The Prodigal Son Returns [Darth Carnifex]

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar stood in silence on the deck of his personal ship as it descended from the stars to land among a relatively large hangar used by the Sith. This day he visited his father, Kaine Zambrano, known widely as Darth Carnifex or the Immortal Emperor of the Sith Empire. He had not intended on putting this off as long as he did, however work had unfortunately gotten the better of him and the lost son was more focused on that than this eventual meeting. He knew he'd find the time to meet with the man, whether it be against his will or following it. Unsurprisingly, he didn't consider arriving as his father's entourage to the Emperor's Ball a proper meeting. He sought one on one time with his father, to catch up for lack of better wording and learn of what had transpired in his absence. It may be a bit of a stretch to say this one on one time would be more than his father singing the praises of his empire, ordering his son to slaughter some random politician or join the front elsewhere in the galaxy... but Vaulkhar could hope, eh?

The sudden jolt of his ship landing upon the hangar floor shook him from his revere. He stood and threw his jacket over his shoulders, tugging it on before moving towards the ramp. He offered his Assassin Droid a nod, the droid simply saluting it's master before beginning it's routine duties to maintain and prepare the ship for a departure. Whether it be swift or leisurely. Vaulkhar on the other hand descended the ramp entirely and waved away any assistance the soldiers or staff the emperor had on hand offered. He sent a transmission hours earlier so his father knew he'd be arriving to properly set time aside for his son.

The blind man always found the willingness of the soldiers to serve the Sith comedic. Some did it simply due to their training while it appeared others did it for some other purpose, like finding the favor of one of his peers. Vaulkhar knew it a silly and pointless endeavor. No Sith cared for their soldiers beyond that of one's property. A captain can be replaced, a battalion all the same.

His booted feet echoed among the halls as he strode with a purpose to where his father awaited him; what he assumed to be the Imperial Throne Room. The closer he got the quicker he moved, a mix of excitement and nervousness swelling within him. He was as nervous as any son seeking their father's approval, but with the added weight of the empire on Kaine Zambrano's shoulders, he knew it would always be a difficult and a damn near impossible task. The excitement came from the fact he'd once more stand before the man he respected and feared above all else. The man who once told him he could be so much more than a soldier. That single meeting lit a fire within his gut that never quite disappeared.

The doors to the chamber were pushed open before Vaulkhar strode in. He moved with purpose, clearing the distance between him and the throne with ease. A dozen paces before his father he took a knee, a closed fist pressing against the cold, durasteel floor. His head lowered in a bow while his other hand rested on the top of his knee. Several long seconds of silence followed before the emperor's son cleared his throat.

"Greetings, father."

[member="Darth Carnifex"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The halls of the Sith Emperor were resplendent in their opulence, a monument to the glory and prestige that his Empire had fought tooth and nail to achieve. The walls were lined with tapestries depicting the various triumphs over the past several years, Krayiss II, Mirial, Thyferra, Alderaan, Coruscant, Ession, and most recently Commenor. Each had been commissioned by the Emperor himself, crafted by the finest weavers in the entire galaxy at the behest of his bottomless coin purse. Bronze busts of Sith Lords, both modern and ancient, were propped up beneath them on pedestals of rich white marble trimmed in gold and inscribed with ancient Sith runes.

A pair of Crownguard watched impassively as [member="Vaulkhar"] approached the gates to the Imperial Throneroom, their lightsaber pikes held rigidly at their side as they turned in unison to open the pair of massive wrought iron doors, upon which were carved even more diabolical inscriptions of grand mythological significance. The interior of the throne chamber was even more magnificent than the corridors that led to it, with the floor being comprised of a singularly massive mosaic depicting the Sith Emperor triumphing over the Jedi Order, a ringed halo of red light encircling his head and both of his hands. All around the room were polysteel statues of himself arrayed in different poses, each one more regal and triumphant than the last.

But the grand centerpiece of the room was the throne itself, which sat high upon a three-stepped dais beneath several fluttering banners depicting the Eye of Solomon, the crest of the Zambrano dynasty. Sitting on the throne was the Emperor himself, his muscular body wrapped in brilliant maroon robes fastened by a brooch fashioned from bleached bone. His graying black hair was slicked with oil and bound back in a tight warrior's braid, this time unornamented with jewels.

A thin smile blessed his lips as the younger Zambrano approached and fell to one knee in reverence to his father and his Emperor, though he quickly bid him rise shortly after. "Welcome my son, welcome. It has been a long time since you have sought me out, young Vaulkhar. Tell me, why have you come before me?"

