Private Hunting Shadows

[Mia Monroe]

Mia shook her head at the mention of Dromund Kaas. This blood feud would never end, while Kaine believed he'd settles his scores, there were a hundred Mandalorians ready to raze the sith to the ground.

There used to be thousands. Her eyes narrowed at the use of her old title. "I was, yes, but not anymore." That woman was dead, she died on the streets of Sundari and she lost herself further in the Blood Wastes of the Netherworld. Then Ijaat Mereel and Ashin Cardé Varanin brought her back, and she had to decide who it was she wanted to be.

A laugh escaped her at his distaste of betrayal. "Oh please, your entire culture is based on betrayal. Ashin fought and beat Mordin, Moridn was over thrown by Voracious and Kaine over threw him. You're raised to kill and take the place of your masters. Was it not the Tsis'kaar that tried to overthrow the Eternals and Kainites for absolute control? You try to place yourself on a pedestal like you are better but you are not. You wreak of betrayal. The only way someone as young as you would be in such a position of power is through nepotism or a blade slid between the ribs of your betters."

She pushed herself to her feet with a groan, laughing again when he gave his name.

"House Marr? As in Darth Marr? The man who did everything in his power to cut down threats to the Empire, both within and without?" She laughed again. "Oh what a sorry excuse for a sith you are."

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

She had heard that the one they had called Mand'alor the Liberator had been killed, Sundari or some world like that. Yet it seemed to be the rule of those great figures of history, especially in this past century, that death could never hold them. Of course, such was to be expected, to be such a great figure, was to be remembered long after your demise, but this was very different to that, it was the stagnation that his Mistress had always warned of, those great figures returning to life, not allowing time to advance without them.

All of them the Triumvirs had done it some way, Carnifex had been felled once, only to return, Darth Ophidia too, while Darth Empyrean was... a special case.

Now he had found another, who had lived long after she was meant to.

At least she had allowed time to move past her, no longer that title that held commander over her people, now she was simply...

A very powerful woman, clearly.

His lightsabre hissed, as plasma kissed the air when Malum heard her words, his nostrils breathing out hot air, as that awe that had just come, transitioned right back into the anger. He remembered exactly why he disliked Mandalorians so...

...With a few exceptions of course.

"Be careful 'Mand'alor'," He said with a mocking twinge, "You only survived the bombardment due to my will, my desire to hear your words out, we can go right back into battle if you prefer," After all, even with his caution, he was curious how a former Mand'alor would fight, and it would no doubt be to his boon and credit to have slain a Mand'alor.

Yet, keeping his blade back, he resisted that urge to reignite the fight, as she pulled herself back up, "Your hypocrisy astounds, you from a culture that engaged in so much infighting that you could only unite yourselves by declaring war on the entire galaxy in your crusades. You speak names to make your case, I have names of my own, Mand'alor the Liberator, Mand'alor the Undying, Mand'alor the Unchained, they should ring enough recognition for you, to know how united your people can be, you who detonated a nuclear weapon over your precious home." He darkly chuckled, as with the rest of her words, he was so sorely tempted to renew the battle anew.

Yet a pain in his heart, of truth no others apart from one other knew, kept him chained, "You know nought of what you speak," Malum hissed out, "The Tsis'Kaar... my Mistress..." He did not wish to speak of it, to tell the truth, or tell what they all thought was truth.

Each burned a hole in his mind, at the thought.

"My ancestor did all that was necessary to defend and maintain the Sith Empire from unworthy and immortal tyrants..."

Malum stopped, seeming to have a sudden realisation.

"Ah..."

Mia Monroe

 

[Mia Monroe]

Mia rolled her eyes as the lightsaber ignited. "Put your lightsaber away, I might be wounded and tired but I can and will kill you if you continue to behave like a child."

None of what he said was wrong, but Mia couldn't care less. He was lashing out because her own observations about his culture were cutting deep. His stammering over his Mistress told her all she needed to know. His path had been a blade betwen the ribs. She watched him rant himself into a fill circle of realisation with an eyebrow raised.

"There we go."Mia said with a small smile. "Took you long enough to get there."

She studied him for a long moment before speaking again. "So, Malum of House Marr, are you prepared to have a civilised conversation about our future? Or do you need some time to cool off?"

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

His breath hitched, about to respond to the child comment, before realising how old she truly was. Mand'alor the Liberator was a figure in the history he was taught, he supposed if anyone could call him a child, she counted among the few.

