Private Loyalties

[Arctus Silmar]

The Shaper

The Iron Crown|| Whilstone of Prowess|| Whilstone of Acuity || Whilstone of Power||
Acharn|| Urfael|| Mithralian || Empyrean Gland

Location: Shaper's Palace - Corbos


Upon the darkness-laden world of Corbos did an old symbol of power return to existence from wherever it had vanished upon the dark will of it's Master. Unnatural storm clouds tore the sky, arcs of lightning in an unnatural purple hue raking the air apart and marring the ground like the claws of an eldritch horror intent on the world's destruction. A heady, pervasive darkness suffused every inch of Corbos's mostly blasted surface, a twisting of the Force that hissed and snapped beneath the edge of sensory perception. The will of the Force, or natural order depending on the user's interpretation, bent and broken to a mockery by another will. A will that, for any being approaching Corbos, would be undeniable in it's presence and perception.

Ancient.

Focused.

Inspired.

Darkness-shrouded armor, upon a darkness-eaten man, placed metal-clad fingers with ginger thoughtfulness anathema to it's war-forged purpose upon the arm of a throne. The Shaper's eyes turning to the ceiling of his throne room with a subtle, smoldering sense of curiosity and interest. Of the two beings approaching the planet one he recognized, amusement burning in his eyes, and he almost smirked. His thoughts a dark murmur as he stood, the fabric of the ceremonial cape attached to his armor gliding free of the throne.

'Little Alisteri, you are who they send to confront me? How coy.....'

Indeed the tiny acolyte felt quite a bit different, though Shaper was unfamiliar with the dark presence with the child Alisteri. Depending on how well Alisteri remembered the presence of who was once his Emperor The Shaper would, too, feel quite different than before. Though not entirely changed in his aura The Shaper felt no qualms about letting the two presences, and their vessel, approach his palace. With a wave of his hand, influence washing over the atmosphere of Corbos like a great underswell breaking a wave upon the surface, the storm clouds would part like the offered embrace of a great beast. A maw opening from which sharpened fangs of lightning would glint and crackle invitingly. The rain-sheened metal of numerous surface-to-space weapons sitting, unmanned at the moment, while comparatively limitless anti-air emplacements swiveled in slow, tracking motions not exactly pointed at the encroaching Sith.

Upon the battlements and about the grounds troopers would stand, ever-vigilant and silent, bearing the personal mark of the Once-Emperor. Their armor notably different from what had once been the standard armor for troopers among the Empire, dark visor-clad helms tracking the individuals as they entered the grandeur of the palace interior from the landing pad that was vacated for their use. Servants, of both natural and unnatural origin, scurried about in the shrouded halls of the palace. Finery fit for the highest of nobility still meticulously, perfectly maintained, and the closer the two Sith would draw to the throne room, to The Shaper himself, the more profound and invigorating they may find the darkness about them. Like a font of stimulants ever-offering succor and fortification, the Master of Corbos's presence was obviously different to Alisteri for one immutable fact: The Shaper was more powerful than he had been during his time as Emperor, and whatever rigors and delvings he had dedicated himself to in the interim had seen to a font of dark side energy permeating wildly from his form.

As the two were brought before the doors to the throne room, two acolytes clad in armor of black and gold bowed, respectfully, though silently and with ginger politeness they would open the doors for the two Sith. No other being currently dwelled within that inner sanctum, and The Shaper sat on a raised dais several feet higher than the floor level. His standing form, arms behind his back, was regal as ever, his steely grey eyes level on Alisteri almost exclusively. The smallest of cordial smiles on his handsome visage as, when he spoke, it was not with mortal lips and sound but a resonating murmur through the Force. The darkness itself echoing his voice in Ancient Sith for a moment before it twisted, morphed into basic, a resonating depth far beyond The Shaper's normal tone. Far darker and more malicious, deeper and quaking the room with power as he spoke.

"Welcome, young Alisteri, I trust your visit is nothing so daring as to seek..... conflict.?"

The Shaper blinked, a slow motion, his head turning to regard Malum with the weight of his ancient age. Those steel grey eyes briefly smoldering with a fiery crimson-burnt orange before settling, before cooling, as he smiled.

"And a new guest, how long these halls have languished without such a novelty...."


