Private Welcome Back, O Sleeping Dreamer

[Revna]

The time had come.

After agonizing and weighing over the decision set before her, the choice she had to make - Revna had finally reached the point where she stood on that dangerous edge, looking into the darkness of the abyss, the shadows of the unknown.

There was so much to lose.

And yet so much to gain.

The only thing stopping her? Her willingness to make the necessary sacrifices - things that might be asked of her that she had no inclination of as of yet. It was a great risk, and she knew that if she stepped off that ledge, she could be damning herself. But the reward could make it all worth it in the end. For what Sith would turn down a chance to grow their power?

Revna’s drive to become more than what she was now, as a Sith, made her consider the offer extended to her by Darth Carnifex. Some time had passed since their first meeting; and she had sought counsel from the only woman she truly trusted, the Sith Empress Srina Talon , as she knew this was not a decision she could make lightly.

If she turned down his offer to have him show her the path to true power, then she could suffer for it. If she accepted, then she would no doubt suffer for that as well. It was a damned if she did, and a damned if she didn’t. While Lady Talon had said her piece, ultimately it was Revna’s choice in the end, and no one could make that decision for her.

She was already learning harsh, but no less important, lessons under Darth Prazutis. Why not also learn from the other Dark Lord while she was held captive within their monstrous Malsheem? She would be incredibly foolish to waste her time, and her insatiable hunger to learn and absorb all the knowledge she could would not allow her to be idle. Her Master may never understand, and indeed he may never forgive her if he learned the truth.

But if that was a sacrifice she had to pay to grow in her power, then so be it.

So the little Sith woman waited until someone came to her quarters, her prison cell really as she wasn’t allowed to leave and roam on her own accord even though she was a “guest”, and she asked if Carnifex could be informed that she had come to a decision on his offer.

And then she bided her time and waited for when the Dark Lord was ready to see her.

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

They came for her sometime later. Black-robed guards, unrecognizable through their harrowing visage of black cloth and burnished metal, withdrew Revna from her cell with a gesture.

As they led her through the cavernous interior of the Malsheem, she bore witness to grand wonders unlike any she saw before. Sprawling cityscapes that seemed to stretched on into a distant horizon that bent and bowed with the curvature of the station. Railcrawlers as wide as city plazas and longer than most skyscrapers passed by, carrying innumerable cargo from the bowels of the station to the outer manufacturing plants. Endless columns of soldiers marched along boulevards wide enough to park star destroyers, identical troopers marching in perfect synchronicity to the direction of their overseers.

But it was the grant monument that stretched up before her that would outshine them all. A grand spire stretching from the deepest pits to the highest roofs, wrought of obsidian and crystal, radiating the Dark Side like heat from an open furnace. The guards led her inside, the entryway so monstrously wide she could scarcely see either side. But as they delved deeper, the corridors became narrower; larger than she was accustomed to, but more befitting the stature of those who had imprisoned her.

The place that she would meet the Dark Lord was no ominous throne room, laden with the trophies of endless spoils. Rather, it was a massive garden, a forest in its own right. Hundreds of thousands of plants were arranged and maintained by a dutiful staff of horticulturists. At the grand garden's center was a stone pavilion, raised above the ground so that one could see in every direction almost unimpeded. The sound of children laughing could be heard nearby, but Revna could not see them.

At the pavilion's center, seated upon a bench of polished wood, was the Dark Lord of the Sith. He had been reduced of His finery, wearing only a simple tunic and trousers cinched at the waist by a sash. His feet were bare, resting against the cool marble. He watched her curiously as she approached, the guards breaking off to stand a fair distance away so they could speak alone.

"I hear you've made a decision. What is it you have chosen?"

Revna ​

 

[Revna]

She had expected to be taken to the Shadow Hand to resume her training that day, but when no one came to fetch her from her quarters at the normal time, Revna knew that something else was planned for her that day. She spent the extra time in meditation, building upon the foundations that her Master had taught her thus far, crackling arcs of violet lightning dancing between her fingers as she felt the dark power move and twist through her as it radiated from her like a cold fog.

It was her favorite thing to do when she meditated; it gave her something to do as she let herself drift in the void to listen to the dark whispers beyond. And now that her connection with the Dark side had been deepened, those whispers felt louder and closer.

