Keth by name, and Kira by Nature. The reversal of history. [Kira Vaal]

[Raien Keth]

Deep Space
On board an unnamed Flarestar Class Attack Shuttle
Onroute to Korriban.

Holonet Entry: Pilot and salvager required. 5,000 Credits. 1 Job, 3 weeks, ship provided, no questions asked or answered. Name and location to be provided by protocol droid. [member="Kira Vaal"].

Cutting silver shard scything through space. Aboard the circular flarestar attack shuttle, it was a relic of bygone eras like the ancient Echani Sith who stood on the bridge. 4 golden C-3PX protocol droid’s manned the controls with Kira, none of them particularly good pilots, but passable. They made conversation, programmed to do so, but were built for anything but conversation to the keen eyed.

Enroute to Korriban, this was a personal mission, perhaps of benefit to the One Sith but certainly of benefit to one Raien Kath. Aside from the planet, and the name Darth Surtr, the location hadn’t been divulged and wouldn’t be until arrival. He had three necessities here, conquering his pride which [member="Serian Loria"] had cunningly used against him in their last encounter, recovery of the keys to deciphering his dead language coins, and finally claiming his own birthright which even he had not known about until [member="Sera Inkari"] had visited his chamber.

Dressed in black battle robes, masked body armor, his face glowed with deep red artificial light. The runes on his robes however were anything if artificial, burning bright Rakattan language, Rakattan or so he had always thought, Sera’s visions had disturbed that sense of certainty and before their journey was done, who he was, his very pride would be tested. By fate or by chance, perhaps the pilot with him might face her own fears, because their journey was going to be full of them, with nowhere to hide.

"What is our estimated arrival time," one of the droids inquired to Kira. Darth Surtr looking on silently, his body hadn't moved since they left their meeting place, vision forward. By the way he was standing, devoid of the slightest motion, he might not move till they landed.

[member="Kira Vaal"]​

 

[Kira Vaal]

“Opportunities come once in a lifetime.”
That is what her father had told her once so very long ago. He had said that when they came you had to grab them like the horn of a charging Ronto and never let go until you get what you want. She hadn’t believed him then, a small part of her still didn’t believe him but when someone came knocking with a five thousand credit job those words had resonated in Kira’s mind just enough for her to have said yes.

The customer in question hadn’t stated his name nor had Kira felt the obligation to ask, his presence alone creating the uncomfortable feeling that silence was the chosen mandate. His accompanying droids however were more conversational which was fortunate for the journey so far had been long and in all respects boring which had given Kira more than enough time to communicate with the droids as a substitute to the lack of conversation from their ‘hopefully’ more biological friend.

“We’re approaching jump release.” Kira answered the question after filtering through several screens of information displayed before her on the primary pilots console. She had managed to bluff her way through most of the initial procedures aboard the ship, which was much larger than anything she had flown before. “I’d say we’ll reach planet side in four to six hours.”

Something in the back of her mind made her glance backwards, taking in the form of the contractor quickly before returning her eyes to the swirling of hyperspace as it disappeared around them creating the image of a swirling red sphere before them.
Korriban
Only the most desperate of beings went here, yet here she was.

Perhaps she’d get off easy though, she was only the pilot after all...

[member="Raien Keth"]

 

[Raien Keth]

Stars shifted, long trails of light escaping from view, hyperspace absorbing their silver ship whole. Absorbing them from the comfort of not knowing what was to come, unfortunately for everyone on this ship, after today, nobody would be just anything anymore.

“You are quite skilled,” C-3PX’s were nothing if not polite, “my Master is pleased to have such efficient navigational courses plotted.” Pleased, because delay didn’t usually end well. The banter was lost on Raien but then his weighty attentions lay pinpointed on one singular focus.

He was closer. The pressure around Darth Surtr deepened, a lesser form of gravity of the moment made real around him, force crush but lightly spread in all directions. Releasing the hold as he exhaled, a metal container nearby didn’t withstand the pressure and fell to one side in a mess.

While the droids continued to make casual conversation about the ship, even remarks about Koribban not being so bad once you “adjusted to the colorful wildlife”, Little to nothing else came from the Sith Knight however on their journey, he never took a break, never stopped, and never rested. Occasionally a ripple of pressure could be felt, this was pure Raien Keth focused on one goal.

Several hours later…

Reds of Korriban broke through the ships viewport, the flarestar was nothing if not a smooth ride. Hyperspace brought them cutting through to their destination, it was direct and precise, as Raien Keth once had been. Now his single minded nature was all consuming, and on show again.

“Ready us for landing. Here.” Finally her employer spoke, the raspy, gritty, voice of a wound that had never fully healed expressed outward, a wound that formed no small part of today's journey. From his hand a golden holoprojection appeared, and he levitated the projection device in front of Kira. “Bring all necessary supplies for a salvage operation.” The command to all, unfortunately she would not escape facing whatever lay in store for them all today.

An odd location, seemingly a non-descript and neutral location leagues from anywhere else, out in one of the many barren valleys of the planet. All that was there, to mark it as significant, was a burning globe held atop a pair of hands on the map. It was a mark and target to land the ship nearby, and was to become a carved statue as they drew nearer.

[member="Kira Vaal"]​

 

[Kira Vaal]

The droids seemed content with creating a comfortable environment for Kira as the red planet loomed before them. A shiver carried up Kira’s spine, involuntary that seemed to only be edged on by her hosts dark desires.

