Public The Ruins of Castle Vader

[Anak Darkstar]

Anak’s shuttle descended on the volcanic world. The shadow of the wings caste across the rivers of lava as it landed on a broken plateform of obsidian. In the distance a great tower at the mouth of a water fall of magka stood as citdel of bygone era. The Son of Darkness had come The Lost Fortress in search of answers.

The Young Acolyte walked across the black rock, as he approached another landing another platform he heard of voice,

“You will not take her from me!”

Anak paused. His mind drifted to His Mistress, The Darkness itself and then to Another. As he marched on he heard more words that seemed to haunt the world.

The Son of Darkness stood overlooking the Great Castle. Much had been forgotten over the many centuries, and while the name of Darth Vader still passed in whispered tones and legend, who the Sith Lord really was and what sorrows he bore interested few. The Sith Path was power, and seeking to understand pain without using it as a sharpening block for ambition was of little value.

Most who sought the relics of The Galatic Era wanted the secrets of Darth Sidious, who achieved the great feat of destroying the Jedi Order and mastering Essence Transfer. Acolytes wanted his wisdoms contained in texts and holocron, not the musings of a heretical Sith who returned to the Light upon his death. Lord Vader’s fame was as an enforcer, and slave to The Emperor. Those who desired supremacy saw him as weak, unable to muster the strength to unseat His Master and worst of all choosing love of his Son over devotion to the Dark Side. So what could a Sith Apostate teach Anak? Why was he desperate to scour this molten world for any sign or teaching of this fallen Dark Lord?

The answer would be revealed in time. What this Son of Darkness knew, was the heaviness in his heart and the woe wrought on his face increased with each step. He had come to suffer, fo learn in agony what cannot be found in victory. To seek the only balm for his fractured soul, fire…

 

[Tragic Writer]

It had been Centuries Since 'Vader's fortress' was seen as operational, and Centuries longer since it held any object of worth due to the multitude of scavengers that had been brave enough to enter the ruins of the once massive and great Bastion. Hate, anger, and suffering would surround the planet. As if it flowed like the lava from the volcanoes on the planet

Dorian was on the planet in an attempt to not only find but understand more of the dark side of the force. Something in recent years he has neglected, in his training and upkeep in the force. He was not weaker than he was by any means, this was just a pilgrimage to a strong Dark nexus. It was only him on this Journey, even His personal Droid was left behind.

His ETA-10 was landed far from any of the standard hangar areas but in a safe place from the flowing and falling of the Planet's Hot Blood.

He First walked upon a path, made of stones as black as coal, and ground that was barely solid enough to hold a person. A river of magma flowed passed him. Dorian would recoil from the extreme heat at first, but while he would not get used to it, he was able to subdue the feeling of hot skin and bone for quite a while.

A Blurry Vision of the far past flashed in his head. Visions of fear, loss, anger, betrayal.

"You were the Chosen one..."
"I HATE YOU"

These Visions would lead him on a path...a path that seemed to be chosen for him. Much like the force itself was creating the very road it wanted him to take. Ready to show Dorian A door, but one that he must open himself. The Fortress...or what was left of it, pulled at him. But he was not ready yet, he needed to know more. This was a pilgrimage after all.

TAGS: Anak Darkstar

 

[Anak Darkstar]

The Acolyte made his way to the Great Tower, and for some reason no matter how many steps he took it seemed to remain far in the distance. The heat was beginning to effect Anak, his brow covered in drops of sweat that he wiped away with the knuckle of his black glove. His curly hair was soaked, and dripped on his shoulders. Then there was another voice,

“We can rule the galaxy, make things the way we want them to be!”

It was as if a spectra was probing his mind and heart with these words, for they captured his desire to fufill them with the One he loved. The Son of Darknsss was now certain he had come to the right place to be cured of the spell.

Pressing on and consumed with his own thoughts and feelings as well as his current condition, Anak had not not noticed the arrival of Another to Mustafar. Perhaps the two sojourners would cross paths in this sacred place. That Anak would leave to His Mistress, The Darkness itself to decide how and when.

