's taken over the military and navy that was left behind." He filed his hands behind his back, and turned around to face the Warden with a fierce hatred burning inside him.
"This...False King and the traitors hold Eclipstica with iron claws." Romeo then walked towards the ship Salvor had came in. "We're using your ship, by the way. Celty!"
[member="Salvor Arnex"]

 

[Salvor Arnex]

[member="Romeo Sin"]

“Wait a minute.” Salvor said sternly as Romeo headed toward the shuttle. Salvor’s guard formed a wall blocking his way, showing their loyalty to the warden.

“We will go nowhere until we have a plan that is more concrete than playing it by ear.” Salvor would rush head long into a situation that had not been in the slightest checked out. Salvor could handle having little information but not having any at all, would not due. That sort of thing may work for Romeo, but last time Salvor checked, of the two of them Romeo was the only one who had gotten himself killed.

 

[The Red of Sinner]

[member="Salvor Arnex"]

Romeo stopped in his speeding walk that seemed like more of a light jog with Celty stopping right next to Salvor. She nodded at Salvor, then spoke up herself on the concept of unknown data. "He's right. What do we know about what's going on with Eclipstica? It could be a trap."
Though she had the right idea, Romeo turned with his brow furrowed in frustration. The air around him became hot, and almost seemed to crackle with life, this was the power within him, the darkside revealing itself to everyone.

His hand rose, opened, and then closed once it reached the level of his shoulder. The glass of the corridor shattered from where the ship was waiting. The shattering was in a pattern two each racing towards Romeo, then stopped at him. Glass flew all around him, never touching his bare skin while the strong gusts of Hoth brought with it it's nasty cold weather.

"Warden, how would I know what is going on, on the other side of the galaxy in this remote area in the middle of no where? Did I say we were heading straight for the Dynasty? Did I say 'Let us rush in, blind of the truth.'? No, Warden, I did not."

[member="Salvor Arnex"]

 

[Salvor Arnex]

The glass shattered and Salvor's cloak flapped behind him in the cold wind. He did not move, he did not flinch unlike Clety who ducked her head involuntary, in fact Salvor never took his eyes from Romeo's.

"That's because you've said nothing!" Salvor practically shouted his anger rising to meet Romeo's.

face twisted with rage and incredulity Salvor took a menacing step toward his former master before Celty stepped inbetween them.

"Take care who you speak too Romeo Sin." Salvor said, his voice now a menacing growl. "You are no King of mine any longer, you saw too that when you abandoned your people and your family, and for what to get your self killed and rise from the grave only to ignore them further?"

Salvor's lip curled into a snarl as he went on, the rage in him so alive that small tendrils of electricity escaped from his finger tips. It was likely if things did not change soon they would once again come too blows.

[member="Romeo Sin"]

 

[The Red of Sinner]

[member="Salvor Arnex"]

The air around Romeo warmed up in anger, and frustration as emotions flared between the two men. Steam arouse, and flew out of the windows only for more steam to come back. Whistles echoed into the corridor from the fast winds, snow began to build inside it too. Romeo's eyes burned bright red as he stared back at Salvor as he met the man's fierce gaze. He took a few steps towards him as well, feeling the intense heat in his palm, and a small bead of sweat began to build on his brow. Savlor's words hit like a tram, hard, and to the heart, he was right. He dropped to his knees, a tear building up in his left eye.
"I'm sorry. I failed you Salvor. I failed all of you..."

Romeo looked up at the man, genuine sorrow written on his face, with hurt, and regret.

"I was young, and stupid. I did not know, what I know now...if I could go back and redo my choices...I would."

 

[Salvor Arnex]

[member="Romeo Sin"]

Salvor looked at the broken heap of a man that knealt before him, his face shifted from anger, to bewilderment and finally settled on disgust. Salvor had prepared for a fight but this was so much worse. Every ounce of respect he'd once had for the man in front of him was draining away.

"You would fail. Again." Salvor finished for him coldly as he stared back into Romeo's sorrowful face with dripping contempt.

 

[The Red of Sinner]

[member="Salvor Arnex"]

His body felt as if it went limp, and out of his control. No muscle would respond to him, his vocal cords would not vibrate to produce sound. For a second he felt dead, again. The only thing working was his thoughts, Romeo's mind raced with so many memories, so many failures, and nothing that produced a achievement. There was nothing worth noting about Romeo.
But something clicked, he had survived. Manaan, Silara, his father, the Ember of Vahl. He had survived it all. It was time to change things around, it was time, with this second chance, to make something that will last forever.
A crackle of laughter erupted, and a new confidence rose within Romeo.
"And yet, you are still so far behind me Salvor."
Romeo picked himself, his muscles now moving to his every command. His lips moved into a smirk that was half devilish and half judgmental.
"Salvor, we met once. A long time ago. You may not remember it. Then, I adorned the name Darth Inferno, lame, I know. It was a One Sith domination of a planet full of people who were not capable of fighting for themselves. I realize now, you have something to teach me. Show me Warden, how do I achieve what I want?"
[member="Salvor Arnex"]

 

[Salvor Arnex]

[member="Romeo Sin"]

Salvor looked skepticly to Celty as Romeo went limp, her face showed she was just as confused as he was. She jumped when Romeo burst into laugher, Salvors guard moved closer and took the safeties off their blasters, Salvor merely cocked his head in curiousity. He did not fear Romeo, even if the man had gone mad.

'would you like to see how far?' He thought pridefully to himself as his hand twitched near the sabers clipped to his belt.

