Star Crossed Lovers Take Their Life (Darth Ferus)

[Minna]

Ruins of the Grey Temple​

Alderaan​

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The Grey Temple had become more beautiful with time, atleast in Minna's opinion. In the absence of sentient life nature had provided it's own replacement. Vines of ivy and colonies of strange fungi decorated what structures remained of the old temple. It's river now ran with a purplish hue, a sign of some habitation under it's skin. By this river was Minna herself, gazing upon the rock she had first met her master and friend, Alexandra. There was a strong connection between her and this place, one which caused her to revisit time after time to simply remember it's prime. The memories she held all came from here, the people still very much alive in her mind. Alex, William, Veino, Hakora...

Krest...

A strange feeling crept upon the back of her neck. Turning around she saw nothing but the forest, yet a strange presence still clung in the air. A familiar one, the likes of which she had no felt so close to since Malif Cove. Initially she thought best to dismiss it as simply the remnants of the long lost past that resided here, yet as the feeling grew she simply could not ignore it. Her crushgaunt-wielding hands clenched into fists, anticipating the master of a cruel trick to appear. It couldn't be him, he wouldn't return to such a place...

Would he?

[member="Darth Ferus"]

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[Darth Ferus]

This place. Ferus knew it, but he didn't. No, this was not a place he had been to in his lifetime. A place from a memory he had, but not his own. Krest, the Templar knight. The Grey Mentor. Husband to Manna. It had taken so much time for Ferus to separate himself from Krest, yet here he was, his golden gaze looking over what was home to half of him. Perhaps by unlocking more of Krest, he could finally unlock the ellusive half known as Hanchev.

But as he stepped over to the temple he could feel someone familiar. Someone the good part of his soul screamed to stay away from.

"Shush now Krest, lets say hello to your darling wife." A dark grin formed over his lips as he walked towards the signature. Poor Krest, unable to stop him.

 

[Minna]

The familiar presence only grew around her, poking and pulling at her to believe it was real. Maybe it was, maybe he had come here to see her. No, more likely he had come to kill her. Tie up the loose ends, the traitor who's existence threatened Ferus' position in the Sith. If they knew he had allowed a traitor to escape...

Minna took a deep breath, willing herself to calm down. Ferus was here, that she had to accept, and that was a problem. Being near him was dangerous. Love and fear had driven her to the dark side, and now she had managed to escape it. He would only be a reminder of the past, a temptation. She had to be resilient...

Just as she had managed to subside the risk of fear, she turned her head towards the treeline. A figure, approaching from the woods. It was no Iridonian, and definitely not the body of Krest. Yet, at the same time, it was Krest. Another deep breath forced itself upon her, A phantom pain crept upon her cybernetic arm, giving her a feeling of unease. She took a step backwards, raising her left hand up slightly in a feeble signal for the man to stop.

"What are you doing here..." A whisper managed to escape her mouth, as if her voice was hiding from the monster before her.

[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Why, my dear, I am unlocking the memories of your beloved. If I can learn enough, perhaps I can finally silence his interference and unlock the memories of the other trapped within." Both arms of the Sith Lord spread wide as his shadowy form walked over to the female. [member="Minna"] was it! She was the key to removing the voice in his head. To remove Krest and let Hanchev finally be heard.

"What of you? What are you planning?"

 

[Minna]

"You... You're not Krest..." Minna frowned as she stepped back again, looking this stranger up and down. He was not Krest, he had trapped her beloved inside of him. "You won't silence him... He's strong. Stronger than you... You monster!" Another small step back, but this time she backed up against a tree. "What am I planning?" Quickly she looked around, trying to see if anyone else was around, or if anything could help in the situation. She had no idea what Ferus intended to do...

"I'm planning to free Krest..." She replied, stepping forward from the tree and clenching her crushgaunt-wielding fists. It was a plan she had only just thought of, but a plan nonetheless. There was no reason to fear this Ferus, she was no longer weak. If needed, she could take him on.
But was he here for a fight?

[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"You wish to free him? Do you realize what he has done to this galaxy? If not for his rash actions, I wouldn't exist. If not for his need to complete his mission, millions would not be dead. Would you like me to show you what your beloved has left as his legacy?" Ferus was not aggressive, not threatening. In fact, his voice was whimsicle, singing. He was happy with this turn of events, and as he spoke he could feel the Templar screaming within their mind.

"Just come with me, and I will show you the horrors he's committed."

[member="Minna"]

 

[Minna]

Minna didn't fear Ferus, but instead the truth in his words. It was true that Krest was a monster in his own rite, who had caused the deaths of so many with little remorse. For a moment she just looked at him, trying to push the thought of her husband's morality out of her mind. "I'm not going anywhere with you. Let Krest go." Her fists raised up slightly, reluctant yet attempting to show she was ready to take him. "I believe in redemption, and Krest can be redeemed..." She spoke as if her words were truth, but she knew she had trouble even believing herself to be redeemed. There was red in her ledger, but can you wipe out that much red?

[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"I'm sure he can." It was all the Sith Lord said before his form took off for [member="Minna"] . Like a bullet he came, fist raised and brimming with the Force. A quick trust, and he would go to hit her square in the jaw, to knock her out cold.

"I'll show you anyway."

 

[Minna]

Ferus came for her, and in that moment she thought her life was over. This was the end, he had come to tie up loose ends. Then came nothing, a sharp pain then darkness as she was knocked out cold. Time seemed to freeze, keeping her in this nothingness for eternity. Something called out to her, a dark and enticing voice. It repeated her false name, getting louder and louder as she seemed to be nearing something.
"That's not my name!" She called out in her mind, but she was still being dragged towards it.

