Step Three: The Ritual

[Minna]

Coruscant​

Sith Temple​

Valtryx's Private Quarters​

One day after the Melletos Bank Heist​

​

The Holonet buzzed with the news of an armed robbery on Melletos' First World Bank that day, with reports that parts of one of the floating city's were damaged and fell to the slums below. Suspects included four men with clown masks, a small, green creature and a man with a scythe, the latter two of which had force powers and lightsabers. Witnesses said that the man with the scythe was trying to help, yet police had not dismissed all suspicions yet. The bank itself posted a 5 million credit bounty, and the Melletos government added 10 million to that number.

If anything, Valtryx was a little disappointed. Surely she was worth more than a mere 15 million? Nevertheless, she was wanted now, and so it was time to ditch the persona of a small, green creature. Her private quarters were set out more ritual like, but the remnants of cloning machines still remained around it's edges. The main cloning tube was now at the back of the room, with a cloth laid on the floor in front of it, inscribed with various runes. Valtryx stood looking at the blank clone inside, a red haired human female.

Everything was ready, now all that the Yodaling waited for was [member="Krest"]. She wanted him to be here for the finale of the grand plan, to see her new form first...

 

[Darth Ferus]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmU2KEKIjiU​

Krest didn't take long to get there. After hearing about the bounty placed on [member="Darth Valtryx"] , he piratically ran to her room, knowing full well that she would be there. There were no knocks or announcing himself as he burst into the room, piratically kicking the door off of it's hinges. His gaze would instantly go to Minna, he seeming to ignore the rest of the room. "There you are! We have to go, now! I can hide you no issue until the bounty falls into the background. But we have to leave im..." He would trail off almost immediately as he let his gaze look around the room. Blue eyes filled with confusion before he turned his eyes back to the yodaling.

"What's going on..?"

 

[Minna]

Reports of a rushing Zabrak came to her almost instantly, giving Valtryx quite the amusement. She made sure the guards did not bother him, and waited with a smile on her face until he came bashing through the door. "What's going on..?"
Valtryx gave a small laugh, before performing a short spin and extending her arms towards the cloning tank as if advertising it. "The grand plan! Near completion, it is." The Yodaling walked over to the tank, running her hand down it's glass as she stared up at the woman inside; soon to be her.
"Like it, do you? My new body..."

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Say what now?" The Zabrak did a double take, looking over to [member="Darth Valtryx"] with sheer shock on his face. His head would tilt a bit as he went in between her and the cloned body. It would take him a moment, but his gaze would eventually settle on yodaling, just completely confused. "Why do you need to change your body..? You're perfect the way you are, what is this about..?"

 

[Minna]

"Why do you need to change your body..? You're perfect the way you are, what is this about..?" Valtryx looked back at Krest, shaking her head, still with a slight smile. "No, don't you see? This new body solves all my problems. Weak, I am now. This body is stronger. There is a bounty out for a 'small green creature'." She would pause for a second, pointing to the clone. "Not a red-haired human." The Yodaling paused again, pacing up and down slightly. "I wanted you to be here when it happens."

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"I don't.." A sigh escaped the Zabrak as he gave one last look to [member="Darth Valtryx"] before turning his gaze to the human. There were many mixed feelings for him, apprehension first, but something else stirred in him. He would nod before moving back to the doorway, basically to stand guard. "Do what you need to do, I'll be here to protect you." That, at the end of the day, was all he wanted to do.

 

[Minna]

Valtryx's smile widened as Krest gave in; she knew he would see it her way. Turning to face the cloning tank once again, the Yodaling positioned herself over the red cloth that was laid before it. "So it begins." She said, sitting down in a meditative position on the cloth. Closing her eyes, she would draw all of the emotions and power she could from within herself, also feeding from Krest's at the same time. His worry hung in the air, even if it only leaked out of his calm composure. Through her emotions she called upon the dark side, bending it to her will. It's energy swirled around her, empowered by the runes below that now glowed bright red. Machines began shaking as a physical wind began to manifest. The room quickly felt clouded by the dark side, so much so that any lightsider would probably find it hard to even breathe.