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar straightened as bid by the Emperor, his shoulders squaring as his blind gaze settled on the man. The half breed's form was rigged, with hands clasped together behind his as expected of him in the presence of his father. His excitement and nervousness dissipated in an instant as he fell into a familiar state of mind. He stood in silence as his father spoke, visibly maintaining his attention on the man. It had certainly been a long time since he stood before his father in such a manner, though unlike their prior meeting Vaulkhar had grown in power considerably and had begun to carve out a place for himself within the galaxy. Now an experienced soldier, assassin, and dark side practitioner, Vaulkhar could only hope his father would recognize his growth and strength.

"I am proud to once more stand before you, father," once more he lowered his head in a slight bow of respect to Darth Carnifex. "I have been away from our family for sometime now. In my absence the Sith has once more risen to stand atop all others within the galaxy, due to your strength and the fear you strike in those who stand against our cause. Once I came to you seeking acceptance into our noble line. Now I come to you seeking to grow further and assume the mantle of a Zambrano properly. The weight of an empire and a monarchy weighs you down considerably, father," he allowed the starting sentiment to linger in the air momentarily as he shifted slightly. His hands shifted so one hung at his side and the other clenched into a fist, pressed against his chest. "I can fill the hole that has been left by our kin. I have long since passed the threshold of master, I only await your declaration of my strength. Once you've deigned me worthy of the title Lord, I can aid you in the cause you so gallantly lead."

Silence filled the air as Vaulkhar abruptly stopped speaking. His goal was plain. He sought to take the throne his father currently holds upon their home planet, with his blessing. He also so clearly awaited his father's bestowing of the title Sith Lord.

[member="Darth Carnifex"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Have you now?"

The Emperor's words were hushed, whispered almost, yet they carried through the air with unmatched clarity. Dark eyes, a sea of blackness in which pupils of molten hate sat anchored, looked down upon the blind Zambrano, peering through him to judge his worth. Then he rose from his throne to stand fully upright, his steps booming as he descended the series of stairs that flanked the entirety of his throne. It was then that the difference in size between himself and his son was truly put on display, the Emperor standing well over two feet taller than the younger Vaulkhar.

"I sense your newfound strength, my son. Yet for too long you have been disconnected from your brothers and sisters, there were whispers that you had abandoned your family for heretical beliefs." Now he stood directly in front of him, within arm's length of the hybrid son.

"Show me."

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

"These whispers come from the ignorant, father," Vaulkhar remained straight as his father descended the throne, down the steps. With each thunderous footfall that brought him closer, the emperor's son considered his words. "I would never abandon the beliefs of our people or our family. From the day I learned of my blood ties to you, I've remained loyal to the Zambrano name. I've striven to grow powerful so I could bear our name with pride. Now I am strong enough to properly declare myself Zambrano, as you once did." He looked up at the towering form of his father and stopped speaking. As the final two words were spoken, his hands tightened behind his back as he sized his father up thoroughly. A direct attack against the man was likely the worst choice he could make, though it might be the only option considering his positioning.

Then again, Vaulkhar wouldn't attack his father directly. He looked up at the man through his blind gaze and shook his head.

"Father, I believe the greatest strength our family has is the unity of the Zambrano name. I would prove my power not by throwing myself pointlessly at you until you beat me into the floor, but rather through my intelligence and the wisdom gained through my training. You are stronger by far than any other individual in this galaxy," Vaulkhar once more dropped to a knee as he stared up at his father. "I am here to prove my strength and my loyalty by admitting I cannot stand up against you and it would be a fool's decision to do so."

[member="Darth Carnifex"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The Emperor reached out a hand, beckoning for his son to stand again after he had taken a knee in his presence. His fingers would clasp around his left shoulder, a firm hold as he gently shook him in a reassuring manner. "Your loyalty has been well-documented, my child. There are few who would whole-heartedly doubt your commitment to your family, those that have not seen the lengths you have gone to commit yourself to this path." He relinquished his older over his son's shoulder and turned to walk towards one of the ancillary doorways that flanked the throne room's vastness. A simple gesture beckoned that Vaulkhar follows him, followed shortly by two of the Emperor's gray-plated Crownguard.

What lied beyond the doorway was another series of halls, designed exactly like the ones that the prodigal son had taken to get to the throne room. However, while most of those corridors were linear, these new halls were littered with doorways, other halls, and open staircases that spiraled further up and further down into the gargantuan structure. And there was more active as well, servants and officers of varying rank (all high) went about their business in the shadow of the Emperor's passing.