"Valtryx."
"Valtryx."
"Valtryx."
"Valtryx."

Then she awoke to see the horror he had brought her to...

[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Welcome to the end of it all." Ferus stood before [member="Minna"] , both arms wide as an ever persistent grin remained on his features. The Sith Lord was pleased, thrilled. The greatest mistake of Krest, and Ferus's greatest accomplishment. "Even before this he was lost to me. I was in control. This place is my creation, my domain. My legal-"

He fell still, as if suddenly frozen in place. Not even his chest moved as the Sith went into stasis. Seconds passed without a change, then a sudden scream tore through the air. Erupting from within Ferus, yet not him.

"Kill him!"

Behind the Sith the Basin erupted, as if controlled by the souls within, but it became clear that was not the case. The threatening figure of Ferus began to be torn away as a hollow scream echoed.

The scream of Ferus. Flesh turned to liquid, consumed by the basins waters, but beneath something else became clear. A flash of deep blue.

An eye.

It squinted for Minna, as if it had been blinded for so long. The eye quickly became part of a face as more and more of Ferus was ripped into the Basin.

Krest.

The face of Krest. Of the Zabrak, focused on her and only her. To him, there was nothing else. With a smile though he would speak for the first time. Even with the Siths screams, his voice was crisp and clear as it ever had been.

"I'm sorry. I love you."

Templar Knight Krest, a being trapped within darkness, turned on the very thing that help him captive, and that was once one became two. Ferus, the Sith Lord, and Krest.

"YOU CANT DO THIS TO ME! I AM YOU, I AM EVERYTHING YOU ARE! YOU CANT JUST CAST ME ASIDE!" Ferus screamed at the Zabrak as he was slowly dragged away by the Basins waters. Across the ground he was pulled, the literal shell of a man trying to keep form but being unable. "THIS WONT JUST END! I'LL BRING YOU WITH ME, WE CAN SUFFER TOGETHER! "

The Zabrak left, had one arm, one leg, stumps. Scars from battles long past. With a calm frown the man stared over the crumbling form of that which had held him captive.

"You will never be released aga-" This time Krest was interrupted as the Force swarmed around him in visible darkness. The weakened man could do nothing as he was dragged forward, being torn into the lake with his other half.

This is what he had expected. This us what he had wanted. But as he turned one last time to see Minna, he couldn't help but offer one last sad smile.

This was it.

 

[Minna]

As Krest appeared before her she lost her breath. All these years without seeing him, the real him, and here he was before her. It took it's toll, stunning her for the time it took for Ferus to literally split in two. However, when she noticed her beloved being torn towards the basin, she broke into the fastest run she could manage. Calling upon the force was no help, as the intense darkness in the atmosphere made it difficult to channel the light. In fact, it made her feel physically sick, but nevertheless she pressed on. Her hand reached through the darkness for her beloved, trying to grasp at his form and save him. "Krest!" She shouted, a burning sensation washing over her as she touched the vile matter that enticed him, but through the pain she continued. Nothing would stop her, she was strong. With utter chaos around her she remained calm, a light in all darkness.

She only hoped Krest would follow that light...

[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

Darkness.

That's all Krest saw. The same darkness he had since the day he sent [member="Minna"] away. He had been consumes in his moment of weakness, over come by the being that had taken a form of its own. Yet this time, he did not struggle. He could seal the darkness away, and he had. He even got to see the mother ofnhis child one last time! Oh how the fortunes favored him.

So slowly he closed his eyes, accepting oblivion.

...

"Krest!"

Blue eyes snapped open immedietly. He could hear her voice clear as day. Minna. She had followed him! No! This darkness would consume her just as it had him. No, no. He would not let that happen! Surging forward the Zabrak struggled against the darkness, ripping it free of himself. The light. Yes! Her light! Clawing, dragging, Krest pulled himself across the hard dirt, unable to stand on just the one leg he had.

Another hollow roar of Ferus sounded off, but all of a sudden that faded. Krest took Minna's hand in his own, and the darkness strong enough to consume him faded. It could not take them both. The darkness pulled into the Basin, consumed, and its red waters laid still once more.

A faint smile of the broken Zabrak formed as he looked up to Minna, blue eyes half shut.

"Yo." And with that the man fell still, unable to stay awake any longer.

 

[Minna]

The storm had settled, only the calm remained. Herself, slumped down onto her knees, drained by the remnants of darkness leftover. Krest, laying before her with less limbs than usual, able to speak only one word before losing consciousness. However, the day seemed a victory. As she looked around she noticed there was no Ferus, only the basin's water which swirled calmly, albeit still with sinister intent. Her hands wrapped around the body of her beloved, a single tear bearing itself from her face. She was not sad, but joyful.
"I knew you were still there..." A whisper in the Zabrak's ear, just before she pulled herself up from the ground. With her arm hooked under the only one of his that remained, she hauled him into a carrying position. The force allowed her to support his weight and make her way back to her ship. All the way she looked down at him, admiring the face she hadn't seen in so long.

Once they reached the ship she placed him down gently on her bed, placing a kiss upon his forehead before racing to the cockpit. He needed medical attention, and preferably some cybernetics. Luckily, she had made some good friends in the galaxy. With a few presses on her navigation computer, the ship plotted its course to Sullust. The Alliance was Minna's new home, and no doubt their medical stations would be available for her to use. As they left Fresia behind and jumped into hyperspace, she couldn't help but feel something wasn't right. Something was pulling at her, trying to tell her something. Now wasn't the time to worry about it though, first she had to get Krest healed up and let him rest.

[member="Darth Ferus"]