Private The Dark Lady

[The High Court of Illyria]

SHADOWS OF SABATORA​

Tags: Xobos Yakieer ​

It was a curious time in the galaxy.

On the distant planet of Shola was a sacred temple of the Sith. This temple was unlike any other in the galaxy, because it could never be found by mere searching. Finding the ancient temple of Sabatora required that one held possession of a key of sorts. For the visiting Sith Apprentice, Xobos Yakieer this key was reflected in the body of her feline companion. The massive Maalraas Sabatora had been silent as of late. Her mind was calm and she seemed to keep to herself, even though she followed her mistresses commands explicitly, it almost seemed as if some of her sentience had eroded from Xobos' takeover of her mind.

Shola was a planet bathed in ash and soot, much like the world of Mustafar it was bathed in volcanic activity. However that was not the only thing that overtook the planet. The Dark Side of the Force was thick upon the planet's surface, to the point where even trained Sith could be stunned by the all encompassing weight that laid before them. The moment Xobos' starship came out of hyperspace she would feel the draw of the world. It would call her to a single location on the world, the entrance to Sabatora's temple. The temple was a massive Obsidian structure, with lava flowing freely from the battlements down into the lake of magma that surrounded the temple. The pathway to the temple was traversed easily enough, yet their was one curious sight.

Statues of iron. Hundreds of them, lining the path from Xobos' landing space to the temple. They were monstrous men, with features of grim expression and hellish fates. Each man held an iron spear and glared at those who walked the path with deadly intent.

Now, as the Mistress of the Shadowcats approached the main doors to the temple she would find them sealed with a silent question, what would she do?
​

​

 

[Xobos Yakieer]

Location: Shola, Dark Temple
Equipment: Faceless Armor, Knight Saberstaff
Mental state: Silent.
Tags: | The High Court of Illyria |

Throughout her training, Adron had taken her to planet after planet. Whether it be assassinating a target, surviving on a hostile world, or seeking out some sort of objective, Xobos saw the galaxy under him. Even after settling down on Illyria like she was now, her missions still took her all over the northern part of the galaxy. Had she remained on Roon, this life would have never been revealed to her, and it would have been decidedly less…interesting for sure.

Yet even in her travels, there had never been a place that had affected her like Shola. Throughout the landing of her shuttle, the Miraluka’s eyes were fixated to the planet, attempting to figure out why it had such a deep connection to the dark side of the force. It was something that pounded in her mind, and she didn’t realize how silent she had become until the like shaking of her shoulder by the pilot next to her. “Hey, Xobos.” Hin’s voice filled the cabin, pulling her from the trance the planet had put on her. Taking a moment to gather her breathing, she then turned to the man, affording him a small smile.

“There’s something wrong with this place, isn’t there?” The pilot, formerly Grey Squadron’s leader now her personal pilot, was not force sensitive in the least. But one did not survive the amount of life threatening situations as he had without having a good intuition within his mind. And it didn’t take a jedi or a sith to know there was something very wrong about this planet. Xobos let out another soft sigh, nodding as she did. “I would say so. But it where I’m going to get answers, so it is where we go.” She said, pulling herself from her seat, turning to exit out of the cockpit. “You know the drill by now. Lock the doors, I will comm when I am coming back. Leave if you do not receive word from me within forty hours.” Xobos knew the likelihood that the man would actually leave was slim. Hin was loyal to a fault. His loyalty would not concern her now, as much more important matters were taking to the forefront of her mind.

Exiting the ship, she found herself immediately switching on the filters within her mask to alleviate some part of her breathing in the soot ridden environment. She had heard of planets like this. Being on one was a completely different thing all together. Sabatora didn’t seem to mind, not that she would’ve spoke had she did. The Maalraas’ hadn’t spoken since Xobos had broken her mind, and was silent, even here. She could feel something…growing within the beast, however. There was something about this place that was awakening her senses.

The pair of monsters continued their journey upward toward the hulking temple, silent as they walked. At least, Xobos was, until the statues came into the view and were eventually passed by. “Why Iron…” She mused, noticing the rust on some of the statues, while others looked relatively newer. Logic would have it that some of these had been here longer than others. But who was placing them here? And why?

These were questions that only continued to build as they made their way to the door of the temple, solid and unbudging. Xobos vainly tried to push the thing open, but felt resistance on the other side, as if the very thing was cursed by some dark side magic. With a grumble, she looked down to her side where her blade sat attached to her hip. There was always the possibility of opening the door that way, but who knew the anger she might unleash if approached like that. The answer was here somewhere. She just needed a clue…

 

[Adron Malvern]

PREPARE​

Tags: Xobos Yakieer ​

There were many dark powers in the galaxy. Some of these powers were designed to defend, some were designed to attack, yet the powers locked behind the door before Xobos was very clearly designed to keep one such as Xobos away. The moment the young Sith pressed her palms against the door she would feel a warmth, a deep warmth that flowed through her body as natural as her own blood. The Dark Side was powerful with this place and as Xobos stepped back she would feel its surge.

The door's began to shimmer and shine as if blessed by some unholy crimson magic.

That was when it happened.

A powerful bolt of Force Lightning fired out from the door's face, aiming to slam into the woman's chest and throw her back from the door she'd tried to enter. The blood red bolt of Force Lightning was powerful, yet it lasted for only a moment.

The dark powers remained, lingering over the door with a solemn aura. Upon the door was an inscription, written in an ancient dialect that Xobos would recognize as one of the languages of the Sith. Through the girl's schooling she would read the inscription as such.

Only Sith may travel upon this dark road.

To be our Master, you must speak our code.

Yet be warned, you face your fear.

Never dream of freedom here.