And well, other old hags.

His lightsabre deactivated, still held in his hand, readied for battle should it come, seemingly the closest he would come to disarming himself during this conversation.

"Took me long enough to get there? What was your plan exactly, hope that I descended from a Sith with the exact characteristics you desired, and hope that I too followed those values?" For all the mocking still in her words, and though she had shown much restraint in her battle against him, she could be far from called diplomatic.

There was some silence between them, a mix of awkwardness and neutrality, as she seemed to be studying him, he took the time to consider for a moment the roles that had been proposed, for him to take the place of Darth Marr and for Darth Carnifex to take the role of Valkorian, Darth Vitiate, Tenebrae. He knew all too well what those roles meant in history, after all he had seen what happened.

Would taking the roles up again, change the outcome? He was deeply uncertain.

"You have some nerve talking of civilised conversation after killing EIGHT OF MY MEN!" His voice raised at the end, almost shouting at her, with a ghostly whisper echoing his words, as the anger built back up to a boiling point, before simmering back down, there would need to be recompense for that, their bodies had been cremated by his strikes, they had passed on, but their killer still lived, "But it would be a waste now to not hear your plan on how to kill a former Sith Emperor, a former Dark Lord of the Sith, a man who had been killed once, and still come back."

He always knew by the very purpose he felt in his heart and soul, would one day put him on the opposing side of Kaine, that one day he would have to kill him. He was naive once, believing that he and Ali could have done it together upon the Malsheem, he had been taught the error of his ways plainly and easily.

But now here was a new figure who proposed such a path.

And some part of him hoped.

For even now he was unsure if it was even possible, that if in their inevitable climactic clash.

If it was inevitable that he would be left on the wayside, crumpled, and broken. There was perhaps only one man whom he feared more than Kaine.

Mia Monroe

 

[Mia Monroe]

Mia flinched at his shout. He was justified in his rage on that front. Mia had killed eight of his men, and only one of them had been in a fair fight. "In my very limited defence, in my experience, sith are not often so attached to their soldiers and well," she gave a shrug "your first was in my back yard, snooping where he wasnt welcome. The others..."

A small sigh. "My apologies." It would be the one and only time Mia would applogise for killing a sith. And while she wasn't entirely sorry that there were eight less to plague the galaxy, if this went well, his resources were hers, and she needed all she could get.

"I don't have a plan, not yet. Can't make a plan until i know exactly what I'm up against. So I need information, about Kaine. Everything you can get, the powers he's manifested, where he sleeps who his allies are, I want to know about his every movement. When I have that I can form a plan, and in return, I'll help you rise. I can't give you Mandalorians, my clan is long gone and our people splintered. There is a new Mand'alor but he is not me, and he would never agree to ally with the sith, even if it serves a means to an end. So, I'm all you get."

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

An apology was the least of what they deserved.

Yet he was taken aback that they had gotten that much at all, in his experience, in the battle between peoples that had been running for so many years that sometimes they did not even know why they were fighting, apart from the pure fact that they were.

Getting an apology was... unexpected, to say the least. It bought her some consideration, at the very least.

"I have a feeling that if you thought I was a regular Sith, you would not have wished to speak with me in the first place," Malum offered a smirk which did not reach his eyes.

He crossed his arms as he heard her explanation, no plan, but an offer, an offer of alliance, "The Tsis'Kaar were badly mauled by our last attempt to get on the wrong side of the powers that be, I have information," Too much information frankly, she wanted to know where he slept? He knew who he slept with... far too many, and powers? Well, that was a harder question, but going against him on the Malsheem had been an illuminating experience indeed, "But to give it to you with all you have to offer being yourself... despite your... evident power and ability, seems far from an equal exchange." Especially, when working with Mandalorians of all people would paint a target on his back amongst the Sith, far larger than simply being a Sith would.

A Sith that was a traitor at that, repented or not.

Mia Monroe

 

[Mia Monroe]

In truth Mia had no idea what kind of sith she would be dealing with. She'd taken a gamble summoning him down here, the goal remained the same regardless. Get a hook into the Sith Order. She was, as always, making this up as she went along. An opportunity presented itself, so she seized it. It could have gone so many other ways. His reaction, to killing his men had been what stayed her hand. It meant there was a shred of hope for him yet. However small.