Several checks were done to scan the area surrounding the planet, being on Lothal for the majority of her years had removed any desires towards the currant political standings of the galaxy, who controlled this sector was unknown to her and the decision to keep it un relevant required her to assure that their landing would remain unseen and unannounced.

The silver craft broke the atmosphere as Kira directed it planetside, dark clouds parting as they cut their way through to the red surface that was scattered with the remains of ancient ruins across the landscape.

“Of course.” She replied to the direction, another shiver riding her as the dark presence from the rear of the cockpit spoke. Her eyes glancing to the moving map of that had floated towards her. His further instruction towards gathering all the supplies giving her slight pause. Was he expecting her to be apart of this, the contract stated flying to the destination only?

“C-3PX, prepare all the equipment to be disengaged upon landing.” She stated to the droid at her side. “Also have a camp set up, some of us aren’t exactly as mechanical as others.” Her eyes returned to the fast moving landscape around them.

The location came to them faster than expected, the valley allowing them a silent approach as well as giving Kira the chance to stretch her piloting as the craft moved through the rocky terrain. A looming statue rose through the red earth, broken with age yet symbolising the area for them to land.

“I’m going to do a couple of passes.” The ship banked to a hard side, allowing the landing zone to be seen with sidewards glance before it was lowered smoothly to the ground where it settled in a cloud of dust. “Another happy landing.” Kira offered looking behind her with a smile, which was not returned causing the young pilot to return her eyes forward. “Or not…”

[member="Raien Keth"]

 

[Raien Keth]

Korriban​

Lost valley of the One Sun​

​

Deep red sands, redder than the arid cracked landscape that you might otherwise see, like this place had been burned so much it took on the color of fire or the lives that had been claimed in it. Boots on the ground, too late to turn back, the ramp sealed behind them.

"Follow," he instructed the pilot.

Steps dug forward, clawing and ripping aside the surroundings until they found purchase, facing an immovable stone surface. Behind him the looming statue of One Sun glared its way down upon the wall. There were no markings, there was no way in and no door. The surface was hard to the gloved hand that Raien pressed to it. There was finality, and an end to this entrance, like there was nothing after this but the sun.

The language on Surtr’s robes, long woven tales of suffering, glowed the color of this place. For decades he had been led to believe it was pure Rakattan, pure until this moment, as [member="Sera Inkari"] had foretold to him. It was the language of what was inside, One Sun, and much more.

Inscribing the rune for entry on its surface with his finger, the wall faded like the illusion of finality it was, and past the group would enter, into the valley, face to face with an archway of transition.

“Tents here.” Simple, direct commands, this close to his purpose he had no words to give. The C-3PX had carried the materials as Kira had asked, erecting the tents, but they now looked to her for instruction on what to do next, unknown to her, she was to be the key here. Had Raien selected her for a reason?

Vision Archway

The archway ahead was darker than the blood red sands they stood within, fading like mist into the heart of this planet, possibilities to come and go through its doors. It was crumbled, its steps decaying and uncertain of what was ahead. Visions on the walls. This is where Darth Surtr would make use of Kira, going through the entry way was surely fraught with danger. Tests were ahead, a story to retell. He could simply throw aside the rubble, if what was past the archway wasn't so valuable.

While she appraised the ruins, he knelt and began meditation, waiting. What could give Raien Keth pause? Did anyone really want to find out?

A single pair of eyes from above the valleys high peaks watched them, and their number would grow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0bp32opLxI​

[member="Kira Vaal"]​

 

[Kira Vaal]

C-3PX continued the removal of the excavation gear as Kira had instructed, she herself overseeing the more cumbersome pieces. Whatever her employer was after he had made sure that they had the equipment to get it, just the thermo-scanners alone held more value than most operations she had ever seen on Lothal.

The movement of the group after Raien’s instruction allowed for closer inspection of the area around them, Kira felt nothing but cold darkness. Uncomfortably she put it down to, all this thought of darker spirits was just silly nonsense.

“Ma’am.” One of the droids had approached her from behind and politely addressed the young scavenger, it was nice to hear some people had manners, even if they were droids. “All the equipment is off loaded and we have established a small camp perimeter, shall we begin excavation protocols?”

Raien moved passed them giving Kira pause as she watched him move, eventually however she turned back to the droid. “No, remain on watch. I need to get a feeling of what we’re working with here.”

“As you wish.” C-3PX moved off towards where several tents had been risen above the machinery as well as two small living quarters intended for the biological members of the excavation. “We are on your call.”

Raien himself had taken to meditation, only increasing Kira’s belief that he was possibly more than just a simple treasure hunter. She however preferred more practical means of discovery. Taking a path towards the archway the young woman took in the architecture, the way the stones sat and more importantly the way they presented themselves within the earth.

A sun lay behind them, casting its all across the arch, an arch that held some symbolic nature, something that she could not process right now, yet the ache of wanting came across her. An irresistible erge to reach out and take hold, to embrace the arch, to hold it and never let go.
Words in the back of her mind, telling her to let go of all her defences.

“It’s not an entrance.” She said finally, her eyes moving to the side of the arch. “It’s a distraction.” She instead stood away from the stone, staring back towards Raien. “This place. It’s dangerous. Very, very dangerous.”