Tags: Darth Strosius Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Strosius]

When the order first came from his master, Alisteri genuinely didn't believe it. The resurgence of a former Sith Emperor that wasn't another Zambrano? Unheard of. Seemingly impossible even. And yet Darth Ophidia's orders had been so very clear and direct for once, to the point that he knew there was no hidden meaning within them this time.

The Shaper had returned, and he and Malum were to figure out where his loyalties lied.

Corbos was roiling with the Dark Side, something that he could feel even from orbit, as the Tsis'Kaar shuttle dove into the planet's atmosphere and sped towards the dark palace sitting atop the world. From his very limited time spent relatively near the former emperor Alisteri could recognize his presence in the Force the moment that he sensed it. Powerful Sith all had such unique signatures that familiarity wasn't a necessity.

The shuttle landed and was greeted by an assembly of what must have been the palace's guards. Their stationary weapons were grand but unoccupied for the moment, on full display much like their operators were. A show of force. One wasted upon two mere Knights but was nonetheless fairly impressive. "Another Sith Emperor surviving and thriving after the collapse of the empire itself. I grow tired of seeing this trend..." Alisteri mused to Malum before the shuttle's ramp lowered and allowed the pair to step out onto the palace grounds.

The walk towards the palace itself was fairly quiet, too quiet even, but he preferred it to being met by some sniveling diplomats. At least their host knew how Sith operated and didn't waste time with servants that tried far too much to endear themselves. Either that or they weren't important enough to be greeted by such underlings. Either way he was simply pleased that he wouldn't have to bother pushing past anyone to get inside the palace.

As expected the presence of the Shaper grew ever more suffocating as the pair of Sith made their way through his halls and towards his throne room, as though the building itself was held together by his power. Perhaps it was in some manner of speaking. Even he had a habit of imbuing his favorite objects and structures with some measure of his own essence after all, intentionally or not.

When they finally arrived at the throne room and the doors were pulled open by two ornately armored Acolytes Alisteri's gaze snapped to the source of power on the world the moment that he could spot him. Unfortunately it seemed as though the Shaper himself did the same. He felt his eye twitch at the attention but his stride into the throne room held no hesitation nor submission. He had not bowed to a Sith Emperor before and he most certainly wasn't going to start now. Especially not to one that had lost their throne and the empire with it.

His arms crossed behind his back as his stride stopped shortly before the raised dais, holding his head high and stalwart as he was addressed. "Conflict is not our intent this day, so long as it is not yours in return." He did his best to calm the surprise in his mind that bloomed from the former emperor knowing his name and who he was. Unexpected but with his status as Ophidia's apprentice it did make sense. His gaze briefly shifted to Malum as the Shaper addressed him but his eyes were quick to refocus on the Sith Lord.

"The Lady of Shadows sends her regards and well wishes, your resurgence was unexpected."

Arctus Silmar / Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Malum could not think of a planet more appropriate for a Sith to settle on, as he gazed down on the planet's surface, as the ship descended upon the Palace that was their query's place of abode. Corbos held within it both the physical darkness that was seemingly necessary for one of this Sith's stature, black rain seasons which made the planet nye uninhabitable due to massive thunderstorms, and to a history of darkness which was hard to ignore, this was where the Hundred Year Darkness ended, where the Dark Jedi, the precursors of their Order, apart from the unsuccessful Legions of Lettow had fallen, having to flee the Jedi to Korriban, where those great names, Ajunta Pall, Karness Muur, XoXaan, Remulus Dreypa, and of course, Arctus Silmar, had forged their legacies.

Of those legends, and that is what they were, legends, myths, it has been so long since their days, nearly four thousand years in fact, that it was truly a mystery of what was real, and what was forgery. The Sith had risen, and fallen so many times, that their history was a sordid mess of half-truths and half-lies, without perfect knowledge of what truly had existed and had not.

Yet, it was also the way of the Sith seemingly, if they did not die relatively young in the ruins of what they had built, to live unnaturally long.

He had met Lirka not so long ago who had fit that stereotype, yet their age, as grand as it was, was only a drop in the bucket of what the Sith had achieved. He knew of many who had lived even longer, thousands of years in fact.

And now, as the ship set down upon the landing docks, he could not fully resist the historian within him.