She gave a shrug at his assessment of her offer. "You had a hand in our destruction, so you know our resources are limited. Name your price, Malum. What is it that you want?"

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

It was a quick admittance of weakness, so quick, so genuine, in fact, that he was willing to believe it was genuine. After all, one only admitted their weakness in a battle or in negotiations for two reasons, that it was a tactic to make your opponent lower their guard, lower their expectations, or otherwise, because it was the honest truth.

As established, the woman certainly was not weak.

And also established, she was no diplomat.

It was a quick calculation to realise she was telling the truth.

Which left him in the awkward position of being the one to be making demands, when he had not actually come to this woman desiring anything at all in the first place. It was so much easier when they were offering concessions.

"I had no hand in it, whether that means anything to you, it was beyond my time," It did not make him distrust her any less, it did not make what he knew of Mandalorians to be false, but he was not like his peers who would proudly take pride in the needless atrocities that the Sith had waged across the galaxy.

Even if some of them, and certainly Moridinae had been justified.

Even as he would gladly do the same to Coruscant without another thought.

"I have no easy access to beskar, but considering... history... I am uncertain if your kind has any either, or," He chuckled, "Would be willing to give to a Sith, who would be your ally or not," What else might he ask for... "Tell me of your new Mand'alor, he must certainly be of interest, if a former one would willingly join him."

Mia Monroe

 

[Mia Monroe]

Mia's hand twitched a flash of something dark passed behind her eyes as she resisted the urge to strike. The reaction at him asking about Ijaat Mereel was involuntary, and born from her love for him. Beyond their personal relationship, she was honour bound to protect him.

She chose her next words carefully. "Mand'alor the Rekindler. His goal is to rebuild, to give our people a home to return to and to protect it." Mia comtemplated for a moment debating what else to tell him. Word would reach him eventually anyway. "His name is Ijaat Mereel. If you know my history, then you likely know his. Tread carefully with your next questions, Malum."

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

So many Mand'alores, so many titles. He had wanted to make a joke, about if the man intended to turn Moridinae aflame once again. Yet quickly thought better of it, as he noticed her hand twitch and that moment of darkness beneath Monroe's light blue eyes at the moment of the new Mand'alor. Interesting, she certainly felt fondly for her new leader then.

Someone spectacular indeed.

Oh and of course, Mia Monroe, it was not the name that the history books would remember her as, it was not the name which she would be recognised as. For after all, after one became Mand'alor, such an achievement usually would make your past identity so small in comparison, so insignificant to what you had become. The sole ruler of the Mandalorians, was after all, so much bigger than some name.

Of course, it became quickly evident why she had jumped so quickly to his defence. Ijaat Mereel , it was difficult to resist the laugh, only succeeding as he dearly wished to avoid being skewered by the Mandalorian before him.

Where she had been the one who had conceived of the idea of detonating a nuclear weapon, he had been the one who had actually done it. Now these two were the ones who were to rebuild Mordinae, aye? It was comical beyond belief.

"I will... sidestep my words that would certainly have us go back into battle if your reaction is any indication..." It was difficult to not mock her in some way though, by how she had looked, Malum might have thought she was in love with the man, preposterous, "Is he of the same mind regarding Kaine? Why not enlist his help? He certainly would have the resources to make this both worthwhile, and... doable, no?" It was the fact she had not approached him as a representative of this Rekindler, that he was sure there was nothing between them, she was not an extension of his will, but why was that? Did he fear that a former Mand'alor may eventually wish back her throne?

It was certainly a fear he could understand, Kaine had been Emperor twice, no doubt he wished it for a third.

Mia Monroe

 

[Mia Monroe]

Mia heaved a sigh, Malum seemed to think that everything up to this moment had been planned. It wasn't, and more than that, she'd told Ijaat that she'd stop looking behind her, that she would be more than her want for vengeance.

"As I said before, you will be hard pressed to find a mandalorian that doesnt want to kill Kaine, but as Protectors our priorities have to shift." She answered finally "He is rebuilding, his focus in inwards and on home. Which is exactly where we need his energy to be." End of discussion, she thought. That was not a road she would go down.

"In time, it might be something I can approach him with, but right now?" She shook her head. "Not something I can put on the table. Unless you want to help us rebuild yourself?" She mocked, believing he would refuse and knowing if she let a Sith set foot on Mandalore she'd be flayed alive.

