Private The Next Step

[Alina Tremiru]

Upekzar wasn't the sort of planet she expected to be called to by her master. All the interactions with Taeli Raaf had been localized to her office on Dromuund Kaas, Let alone a place like the Circle of Visions. For what, Alina wasn't sure. But as always she would never deny her master. She was the only Sith Lord Alina dared to trust. Certainly not as much as she trusted Alisteri, but that was just how the Sith were. She landed on one of the volcanic mountains close by where she was told to meet.

Like the last time she brought her lightspear. She was completely dressed for battle, ready for some kind of fight. No point in taking her time either. She took off in a light jog to the meeting location. Already she was running through why in her head. Her mother was dead. Killed by Alina no less. The House Guard was hers. She'd even found some ancient droids to spruce up. Forming her powerbase and growing stronger and stronger. All to prove to herself and anyone else that there was no standing in her way.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Upekzar, Circle of Visions
​

At the center of the dark nexus, forged over thousands of years by the ancient Sith, the Lady of Secrets mediated. She was searching through the currents of the Force, could feel the anomaly that was Alina coming closer, and she stretched her perceptions further along the wake her apprentice left in the currents. Her apprentice did not know why she was summoned to this site of power, but she would learn soon enough. She feel a sense of fulfillment, mixed with tragedy and resolve...

She had done it.

Eyes still closed, a smile formed on her face. Alina Tremiru had killed her mother and seized her family's power base as her own. A good first start, but... there was still a test to be done. It was similar to what she had forced the corrupted Jedi to endure as she came to grips with her evolution, but this would hold even greater consequences for the Sith apprentice. Failure would be most... severe, but success would see Alina further her ascent of power and prestige.

 

[Alina Tremiru]

The turmoil of actually killing her own mother lingered deep in her heart, but she'd done well to not let it control her. It was a task that needed to be done. To stop the attempts on her life. To gain a foothold for a powerbase. For revenge. Alina approached the core of this circle, her yellow eyes ever scanning the surroundings for.. Anything. She felt no life. It was just her and Taeli Raaf . No guards? She didn't know much of her master, but every time they had met was in a place owned by the Sith Lady. And there were always people.

She stopped by the edge of the ring, letting her gaze fall to the meditating woman. "I have arrived. What is it you need of me?"

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Taeli opened her eyes as her apprentice arrived, feet lightly touching back down to the floor of what had once been the ritual chamber of this particular section of the Circle of Visions.

"I wanted to congratulate you on your... emancipation, you might say," she said, gesturing with a hand. Around the chamber, braziers would light with an eerie blue and white flame. "And to summon you to your final trial as an acolyte of the Sith."

Another gesture and the floor runes started to glow with the same blue light.

"In ancient times, this place was used by our Sith forebears to conduct certain rituals. This chamber in particular was used by an aspiring acolyte for their final test to become a Sith Knight. The ritual involves the pheromones of the native dipluras in these volcanos and Sith magic to send the aspirant on a spirit journey so to speak, to delve into who they are and their personal connection to the dark side of the Force. You will face challenges of from the spirits of the ancient Sith, and if you succeed, your name within the Sith will be revealed to you. Fail... well you can guess what the price of failure might be."

She wouldn't elaborate, it wouldn't be necessary for Alina Tremiru to know what price such magic would call of her.

"I cannot assist you in this challenge, but I will be observing in a form or another. We can begin when you so desire."

 

[Alina Tremiru]

Final trial as an acolyte? That alone lit a fire deep within the young Sith. She'd actually done it. Earned a chance to become something more than a simple acolyte under the Empire. Though, it had it's own vast danger. Alina gave a solemn nod to Taeli Raaf before stepping into the center of the runes. Come what may, there was no turning back or refusing to move forward. She was a Sith. And to be Sith meant to always strive for more.

"Then let's begin."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Very well."

It was all she said as she called out through the Force. From the lava tunnels around the chamber came the skittering sound of many legs on volcanic stone. Three large insects emerged, rhak-skuri, and positioned themselves around the chamber as their Mistress commanded into a triangle formation around the acolyte.

"Imdniji ri asarsi iw ri cusuduki, warji ji ir ri dzitmiawtari iw jina'tis. Tyiji ji anmudzuna dro ji nairi dro ji snahkinduri kakija. Titsu ji wurai anas iw dia wisa Tsis hani an tuti, ao tuti duroki sas ri tsatotrura iw tsioa anas mirmohtusi."

Taeli would continue her chant and the rhak-skuri would begin spreading their pheromones throughout the chamber towards the acolyte, the chemicals guided by the glowing runes as they responded to the spell of the Sith sorceress. Alina would be confronted by her worst fear, her hardest memories. The Sith spirits would test her dreams, her aspirations, and see how deep the darkness ran through them.

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

Alina stayed silent as she listened to Taeli Raaf start to chant the ancient words. Words she recognized, at least the dialect. Then it happened. The darkness closing in around her. Within moments she'd pass out, falling to the ground as the visions themselves took over. When she awoke, she wasn't in the Circle of Visions. No, it was something else. Familiar.

Home.

No. She knew this moment. Immediately she recognized the room. Her mothers voice in the back of her mind. The leering eyes of strangers. "No." Alina's voice was softer. Weaker. Weak, not just weaker. Before she found strength. When her mother decided the only use for her would be to marry into another family to strengthen her own. That was when she felt fear for the first time. True fear, and being alone.

The Lady Tremiru peered down at her. This wasn't just a memory. The lifeless eyes. Blood stained neck. It was her mother's corpse, staring down at a helpless daughter with no use to be trained.

"No?"

Alina could only nod. Then the lightning. The powerful streaks of energy. The blinding pain. Punishment for speaking out. It always hurt. Every single time it had hurt. It wasn't a pain to get used to, and even now it felt like the first sting of betrayal. "This is all you're good for. You don't get to say no. You're never going to be a Sith." Alina curled up more on the ground, gripping her head. Shying away from the other eyes and sinister grins watching on.

Her eyes would close. Everything would go silent. Then, when she opened them, it repeated. Again and again. The lightning that ripped through her body. The hands of strangers. Overwhelming her mind with the helplessness she felt.

Then, there was nothing. Why or how the cycle changed, she had no idea. Something snapped as her mother's voice again filled her ears. Telling her she couldn't say no. Fear turned to hate. Then to anger. "No." That's right. This wasn't real. She wasn't weak. The lightning came, but never reached her. The Force died as it always did when Alina reached out. The hands came, only to be broken and ripped apart in her fury.

Rage, pure and simple, filled her mind. But didn't take over. "You were wrong." She killed them all. Her mother. The strangers. Her hands ripped through them like they were little more than paper until she was left in a room full of blood.

One remained. Formless, though. Something she didn't recognize. The figure watched as Alina flicked the blood from her hands.

"If not that, what are you good for?"

"Whatever I choose."

A smile formed on the figure. "And what do you choose?"

Alina looked about the carnage of the room before turning her yellow eyes back to the figure. "I am Sith."

"Good."

Her eyes opened to see the ring about her once again. The circle. She was seated in the center, as if she'd been mediating the entire time. Slowly she rose to her feet. This was the path she chose. Refused to submit to the future she was to be forced down. Alina turned her gaze around, trying to find her master. She'd finished this trial.