With the blood-red inscription falling unseen once again, the powers of the door seemed to settle and all returned to as it was before Xobos had approached.
​

​

 

[Xobos Yakieer]

Location: Shola, Dark Temple
Equipment: Faceless Armor, Knight Saberstaff
Mental state: Silent.
Tags: | The High Court of Illyria |

To say the bolt of lightning that suddenly struck out from the door surprised her would be a complete understatement. Xobos barely had a moment to brace before the streak of red electricity hit her square in the chest. The sudden attack knocked the breath clean from her lungs, forcing her to a knee as she gasped to regain the lost oxygen. Beyond that pain, Xobos looked down to see that her chest armor had been visibly cracked from the attack. It was the first time since putting this armor on all that time ago that anything had truly damaged it. Just seeing that damage made it very clear how much danger she was in.

Thankfully, even in her pain hazed state, Xobos had been able to grasp the words that had appeared on the door that barred her entrance. Had she not been brought up within the sith arts, perhaps the riddle would’ve ended her quest to get inside right then and there. But her training had been in with a powerful sith, and he had made sure to install in her the very core of their beliefs. The Sith code, exactly what the door was referring to. With a groan, the apprentice dragged herself from a knelt position to stand tall. Now with her lungs refilled, Xobos spoke loud and clear the code that had so drilled itself into her mind.

“Peace is a lie. There is only Passion.

Through Passion I gain Strength.

Through Strength I gain Power.

Through Power I gain Victory.

Through Victory my chains are Broken.

The Force shall free me.”

There was a pause for a moment, as the Miraluka finished speaking the Qotsisajak out loud. She should have heard the door opening, or felt more accomplished, instead there was only a deadly feeling of dread. That feeling only grew and grew, until it was a rushing wave that collapsed over her, and there was just enough time to bring the cape of her armor up to meet the oncoming rush of lightning. The attempt was almost totally in vain as the red electricity ate through the cape like it was a piece of paper, striking at her side with a force that once again cracked the armor it ate into. Xobos let out a cry of pain pulled from the deepest parts of her chest, her vision going blurry in the process.

She couldn’t understand it. That was the code. It didn’t make sense that this wasn’t the answer to this whole riddle. The fuzziness that her mind was left in after the shock didn’t help anything either, only compounding the confusion. A shakey breath made it’s way past her lips. Breath, that’s all that was going through her mind in the moment. Breath. Compose yourself. Use the pain. Concentrate. What other answers are there?

Sabatora was a long dead sith. Perhaps one of the first. It was conceivable that she was a practitioner of the alternate ending of the code that a few followed. It could be the answer, and was the only one coming to mind in the moment. So through gritted teeth, the apprentice once again stood, ready to speak the correct answer this time through.

“Peace is a lie. There is only Passion.

Through Passion I gain Strength.

Through Strength I gain Power.

Through Power I gain Victory.

Through Victory my chains are Broken.

The Force shall free me.

Peace is a lie.”

The rushing feeling of dread came much faster this time. So fast, that Xobos had no time to defend or turn her body, and the red bolt of lightning that struck out from the door slammed directly into the apprentice’s helmet, shattering it. Xobos was left with a helmet only covering half her face, and the uncovered have having a gash that bleed profusely. She found herself once again on her knees, this time with her head bowed, blood dripping down her forehead, streaking onto her nose then onto the ground below, where it pooled on the grey stone below.

She was injured. That much was obvious enough, but she was truly fading this time. What vision through the force she still was able to concentrate and create was a fuzzy, inconceivable blob. Her breaths ran ragged, and the worst of all, Xobos had absolutely no idea what to say now. The pain helped nothing, and the answer for the door seemed completely out of reach. There was no help for her here. No voices, no master, no friends. Nobody. And one more blast with that lightning would leave her for dead on this kark forsaken planet. Yet there was no going back without completing her mission. Adron wouldn’t accept her, especially not in her current state.

In her anger, pain, and desperation, Xobos threw the ruined cloak from her shoulders, and the shattered helmet from her head. Two pieces of armor that had been with her since the beginning. The armor that made her a faceless menace for the scum that dared defy her King, her master. Gone. Shattered. Ruined. Just like she was if she couldn’t figure out this riddle.

More drops of blood hit the stone before Xobos could get her thoughts in order. She had the code right, that much was obvious to her. There was nothing wrong with her assumption. Instead, the pain that rocked through her body focused her mind enough to think back onto the riddle itself. The last line was referring to the code, but the line before…

And in her pain strained state, knowing fully well that this answer could be the official end to her story, Xobos once again pulled herself to a full standing height. If she was going to go out, it was going to be on her feet. Standing tall, as any sith would. She would not die on her knees. And with a voice filled to the brim with determination and laced with the pain the planet had already inflicted on her, the Mistress of Shadowcats gave her final answer.

“Peace is a lie. There is only Passion.

Through Passion I gain Strength.

Through Strength I gain Power.

Through Power I gain Victory.

Through Victory my chains are Broken.”

Though the pain might’ve negated it, there no wave of regret or disappointment that built in her stomach. Instead, almost the exact moment that the final line of the code was not spoke, the doors to the great temple cracked upward, slowly beginning to open toward the apprentice. A sigh of relief could be heard as Xobos realized she would not die at this moment, her eyes now focused enough to see the darkness beyond the doors. And for just a moment, she hesitated, looking to where she had discarded her robe and helmet. There was a pause, then a shake of the head. They were parts of her past now. If she was to get through this trial, it would be as a new sith. One that did not depend on the voices within her mind, and instead on her own power.

That power coursed through her veins, giving her the ability to step forward and into the darkness, intent on facing whatever trials the temple would give her.