[member="Raien Keth"]

 

[Raien Keth]

For a long time [member="Kira Vaal"] went unanswered, nothing but the mechanical droid's movement of progress, and the rising and falling of blood red sands for company. Progress, in the sands of time. “Danger is certainty,” the Keth’s voice stated with finality, “walking within it opportunity.” Rising to his feet the Betrayer took in a final inhale, becoming part of this place as he often did, those points in the Darkside which claimed you as their own, or tried to. He looked at Kira knowingly, did he know something about her, or was it this place, a vision of her given to him by the seer [member="Sera Inkari"] .

Shadows welled up around the doorway, light brought to the brink of death, like those trying to enter would simply fall dead. “Shadows! Illusions, we do not die here!” Raien Keth shouted with certainty, as if the old Sith Knight could predict the time and choosing of his own death, could he, someone who had read conflict and its ripples so many times? Possibly.

Standing to face the swirling tide, force lightening shot out of the archway’s pillars, barreling straight into his chest and sending the Betrayer’s heavy footing skidding, clawing against the sands for grip that wasn’t there. A surge of Sith certainty welled up and pushed back, denied his force shield till he recovered [member="Kei Amadis"]’s force crystal, he was forced to endure the lightening head on, eventually slammed into stone.

Lightening finished, smoke rising from his simple black armor and robes, pierced in several places. In its place a holoprojection came out of the archway, the shadow a face of an injured red-twi’lek interrupting proceedings. "Battle... begins....", was all the projection said before dying down.

“The archway appears unstable,” a droid called out, and with that illusion of an archway was gone, the steps would disappear from view, as if never there really there. One droid higher up lost its ground, finding nothing to hold on to, and just fell straight down, smashing its leg on a stone. Another clinged to a pillar on the wall, holding tight and then climbed down. Allies crushed, or robbed of their easy approach and victory. The fallen droid would walk again, but not very well.

Raien was recovering on one knee, he hadn't yet seen that the path up, was up the ridge, a difficult climb, and would be fraught with dangers. The door out behind them was sealed again, and the only way was up through it all, the battle to come. More eyes were watching them.

They were at the foot of the tomb, the end, not facing the beginning!

The Battle Ahead! The climb!
​

​

[member="Kira Vaal"]​

 

[Kira Vaal]

There was chaos.

Kira had dived for cover as the blue arching electrical currents had erupted from the archway, Raien had taken them head on and for all she knew was now a smouldering corpse upon the floor. She had taken a particularly nasty strike to her left shoulder, the leather rotting away through the heat to allow he skin to twist and malform beneath.
The pain was unbearable.

She didn’t have much time to think about it however, for the lightning did subside and another unfamiliar voice sounded through the suddenly silent surrounds.
“Battle… begins….”
“Battle what?” Kira lifted herself up from behind the crate she had conveniently located for cover and saw the shadow of an injured female disappearing from the archway. Who was she, what in the Frell was going on?

The archway shimmered and was gone, completely disappeared. Where before there had been rock and stone there was now nothing but a pit and the crumpled remains of droids that had followed the collapse down. One was completely unsalvageable, his chassis crushed; the other would be able to walk, but would slow their proceedings.

Raien was upon one knee, seemingly injured from his strike by the lightning. Kira however took in what was before them, the clear path that they should have taken. The ridge, why hadn’t she seen it before.

“I’ll head on up.” She muttered to Raien before rubbing her shoulder with her hand, the pain was still there, burnt flesh feeling real unlike the structure that had done it.

The path was hard and at times became little more than some rock holes in a sheer cliff but Kira had climbed worse. Her surrounds had darkened, allowing no image of anything but the way forward.

Ten minutes of climbing had passed at least when she found a small ledge that she could pull herself upon to rest her arms, her shoulder arching more and more as she got higher. The view was enough to warrant the pain. Red canyons scattered with the remains of a once great civilisation, it was like nothing she had ever seen before.
“If only Dad would see me now.” She laughed.

“Full attack stations!” A voice cried out across the air, stunning Kira.
“Bring around the fleet, hit them head on.” The sky darkened and the clouds took shape, almost as if a giant battle took place above them, here and there the clouds exploded and twisted into shapes more familiar or distorted. It was beautiful and full of fear.
“We need more time!”
Suddenly one of the clouds erupted outwards throwing the area into a thick fog that encompassed all.
Behind her she could hear footsteps, an impossibility due to the size of the ledge she was upon. Yet a presence was definitely there.

“We are alike, you and I…”

Then darkness took over. Kira blacked out and fell…

[member="Raien Keth"]

 

[Raien Keth]

The Betrayer's hand slowed her fall, the force around Kira clasping, crushing to hold her. Her powerlessness to stop it was quelled. Two droids braced themselves to catch her, their orders it seemed extended to putting the salvager before themselves, curious? Yes it might be, as one was partially crushed, losing an arm but saving the girl. That left two golden assassin droids working to serve, with the other two wounded or limping.

Ascending behind her slowly, whatever was going on the ridge above them, clouds began to form, raining shadows and what looked like force fire scorching the upper ridge, coming toward the ground. Raien shielded his eyes but kept climbing through it, cutting out footholes with his heavy metal boots, making following up after him all the easier for any behind.