Someone who knew the great Ajunta Pall.

What wealth of knowledge could he teach him?

Of course, these thoughts were much a distraction to all the agony that had kept him up their entire journey here. It was not the fear of this new so-called Empire of the Lost, whom they had to avoid patrols of, as to make their ways to Corbos, it was not the fear of Corbos and rumours of the Leviathans that still apparently roamed its earth, it was not even fear of meeting this once Emperor, who had seemingly out of nowhere returned to galactic affairs.

No... his fears centred on reports that had come later.

A series of assassinations and attacks, both failed and successful throughout Sith Space, Eternalist and Kainite, their perpetrators...

Tsis'Kaar agents.

Why would their Mistress orchestrate such an act without informing them? Indeed doing so, as she sent them away to Corbos?

It made little sense, and it made every aspect of this trip be poisoned by a miasma of unease. He needed to leave her quickly, he needed to return to Alvaria to prepare, and he needed to make sure everything for Cillara was ready.

So ramped up in his thoughts, he almost missed the words Alisteri spoke as he stepped out of the ship. Malum did not even get the chance to enjoy the novelty of them performing a mission together as equals. After all, he had only just recently been promoted as a Knight.

"The Zambranos left as the Empire fell, their fate is well known, yet I was a boy when the Shaper took power, does anyone know where he went when the Empire fell?" He spoke to both Alisteri and the wind, the latter did not give him an answer.

As he walked with his older compatriot along the palace's exterior, somehow confident that the path taken would deliver them to their query. Somehow confident that they would not come under attack... though Malum supposed, the fact that they had not been simply shot down, was a good indication of that.

Perhaps the Shaper and their Mistress had negotiated some truce before this meeting?

Were they simply here to form further agreement?

Was the hope to bring the Shaper onto their side, that had made their Mistress confident enough to strike Empyrean and Carnifex both?

He paused at that, feeling the power of the Shaper wash over him, his aura of darkness, as they entered the palace.

All up to the throne room, where he for the first time would face the Shaper, the once Emperor of the Sith Empire, one of the Dark Jedi who had forged their order. He sat upon his throne, and he could not help but make comparison to the two times he had met with Empyrean. Should he not bow? Even out of respect for history?

He held off for now, taking the lead of his elder.

He was even content to simply allow Alisteri to take the lead, even if he knew rationally that might end with both their deaths, so in awe he was of looking upon the figure in front of him. What knowledge did he have upon that crown atop his head? Of the past, the present, even the future, he must have seen so much... Malum had never considered a master apart from his mistress, but for the first time, he let his mind wander.

And then his eyes grew wide, as said great lord's eyes turned upon him.

And he spoke to him.

A rabbit caught in headlights, he recovered quickly, but for Malum, far from quick enough.

He nodded his head, not a bow, but a show of respect nonetheless, "Darth Malum, of House Marr, your..." He was not quite certain what to call him, the empire he ruled was long gone, and Malum himself had already bent the knee to the emperor of the empire that replaced it, "...imperial majesty." Flattery won out, they were on a diplomatic mission, and they could afford to use words as required.

Arctus Silmar Darth Strosius

 

[Arctus Silmar]

The Shaper

The Iron Crown|| Whilstone of Prowess|| Whilstone of Acuity || Whilstone of Power||
Acharn|| Urfael|| Mithralian || Empyrean Gland
Voice Sample

In The Shaper's presence it could be said the Dark Side became something much more tangible, much more present, as Corbos amplified him and swaddled the two younger Sith in cold, gentle darkness. Like a cocoon of umbral whispers throughout time that only began to burn with passion and stoke their emotions upon their recognition of it's presence, of it's subtle and gently prying influence, on their psyches. Their wills were the match to lend purpose to that power, at once both volatile and strangely serene for the darkness, honed and focused like the keenest of blade edges. Did they know just how momentous their presences were in return? How these two young men spun the webs of fate about themselves with each footsteps more dexterously, more skillfully, than a spider weaving it's home. Little Alisteri had become something much different than the tiny fragment of eager darkness The Shaper, as Emperor, had known him as. Malum, however, had not changed as he was not afforded the luxury of the shadow clinging to him. The shadow that The Shaper made his home when gazing through time to what the Sith had become: The shadow of legacy, of expectation and potential.

