Populate Serpent of Echnos | SO Populate of Empty Hex

[Darth Carnifex]

A keening cry heralded the arrival of a raven from above, it's black feathers almost shimmering purple. It soared down before landing on the Dark Lord's shoulder, finding excellent perch before cawing once at the other pair. The Dark Lord did not seem to mind the avian, and to both Malum and Quinn it radiated familiarity.

"Hatred would be wasted on you, Malum of House Marr. Pity as well. This is merely the consequence of reckless action, devoid of foresight and contemplation. You know not when to tread lightly even when you are guided. I come here not on my own authority, although that is all that would be necessary, but of that of the Empress; who has accompanied me to treat with our wayward governor. She has instructed that you are to be disciplined, though your life is only hers to take away."

Slowly, the Dark Lord detached the lightsaber handing from His side, jagged obsidian glinting harshly in the light. It was a barbarous instrument, one fashioned from hatred and malice, imbued with the unmitigated strength of the Dark Side of the Force. Even idle in His hand, it radiated malevolence.

"Do you believe a seat on the Dark Council makes your powerful, Malum Marr? Respect and fear to be laid at your feet by title alone? You are arrogant, immature, delusional. You fight a war that has long since passed to dust, along with your master. Alisteri thought he was continuing her great work, but all he brought about was ruin. The Empress believed you could be better than him, that perhaps you had learned from their fates. You've disappointed her greatly."

In His other hand, a gout of green flame burst forth leaving behind a crowned helmet fashioned to resemble a metallic skull with a vicious grated snarl. The entire piece was devoid of technology, there weren't even slots for the eyes -- rather the sockets where they would have been had twin spiraling runes carved into the metal. Carnifex's fingers drummed along it's surface as He then addressed Quinn. "You may leave if you desire, Princess. Or you may stay and perhaps learn. You are not at fault for what the Lord of Marr has wrought upon himself, thus you shall not share in his punishment. We will speak about the errant slave after, not before." The raven, sensing what was to come, flapped it's wings and took off to land on nearby railing.

"Remember, Lord Marr, all that shall transpire is of your own making. You have none other to lay the blame." With one hand, the Dark Lord lifted the helmet and placed it over His head. Armor plating in the gorget of His armor shifted to meet the helmet as it slipped into place, melding seamlessly until helmet and gorget became indistinguishable from one another. The moment the Dark Lord placed the helmet upon His head, the entire outside world slipped away to nothingness.

He could not see.

He could not hear.

Had He opened His eyes, all He would see was blackness. In the confines of that helmet, all that existed was Himself and the Force.

Nonetheless, the Dark Lord assumed an aggressive opening stance, angling His lightsaber as He activated it's blade, almost resembling a bowing over-chest salute. His other hand was thrust out behind Him, fingers curled like the talons of a great raptor. His knees bent as He leaned forward on the balls of His feet. He could not even hear the hum of His own weapon, only His even, measured breathing filled the silent void inside His helmet; and even that slowed to near non-existence as He centered Himself within the maelstrom of the Dark Side.

If they had expected Him to close the distance, or maneuver in any conventional way, they would have been in for a surprise. The blade that had been in the Dark Lord's hand, unmoving, was now suddenly rushing forward to spear Lord Marr through the back, as now the Dark Lord was behind both of them in less than an instant; the vision of where He had been still burned into their sight.

Darth Malum of House Marr | Quinn Varanin | Srina Talon
Kaila Irons | Darth Prazutis | Taeli Raaf ​

 

[Ansisa]

Ordinarily, Ansisa would have joined him instantly and in person, the anguish and anger that had rippled through their bond prior to the order being received would have warranted such a thing be done. But someone had to command the fleet. In the quiet of hyperspace she watched a recording of Kaila's speech, a frown creasing her forehead.

After all she and Malum had done to help her to freedom, and this was the way she repaid them? An unsanctioned move that forced Malum to stand publicly against the Kainites far sooner than they had wanted. It was clever, Ansisa would grant her that, but it was equally unforgivable.

Fingers interlocked as her hands folded into the small of her back, the lines of hyperspace reflected in her crimson gaze as she stared unseeing, lost in thought as the bridge crew moved and talked around her.

The blare of reversion alarms snapped her from the depths of her mind, as she recalled the night in the club and all that had come after. Such a pity that she would have to place Darth Anathemous’ name upon one of her shikaars.

Lines faded from the viewport, replaced with the dull grey of the moon, dwarfed by the gas giant it orbited.

The Tsis’Kaar fleet moved without instruction from their Shadow Hand, their formation shifting as scanners began to sweep the space ahead of them. Though they did not need scanners to see the looming form of the Kainite star destroyer, resting over the domed city of Echnos.

Ansisa pursed her lips, reaching out for her love. For the father of her children.

Is she truly worth all this, my love?

Direct tag: Darth Malum of House Marr
Ships In the vicinity: Darth Prazutis Darth Carnifex

 

[Kaila Irons]

Location: Echnos city, Governor's manor
Wearing: Personal armor
Tag: Srina Talon Adeline Noctua Nyxira Valis Tamsin Graves Pom Stych Tivé Darth Malum of House Marr Darth Carnifex

"Wha…what is going on…I think the demon is in control I can see and hear it speaking…please put the saber down it's me Kaila"

Kaila squeezed her eyes shut, stowing her lightsaber. The fact that she had drawn it upon her own apprentice was not lost on her, but the shame itself was becoming more difficult to ignore now that it had been acknowledged.

"Forgive me... Tamsin... I thought I'd lost you completely."

"I will do everything in my power to free you," she assured "but first we have to survive this."

It felt so wrong to tell a girl that she would be condemned to possession even if only for awhile longer, but Kaila could not complete the ritual to free her while under the threat of battle. So long as Carnifex remained on this world, not a moment of lapse in concentration could be allowed, lest she fall before Tamsin is freed.

Malum's voice was the next to grace her ears with doubt, tinged with the electrical interference of a commlink.

"It is not the first time I have faced him, and should all go as planned, then there will be nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about,"

"Something's wrong Malum... He was already here, waiting." How else would he have gotten here so quickly?

"Just... just don't die."

She sighed painfully, then she muted outgoing communications on that frequency, choosing not to distract the man further. Instead she began cycling through security camera feeds across the city, searching for the specific landing bay which Carnifex had arrived, or at least she assumed he had, given they had lost control of an airlock.

And then she saw them. She saw... Him.

The exact nature of their conversation was unclear, the security footage providing no audio and only grainy footage, but He was no less terrifying. The towering figure Darth Carnifex appeared behind Malum and a yet unidentified figure, and Kaila's heart skipped a beat, causing her to lean forward, gripping the table's edge.

Even as figures began to arrive behind her from thing bloody air, her eyes remained locked with the holographic display. Adeline Noctua 's presence was familiar to her by now, cold, out of place no matter where she was, for the force stitched to her being was unnatural.

"What a fine mess this is~"

"I suppose you seek to offer an accord?"

"I have need of your-" no, not her armies. It was already too late to bring the dead hordes of Yalara to this place, the Kainate was already here.

"It's Malum..." she gestured to the camera feed, Carnifex still in view.

"I think they're going to fight... I can offer my forges for-"

"Kaila, We promised we would teach you, But we can't protect you if you go about brazen acts such as this, especially infighting."

"I..."

Kaila's knuckles whitened beneath her gloves as if she were choking the table. Of the very few Kainites she willingly spoke to, Pom was perhaps one of the best. And yet, just like Darth Xyrah , her sweet Saryn, she was now betraying her by standing against Carnifex. It wasn't personal, she appreciated them both in her own way, but she had to do this... there was no future to be had in his service, for slavery was worse than death, as was making peace with any man God, or mystical Force which sought to destiny from her.

"Then don't." she finally said, her pain hardly hidden in her sharp sigh.

"I am a danger to your coven, because I can never again serve Him. I can't take it anymore..."

"Tell the Wanica they have my thanks, and my apologies..."