Some of the eyes that had been watching above roared at the display around them, and his approach, the throngs of a long dead battle manifested. The danger was enough to send the onlookers them to cover, but their violent impulses were ready to join it! They loyally served this rendition of the past.

Spears were thrown toward Raien from both sides on his ascent, over a dozen red Massassi warriors above, twisted Sith creations, not usually capable of complex planning. It was likely not their idea to wait in ambush at such an opportune time. Incoming spears were splintered and cracked as they were sent toward him, deflected or resonated to be shattered into pieces, splintering against the Sith Knight's armor. A few injuries pierced him, but that pain was taken and thrown into the resonation of the stone on which the red Sithspawn stood, causing the ambushing Massassi to retreat else they fell. Violent howls erupted from his opponents, but nothing stopped his ascent, not spear, not force fire, nor the wounds he was receiving across his body.

The Betrayer remained in contact with the ground, ordering the droids to open fire from below to ambush the retreating red warriors, forcing them back toward what was to come. What was hidden... and soon not.

[member="Kira Vaal"]​

 

[Kira Vaal]

“What the Frell.”
A spear whisked passed Kira and barely missed Raien, a weapon of bone and black rock. Another and another continued to assault them, causing Kira to nearly loose her handling several times yet she was more and more determined to reach the top as the onslaught continued.

She reached for her blaster, a simple model that gave her some way to add to what the droids were doing from below, she released two shots before a spear caused her to panic and then watch as her weapon fell to the ground far below.
“Damn it!”

The beasts fled eventually leaving Kira free to continue with Raien to the final peak of the climb where a sharp tipped ledge opened to reveal a great structure of red rock. A series of statues lined the advance towards the ruin, each resembling a solid pillar with a carving upon each. The first three were simple, down placed arrows each as identical as the last, however the forth bore an eye, half hidden in shadow; this made way for the fifth which seemed larger then the rest as was located slightly off to one side, leant upon the edge of the temple itself. It bore all the previous imagery as well as a encompassing circle around the rest.

Opening the channel to the droids below Kira explained their discovery. “I want a full scan of the ships backlogs, find out anything that may have been posted about this place. I’m trusting you to find out every bit of information you can.”

“As you wish, shall we also proceed to bring the excavation gear up to your location?” One asked.

“Negative. Start reloading the ship and bring it up here in about twenty minutes. C-3PX, your in charge, you have command.” She said quietly glancing over to Raien. “Don’t alert the Master to this, he doesn’t need to be aware.”

[member="Raien Keth"]

 

[Raien Keth]

The C-3PX’s were skilled protocol droids with a sharp level of intelligence, whether they were actively working with Kira or leading her on, either or even both was possible given these traits. The Betrayer did have an influence on those he tainted, his namesake often what he experienced himself, perhaps the droids were imitating their Master for their own ends!

Reaching the peak of the ridge, a Massassi charged him, the sith spawn was formidable in this tight space, and the Betrayer’s heavy metal footing while usually a strength on flat ground, dug into crumbling ground atop the temple entrance, sliding back to find purchase. This gave his opponent clear advantage, its force axe deflected by Edge of Truth, but the meaty weight of the blow knocked the normally rock solid Sith Knight off the edge of the edge… his opponent howling victory.

A victory that was short lived, a gripping hand below, hurled Darth Surtr around up and over, his blade piercing clean through the Sithspawn's chest.

“There is no apology for your arrogance, your pride.” An apology for a now burning corpse celebrating before he knew his opponent had been crushed. Raien found himself repeating words that another wanted him to say, and the darkside in him loathed the interruption, growling and pushing the foreign presence out of his mind.

That taint grew strong. Laced with the darkside, seeping into the stone, Surtr was drawn inward to the temple proper. Out of the darkness one voice announced, “I am Darth Stryfe, the fist of the one Sith, prepare yourself.” Revealed the spectre before him, but it was merely a dream, a vision, the duel between an imagined saber and his own. It was a brief test of his ability, which quickly subsided bringing him forward to reveal the Sithspawn to end all Sithspawns….

A hulking great construct facing him, towering above and projecting its own will outward. The rebirthed and resurrected form of Darth Stryfe, which disappeared from view, an illusion, or the real thing? Hard to say, for Raien caught but a glimpse in this rendition of the past stretching out into the darkness.

He had become cut off from the others, and only now did he realise this error, the draw of the darkside here was compelling beyond belief, his singular purpose blinded him to everything else. ~Follow~ Darth Surtr compelled Kira, a crushing presence on her mind, painful perhaps, strong and loud echoes.

[member="Kira Vaal"]​

 

[Kira Vaal]

Raien was nowhere to be seen, his presence however was felt. It was a sickening feeling like guilt and regret all built into one seething thought that sat at the back of your head. A thought that told her to follow.

“Follow where?” Kira didn’t wish to seem confused but her voice echoed across the empty ground like that of a wounded animal, only the winds of the red planet to hear her. Yet there was something else that pulled her thoughts, something that wasn’t stained by the same feeling she had established with Raien, no this was different, this was not loyal to his cause.

The temple itself was like something out of a dream, yet it turned nightmarish as the young girl continued her way down through the stoned halls towards where, if she was following her gut Raien would be.

The walls themselves seemed to scream out in pain as she passed them, the voices of a thousand sacrificed souls forever caught within the stone work that bled as if it were made of pierced flesh, at least that is how it appeared to Kira, momentarily glimpsing this vision before it faded once more and became no more than just black stone.

