Dantooine was never truly home for Eira, she hated the place for a number of years. Her parents were the cause of a lot of that hatred, they complained that she was cruel. That Eira wouldn’t get along with the other children. That she bullied Cerys far too much. It was always “why aren’t you more like your sister?”. A question that Eira hated when she was a child, a question she hated even now. She was their daughter too, but they never showed any unconditional love towards her, it was always demanding that she change. That Eira conformed to what they believed was the correct way to behave. The Sith had been the first place where Eira felt seen. Quinn had been the first person to show respect, love, in a way that Eira felt appreciated. CT-312 had been the first person that Eira allowed herself to accept as a friend, not a tool, not someone to play with. An actual friend.
Thyferra demonstrated that she could not be that way. She could not linger on those weak desires. Eira needed to evolve, to become the monster that was demanded from her. It was time to finally face where the root of that weakness came from, it was time that Eira returned to Dantooine and confronted those that weakened her, harmed her chances so much that Eira could not trust those she had once been close with. Eira had lost the respect that she had worked so hard to earn because she opened herself up, craving the connection that had been deprived from her for most of her life. So it was time to become the monster. The monster that the Sith needed from her. One that showed no weakness and craved nothing but the destruction of her enemies.
Returning home, it was smaller than she remembered it to be. Pirates had kidnapped her on the way home, so she never really got to have one last look before leaving Dantooine. It was something again that had been robbed from her. Now, Eira looked around, knowing it would be the last time ever and felt deeply disappointed in it all. It was not impressive nor should anyone think it was worthy of an origin place for a Sith to start from. It was ripe for burning, the crops were dry and Eira smirked at the idea of starting a wildfire. That would be something. Destroy any legacy that was still here.
Entering the homestead, Eira gazed around, her red eyes noting the different things around. Memories that were connected. Pictures of her parents, of Cerys but none of Eira. Always the case. Eira was sure that her parents attempted to forget that she existed once she vanished; as far as she knew, they made no attempts to find her. Eira entered the living room and there they were. Her oaf of a father and dim mother. Watching the holovid and seeing the High Republic having lost on Thyferra. It made Eira smirk and almost laugh. That invasion had been brilliant and it was the driving factor for her appearance here. It seemed too fated for them to be watching news on it.
“I helped ensure our victory there.” Eira spoke, using her natural voice, Dantooine accent with a soft feminine note that any who knew her after joining the Sith would be shocked to hear. “Cerys was absent though, failed you there. So maybe not the golden child that you claim her to be.” Eira spoke coldly.
Her parents turned to see Eira, their eyes going wide as they looked stunned to see their daughter. The child that they had thought was dead. “But… you… why did you do this?” Her mother asked in the pathetic pleading tone that Eira recognised from childhood.
“I did it because it was my duty. I am Sith and succeeded in my work, I am training in the Force and becoming more powerful. Aren’t you finally proud of me? Look at the news, we won and I helped do that, while Cerys was hiding somewhere!” Eira was clearly wanting some response, some pride from her parents.
“What? No. Sith… Cerys… Eira, you helped kill people! Innocent people, people like us! That is horrific! How can you not see that? Why can you never see that?” Her father spoke with more firmness, circling back to the fact that Eira thought what she had done was something worthy of praise, while her parents saw it as something monstrous.
Eira gritted her teeth, this was always the problem, “innocent?! They used a device that could have killed my Master! Cerys’s Jedi disrespected my Master and treated her like a criminal when she is only trying to do good!” Eira growled, the hypocrisy of the Jedi and those who believed them to be the quote unquote good guys was horrible.
“The Jedi and the High Republic help people Eira, you could turn your back on the Sith, go join them like Cerys. She could help you find friends, we know you struggle with finding friends and I am sure you are struggling alone with those Sith.” Eira’s mother mentioned in a soft voice similar to Eira’s just aged a little more.
Her muscles twitched, Eira had a friend… One made all by herself but she failed to maintain it… “I don’t need friends, I tried that. They are weaknesses. No. I am above such ridiculousness.” Eira stated, “I don’t need Cerys and I hate the Jedi, they are a blight on the galaxy.” Eira spoke with the darkness returning to her voice. The voice that she had been using in the Sith creeping back in.
Both her parents flinched. Scared. Weak. Eira soaked in that fear. Loving it.
“Cerys needs to be taught a lesson. A lesson on failure and you will help me.” Eira spoke in a cold, dark manner. Her daggers pulled from behind her and a smirk etched on her lips. The crazed red eyes of Eira focused on her parents.
Placing her daggers down on the coffee table, Eira clicked on the holorecorder. Blood was everywhere in the room, splattered on her as well and the living was in a mess that Cerys would not have ever seen it in before this recording. Eira held a glass of wine in her bloodied hands.
“Hey sis. I noticed that you skipped Thyferra, a shame. Would have been really interesting to chat with you there. Especially since your Jedi Order failed, your High Republic betrayed you and the people of Thyferra and I was there to win. I was so happy with the victory that I came right home as you can see.” Gesturing to the room around her.
“Been so long since I was last in this room. I forgot what it was like. Our parents were not super happy. Apparently even a little disgusted with me, something about killing innocent people is bad, blah, blah, blah.” Eira waved her hand. “They didn’t even care that your people used that evil Force void device, that could have killed my Master, or that you saved no one. Cowering away like a weakling. No, it was me who was the bad guy. The one who caused all the pain and suffering that happened.”
Picking up the holorecorder, Cerys could see that it was definitely blood that Eira had splattered on her, the recording got bumpy as Eira walked with the recorder in hand. “I decided that I needed a fresh start. I was reminded that I don’t get to have friends, that I cannot be vulnerable or open with my feelings. They are a weakness and betrayal to the Sith way, to my Master and those around me. I must be more. I have to be stronger. So, I am embracing the monster that is demanded from me.”
Entering the kitchen Eira spun the holorecorder around and revealed to Cerys the heavily mutilated and butchered bodies of their parents. “I present your gift Cerys, enjoy the failings of Thyferra and remember that I am coming for you, your fate is tied with theirs.” Eira spoke in a playful, monstrous whisper, “fail to face me again and I will continue to butcher and torture all those you love and swear to protect. Let’s meet soon, sister.”
Ending the recording, Eira took one last look at the beautiful art she created then left her childhood home, a lazy flicker of her wrist sent enough Force Lightning to burn the nearby dry crops and start a wildfire that would tear through the whole farmland. Eira laughed to herself, cleansing the past.
The monster was born anew.
(Cerys Dyn )