Pom was just one more name in a list of people she would distance herself from for their own protection, or perhaps because the fewer she allowed close to her, the fewer she could hurt in all her schemes and lies, all of which would be no doubt be her end soon enough. The list was short, for few had ever gotten close enough to the Enchantress to be truly affected by her impending fall, but those few who had, she knew this would all change them in ways she could never take back.

And then finally, as if the last of that unholy trinity, third of the Fates like those Pom had taken her in search of,

One last presence appeared out of the shadows.


The city still felt faintly of her presence even before The Empress arrived. Such was the fear and suffering which the Phobis Device had left in it's wake, paranoia still gripping those survivors with yet unprocessed trauma. Fitting then that one so ruled by their own fears as Darth Anathemous had been placed upon the ruling seat of this world, as if the Phobis' crowning achievement, a living statue risen to honor that dread history.

Srina Talon 's touch, though uncharacteristically gentle in this age of barbarism, was far from comforting in that moment.

Kaila's posture straightened, shoulders dropping in acceptance as the realization of Srina's coming dawned upon her. She had seen this woman to great and terrible things to this very city with the icy calm of an assassin droid moving to complete it's task without care nor concern for it's actions. Families had been turned upon one another, the orphanages Kaila had built still filled with Srina's victims, and that of the Alliance. But more so, she had only seen one other sith with such an expressionless demeanor,

Carnifex.

And in her years among the Kainate, she had concluded that anything similar to Him meant death.

"Tell me…"

"Tell me…Why I am here?"

Kaila swallowed, unconvinced by even that gentlest of voices, even if only for her own paranoia. She'd been lied to by too many pretty voices now, all others sullied by pasts not their own.

I may die in this very room, she thought. For but one mistake.

But she had to try. For Tamsin, for Ala Quin , perhaps even Malum.

"...My Empress," she began, voice nearly a whisper. She would have knelt then and there were it not for that grip upon her shoulder. It came naturally, if only for Srina. A woman who, despite what she was capable of, had earned Kaila's respect in a way that no other sith ever had, and admiration in a way that no other sith could. She, Empyrean and Carnifex had been the only ones to ever bring her to a knee, and of the three, the only one she had willingly done so for.

Not that it mattered now, surely she was not so different from the others as she had once hoped. She'd learned since then the foolishness of hope.

"If I may explain myself in private...? away from prying ears?" she intoned what should have been a plea, expecting to be punished for even asking a question of royalty at such a time.

And yet, in the off chance that she was mistaken, the door to an office in which Srina would be most familiar with, having once destroyed it in her battle against Judah Lesan , stood at the pair's back. The room beyond was empty now, all personnel trying to contain their Governor's mess elsewhere, here in the command center or outside where the door was being prepared for a siege.

A perfect place to reveal state secrets.

​

 

[Darth Prazutis]

The Tsis'Kaar.

It didn't surprise him when the matter of fact views of Darth Imperius flowed like knives stabbing into the organization that stood against them. It was an excellent analysis for what the Tsis'Kaar were. It was an organization created by the Queen of Shadows Darth Ophidia, built by her own hands and shaped in accordance with her designs. The mad Alisteri Haxim and the foolish heir Darth Malum inherited someone else's designs and perverted them with their own fingers. They didn't need to work to build the kingdom around them, they simply walked into it by stabbing her in the back. To make matters worse neither was strong enough to do it alone, they teamed up to divide and conquer their late master. They were merely playing King wearing the crown of Kingdoms that didn't belong to them, without learning what it took to truly build an Empire. The former failed to listen and his path brought him to ruin, the latter.​

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The Scholar was walking down the very same path. For all of his intellect he was playing at nothing but being the fool. Despite the losses, despite the setbacks it seemed Malum never truly learned from them. It was said on Maena everyone gets knocked down, it's a badge of honor to fall, but it's a unique opportunity. If you weren't killed outright, you used that loss to better yourself and come back harder, stronger. Only the foolish blindly walked back into the jaws of oblivion to make the same mistakes again. Darth Malum thought he'd united the Tsis'Kaar and the Inquisition by right of Kaggath when he butchered his own brother. But he didn't understand what it took to manage an empire, how far apart those two organizations stood. An experiened ruler understood that sometimes expansion could bring greater trouble to what's already yours.​

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"Darth Malum fails to learn from the fates of the fallen, the failures that came before him. Despite the evidence in front of him he fails to evolve to the changing circumstances of his reality. A youth grasping at power he's never been privy to before and thinking that gives him true authority. What was once potential has turned into disappointment and now others have begun to see it, others he sought to shield himself from our wrath." The Dark Lord replied. The hurricane of malevolent energy surrounding his titanic form grew far beyond the halls of the throne room, its titanic maelstrom moved through the very hull of the ship itself, and all along it the shadows came alive and leapt from the deepest recesses. Outside of the hull of the ship the vastness of space deepened with clouds the shape of nebulae that moved and churned, living manifestations of the darkness drawn to him and all around them came arcs of crimson lightning, such was his presence he sat like a living force of nature pressing his will into the vacuum itself.​

​

The entire time he barely moved to pass a glance down towards the Imperator, his molten gaze locked forwards at the unfolding situation on the docking platform below. Down through the Dyad bond came the malevolent whispers of darkness in the fury that the Eternal Father manifested "Break him into a thousand pieces my nephew. Brand his lesson into every scrape of flesh and bone so the boy can never, ever forget it. Write it into the pale skin so it can never be washed off, make his soul ache." It was the observations from beyond urging the conflict on, the desire to see an enemy punished.​

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"The organization the boy inherits is a state forged through the might and merit of another. It was an instrument wielded by her hand, molded like clay for her purposes. He doesn't know what it takes to build something with his own two hands, the sacrifices you make, and the lessons learned to forge an empire out of ash. It's merely a band of killers bound together. They aren't sustainable as a state of their own, assassins are blade waiting to be buried in its next target. One instrument for one purpose. You know as well as I the games of evolution are something all rulers must master. When you blindly make the same mistakes that brought ruin to others, it's a recipe for nothing but catastrophe." Prazutis hands tightened around the arms of the throne, and he could feel the metal strain under the pressure.​

​

Srina Talon.​

​

The very moment she entered the system he could feel her pass through the pathways of the dark. The petite woman walked gracefully and cast shadow far larger than anyone would expect. Just as he felt her presence before her appearance, he was certain she felt his own looming out amongst the stars, and for a moment he felt her gaze pass in his direction as she descended on the world. There was no doubt the Empress didn't want to be here, she was drawn here through the chain of events Kaila Irons started, and that was dangerous. The child wouldn't have an idea just how dangerous of a position that put her in. He made note of the arriving fleets that bolstered the forces of their opposition, registering the hyperspace signatures. AQUILA was coordinating with the crew of the Eschaton-class Star Destroyer to provide him with all of the data he needed. They wouldn't even know it came from his hand directly, the simple fact that AQUILA commanded it was enough. Only two commanded the AI's full authority. The flow of information changed to precisely what he needed without a word, ship classes, positions in space moving in real time.​

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"No doubt a buildup of forces from the Tsis'Kaar and the Inquisition will arrive in greater numbers as soon as they can be roused from operations across the Outer Rim. Their presence will continue to grow. I suspect we will not see the legion, nor will the Emperor's Wrath make an appearance. The Empress has arrived. Her presence changes things on the surface. If the Empress felt like she needed anything else, she would've brought them with her. I suspected the escalation below would draw the gaze of the Dread Queen. It has changed the possible outcomes in front of us. The Eternal Father knows precisely what needs to be done, he walks a careful path. I have no doubt it will play out in our favor without need for intervention. But the future is ever changing, just in case things do play out differently, we will remain." The Dark Lord said his eyes locking on the silver haired Quinn Varanin on the cams that showed him the docking platform. "AQUILA, connect me wih the Princess." The Dark Lord ordered. A hologram of a lidless eye appeared next to him then. "As you wish."​

​

A voice would then ring out through the comlink the Varanin Princess wore. Once the words began to spill, she would know that deep, commanding baritone.​