"You are physically blind, Vaulkhar, but even without eyes, you possess the capacity to see farther than most of your brothers and sisters. You are not so easily led astray by illusion and the trickeries of reality, the lies of others are lost upon you. I have faith in your capacity to become a great and mighty Sith, one worthy of the eternal annuls of history. But you must commit yourself to the teachings of the Sith as intensely as you have committed yourself to our family." They reached a door fashioned our of blackened wood, distinctly out of place with the cold heartless durasteel of the rest of the palace. On its face was etched several symbols that predated the modern era by several millennia, and a dark energy seemed to pulsate just beyond the threshold.

"But to truly become a Sith Lord, as you so desire, takes more than just a few spoken words. There are rituals, ancient rites, that one must observe and respect. So I will ask you, do you believe you are prepared to become a Sith Lord?"

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar straightened as his father beckoned him to do, his form tightening at his father's grip on his shoulder. His chest swelled, not in fear or concern, but pride at the words Kaine spoke in regard to him and the loyalty he had given their family. As his father set off he waited seconds before falling after him, taking up a position a few steps behind the man, on his left. It was a familiar place to him, it was the position he first took up beside the Emperor in the Defense of Balmorra during the reign of the One Sith. It was the position he took up at the Emperor's Ball, it had become second nature for him to stand at attention for the man, to ensure he was safe and secure under even the most dire circumstances. That alone brought the tinge of a smile to his face, knowing he had managed to build something up with his father, even if it were mere placement beside him.

"I am glad I have proven my loyalty to our family and to you, father," he silenced himself as they moved through the threshold from the chamber into the hallway. Vaulkhar strode after the Emperor, keeping his position ahead of the guards who followed them. While he couldn't make out every minute detail of the series of hallways, the comings and goings of those who moved around them passed over him like waves in the sea. The force guided the man in a way those that could see would never quite understand. At the compliment of his father, his smile only grew, though he managed to maintain his composure. The following words spoken by his father were not surprising, he never quite dedicated himself to the Sith as others in their family and the empire had. It always left questioning thoughts within him. "I've always been unsure of all of the Sith's teachings, father. I cannot deny the power of the dark side, it has made me what I am today. But so many within the Sith strive for power and seek to overthrow what has been put into place. I do not wish to follow these teachings and eventually stand against you, I wish to be at your side for the glory of the empire. If I can maintain that while dedicating myself to the ways of the Sith, I will do so with haste."

Vaulkhar considered the question for but a moment.

"Yes father, I am ready to dedicate myself to this cause. I am prepared to stand beside you not only as your son, but also as a Lord of the Sith."

[member="Darth Carnifex"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Indeed, it has always been the failure of the Sith to turn upon one another at the hour we could least afford it. I have worked tirelessly since the founding of this Brotherhood to stymie such self-destructive acts as best as I could, but there are those who always fall through the cracks." His teachings, known officially as the Rule of Order and unofficially as Kainism, were the driving philosophy of the Sith Empire, the strong turadium support which held up the entire bureaucratic, military, and civil apparatuses. Without his decrees, the Empire would descend into chaos and anarchy as it had done many, many times before, and everything they had fought tooth and nail for would be lost by their own short-sided machinations.

The Emperor gestured towards the wooden door, "Inside are three crones who are steeped in the knowledge of the ancient Sith, and each one will deliver upon you a test. A test of strength, a test of will, and a test of faith. It is these three qualities that must remain powerful and resilient, weaknesses in any one of these attributes are what has rendered so many of our forebearers and wayward compatriots inadequate. But you have my blood coursing through your veins, and I know that you will not fail me in this." Whatever weapons or technologies Vaulkhar possessed were suddenly drawn towards the Emperor's now outstretched hands, "And you will not need these material possessions for your journey, my son. They will be returned to you once you have succeeded in your trials."

With a groaning creak the door opened on its own accord, the interior swathed in rich shadows interrupted only by the faintest flicker of candlelight deeper in. Once Vaulkhar had crossed the partition into the chamber, the door would close behind him and lock. He would be on his own from here on out, alone in the darkness that smothered light and choked even the sound of his footsteps. Forward would be the only option, and after what seemed like several minutes of wandering through empty nothing would the first crone appear before him.