 

[The High Court of Illyria]

STEP FORWARD​

Tags: Xobos Yakieer ​

The moment that Xobos uttered the final line of the code, the doors to the temple began to quake and rumble. As they were thrown open the Dark Side in the temple seemed to grow thick and wrap itself around Xobos, urging her within. Xobos would take only a few steps inside the massive black-iron gates before they were closed behind her. A loud slam echoed out and in the next moment, the dark path before her was illuminated with fires of sunburnt orange. She stood in a well lit hallway, torches lining the path before her in neat rows.

For every set of torches, there were a number of portraits within the hall. Each one was of some individual or another. The first seemed to be the portrait of a mighty Sith Lord whose hands were thrown to the sky, in either a fit of agony or hatred. He was a Sith pureblood of massive stature and his robes had ancient runes on them, that even Xobos would struggle to decipher.

The next portrait appeared to be a Jedi of sorts. He did not wear long flowing robes, instead he had on ancient battle armor that was most commonly associated with the Jedi of the Ancient Republic, before the Rusaan reformation. The Republic crest that was so proudly stamped on his chest had a single deep gash in it, showing he had been struck by some odd weapon, seemingly a lightsaber. As the hall went on the portraits continued. Xobos would notice that as she continued it seemed there were portraits of individuals from over twenty different eras of all kinds of species and creeds. Jedi, Sith, Mandalorians, Smugglers, Bounty Hunters, Twi'leks, Rodians, Zabracki, Wookies, and much more. The hall continued on for what fell like several yards before finally the portraits and the torches came to an end.

A thick wall of darkness laid before Xobos, an unnatural barrier between the lit hall and what laid before her. Yet, as she turned to the side, she would see an all too familiar portrait. It was an image of herself. Bowed on her knees and racked with fear, the woman seemed to be consoling herself from some great tragedy. In that moment, the Dark Side surged once again.
​

​

 

[Xobos Yakieer]

Location: Shola, Dark Temple
Equipment: Faceless Armor, Knight Saberstaff
Mental state: Silent.
Tags: | The High Court of Illyria |

“Of course this place has lit torches.”

Honestly, it didn’t surprise her. This temple could be decimated, destroyed, and left baren for hundreds of years, and the torches would still be lit. That just seemed to be the lay of the land for these sith temples. Probably some sith magic that kept them flaming, or ignited them whenever someone came into their presence. Either way, it was something that Xobos reminded herself to keep in mind and research when she came back home to Garde Noire.

That was assuming she survived this whole ordeal, at least. But if one didn’t have the confidence that they’d walk away from a situation like this, then they were almost certainly doomed. Optimism did have it’s place in life, when confidence could back it up.

Her focus was quickly changed from the flickering torches to the paintings on the wall, brows beginning to furrow at their fascinating subjects. They seemingly dedicated times far, far past. Many of these times had only ever been described to her in a book, never in such detailed picture form. Even then, when stopping in front of a painting depicting a alien of red color, she had learned enough to know the man was a sith pureblood. Their species hadn’t been seen in the galaxy in thousands of years, so it could only be surmised that whoever this sith was, he must’ve died long, long ago. How the painting got in this temple didn’t make much sense to her, but then again, nothing ever did in a place like this.

The next subject, a jedi, confirmed her suspicions of the timeline that these paintings had started. He was not a jedi of this galaxy’s orders, the symbol on his paladin and armor spoke to that. Though he seemingly ended up like every other jedi would, however. Dead, a lightsaber or…something, slashed across his chest.

Themes began to become clear to her as she pressed on through the hallway. Death, suffering, pain. Every painting featured it, every painting seemingly praised it. The themes built Xobos’ mind toward one inevitable conclusion, a conclusion that she spoke aloud the moment she saw the final painting. Her painting.

This was a trophy collection, and this place intended on turning her into just another memory on the wall.

 

[The High Court of Illyria]

SABATORA​

Tags: Xobos Yakieer ​

As Xobos continued down the hall there was a cold breeze to flow through the dark corridor. With it the torches all danced mildly before settling once again. The flickering lights caused the hall to shift about a bit, to the point where darkness and light became obscure concepts. When the winds passed and the light returned, Xobos would look back to the portrait of herself and notice it was no longer painted. It was nothing more than a blank canvas of white paper.

That was when the voice called out to Xobos. Like pure spring water poured into a silver chalice. It was refined, sensual, and yet there was a sophisticated accent that would be foreign to Xobos.

"Little Sithling." The woman's voice called out. "A stray cat? So far from her Master's side."

There was a crystal-like laugh that rang out over the hall and suddenly the path before Xobos became illuminated.

"It has been so long since this temple has entertained such an extraordinary guest. How long? Two thousand years? No, not quite that long, perhaps only a thousand. Time is such a tricky thing to keep track of." Her voice was coy and playful as the hall was revealed. What laid before Xobos was a threshold leading into a courtyard. Like the rest of the temple it was well-maintained, no speck of dust or cobwebs present. The Courtyard was host to a number of beautiful garden plots where golden-orange flowers were growing effortlessly.

"So tell me Sithling, what is your name?" The voice asked.

The flowers and plants would begin to rock and sway as if pushed by a passing wind. Pollen that spilled from the flowers would flow around Xobos in a mesmerizing dance before finally taking form before her. The pollen would glow a bright gold before dispersing, in its place was a beautiful woman. Lithe, wearing a midnight black dress the woman's pale skin was a heavy contrast to the black dress and pitch black eyeshadow she wore.