​

"Quinn my dear, what are you doing?" Prazutis questioned. Quinn Varanin meant everything to his daughter, and she was there in her final moments, her importance meant a lot to him. As far as he was concerned, she was always in good standing. Some time later his voice continued to speak. "Always the hard way Princess? Leave the Lord of Marr to his fate, there is a different path for you, simply turn around and leave the platform, and I will open it for you."​

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Darth Carnifex | Darth Imperius | Gerwald Lechner | Darth Malum of House Marr | Srina Talon | Kaila Irons | Quinn Varanin | Ansisa







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[Tamsin Graves]

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Theme: The Black Parade
Equipment: GL-13 blaster | Combat Knife | Multi-Tool | Inquisitorial Saber
Tags: Kaila Irons | Nyxira Valis | Adeline Noctua | Srina Talon | Pom Stych Tivé | Darth Malum of House Marr | Darth Carnifex | OPEN

The demon cared little for all those gathered, they were only there to protect the girl and Kaila. They all had power in spades and the demon feared not a single one of them, even in its weaker state. It just watched and listened as Tamsin road passenger in her own body. As they spoke of sith affairs something the demon hadn't cared about in centuries maybe even a millennia now. Then a presence it had only felt once before entered the room a dathomiri witch, though the two had never met face to face the demon had once felt the witches retreat on battlefield during the wars that led to the downfall of the last sith empire.

Tamsin's head turned away from the now very crowded room, the gaze of the demon returning to the screen outside. It peered through the clouds deeper to the dome above. It fixated on the dome how it could start a little crack, letting the nitrogen leak into he city. A simple flick of a match and million more lives could be added to their kill count. This god forsaken world, its pathetic existence gone in an instant. Nothing left to fight over, nothing left to lay claim too. It would be so easy, so simple to end this skirmish.

Yet as it listened to those speaking, the demon realized it had offered to protect the girl and Kaila. Not that it ever had a problem breaking deals, it knew deep down Kaila was fully in the right here even if she hadn't gone about it in the best way. It would be so much easier to end them all then get them to listen, it was always just easier to kill a sith then get them to listen to truth or reason.

The demon continued to peer at the dome then past it into he space above the planet, where a fleet laid in wait. So cowardly for a dispute between master and apprentice. Yet there seemed to be some confusion about who was actually instigating a rebellion upon this sith world. The Demon had to wonder if they were all this stupid to not see it was Carnifex that was the one committing treason against the empire or was she wrong and all the sith knelled before him again as emperor.

The Demon took control of the voice once again and spoke then as it contemplated this situation. "The battle between master and apprentice is an ancient old rite of sith. One that has stayed true to almost every sith empire in existence. The apprentice has every right to challenge their master or in my long absence has that become taboo?" It spoke out loud but not to any of them in particular as it continued to peer away from them at the screen to the outside.

"There is no rebellion against the Empire from Darth Anathemous, she is the governor of this world and hasn't fired a single shot other than words. She has challenged her master by pushing out his influence upon this world and that is her right by the most ancient of sith codes. However, her master has brought a fleet to the world of the sith and is threatening it, that is an instigation of rebellion and civil war. He is the one that oversteps and threatens the Empires' stability. All because his apprentice wants to be free of his influence, it's an overreaction to a simple task of challenging his apprentice to a duel or by sending assassins." The demon finally turned from the screen and looked at all of them as Kaila was talking Srina Talon into a private meeting to explain herself. Even thought the demon in Tamsin, that Kaila wanted to exorcise her from existence, she was still standing up for the woman in this moment.

"I don't believe you owe anyone an explanation it's very clear. You want to be free of your masters influence and your master is now instigating a war that threatens the stability of the empire because of it. This is on your master Darth Carnifex not you for doing what any sith would and he is the one who should be punished." Tamsin's eyes, burning a sulfuric orange, looked at them all for a moment, she wasn't sure any of them would even listen to their words. "Either you are here to stop the rebellion, or you are apart of it. If you're here to stop it then we must go aid Darth Malum of House Marr and put an end to this." With that the demon inhabiting Tamsins body turned and started heading towards the exit. She should have just killed them all and started over, but as she felt fear in the girl who was riding passenger, the demon felt a bit of their younger self when they actually cared for people who all eventually betrayed them. The demon had hated more then it had ever loved, but it knew the love Tamsin had for Kaila it too had it once long ago, it felt sympathy for the first time in a really long time.

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

TAG: Srina Talon | Darth Carnifex | Kaila Irons | Darth Prazutis | Darth Malum of House Marr | Quinn Varanin

Echnos City was once again on Gerwald’s radar. He had watched the broadcast and left immediately for the world which he had been on near six months ago. Life had kept him from Jutrand. War, and rumor of more to come, had been something which the Dread Wolf had been preparing for. The Galactic Alliance and the Empire of the Lost both had reasons to see the Sith Order brought to its knees. The Sith Order also had reason to wipe the Jedi from the face of the galaxy. Their meddling in things which they did not understand had unleashed something onto the galaxy they could not stop if they wished. Darth Empyrean kept it at bay within himself, a feat Gerwald could only marvel at.

It was a great power.

Gerwald’s ship, the Úlfs Reiði, dropped out of hyperspace just outside of the Echnos. News of his impending arrival had been sent ahead to Darth Carnifex out of courtesy. They would have business to discuss before this was over, namely that his anger did not disrupt the completion of his flagship or the soldiers Kaila Irons had agreed to supply. Perhaps he had miscalculated that she was mature enough to put her dislike of Carnifex aside. Her freedom from the one that elevated her seemed to be a sudden departure. The Dread Wolf did not understand it.

The Dread Wolf stood on his bridge overlooking the sensor array. It seemed to pick up several ship, a war fleet, with a rather large signature at the forefront.

“Scan the signature of that ship there,” he commanded.

“It registers as the Eternal Rule.”

“Carnifex is not on that ship.”

The wolf said to himself. His mind raced to a place in his mind he wished remained vacant. The Mountain was there. Flashes of his torture at the hands of the man came to the front his memory. He could feel the pain as though it was still happening. Had it not been for Srina Talon , he would not have been put together back in one piece. It had been the thing which began the debt which the Dread Wolf owed to the Empress. His treatment at the hands of the Mountain had been what made the Wolf take an oath to kill the Zambrano.

It would be foolish to engage him now, not in a way that would bring any satisfaction to that promise. There was another promise which prevented him from taking action as it was. The night Naedira Darcrath discovered the she-wolf which was alive inside of her she had made Gerwald promise to stay away from him. In this instance, he could not run, not would he. The Dread Wolf could also not stay to confront Darth Prazutis in person.

He looked to the officer at the communication station.

“Hail the Eternal Rule.”

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Ever still, figures emerged out of the woodwork, as if there was nothing more of consequence in the galaxy apart from this, as more, and more, powers gathered, as carrion circled what they imagined would be a freshly made corpse. It was a familiar if unknown presence that was noted first, for though he had never met Lady Styche Tive, her presence was hardly something to be ignored. It seemed that the Kainites were drawing the lines in the sand... yet, with as many familiar presences within the building, he could hardly be sure if it was not merely the connections Kaila had made finally coming to roost.

Yet, in the face of the unnatural chill in the air, a breath taken tasting of jasmine and rain, beneath the mask it was enough to draw eyes to narrow, yet, another had arrived.

And this was a presence that drew within him dread and hope in equal measure.

One which he could not help but remember an encounter so long ago upon Alvaria, which held similar stakes, and of which subordination, a necessary subordination, yet, a forced subordination, had been sealed in the face of overwhelming force. He had thought her an obstacle then, but only after he realised the true boons that she had granted him.

Such that he could not allow it to play out again like it had. He was different, this was different, he had not chosen to draw the line upon the sand this day of all days, this world, of all worlds.

But now that his battlefield had been set, there was no other option but victory.

Speaking of dread, as Quinn took upon the well-intentioned objective of distracting the Butcher King, the weight of several powers swirling about them, the buzz by his ear contained a reply to his missive towards the Governor's manse, that she believed Kaine had expected this was disconcerting, yet, that she seemed to care enough for his survival was comforting...