A chamber opened up before her and within stood the form of Raien, yet it was not Raien she looked upon with her quizzical look. No. This was lighter than he, made of something more than crude physical matter.

“Stand.” A shiver ran up Kira’s spine as the shadow turned to face her, it’s form shimmering in the distant light cast by a thousand ethereal candles that seemed neither there as well as present.

“I am stood…” The it happened, a searing pain shot through the right side of her chest and as if her flesh had caught alight she screamed. The form slowly approached as she fell to her knees the pain never once subsiding.

“You will perish here. You are not worthy.” Another voice, Raien’s again appeared beside her along with yet another shadow. This one raising arms towards her which engulfed her entire body in pain, a twitching inducing burn that carried like an electrical current across her entire form.

Then it all stopped. They faded, formed into one, a single shape that resembled herself. A much darker shade of herself.

“What, help…me?” Kira was both confused and panicked, the plea for help seemed the only logical choice, yet the shade just continued forward taking in her crumpled form with dark eyes. When it opened its mouth the sound that came from within was not part of this world and Kira was filled with dread.

“Do you not see…” Blackness started to fill the room with each word. “Sometimes, for the dream to live…the dreamer must die.”

The room filled with dark energy and Kira became inundated with pain yet again, such pain that eventually she knew she would die. Yet what would become of her, left here to rot no doubt, never to see anyone again…

[member="Raien Keth"]

 

[Raien Keth]

One of the same mutants he had encountered earlier, only bigger, and more dangerous. Raien’s eyes and concentration behind his mask crushed further inward still. Darth Stryfe turned toward one of its smaller kin and beheaded the beast, letting its blood fall on the floor, seeping into the cracks of this place to join the nightmarish dream.

These mutants were thought dead for thousands of years, transformed husks of what Massassi were, old warriors. Like Raien used to do with the Echani to the Sun Guard, to the Midnight Guard… old history, old places. Always focused on the past was the Betrayer, bringing it alive at his behest, he was naturally drawn here. A few Massassi turned to Darth Stryfe’s hulking red form, it seemed there had been one leading them, but many voices, and those voices were no longer welcome. Darth Stryfe wanted complete control, and to repel the intruder. For he wore Darth Krayt's rebuilt armor, the final shards of the once great Sith Lord taken and remade.

A council of sorts surrounded him, with loyal massassi behind him holding to his every word.

Order and Chaos, Fear of Betrayal

“I created this place to impose order on the past, to unite the past and present. It survives even after my death, unlike my weaker Master who can't defend his own temple.” Stryfe's voice both that of Darth Krayt and himself, so long wearing the armor, the armor was becoming him…

Vonduun crab armor he wore, shards of Krayt, shards of durasteel, pieces of the past brought to life on the reborn Sithspawns form, red like he always was, only bigger and more dominant, covered in clawed spikes. The declaration in his own temple hit the spirit of Darth Krayt from somewhere near [member="Kira Vaal"]…. Betrayal! His plan had failed, even the vision of his life in this tomb would not survive his death!

"Burn them"

Genocide. Stryfe ordered the Massassi behind him with a nod, and this makeshift council was turned on and ripped apart, ten percent of their number joining the dead on the ground, leaving Darth Stryfe in charge, and Raien Keth in his way.

The droids cut off and alone went in search of Kira... and the seething spirit of Darth Krayt, just what were their designs in all of this? Everyone had a motive for being here, under one banner, one Sith but still Sith all the same. Droids, Massassi, Darth Stryfe, Darth Krayt, Raien Keth, a living armor with its own purpose, and Kira in the middle of it all. Things were just getting interesting...

[member="Kira Vaal"]​

 

[Kira Vaal]

“——Are you ——.” The garbled call of C-3PX came through Kira’s comm-link that was still attached by a hook to her belt. The static barely audible through Kira’s ears which had, since her attack remained silent. Yet finally they allowed her to awake.

The room she was in was not the room she had been assaulted within, it was more central than that. The walls were quiet and not a sound could be heard through the cold marble surrounds. Yet it felt dark and bleak. Something however continued to catch her attention at the very edge of her conciousness.

Using every ounce of energy she managed to lift herself to her feet, a shaky stand at first but better than the prone one she had awaken in. Her body still ached with whatever it was that had happened to her, yet she could see no visible marks which allowed her to release a sigh of relief.

Then she felt it again, it was a different feeling than the rest of the room, this was something of a different origin. It seemed forced or at least like it was being forced to go away, Kira tried to look around but could see nothing, hear nothing. Stumbling through the darkness would be the best way of finding a way out of the room at least.

“Wait…” The voice came from behind her, it was a male’s yet broken and weary. “Don’t go…”

“What?” Kira turned and turned again, yet couldn’t find who had spoken. “Whose there?”

“He won’t break me, just like he won’t break you.” Again the voice ripped through the silence and filled her ears. “Where ever a darkness corrupts and light has to stand.”

“A light?” Kira tried to focus in on the voice, noting that it seemed to come not from around her but within her. “I don’t understand.”

“Trust in your feelings, look within and you will see.” The voice sounded tired and beaten, yet warm and close. “Relax.”

“Whatever.” Kira went to leave, went to walkaway.