Her hand came out, the back of her hand rolling across Xobos' shoulder. "A precious thing, you are. Such a fit body and wonderful presence in the Force." Her eyes scanned Xobos' form carefully, before her lips drew up into a proud smile. "Such a powerful young Sith. You could be so great, with the proper instruction." The youthful woman pointed out.
​

​

 

[Xobos Yakieer]

Location: Shola, Dark Temple
Equipment: Faceless Armor, Knight Saberstaff
Mental state: Silent.
Tags: | The High Court of Illyria |

What was once a picture of herself, crying out in anguish and pain, morphed itself into a blank canvas, one that no longer held her features. It was quite the thing to see, something practically out of an alchemy workbook. It seemed as though quite possibly everything around her was merely a mirage, something that was confirmed the moment the hall and lights began to change, stretch, move, and suddenly her walk turned into one leading toward a courtyward. But..not before a whisp of a voice made it’s way into her mind.

Perhaps another would be surprised, startled by the sudden appearance of a voice echoing through her mind. Whatever existed in ones mind to make that sort of thing happen, Xobos burned out long, long ago. What the voice appearing in her mind did for the Miraluka, instead of scaring her, was peak her interest, head sweeping from side to side for the origin of the voice. Nothing, at least not for the moment.

How long had this temple existed? With how the temple’s structure changed, and the inability to separate reality from the mystic arts, figuring out just how old this place was would be impossible for Xobos at the moment. A slight smirk peaked at the edge of her lips, chuckling at the playfulness of the voice. “I can imagine so, when the entirety of your existence exists within these walls. Or at least, it would, if that was the case..” Despite her playful tone back, every muscle within her body was tense and strained, ready to leap into action at the very essence of a dangerous word from this voice.

Warning signals erupted throughout her mind the moment the voice asked for her name, yet her hand didn’t move toward the hilt of her saber. No reason to tick the voice off, just yet. “Xobos Yakieer. Knight of Illyria. Sieur of the people of Garde Noire. Sith…apprentice.” Oh how she wanted to lie, speak of a title she had not yet earned, but it didn’t feel right. This was a step toward it, and a goal that would be achieved.

The massive Great Maalraas by her side looked up toward her for a moment, catching her gaze in what seemed to be a legitimately thoughtful one. It wouldn’t surprise her if she found out that Sabatora was speaking to the voice too. Or at least, hearing it.

A hand on her shoulder and words that seemingly meant to cut brought Xobos back to where the voice originated from, head tilting as she observed the new form. “I would say..my training under Darth Malphas has..sufficed. quite well, actually.” She knew what the voice was fishing for, and despite this, the Miraluka kept her hands crossed in front of her, the picture of peace. For the moment, that was.

 

[The High Court of Illyria]

RETURN​

Tags: Xobos Yakieer ​

The woman who stood before Xobos in the courtyard was beautiful and poised, to be sure.

Her hips were finely shaped and she even seemed to offer Xobos a warm, yet piercing smile. Her eyes, matching that of a serpents, drifted down to the Great Maalraas who laid by her master's side.

"The expansive galaxy...how boorish." She admitted in a condescending tone. "It is something I despise and yearn in equal amounts." She told the Sith apprentice, while crossing her arms under the bust of her chest. "Sith need not concern themselves with the working of the galaxy. It is beneath them, for we are like gods in such a place. That is why I confined myself here." She said, gesturing to the room that surrounded them with a light flourish of her arm.

"Still. Curiosity did kill the cat, didn't it?" She mused, turning her eyes towards the Maalraas once again. "That is why I divided myself into two. One to learn of the galaxy and how it progressed and another to remain here, safe and protected." Her arms wrapped around themselves, as if conveying her sense of self worth. She sighed out before her gaze turned cold and her tone like ice. "Yet, with myself divided I am less than I was..."

"The half of me that left Shola was nothing more than a spectre in the Force, seeking refuge. For whatever reason she chose the heart of a mindless beast. She became devoured by her instincts and forgot all about her dear sister."

"Even more foolish, she got herself enthralled by a lowly apprentice." A dry, callous laugh echoed out as the woman turned from the two, her hips swaying as she moved away from them. "But you have returned her to me." The woman said pointedly. "And now you will release your hold over her so we may become one yet again."

"Do so and I will reward you...generously." She purred.
​

​

 

[Xobos Yakieer]

Location: Shola, Dark Temple
Equipment: Faceless Armor, Knight Saberstaff
Mental state: Silent.
Tags: | The High Court of Illyria |

She means no good at all, does she now.

Each word, each flip of one of those long arms seemingly dripped with condensing meaning. Nothing, it seemed, about this woman was truly real. Just like the garden, the halls, hell, even the entire temple around her, there seemed to be an air of faux to everything about her. Still, what the woman said made…little sense to the apprentice. Why would one confine themselves to a place such as this, purposefully, even if they did believe the galaxy was beneath them. That wasn’t what her master had taught her. The galaxy was to be utilized, like a tool. It was only when people had no more function in your life that they were then cast aside. Confining ones self to a place like this went against that very foundation.

And seemed very, very stupid. Or, she was lying…and instead, was very foolish.

Yet Xobos stayed silent. She allowed the woman to speak, allowed her to walk into what seemed to be more lies and mistruths. If the galaxy was so beneath her, there would be no reason to split herself, especially not to keep part of herself safe. No, no galaxy that didn’t pose a threat would keep someone here. Unless Xobos was misinterpreting, this woman had greatly deeply motives that were not being shared.

Finally, the kicker set in. She wanted what was supposedly her second half back. But for what reason, she would not give up. For what end, it was not spoken of. So instead of immediately agreeing, probably what the supposed Sabatora in front of her wanted, Xobos began to pace slowly from side to side, eyeing the image. Perhaps to rub it in even more, her hold on the Great Maalraas continued, forcing the beast to walk by her side.

“See..I have a few problems with this.” It was the first time Xobos had spoken since the other woman had appeared, and the apprentice did so with a tone so well taught by her master. “I know who you are. I know of the deeds you committed so long ago. Therefore, I know not to trust anything you say.” Turning, a slightly quirked eyebrow raised as she did, she continued. “That’s the sith way, is not? We are not trusting creatures. And some of the things you have said left questions in my mind that are..unavoidable.”