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

"Focusing inwards will not save him or Morid- Mandalore from what is coming," Malum said simply, stopping his words midway in a half-attempt to be polite to... his ally? His acquaintance? The person he had declared a truce with? That last seemed the most accurate, "Mandalore lays between the Hydian Way and the Daragon Trail, as well you know, there have already been two Jedi incursions into the old Sith Worlds, more will no doubt follow. Mandalore between the Alliance to the west, the Kainite worlds to the east, and the Imperial remnants to the south... frankly I do not envy your position, but you would have to be naive to think that these polities will not have some interest in controlling such a strategic position." It did not even require control, but alliance and Bogan knew the Mandalorians would not align themselves with the Sith, especially not of Kaine's ilk, "I may despise Kaine, but I will be damned if I allow the entirety of the Stygian Caldera, the old Sith Worlds to fall to Jedi rule." They had only recently liberated them from that damnable Ashlan Crusade.

It would certainly be awkward indeed for these Mandalorians to align themselves with the Alliance, be the gatekeepers to the hyperlanes, allowing the Jedi to pass unobstructed towards their latest attack, and blocking, or at least blunting every counterattack. It would certainly reflect on him poorly if it was found he was aiding and abetting those who worked so clearly against the Sith interest.

As for the last of what he said, he offered a chuckle, "Why not? I have never set foot on your world, I will admit my curiosity regarding a planet that has no doubt changed the very course of galactic history." To aid in rebuilding was not exactly what he had in mind, and he had no doubt she had said the words as a joke, but if it would gain him the alliance with the Mand'alor, he was willing to consider it, perhaps it would nurture enough goodwill to at least maintain Mandalore's neutrality. Failing all that, to infiltrate the Tsis'Kaar upon the world, would certainly not be remiss.

Part of him did not wish the planet to burn for the third time when the Sith counterattack would inevitably come to punish the Mandalorians, who once again, had acted against the Sith.

Mandalore was not Elise Ahana-Gwyneira 's home... but he did not wish to see any more unnecessary bloodshed against her people...

...When had she begun affecting him so?

Mia Monroe

 

[Mia Monroe]

Mia scowled at him. "Neither I nor the Mand'alor, need you to lecture us on the strategic value nor the threats around us, believe me we are well aware of what's around us. What has always been around us, we were fighting this battle before your own mother was in existence. Ijaat will look inwards and give us the foundations we need to be able to withstand whats coming. I will watch his back and the skies and make sure those that are poking where they shouldn't keep their distance." A pointed reference to the speed at which his scout had been taken down.

However, when Malum agreed to help, the colour drained from her face. She swallowed hard, processing the suggestion. Allowing him to help meant he could place agents among them, refusing his help meant she lose a link to the information she sorely needed. If he set foot on Manda'yaim every Mandalorian there would come for him. She would not be able to protect him, and if she declared him under her protection? Another black mark against her already sullied name.

The question was, was he worth it?

"Manda help me." She breathed shaking her head. "If you truly want to help, then you will need to pitch your case to Mand'alor. But you should know, I cannot garauntee you will walk away from that conversation alive, nor can I give you any assurances that if he decides to go down that path, that I will be able to turn him away from it." She paused. "But, I can get you an audience. If that's what you want."

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

He raised his hands in mock surrender, "My apologies, I did not intend it to be a lecture... simply, a statement of the situation at hand, to confirm we are both on the same page." He idly wondered what the history between Monroe and Mereel had been for the former to have such confidence and trust regarding his methods. They had been active around the same time, they had been peers, but the exact nature of their relationship, he had little idea of, was not exactly what the history books focused on after all. Still, there was the unsettling possibility, this Mand'alor the Rekindler had been manipulated by the woman before him once, was the same scenario playing out before them again? He had considered it a virtue that this figure had kept to the sidelines after her death, but perhaps she was the true power behind the throne.

A troubling prospect.

Still, if such was the case, why lie to him about her influence on Moridinae? About what she could or not convince the Rekindler to do? Were her manipulations sitting upon a knife's edge?

"You are but one woman, Lady Monroe," deciding that was how he would address her if her former title was too painful, "And the Mandalorians few in number, and scattered between here and Kestri, you cannot hope to stand up against both the Alliance, the Kainites, and the Remnants, and with enough time, and manpower, anyone could penetrate the defences." There was a flash of anger, at the mention of the death of his agent, but the principle stood. That was but one agent, there were others, and there could be even more.