TAG: Tragic Writer

 

[Anak Darkstar]

IC: Anak Darkstar

Anak overwhelmed by the heat, and unable to reach the castle, fell on his knees. His breaths accelerating, what was happening? Why was The Son of Darkness ao bereft of oxygen? Mustafar was no toxic, the volcanic world was natural. And yet he was there, knelt in agony. Suddenly he heard the ignition and hum of a saber. Raising his visage, his curly hairs wet with the dew of his body, he saw a bright larimar blue glow of a blade. Standing there was a man of immense height, clade in black leather, with curly shoulder length hair of blond and brown hue, a scar accenting his right eye above the eyebrow and below the eye lid. Anak almost felt he was looking in a mirror.

This Apparition approached, his eyes aglow like coals and his demeanor sullen with sorrow.

“This is the end for you..”

The Apparition swung his saber, Anak ignited hus ruby blade and caught it. The blades crackled as ash began to fall. Anak’s pardoes were clunsy, he still felt weak and the Warrior fought with a determination, that The Son of Darkness could not match. Anak slipped and the white hot blade hit his upper shoulder, it burned, and made him fall. He looked up to The Apparition who pointed the tip at his face,
“You are beaten! It is useless to resist!”

Anak raised his hand and deactivated his saber.

“I have not come to resist..” His breaths labored, “I have come fo learn.”

The Spectra of Slywalker frowned.
Anak bowed his head to Anakin.

“I beg you, I must know the power to overcome this pain..”

The Apparition held his saber to his side.

“The path you seek will not free you of pain.”

The Son of Darkness entreated further.

“Show me then how to manage it, Teach me!”

Anakin creaked his head, his eyes fixed on The Son of Darkness.

“Go to the cave at the base of the flaming mountain.”

Anak bowed his head in reverance.

Lord Vader then ushered a warning,

“Do not try to approach my fortress again till you are worthy, or I will destroy you! It is my empire!” The Apparition then disappeared as Anak raised his sight to where it had stood. Mustering his strength he looked to the mountain of fire in the distance, and began walking slowly that way.

 

[Tragic Writer]

Upon the black coal-like sand a vision would come to Dorian. This one, being close to the old ruins would be stronger. Dorian despite being a strong force user was still almost frozen in place. It felt as if he was being squished in place by an Invisible hand

"Empires have risen and fallen since my birth, great ages of the galaxy have passed...but here I stand"

Dorian could not move on his own, this man only visible by the dark vapor that made up a body was holding him in place with the force. Dorian had not felt this powerless since he was a small boy, still in training

"And here you stand to die..." A red saber was ignited by the dark vapored man, which quickly made its way to Dorian's neck. Dorian regaining his strength, only for the defense and fear he felt for his life, managed to use the force to dispel the barrier preventing him from moving. He quickly gripped his saber, and ignited a purple blade, blocking the red light from hitting him.

It was only now that the dark vapor seemed to turn into a more recognizable form. A masked male humanoid, whose blonde hair shot out in spikes from the back and sides of the mask. The Spirt had bright orange eyes that would peer into Dorian's very soul. The Sith's grey hands would show from the armored robes holding the red saber that was now interlocked with the Purple blade of Dorian. The spirit would then attack with speed, turning himself into vapor, only to reemerge elsewhere around Dorian.

Dorian was a master of defense. Using Soresu to defend himself from the barrage of lightsaber strikes coming from all sides, even then it was difficult. He would understand what this spirit was trying to do, to teach him rather than kill him. Dorian started to notice and read the pattern the spirit attacked in and blocked the final attack, before sliding his purple blade down the spirit's red blade and slicking through the body of the spirit

"Impressive..." Was all this manifested vision would say before it would fade off. The body seemed to disintegrate into the black smoky powder it was when he first spotted it.

