Private The Sacrifice

[Darth Solipsis]

​

The Palatine Guard stood silently around the chamber, emotionless guardians ever vigilant of potential dangers to their supreme master. Near the center of the chamber stood a small pedestal, hollowed out and filled with sand. Resting within this sand-filled bowl was none other than the very Voice of the Maw's headpiece, the crowning adornment that marked the Dark Voice amongst the other Heathen Priests.

A figure rised from the central throne, adorned in all black. The robes of a Sith. Darth Solipsis descended down and approached the center of the great audience chamber, where the mighty Maestus stood in wait. He had summoned his apprentice here for her next lesson as a Sith, the Heathen Priests were away, busy with matters arcane and unholy, leaving the chamber empty but for the Voice himself.

Darth Solipsis paused but mere feet from his apprentice and grinned devilishly. "Are you prepared for the next lesson of your training?"

 

[Maestus]

She stood near the bowl, studying the Voice's mask. She, too, wore her Sith robes, black with red stitching. Though these robes had been modified. From the hem seam to her hip, they had been split, edges stitched together with red thread. Beneath the newly split robes she wore a pair of loose cargo type pants. Red and loose through the hips and thighs, tapered at the bottom. Clearly designed for maximum flexibility and freedom of movement.

When her Master spoke, she lifted her black eyes to him.

Yes Master. I am ready.

 

[Darth Solipsis]

​

The Dark Lord chuckled under his breath and with a wave of his hand he acknowledged his Apprentice and the guards simultaneously. "Very well." Two of the Palatine Guard branched off immediately from their posts for the set of double doors into the audience chamber. The doors slowly opened as the guards set their back against the entryway, a group of figures emerged from the other side of the threshold.

Marauders, from the look of it not even of the tribal rank and file. Their garbs were more fitting of the scavengers forced into guard duty amidst the lower levels where the Taskmaster Tu'teggacha and his acolytes held domain over the downtrodden. They brought with them prisoners, bound in chains and in poor condition, from first glance they appeared to be an ordinary elder Twi'lek couple. Flung into the center of the chamber, the Sith Master raised his hand to halt any further movements.

The elderly woman attempted to compose herself as her mate helped her back up slowly, a look of utter horror and sadness filled her eyes as a raspy voice uttered softly, "Via?"

The most evil of smiles, a look of utter satisfaction and sick joy came over the Sith Lord as he grinned from ear to ear. His hand gesturing outward to the pair of prisoners, "Don't you miss your family?"


Maestus

 

[Maestus]

Whatever, or rather, whoever, Maestus thought would be brought before them......She never thought she would see these faces again. More, she did not WANT to see them again. She wanted to leave them buried in her past, where they belonged.

How dare they show their faces to her......now.......Here!

Her narrowed eyes ignited and darted to Darth Solipsis . Her mouth gaped open. Conflict and confusion plain on her face.

She shifted her eyes back to the wretches before her. Her legs were wobbly. Chest was heaving. Shoulders shaking. Fists clenching and unclenching.

The normally calm and collected Maestus was overcome with uncertainty. And an emotion she thought dead and buried.

Fear.

Master, I....I don't understand. Why are they here? I don't....I don't understand.

A thousand thoughts ran through and circled within her mind. How were the even still alive? Had they finally found their destiny, enslavement? Not a surprise they had never escaped. They were weak and pathetic. No ambition or desire. Yes, chains fit them perfectly.

 

[Darth Solipsis]

Darth Solipsis let his grin falter and fade as he approached his apprentice with open hands, "It took sometime to find them, I had agents start the search years ago when you first came to me. Finally, the slaves have been found and brought here to this reunion long in the making." His eyes flickered from Maestus to the terrified figures forced to their knees before the Sith duo. "Go on. You deserve this, a life with your family." The sulfuric eyes of Solipsis fixated on his apprentice with a dreadful, judging gaze. He allowed her a few moments to grasp what was happening and let it all sink in.

"When I brought you to Mustafar, you had cast aside the last remnants of VIa. You killed her to survive, these are her parents, her family. No matter how much love you believe you do not carry for them, it is false. I've seen your mind, your thoughts." His hand raised up and gestured to the individuals groveling, her mother still looking at her daughter with a mix of horror and sadness. "I can only show you the way, it is you who has to open the door. I will not force you to walk through to the other side."

The Sith Lord smiled wickedly, his hand dropping down from it's floating position to his side, "You can be happy, do as you please and take your family away. You can use your strength to show them a better life, or.." His grin dropped down to a scowl as his upper lip curled, ".. you can kill them here and now. Cement your place as a Sith and take upon yourself unending agony, true emotional pain for power in dedication to the Way of the Sith." He closed in, walking softly with a soft hand resting onto her shoulder.

"This is the sacrifice, the ultimate test of selflessness. To take on the sins of others, to be vilified by the galaxy in order to gain the power to correct the balance and direct order to save billions. Even the Brotherhood, as savage as they are and violent against the innocents.. show mercy upon a galaxy in pain by putting it out of it's misery for a better existence within the Netherworld of the Force. No one will ever recognize your sacrifice, let alone know what you had to do to stand here as a Sith. You will be a symbol of evil, a master of darkness with no happy ending waiting for you. Such is the cost of attaining power, you must choose."

The Sith Master stepped away, his hand gliding off the tip of her shoulder as he backed off softly in anticipation of her choice.



