Final Exam

[Kyrinov]

Outer Rim Space​

Aboard The Emulous​

Unspecified Time​

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The man was in a lazy mood.

He was tired though, by outward appearances, one couldn't tell this.

He'd just got down dealing with a pirate when he remembered that he needed to somehow get into contact with Darth Elra. Or, rather, that she would contact him shortly. With this in mind, he allowed The Emulous to drift in space, in no particular direction.

Amnesia twirled through his hands and fingers at a sluggish rate, the blade applied with just enough force to allow it to whirl about. It maintained a small momentum, for several more seconds until his hand stalled the weapon and brought it down to scratch lightly across the metallic flooring of the ship. It stopped slightly behind his left foot.

There came a low beeping ping from an electronic device. His eyebrows raised. The holocommunicator. It had to be Elra that was calling him.

With a bit of pep in his step, he made his way up to the main deck and across the room until he stood in the middle, directly in front of the main holocommunicator aboard his ship. He sheathed Amnesia on his right hip and pressed a blue button on the interface.

A smaller, blue image of [member="Darth Elra"] was expected appear in front of him. Instead, he found a data disk and he plugged it into the projector. A hologram picture of Vyrassu stood in front of him. It gave him his instructions for his test.

"Kyrinov,"[SIZE=9pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]the voice addressed him.[/SIZE]

"You are to travel to Dromund Kaas, to the ancient ruins of Kaas City and Vitiate's Dark Temple and study the ancient hieroglyphs, text books and scrolls. You'll take the holocron which can be found at the location given on this disk (Holocron Vault in the Citadel, shelf 3, aisle 46) You will open the holocron and perform the corruption spell at the obelisk in the Kaas City Sith Citadel and as well as the Dark Temple. Once the ritual has been completed, Vitiate's throne will be open to you, where his ancient scrolls on sorcery lie."

[SIZE=9pt]He had his instructions, and he would follow them to the letter.[/SIZE]

 

[Kyrinov]

Outer Rim Space​

Aboard The Emulous​

Unspecified Time​

[member="Darth Vyrassu"] | [member="Darth Elra"]​

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They were well on their way to Dromund Kaas by the time Kyrinov even reached the cockpit. That struck him as very odd and out of character for his pilot. The man at the helm always awaited the man’s order, even if he knew where they were headed. So, why then did it chante now? Was he in a rush to get there and then leave a world drenched in the Dark Side? Perhaps, the human pilot had simply gone mad. No, that couldn't be it. Kyrinov knew mad… he was mad, after all. So what could it be if not any of those op-

[SIZE=9pt]Of course. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Of course. [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]How could he have been so blind? The Emperor must have given his pilot instructions before the Knight even boarded [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]The Emulous[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]. It was the only outcome that made any sense. Kyrinov sighed, resigning to lean back and rest himself before this endeavor. He could just wait this ride out and do as he saw fit for this little go around. No need to be alarmed. Not a reason at all. From what he knew of Dromund Kaas, the Imperials were on the opposite side of the planet, which left him to his own vices and affairs in the now ancient city. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Just as it should be. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Why should he be hindered in his assignment because of blind Imperials and False Sith? There was no need to fret about any interference from any fool under that “Empire’s” damned banner. If he did run into one of them, he’d kill them. He’d prefer to torture them for a bit, however, deviation from a task was frowned upon by the Emperor and Darth Elra. So, a simple and effective blow would have to suffice this time around. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=9pt]His [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]real[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] concern would come when he went to the Dark Temple on the outskirts of the infamous Kaas City. He could only dream of imagining the sort of twisted horrors awaited him within that place. But, whether it be corrupted beings consumed by the Dark Side or a much more… sinister force dwelling within, the Knight was adamant that he would not be deterred. Detour or failure meant severe punishment or death, in this case. If he was overwhelmed, he would likely die. If he returned to the Empire a failure, he would die by one of the Dark Lords’ hands. And thus, failure meant the same fate either way. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Instead, he would focus on the task at hand to steady his mind for the moment. His first stop would be Holocron Vault located within the Sith Citadel across from Kaas City. The Citadel itself would be easy enough to access, perhaps he could simply take a few shuttles there as opposed to walking or running the entire way. Another fine point and it saved the man time and effort for the more important aspects of this operation. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]After that, it was a simple “monkey-see-monkey-do” game he’d play. Follow the checklist of tasks and complete them in a timely manner. Easy enough, in writing. Far different in practice. [/SIZE]But, snapping out of his thoughts, he placed a firm hand on the pilot’s shoulders. “Retrieve me when we’ve landed in the Kaas Spaceport. I will be meditating, do not hesitate to disturb me. This cannot wait and time is of the essence in this matter.”