The Miraluka stopped, now, reveling in the anger she more than likely promoted with her words. “Frankly, I find it a little curious, that you would keep yourself here, safe, from..whatever it is you fear…in a galaxy that is supposedly beneath you, and you would allow..a specter to roam free. Something that could so easily fall to the whims of a beast. So I come to one question.” That blinded gaze fell upon the woman in front of her as her hands slowly moved to clasp in front of her once more. Now was the time for the ending of the games.

“Who put you in this prison?”

 

[The High Court of Illyria]

DEATH​

Tags: Xobos Yakieer ​

Who put you in this prison?

The words caused the Sith Lady to wrap her arms around herself in a narcissistically loving embrace. Her lips curled into a tight thin-lipped smile yet her eyes were cold and dark as she leveled them against Xobos. "Curious little girl." She purred, before shaking her head in a silent declination to answer Xobos' question. "I tried to offer you power and you spit in my face? You insignificant little kitten." She said, her beautiful voice laced in a fine bile of hatred.

"Fine. Reject my gift." She said, her voice turning to a cracked screech as her serpent like eyes settled on the young Sith Apprentice. Sabatora began to take a few paced steps back from Xobos, her voice becoming a soft melody once again as she narrowed her eyes on the woman who had slighted her. "...And feel my wrath." Her words were little more than a whisper before her right hand lashed out. Almost immediately Xobos, who was still a hopeful in the world of the Dark Sith arts, would feel the unyielding pressure of the Dark Side. In one crushing moment, both Xobos and her pet Maalraas felt an immeasurable weight fill their bodies. So much so that it became nearly impossible for them to move.

Next was the darkness.

It flooded the room like an unnatural wave, crashing down over Xobos' senses until her ability to see with the Force was all but diminished. With her senses properly attuned, Xobos could feel Sabatora and the Maalraas that stood before her, yet the next moment was something more than a feeling.

It was fear.

"All...alone..." A voice called out to Xobos. A familiar voice. One that belonged to a certain pink Zeltron ( Cali Ziiva ) whom the young apprentice was fond of. "Poor...little...Xobos." The voice echoed out, teasingly yet through a blanket of pain and anguish.

"You should have never left Xobos..." The darkness parted to reveal the young girl. Her pink skin painted in red and her eyes swollen and deformed. Hideous, even to the senses that Xobos employed in place of her vision, the young girl was a horrid abomination in comparison to what she once was.

"You should have never left your home...you killed me...killed all of us." The blood dripping from Cali's lips was a black-red bile that seemed to fill a puddle beneath the two of them. If Xobos were to take even a step forward, she would feel the immeasurable pain of death and the stink of decay that came from her treasured friend.
​

​

 

[Xobos Yakieer]

Location: Shola, Dark Temple
Equipment: Faceless Armor, Knight Saberstaff
Mental state: Silent.
Tags: | The High Court of Illyria |

Well…seems as though she sufficiently ticked off the sith. Of course, that had been goal by what she had said, but the sudden reaching out of a hand toward her did make her want to take a step back, not so much out of fear but the surprise at the sudden movement. No..no the fear hit just a few moments later, when her step was suddenly forced to a halt. How she was suddenly unable to move only gave her a deeper shot of fear. The crushing force on her body seemingly continued to keep her in place, making it so that the only thing she could force herself to move were her wrists and fingers.

And then…her vision was taken. Adron had made sure to force her through training where her vision was either taken by him, or by some sort of devise or animal. It wasn’t that she wasn’t prepared for this that made her fearful, it was a combination of being unable to move, unable to put distance between her and the sith visage. She could feel her getting closer with every step. Every single muscle in her body flared with a need to move. Danger receptors fired constantly within her mind. She needed to leave, needed to move. But she couldn’t. That weight on her body ensured that.

The fear, darkness crushed her mind, threatening to turn her into something she was very much not. And perhaps, any other sith would’ve fallen. Xobos had been taught, grown up, different. Ambrus, Ora, Lagos made sure of that. Constantly living in fear that another vision would pop up, that they would punish her for making a mistake. The fear that this situation was putting within her mind was heavy, but a small sliver of her thoughts were still able to follow the location of the sith spirt around her. Keep an thought on her, wait for the moment…

That train of thought was delayed…derailed, at the site in front of her.

Cali.

The only parts of her body she could still move curled in rage at how her Zeltron had been deformed, changed into this visage. This was not her girl. There was no perk, no smile. This was nothing more than a mirage intended to push her further into submission. And she would not allow her love to be treated in such a manor. “Cali…” She started, voice stretched to fein pain, need, while her hand slowly began to uncurl, and the darkness around her hand began to stretch and form into a fine point.

“I’m sorry, love.” With those words, her wrist flicked upward, sending the darkshear knife flying right above the faux Zeltron’s shoulder, right where she knew the face of that horrible visage would be.

 

[The High Court of Illyria]

SHATTERED​

Tags: Xobos Yakieer ​

Standing before Sabatora, Xobos was as a newborn babe to an unsuspecting world.

The powerful Sith Lady ran her hands down the woman's cheek as she remained firmly fastened in the illusion that the Sith had cast over her. Sabatora tsked softly as she looked down to the Maalraas who stood before her, still frozen by the immeasurable power of the Dark Side. She smirked at the half of her being that had been so humiliatingly subjugated by the young Sith Apprentice. "Shhh. I will free you shortly...but first." She turned from the two, one of her hands falling down to the slip of her elegant dress. She unfastened a small device before pulling it free from a holster on her hip.