She yearned for them to be as clear voices in her mind, revealing secrets and mysteries to her.

Something to strive for, to reach for.

But her meditations did bear dark fruit, despite the seducing whispers that seemed reluctant to lend her their secrets. Power was there for her to grasp, to take - she only needed to reach for it. It was far beyond anything else that surrounded her mortal self; the only constant that she should ever strive for. Though her heart and soul longed to connect bridges with others, the Darkness did not care for such things. It was the most bitter of truths that had been revealed to her yet, one she still struggled to accept.

The door to her spacious quarters slid open with a hiss, and her eyes snapped open to see a grouping of dark robed and armored guards.

“Lord Carnifex will see you now. Come.” came the sharp voice of one, declaring their purpose for intruding upon her space. Normally, Revna was not bothered by others when she meditated unless it was by the direct order of her Master. But she was afforded no such respect here, and she didn’t expect it.

The lightning in her hands fizzed out with an electrical pop and she rose to her feet with grace. She said nothing in response as she stepped towards the guardsmen, and allowed them to surround her as they escorted her onward.

The sight that Revna was treated to on her journey towards the Dark Lord was one that filled her with both a sense of awe - and a bleak sense of emptiness. Though a city full of life and industry and order spread out around her, it was a stark reminder to her of what she had lost. This was not the heart of the Formos Dresouti. It lacked the touch and presence of her High Priest, of all those who served him so willingly, and gave him all they had to offer.

…that was except for one thing, which was as familiar to the young Sith Apprentice as sunlight was upon her skin: the majesty and the radiance of the Dark side that shined forth from the blackened spire that drew her fiery gaze as she approached closer to it, her steps falling in line and tandem with those around her as she was taken past the yawning maw that led her within.

As she traversed further within the spire, she noticed the pathways becoming more narrow, as if designed for individuals living within instead of the massive cityscape beyond its obsidian walls. The pathways and passageways were larger than she was, but she was sharp of mind enough to recognize that someone of great stature - such as Darth Carnifex and his ilk - could pass through with comfort and ease, as if the place was designed for him and his kind.

She expected to be taken to a throne room; after all, it was within a throne room that she had first met Darth Prazutis. But much to Revna’s surprise, she was instead taken into a massive garden, beautifully upkept by dutiful gardeners who worked tirelessly to keep it as pleasing as possible. Floral scents filled Revna’s senses, and for the briefest of moments her mind flashed to a past memory, of when she worked alongside her mistress in the noblewoman’s gardens, the gentle sounds of a central fountain the only peace she had during her years in enslavement.

The small Sith woman was directed towards a stone pavilion, her ears catching the sounds of laughter from children who played somewhere within the forest of greenery. Had the pavilion not held the Dark Lord of the Kainate, the reminder to Revna of why she was here, she might have gotten lost in the idyllic sense of what surrounded her.

It was quite the contrast: the Butcher who had bathed in the blood of millions, who’s very being and essence was anathema to life itself - surrounded by its lushness and beauty as he seemed relaxed and without concern.

Her escort hung back as she came upon the pavilion itself, allowing her to carry forward on her own. And it took nerves of steel and a hardened resolve to take those steps.

Unlike the last time when Revna had faced the Dark Lord, there was no burning hate in her fiery gaze - only the fearlessness that made her stare down the storm. Perhaps foolishly, she did not bow before Darth Carnifex - though she did dip her gaze in a gesture of deference.

His voice carried through to her, direct and to the point, putting her on the spot to give him her response. A coldness drifted over her skin, and her pulse quickened and stuttered briefly in her chest. Her mind was blank for a moment, as she processed that she was here and what she was about to say.

The abyss loomed before her, and she could feel and hear the coaxing of the Darkness to take that singular step forward. Damned if she did…

And damned if she did not.

“If your offer still stands, Lord Carnifex, then it is my desire to take it.”

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

He regarded her silently, not speaking for several moments after she had laid clear her intentions. Those eyes, swirling cores of molten copper suspended in an endless black sea, looked straight through her; the sensation not unlike being subjected to the scrutiny of a blinding spotlight. When His gaze shifted, the emptiness left behind from being bereft of His direct attention was like being thrust out into an icy tundra without clothing. There was little wonder in those who manically fought to catching fleeting glimpses of His awareness, for even Revna would feel a keen sense of absence despite her misgivings.