“Stop, please.” The voice pleaded, “You are my only hope.”

“Your only hope at what exactly?” Kira rolled her eyes.

“At getting through this.” It replied. “I need to be the light, you need to be the light. You and I, we are alike, the same, we are one.”

Kira sighed and closed her eyes, her head was pounding and there really wasn’t much more she could take, she just wanted to get out of here.

“The Force is strong with me, as it is in you.”

“The Force?” Kira’s eyes opened wide, “I don’t have the force…”

Suddenly the room erupted into colour, the image of a sandy coloured man who hung suspended from a thick almost fleshy prison filled her view. He looked like hell, all these sharpened pieces of flesh and bone stuck to his form. Even that however couldn’t fight the aura around him, the grey matter that shone through the dark.

“You? You’re…” Kira began, her body forgetting her own pain.

“It is no matter who I am, I’m only the messenger.” The man stated with a smile.

“The messenger for what?” Kira asked confused. “What message?”

“That you are not safe here, he will come and he will try to do to you what he did to me.” The image began to fade. “You are the last hope Kira Vaal, you must stop the dark…” With that the room faded away and left Kira quiet alone.

Or was she….

[member="Raien Keth"]

 

[Raien Keth]

Downturn:

Hesitating to kill Raien Keth outright, Stryfe was angry enough, angry that someone had desecrating the tomb he had built, his tomb now, forget his old Master, the armor was his. The corruption of the Sithspawn hybrid was almost complete, but this focused anger allowed him to reverse the effects of his encasement, to be more visibly the blood, flesh and bone of the one great Sith Lord, Darth Stryfe.

“You will serve me, and if you do not, be gone, for I rule the one Sith!”

Raien’s head was assaulted with laughing visions of the now twenty or Sithspawn ahead, penetrating his mind, showing him the eventual destiny he would have, the images of being consumed by the very armor that mocked him.

The Betrayer knew what he must sacrifice and accepted this, as he always had, standing firm, pressured focus. Stryfe however was distracted by the howling of those around him, a howling which echoed surely all the way to [member="Kira Vaal"] a pack of wolves, revealing in the darkness which consumed this place, distracted so much the armor began to take hold again.

Little by little the stage was being set for a reckoning between all those here. The spirit of Krayt, the armor of Krayt carried by Stryfe, and the ones that sort Krayt, Raien Keth, Kira Vaal and the droids. All focused on Krayt, already caught in the armor's sorcery, or was there light there too? The light of the past that only a Jedi could see?

The red projected form of Darth Talon appeared, now obvious who had spoken to them at the door by her features. The One Sith Lord appearing to everyone in the tomb to speak, the gate keeper of what was almost one giant holocron. “I am your life, I am your death.” Her voice mimicked Krayt, “Can you feel the beating heart of this place?” [member="Kira Vaal"] . Different meanings for different paths, drawing them all to their conclusion, judging their worth as any gatekeeper would. For there were two halves to Krayt, the before and the after...

Spoiler

Apologies for the slow reply. Not sure why I didn’t see yours!

[member="Kira Vaal"]​

 

[Kira Vaal]

Consolidation of Power

There was an anger within the walls of the temple that drove coldness right down into Kira’s bones, a sickening feeling that rang with angst and fustration. Someone was angry.

She had departed the low run hall where the Force had manifested itself to her, the low ceiling halls opening to reveal deep set steps of obsidian that led upwards in long winding spirals. It was for Kira the only choice. Yet something had set within her, almost like the presence from that room was progressing alongside the young salvager. It was a small boon, but a welcome one all the same.

The stairs continued onwards and upwards for what seemed an age. Kira’s legs began to moan with the task and hope started to disappear that they would never end, she knew that each step could be the last but through the darkness they continued to come at her.

“They killed everyone.” Kira didn’t question the voice, if it was even there, the feeling that perhaps this was more within her mind than anything becoming more and more acceptable. “Yet they failed to eradicate us all.”

Finally a ledge opened up beneath her allowing Kira to pause the climb, a large metalwork door stood at her left, the controls sparking and frayed. Beneath the metal was enough room for her to slide through which with her small frame became no issue at all. It was what lay beyond that truly worried her.

The young woman had found herself within a large throne room, it’s expansive nature created of golds and chrome, large overarching ceilings allowed plenty of fresh light even if it did stain it with a darkened red tinge. The most defining feature was the throne, a simple construct within the far central wall of the room, a deep seat that allowed a vantage over any who entered.

Upon the throne sat a beast of vast proportions, his form covered by an armour of foul appearance or at least Kira believed it to be an armour, she couldn’t tell. At his side stood a mixture of creatures grotesque and twisted to the last, the seemed to have some form of honouring stance towards this central throne dweller.

Yet it was not these things that kept Kira’s mind on edge, it was the swirling vortex of power that carried itself through the air.
“You come to swear.” The voice of Krayt tore through the silence, it’s projector a holographic Twi’lek whom Kira recognised as the one from the entrance to the temple had appeared between the throne and her own position. “They shall all come to swear before their dooms, swear to your emperor for all shall swear within the beating heart and then they will pay with their lives.”

Kira found herself rooted to the spot, the itching want to run taking over. She probably would have were it not for [member="Raien Keth"]s appearance behind her announcing the reckoning and judgment of them all.