...As comforted as one could be in the situation he had found himself in. As the comm clicked off, they both now found themselves facing their own battle.

He had little time for distractions, little time for concentration to lapse, not that such would occur, let alone be possible, as Kaine began to speak. As landing upon black pauldroned shoulder, a raven of yet another player drew forth her appearance, yet, as intriguing as it was that the most reclusive of the Dark Councillors had silently made her appearance, Malum's attention was only upon the words that spilt out of Kaine's lips.

Attention drawn enough to raise a brow beneath the mask, "Has anyone ever informed you that you speak too much?" As soon as lightsabre was drawn forth from his side, the barbarous instrument of butchery that had seen battle across countless systems, the air was made rancorous by the sheen of blade being unsheathed, the darkened metal of Sith Steel revealed as the Force rippled as if the ocean's currents diverged. He drew one leg back, as the breath thrummed through ribs and lungs, all sound faded away, as the tension filled muscle and bone.

"The Empress has a voice of her own, she does not require a dethroned usurper to spell lies like some shrill-faced gossipmonger," There was a flicker of doubt concealed beneath the mask, did she feel such way? He was confident enough that she did not, that if she did she would say so herself. In the end, it mattered little, if he lived he could ask herself, if he died, it would not much matter. His lips transformed into the ghost of a grim smile, "As for my power? Heh, no, my lord Carnifex, it is not an empty title that makes me powerful," Red shimmered through the mask for the barest moment, a fire that the Empress had said could do both terrible and great things, "It is the utmost confidence, that I can rip your head clean off your neck."

He narrowed his eyes, as the green flames burst around his fingers, revealing a helmed head that was enough to draw a golden hue to his irises, memories drawing forth to the depths of Coruscant, when they had... when he had...

...It was too perfect.

"Remember Lord Zambrano, only if you had the power you and Darth Prazutis imagine you have, only if you imagined that either of you were still relevant or respected in this new age," Malum drew himself down to the centre of his form, a mockery of a bow, as his blade erupted out into the red sheen of plasma extending its blade as Sith sword and lightsabre made itself into one, his cloak billowing as the wind blew against it, kilt covered by black plated stomach, drawing himself to achieve as much speed as possible, as both warriors drew themselves into position for an imminent strike, "Only then could any of your words hold water."

Of all that Malum had expected, however, it had not been Quinn. Yet, it might have been the very thing that saved him.

As her grip firmed around his gauntlets, he found himself pulled off his position, his boots breaking the ground as they were pulled forward, as the protest was about to barrel through his lips, he saw it.

The flicker of reflection, the flicker of light acting in regard too impossible.

The blade was careening towards his neck, as instinct took power full and centre, as the amulet upon his neck burned in molten flame, as the Force whipped across them, popping and crackling in surprised and restrained shock, two priorities made themselves prescient.

He might die.

Quinn might die.

Neither was acceptable.

He broke her grip on her arm, the last connective tissue binding them together, as with full power of will and resolve, binding, commanding that he be obeyed, the simultaneous charge was levelled. The Force burst out of him, the cacophony of a silent explosion that aimed to send her careening off the platform, as for himself, as hairs stood at attention on the back of his neck, his presence no matter how fast, impossible to ignore.

A sense of ease, a sense of calm, an absurdity for a Sith, a sense of acceptance drew itself from the point of the third eye, and flooded throughout his being, as easily as air flooded his lungs, and blood flowed his veins. To the farce of it all, against all sense and rationality, against all sanity and logic, Malum took a step back, towards the oncoming blade. A quicker suicide, could not be more asked for.

Only for the blade and wielder to phase right through his form.

His heart hammered against his chest, as his knees wavered, yet, here he stood, "I hope you see the irony too," A voice sounded beneath the mask, as blade shrieked through the air, drawn and pointed forward, as inky darkness began to flow from the souls of his boots, a black smoke, a miasma that began to cover this makeshift arena of theirs, "Wearing the skull of a dead man, when you're too afraid to die, too much of a coward to imagine a galaxy without your continued presence," The masked Sith Lord faded into the blackness, as a thousand steps erupted from all sides, "Too much of a coward to face me without your reassurances, too much of a coward to admit to your own weakness, summon Braxus too," The voice was disembodied, seeming to come from each and every direction, a ghostly, ethereal whisper, as suddenly from above, the blade burst through the darkness, black steel feeding the ichor around them, as the red plasma aimed to carve itself into his back, "...Might as well make this a fair fight."

A voice whispered in the depths of his mind, a familiar voice, a balm to wavering heart.

His love had arrived, he opened their bond, her question ignored in favour of a visual explanation.

Kaila Irons Darth Carnifex Tamsin Graves Reicher Vax Darth Prazutis Kirie Quinn Varanin Nyxira Valis Lina Ovmar Grrwunhoooll Agaburry Ala Quin Adeline Noctua QK-2510 Lord Dvasius Ansisa Srina Talon Darth Imperius Jhyrack Pom Stych Tivé Gerwald Lechner Taeli Raaf

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Darth Carnifex //: Darth Malum of House Marr //: Kirie //:
//: Darth Prazutis //: Kaila Irons //:
//: Wearing //:

Quinn paused, hearing the second voice come through over her commlink. Another voice, another person wanting to protect her, all thinking she could not defend herself. Their words replayed in her mind, telling her she didn't belong here and to return to where she was safe, back in the doll house where all the pretty things belonged. Her brow furrowed again, and she had stopped pulling Malum, trying to convince him this was a losing fight for him. Quinn wasn't concerned for her safety. She worried about what brought her Godmother here; she wasn't the type to meddle. That was Malum's place.

Sensing Carifex's opening move, she grounded herself, and with Malum's attempt at pushing her away, she countered it with her own presence, denying the man the satisfaction of rescuing her. Quinn wouldn't go flying, but she would be pushed along her path to the base of the landing pad. Her hand had pulled away; he was no longer her concern. The punishment that was meant to be was by order of her Godmother. Still, as much as she believed it would help Malum in the long run, she couldn't walk away from him. Too many people have walked away from him, leaving him to use his devices. If only they had decided to stay, to interfere more - maybe he wouldn't be as self-destructive.

As words were exchanged between the men, the sky above them began to darken. Whatever light, whether artificial or natural, began to flicker, their power beginning to drain. Quinn felt that unnatural fury burning in her chest. How dare the two of them brush her off like she didn't join this fight of her own will? The clouds continued to swirl, the winds whipping through the platform, pushing through the gathering dark mist Malum began to produce. A hand gently pressed the commlink as she answered Prazutis. "I'll be fine; it's time I walk on my own a little, thank you." the line went dead as the roar of the storm brewing overhead echoed.

Every ounce of anger and hate bled into the storm; it fed off of her and the emotions swirling over the city. Desperation, anger, disappointment, all of it fed the woman at the eye of the storm.

Quinn turned to look at the monstrosity she was conjuring; every bit of it fed as its anger bellowed from its belly. Lightning danced across the clouds like thick red whips of the Dark Side. Untamed, the beast would consume, but Quinn - its Master wouldn't let it go unguided. A flick of her hand and a chorus of crimson bolts struck the landing pad without remorse, threatening anyone who stood on it.

Slowly, the click of her heel would echo with each scream of the fully fledged Force Storm. As she rose to the platform, a hand reached for the sky as a thick bolt struck her. The woman remained unharmed as the electricity flowed through her, a bright, blood-red spark amid dark shadows. Quinn pointed her hand at the men fighting; she would not be pushed aside or ignored. The princess had found her reason for fighting, and there was no going back. Opening her palm, the lighting found its direction. A beam of concentrated power released from her hand towards Carnifex and Malum; if either got hit, they would feel the sudden hunger of their force energy being drained from them. The storm was not a typical Force Storm but one that only desired to consume.

 

[Lord Dvasius]

His code went through and he received approval for passage down to the surface of Echnos. As he brought his ship back into motion and angled toward the location he was given to land. He sensed something was different. One of those great presences he'd felt, was gone. Not in space anymore. Then where was it? Down there, he realized. Hopefully there was enough of them, enough Tsis-Kaar strong enough to survive this fight. Can't die before reaching immortality, he thought. At any cost.