The Shaper's eyes drifted away from Malum to stare, perhaps unnervingly or oddly, into the air between the two Sith as Alisteri spoke. His entire form unnaturally still, the darkness about the two younger Sith twisting and coiling, snapping beside their senses as if the darkness were a momentous, boundless book with each page being snapped aside with focused, purposeful motions. The multitudinous strands woven into the darkness of this palace wound and twisted, loosening and drawing taut as Alisteri spoke his reply, and it was not until Malum had finished speaking his final two words that the exertions in the Force ceased and The Shaper's eyes slowly blinked, very slowly, his eyes turning to the edges of their vision before his head deigned to move to address Malum more directly. The hiss through the darkness that was The Shaper's reply was.... slow... but bloated with intent and instruction despite it's monolithic syllabics.

"No."

The Shaper did not clarify what, precisely, he was rejecting for a moment. What exactly had brought his attention to the fore again, but with a slow wave of his hand, a casual motion of dismissal rife with authority The Shaper's voice would continue to echo through the Force.

"I am an Emperor no longer, young Marr, crowns were never the power I chose to pursue I merely bore the mantle to ensure our people did not fall to unworthy hounds gnashing at the heels of greatness in a motley pack. As for your observation, Darth Strosius....."

The Shaper's eyes would blink as he turned his head back to Alisteri, a small, tight smile gracing the Once-Emperor's lips before he inclined his head forward in a slow motion approximating a nod.

"....unexpected yes though........'thriving' is a much more subjective term for my current position than you realize. As for your Master.... your Lady can hardly draw her shadows to my perceptions. Saiah is free to make her bid for power, it is our way."

The use of Ophidia's name was, in and of itself, purposefully used. Alisteri was much more closely guarded in his approach than Malum but there were still notable, pungent emotions emanating from the young Sith that The Shaper plucked upon. He fed Alisteri's unease by making it clear he heard all on Corbos, including his little quip about tiring of the trend he presumed The Shaper was part of. Thus the final thing he said to Alisteri bore his entire focus, all but forgetting Malum's presence in the moment as he let a significant portion of the weight of his gaze rest on Alisteri. All at once alighting the corona of placid shadow into a burning flare of pin-point focused darkness that emanated from the false light of his crown.

"Temper your passion Darth Strosius, your time will come, ply your trade of shadows for a small time more....."

These words The Shaper did not allow to echo to Malum, fore they were only for Alisteri to hear, and once they were done The Shaper turned to regard Malum with a small smile. His voice echoing in low, satisfied murmur from the darkness.

"As for you, young Marr, you are free to pursue what knowledge you dare ask for. Though... you bear a name of ancient propriety and a new title of Darth. Do you, perhaps, feel unworthy to bear the same title as your ancestor? I could bestow it upon you, should you wish, after enough time I was sure you did not squander it.... and more. Though your ancestor stood against two of the most powerful beings to ever touch the Force, you radiate enough promise to, perhaps, rival this feat one day and unlike your ancestor, survive the ordeal."

Unlike the burning heat that he had projected to Alisteri, the murmurs to Malum were audible to both younger Sith and quiet, tempting murmurs. Tugging, pulling, testing at his desire for knowledge and his pride in his birthright, testing the young Sith.

"Tell me, Darth Malum, the promise of deeper darkness calls to you... does it not?"


Darth Malum of House Marr Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

The suffocating presence of the Shaper wasn't too dissimilar to that of his master or of the Dark Lord of the Kainites on the Malsheem, and overwhelming sensation in the Force that made one feel small and insignificant in comparison. Alisteri was not one to be cowed by such things though. He knew what the intimidation and domination tactic was by now and saw through it as clearly as transparisteel, no matter how much it clouded his senses whenever he idly attempted to probe out into the Force. He had his fill of being the weakest Sith in the room and he knew how to keep himself unnoticed as a result of that, a tactic that didn't exactly work when it came to literally standing before the strongest one in the room. He'd have to look into solutions to that issue later.