 

[Raien Keth]

The Sith–Imperial War


The council around him dead, Darth Stryfe accepted the surrender of the dead, no words were needed with bodies under his heel, just as he accepted the loyal roars of nearly all the Massassi around him too, reclaiming his throne. Drawn to the center of this place on Darth Talon’s call. The hulking red demonic creatures trudged toward the throne. Their vicious weaponry hoisted high into the air, their cries maddening terrors to be unleashed on an unsuspecting galaxy, assuming his throne.

The Throneroom​

Raien Keth had come to judge them all, [member="Kira Vaal"] was right, stepping from behind her. “None of you are worthy of the armor of the One Sith, it belongs to none of you here.” His voice almost spat fire, rasping black rage licking off the tongue, waves of the darkside announced in his judgement. Raien’s golden droids surrounded the throne room, four again, coming from every side some. Two droids were wounded from earlier but they were all armed, ready, weapons pointing inward to the gathering.

Seeing the resolve in Raien’s aura, the strength of his standing, and more importantly feeling the spirit of Krayt close, for this was ALL Krayt’s will, forms of it in his own way. This place was in opposition of Stryfe, many of the Massassi sensed it and considered deserting Stryfe, or seizing the chance to backstab the sithspawn leader, who sat atop the throne. He who had decided he would be the legacy of Darth Krayt, that he alone deserved to carry the mantel. Shoving started from the back of the Sithspawn's group, and the situation looked like it might unravel further.

~All will swear in their own way~ Krayt's voice repeated to [member="Kira Vaal"], foretelling what would come next.

The Massassi demanded Stryfe face Raien, demanded retribution for his intrusion and to support Stryfe's claim on Krayt's heritage, their howling voices echoing through this makeshift temple, telling Krayt's story for him, pushed on by his will.

Stryfe suspected Krayt had lured everyone here, he suspected he had been sabotaged, played, and it almost sent him insane. The armor was changing him further, he was completely losing control to it, terraforming what was left of the Sithspawn's body as if it were a world of its own to seed. He harnessed that hatred to sabotage one of the Massassi who had walked forward, impaling it on a huge outstretched arm.

“Swear, swear to the heart of this place, and give the last of yourselves” Darth Krayt’s spirit hovering close beckoned, starting its rise… a manufactured cause for war, for violence, the hatred giving Krayt his opening for his legacy to escape this place forever, the tools of his legacy would be free again.

Stryfe was having none of it, and barrelled through anyone in his way charging. He was no longer Stryfe, no longer Massassi, the armor had completed its transformation of his Sith spawn body, as it was always destined to.

[member="Kira Vaal"]​

 

[Kira Vaal]

Kira was forced to dive to the side in order to separate herself from the sudden outrage of conflict that had overcome the throne room and ignited Stryfe’s fury towards Raien’s own form. Instinctivly she reached for her blaster, but found her holster empty.
“Frak.” Of course she had dropped it upon the climb towards the peak of the mesa that had held this temple. She would have to be on her guard. Or she could arm herself.
Her eyes moved to the corpses of the Massassi that were scattered around the hall, surely there would be a weapon among their bodies.

Gathering up what strength she still had Kira moved swiftly across the hall towards the throne that sat on the far side of the room heading for the nearest of the fallen red beasts.
It smelt worse than a dead Taun-Taun left in the sun, it was bad enough for her to start heaving as she lifted the body over in search of some form of weapon, or anything really that she could use to protect herself.

“What do you seek.” From behind her there became a manifestation, a dark shadow of a thing that seemed to leech the essence out of the very air around it. Krayt, that is what Raien had called it. Kira hesitated a look backwards, her eyes taking in the fear of its face, the seeping black hole of darkness it contained. She was rooted in fear. “I demand an answer.”

She refused to reply. This caused the form of Krayt to lower to the ground properly and take deep dark steps towards her.
“It is as I feared then.” He muttered before releasing such a roar that the entire place shook. “We cannot win alone, there is only one way to stop him…” He ‘looked’ towards the conflict between [member="Raien Keth"] and the great beast that had been Stryfe. “Jedi and Sith together.”

Kira looked at the black mark upon the world around her, her throat dry and unable to move.
“I am no Jedi.” She managed to mouse back.

“I know exactly what you are.” He slid closer towards her. “I know exactly who you are…I can see within your soul.” He then paused, shifted his body completely and recoiled backward almost as if he had been stung. “The Sith-dominated Throne of Balance, the Jedi…You…It has only been delayed…I swore it was averted.” The form began to twist and buckle before ripping itself into a thousand pieces and tearing through everything in the hall, the ethereal form not causing harm to the physical but left the mental wounded heavily.

“Raien?” Kira turned and witnessed the conflict once more, she had to act. Beneath her hand lay the cold stone of a Massassi spear, it’s tip hard cut obsidian…She knew what she had to do…

 

[Raien Keth]

The Rise of Darth Krayt

Being thrown around by the much large Stryfe he’d not even got his weapon free, and already had a few blows rain down upon his body, it felt like a hundred such hits, just with the ferocity of the lumbering hulk he found himself faced again, the primal fury of a death Sith Lord given form. As the spirit of Darth Krayt rose and empowered all of this tomb, so did Raien’s spirit, enduring like he always had, finding a leveling pain no matter what hit him, a stasis of sorts within it.