He saw his destination down below him. Within a couple minutes he was there and passed inside the dome. The old fashion way. They couldn't all be gods, but maybe someday Lord Dvasius would become Darth Dvasius and be a god-like being himself, or somehow more. There should be no end to a Sith's ambition and no one else mattered on the way there. Definitely not after either.

Finally he could see the landing zone. Well. Found the missing presence. He was there. Darth Carnifex , The once emperor of The Sith Empire. If only they were living in those days now. The Sith united. It was all chaos now and the Tsis-Kaar were nowhere near what it used to be. He couldn't say Ophidia and Strosius were like family or that he had any love for them, but they were the only ones he'd met worth his regard. Dead now. The Tsis-Kaar might as well have died with them. Maybe it would today. Who knew? In such a case he wouldn't stay long to witness. Is it cowardice to be aware you were about to be swatted like a bug by what many called a god? Not that he planned on running, but if everyone else kicked it... What'd be the point in staying to let the Tsis-Kaar finally become extinct? He could rebuild. If anything, he wanted to kill Darth Malum of House Marr , what a pompous title, himself.

But not today. Using his modified eyes, he looked closer to see the man himself, little Darth Malum of House Marr , and others, boldly challenging Darth Carnifex in person. Bold... and stupid as kark. Despite how fun it'd be to watch, he had to pick a... different landing zone, then go see what the plan for him and the other "Inquisitors" was. He hated that title. He remembered when he was just called a "Sith Assassin", and still expected to be called that by any who planned to have a lengthy stay in his presence. The Inquisitorius used to be a separate entity, still under his master's rule. They worked together, as part of a larger organization, the Tsis-Kaar, but they were hardly alike and served entirely different purposes. He was proud of the circular serpent he wore back then. Now, it meant nothing without the of the one it represented. The Pale Serpent. Shame. One day they'd be great again, even if he had to do it himself.

For now: landing. The "Inquisitor", he thought mockingly, chose a spot in the vacant street, outside the building where he was instructed to meet with the others. Almost vacant street. Some little Kainite gnats, with jetpacks, thought they'd play with him. Too bad they didn't know he was a technopath. He smirked and chuckled. And what're those jetpack on their backs made with? That's right. For a second he even pretended to be scared as they got closer. Alright, time for swatting. One of their jetpacks seized up and shut off completely, dropping the pilot to the ground with a thud. He wasn't getting back up. The other, Dvasius wanted to have more fun with. A small crack opened in the casing of their jetpack, exposing severed wires. Wires that caught fire. The poor Kainite lost control completely. Spiraling around. Speed increasing then decreasing and again. Just when the operator thought he would lose his lunch... He lost his life. Dvasius smiled some more. There was the violent sound of bones smacking against concrete at high speed. He knew he'd have fun here. Blood trailed slowly down the shattered wall the poor pilot had come to rest in. He wasn't getting up either.

Alright. Enough fun. To the business he was summoned for. His form seemed to blink and dart, then disappear from existence, reappearing now and again. He entered the building, fading his way down the halls, like he was lagging through the frames of the world. It took him some time to... well, no it didn't, to find the room. To a trained force user's eyes he may have been moving at what at a speed they could track, but to anyone else he was too fast to be seen by their eyes. He blinked his way into the room, under cloak of the force and presence masked. Abruptly he reappeared next to the door he came in from, and whoever else was standing near it.

"Hm. It was not hard getting in here at all.", the Lord said aloud while he lit a cigarette with a tiny jolt of electricity from his fingertip.

"Anybody got a plan or ready to do anything? 'Cause I saw the situation out there comin in' and... Yeah. Boss is about to kick it... Probably.", Dvasius said, again, abruptly, casually, and tilting his head to the side a bit, then back, at the last word, as if to silently finish with, "I don't know though".

He just knew that someone would get irritated at everything he'd just done and speak up. Maybe when they did he'd be able to get them to focus on their job.


Kaila Irons

 

[Srina Talon]

Location: Echnos City
Direct Tag: Kaila Irons
We Might Be Close By Tag: Darth Malum of House Marr Quinn Varanin Kirie Tamsin Graves Lord Dvasius Lina Ovmar Darth Carnifex Darth Prazutis

______________________________________

I see you.
​

It was the only acknowledgment that would be offered for the storm that was Darth Prazutis hiding sweetly among the stars. A blind and force-dead child could have felt him, though, that might have been an assumption born of the fact that she had never been without extra sensory advantages. The fact that the Empress reacted to the maelstrom at all was beyond chilling. Her eyes pierced the veil in a way that was cruel and precise, sparing none, and that included the Lord of Death.

Those who made assumptions about her motivations, thoughts, and actions would find themselves staring down the maw of an eldritch creature that had no pity. No purpose, but to devour.

She could feel Quinn Varanin begin to panic. She could feel Darth Malum of House Marr …Settle…into a course of action from which there would be blood. His mind, walking the path of a young man, not a boy-child, was made.

She could feel Kaine prepare.

She could feel…Fear. So much, fear. It wasn't simply the residual effects of the phobis device but the living and breathing essence of terror mixed with flop sweat. It made eyes sharpen when she inhaled and the dark ochre of her eyes seemed to shift like desert sands. The moon that the Dread Queen had ravaged in the name of the Order was not yet recovered enough for the resurgence of a full-scale warzone. It was not ready for the dead to litter the streets, for blood, to come crashing down as easily as rain fell from a dreary, gray sky.

Voices.

So many voices…Swirling with imperiousness, self-importance, or small-minded details. So certain that they saw all there was to see without viewing the entirety of the debacle. Her hand remained on the shoulder of the young woman she had traveled, quite far, to see. Her touch was not cruel, nor, was it kind. The demon ( Tamsin Graves ) who saw fit to speak in place of the governor made the same mistake that all the others had. Speaking, for Kaila Irons . For Darth Anathemous, lest, her ascension be forgotten amongst politics and excuses.

"…I believe that the governor requested privacy."

Her head turned away from the demon, from any audience, and a force-imbued wall of ice sluiced through the room like a fierce guillotine to divide it in half. The side closest to the office door would contain herself and the governor, whilst the others, would find themselves staring at a glistening wall of nothing. Her elemental constructs were some of the strongest the Sith had to offer. It didn't provide the complete quietude she desired…But it was better than nothing.

Gold-hewn eyes fixed on Kaila for a moment, penetrating, and unreadable. Her hand fell from the young woman's shoulder while she made her way toward the office door…Shrewdly taking stock. The words that the governor had uttered were measured but trembled on the edge of desperation. She could taste the fear in her soul, sense, the burden of loyalty stretched far too thin. It all pulsed within this vacuum—Like a dying star.

The plain cerulean silk of unadorned clothing pulled across the tiled floor with a whisper. The river of white hair that was usually touched with braids, baubles, that her husband wove in private moments was equally plain…Left long and loose. As if she had been interrupted. There was a tide of power that rippled in her wake and the very air seemed to recoil. "Come…"

"You may speak.", the Empress spoke, her tone a melodic murmur, soft yet laden with durasteel. The deep baritone that had come forth upon her arrival seemed to have settled. This was not the voice of a ruler who sought to demand—It was the voice of inevitability. "The threat that surrounds Echnos will not descend while I am present. It would be unintelligent for anyone, be they Tsis'Kaar or Kainite, to try and move the needle behind my back."

Her expression betrayed…Nothing. There was an exquisite patience in her that could somehow be more unnerving than if she displayed fury. Srina turned, once they were within the office, her hands clasped loosely before her, the faint glow of light from the viewport catching her eye.

Bright eyes settled back on Kaila. Jewel-like, expansive. As if there were an entire galaxy of secrets hidden behind golden doors. "I can sense terror. As sweet as it sings to me…"

"You needn't fear me, Kaila."

If the Empress had intended harm?

It would have already been too late.

