Emberlene's Daughter, The Jedi Generalist
Anneliese Kaohal
"It is said that there once was an ancient emperor who ruled the greatest city in the galaxy. Youthful, strong and desired by all. Considered the emperor of emperor and he gathered the greatest minds not just on Peridea but in the galaxy to him. Sages and mystics; translators and archivists, scribes and soldiers, jedi and sith, paupers and kings.
From the dark world of Korriban the first of the galactic religions. Red skinned and powerful, dangerous sith. The greatest jedi of their age who venerated the remains of their masters and the will of the force and of course the wisest of the bendu who blessed Peridea. Revealing the greatest secrets to him. The witches of the Dathomiri with their nubile forms seducing all, the zeffo who argued with the gods themselves even as the father partook of their wine. Thus his kingdom was a kingdom of great wisdom.
There were men and women from across the galaxy brought to him. From all lands of Peridea faithful and heretic. With skins white as the snow in the north, colored like the sands of the great desert worlds, as brown as mountains in the evening or yellow as sulfur smoke. Purples and pinks, black as obsidian and even covered in fur and scales. Thus his great kingdom was a capital of exotic pleasures across the galaxy beloved by all.
There were force users whose blindness allowed them to interpret the future from the world for him, alchemists from the sith with their long robes full of mysteries and secrets, force wielders who knew the secrets of gods, men and the universe and then there were poets and those of the most refined taste. Marvelous mechanical wonders that couterfeited life. Animals that spoke like men, men with faces and heads of animals. This his Kingdom was a kingdom of wonders.
Those were the days of wonder when Rashiri was a wise emperor, when he sat in judgement and his sages marveled at the sagacity of his verdicts. Under him the Kingdom of Typho prospered and blossomed.... but Rashiri was troubled in his soul.... and at these times when the darkness would descend upon his browhe would venture at night into the streets of his kingdom. Taking only with him his friend and advisor, taking only his lover and executioner. Dressed as merchants from the furthest lands they would talk for the gods did not watch the common men and women only Reshiri. THey would travel around sampling delights and wares. Rewarding those of virtue and character and entertaining themselves with the casting down of the wicked and corrupt. In this way they encountered tales even stranger then their own.
It was in this manner that he elevated a beggar to emperor for a day. So overindulgent in his greed he failed to understand the weight of his position as a blade pierced the back of his neck that had been suspended above on a thread. So was it that when one man was killed in seeking justice eight proclaimed their guilt only for it to be discovered the man had choked on a piece of fruit. And it was in Typho, empire of empire, city of cities that they bore witness to the great Extinction that cast the skies in shades of colors no one had seen since the dawn of the universe and birth of Typho.... but still the emperor was troubled.
So it came that on the day the gods willed it. He Rashiri, defender of the greatest city and empire. Stood on his balcony able to see as far as the eye can see his city. Towers of gold spread out below him. Streets lined with stalls from the market selling meats, and sweetstuffs, rare spices, anointed oils. The birds sang more sweetly from his mere presence. He could see a caravan of white and silver metal bringing more trade from the furthest corners of the galaxy here. Exotics from mena dn women, to animals and bolts of cloth. Surrounding himself with kohl eyed dancers, adorned with veils and diamonds or rubies. There were ships leaving laden with grains and spices to take and trade, he could hear the distance sound of craftsmen as they went to work or porters calling out.
This was the jewel of all empires, the city of cities..... but still he was troubled and even his empress could not sooth him.
HIs closest advisor coming to offer walking the city, seeking a young noble under enchantment or dancing girls or even madmen speaking of ghosts and monsters.... but the food would not fill and the drink would not satisfy... and so his friend left and the emperor was left on the balcony overlooking his city. Until day turned to dusk and then to night and the fires of the towers cast the city into a a reflection of the sky. Blackness with a sea of a million stars. He was joined by the palaces greatest poet. ONe of the concubines who survived being put to death with her tales of the galaxy that never seemed to end. The emperor had no time for her pretty words and only asked if there had ever been a city like his city... an empire like his empire or a people. WIth a heavy head she spoke telling the emperor no.
She spoke of how ambassadors and rulers come there from all corners of the galaxy. To see this wonder, this miracle and they return to their worlds, their people saying that they have seen the perfect city. There can be none other like it and they are then dissatisfied with their own worlds and kingdoms for they now knew that nothing would be able to compare to the jewel that was Typho, city of cities nor to its emperor. He would send her away and continue to stare down at the city. It was then the emperor took from around his neck a silver key and began descending the staris of his palace. He passed the rooms of his concubines where no man or woman save himself was permitted. Further down to the places of justice where those awaited his mercy... and still further down where those whose his mercy had forgotten faces pale and covered in hair.
Still he went further down until he came to a door of black metal that absorbed all light. Monolithic in size and he opened it with the key... and went down further. Deeper and deeper until the steps became narrow, the air hot and swirling with voices, with faces of those he had loved, those he had killed. A woman from Eshan with hair spun of silver and pale features, a child who had brought from a world a crystal flower... the captain of his guards who aside from himself was the finest with swords and bow and spear... but he paid them no mind. Going down further and further. Until he came to a door of bronze inlaid with pearls and banded with gold. He used the silver key to open it and inside he went into the dark and further down still. He closed his eyes and counted steps, half steps and turns and right in his head.