With each moment Valtryx's soul detached itself from her living form...
She could feel herself drifting outwards...

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

Krest would keep his eyes to the hallway, unsure on what exactly [member="Darth Valtryx"] . But part of him didn't want go know. There are some things even the red man didn't want to understand. There would be no words, no movements, or anything, just him willing what ever his friend wanted to do would be over soon.

 

[Minna]

The current of energy grew stronger by the second, as the runes began to do their work. Her very essence flowed from her like an invisible stream, twisting it's way up towards the cloning tank. The body of the Yodaling began to slump, as if suddenly it was empty of life. In fact, the force itself left the small green creature. Within seconds the chaos in the room settled, and it's energy levels returned to normal. Silent moments passed, until out of nowhere Valtryx's body began to literally crumble away into dust, like a sand castle being blown by the wind. The remaining particles seemed to disappear altogether, leaving nothing.

Inside the tank, the clone remained unmoving.
Nothing seemed to have changed...

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

Krest blinked slowly as soon as he felt [member="Darth Valtryx"] 's signature faded. His head would turn just in time to see Minnas form begin to fall. He would burst right beside her, practically sliding across the room on his knees. His hands would come out to hold her small form, only to have it fade into dust. He would just stare at his hands as her body turned to dust, his eyes wide open.

There was no anger for him. No overwhelming urge to destroy the room. Just.. Emptyness. He would stay there, staring where the yodaling once was. He was broken.

 

[Minna]

Blink. A misty vision came to Valtryx, blurred by moving liquid and dirty glass. Blink. It was more clear now, a room, a slightly broken door, a man. A man holding a pile of dust. Blink. Krest.
Suddenly everything flooded into her. She was Valtryx, a Sith Knight, apprentice of Darth Arcanix. Her memories from before seemed so distant yet clear. One hand raised to the glass of the tank, trying to use physical strength to break it. A useless attempt, when she remembered the other weapon at her disposal.

Feeling the force flow through her for the first time in this new body, Valtryx caused the glass to shatter at her will. It fell to the floor just short of the Zabrak, followed by the human. She landed on her knees, but quickly came to her feet. Her hands came in front of her face, as she examined her new vessel. Looking past her hands, she saw Krest. "Well, hello there." A new voice said as the human lowered her hands. Flicking her hair out of the way slightly, she awaited the no doubt shocked Zabrak's reply.

​

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTiGlNDnOtE​

​

Gone.​

​

​

That was the only thought that entered the Zabraks mind. There was no sound to him as [member="Darth Valtryx"] in her new body broke free. The glass scattered, but he was none the wiser. To put it simply, he was gone. Even after Minna had cut off two of his limbs, tried to kill him, and basically became one of his worst enemies. But, he loved her. She was always more then a friend, and despite the fact that they could never actually be together, he wanted it.​

​

But that was over now. Just staring at the dust, he would sit there. He had no tears, no moans of agony, no screams. He was hollow, broken. Eventually, however, he would feel her. The yodaling's signature, it very, very alive. His blue eyes would drift up to the new red head, blinking slowly.​

​

"Minna..?"​

 

[Minna]

Valtryx smirked, slightly amused by his obvious reaction. "That's me." She replied, offering her hand to help him stand back up. "You look like you've just seen a ghost." The now-human continued, enjoying the situation way too much. "It's done now, you can stop worrying. Atleast you already know, think how complicated it's going to be when Arcanix or Alex see me. No doubt they'll have questions..." Valtryx paused, thinking ahead already. Plans had become her thing now, constantly scheming for the future. That was the nature of a Sith though.

Speaking of Sith...

Her eyes fixed onto Krest. It was obvious he had feelings for her, such emotions that Jedi would say were direct paths to the Dark Side. The fact that Krest dabbled in the dark side needed no questioning, but how to make him a Sith again became a whole lot clearer...

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

Krest, once a powerful Sith Lord, was never above his emotions. Compassion, anger, love, hate. All were things that fueled him in the past, and fueled him still to this day. Ferus was always there, not as a separate part of himself, but simply him. Krest, Ferus. Different names for the same exact person.This same exact person who, upon standing up, pulled [member="Darth Valtryx"] into a tight hug.