[SIZE=9pt]The pilot nodded and replied softly, “Of course, M’lord.” [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]With that, Kyrinov resigned himself to the lower level of the ship, choosing to meditate in the spare larger room that often served as a cargo bay. He would often spend most of his time aboard [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]The Emulous[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] there if he wasn’t practicing or helping to set a course.[/SIZE]

Kaas Spaceport​

Unspecified Time​

[SIZE=9pt]A quiet voice spoke to break the thrumming silence that filled the cargo hold. “M’lord… We’ve arrived in the Kaas Spaceport. The workers for awaiting verification for our docking. I told them that I would get you.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Grey eyes pierced the darkness to stare into the pilot’s brown orbs. A row of teeth shone brighter than even his hair as he cracked a predatory smile and barked out a chuckle. [/SIZE]His voice bled with murderous intent. “Tell them I will be out in a moment with their... verification. And rest up, Uzi. You have four days to relax. However, do not leave this ship unattended.”

[SIZE=9pt]A few minutes later, [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Amnesia[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] would be covered in the blood of an attendant that was meant to verify and confirm the ship registration and proceed with docking [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]The Emulous[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] in one of the bays available. He did not have time for verification or the approval of another. There simply was no time. With this is mind, he wiped the blood off of [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Amnesia[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] and onto the leather portion of his outfit. Kaas City had met its final worthy successor. The Knight would claim what was his from this world and be done with it, forever changed because of this course he planted himself on.[/SIZE]

 

[Kyrinov]

Outer Rim Territories​

Dromund Kaas​

Unspecified Time​

[member="Darth Vyrassu"]​

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He stood entirely still as the elevator skyrocketed upwards towards the main floor of the massive Spaceport from his hangar. With all luck, and common sense, Uzi would care from the vessel he’d left behind with the utmost care as he always did. If his precious Emulous were damaged in the bay, he’d have to kill Uzi and the perpetrator to feel even a little sated and content. But, Kyrinov highly doubted that such a thing would occur on this side of the raging planet.

He stepped out of the small, enclosed tube only to be bombarded by a light spectacle that looked like it belonged on Nar Shaddaa, not an ancient Sith world. He sneered, scoffing as he strolled down the corridor and up the stair that lead the exit. As he walked about, he noticed the vendors that were stationed on nearly every corner, though they were shouting at empty space as the crowd here was quite thin in comparison to other planets. They shouted left and right, trying to make a better deal than the being that yelled out before them. Attempting nearly any vague pitch to get a buyer or too for some “exotic” piece of material.

He found his way out and the only greeting he received as the deafening crack! Of thunder that billowed across the grey sky, a flash of lightning that arched and leaped to distract from the torrential downpour. The rain itself drenched his figure and made his clothes only slightly heavier than they had previously been moments earlier. The pale Knight only shrugged, he would have to get used to that and the wind that cut straight through his light armor.

Kyrinov paid an automated droid and selected his destination as Kaas City. The droid asked for confirmation and the Epicanthix gave it in a monotone voice. Another thing he would have to adapt to, repeating himself. He didn’t like to repeat himself, in fact, he doubted that anyone would like to continuously restate what they just said. But, if it was necessary, he supposed that he could confirm and comply this once.

He climbed into the open shuttle and they launched off at a steady rate in the thick jungles prone to the majority of Kaas, droid at the helm following the built in routes that it likely ran dozens of times in a standard day. The jungle was a beautiful, stunning sight. But, as was every new place that one went. If it was new, it was previously unknown. Nothing fascinates the mind quite like the unknown or the forbidden. That, was precisely what he was after, in fact. Something forbidden and seeming taboo from the tales surrounding the sheer Dark Side power that emanated from both the Citadel and the Dark Temple.

A power that lured and entranced former Imperial Acolytes in the “olden” days. The ones that were strong enough, were able to survive in one piece and return to their Masters and peers victorious. However, there were always those who were weak that entered the Temple. They lost themselves there, they hesitated, and they stagnated until they were overrun by their own faults. Such loss of control must have been terribly frightening for the victim. And yet, so equally delicious to see one fall because of their incompetence. Lovely for the Dark Side as its power only increased with each life claimed for it cause.