Though crone, as it turns out, would be an incorrect assumption. The woman before him was a warrior, the tanned skin of her sculpted body covered in dark blue tattoos and her bright crimson hair tied back in a warrior's braid. She was lowered on her haunches, a sword of Sith construction held out before her as if an offering. Though, only when Vaulkhar took the sword that had been gifted to him by the kneeling woman would she spring into action, leaping high overhead to land in a crouch behind him. "I am the Spirit of Battle, young Vaulkhar! A Sith, above all else, is a warrior, a prince of the battlefield! Defeat me in combat and prove yourself worthy to lead your father's armies against the Jedi, and hold nothing back for you shall receive no quarter!"

A Sith Sword materialized in her hands, and she gripped it tightly before swinging its lethal edge towards Vaulkhar.

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar listened intently as his father spoke, seeming to absorb his words as he spoke them. He nodded along in clear agreement with the assessment and in recognition of the emperor's attempts at ensuring the Sith Empire itself did not fall. Never before would the young half breed of expected a Lord of the Sith to anticipate such, but if any would of course it be his father. After a moment it all seemed to click in his mind. The Rule of Order had reached him at some point after his return, though he had never thought it was implemented via his father for the reasons mentioned, though it made perfect sense and seemingly fit perfectly as if it were a puzzle. Vaulkhar straightened a bit, more respect earned by his father in that moment. Though with the beckoning towards the door, the blind man shifted his gaze and studied the simple door. It seemed out of place within the confines of this building.

"Hmm," was all that was offered in return as his father paused to take his son's belongings. Vaulkhar did not fight or argue the action instead he allowed his sabers and simplistic blaster to be taken away. His focus was on the door and what he imagined stood beyond it. Older Sith Lords versed in everything he'd be required to learn in order to properly prove himself to his father. Without a word, he lowered himself in a bow before straightening to stride into the room. As the door clicked behind him, he looked about through the darkness. He could feel it closing around him, choking the warmth from his very core with every silent step into it's depths. Thankfully, he needn't not his eyes to view what lay before him, he relied on the force instead. Before the woman stepped from the darkness he felt and 'saw' her presence.

He was definitely thrown off balance by the evaluation of crone, though he mentally recovered and steeled himself while looking upon her. She was fit, a warrior by practice. If she was to teach and test him, he could only imagine the battles and hardships this woman had gone through to stand before him, a warrior in his own regard, to do as she is required. There was respect for this unknown "Crone". He bowed his head to her before taking the blade from her outstretched arms. Her actions did not surprise him, as explosive tactics such as these were commonplace among the Sith. To overwhelm and overpower their foes before they could ever hope to defend themselves.

The blade met her first blow, warding the strike off with a deft and precise parry. Her words struck a chord in his being. He had to succeed. He will lead his father's armies. He must stand as a Lord of the Sith for the sake of not only his family, but also himself. Within the all-encompassing darkness the faintest shimmer of molten orange would burn within his gaze as he launched a devastating counterattack, aimed to lop the woman's arm off at the elbow. She raised her blade in response and deflected the attack before sending a flurry of powerful and swift strikes at Vaulkhar.

Back and forth the duo danced, neither of them giving ground as each blow was met with a successful attempt at defense. The longer the battle drew out he quickly realized it would not be won out by the superior sword arm as he was accustomed to. Vaulkhar had met very few warriors within his life he couldn't simply overpower with greater skill or power. He found himself evenly matched with the entity before him and no application of the force pushed him beyond the limits of his opponent. It dawned on him he'd have to outsmart the woman he faced, an ancient being with far more knowledge than he. An unfortunate realization, but one to have sooner rather than later. With a deep breath he dashed back, lowering his sword into a downward stance, seemingly opening up the entire upper portion of his form. Rather than outright strike him, the crone studied her foe and began to circle him, seeking out the weakness in his impractical defense.

Vaulkhar maintained him composure as he shifted the weight of his body, sliding to the side. In that moment he moved his right arm, now cybernetic, a fraction of a second slower. A minute change to the unpracticed, but to an entity such as the one he faced, it would probably speak volumes of his form. And without hesitation, the crone launched herself at him, aiming to strike at his 'weakened' side.

Exactly as he wanted.

A shift of his form and a swing of the blade sent the entity's blade flying up and away from her. Following the swift disarm, Vaulkhar's form blurred as the force increased his speed and he dashed inwards, plunging the blade into her gut with little concern for her life.

[member="Darth Carnifex"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The moment his blade pierced her skin, the Crone and both of their weapons evaporated like morning mist.