​"You're cockiness is noted, but don't do that again." There was a smile on his lips at this point, he just eleated that she still breathed, that she was still alive. But in a new body. It was still a stranger to him, but deep down he knew this woman. Trusted her. His once empty eyes seemed to fill with unparalleled joy, and without the slightest hesitation he would do the one thing he had always wanted to do.

He kissed her.

 

[Minna]

Valtryx did not resist. In fact, she did the opposite and embraced the kiss. Part of her wished it wouldn't end, but sure enough it did, and it left her with nothing but a more caring smile on her face. "Krest..." She said, slightly surprised, but at the same time not at all. "I should probably get my outfit." Her eyes flickered downwards for a second, noticing she was wearing very little after coming out of the cloning tank. Slowly pulling away from the Zabrak, she moved over to the corner of her room where there was a leather outfit with a durasteel shoulder guard. Unstrapping it from it's holder, she put it on herself piece by piece. On the back of the armor were two sheathes, which were empty for the moment. However, from behind the armor stand she pulled out her two Desh-Terenthium swords and slotted them into the sheaths. To finish off, a standard-looking, normal-sized lightsaber came from behind the stand aswell, which she holstered by her waist.

Turning around to Krest with a smile and a slight pose, she asked: "How do I look?"

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

Krest was rather reluctant to let her go, but he would, letting a sigh escape his lips. The red man would move a step back to give her her space, and even turn around as she got dressed. He was still a gentleman, somewhere deep down. Of course, after she asked how she looked, he would turn on a heel, and more than willingly look her up head to toe. With a slight nod of approval, he would speak up.

"Rather nice. It'll take me a bit to get use to this though."

[member="Darth Valtryx"]

 

[Minna]

"Tell me about it..." Valtryx laughed slightly, despite the fact it was no joke. It would take some getting used to, especially since she had never been this tall in her life. So far she was coping well though, and her force powers seemed to work just fine. But from now on she needed a change of combat. Ataru on it's own was no good even in her old body, she needed more variety. "My next grand plan involves you." She started, making it sound more glorified that it was. "I need to grow stronger, and just one teacher won't make me a master like that. You know every lightsaber form there is, and you're a master with a blade. I need you to teach me again, both in lightsaber and sword combat, but this time in others forms. Maybe... Shien... or... Juyo." The darkness inside her boiled slightly as she spoke, her lust for power, and in this case knowledge, fueling the flame of greed. "What do you say, Master Krest?" Her smile became a smirk, as her last comment sounded almost patronizing.

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"I'm not a master of anyone, keep that in mind. Just a mentor." There was a light smile on his lips before he offered a simple shrug. "Though.. Perhaps it is time for me to return to what it is I do best. Tell me, do the Sith have an opening?" A rather interesting grin took over the face of the Zabrak. But [member="Darth Valtryx"] would be able to see more. Well, feel more. They weren't alone, and after Krest burst into the building and kicked open a door it was to be expected.

A single thought would float to the girls mind.

Your master and I have an.. Understanding. A goal to work for. I think it may be time for me to return to the playing field.

 

[Minna]

Valtryx's face lit up almost as soon as he mentioned it. He was going to join the Sith, join her. Alone she would have accomplished nothing, which was why she was trying to get him on board. But together, they could achieve so much... "There's always a space for you..." She paused for a moment to embrace him in a hug, before whispering in his ear. "Darth Ferus." Speaking the name made her feel closer to him already. They were both openly holding the title of Darth, and maybe one day they could hold a title of even more power, whether in the Sith or not. The darkness stirred inside her again. Slowly she pulled from the hug, this time staying close in front of him with her arms resting on his chest. "I'm glad you finally made the right decision..."

[member="Krest"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"You seem to be under the impression I was denying myself the darkness. No, I just wasn't letting it control me." There was the faintest of smiles on the red man's face as he held [member="Darth Valtryx"] . This felt.. So right to him. This time, he would not be alone, no. With her, anything was possible. "But.. It is good to be back. Tell me, where are the leaders of the One Sith? I believe it's time for them to meet Ferus in person."