The shuttle jolted to a halt outside of an expansive and high wall. He nodded to the droid and stepped out of the shuttle. He placed one boot in front of the other in a simple pattern on two steps for every breath he completed. In, left, right, out. In, left, right, out. In, left, right, out. He walked through two sets of open gates and then he saw it. The ruins of Kaas City. Even in its wretched decay, it was divine in its own right.

The twofold walkway over the square, the now squat building that encompassed the square to showcase only the best of the City’s features to the surrounding area. The structures collapsed and still unbroken, speaking volumes though they had been forcibly laid low in ages past. As he trudged for the droid operated shuttle on the far side of the square, he examined his surroundings.

A vendor stand lay in a heap of broken metal and wooden parts, the covering long blown away by the turbulent winds caused by the seeming eternal storms that brewed and cracked the sky apart day in and day out. Kaas City was a shining example of what happens once Empires are left to the weak. They die off, forever unable to obtain the glory of the former regime no matter what vainglorious attempts they work toward. None would surpass the basic foundation, not even Vitiate’s. However, it was certain that Vitiate’s resurgent Empire had come the closest. Yet it never peaked. This led to the vision of the Jen’ari as a whole.

Theirs was to reply. With the thundering roar that droned out even the screaming of Kaas’ tormented skies, they would eventually rise and proclaim that the Jen’ari would reach the goal of the ancient Sith. They would surpass even Vitiate.

Theirs was to reason why. Their purpose was clear, and their path was certain for the moment. They would face all odds and come out victorious. The Galaxy would once again be graced as the True Sith returned after so long.

Theirs but to do and die.

And die, they all would. Beings all across the Galaxy die from various causes each passing second and no one so much as blinked. It was another finality. Another death of a meaningless, faceless soul. But, if he had to die for any cause, it would be the resurrection of the Sith as they were always meant to be. As he walked up the ramp to approach the second droid operated shuttle that would take him over the gap and to the Sith Citadel, he uttered under his breath these five words in the Sith tongue,

“Sis, kian, sekleti pasuo salini…”

 

[Kyrinov]

Dromund Kaas​

The Sith Citadel​

Unspecified Time​

[member="Darth Vyrassu"]​

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[SIZE=9pt]As the shuttle took off towards the Citadel, after he stated and restated his purchase of the shuttle to the operating droid, he couldn’t help but wonder why the gigantic gap between the Citadel and Kaas City. It made little sense to him. If the Sith and Imperials that were within those buildings were somehow trapped, death was certain. Only a few could occupy a speeder or shuttle at any given time. It simply wasn’t a very practical implementation.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Within moments of him sitting down in the speeder, he had to get out again. Once he did, however, he stood in front of the Sith Citadel. To the right of it, was the Imperial Intelligence building. He walked forward, [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Amnesia [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]on his back and [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Dirge[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] on his right hip. He stepped off of the ramp and walked slowly toward the Citadel, entering it with soft steps whose echoes were lost in the vast open space of the main area within the center of the Citadel. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]The place rank of the Dark Side, he could feel gentle ebbs of its remaining power that lingered here after all of this time. The pull of it only increased as he ventured deeper into the time tested facility with as much caution as a child who ran around with scissors pointed toward himself. Hopefully, he wouldn’t end up impaled on those scissors by the time he left the old Sith Citadel. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]He took in a breath breath and opened himself to the Force, allowing himself to become one with the Darkness that swirled around him. He reached out, searching various rooms to find a Holocron Vault that would likely call out the loudest to him. With that much Dark Side knowledge in one location, the power radiating from a place like that would certainly be very intoxicating to one such as h-[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]There.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Deep within the belly of the Citadel, he’d found it. In an open room beside the Archive. The faint whispers were unmistakable. Hundreds of souls that belonged to Lords past were writhing to get his attention. They called out to him and they guided his path as he went along in his quest. They could be his feet and his direction, all he need do was wait and focus. He felt them tune him in to their own, howling rhythm. His reflexes became theirs, his ears opened as every sound was magnified beyond what should be physically possible for any being. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]For the briefest of time, he was them. He was the physical embodiment of their achievements, of their faults and various failures. He was the vessel in which they led toward their resting place in order for him to succeed in his task. All of his sense were heightened and he seemed to hear and feel [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]everything[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] that went on in the abandoned Citadel. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]And then,[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Silence.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Cold.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]They were gone from him and he now stood at the threshold of the Holocron Vault. He lumbered forward and repeated the instructions under his breath several times as his grey eyes scanned the rows and rows of various glowing holocrons. [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]“Shelf 3… Aisle 46… Shelf 3… Aisle 46… Shelf 3… Aisle 46… Shelf 3… Aisle 46…”[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] it became a sort of chant that spilled over his thin lips.He walked down the various aisles, counting as he went.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]44…[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]45…[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]46… He turned down that path and counted 3 shelves full to the brim with holocrons. Except, the third shelf contained only one holocron in the very center of its many branches. With a steady hand, Kyrinov grabbed the pulsating pyramid-shaped holocron and stuffed it into a satchel he’d brought along with him for the scrolls he was meant to obtain later on. The pyramid grew warm in his pale palms, whispering in his ear to open it already. It was so tempting, but that was not what he was here for. He had much more to do. With the holocron in his possession, he’d halfway completed the first portion of the mission and he brought him a sliver of joy to know that he was making some progress.[/SIZE]