"Who are you..." Dorian asked

"Follow my path, and find out yourself...find my masterpiece in the caves under the flaming mountain"

Dorian was still reeling a bit from the energy required to break the force grip of this sith and the short duel afterwards. He would take a short breath to deactivate his saber, and continue on his way, no longer to the fortress, but to the mountain caves

Tags: Anak Darkstar

 

[Anak Darkstar]

TAG: Tragic Writer

The Son of Darkness made his way to the smoking mountain. There he saw a great open vent, shaped like a door and a soft glow of deep orange coming from it. As Anak drew closer, the door became towering in height and aeound it carved stone with jaggid teeth and on top an Eye.

“Ominous.”

The Son of Shadow went inside, following a bubbling flow od magma till he came to a great spherical room, with three levels in shape of concentric circles of stone, a water fall of lava pourinf down the middle. Standing near the basexon the lowest ring was Anakin, who with his gauntlet hand stirred the flow with his hand using the Force.

Anak approached causing Skywalker to turn, his eyes aflame.

“You wish to master pain.. then you must jump into the vein.”

The Son of Darkness looked at the pool of magma.

“Is this the only way?”

Anakin chimed in a tone like gravel, “‘perhaps you feel you are being treated unfairly’?”

The Son of Darkness stepped to the edge, as he did Anakin’s face began to melt away, the face painted in burns and orange seared flesh, his hair going up in smoke to be replaced with a bald cap.

“It is pointless to resist!”

Suddenly Anakin’s face was clade in a Mask with a helm and square shaped mirrors for eyes that reflected Anak in them. As the Dark Loed msde known his menace, his cadence of breath echoed in a pitch like a deep inhale and then drop of something heavy in a bucket. The Son of Darkness turned to meet the ignited saber.

“You have much to learn young one!” said Lord Vader has he pointed with his black leather gloved finger.

Anak was being pushed towards the pool of liquid fire, Vader’s blade tip nearly touching him. Looking upward he leapt to the second ring, when a poof of black smoke and Vader was there to medt him.

“You cannot hide forever.. give yourself to the dark side.”

The Son of Darkness ignited his saber.

“I already have!”

Lord Vader held his blade beside Anak’s, his cape flowing in the gust of wind.

“You do not know the power of the dark side! Join me and together we can rule the galaxy!”

The Son of Darkness crossed blades.

“You are dead! A mere phantom of memory, bound to this molten world!”

Vader parried and with a single hand swept his blade across the belly of the Son of Shadow, who dropped low as the blade hissed over his head and singed some hair.

“I am alive! I feel it!” Shouted the Dark Lord.

Anak pointed his hand and comlanding the Force around his fingers like a ball of wind, he threw Vader into the lava fall whi let out cry,

“Arghhhhhhhhh!”

Looking up to the third ring, Anak climbed and there he was beset upon by a blue blace that clove the rock in twain. Anakin was swinging wildly at him.

“‘Don’t make me kill you!’”

The Son of Darkness deactivated his saber. At this Anakin chuckled, his face then had black cap cradle it from an unseen darkness and his body once more clade in the dark mechanical armor of The Dark Lord of the Sith.

“It is unwise.. to lower your defenses!”

The Son of Darkness did not re-ignite his blade, the ruby saber passing through Him and suddenly Dark Armored Lord was gone. And instead sitting on the edge was a little boy, he wore tan clothing and had golden blond hair cut in shhrook cap. He was crying.

Anak approached the lad.

“Why are you crying Lord Vader?”

The Boy turned.

“She was alive.. I felt it.. she was an angel.. what have I done?!”

Anak suddenly saw a wan with long curly brown hair being levitated by Anakin as an adukt, his index and middle finger sticking out like a a wing and his thumb pointed forward, the Lasy then collapsed.

“Pain.. this is the source of your pain.”

The Boy nodded, tears rolling down his cheeks.

“I feel lost.. I am not the Jedi I should be..”

The Son of Darkness drew closer.

“You were a Jedi?”

The boy’s voice changed to that of a man’s,

“I will become the most powerful Jedi ever!”

Anak placed his hands on the boy’s arms, whole he felt cloth, he knew it was his mind making it tangible, making it feel real.