The lightwhip was her favored weapon. Unlike the lightsaber it was a less conventional form of combat for her time, yet still something she was able to master in the early years of her training. Her early years. They were a blur, after living so long and splitting her conscious in two there remained nothing left of her true memory. That smile began to fade as she realized this. That was one reason she was so desperate to return her other half to it's proper place.

She hugged herself lovingly, thin streams of tears falling from her eyes. "Finally, I will be whole again." Her voice shuttered softly.

The woman turned happily towards Xobos, yet the Force echoed out violently. Her eyes flew open in a wide surprise as she felt Xobos effectively shatter the illusion she had been placed under.

"You broke my power over you?!" She shrieked just as her hand flicked over the pressure pad. The weapon came to life and the energy whip flowed out of the hilt, a long orange-red cord flowing out with violent pulses.

With a flourish of her wrist the whipcord would aim to strike Xobos across her chest, hopefully before the Sith Apprentice fully broke the spell she'd been placed under.
​

​

 

[Xobos Yakieer]

Location: Shola, Dark Temple
Equipment: Faceless Armor, Knight Saberstaff
Mental state: Silent.
Tags: | The High Court of Illyria |

The haziness was still clouding her mind when she vaguely recognized the weapon being unfurled and lashing out toward her. As much as her body screamed to move out of the way, her mind was a second behind, resulting in the lightwhip’s painful bit slashing across her shoulder. A pained cry echoed through the chamber as she felt the bite cut through her armor and slice through the skin underneath. Another painful reminder this was not her place, that she was being hunted, and every mistake would cost her. Between that strike and the ordeal at the door, Xobos was already fighting off the drowsiness of the oncoming darkness.

Fight it. Bring back yourself back to the moment. Find the weakness and times to strike. Voices of Zax and her master echoed throughout her mind, urging her back into the light. Even her own voices, silent since the time of the caves, felt as though they were urging her on as well. Glaring at the woman in front of her, Xobos silently reached for her blade, a snap hiss echoing through the space as the orange and black blades illuminated the space around her. She was hurt, pained, and near the edge both physically and mentally…

But it would be a cold day in hell before she fell here.

The first two strikes from the other woman were dodged by the apprentice, her mind racing for the lessons she had been taught about how to combat such a weapon. Practically no one used this type of weapon anymore, and it was taking a moment to fully remember Zax’s lessons on a lightwhip defense. But a benefit of her dodging was the ability to shake off the cloud that had been over her mind, which in turn, made her mind working faster and faster.

Eventually, what every lesson taught her to look for started to reveal itself. An opening. Sabatora’s strikes with the whip were long, and while the direction was extremely hard to predict, the timing was not. When she reared back to strike forward once again, Xobos brought the top blade of her hilt up to meet it. The result was the whip circling around the blade and a struggle between Sabatora and the apprentice to see who would win the strength match. However, there was one little trick that she knew that her opponent didn’t.

Feeding herself with the mark, fueling herself with it’s power, she found the strength to jerk her blade downward, pulling her opponent off balance for just a moment. And in that moment, a subtle twist of the middle part of her hilt detached the bottom blade, so while one blade continued to point downward, pulling Sabatora off balance, the other was brought down hard, intent on slicing her opponent from shoulder to hip in once clean sweep.

 

[The High Court of Illyria]

RAGE​

Tags: Xobos Yakieer ​

Sabatora was a fury in the presence of the Dark Side.

Her light whip lashed out furiously, hoping to slice Xobos to ribbons. The weapon was not so powerful that it could cut the hardest metals in the galaxy clean through, however its unpredictability was an advantage she was used to exploiting.

"You stupid, little, rat!" She shrieked with every lash of the whip. She had landed a painful blow upon the Sith Apprentice's shoulder, but it was not nearly enough to destroy her. Unhinged and relying on powerful rage, Sabatora allowed herself to be caught in an age-old counter to the light whip. The weapon wrapped around Xobos' lightsaber blade and while Sabatora could have used the maneuver to try and jerk the weapon from the apprentices hands, she did not have the chance.

She felt herself come off-balance. That was when she saw it.

The lightsaber blade bearing down on her defenseless form. So she did all she could to preserve her life. She released her energy whip, allowing the momentum of the maneuver to send her sprawling into the hard ground below. Yet, Sabatora was nimble and with the power of the Force she could push herself into an effective roll that allowed her to wisp past Xobos' legs.

Her dress ripped as she folded her legs, narrowly escaping Xobos' attack. Yet when she came to a stop, quickly turning to face her enemy she growled out. "Die!"

Sabator brought forth both of her hands in a powerful force repulse. It came with a powerful pressure that caused most of the items in the room to shift unnaturally from the kinetic wave that rushed towards Xobos.
​

​

 

[Xobos Yakieer]

Location: Shola, Dark Temple
Equipment: Faceless Armor, Knight Saberstaff
Mental state: Silent.
Tags: | The High Court of Illyria |

Xobos couldn’t help the growl that escaped her lips as her strike failed to find it’s home. It was an attack that most typically worked, but then again, Zax was not a sith lord, and neither was the training dummies that she fought against. This was a fight of life or death. There was no more training, no more getting ready, either she walked away victorious, or not walking away at all. Some attacks might not work, yet there was nothing that could stop her from pushing straight ahead.

Sabatora’s growl of anger that echoed throughout the space brought an evil grin to her face. Perhaps she wasn’t getting to the woman. Perhaps this was exactly how she fought, allowing her emotions to take center stage and be spewed all over the place. Or maybe, just maybe, Xobos had thrown more than her body off balance. There was the chance that the woman’s entire balance was now off center, allowing herself to become more and more open for strikes.