The next door was wooden and this was able to be opened with the silver key. As he entered torches flared, his eyes stung and the glittering of diamonds, rubies, crystals and a thousand other gemstones from around his empire shined. Emeralds and sapphires, amethysts and pearls were piled in heaps so large within the cavern they were perhaps uncountable. There came rooms next, one filled with countless blades forged of the force, hilts of swords that contained the light of the force, another room filled with bottles of jade and gold. Filled with the sounds of spirits who would serve their master when he released them... and another room of nothing but eggs from a million million creatures around the galaxies themself. Eggs of all shapes and sizes from ones as big as a thumb pad to ones as big as a starship or even a planet.
Made by beings that nested on mountains so large no one could scale or in places of the galaxy no one could reach. There was also two eggs down there, one white and one black. Born from the light of the daughters pet bird... the white one containing owl.. the other containing something no one knew or had seen. Rashiri passed through these chambers and rooms, his gaze not faltering from one side or the other. FOr hours it seemed he walked, for days eventually until through the cave of riches he came to a door of blue fire and this too he opened with the silver key. The blackness of the room was the first thing... and the second was the only object within it. A glass ball filled with swirling mists and a seal. The emperor took it and carried it with great care.
He took the paths through the palace that no one knew about but he himself. The ones who had drawn up the palace and made it for him all buried with it. IT wasn't healthy to know the secrets of an emperor. He went up the tallest tower of the palace. Rising up and up as the moon rose with him and he carried the glass ball in his hands. Reaching out only when he came to the top of the steps to touch the stone wall... and it would swing aside for him alone. He stepped out onto the top of the tower... looking out across the stars in the sky and the light below... like a thousand thousand fireflies of all shapes and colors. The rivers and skies were still filled with even more showing their lights as the night sky of the world rose. The emperor spoke softly as he held the glass ball in his grip.
He spoke to he who is beyond the veil... the one who oversaw all of them and commanded the will of the universe. Demanding it come to him in a form that would be neither threatening nor displeasing to his eyes.... but there was no one around save the whisper of the wind and the call of the birds in the night. With a shiver he held the glass ball threatening to open it and release the nine hundred and ninety nine thousand evil spirits that had been captured by the previous emperor to bring their world into this golden age. He would unleash them.. she would condemn all if he did not show himself. That was nearly ten thousand years before and over that time each soul had become more twisted, more evil and vowed to wreck vengeance upon all of the galaxy destroying their lives.
As he tossed the glass ball and expected it to shatter... expected the spiritrs to be release it was there suspended. THe visage of a man holding it as he demanded to know why he was being summoned as one might summon a steward. They were no steward and an emperor was as important to them as an ant. The emperor tried to equate this to a story from their mystics of a bottle being fished out of a river. Filled with one of the force beings that could grant a boon... the being looked at him and advised that he was not such a being... and to not summon that which you have no way to dismiss. The emperor debated this... asking to make a bargain as it were.. he wanted to deal with the being who reminded him the palace of the ruler was not the marketplace where such things were done.
They moved it to the marketplace... the emperor and the being whom made the ball of glass disappear into the stars. As the sun rose the city started to come to life and the stood in the marketplace. The emperor holding his hands out to the being. Proclaiming the greatness of his city and could it not be like that always. The days of wonder and marvel were upon them and it would last a thousand generations. The being after traveling through the markets... seeing stalls of slaves, meats, fruits and riches all compared. He called it remarkable and a land as the emperor would add of miracles... then asked the being to buy it from him to bargain. Not wanting to be the ruler of a mortal land... of a place of flesh and faiths... the emperor explained. It was not to rule it was because.
THe gods had seen fit to bless them... to see wonders developed and the kingdom grow. THis was the perfect age but how long would it last, how long will people remember it. Citing the odler civilizations in the galaxy that had come and gone long before. How long before they were like others in the galaxy, rocks and old walls, statues in empty forests and wastes. Then the wind comes and sweeps even that away to make way for a new age, a new kingdom. He Rashiri of the Great Galaxy spanning kingdom of Peridea would bargain it here at the height of its greatness to be taken somewhere else. Into the dreams of its people so that it would always be perfect. THe being seemed to think about it and looked at him agreeing that he could do it in a fashion... but he emperor would have to tell his people.
It was no great quest, no great spell of sorcery or a price to be paid. He had all of the riches, he had all of the servants. NO blood sacrifice, no grand gesture. His was the vision of the city, his was the one to whom the others followed and served. he would have to tell them so that they would have a chance should they wish it to go. THe emperor addressed his people form the balcony.. the entire city... told them that as long as they lived, as long as they remembered this great kingdom would never die, never perish or be forgotten. Then it was gone.. the emperor in his market place... stalls filled with the smells of food and slaves. Thousands moving around but their outfits different, muted colors. As he walked he spied a man holding a large bottle in his hands and moving around.
Inside the bottle was the most beautiful city, carved and crafted with great care. SMall in size but the detail of so much of it could not be believed. He asked if it was for sale, such an oddity would bring envy around his small palace... but he was told that it wasn't. Solemn he returned to the building with his guard and the stranger left.."
The jedi master was speaking it.. her voice as she sat there surrounded by padawans outside of the massive mountain temple...The Jedi Citadel it wasn't just on the mountain.. it was the mountain. Sheer in size and scope. She was reading the storries from the latest translation of the ancient city on Peridea.. they had discovered it and from the great witch kingdom they had a tale that was certainly fantastical. She didn't say if it was true or not... she had learned thaat there were many many things across the universe that couldn't always be regulated or organized... civilizations were always built on something from before hand. "So is there any questions?" She asked and looked aat the jedi who were there... the world itself massive and hidden away from bringing jedi here to be able to train in secret and have protection was important.