Spoiler

Sorry if I missed you or didn't respond to you directly...There was so much happening and I got lapped a few posts so playing catch up. Pls forgib!

 

[Kirie]

Location: Echnos
With: Quinn Varanin
Mentioned: Darth Malum of House Marr | Darth Carnifex

​

The situation began to unravel in front of her. What was left of the crowd was panicked now, quickly dispersing, leaving Kirie as one of a small gaggle of fools who like her were paralysed, unable to look away.

Kirie watched the landing pad intently. She looked from figure to figure, but her gaze always managed to return to Quinn. Words were exchanged, and Kirie tried to pick up any scrap of conversation, but winds were whipping up from seemingly random directions inside the dome, snatching away the syllables and leaving dust and grit in Kirie's eyes.

The last of the spectators broke and ran. Kirie stood alone.

Quinn tugged at the thin ones arm, Malum, but he would not move. The one she knew to be Carnifex activated his saber. Malum, tensed. A an instant later his blade ignited too. The landing pad was aglow with crimson, Kirie's heartbeat thudded, mixing with the thunder in her ears. In a blink he had struck, and they were fighting. Then Quinn slid across the landing pad, shoved aside by invisible hands. Kirie gasped and ran forward, but stopped short when she saw the Princess was fine. She hovered, not knowing what to do, and unsure if Quinn had seen her.

In her instinct to help, Kirie had moved close to the base of the landing pad, much too close.

Bolts of lightning crashed down beside Kirie, mere paces from where she stood, before converging and running through Quinn's own body. Somehow, she could feel the woman's anger, rolling off of her in waves. Kirie screamed wordlessly and stumbled backwards, the sound drowned out by the terrible ringing in her ears. She raised her arms up protectively and shrank back.

"Quinn!" Kirie had no idea if anyone could hear her. The colour was draining from the world around her. Dark storm clouds and a strange black miasma whirled around her, spilling from Quinn and Malum like oil and water, whipped up by the wicked wind. Soon Kirie was dizzy, unable to see much except the red glow of the sabers.

"Stop. You're-"

Kirie stumbled, and fell to her knees. She tried feebly to rise, but she couldn't. The darkness was all around her now, crackling with the energy of Quinn's storm. Hopelessness washed over her. She felt cold. Surely it would be easier just to give up. How could she ever hope to resist this? Dully, Kirie felt her shoulder impact the ground as she slumped over. Her silks seemed to swaddle her; Her eyelids grew heavier.

Maybe it would be easier this way. After all, isn't this how Kirie knew it would end up? Better to have it happen here than down the line. Better not to let herself get in too deep. Better just to lay down, instead of letting herself hope and lose it all anyway. Better not to get attached. Besides, there were worst ways to go than to be drained into nothingness.

Maybe, it was for the best.

 

[Adeline Noctua]

Equipment | In Bio

Location | Echnos

Tag | Kaila Irons Kirie Darth Carnifex Darth Malum of House Marr Quinn Varanin

"Need of?"

The woman asks, knowing the answer to either be she needed her or her undead. With a quick snap of a finger, a demonic pact had appeared, ready for the fresh ink to stain the page.

But alas, it would seem that would not be the case today. And while she would normally be upset about this.. Everything around her was simply too entertaining, as a fledgling goddess of fear and nightmare itself, all that was going on fed into her.

The wall of ice separated herself from Kaila, perhaps they would speak later. For now her eyes watched the cameras as it was clear the intent Malum had, a small impish smile forms as she watches... How delicious.

Her smile starts to fade however, not due to the storm, not due to the fighting.. No no, those were a treat to watch. But her eyes had caught a fool, the sheepish tone, that timid stance.

It wasn't often at all that Adeline found herself doing a 'good deed' if you wanted to call it such. But within moments the slave girl, though burned and weakened by the storm, had found a protector.. At least for today.

A coldness wrapped itself around them, dark and not of this world. And it would be through this dread blanket that the slave would find herself in a spot away from the storm, a distance from the screams.

"Foolish creature.."

If their heavied eyes managed to peer open, the figure of Darth Keres stood over them. Skin burnt in sections from the storm, but it all seemed to be healing.

She kneels down, smelling the decaying life.. A normally sweet smell, but something struck her about this girl.

"Are you able to stand?"










​

 

[Kaila Irons]

Location: Echnos city, Governor's office
Wearing: Personal armor
Tag: Srina Talon

Kaila's vision of the battle between Quinn Varanin , Darth Malum of House Marr and Darth Carnifex was soon overtaken first by the second and most powerful Force Storm to ever swirl above this city, destroying nearby cameras in a flash of baleful crimson, And then by Ice, solid and cold... So cold.

Whatever was happening up there, it had become a battle of powers far beyond her. She was too late to stop it.

At the very least, she was thankful that her apprentice had simply been hushed behind a wall, for it was not Tamsin Graves speaking now, but something most beyond her control. Were it Carnifex whom it had spoken to out of turn, surely Tamsin would have joined the other headless bodies who'd fallen in this very manor not so long ago.

"Come…"

Kaila inclined her head and was immediately marching into the office. It had changed, since Srina was last present. The vaguely Jedi shaped hole had been patched with new metal, however a new support pillar seemed to rise through it, as if they had opted to simply erect a pole through it and bolt new durasteel over the jagged remains.

Even the interior itself seemed neglected yet somehow also lived in. Smaller pillars remained broken and the room seemed devoid of the great vanities it once boasted before Darth Anathemous' tenure. Books however lined nearly every shelf, of which many had come to find a home here, a few even remained on the new yet comparatively plain desk of curved metal.

And yet the city outside seemed as if there had never been war here in all it's history, physically at least. As if she cared more for this city than her own home, and yet here she was, seemingly sacrificing them by risking war.

"I can sense terror. As sweet as it sings to me…"

"You needn't fear me, Kaila."

Kaila had stopped in front of her desk, sweeping a gloved hand across it's smooth surface with a steadying breath. In truth more than terror, she felt shame. For both the utter disaster of her plans, and the terror it inspired. Standing against her fears had brought her here that day, drawn The Empress' eyes upon her for so violently tearing her fears apart such that Srina had made her a darth in the square outside. Even before her own master officially recognized the title, Srina named her Darth Anathemous for all to see. Carnifex had given her nothing. Fate itself had decreed she would have nothing. Yet Srina gave her all of this.

Did the empress use her birth name in an attempt to comfort, or had she lost even that approval? She had to wonder.

"This is my doing, not Lord Malum's." she exhaled sharply, turning to meet the empress' now golden gaze with more honesty than she afforded most Sith of late. Better to face her with some dignity now than be caught clinging to a lie by one she respected so.

If Srina had afforded her the same honesty, well it was difficult for one such as she to tell, a girl who had been lied to from her waking moment, created and molded by the lies of her master which had only recently come to light. It was perhaps ironic that she had been afforded more honesty by Tsis'kaar assassins than anyone in the Kainate ever could.

Yet Srina wasn't exactly a Kainite was she? Despite seeing that golden hue brought out for the first time, The Empress' legendary calm held firm, and Kaila had been addressed with the subtlest shift in that soft tone.

And so she continued, even if her own gaze dropped to the floor like a child explaining themselves to a mother.

"I am Empyrean's spy..."

She chose to lead with the better story first, saving the worst for last.

"Your husband offered me the power to one day challenge my master in exchange for my work. First under Carnifex, then Malum's inner circle upon my invitation to the Inquisition."

"Yet Malum would have left me within the Kainate as his agent, and my mission in jeopardy."

"Now he can't send me back, for the Kainites will never again trust Darth Anathemous."

"However..." then came her truest priority.

"I would be lying if I said I wouldn't have done this regardless."

Her tone shifted, as did the ever-golden hue in her eye. Brighter, fiery even, as she looked up.

"Lord Carnifex stole my memory, held me back from my true potential for fear I'd learn, treated me as a slave. I won't serve him again, even if I must die to never again be caged nor collared."


She closed her eyes, lips twisting bitterly and knowing she may have just signed her own death warrant.