Emotions could be powerful as well, as demonstrated by the massive kinetic wave rushing toward her. There was no time to think about what to do, or how her training had taught her to dispel something like this, instead taking a step back to ride the wave like a surfer. Pressing off with her front foot, the apprentice rode the wave backward until feeling the wall of the area rapidly approaching, then contorted her body, to press both her feet against the wall, absorbed the final part of the wave then shot forward.

She rolled once, coming up a few feet away from the sith with the slightest bits of a smirk peaking at the edges of her lips. “Powerful. Yet..not concentrated. Here, let me demonstrate.” One of her hands reared back, sending a repulse straight toward the right knee of the sith. Either she’d fight it, finding herself with plenty of muscle damage from the result, or falling off balance once again, this time falling straight toward her opposite blade that was quickly rising to meet her face. The move had been taught to her time and time again by Adron, and while dubbed as dirty by some…

It didn’t matter if your opponent ended up dead.

 

[The High Court of Illyria]

OBJECTIVE​

Tags: Xobos Yakieer ​

The Lady Sabatora was certainly off-balance.

For years she had been a Sith Lady of prowess who deserved respect. Now, she had half of herself ripped from it's base leaving her as less than she ever was. When Xobos fired off a kinetic blast of the Force for Sabator's knee all the woman could do to spare herself from a broken leg was shift her weight in favor of the blast, yet that threw her off her balance. Xobos' blade rose to meet Sabatora and the woman felt her chest tighten.

That was when the explosion occurred.

Before the lightsaber could slam into Sabatora's face the woman called on to the Force to protect her, drawing a barrier in between her face and Xobos' lightsaber. In the next moment the energy field that Sabatora called on to defend her massively expanded, exploding out. This was not a calculated strike, yet a technique used out of instinct and on impulse. With the woman's weapon discarded and her balance lost what more could she do but explode out in the Force, hoping to destroy the woman before her.
​

​

 

[Xobos Yakieer]

Location: Shola, Dark Temple
Equipment: Faceless Armor, Knight Saberstaff
Mental state: Awaken.
Tags: | The High Court of Illyria |

The slice was going to land. Everything about it was going well, and there would be no more rolling away for the pathetic excuse for a sith Lady. This would be Sabatora’s end, and would be Xobos’ final step into the knighthood of siths.

Until it didn’t land, and Xobos’ body found itself being flung backward and into the barriers that surrounded the room. Some kind of explosion of force outward. That’s all she could remember. Then the explosion of pain throughout her body and the cry that escaped her lips as she felt to the ground. Her entire body screamed in utter pain and the attack she had just had to weather.

But she could move. She had to move. If she didn’t, the sith would recover her strength and end her where she lay. Even with the screaming pain that rocked her body, even as she slowly raised herself to her knees and spat a mouthful of blood onto the stone ground below, she was able to move. Able to slowly bring herself to stand. And her gaze fixated on the visage of the sith, no longer exuding the calm confidence that had won her the battle thus far. Instead…an unbridled rage channeled from the deepest depths of her mind.

“I am Xobos Yakkier…I am Darth Amboragos…I will not yield to the likes of your pathetic self. And you..you will know my rage..and…you will know pain.” All of the anger and emotion was channeled through the marks that adorned either of her forearms, then into the force, which she used to constrict around the sith’s throat with a vice grip. Slowly she began to raise the sith’s body off the ground, her gaze never leaving the writhing being’s form. And with her free hand raised toward the woman, catching her eyes for just a moment, she brought forth the pain that she so promised.

And the lightning exploded from her hand, wrapping around Sabatora’s body, lighting up the darkness with the blue light.

 

[The High Court of Illyria]

SITH​

Tags: Xobos Yakieer ​

The world was spinning. Sabatora had released a repulse so powerful it shook her very being, yet it had succeeded in its task. When she turned her eyes to the Miralukan apprentice she could see the woman laying on the ground through hazy, shaken vision. The woman growled lowly, running a hand over her brow to sweep away the sweat that poured from her. Still her growl slowly turned into a proud, hate-filled cackle. She let out the laugh, turning her eyes towards Xobos with a snide gaze. "What's the matter?" She teased the apprentice. "Is the little Sithling tired? Hurt? Finally realizing where you belong? You are not even Sith are you? Ground under the boot heel of a true Sith L-"

Her words were cut from her throat as she felt the full pressure of the Dark Side spill from the blind woman. Even Sabatora, Lady of the Sith took a step back in pure fear of the woman before her.

"No...this-this isn't possible!" She yelled out, but in the next moment the natural force barrier that the woman kept erected around herself so the Force could not be used as a weapon against her was shattered. Xobos broke through her defenses effortlessly, shredding through all of her defenses as her throat grew tight. Her windpipe was crushed and almost immediately her fair skin began to turn a shade of red, then blue as she struggled to speak through the hold.

"N-no....I....am...Sit-" She let out a shriek of pain as lightning in its purest form wrapped around her body in a hellish embrace. The dancing blue lights filled Sabatora from her head to her toe, the Force lashed out in violent waves as the duracrete around them exploded into small clouds of dust. Sabatora's lashing out equated to nothing, because by the time it was done Xobos' wrath had been fulfilled. The lightning came to an abrupt stop and Sabatora gazed down at the woman before her. "Stupid girl." Her speech was fluid and pristine as it had been the very moment that Xobos met her, yet it was soulless, monotone. "Now look what you have done. You have killed me. I suppose if nothing else I should be grateful..." Her eyes listlessly lingered towards the Maalraas that rested against the ground in the edge of the room.

"Part of me will live on. Still in service to the Dark Side, in service to you." As the woman spoke her features grew tired and gaunt, as if she was aging decades at a time until her flaxen hair fell grey and her curves went flat. The once beautiful woman, now the visage of an old crone looked to Xobos with deep, focused eyes.