Darkness engulfed the vacuum left behind, and again Vaulkhar was left alone to ponder the shadows. Yet, there was an urging through the Force, a desire to see Vaulkhar press forward into the murky miasma before him. It whispered of victory, singing sweet songs of his praise, and how he had triumphed over his first trial.

But it also whispered of failure, of doubt, trying to worm these malignant thoughts into the young Sith's head as a faint illumination marked the next waypoint on his journey through the blackness. The second crone awaited him, but this one was a far cry from the muscle-bound warrioress that he had tangled with previously. She was small, just shy of five feet, and was draped in ceremonial vestments ordained with scraps of flimsiplast inscribed by words of power and protection. A pair of glasses, so primitive in today's modern age, sat perched upon her nose as she stared at him as he approached. In her left hand was a tome, weathered by age and constant use, and in her right hand was a scepter capped by a brilliant jade gemstone.

"Welcome, Son of Kaine. I am the Spirit of Will. You have proven yourself a capable and cunning warrior, but as you know might is not as absolute as many would think. The mind can be as sharp as any sword, as powerful as any weapon used by mortal men." She extended the scepter towards him, alongside the book, as an offering. "Take hold of the scepter and the tome, young Sith, and we will know the power of your mind."

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

With the disappearance of both his foe and his blade, confusion momentarily gripped the young half breed as he peered about the empty space in silence. As the feelings of triumph and excitement surged through him, urging him onward, he slowly began to pace through the darkness once again. He followed the feelings with a measured step, his attention all about him as he sought the next strike or test that would ambush him from the choking darkness. With the arrival of negative thoughts and emotions, he hesitated for a moment, pausing in his path forward. This hesitation ceased almost immediately however as he he steeled himself through the words spoken to him by his father. Kaine's blood ran through his veins. The Zambrano name graced his being. He could not fail under any circumstance and hesitation would certainly be his downfall if he could not contain himself.

Vaulkhar peered upon the woman with the aid of the force, studying this "Spirit of Will" with a calculated gaze. Within her hands were two items that reeked of the force, just as she and everything else around him did. Her words were not surprising. For sometime now he had been playing a rather dangerous game, working various angles to ensure his survival and the survival of those he loved. A game of the mind which at any moment could explode in his face and result in not only his death, but the death of others. He expected to fare well enough with this challenge as he did the other. Vaulkhar reached out and took hold of both the tome and the scepter as he eyed the smaller woman. His brow perked as the seconds ticked by and nothing seemed to change.

Then sudden darkness.

Where once he could see, he could not. In that moment the force failed him and he was lost in the world around him. His other senses slowly died out as well to the point where he could barely feel the cold on his skin. It was almost as if he had gone entirely numb and was left standing alone, surrounded on all sides by enemies he could not see. For the first time in his life, he was totally blind to his surroundings. And it scared him. He fell to a knee and reached up, rubbing at his eyes, or at least he thought he did considering he could not even feel that. Vaulkhar's head craned from left to right as he tugged on the force for aid, seeking anything within the shadows. A sense beyond nothing. And even the force did not come to aid him.

He pushed himself to his feet and focused. Terror gripped him and he was unsure how to shake it. He sought out his anger but it was shrouded by the fear that overcame him with such an endeavor. As the fear snaked through him further, his hands trembled and he could barely remain standing, though he pushed through it as he searched for anything. And just as suddenly as the darkness overcame his senses, the half breed took his fear and channeled it into his surroundings. In an explosive display, an orb of energy encased him in a circle and spread outwards, bringing with it his senses once more. As he came to, he realized he never released the scepter or the book. Instead, his knuckles had whitened from the vice-like grip he maintained on the objects.

Vaulkhar's gaze settled on the crone as this test came to a close, a fear he never knew he had locked into place within his mind.

[member="Darth Carnifex"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"You have done well, Son of Kaine. You have internalized your fear and bent it to your will, it will forever serve as a potent source of power in your days to come." With a gesture, she reclaimed both scepter and book, and like the Spirit of Battle, she too began to disappear into the darkness. "The next task lies before you, the Trial of Faith. It will be your most daunting challenge yet, so steel yourself, young scion." And with those words, the Spirit of Will disappeared into the aether, again rendering Vaulkhar to wallow alone in the darkness.

Yet, like before, he had to press on.