A young child approached, no more than half a decade old. Despite this, the boy's face was etched with an alertness that seemed far beyond his years, and he looked to the older Revna with a mixture of curiosity and wariness. He inspected her, assessing what danger she could pose, but ultimately turned back to look at the Dark Lord. Though he did not kneel, he did bow curtly at the waist.

"Grandfather," spoke the boy, "Cousin Volren struck me during play, so I struck him in return and now he has fallen unconscious."

Carnifex's expression did not change, but His displease was evident. "Struck once?"

Discomfort cascaded across the boy's face, color rising in his cheeks. "Thrice, grandfather."

Breathing out His nostrils, the Dark Lord then spoke again. "Alert the nursery gynoid of your cousin's condition. When he has awoken, you both shall present yourselves for summary lashings for causing discord. An extra five lashings will be meted out to Volren for his weakness in failing to capitalize his advantage of first blow. Let it be a reminder to the both of you, this garden is not for your squabbles. Should the incident repeat, I will instruct your punishment to be far more egregious. Am I to be understood?"

This time, the boy did kneel. More than that, he pressed his forehead against the cool stone in total obeisance. "Yes, grandfather. I beg for your forgiveness for the displeasure we have caused. It shall not happen again." With that, the boy spared one last look at Revna before disappearing the way he had come. After a moment, the Dark Lord rose from His bench and stood looming over the young Sith.

"Your acceptance is noted, apprentice Revna. It is welcomed. You will learn just as you shall suffer, for pain cannot be separated from enlightenment. The greatest knowledge can only be found at the edge of a blade, or from the stinging bite of a lash." He spoke that last segment with some manner of amusement in His voice. "Nothing that springs forth from this land comes easy, Revna, I know that you understand this. To be a Sith is to embrace our suffering, to bind it to our will, and to mete it out upon those who stand in our path."

"Now come, and take your first steps towards your future."

Revna ​

 

[Revna]

Revna stood still and silent as Darth Carnifex regarded her with his piercing, burning gaze. Though she felt discomfort come over her, she did not move a muscle or shift her features to show such a thing before the Dark Lord. But as the moments stretched by and she received no answer, she began to worry if he had decided to reject her acceptance.

...But if that had been the case, then he wouldn’t have agreed to speak with her. He would have ignored her, or told her he had rescinded his offer. Or at least, she hoped he would have told her such a thing. But she knew she would find out one way or the other soon enough.

Revna’s discomfort grew a bit more pronounced when the Dark Lord’s gaze shifted away from her. It was a strange sensation: she felt suddenly alone without that attention, but at the same time she felt relieved he was no longer staring holes through her; a small part of her wondered if he was aware and could see the traitorous shadow that resided within her.

Her gaze suddenly snapped towards a young child, a boy no more than ten standard years of age, who appeared from the dense garden and approached the platform. He studied Revna for a few moments, his expression a mixture of curiosity and caution, and she watched him in return with cool aloofness. The boy turned his attention to Darth Carnifex and bowed at the waist respectfully before addressing the Sith Lord, referring to him as grandfather.

Revna tilted her head slightly in piqued curiosity, and she listened in on the exchange between the two. It appeared that some sort of altercation had occurred between himself and another boy somewhere beyond, and the young Sith woman couldn’t help but be reminded of her own younger brother and his antics. Veradun had never been shy at giving out his own brand of “justice” against those who wrong him. He had always appeared to be a shy and reluctant boy - but it was only a cover that concealed his more merciless, ruthless nature. She hoped he was faring well at the Academy; it pained her to not know how he was doing, but she knew she couldn’t protect to watch over him forever. If he was going to become a Sith, then he was going to have to handle issues on his own. Either he would survive through them and become stronger, or he would fade away like so many others had. The strong would rise and claim their rightful place, and the weak would submit or perish.

It was just the way, the nature, of the Sith.

The displeasure from the Dark Lord at his grandson’s actions was evident, and it even made Revna uncomfortable even though she wasn’t the one who had provoked the Sith's ire. His judgment was passed and the boy prostrated himself, seeking forgiveness and promising that such actions would not happen again. She idly wondered if Darth Carnifex would slay his own grandson should the boy disobey and not return for his punishment, but she kept those thoughts to herself. She held the boy’s gaze as he glanced her way one last time before disappearing, and her attention shifted back to the giant form of Carnifex as he rose to his feet.