 

[Kyrinov]

Dromund Kaas​

The Sith Citadel​

Unspecified Time​

[member="Darth Vyrassu"]​

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Kyrinov left the Holocron Vault, ignoring the hundreds of voices that screamed at him through the Force, howling unfathomable curses if he did not return to collect their own holocrons. The moment he cross the threshold and took a step away from the door, the gate-like entrance shut with a thundering boom behind him. It seemed to proclaim that none other would ever access the Vault without forcing the door open ever again. Interesting.

He ascended the dark steps that he’d apparently come down, looking through the Force to see his way up the coiled and narrow staircase. Now, it was simply one foot in front of the other. A single step up at a time.

He smiled as he reached the top of the various and lengthy flights of stairs he’d just climbed. It would’ve been easier if there was a spell guarding the forgotten Holocron Vault. But, there was obviously no need to go to those lengths… The person searching for it would be too tired to combat the spell after a hike like the one he just went on. Regardless, he forced his legs forward, subconsciously guiding his feet through the Citadel and towards the obelisk.

His main focus was inwards. He spent that time supplying his legs, mind, and soul the energy they needed for both what he was currently doing and what he was preparing to do within the next few minutes.

When his focus was lurched back to his surroundings, the man stood in front of the obelisk that served as the centerpiece of the main level of the Sith Citadel. It was surrounded by a cold grey metal that appeared to be a sort of outline. Inside of this “outline”, lay an engraved and dimly lit glass that was a deep red color. The marking engraved in it made little sense to him in the little lighting provided in the immediate are.

Kyrinov knelt down on the smooth metallic floor and pulled the glowing holocron from the satchel slung across his body. He laid the satchel on ground on one side. He sat the holocron on the floor in front of him and directed his power towards the holocron. It began to glow brighter the more he poured into it. He became intent on opening it. With as much concentration as he could muster, he would eventually open the holocron, hearing a distinctive click! to confirm his success. With some digging, he found the topic he searched for. He confirmed his choice with the gatekeeper and listened intently,

“...Corruption is a Dark Side ability that allows the practitioner to unleash a lightning bolt of pure Dark Side energy at an object. If this power is released upon an organic being, and the bolt is powerful enough, that being will die. However, if used on an inanimate object, it will twist the object, thus ‘corrupting’ it. In some cases, this sort of corruption can be used as a type of key,” the Knight’s interest piqued. This was the portion that he needed to listen to the most. The voice continued speaking, “...Many ancient Sith Lords used this as a method to ensure that large artifacts or a repository were only accessible by a Sith who was strong enough to open it properly. This was enacted to preserve the nature of our Order: The strong thrive where the weak will only find failure. Take what you have been taught and use it well.” the gatekeeper’s voice ended and the holocron closed, sealing itself away until it would be of use again.

With that, Kyrinov placed the holocron inside of the satchel once more and he closed his eyes, pressing his knees into the metal under him. He focused inward as he’d done on many occasions prior, drawing from the Dark Side. It began as a trickle, a dripping of water from a faucet that was still open. He shifted his mind, intent on focusing as much as he could on this task. It grew. His call began to slowly surge within himself, awakening to his beckoning soul. Then, it began to boil inside of him, building up. It was absolutely ravishing. He could feel it threaten to consume him if he didn’t prove himself to be strong enough to wield it.