But as he wandered through the darkness, undoubtedly expecting the next Spirit to materialize before him as did the others, there came a spine-tingling sensation of dread that moved up his legs, into his stomach, before nestling in his breast. No matter how far he walked, how long he searched, and how desperately he desired to finally reach the forlorn conclusion of his tribulations, there seemed to be no end in sight. Only darkness, only muffling silence, and the gnawing sensation of dread chewing away at his heart.

Was it all a lie?

Did he fail?

Had his father, the Butcher King, abandoned him to writhe in shadow for the rest of his days? Did he even love him? Did he care? Was any of this real?

What if he was already dead?

The voices, whispering succulently of failure and apocalyptic nihilism, seemed to fill the young man's head, masquerading as his own inner monologue as the darkness seemed to close in more tightly than before. Congesting, constricting, suffocating. The more doubt that flooded the young man's body, the more difficult he found it to draw in a breath, and the tighter the dark intangible walls around him began to close in.

Like a coffin of implacable blackness.

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar dipped his head and listened until the Crone's eventual disappearance. As she vanished and he was left alone within the darkness once more, he took a moment to peer about and get his bearings. Though a fruitless effort, he took that moment just in case before pressing on once more into the shadowscape all around him. He walked almost aimlessly without complaint. Years of his life had been given to brutal and exhausting training sessions. He enjoyed meditation oddly enough, so he allowed himself to sink into the darkness as he explored. However, this comfortable feeling soon began to wane within him. From side to side he turned his head, searching for any signs of the final Crone he was sent to meet. Fear slowly began to grip him once again as the words began to flicker through his mind.

The young man never particularly thought he cared whether his father loved, cared, or respected him. He moved forward with his chin held high either, always telling himself he did not care what his father thought of him. That either way, he was a true Zambrano and the galaxy was his for the taking. But as this forlorn doubt began to seep into his very being, the truth became clear within his addled mind.

Vaulkhar truly cared what his father thought of him. He wanted to earn the man's respect. At birth he was given the blessing of being a Zambrano by blood. By his father he had been confirmed a true Zambrano by name. Now though, now he wanted to prove himself in these trials. So no other could look upon him and call him anything but what he truly was. A member of the most powerful House within the galaxy. And not a damn thing was going to stop that. Rage slowly built within him once more, though he channeled it within his core until it felt as if it were going to burn through his flesh. And once that pain began to eat at him, he kept going. The dark side flowed through Vaulkhar with each passing second.

Suddenly, his eyes were alight in a terrifying, molten orange color.

"I will not fail!" he roared into the darkness. "I am a Zambrano. I was born to fight! Born to rule! Born to triumph!" his final word echoed around him for several seconds before he raised his head and screamed once more. "I have mastered the dark side, studied the code, and proven myself both in mind and in body. My faith will not be shaken. No son of Kaine Zambrano, the Butcher King, will fail!"

His knuckles whitened with each passing second.

[member="Darth Carnifex"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Indeed?"

Alas, there was the final crone. The Spirit of Faith. She materialized from the darkness, shadows leaking from her form as the visage of emerald saintly vestments swaddled her voluptuous body. In her hand, she swung a brazier of burning incense that smogged the air with a bitter stench. Her face was obscured by a mask fashioned to resemble a Human skull, its eyes glowing an intense bright green as she sauntered over to the screaming youth, unafraid and aloof.

"You profess much loyalty to your father, to what he has achieved. But were there not times you let doubt fester in your heart?" She waved the incense burner in front of his face, letting the smoke exuding from its opening waft over his features. "Breath in the smoke, Son of Kaine, and let your doubts become manifest..."

Should he inhale the sickly odor, he would undergo several vivid hallucinations in which everything he had once harbored doubt towards would manifest before his very eyes in a surreal and life-like manner.

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

"Doubt is normal," Vaulkhar turned his gaze to the Crone as she appeared. "It is faith that delivers us through doubt, helps us persevere to overcome what holds us back," his attention shifted towards the brazier as it swung from side to side. He wrinkled his nose as the scent of the burning incense struck him, the acrid and harsh smell seeming to assault him as it permeated around the two of them. Preparation was made to reach out and touch the brazier as he had all other objects within the test, though he paused in his movements at her words. The idea of taking a full whiff of that smell did not seem all that great to Vaulkhar and it was visible upon his face, though he took one more deep breath of fresh, not smelly air and steeled himself. With a step forward, he lowered his head a bit and took a big sniff of the smoke as it drifted past him into the darkness.