"I... I don't think I can make this right. I can't stop Malum now that he smells blood in the water, He won't stop. I forced his hand."

"...I don't know what to do anymore."


Except run perhaps, if there no other option. She'd be branded a coward, she would come to hate it, but at least her promise to Ala Quin would go unbroken.

​

 

[Pom Stych Tivé]

Kaila Irons 's response struck the Matriarch like a slap in the face…at first. The rest of what she said next gave clarity to her true intentions.

The Nightsisters do not throw away their sisters because of a discord. Their differences make them stronger. This whole ordeal seems to Pom to circle around family. Pom looked upon the young woman with understanding and compassion. In fact while she is on the better receiving end of Carnifex's desires, she also always stood up for injustice where victimized women were concerned. Pom got herself on the wanted list in many sectors due to her specific vigilantism. Women asked directly for her by name, or Pom felt them out. Their misery and their determination would always just scream out to the Nightsister across the galaxy. Abusive men died in her wake, but not at Pom's hands directly. She would give the women the potions they needed to take matters into their own hands. She became quite rich off her services where she could…sadly. Her fees were not actually high at all. They would be equivalent to a the price for a loaf of bread, as poisons in any natural form were never scarce.

Pom's eyes widened as she realized right then and there, 'MAYBE THIS IS THE REASON WHY KAILA WAS ABLE TO WALK AROUND DATHOMIR AND STRAIGHT UP TO THE DOORSTEP OF THE WANICA!'

"Oh my god," she said at the thought. 'Maybe the man, Darth Carnifex , does need one of his women to step up and keep him in line!' "Damn."

All in all the Nightsister Matriarch would remain by Kaila's side throughout this standoff.

Until… she was no longer invited to remain so. The Empress Srina Talon appeared to be walking right into the room. The energy which emanated from the great mother's presence cast over Pom like the warm embrace of Home. Something about this individual looked familiar, but she just couldn't put her finger on where they had met before.

Respect is given for a remarkable entrance. The Matriarch slowly curtseyed. The 12 Wanica who accompanied their Matriarch in shadow were equally enthralled with the presence.
​

Sorry!
Not sorry!
Sorry!
Not sorry!
Cué Será, será...

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The blade phased through Marr's chest, passing through harmlessly as though it were air. Carnifex did not appear surprised or perturbed, His body language as closely guarded as His expression was; hidden behind that monstrous skeletal grin. He withdrew His strike and spun His blade around, assuming another aggressive stance as the younger Sith danced away and disappeared into the rolling darkness; a cacophony of sound and shadows. But the Dark Lord saw and heard none of it within the deprivation of His helmet, only attuning Himself to the endless intricacies of the Force; the ripples and the undulations.

Standing there, waiting, allowing the Force to flow through Him and energize every fiber of His being. He tilted His head to the side, half-pivoting and deactivating His lightsaber before returning it to His hip. Hands, now unencumbered by weapon, stretched out as Malum made himself known once more. As the blade neared for the strike, the Dark Lord's hands snapped forward to grab the blade with both hands. The alchemized Sarrassian iron prevented Malum's blade from cutting straight through the plating, though it still left noticeable gashes in the metal as it ground against the Dark Lord's palms.

Carnifex's grip tightened, heightened by Nightsister magick imbued into His gauntlets. Now they were face-to-face, the Dark Lord holding Malum's blade in a nigh unbreakable grip. The runes on Carnifex's helmet began to glow bright red, emulating the appearing of eyes where there were none. Above the two of them, another bright green gout of flame rushed into existence, leaving in it's wake a broken, jagged sword pulsating with utter darkness. It turned it's vicious jagged blade down towards Malum, pointing right towards his head.

Just then, the storm that Quinn had been gathering became known to the both of them. Chiefly, because a bolt of red lightning struck the Dark Lord on the shoulder; electricity dancing across His body until it grounded. Though He was much too powerful to be rendered debilitated, it was still a noticeable strike. With the both of them locked in their fight, they were easy targets for Quinn's storm to rain down upon them. But Carnifex was more equipped to ride out the storm, His experience with such power far outweighing His opponent's.

So, the Dark Lord's broken blade fell; soaring towards Malum's head while the Dark Lord kept a firm hold on the younger Sith's weapon.

And the storm grew stronger, hungrier.

Fed by the Darkness.

Darth Malum of House Marr | Quinn Varanin | Kirie
Darth Prazutis | Srina Talon | Kaila Irons ​

 

[The Red]

He watched. And he sat.

A lone Zabrak, staring rather intently at Darth Malum of House Marr , his burning red eyes judging. Curious, as he ever was. "This is the line I left behind, is it? I wonder what it was you saw in them, my old apprentice." A light chuckle escaped his lips as he plucked up a glass, a simple drink to savor and enjoy. Or he would've, in a life long since past. Taste was lost on him now, but the habits were still there. For now, though, he watched the show.

 

[Tamsin Graves]

​

Theme: The Black Parade
Equipment: GL-13 blaster | Combat Knife | Multi-Tool | Inquisitorial Saber
Tags: @Kaila Irons| Nyxira Valis | Adeline Noctua | Srina Talon | @Pom Stych Tivé| Darth Malum of House Marr | Darth Carnifex | Quinn Varanin OPEN

The storms of Judgement and chaos rumbled through the skies just below the dome over the city. Red lightning streaked and cracked in the sky, having grown even more turbulent than what the demon had seen on the screen inside the conference room. Orange sulfuric eyes burned as the chaos all around impowered the demon, so much dark energy to fuel it. It fed on it with glutinous vigor to give it all the power it could contain in in this inferior meat suit that had not yet been fully prepared yet for what was to come later down the line.

It marched right past Nyxira Valis only giving the words. "The fight is outside not in there." As she passed by the Keshi woman.

It stared up at the storm briefly as the little girl in its head screamed at them, begging it not to kill everyone. Pathetic the demon thought to itself, it had given this girl life and for now it needed her. It did not like being so constrained and flooded with these emotions of caring, love, and sympathy. It also saw that not a single sith or witch had listened to it's words, but what was new they never had before why would now be any different.

Stepping outside rain from the storm poured down upon the diminutive demon trapped in a little girls body as it marched forward towards the direction of Darth Malum of House Marr , Darth Carnifex , and the storm bringer Quinn Varanin . It had no real plan of action, it was a bit outside its wheel house to protect and not just destroy everything in it's path.

It came to halt several meters from the fighting, as the large and imposing figure that was Darth Carnifex snatched the blade of Darth Malum's sword. Lightning streak down from the sky and slammed into the lard man's shoulder pauldron as the demon just watched Malum's own blade being bent towards his head. It thought for a moment as it reached its left hand up towards the storm raging above. Tamsin's bloody left arm raised and one of the symbols etched into the flesh lit up, a symbol of a spear. Lightning from the sky began to be pulled down at that moment to straight for Tamsin's raised arm,. The energy of several lightening bolts raked through Tamsin's diminutive frame. The demon negated the pain of such a powerful force rushing through it by force it to only go through Tamsin's mental psyche.

The girl trapped in her own body screamed in pure tormenting pain like flesh being stripped from the body. The child howled and was trying to hold onto its consciousness inside her own body. Yet the demon was unphased even the screaming of the girl in her mind did not distract it, it had seen so many scream like they were dying it didn't even make it flinch in fact it almost wanted to let out a loud cackle at the little welp it shared a body with.

As the energy flowed through it in the demon's right hand a spear of midnight black formed that crackled with the lightning that the demon had pulled down from the sky above. Unseen as the combatants were embroiled in the battle, The demon then lifted the spear and launched like a javelin dart infused with lightning it's aim Darth Carnifex head. Those sulfuric eyes burned as it fixated on the spear of midnight black so it could control it's trajectory in case Carnifex decide to use Malum as a human shield. It want to carry out quick cold justice and end this fight as soon as it could, no it wanted them all to be destroyed but it couldn't do that not yet.

 

[Ansisa]

Ansisa gave herself to their bond the moment Malum opened it, seeing through his eyes as the Lord Carnifex launched his attack. Rage ignited within her, coursing through her veins like magma. She would not stand idly at the sidelines for a second time.