He let out a deep, maddening laugh that echoed out into Kaas City. It sought to consume him, to force his submission and crush him until he was naught but a mindless vessel. The Dark Side was already trying to usurp his control, yet he held on by a thread and forced himself to concentrate.

He had to be stronger than the tide.

His teeth ground against each other and clamped together, locking his jaw in place temporarily. A primal ear-to-ear grin murdered his delicate features. So, this was what it was like to experience the Dark Side, to bathe in it. But, if he held out any longer, he wouldn’t survive, that much he knew. The Epicanthix screamed into the empty Citadel, forcing the energy out of himself through his splayed hand. As he struggled to maintain his own individual will, the bolt of red raced for the obelisk and struck with enough force to knock an inattentive being backwards.

Kyrinov collapsed, hunching forward with his hands spread on the metal floor. His breath came in ragged pants as his eyes fluttered and fought to remain open. His eyes traveled to the now glow obelisk as he forced himself to sit upright. His grin faded to a silly smile.

He’d done it.

The man could rest a bit, gather himself so that he would be able to perform again once he reached the Dark Temple. But, for now, he could relax and repair himself. Once that task was done, he would take a piloted speeder to the outskirts and walk the rest of his journey.

The tempest calmed at his command and the sea of rampant emotion was still. And, for a moment, he knew peace.

 

[Kyrinov]

Dromund Kaas​

The Dark Temple - Traveling​

Unspecified Time​

[member="Darth Vyrassu"]​

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[SIZE=9pt]For the last few hours, Kyrinov meditated. There, in that freezing room, in front of a beast manifested of his own Darkness. He’d conquered it, tamed it, and it was [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]his[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]. But, he rose from his position and grabbed the baggage he carried. He didn’t have too much more time to waste. He had to keep moving. His next stop would be the loathsome Dark Temple.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]It was with this destination in mind that he left the Citadel, walking back up the ramp that would take him to just beyond those imposing gates of Kaas City. As he hovered above the main square and flew past a run down cantina, he took in the beauty of an Empire forsaken. All of its ruined glory washed over him the same way it had when he’d arrived. He reasoned that he could never get tired of such a view. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]But, the scenic view disappeared behind bleak, grey walls as the speeder landed on the pad. He climbed out of it and thanked the semi-sentient droid that drove him to the station. His boots sank shallowly in the wet soil beneath the weight of him. With each step he took, he left a fleeting portion of himself to sink into the dark dirt that he graced with his imprint. He knew that the Dark temple was to the southeast of Kaas City from his studies, so, logically, that was the beaten path that he took on his little hike. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]The path that he seemed to follow appeared to be steady, even, and surprisingly calm. For the first few miles, he fully expected some large predator of the surrounding thick vegetation. His hairs stood on end and the tingling around the small of his back persisted and spread the further he walked. At any moment, an animal would leap out in hopes of catching its next meal for the few days. Yet, nothing happened. The only thing that cause him concern was the tingling in his body and the shivers that occasionally writhed through it in response. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]The walk itself was uneventful and downright [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]boring[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]. But, it was necessary. Things that were necessary were seldom any fun. In the event that they were, that fun was always so short lived. But, he stopped and his eyes widened in a sense of wonder. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Before him stood the Dark Temple, resting upon its mantle as flights upon flights of moss-covered stone steps led the wandering Sith to its gaping mouth. He entered the foggy maw and immediately he felt as though he was being crushed on all sides. It was suffocating and unbearably cold here. The stone chilled even his boot-clad feet as he picked them up to stomp them back on the rough and bumpy floor of the Temple. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Now, all he had to do was find the obelisk that lay within the depths of the haunting edifice of age old stone. Once he did that and performed the second and final ritual, his quest would inch that much closer to completion.[/SIZE]

 

[Kyrinov]