There were few things Vaulkhar truly found doubt in. Confidence was drilled into him at a young age by the Sith. If you were not sure of yourself within the academy, you would die. Those who did not carry themselves with an air of importance were easy pickings. However, through it all he still found doubt. Before him, a man slowly materialized from within the darkness until he was nearly the size of Vaulkhar himself. Before the blind man stood a sickly, emaciated version of himself. His hair hung matted, his flesh pulled taut against the bones from lack of food or drink. He reached out shakily to the stronger, better version of himself.

"H-Help me..." the sickly twin muttered out softly. "Kill me..."

The hallucination started him. Never before had Vaulkhar sought such an end. He feared being such though. There were points in his life he doubted himself due to his blindness and what he considered the weakness that came with it. Though this creature before him still shook him to the core. Vaulkhar's hands shook for just a moment before he pushed out with the force and sent the hallucination tumbling away into the darkness. He grit his teeth, annoyed with himself for even remembering such a time in his life. Before he could notice, more of the sickly versions of himself began to claw up from the dirt and shamble through the darkness towards him. He looked up, eyes widening momentarily before sending concentrated blasts of energy at them in droves. As they materialized from the energy, they reformed just as quickly until they were upon him.

Each of them climbed atop one another to drag him to his knees. Soon, the half breed was held down by the sicker versions of himself, pinned onto his knees. The sound of thunderous footsteps shook his senses to the point where he looked up. Before him, his father strode closer with a disappointed look on his face. He peered down at Vaulkhar with clear disdain at the boy's failings and once again, Vaulkhar was a thirteen year old child. A fresh face on Coruscant, newly enrolled into the Sith Academy. Before he was a soldier, before he was a killer, he was a scared boy who looked up at his father and promised himself to become stronger. And now he shook within the darkness, the bony, sick images keeping him locked down as his father shook his head. Without a word, the hallucination of Kaine Zambrano turned and departed into the darkness.

Vaulkhar closed his eyes and clenched his fists.

"No, no, no..." he muttered softly. "No, no, no, no, no, no!" with each word his pitch raised until he half snarled, half screamed the word. The force exploded about him a wave in all directions, sending the hallucinations to break away and disappear into the shadows entirely. As Kaine continued to depart, Vaulkhar followed after him. Each step he took grew heavier as images of all those he's killed began to materialize around him. With each step he could feel himself dragged down by the weight of such acts. But with each step he grew closer to his father and could feel his powers returning to him. By the time Vaulkhar returned to his hallucinated father's side, the weight was immense, but his feeling of those long past simply vanished. He was in his body once more.

"Faith delivers us," Vaulkhar muttered softly. "Father has put his faith in me, Crone. I would not fail him."

[member="Darth Carnifex"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The darkness began to dissipate, the shadows evaporating like morning dew in the sun's scalding rays. In its place was a small wooden room, sparsely decorated except for three burial caskets carved out of basalt that rested at the center of the room. Vaulkhar would find that he stood only a few paces in front of the middle sarcophagus, and behind him was the eerie wooden door he had first entered when he started his trials.

He hadn't traveled as far as he had thought.

Was it a trick of the Force?

None of those questions would be answered, however, as the door behind him unlocked and opened to reveal the visage of his father. He dominated the partition, barely even fitting inside of it as he had to literally duck down to enter. "The shadows whispered of success, my son. Strength, Will, and Faith have all been tested... and found adequate. This is exceptional news." He reached out to place a hand on the boy's right shoulder, squeezing affectionately.

"Tell me of your experiences."

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar studied the caskets before him with apparent confusion, his eyes wide as he realized it had all taken place in a single room. The possibilities of being lost alone in the darkness were all an illusion, much like everything else set before him, likely made to break him and prove he was not worthy. But he was. As the door behind him opened, he shifted around and lowered his head in a bow to his father. Once his shoulder was squeezed, he raised his head with pride swimming openly within his gaze. A faint smile took to his lips and he straightened a bit in joy. He thought about the statement, how could one recount such visions to express the feelings he fell? To truly regale his father with the experiences he felt within this small, simple room.

"Well," the half breed took a deep breath before launching into the tale. "At first I faced a woman, well muscled and skilled with the blade. She appeared from the darkness and offered me a weapon. We went toe to toe for what felt like an eternity, though it was truly brief, lasting not even a minute. I baited the woman into believing my cybernetic arm was a weakness before impaling her," Vaulkhar paused at that and studied his father's visage. "At that she fell and the Trial of Strength concluded. Next came Will... Everything disappeared. My force abilities left me and I found myself entrapped in darkness, lost to a world I could not comprehend but I managed to persevere. I channeled my rage and fear of what surrounded me and managed to regain my abilities to the point where I had proven to the crone I had a will of iron."