It took all of her nerve to stand still, even as he loomed over her, and a glimmer of relief passed over her pale face when he acknowledged her acceptance of his offer. She dipped her head in understanding of his words, for she knew the truth of them. She knew very well the lessons that could be learned at the crack of a whip and at the edge of the blade. She had experienced and learned those lessons herself from time to time.

“Yes, my Lord.” Revna replied with quiet respect, ready to follow and take that step forward into the unknown. A part of her, buried deep within, felt pain for she knew what she was doing could be seen as a betrayal - but her decision had been made and there was no going back on it now.

Darth Carnifex ​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

She hesitated, even if she did not fully understand that she did. For a long time, the Dark Lord honed His skill in reading people; an ability that has served Him since He was a lowly agent amongst hundreds in service to the Empire. But that did not matter, her hesitation would only lead to one of two outcomes. Either she buckled under the pressure of His instruction and was broken beyond repair, or she rose above her own doubts, conquered her fear, and truly became what she was destined to be.

He would find out which path she would take, He would wring such destiny from her body even if it killed her.

Weeks flew by after her initial acceptance, the Dark Lord settling the young Revna into a harsh regiment to hone her skills, body, and mind. She awoke early, meeting the Dark Lord and training with Him for many, many hours. Her body was left bruised and battered, but despite all of this she improved. He taught her to use the Dark Side to enhance the natural attributes of her body, increasing her speed, strength, agility, and endurance. Her mental reflexes were heightened, allowing her to see moments before they happened, even managing to evade the Dark Lord's nightmarishly fast attacks.

Despite this, the Dark Lord remained many leagues above her. She was never in any position to ever threatened Him, but her incremental progress was noticeable. Between these bouts of intense physical exertion, the Dark Lord subjected Revna to agonizing sessions to increase her tolerance for pain. Her body was wracked with such unbearable agony that her screams eventually faded in hoarse cries, as her voice gave out long before she was finally given peace.

Now, the two were engaged in another duel. Lightsabers spun through the air, the Dark Lord insisting on using lethal weapons to heighten their training. He swung low, and Revna leapt over the strike; seeing it before it happened. But there was the Dark Lord swinging His arm into her midsection to send her flying. She hit the ground once, twice, and then skidded to a stop outside a white-line boundary etched into the stone floor. At that, the Dark Lord deactivated His weapon.

"That is enough for now. Your body needs nourishment. We will eat."

Revna ​

 

[Revna]

Whatever Darth Carnifex had in mind for her, she knew it would not be easy. She didn’t expect it to be, either. Even with that understanding, she faced the training hell he imposed upon her with an iron will to not just survive, but thrive. And beyond that - exceed the expectations laid out before her.

The Dark Lord was a brutal, but thorough, teacher. In the very beginning, the young Sith hated him for the harsh training regiment he put her through. It reminded her of her early days as a fresh Acolyte, knowing nothing and being weak everywhere. She had been in a decent place before she accepted his offer, but he took her to a whole other level. The physical training hardened and strengthened her body, burned away and dross, and even helped further accentuate her feminine beauty. She appeared as if cut and carved straight from alabaster stone itself; beautiful and deadly.

Through weeks of harsh training, her skills and aptitudes came to the surface and Carnifex skillfully honed these unique abilities of hers - like her incredible reflexes and agility, more than what a standard human could have achieved - and together they even discovered she had the ability to see situations and moments before they ever happened, and this was further honed and sharpened until she could do something she once thought impossible: she could evade his frighteningly fast attacks. And she had to, in order to stay alive in their sparring matches.

Beyond the intense physical training, and further instruction on using the Dark Side to enhance her skills and abilities, the Dark Lord subjected the little woman to sessions of undiluted pain. His belief was that pain brought enlightenment, and in the very beginning the young Sith cursed and hated him for every moment of agony she endured, seeing and feeling nothing but the fact that her nerves were being burned then dipped in acid, or the very skin on her body flayed from the muscles underneath. The very first sessions had been the worst, for one could not truly prepare themselves enough to face that amount of torment. Though she thought she was going to die each time…her heart continued to beat within her chest. She very nearly broke under the strain…but her will was stronger, and she pulled through each time. And gradually, Revna began to accept the pain, and even embraced it when it came.

