A Dark Hunger

[Darth Seraphic]

The Dark Lord of the Sith sat at his desk, reading over a new report that had recently been sent by his own troops from the family militia who had been sent to investigate a disturbance on Malachor V. Sin reread over and over what he saw, only to be confused by the nonsense being spewed all over the report. He understood that the planet was dark, but it shouldn't have this effect on the militia as they were used to being surrounded by dark energies, the planet should have been no different. So why, then, was the report full of repeated heresy, and proclamation of a new allegiance? His lip ring clicked against his teeth softly as he bit down on it. It made no sense.

He stood up from the desk, and called in Frecker, a captain within the Order of Blood Knights, and the closet thing he had to a brother at the moment. The tall Vahla entered his lord's study on Eclipstica within the Shadow Keep in a professional manner. With a single bow that lasted maybe a second, Frecker asked a single question that his training had told him was the appropriate thing to do when he was summoned by the Lord of Sin.

"How may I serve m'lord?"

Crucifere waved his hand in dismissal of the formalities, giving the Knight permission to speak casually.

"What do you make of this Frecker? This report is odd, and something must be done about it with most haste."

The Blood Knight moved over to the desk where his lord stood at, looking at the datapad, and quickly reading it over. Frecker scratched the back of his head slightly, a little hint of confusion also appearing in his eyes.

"If I were to make a presumption, m'lord, it would be that someone or something on Malachor V is controlling the men. This sounds like the work of dark forces. Remember, we once presumed Malachor held a Sith Cult on it at one point, though we dismissed all notion when scans showed no living life forms on the planet. You should have let me send knights there instead, m'lord, they would have been able to resist any dark forces at work."

 

[Darth Seraphic]

With a shake of his head in approval, Crucifere turned to look back at his walk in closet for a moment, and the small armory that was placed at the back of it. A rogue Sith on Malachor, or better yet, a possible rogue Sith Cult? This was something the Dark Lord needed to investigate now.

"Prepare the Resurrection, Knight Captain. I will prepare for this, we leave as soon as my feet step on the ship. Let Admiral Toligon know that she is in command of the bridge till I get there."

Frecker bowed as no words were needed while he watched the Sith Lord turn immediately to prepare for the investigation. The Blood Knight himself turned as well to leave the room, contacting the admiral to let her know what was going on.

"Admiral Toligon, Lord Sin as requested the Resurrection ready for take off as soon as he steps foot on it. I am leaving his studies now to round up the other Blood Knights. his orders leave you with the helm till he arrives."

"Knight Captain what is going on? Where are we heading?"

Was the only response back to Frecker.

"Celty, we are heading towards Malachor V. The family militia is suspected to be under control by a rogue cult on the planet after being sent to investigate a disturbance reported there. They recently sent back a weekly report, and much of it was incoherent."

"Oh great...Frecker let me know where you and the other knights arrive."

 

[Darth Seraphic]

Dressed in the robes of the Dark Jedi, Sin found himself moving quickly to his ship. Over head, if one looked up, the Ryuk orbited the capital planet like a shark in water. The planet was safe with the Ryuk watching over it. It had been a beacon for Eclisptica for so long, it was time the people were given their beacon back. Soon, anyways, Crystal would be over the planet with her pleasant smile, and Sin would retire the throne. Vahl had said it was best, and this time, he felt, she was generally looking at his best interest. That was something he was not used to the Goddess doing.

In all red, and small face mask, Sin's foot stepped on the large prototype of the new Shinigamis to come, and the next foot followed as the ship was alerted to his arrival. Gently, the ship began to rise up as it was commanded to do when he got there. Frecker, and the rest of the Blood Knights under Sin's wing stood attentive in the hangar and gave a unison bow to their master.

"Eta on our arrival?"

His words came quickly as he walked past them with an approving nod. Frecker hurried up to his side as the rest followed behind in a two rows.

"Lord Crucifere, we should be arriving within an hour and half after we break atmosphere, and enter hyperspace.

 

[Darth Seraphic]

The bridge was so dark that Sin could barely see the droids working at the consoles as he walked up to the same spot Celty found herself at. Already the lights of the stars were beginning to stretch, and race pass them in mere seconds. Sin stopped next to her, his hands falling behind his back. Both Vahla looked into the racing tunnel of light before saying anything as Frecker and the other knights stopped about ten feet behind them.

"It has been for ever since we have done something like this Rom-Crucifere."

She had to quickly correct herself before she finished the name of a man neither of them knew anymore.

He gently nodded.

"Sin...you have done things I can not any longer approve of...our daughter is somewhere out there..and she doesnt even know who her parents are...the same goes for our son....whoever you are now...is not the man I adored when I first joined the Dynasty...this is the last time you will see me on this bridge.."

As she spoke, his eyes began to burn in both anger, and sadness. Celty was right, and he had done things neither Romeo, or her would have approved of. His hands trembled behind his back as he fought back any tears that began to muster up.

"I understand...and I am sorry...Celty Silvara.."