She blinked, pulling away from his eyes back to her own. Scanning the readouts from the scanners, listening to the reports as they flowed from each officer on deck.

“Lord Malum has engaged Lord Carnifex on the surface.”

Silence followed her statement, an unspoken question hanging in the air. Did this mean war? We're the Tsis’Kaar and Inquisition again to stand against the Empire? Or just the Kainites?

“Deploy two squadrons, target and destroy all stormseeds move us to flank the Kainite destroyer.”

If this went sideways, she wanted to ensure they had every advantage, including ensuring the safe arrival of reinforcements should they need them. She closed her eyes, and let out a sigh.

You would go to war for her? Over a world as insignificant as this?

Darth Malum of House Marr Darth Carnifex Darth Prazutis

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Shadows stretched between buildings, reaching across the duracrate with elongated fingers, the perfect doorway between worlds for Lina to shift through. The shadows seemed to cling to her as she moved, trailing behind her like an inky cloak as she stalked towards the centre of the storm.

Red lightning danced across the city, tearing at buildings and scorching the ground though its intensity focused on the figures engaged beneath its centre. It was almost impossible to make out who they were, but Lina knew their signatures well enough.

“Malum, you fool.” She breathed, coming to a halt to watch. She had promised him support but this was insanity. Echnos was not the hil she expected him to try and die on.

Could they bring him down with enough hands? Perhaps, she thought, as she watched a thrid brave the strom to join the fray, but Lina had no intention of walking through the core of a force storm to find out.

Her eyes shifted from the centre of the duel seeking the one responsible for the light show a small smile tugging her lips as her gaze settled on Quinn Varanin.

The lightsabers at her hip vibrated in the force, a hungry hum that yearned to draw blood. Lina had no real dislike for the woman, but right now, she was a hindrance as much as she was a help. The storm had to go.

Fingernails cut into the flesh of her palm, blood dripping onto the duracrete as she called forth others from the shadows, beast's with elongated limbs whose forms flickered in the light. A dozen of them prowled around Lina, a new one rising for each drop of blood that hit the ground.

“Stop her.”

They surged forward, a handful vanishing as the storm felled them, only to be replaced as Lina prowled the storm's edge, slowly making her way towards the princess.

Darth Malum of House Marr Darth Carnifex Quinn Varanin Tamsin Graves

 

[Srina Talon]

Location: Echnos City
Direct Tag: Kaila Irons
We Might Be Close By Tag: Darth Malum of House Marr Quinn Varanin Kirie Tamsin Graves Lord Dvasius Lina Ovmar Darth Carnifex Darth Prazutis

______________________________________
​

The imperial consort had cut the comm center in half.

The others… Pom Stych Tivé , Tamsin Graves , Nyxira Valis , and Lord Dvasius all had designs to attend to, some of which, involved the governor—But they would need to wait. The incoming calamity would not wait for words or opinions to be given among the masses, nor, was it a place for gawkers that wanted to witness a spectacle. The pale Echani could already feel the craven eyes of the court turning toward Echnos. Questioning, the validity of the latest decree.

The strength of the seated Governor to enforce it.

The will of the youngest Dark Councilor and the Tsis'Kaar to back it.

The wisdom of the Butcher King to allow or deny it.

Srina was silent, still as stone, while she listened to Kaila Irons explain how her needs and actions had brought a veritable war to her doorstep. Her gaze was like liquid fire that poured over every word and gesture, searching for threads of truth tangled within a web of emotion. No matter the admission it would seem that the Empress was unmoved, her mind, turning with calculated precision. If she was surprised to hear that Darth Empyrean had enlisted her services…None would ever know.

The Emperor and Empress were thought to be in lockstep, which, kept their enemies at bay. The white-haired woman would not provide doubt in their unity. It gave those that would seek to divide them for their own gain a platform to stand on—Regardless, the futility.

The same darkness that had pulled Darth Anathemous momentarily from her confession was not lost on her. The drain of light, of power, had a particular flavor that she recognized. Her eyes grew distant for a moment while her mind reached for Quinn Varanin and wrapped around her without hesitation. She could not physically go to her godchild—But the little princess would feel her all the same. Her mind was an impenetrable bastion that opened for very few, but in that moment, a steel trap became the embrace of a mother. Of one who had never ignored her, one, who was never disappointed in her.

It would feel like a cool breeze that pushed back the tide of such chaotically assembled power. Her presence would burn away at the red energy that sought both purpose and pain. Consumption.

<<Focus on your goal—Not your rage, child mine. Ease the storm or release to me your burdens…They see you now. Too well.>>​

It was a moment that took less than a second, a heartbeat, for her to address the Princess of Eshan, and she doubted that the Governor would notice her response over the dimming of the lights. When the young Darth stopped speaking, Srina, remained quiet for several breaths afterward. It was a lot to digest…But the Empress was adept at navigating shark-filled waters. "If conscription to the Kainites would be the death of you…It shall not be. You desire freedom. No collar, no cage."

Her words were touched with a sense of finality.

That was that.

"You have…Erred.", the pale woman began in the same, soft tone, that didn't seem to disturb the air they breathed…But Kaila would have no difficulty hearing her over the storm outside. "But…I expected you might encounter...difficulties. The young do not learn, grow, if they are not afforded the room to make mistakes. You are not the first to be caught in a web of your own making, nor will you be the last."

She stepped forward, closing the distance with an eerie grace. Her presence was overwhelming yet controlled, as if, the place she stood had become the eye of the storm her godchild had created. "Shame alone is not enough to mend this. Nor is it an excuse to surrender. Tell me—", the wintry woman asked, her voice dropping slightly, with words that were both cutting and even, "—What good are your convictions if you let them drown you? What power lies in defiance if it is so easily crushed by your missteps?"

The Empress paused…Her head tilting, as if she were listening to something from a distance. Seeing something that wasn't there. Malum and Kaine were engaging…As she always suspected they would. Her head shook slowly. Men. "At this moment, Malum, is outside fighting a battle that is meant for you even if his reasons vary. Your companion outside was both correct and incorrect. It is expected that an apprentice may challenge their master, it is expected, that they very well may overcome them."

The Echani paused.

Feeling the strain between both Sith Lords…They were too close in proximity to miss it.

"However…The moment Echnos became a pawn in a much larger game, the moment, it became the potential for collateral damage, the situation evolved. Intent, who started it, no longer matters. The threat of war is here and it is only a matter of time before one stray blaster bolt incites an already disturbed populace. This is the weight that all leaders must bear, the weight, of a crown. It eclipses personal desire and takes precedence over all else. That—Is why I am here."

Srina let her words settle for a moment. She had already spoken…At length. Longer than she usually preferred but she didn't have the luxury of allowing something to go unsaid. Kaila did not have the understanding that a fellow Echani or a close companion might have, through no fault of her own, but it required extra steps to communicate. "You claim that you do not know what to do…But that isn't true. You do the work that I assigned you. Govern. You can't take back the announcement that the Tsis'Kaar and Inquisition have taken up residence. It would imply weakness on your behalf and hinder your ability to maintain control."

"But as the magnanimous and gracious leader you can amend it. Leave the majority as is…But remove the embargo and deportation of the Kainite as a show of good faith. Treat them as you would any other civilian, punishing the guilty, versus a blanket ban. We will install an advisor from the Sepulchral to add legitimacy to your claims about maintaining the Emperor's rule. It shows both that we are watching and that Jutrand still supports your stewardship regardless of political affiliation…", Srina trailed off, taking a breath, while her eyes remained pinned to the pale-haired woman. Her advice was sound, however, she was prepared for the potential that the Governor might decline. Were that the case?

Far more drastic measures would need to be applied.

"...You must also never, ever, mention your deal with the Emperor…The Kainite are no longer a concern but the Inquisition is in your house. You have opened that door, trading one yoke for another, and Darth Anathemous will need to deal with whatever comes through it with confidence and pride…I will not always be present to undo what has been done."