Dromund Kaas​

The Dark Temple - Lower Levels​

Unspecified Time​

[member="Darth Vyrassu"]​

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[SIZE=9pt]One foot in front of the other. That became his only certainty, his only reality within the confines of this Temple. Inside of the maze that was erected in worship and adoration of a god that would, eventually, bow to a more power deity. A demiurge that was stronger than the one which resided on this world. One with enough strength to bind the lesser of the divine pair under its will, a chain shackled to the weaker of the two. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]This was a battle of the Gods. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]A contest of willpower, of brute strength, and of the mind. It was an ever-present and eternal war between an old regime and a new Empire. One fought across all forms of battlefields. There was one of will, where the slightest moment of hesitation would prove to be the lesser’s undoing. The duel of strength, where physical ability shone the brightest and in which the strong of body would indeed prevail. Finally, there is the battle of the mind. A frenzy when combined with combined with a battle of one’s will. All of these struggles were nothing before the overlapping war that raged inside of every new god. The war between the Dark Side and every Dark Side practitioner strong enough to contest and control its former master’s power.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]And he was one such god. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]For now, he was superior with the Dark Side at his command. As long as he was able to maintain the higher level of strength and consciousness, it would always be his. Even now as he used the Force to aid him in finding the second obelisk. The Force was his guide through the winding stairwells and labyrinth style corridors, yes. But, Kyrinov was its conduit. Without the man to conduct it, the Force would move without direction and without restraint. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]He smiled, genuinely smiled, once he came to the entrance way that led to the room that housed the smaller, stone obelisk. However, there was one obstacle in his way. Well, actually, there were four little roadblocks between him and the obelisk. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Formed up in a square around the obelisk were four Corrupted Acolytes. Two were male Humans. One was a female Sith Pureblood. The final Acolyte was a male Zabrak. They all had glowing red eyes and soft red auras around them. The Sith seemed to be the ringleader or, at least, the boldest of the bunch for she led the charge towards the waiting Knight.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]They did not speak at all, they simply ran towards him with vibroblades and red lightsabers. The Sith Pureblood was the first to engage him, clasing a vibroblade with [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Amnesia[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]. The clang of metal against metal was heavenly music to his demented ear drums. This was the first goddess of the old regime that he faced off with. Blade met blade time and time again as blade met heat and light. Often, he would push another Human or Zabrak back only to twirl into an arching counterattack. It appeared that basics would not win him this duel. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]This in mind, he began to spin in the center of the four, batting off strikes and eventually slicing through the midsection of the orange Zabrak. His blade curved a bloody line through the air as it held one Human at bay and stabbed the other straight through the heart. His heart raced with adrenaline and his eyes lit up as he carved into another victim, the last remaining Human fell victim with a slit throat and cut stomach. The carnage was truly magnificent. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Only one remained. His eyes locked on her and he propelled himself forward with inhuman speed. Their blades clashed as Kyrinov twirled around her lithe figure, attempting to find a weakness in her fighting style. He saw it an instant later, a miniscule opening as she went to block his attack, a lowered position that would provide him a slim chance of ending the battle and continuing on his merry way.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]He ducked her blow and threw his body back, bounding up and off of the slanted face of the obelisk. He body flew through the air as he oriented himself so that his feet would impact the unforgiving ground and his blade would slam through its target with devastating force. He and [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Amnesia[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] found their mark, the Sith planet in the ground where she stood a moment before. [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Amnesia[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] would have to wait to be pulled from the Sith’s throat. He had a ritual to complete for the last time.[/SIZE]

 

[Kyrinov]

Dromund Kaas​

The Dark Temple​

Unspecified Time​

[member="Darth Vyrassu"]​

​

​

He opened himself for the final time during his trip to this planet. This time around, it was a full on surge that poured into his body. There was no warning or step-by-step process to drawing from the Dark Side. He simply did it and it came easier than it did in the Citadel. It wasn’t forced, it felt entirely natural to the man.

But, something different...wrong. The pressure when drawing this time was far more suffocating than it had been in the Citadel. Choking him. Crushing. Constricting. Poisoning.

The invisible hand around his soft pale throat. Holding his head up to look at the stone obelisk. Squeezing slowly at first, causing him to gasp from the pressure that it applied. That it continued to impose on him. The iron grip tightened. Tighter. Tighter. Tighter until he wasn’t sure that he knew the meaning of the word ‘breathe’ any longer.

The pressure to hold on and to remain an individual was utterly foreign to him in this moment. The weight of holding in and drawing from the infinite cesspool that was the Dark Side of the Force began to dawn on his figure. This feeling was what it meant when they said that the Dark Side would come with a price, partially. The other portion revolved around the physical effects, not the metaphysical portion of the practice. Another set of hands pushed him down. One knee hit the stone floor.