When that happened, she had her moment of enlightenment. Pain did not control her…she controlled it. It was simply another tool for her to add to her repertoire, something to use to enhance herself, instead of getting lost in it. And when she understood and accepted that, the agony inflicted upon her no longer held such a sharp edge. She became far more resilient than she’d ever been before, and even the bruises and batterings and broken bones she received in her spars and her training sessions were brushed off as mere annoyances. But of course, Darth Carnifex was far above her in skill and ability, and every spar thus far ended with her being on the ground. Still, she always got back on her feet and pressed onward, only ceasing when she was commanded to.

It was no different for this newest sparring session either. Crimson flashed and danced, faster than what the naked eye could follow - as Revna dueled the Dark Lord once again, sweat sheened to her skin from the intensity in which she moved and fought. They’d clashed like this many times over the past weeks; she’d nearly been killed by the giant Sith Lord in their first few spars, as he’d made it clear that they would fight with blades set to lethal settings and while she was already used to this, she was not used to combating the sheer might the Epicanthix had.

And though in the very beginning there had been an unleashing of violence and hostility from her towards him, as all the pent up emotion and negativity within her sought its release, she learned exceedingly quickly that he would kill her if she did not apply herself completely and focus herself.

Now, the small Sith apprentice actually looked forward to these moments where she crossed blades with Carnifex. The ache in her muscles was welcomed now, and she found challenge in pushing herself through that pain and harnessing it to further her own abilities, and add strength to her blows.

But even with her improvements, she had a lot yet to learn. She made errors in judgment from time to time, and the Sith Lord was quick to point out those errors in punishing fashion, as he did even now. She saw the lethal swipe coming a mile away and leapt high to avoid the low swing, but she misjudged and could not avoid the swing of his other arm in time. The blow, though violent, was not fatal - thanks to the ruthless training that had strengthened her body - but it certainly was enough to send her crashing into the stone floor with enough force for her to rebound twice before she came to a sliding halt some distance away, her saber hilt knocked from her own grasp in the process.

Revna was mildly winded but she was quick to recover, the hilt recalled back to her hand in a split second just in case she needed it to block a blow that she thought for sure was coming. Instead, she heard the distinct sound of his lightsaber deactivating.

How many were fortunate enough to hear that sound, and still have life left in their body? She idly wondered as she heard his voice roll out like low thunder to her, announcing that their sparring session was over, and they would eat.

Revna heaved in a deep breath, feeling the air expand her lungs, as she took a moment to compose herself and come down from the dizzying heights that fighting brought her to. Her mind quickly went through the motions of the sparring session, noting where she had done good and where she had fallen short. Food sounded wonderful in that moment; she’d burned through so much energy and calories that she needed to replenish what had been used.

“As you wish, my Lord.” she accepted with a bow of her head. “I’m so hungry…I feel like I could eat an entire bantha right now.” the young woman admitted with a touch of rare amusement intermingled within her quiet voice as she approached the Dark Lord, coming to a halt at a respectful distance. “What is your will for me after we’ve eaten?” she inquired curiously, probing a bit to see what she could expect to come next.

She noted then that Carnifex did not ask for the lightsaber in her hand to be returned to him and the Apprentice waited for the gesture to relinquish it, yet it never came. As her heart rate settled further, she glanced down at the simple hilt in her grasp. He was not one to simply forget such a thing; no, perhaps there was a reason for this? She wondered curiously as she rotated the hilt in her hand, until the emitter was facing him directly, before she lifted her gaze to meet his, bold as ever.

The temptation to ignite it did flicker through her mind and she entertained it for a moment before she cast it aside, once more shifting the saber in her hand so that the emitter faced the ground between them. Such a thought was foolish and she knew it; besides, even if she had acted upon that fleeting impulse, she wouldn’t have truly done him any lasting harm. She also knew that it would have been her last act in life - as no doubt he would have cut her down in an instant for her audacity. Still, she sometimes found it fun to play with fire.

“You haven’t asked for this to be returned to you, like you usually do at the end of our spars…”

Darth Carnifex​