 

[Darth Seraphic]

Friends, that had ended just now with those words, and now, Sin could not be more sidetracked than now, and it was the worse time to bring it up. So when it came down to it, though, Sin opted this was best. His admiral in command was retiring, and he was beginning anew. This was it. Without words being spoken, he entered his sphere, and closed it. Eyes closed, the darkness began to swirl around him as he started to feel the Force engulf him in power, and pleasure.

Outside the sphere, Frecker took a step up to Celty, his head bowed slightly.

"He didn't take it too well did he?"

"Of course not, Frecker. But you watch your children be pushed to the side, and abandoned...all because of fear, and bloodlines..."

"I am not saying you are wrong, or m'lord is wrong. But...you must understand those decisions destroyed him...I watched him utterly destroy his study over thinking it...and cry himself to sleep."

With the conversation outside going on, Sin began to see visions of Malachor V, it's dark energy very visible to anyone that saw it from their ship as it arced around the planet. Further into this, the visions flashed forward to a white mask with red lines dashed on the either eye that were as dark as space itself.

 

[Darth Seraphic]

He could feel the dark tendrils of this entities mind in his, coiling around his head, searching for...something. Time seemed to go by faster than Sin could ever hope to conceive as finally he removed himself from the sphere, no longer wanting the man's thoughts in his own head. What he saw confused him. No one was on the bridge anymore, none of the droids, nor were Frecker or Celty. In fact, they had landed already. How long had it been while he was in the sphere? Did it distort time, or was that what it was like being imorsed in the darkside for so long? Time and space meant nothing to the Force.

He moved over to a console to activate the intercoms.

"This is Lord Sin, requesting captain Toligon, and Frecker to the bridge."

A few seconds later, and no answer. What was this?

"I repeat, this is Lord Sin, captain Toligon and Frecker to the bridge immediately."

A few more seconds...nothing.

 

[Darth Seraphic]

The vision of Romeo went dark again, however long it had been, he would never know but when his vision came back, the shuttle was back in the air, and Frecker, along with Jager were with him. When had Jager gotten on the shuttle? But Asira was missing, and so was Toligon. Where was Celty?! Attempting to stand up, the Shadow King nearly fell over, his whole body felt as it had been drained of almost all energy.

"Wha-what happened Frecker?"

The Knight Commander quickly rushed to his king's aide, hold onto his arm, and placing it over his shoulder for support. The Blood Knight sat the Vahla upright, and leaned him back.

"M'lord, we were defeated. Jager and Asira came to our aide after leaving Mystie with the Drakon Regiment above. The cult leader quickly beat up down by hitting us with an Ion cannon. Afterwards we crashed landed to which you fell unconscious. I tried to hold them back, and I was doing a great job till the cult leader showed up in a white mask. He spoke high Sith m'lord and quickly bested me. Soon after, Jager and Asira descended upon the planet to fight the demon back, he was powerful in the darkside of the force my king. Asira...died protecting Jager, and Admiral Toligon well...she abandoned us."

Romeo stared at his Knight Commander for a moment with wide eyes. All this had happened while he was out? It would not take long before the shuttle was back in the Resurrection, and away from the demon darksider.

 

[Darth Seraphic]

Later it was revealed that no matter how much he tried, Romeo could not recall the memories of what had happened, it was all a blur. Anger, and hunger swelled inside him for reasons he could not place. This was not okay with him, he controlled his emotions, but black emptiness seemed to triumph over disciple. Why, why did this happen, and how could it happen?

Soon, his door was knocked on, the presence of Frecker behind it.

"Come in.."

The Knight Commander came in with his helmet off, a look of dismay on his face.

"M'lord...I dont think our memories are what really happened on Malachor V...the darkside..it lingers so strongly, and it's no familiar. I fear that we have been meddled with."

"Impossible, no mind game could effect me...but..now that you mention it...I feel off."

 

[Darth Seraphic]

Without hesitation, Romeo reached for his mask, and put it on. That dark feeling arising higher than it already was. He stood up to face his knight, stepped towards him, and placed his hand on his cheek.

"This is merely the want of revenge Frecker, we will get it back, we will devour them, and we will gain even more power doing so."

The man looked surprised, and both sad at the same time, Romeo was not speaking like himself and Frecker knew Romeo well enough. This wasn't the man he served, and he did not like it anymore. He took a step back from the touch the king's hand.

"M'lord...that was not what you taught me, what you taught all of us. Revenge is not the way....if I may be so bold...you are not acting like yourself."

Under the mask, Romeo shook his head. Frecker was right. This was not the way of the Sins, not anymore. Passion, and compassion walked hand in hand, and to let one's emotions control you was a chain that needed braking.

 

[Darth Seraphic]

"You are right, my friend. Forgive me....just...I can not place....cults of the darkside nature are never fun to mess with...I will be okay. See to the other knights...and greet Venon will you?"

Frecker bowed before his king, and turned without questioning the orders. If Romeo said it was going to be okay, then the Vahla knew what he was doing. The Sith Lord sat down to meditate, to try and clear his mind of all the empty spaces and fill it with new structures. Anything to distract him from the resent happenings of memory loss.