Salvor's face was a picture of pure puzzlement as he tried to place the name Romeo had just given him. Salvor's time with the One Sith had been and uneventful. The name 'Darth Inferno' meant nothing to him, less to him than even Romeo meant now.
Ha! Romeo in the same breath called Salvor beneath him and yet was asking to be taught. But taught what? he did not know.

"And what is it you want, Romeo Sin?"

 

[The Red of Sinner]

[member="Salvor Arnex"]

Romeo stood up, and did not reach for his sabers, but his eyes spoke of a violence. Once again, he turned around, and headed for the ship that the Zabrak had arrived on. "One day you may show me, but today is not it." Romeo laughed once more, the Vahla was, a little crazy. The corruption of the darkside wasnt something to trifle with, but being one that was born of the darkside did not help the seduction any.
"Teach me to learn from my mistakes. Come, Eclipstica is far, and we will a make a plan on our way there...or do you do you have more to say to me?" Mockery lined his words. His hand's were shoved in his pockets, as if he did not see Salvor as any kind of threat to his well being. One thing was for sure, Salvor learned from his mistakes, and Romeo wanted to learn how to do such a thing. Something his masters never taught him. Something the Sith seemed to dwell in, smothering them in false power, and climax.

 

[Salvor Arnex]

[member="Romeo Sin"]

As Romeo turned to leave he would find that again Salvor's guard formed a wall blocking his path, each one ready to put Romeo down if it came to that, none of them betrayed the nerves they were feeling. They were to a man loyal to Salvor Arnex but each one of them at one time or another had called Romeo, King and they all knew he bore considerable strength in the darkside.

The winds of Hoth whistled through newly created holes in the panneling, biting at the exposed flesh of the two Vhala and Salvor Arnex. Salvor's hands were turning an angry shade of red, a burning reminder of the elements. "The first lesson you will be taught my, King." he emphasized the title with mocking scorn. "Is the mistake of dismissing me."

Salvor for the most part did not let his emotions rule him, he kept them in check, unless of course his pride was wounded. Esspecially when it was Romeo Sin who had been the offender. Salvor drew the lightsaber from his hip, the crimson blade jutting forth with the familiar snap and hiss of the ancient weapon of the Jedi. At the ignition of his saber, Salvors guard all raised and primed their blasters.

Salvor should by all accounts be smarter than this by now but it seemed they both had lessons to learn.

 

[The Red of Sinner]

[member="Salvor Arnex"]

A smirk broke across the face of Romeo as the soldiers formed a wall between him, and the exit to outside. Cold bitterness touched Romeo's cheeks, making them rosy red with blood, but his skin still released steam as he warmed himself with the Force, he had always hated the cold. The snap hiss of a all too familiar sound pierced the drums of his ears as the Vahla turned around slowly. The Force pushed the inching sense of danger into the cord of his spine as he saw the crimson blade of Salvor's lighsaber.

Romeo titled his head once more as it seemed his arms lost their life, only for his hands to open and his own two sabers yank from his belt but not activate. A jolly chuckled escaped the Dark Jedi's vocal cords while his pupils burned blood red. This was a terrible idea, if the two were to go at it, again, this corridor would need more than new windows, innocent people would get caught in the middle, and honestly, the more Salvor tried to best Romeo, the more Romeo became sure that Salvor was more powerful than himself, at least, had the potential to become that way.

"Do you really think this is a good idea? I may have offered you this chance, but I was hoping you would have learned to put bigger problems first then trying to kill me Salvor. Let me ask you this before this happens. are we friends, or enemies?"

 

[Salvor Arnex]

[member="Romeo Sin"]

No, he was anything but sure this was a good idea but he was committed now, backing down was not an option. Salvor’s muscles tightened and his jaw clenched as his feet shifted softly into the stance for form I. He still had not struck and the longer he waited the less likely he felt that he would, he did not know what held him back. Was it Romeo’s words about seeing the bigger picture? Or not wanting to risk losing one of his most loyal and skilled soldiers over something as petty as this?

“I have no friends Romeo Sin.” Salvor told him as he deactivated his lightsaber.
“Captain,” He called out and one of the soldiers behind Romeo rushed forward. “Take Miss Toligan aboard the dropship and brief her on our numbers and tech. Have her coordinate with The Ryuk.”

Captain Raenaii saluted silently and walked over to Celty offering to take her to the ship.

 

[The Red of Sinner]

[member="Salvor Arnex"]

With his body coming back to life, Romeo shook his head as Salvor spoke about having no friends. "You sound almost a pitiful as me Warden. You can achieve nothing without friends, allies at least." Romeo shrugged as if he really didn't what was coming out of his mouth. His brow twitched in annoyance with the new sudden attention Celty was getting from the Zabrak, but he kept his comments to himself. There were a few nights Romeo could recall that they had shared a bed, though, they were not an item. Romeo turned slowly, if not lazily, as they escorted Celty into Salvor's ship. "Does this mean we are enemies then?" He said with a distant look in his face as if he saw something far beyond the corridor, past the ship, and over the mountains through the snow storm that raged outside.

"I hope not.."

Romeo said in a breath, making it almost a whisper.

 

[Salvor Arnex]

[member="Romeo Sin"]

"Romeo Sin there is no one half as pitiful as you, least of all me." Salvor said with venom "I have all I need." He continued as he clipped his saber back to his belt. He hoped he had not let the doubt he felt creep in to his words.

"If we were enemies. You would have stayed dead." Salvor said flowing past Romeo and following his Captain and Celty toward the dropship.