A grin that made it to his eyes was lit at her reaction to his willingness to aid Moridinae, it was impossible not to, for a woman who had not been surprised at anything that he had thrown at her the last hour, for her to be surprised at a genuine... or at least an amicable offer to help was very amusing.

"I have met a great many men and women in my travels, I expect this Mand'alor to be one more, I would not be remiss to an audience, and you need not care for my survival, I expect you do not, considering our people's history, I have my means to escape any... troublesome situations, if need be." And considering Malum's willingness and ability to run his mouth, even when trying to be diplomatic, he would no doubt need to prepare such an escape plan if necessary.

He had too much to live for.

Too many people to live for.

Mia Monroe

 

[Mia Monroe]

A weight settled in the pit of her stomach, woudl Ijaat trust her? She had manipulated him before, that much was true, but that wasnt this. Hadn't he himself said they needed outside help? That all bore blood on their hands? Whatever happened, this for him, wasn't about punching back at those who'd hurt Manda'yaim and its people, it was about rebuilding, about reconciling the wrong they'd done. Building a better legacy. So what was it all about for her?

Survival? No, more than that. It was about protecting him. About ensuring their future. So long as Kaine drew breath, their future was at risk. She was toeing a dangerous line and she knew it.

"So be it. Give me time. I'll reach out when he's agreed to meet you." She stepped in close her voice calm, but low and edged with every inch of gury she'd held back from. "But know this, dar'jetti, betray me, and there will be no corner of the galaxy you can hide in. I will end you and your Tsis'kaar, along with any trace of the House of Marr, your name will fade to dust. My wrath is unending. Do not test it."

She moved past him, heading on the direction of her ship, before pausing. "Oh, and withdraw your agents from Mandalore space. I will be putting word out to the rest of our patrols they were here. Their lives will be forfeit if they are caught."

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

His grin did not fade as the calculations crossed her mind, and the answer was finally given, "I will be sure to bring my regular charming self, perhaps with less lightning, fire, brimstone, and a light show next time though," Listing off the various attempts he had made to try to kill the woman in the last hour.

Of course, said grin was quickly wiped off his features, as she stepped off the tree, and leaned in close, "You may threaten me, you may threaten the Tsis'Kaar, but let me be clear to you, former Mand'alor, threaten my family," His eyes were ablaze with the simmering emotions from the past hour, his lip curled in a sneer, "And I will finish what Moridin and Kaine started."

Elise Ahana-Gwyneira would hate him for it. Justifiably so. Yet, she would learn to forgive him.

He hoped.

He needed her to.

He allowed her to move past him unobstructed, his breath heavy, still so tempted to begin again what had not truly been concluded.

Yet, there was little need for that.

Eyes flickering to her as she paused and made one final announcement, the grin was stored, but there was a maddened twinge to them, "Have you heard of the Sith Assassins, Lady Monroe? They have been doing this for a long time since the One Sith and the Tsis'Kaar inherited their legacy," His voice was heavy, with a foreign, ghostly, spectre seeming to echo every one of his words, "They are embedded deep, and if you wish to root them out, I promise you only pain and strife, I will not leave the old Sith Worlds blind to machinations of the Alliance, the machinations of the Mandalorians, if they decide to declare a war they cannot win." By the end it was a hiss, almost taking a serpent-like quality, as two voices merged into one, entirely different and alien.

Mia Monroe

 

[Mia Monroe]

Mia turned slowly, the quality of his voice drawing her attention. There was something there, something out of place. Darker and far more powerful. She recognised the possession, that, was a far bigger problem. She closed the gap again assesing him properly in the force for the first time.

"You are possessed." It wasn't a question it was a statement. "If your assassins are caught, they will die, and I will make sure to carve out their eyes and send them back to you. Keep your parasite under control. If that" he gestured to all of him, though clearly indicatibg at whatever had just slipped him "comes out on Manda'yaim, I'll drag you both to the Netherworld myself."

She was searching his face for something, recognition of who possessed him perhaps. "Do you have control, Malum, or are you a puppet?"