Sabering igniting it glanced off the gauntlet of Stryfe, the dead fist of the one Sith, a fist that knocked the Betrayer clean back as it finished its rotation into his chest, Raien’s heavy boots clawing against the floor, and causing a guttural roar to erupt, as Darth Surtr leveled a lunging strong two handed strike at the much larger sith Spawn. The strike was gripped, as Tracyn had once done to him, only enraging the knight further, as they both wrestled for control, Stryfe having the clear edge. The reborn armor putting spikes inches from Raien’s body, threatening to simply impale the Echani.

Raien? “Deflect his attention! Find your potential,” in his own way trying to recruit [member="Kira Vaal"] to his side, a side she surely had to join to survive at all! The chaos around her was the picture perfect reflection of Raien’s work, only for once here he was not in control, not yet but he would be!

Kira though uncertain at first thrust her spear forward into the Sithspawns leg, but was hard pressed to avoid the swipe of his arm that came. The Betrayer again roared finding grip and strength, pressuring that rage down into his muscles like a juggernaut that would not stop, like he always used to be, and would claim again here. Growing in strength, because his purpose clearer than it ever was, to bring the past to life and seed the future.

“There is only one,” Raien stated, the rule of the one, Darth Krayt, his armor and now Raien’s. Swinging edge of Truth in fluid Soresu orbits he drew down into his focus, finding himself, claiming the old Raien that the galaxy used to know. Pushing Stryfe back, back, back, cuts, incapacitating hits. Finally finding his form he cut off one of the arms of his opponent in one fluid motion, coming around behind him to reflect the counter strike, he looked like he had the Sith spawn…

*Snap*

Poison? Something dazed him, impaled by crab claw in his side, a deep wound, the betrayal of one of his own droids apparent, its head was cut off, but not a second later the giant wounded Sithspawn threw the Betrayer back into the far wall, “take him!” Stryfe, the living armor growled, badly wounded, unsteady on its legs especially with a spear sticking out of it! It was momentarily victorious non the less. The Betrayer was pounced on by the golden droids, imprisoned in a golden wall of painful bodies, as the assassin droids sort to make long work of their former Master, keen on taking their time… embracing the idea of painful demonstration in their self made cage.

That left [member="Kira Vaal"] face to face with the hulking red one armed giant, or was there another here, would the spirit of Krayt help her, would the warriors ripping each other apart assist her?

Spoiler

NPCing Kira in this post with permission

 

[Kira Vaal]

Stryfe’s heavy breathing filled the air, deep and heavy as he tended to his wounded state with his mind. His eyes bloodied and dark fell on Raien as he found himself imprisioned within a circle of droids and a wicked smile crossed his face as he realised his victory. The spear in his leg was not forgotten, the person who had put it there however clearly was.

The beast began to step towards Raien’s prison with his intent on destroying him, the droids and everything around it. Blood for blood, he would claim revenge for his arm and his leg. Then once this Keth was dead Stryfe would rise as the One true Sith of this temple, the true bearer of Krayt’s legacy.

For Kira it seemed to flow in slow motion, she had been thrown from Stryfe after her spear had pierced his leg, where against the far wall she had remained forgotten by the Sith and the droids both. Pain shot through her shoulder, a reminder of the impact against the floor from when she had been thrown away.

She knew Raien would be dead in moments, then they would come for her, all the credits would be lost and her life if not ended here would be over. Lifting herself to her feet she realised the reality that she only had one thing she could do.

She stepped before Stryfe with the broken staff she had claimed from one of the fallen, her form effectively blocking him from reaching Raien.
“Stop this.” She said at the beast as he paused his advance. “You’ve lost don’t you see?” She attempted to plead to this twisted abomination, not out of fear of their lives but more through not wanting to have to actually face the beast.

“NO!” Stryfe screamed. “This man claims what is not his, he will die here today.” His one good arm held a sharply wicked weapon he too had removed from the ground, its curved edge pointed at the small woman before him. “If you claim otherwise then you shall die as-well.”

The strike came hard and it came fast, yet Kira managed to pause the strike, her own arms shocked painfully against the force of the attack. Another and another came at her as Stryfe aimed to kill this obstacle in his road. Kira managed to block but knew that it was only because of his injured state that she was not already dead.

“JUST DIE!” Stryfe’s yelled as he bought his arm down in a sharp downward slice which was barely dodge by Kira with a roll to the left, the staff flipping hard up into Stryfe’s face. He recoiled backwards, falling to a knee as he did. Spinning around she again hit him across the cheek, the dull clunk of metal hitting the ground as parts of his armour fell away to reveal the fleshy rawness of the creature beneath.

Another hit did it, causing the creature to hit the ground hard, his form struggling to regain footing with his injured arm and wounded leg. “NO!”

The droids around Raien all seemed to collectively turn to face the fallen. If their metallic alloy faces could show expression Kira swore it would be one of shock, anxiousness maybe.
“Let him go!” Kira shouted herself towards the droids, each immediately releasing [member="Raien Keth"] from his prison and departing from the room without a single word being spoken, abandoning the disgraced Stryfe within the middle of the hall.

“Kill me then.” The beast spat through his pain. “I would relish the anger as you do it.”

Kira merely looked at the form beneath her, her stance moving to lean on the staff she held within her arms, weary bones again starting their cries. “No. That is not my place.” She replied much to Stryfe’s own disgust.