Maestus

 

[Maestus]

Maestus stood there, rooted to the spot. She tried to focus on what her Master was saying, but she had gone from calm to bordering on hysteria. Her mind rampaging from image to image.

She had never expected to see these people ever again.

Her parents.

Why? What was Solipsis wanting her to learn.....

Then she started fully focusing on his words.

She had a choice.

She turned on her heel and paced away. Then back and forth. Every so often she would stop and glare at her parents. Their weakness and desperation. Her head snapped to Solipsis.

Where did you find them?

 

[Darth Solipsis]

​

"Does it matter?" The Elder scowled, "There is nothing you can hide from me." His eyes did not falter away or diminish in intensity as he stared at her indecision. "So few have a choice, why deny yourself?"

The Sith Lord chuckled under his breath, "Go on, you deserve a second chance, a second life with your family. You deserve this.." He paused, intentionally letting the words hit home before dropping a bombshell, a name she was taught to despise.

"..Via."

A single red spark danced between his idle fingers as he waited in anticipation of her response.



Maestus

 

[Maestus]

Why?!

Why did she have these conflicting feelings? Why was she even considering this absurd proposal? And why was he doing this? Had she not passed every test put before her?

She glared at her slave parents. she moved closer to them. Even squatted down before them to study them up close. She stared deep into their eyes. Even invaded their minds without hesitation. She knew not what she was searching for. Only that she needed to find something.

She stood up and walked back near Darth Solipsis . Listening.

Until he said...

Via.

That was her trigger. That sparked a rage in her she was even surprised by. She hadn't realized how much she loathed everything the name Via stood for. Weakness. Innocence. Naivety. Powerless. Maestus had once been all those things and more. Now though, she was strong. Experienced. Intelligent.

She seethed with rage. A fire harsher and more all consuming than any she had ever experienced. Her mind was a kaleidoscope of thoughts, memories and emotions. She was on the verge of some kind of explosion.

But who would she kill? Solipsis? Or her parents?

Somewhere, she knew her Master was in her head. Mentally, she battled between missing her old life and alternately being disgusted and hating it.

Her hands went to her head. Fists pounding into her temples. She couldn't take it any longer, and raised her hands.

Lightning began to crackle. Slowly and randomly at first, then more consistently. She looked at Solipsis. An inferno in her eyes.

Via is DEAD!

She whipped around to face her parents, and let go of the Force Lightning. It was messy, unrefined. But it was right on target. The blast hit them both, and branches of sparks hit them, leaving burns all over their bodies.

As she killed her parents, she screamed a deep guttural roar.

 

[Darth Solipsis]

​

He could feel the culmination of her anger, her hatred erupt in a magnificent display of power before witnessing the wicked bolts of lightning wither away the flesh of her parents. A wide grin spread across the face of the Sith Master as the light illuminated against his dark portrait. The decision had been made, she had passed the test and made the sacrifice as tradition dictated. Her devotion to the Sith had been sealed.

"Good! Yes, kill them!" Solipsis erupted in laughter, "Kill them! Claim your place at my side and eliminate the memory of weakness forever more." The sparks continued raining down upon them even after they had stopped struggling, long dead. He watched with utter glee and fed upon their suffering, their pain invigorating his body.

When it was all done with, only the charred remains and the smell of burning decay laid before them. Her victory over Via all but complete. The Elder's smile slowly faded away, his amusement vanishing in all but an instant as his gaze shifted to the apprentice before him. "You have done well Maestus . You have proven yourself a true Sith, an anointed follower of the code we abide by. Your chains have been broken, the Force has freed you."


Maestus

 

[Maestus]

Her chest and shoulders were heaving. Lightning flashed not only from her fingertips, but her eyes as well. Red and black mingled together.

Finally, her roar died off, seemingly in sync with the death of her parents. Wait, no...Via's parents. Maestus was born anew on this day. She was a child of the Dark Side, truly. Her feelings had begun as conflicted, confused. By the end, there was no confusion. She had only hatred and rage.

She turned slowly to face her Master, Darth Solipsis and bent to one knee.

What do you require, my Master?

 

[Darth Solipsis]

​

He could feel her hatred, her anger. It thrilled him to no end to look upon her as she knelt before him. "You shall become a powerful Sith Lord. In time perhaps even my successor if you prove worthy." His hand gestured upward as his voice bellowed deep, "Rise."

"The Heathen Priests have addressed the coming of a powerful asset among the ranks of the Brotherhood. A Gren Blidh , he will be brought before the Priesthood and myself. I have decided that such talent cannot go to waste. He could become a powerful Dark Side Adept, perhaps more. I want you to train him as one would but do not divulge too much into the Sith teachings or the code. Temper his power and teach him gifts that will benefit the Brotherhood."

Solipsis stepped away, "He will receive instruction from you, the Priesthood, and myself. This will be a good exercise for you, a chance to further your own studies by exploring the role of a master firsthand."


Maestus

 

[Maestus]

She stood as instructed, and paid close attention to his words. His praise had not gone unnoticed, although she would not react, except to bow her head briefly.

She had not met Gren Blidh as of yet. But from the sounds of things, the two of them would become quite close. Already, she was making plans in her head. Putting together a training regemin. The first thing she would do, is see what sort of will he had. For if he had no self will and self preservation instinct, he was doomed before he even started.

Yes, my Master. It will be done. He will be well trained.