The energy wrapped itself around him, inside and out. It squeezed tighter than even the hand around his throat. It quite literally forced the Light out of him. His face color, what little he had, drained and he was as a ghost with blue veins protruding from his exposed face and neck. A second knee collided with the unforgiving stone. He felt nothing except true agony. Beneath that, quietly seethed anger and hate and resent and utter disappointment. Was this what his own victims felt as their minds collapsed and drove them over that edge into Oblivion? Perhaps it was, perhaps it wasn’t. He’d probably never know for himself.

All of these occurred at once. All while his heart and soul warped into a vicious black hole. His head spun. The room faded around him and he knelt on nothing but Darkness. Only the obelisk remained as millions of voices screamed and groaned and cursed to drown out all sanity within his mind. His heart raced to pump blood through his entire being. He screamed inside of his mind, into the Force that seized him. His ears rang and deafened with a high shriek that was cast upon them. His torso bent forward, almost as if he were bowing to the obelisk.

‘NO!’

He would not bow to anyone or anything. Not the Dark Lord of the Jen’ari. Not Carnifex. Not Darth Caligo. Not to this… thing that held him now. He could barely move his limbs on the accord of his own will. But, he fought it with everything he had left. He had to survive. He had to be stronger. He couldn’t die, he had so much left to learn. He couldn’t die, he had to rise above what he was and what be had been in the past.

A flicker. The flames sprang up once again, roaring towards him as a consuming inferno.

In the thick of it all, stood a man.

Not just any man, however. It… It was himhttp://starwarsrp.net/topic/133094-darth-caligo/. He glanced at the kneeling man as the screams of a man and woman cried the loudest within his mind.

Kyrinov’s anger unleashed itself as a scream that would shake the very foundation of the storming maelstrom of a planet around him. Suddenly, the flaming bolt shot forth from his hand. Hurling his emotions, his fears, his entire self at the stone. It flew true and struck its mark as thundered rolled and lightning scorched the skies.

And it was all over. It all ended abruptly. Far too quickly for his to even begin to process. The stone room was back, the bodies were there, the blood stained the floor a light crimson color. Amnesia was there, still in her new ’holster’. But, the obelisk was gone, shattered into pieces around the confines of the space he occupied.

He bolted upright and ripped Amnesia from the Sith’s limp body and placed her into the sheath on his back. His hands shook as nerves attempted to re-sort themselves and function properly. Goosebumps spread across the entirety of his body.

And, as before, he himself collapsed. Not against sand, but against stone. But, this time, he could pull himself up to kneel and focus on what just happened. Then, he allowed himself some measure of calm. He focused on the moment, on the now. The man focused inward again, seeking to repair himself and renew all of his strength. However, his eyes flew open.

They bled of sulfur. The flames were now inside him and he reveled in their destruction.

Because, after all,

It was a pleasure to burn.

 

[Kyrinov]

Dromund Kaas​

The Dark Temple​

Unspecified Time​

[member="Darth Vyrassu"]​

​

​

After an hour, he rose from his meditation. He felt whole now. Prepared. Clean.