“But you became a Sith Lord, you did not stay a Jedi..”

The Boy turned to a scene of Anakin grown, his hair curly on e more bowing to a Man in Red Robes,

“I pledge myself to your teachings!”

Anak lowered himself to be face to face with the Lad.

“Why? Why did you choose the dark side?”

The scene around them shifted to s hut, a women tortured held in arms of a Anakin with shirt hair weeping.

“I will even learn to stop people from dying!”

Now the Son of Darkness understood. The fear of loss, of bearing great loss had motivated a once Jedi Knight to turn to the Darkness. In that moment Anak felt a swirl of pain, falling on his knees, the Boy Anakin’s eyes burning like flames and his teeth forming a mischievous smile.

“Only now so you understand..”

This voice was not Vader. There was a cackling that filled ths volcano, the Son of Shadow bore down as his body was filled with pain, suddenly he saw a vision of a cloaked old man with pointed hands unleashing gnarled bolts of lightning.

Anak fell on his side and began to shake as if in a seizure.

Perhaps he had made a mistake coming here.

 

[Tragic Writer]

As Dorian made his way up the hills and larger pools of lava, he was forced to put on his helmet that would expand from a small earpiece from behind his ear. This helmet did provide extra protection from most things, the Heat of the lava included. But he felt weaker with it on. An artifact from his noble family, that was passed to him. It would cut off a bit of his senses. Its purple eyes would be close in design to the Zakuul Knights.

The flying Embers would singe and burn off some layers of cloth as he made his way to a large chamber, as if he was being called to it, tranced to make his way there no matter the cost. Unbeknownst to him he had entered a vision inside that chamber.

A large chamber made from dark stone and obsidian. A place that even Dorian could feel was strong in the dark side of the force. In the middle sat a sith. Grey skin, Pointy ears, and blonde hair were some of the most prevalent features of this character. The Sith was working on something, a small figure, carved out of the black stone was being worked on. the design was grotesque.

"You seek a Holocron, student of Zakuul"

"Correct...I seek to heal what ails me"

"Then you must take it"

The Sith would rise, put on a mask, and ignite a saber. Facing Dorian who had now grabbed his blade "I have fought you not long ago...I know your moves"

"You fought a spirit...now you fight me for the Holocron"

With a near-inhuman speed, The Sith Lord would launch himself to Dorian. Dorian would ignite his Purple blade and defend himself with a parry, once again resorting to a Soresu Defense while the relentless strikes of the Sith hit and slowly started to topple Dorian's defense

The Sith would swing his blade high and bring it down to the head of Dorian, Dorian Would parry this attack, and start his attack realizing that his defense was failing. Using the momentum of his parry he spun his saber from the right side of the sith, to strike at the left. Dorian would attack using a combination of Form II and Form III, with quick transitions to Form V for quick parry.

The fight would tire Dorian, yet the Sith in front of him seemed as fresh as ever

"Now you die...To Darth Momin" The Sith would raise his hand and shoot out Yellow cracks of lightning. Dorian would try to block the lightning, to some success. His saber was not wide enough to block it all.

Dorian's mask, exposed to the raw power of lightning, was deactivated and retreated to the ear piece it used to be.

Dorian in great pain would finally give in to the true power of the dark side. A piece of him that he hated, but was necessary for his survival.

Dorian's lighting, Purple and red in color, would shoot back at Monin, Causing the Sith to scream in pain and fall to the ground. Dorian's eyes as orange as the Sith in front of him would not relent from the lighting. The power felt too good to stop. But stop he Must.

Dorian's sleeves were almost completely burned off due to his attack, part of his right arm, had an exposed tattoo. The head of a dragon that seemed to have a body going up the arm and further out of sight.

After he regained his senses and pushed back the darkness, he would look to his foe, only to see that his vision had faded, and a Different Man lay on the ground.

Tags: Anak Darkstar

 

[Anak Darkstar]

The Son of Darkness awoke, he was on his back, his body sore and no sign of the apparitions that had tormented him. Trying to set up, he felt the old wound in his lower rib seize up.