"Yes...now I see it. You are..." As Sabatora spoke her own form seemed to flee the physical realm. As the Sith Lady faded from existence a single word echoed out.

"Sith."
​

​

 

[Xobos Yakieer]

Location: Shola, Dark Temple
Equipment: Faceless Armor, Knight Saberstaff
Mental state: Silent
Tags: | The High Court of Illyria |

It was over. The darkness was closing in on her vision now. Exhaustion was gipping her bones. But the day was over. The fight…it was over. She had won. Even now, as the apparition before her began to dissipate, she felt the strength that had filled her body begin to leave, and she collapsed back to the ground. The last thing she recognized before the darkness fully closed within her vision was the sight of the Great Maalraas striding toward her, head tilted lightly to the side in a questioning, if honored manor. And then..the darkness came.

She wasn’t sure how long she was out for. A few seconds, a couple of minutes, perhaps an hour, but her gaze awoken to see the visage that had adorned the temple around her had fallen. What was light fires were not snuffed out, cobweb covered torches. The smooth walls crumbling around her, which practically seemed to be happening even as she stared at them. Perhaps they were, and that, with Sabatora’s help, was enough to force her feet despite how much her body screamed at her to lay back down. Exhaustion and pain rocked each and every one of her steps, but she kept pushing forward, each step sounding out another crushed, dead flower underneath her feet. Nothing of what the visage had created around her was real. She was living in a fantasy, and the fantasy was collapsing without her to hold it together. The last part of the faded garden that xobos took in, and took onto her belt, as the ashen covered hilt of Sabatora’s lightwhip. A trophy….a memorial.

What was beautifully painted paintings on either side of the fall were actually faded with time, ripped in places, and the gold frames dulled with age. Here too, the torches were dead, with the only light streaming from the opened doors ahead of her. The journey seemed shorter than when she entered. Another trick of the sith, perhaps. Unlike last time, when she got to the doors, they did not open easily with the force, and it took the combined remaining strength of Xobos and the Maalaaras to push it open.

The light that warmed her face was, admittedly, refreshing. Her mind begged her to take one last look down the hall from which she came, but she ignored the urge. Just as she walked past the broken pieces of her armor and cape, this part of her past was dead and gone. The statues that stood on either side of the walkway began to collapse as she walked past, crumbling into dust. Sith and jedi alike, trapped there for centuries, finally allowed to be set free and joined with the force, no longer feeding into visage that was once a powerful sith lady.

At the final step of the pathway, a great crack from the sky rumbled and shook the ground. For the first time since exiting, Xobos turned around in time to see the top of the temple began to collapse in on itself. Nothing held it together anymore, pieces of rock and age flying freely downward. Dust emitted from the base of the temple as the top stones began to slam into the ground. It didn’t take long, but by the time the dust had settled from the collapsing stone, nothing was left of the visage. The path, what remained of the statues, and the entire temple, gone. Just a flat landscape remaining, not even including what had remained of her past armor.

Her comm began to crackle to life for the first time since she stepped out of the shuttle, and the voice of Hin broke through the static. “Xo-….Xobos..Xobos! Are you alright? The temple, the temple just-!” Pulling the comm from her belt, Xobos took a moment to fiddle with her side of the talk button, hand shaking from the pain and exhaustion.

“I’m..I’m fine Hin. I’ll be back to the shuttle shortly. Prepare…prepare..prepare to get us back to Illyria..” a pause, taking a moment to look over her bloodied arms and the cuts that had began to slowly cease to ooze the red liquid. Maybe there was more thing he could do before they left.

“And..some bacta patches, please.”

The journey back to Illyria was one she did not remember too vividly. Spending most of the time with an IV stuck into her arm with multiple bacta patches covering the various cuts and abrasions, exhaustion overtook her, fading in and out of sleep. It was in one of the times of sleep that she felt the telltale shaking of the shuttle landing, followed by the sounds of the ramp being opened once again. Xobos’ gaze was awoken to see Hin and two medics standing over her, ready to lift her onto an awaiting gurney. Raising her arm to stop them, the apprentice slowly eased herself into a sitting position while shaking her head. “No. I walk into my masters..my masters presence.”

Hin vehemently disagreed, as was evident by his face and his growing need to say something. As Xobos pulled out the IV and began to pull off the half completed bacta patches, his voice began to raise with a concern Xobos had only heard a few times before. “Xobos, I really don’t believe it wise…” And perhaps he was right. This was the last leg of the journey, and she had earned a trip to the infirmary many times over.

But she would not face her master like that. Not this time. “I’ll see you in the infirmary later, my friend.” Offering him these last words and the slightest of smiles, she limped her way out of the shuttle, leaning on the Great Maalraas to keep her steady. She must’ve looked quite the sight, attendants and pilots on the flight deck staring at the Miraluka with a concerned and interested glare. Those stares continued as she limped her way through the massive halls of Dragonne Palace, servants and attendants moving out of the way of the pair as to not impede her progress.

At this point, she honestly didn’t care what she was interrupting when she entered into the great hall, if anything at all. Instead, her gaze was cast forward, directly meeting her master’s on the throne. Dried blood caking her arms and forehead, limping from the final attack of the visage having cracked multiple bones, and having to lean on the Great Maalraas for support, but her head held high. No matter how much pain racked her body, it would not show. The calm, pointed expression that she had become known for was returned to her face, and emotion of the battle now kept in check.

Her journey ended a few steps from the throne, where, shakily, she managed to lower herself onto one knee, despite her knowledge if she could even get back up again. Her gaze lowered, and Xobos reached onto her belt to pull free the lightwhip hilt, still caked in the dust of the visage. The hand that held it out shook mightily, practically unable to stay held up. But she had done it.

“…master.”