[SIZE=9pt]He stretched out his limbs and then turned to leave the now empty chamber. He left behind bodies, spilled blood, an object of power lay in irreparable ruins. One foot in front of the other. One breath, two breaths, three breaths, Kyrinov, step, stone, mirror. One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, him. One, two, kneel. one, two three, stone, mirror. One, two, three. One, two, three. One breath, two, three. One, step, two, wait, three, [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]feel[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]As he walked, he reached out with the Force. At first, it was a search for the only other place that howled with the power of the Dark Side within this damned Temple. Then, it was a matter of following the pull of the power and sheer energy that radiated from the “newfound” hall that held a throne of a former Emperor by the names of Tenebrae, Vitiate, and Valkorion. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]The twisted halls would have led him astray had he not had a connection to the Force. He would have been utterly lost, trapped to roam those hallowed and ruinous halls for the remainder of his wretched life. A Dark and poor unfortunate soul destined to the same madness that consumed the weakest of these beings that claimed the title of ‘Sith’ for their own.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]He turned left and right and at an angle. His orange-yellow eyes glared up and down and to either side of him. They scanned around to watch the passing curls and cravings on the wall as a fragile milky white hand brushed over the grooves as he passed. The longing that oozed from the stone was infectious and it sought to cling to his elegant figure, to instil some part of itself onto him. Time passed without haste and without measure. But, in some span on time as the beings of this Galaxy perceived it, he arrived at his destination. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]The hall was massive, it made him feel oddly insignificant and all powerful at once. There were loose rocked everywhere, littering the once sacred hall with its filth. Entire columns of rock from the ceiling jutted up from the crashed ground on which he tread. Within the rubble and ruins of an Empire disavowed and cast of as a fleeting legend, sat the throne, undisturbed and magnificent in all of its beauty. Above that seat, shone the banner of the Resurgent Sith Empire, unblemished by not even one particle of dust. Around the throne, stood four pyramid-shaped lanterns that were still burning with blue flames. They were likely sustained by the Dark Side alone, if they still burned after all of this time. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Kyrinov could see that the throne was off center, opened, presumably by the “keys” he’d inserted and turned to unlock the secrets a now ancient Emperor sought to protect. He climbed the smashed stone steps, avoiding the massive holes within their stacked surface. He reached the throne and the sight before him gave him pause. The banner, majestic in its cleanliness, waved in the oxygen burned off and consumed by the flames that bathed the cavernous chamber in a deep blue. Then, his eyes shifted to the scrolls that lay in a swallow alcove under in the throne of Vitiate. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]And there they lay, undisturbed for the past 5,000 or so years. They were the crown jewel that an entire Empire was raised for. The Empire meant to protect these very secrets that were now his. With these various scrolls and the holocron in his possession, Kyrinov left the hall and the Dark Temple behind, hopefully, for good. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]With his new acquisitions and his mission complete, he began his trek back to the speeder pad on the outskirts of Kaas City.[/SIZE]

 

[Kyrinov]

Dromund Kaas​

The Jungle​

Unspecified Time​

[member="Darth Vyrassu"]​

​

​

His second hike through the dense jungles of Kaas was the same as the first, dreadfully uneventful and especially tedious. He passed by tall trees that were extravagantly brandished with low-hanging vines. Rustling brush that produced no author of sounds to be known.

[SIZE=9pt]The path winded in gentle slopes and curls familiarly, as if he’d walked this particular path time and time again. He passed a lake made of crystal clear water, gleaming a wondrous purple as lightning flashed and the rain resumed.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]The speeder pad came into vision as a silver blur from the corner of his vision. He walked up to the droid once more and requested to be taken to the Spaceport. He, again, gave confirmation and thanked his stars that he wouldn’t have to do this again for some time. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]As he flew through the trees and down blazed paths, the man looked out and felt a sense of loss. He would [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]somewhat[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] miss this planet, despite the unstable weather conditions. Despite the karking droids that annoyed him every time he was forced to deal with them out of pure necessity. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]But, he liked his ship a lot more.[/SIZE]

Aboard The Emulous​

2307 Planetary Time​

[SIZE=9pt]It was when he finally boarded [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]The Emulous[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] and changed into dry clothing, that he sent a message to the Dark Lord that read: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]The mission is complete.[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] Only then did he sit down, grab two vials of Raava, down one, clean his precious [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Amnesia[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt], and down the other small vial. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]He shouted from the red couch towards the cockpit, “Uzi! Begin a course towards [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]The Retribution[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]’s last coordinates.” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]“Aye, on it!” came the reply and the ship hovered as it gained altitude in the hangar and launched off. It cut through the atmospheric levels and through the vicious storm clouds and rocketed them into the void of space once more. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]The holocommunicator beeped, a call was coming through. Who in the kark was calling him now?! Wait… He did promise that he would contact Dianah and celebrate once their quests were completed. He stood up, sheathed [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Amnesia[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] on his back, and grabbed the beautifully decorated bottle of rich sunfruit liquor. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]He answered the call with a smile on his face and the open bottle in his hand. Her toast was simple. It rang into his ears as a lovely melody,[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]'To the best of the best.'[/SIZE]​

[SIZE=9pt]Kyrinov’s smile grew and he gave a toast of his own. “To the best of the best.” he repeated. Then, he added his own little addition. “To our new Empire.” [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]With that, he raised the bottle, tipped it towards her holographic image, and down a good portion of it with her. It was nice to simply be [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]normal[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] for once, to relax and celebrate with someone worthwhile, especially when that someone was a friend like @Dianah Vi’Dreya. [/SIZE]