At that he paused, considering the final trial. Was it worth it to share what had occurred in earnest? The doubts that had taken hold of him, though no longer an immediate problem, certainly were something he was unhappy about experiencing. The weight of the killings he had committed, the possibility of his father's content, and the weakness that could of gripped him if he were not careful. None of them were true, but all of them were a reality that could of happened if he had not been careful, if he had not been smart.

"The Test of Faith was the most daunting. I saw what could of been me if I was not driven enough to become powerful. A sick and blind man, lost within the galaxy. Dozens of that form appeared and dragged me down to the floor, only for an illusion of yourself to appear and declare me unworthy and unfit of our family name," he took a deep breath to steel himself, keeping a grip on his feelings. "Though I managed to force them off and I followed you. Illusions of all the people I've killed appeared around me and with each step I took, I felt heavier, but I pushed through until I was at your side once more."

"And that was the end of it, father."

[member="Darth Carnifex"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Despite their daunting nature, you have overcome every obstacle that has been placed before you, my son." His hand fell from Vaulkhar's shoulders, falling down to his hip to rest upon the hilt of his lightsaber. With gentle movement he detached the weapon from its clip and brought it up in front of the smaller man, letting him fully see it in his hand. "And you have proven yourself worthy of the title of Lord, now kneel in reverence before me."

Once his son had done so, he would angle his lightsaber so the emitter was pointed at the empty space above his head. With a flick of his thumb, the weapon was activated and a blade of scarlet would snap-hiss into existence, filling the room with the hum of energy. He pulled the blade down and to the right side so that it hovered a few centimeters above his son's left shoulder, so close that the fabric of his clothes actually began to smolder and burn from proximity.

"Vaulkhar Zambrano, son of Kaine Zambrano. You have been tested by the Crones of the Sith, and you have been deemed worthy. By my authority as Dark Lord of the Sith..." He raised his lightsaber, letting it safely pass over his son's head, before letting it rest over his right shoulder just as close as it had over his left. "I hereby grant you the title of Lord of the Sith, sovereign of your own destiny, and heir a legacy so resilient that is has survived for thousands upon thousands of years."

He deactivated his lightsaber, "Now rise, Lord Vaulkhar. Let the weakness of your past fall from your shoulders, and embrace the mantle of your glorious tomorrow."

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar kept his gaze locked on his father's visage, remaining stoic in the man's presence. This moment was one of great success, something to prove not only to his family, but also the galaxy itself of his power. He swelled with pride, though he kept it within as his gaze slipped from his father and instead fell onto the saber rising before him. At Kaine's words, Vaulkhar fell to a knee and lowered his head so his gaze was instead locked upon the ground beneath them. Fear did not move through him, he knew this was a moment of ceremony and import, not something to fear. With the activation of the crimson saber he ensured he remained as still as possible within that moment. Even a simple movement when not expected could leave him injured in such a key point in his life. Something he most certainly did not desire.

With the blade falling to his shoulder, he closed his eyes and listened to his father's words with a hint of a smile. The small speech given by his father widened the smile considerably, though he quelled the joy and returned to quiet stoicism. With the saber returning to it's hilt and his father's closing words, Vaulkhar rose and nodded his head.

"I will do just that father, thank you," Vaulkhar's hands clasped together behind his back before he released a deep breath. "I have information for you, in regards to Commenor. The king and queen wish to regain the planet and are amassing an assault of both the stars and upon the ground."

[member="Darth Carnifex"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"That is of no surprise."

Indeed, the monarchy of Commenor had proven to be quite stubborn over the Empire's occupation of their world. But with every act of defiance, the Emperor was given all the more justification to authorize even more brutal methods of suppression upon their people. Already several townships had been emptied of their population and relocated to the Empire for processing, and the southern hemisphere had been subjected to mass deforestation as several of the Empire's mobile factories harvested the planet's natural resources by cracking open the land for ore and minerals.

"Commenor is their weakness, my son. They will fixate upon its liberation, spend all of their waking hours in obsession. And thus I have entrapped them, for the harder they fight to free their people the deeper they will fall into my clutches. The Prefect has been alerted to their duplicity since the beginning and has been eagerly anticipating their arrival. Should they actually go through with their attack, they will find more than they bargained for awaiting them."

The trap had been set, and all that remained was for the prey to spring it.

[member="Vaulkhar"]​