Anak had come to Mustafar seeking to cope with loss. He had suffered losing more then he could bear. His beloved Ravenna Sarn had chosen The Order over him, and revealed how her affections had depended on his rise in rank and power. The wound was fresh, and now he had learned that terrible misery they call love and perhaps why the Jedi for eons forbid it. It was because of this heart ache and the fall that Anak sought the only Sith Lord who might understand and aid him. Instead it merely amplified his pain, the Phantom of Memory seemed determined to pour hit wine in the wound. This was the way of Sith, to torture and tear at one another in the crucible to build up strong warriors. For the first time Anak was not sure he was cut out for it. That zeal, that passion he had for His Mistress, The Dark Side, had ebbed. He now contemplated a most dark thought of all, and looked at the lava that fell from the fall. His mind then saw parents, both piloting his ship The Dark Star, and in that moment he felt great rage. They had forced his path, their experiments had groomed him for a life of pain. He wanted to curse them, when he saw Anakin once more standing there, not hostile, not poised to strike.

“You are ready. Come to my castle.”

The Son of Darkness turned to the Memory of Skywalker.

“I’m done.. I thought I’d find answers here.”

Anakin drew nearer.

“Come to my castle.”

With that the apparition disappeared. Anak stood there and considered. He wanted tp surrender, to put an end to this journey, and yet the ache inside his soul demanded a balm, one that no one so far could concoct. Spurred by desperation he headed back to the great entrance, he sensed presence, but his mind had drifted so far into his own misery he did not address it yet.

Once outside he marched with a limp towards the imposing casfle in the distance. Before he could not get close to it, the Fortress remaining far off no matter how many steps he took. Now he was drawing near to mighty volcanic rock walls and gate. There he stood before s great arch gate which began to crack to allow admittance. He entered in.

TAG: Tragic Writer

 

[Anak Darkstar]

Inside The Fortress Anak was met with great halls and black rock columns of stone. He proceeded further in, disturbing cobwebs that swayed and sought to ensnare his face. The Son of Darkness came to a stairway made of volcanic masonry so smooth that he nearly slipped on the steps. Ascending he came to the tip of the great tower, where a throne with v-shaped wings at the back sat idle. Here Sanctum Vader he stood, waiting for a final spectra to reveal itself. He approached the throne, and took a seat. There was bo voice, no vision, not even the creak of hinges on a door somewhere. All was quiet and Anak began to wonder if all he had saw was a delirium brought on by the heat. He had come to learn how the path of pain, to learn from a Master of it, what he found was dust and shadows. There was nothing here, the centuries had cleared away the memory stains. Placing huis hand on the obsidian desk of stone, he rose and a compartment opened. Rising from counter weight, was a holocron of black and silver color. The Son if Darkness took it and held it in his hand, a light of shadow inside moving like smoke. He reached out in the Force and it opened, a masked Phantom appeared, who’s breaths echoed.

“Impressive, most impressive. Your skills are complete..”

It was a recording, and The Son of Shadow felt no compulsion to explore it. He sat the miniature pyramid down with the projected image of Lord Vader. As he stepped away it spoke,

“The loss of Padme has made me soft. The Emperor senses it.”

Anak turned as the recording played.

“She was all that was dear to me, and now my failure is complete. I will never forgive myself for failing her as I did Shimi”

Anak walked closer, watching with newfound interest.

“To know the power of the dark side is to confront your loss, to shed it, and become impervious.”

Anak crossed his arms listening.

“Give yourself to the dark side of the Force. It is the only way to save yourself. Friends will fail you, family will betray you. Only with the Darkness as your ally will you control your destiny and rule the galaxy! ‘For in the end, the Darkness is all you ever will have.’”

With those words the image receded into the black holocron. The Son of Darkness gave a bow and then left the throne. He understood now, the only path was to make His Mistress his only mistress, to harder his heart against all temptations to take any other.

It meant to accept loneliness, to endure the shadow of grief as a tomb inside his soul. Only then could he become The Sith he was meant to be.