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

It was as if he was a deer caught in headlights and the alignment broke, Malum hissed, his nostrils expunging hot air, flinching away from his own mind, as a migraine struck, forcing him back. It was easy to tell when he and the fragment were in competition, in opposition, at times it was enough to cripple him, never amongst foes, for the fragment knew far too well that Malum's preservation was the key to her own. Yet, it was more than willing to exert pressure enough to punish him, for breaking their alignment.

While, if they were in alignment, in cooperation, what else was there to say? He felt free, felt his thoughts as crisp as the morning sun, and felt more powerful than he ever had been.

It was becoming harder and harder to know what was the default.

It was becoming much more easy to desire the peace, and serenity of their alignment to be that default.

Even if he knew what it meant.

Even if he knew where it would lead.

"Fight a shadow war, and the shadow, and the darkness will win," He hissed back, the voice being echoed again by another, as his mind for a second, a glorious second, was freed from her punishment, "You fought me with my hand tied behind my back, you fought me and almost died, do not fight a war with your ally, when your enemies draw ever closer," The voices merged back into one, eyes more confident, blazing a smile so confident that it could set light aflame.

It was the question that broke her again, Malum hissing out in anguish, his free arm clutching his head, as he did his utmost to remain standing, the alignment broken, as Malum actively fought the entity within, "I always have control... for now," He gazed up at her, who searched him for recognition, his voice returning to normal, "Whether that control is easy, or difficult, is the only question there is," and the only question there ever would be. He would never submit himself to it, this was his body, and whether the fragment was a boon or not, it would only ever remain that, an aid, a subordinate.

It could not become more than that.

Mia Monroe

 

[Mia Monroe]

Mia ran back through their conversation, the indignation at neing accused of a traitorous culture, the faltering mention of his mistress...who had ruled the Tsis'kaar before this one? She racked her mind searching for the answer.

"Ophidia..." she breathed. Her hand moved subconsciously to steady him. "The lines between your reality and hers are blurring if she can escape you like that. You..." she trailed off realising that her anger and her threats, the hardlines she'd drawn had slipped. She withdrew, torn. He was a sith. He was not a child. He was a murderous sith and she a murderous mandalorian. It didn'tmatter what happened to him.

Save for that shred of hope that she'd already seen.

"Find someone, or something to anchor you and she will never gain control. If you lose control, Malum, I will kill you. The agreement I make is with you, not her."

Walk away.

The look she gave him now was one of pity. "I'll be in touch."

Walk. Away.

Reluctantly she turned her back on him, setting her sights on the path to her ship. This complicated things, but the deal was madr and she was nothing if not a woman of her word.

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

"Do not say m- her name!" Malum hissed out, as he was struck by another skull-breaking pain in his brain, that almost floored him, lunging forward, only to fall short, and to his shock, be steadied by the woman, that he had so desperately wanted to kill a scant hour ago. It was to his surprise how comforting it was, before she seemed to realise something, something he was not too far away from realising himself, and both mutually disengaged from each other.

His breath grew heavy, as the rest of her words struck him, it was rare he had such a difficult time controlling his mind, only Empyrean, Kaine, and Alisteri had brought him such difficulty. Having her push his buttons like she had, almost forcing their alignment to break, each and every time, had been an unexpected quality.

Who knew she could cause him more pain as an ally than a foe?

He glared at her as she walked away, "Better women than you have tried," if she gazed back towards him, for but a moment, appeared and gone so quickly that one might question if it had been there at all, one eye seemed to be engulfed in flame, turning into a fiery orange, before returning to its ruby-like state.

Yet even as he said it. He considered the proposition, death... was not what he desired.

But if he had fallen, had been taken over, been sidelined in his own body.

Was it not what he wanted the most?

His eyes closed, as his breathing narrowed, to have one who would kill him if that would happen... it would be a kindness.

Golden locks and red eyes banished those thoughts, for all that happened, he could not do that to Elise Ahana-Gwyneira , simply sit down, and accept death. He could not do it to any of them, Sophia of House Marr , and Precursor , and the rest of his sisters and family. The demon within him was a curse, but it was a curse that could be broken, no matter the lows he reached, no matter the pain he suffered. In the choice between success and death, he would always pick the former, for that was his way, he would never kneel.

He accepted the last of her words, as his knees finally struck the ground, breathing out heavy breaths, and breathing in just as heavy.

His hand came quickly to his lips, "Venerandus, I require escort back to the Alvaria." Venerandus did not question a word, muttering back an acceptance, as Malum did his utmost to not collapse.

Mia Monroe