The rebuttal, given how unexpected it was, caused the masked man to raise an eyebrow and cast a glance between Malum and the Shaper as the former emperor spoke. It wasn't long before he was the center of attention once more however, his gaze narrowing into a glare behind his mask as he was addressed by his title. How in the world did he know that? Perhaps his master had made some mention of it when she sent word of their meeting? Either that or the Shaper had some informants in the Sith Order somewhere. Knowing how Sith operated in general, it was probably a mixture of both possibilities in one form or another. Evidently he must have had a listening device or something of the sort on their transport at least.

And just who the feth was Saiah anyway?

His eyes snapped wide as he felt an immense pressure set upon him alone as though he had become the sole target of a star's glow. It made his head spin and ache as his teeth ground together, the only physical signs of distress being a short but noticeable tensing of what seemed to be every muscle in his body all at once as though he was suddenly struggling to keep himself upright. In a sense he was to be fair. Despite the intensity he heard the message loud and clear though, the only thing that was clear in his mind for a good few moments.

As the Shaper's attention left him he shook off the tension in his body alongside the pressure fading from his mind. His teeth had ground together as he willed his heart to stop beating so fast and for his legs to become stable once more without locking up on him. A hissed sigh of frustration and anger slipped through his mask as the former emperor spoke to his fellow apprentice both audibly and in more subtle ways. Alisteri had no time nor any desire to have his mind toyed with, a fact exemplified by his presence in the Force becoming notably more closed off and guarded.

Arctus Silmar / Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

There was a history between them, Malum had long since realised, between Ali and the Shaper.

He began to rapidly regret letting Ali take the lead on negotiations, it was not that he did not trust the senior knight, Bogan knew he had trusted Darth Strosius with his back numerous times. Perhaps too many a time considering the nature of their Order, yet they held a kinship established from a mutual Mistress that had... transcended his normal willingness to trust.

Alisteri was a dangerous man no doubt, yet Malum had never felt endangered around him.

He supposed that would be a comforting final thought, if Ali ever turned on him.

He shook those particular thoughts from his mind, they had no use here.

The point was that though he could trust the man with his life, trusting him to speak was neither here nor there, especially as this history seemed far from positive.

So how to extricate themselves from the situation, and achieve... some sort of victory?

Malum reviewed what the Shaper had said so far. He claimed Imperium was never his ambition, yet imperium was perhaps the most physical manifestation of ambition there was, and what were the Sith if not ambitious? Vitiate, Acina, Vowrawn, Sidious, Krayt, had all claimed Imperium, and that was only the ones of the ancient times, one had only need to look to the recent to see other Emperors, Carnifex, Joycelyn, the Shaper, Empyrean.

And those in effect Emperors who never took the title.

So what was this claim, he had not ever desired to lead their people, only claiming it to save them?

Well fat lot of good it did, the Empire was gone.

He had spent his entire life blaming that upon Carnifex, but had there been another who failed them all?

Heat blew out of his nose, he had to calm himself. He had spent years raging against the injustice of their fall, he would spend more years doing so as well, but not now, not when they were here to play the great game.

His anger as it had a habit of, was tamed by curiosity.

Saiah.

The name was a familiar one to him, but why?

It came to him as a wave struck the sand. Memories of Fiviune, of a sharp pain to his ribs by heeled feet, and then even sharper pain as white lightning took away from him the consciousness he had desperately attempted to keep.

All after he had said a name, a name he had not known the identity of, but a name he had dragged out from the midst of his future Mistresses' mind.

So their Mistress was Saiah... the true name of Darth Ophidia, and the Shaper knew that fact. It resolved a minor mystery, one which he up to this point had not even remembered existing... yet in exchange, it had opened a much larger one, one which he desperately wished to know the answer to. Another item which the Shaper could teach him then...

It was truly unfair.

Yet he could not carp about that for long, as the Shaper's eyes turned away from Alisteri to focus on him, and his words only filled him with more emotions and questions.

"Do I feel unworthy? Of course, I do, after all, who could compare to the great Darth Marr?" He boasted, stepping forward, dragging all attention in the room to him, "You so flatter me with the comparison, yet for all I have learned, for all that I have, for all I might accomplish, I do not believe that I may overtake him," That was the paradox in his ambition, was it not? To bring his House to new heights far beyond what they had ever seen, to be the wisest, most knowledgeable, and most powerful man the galaxy had ever seen, yet believing he would always be second to his famous forefather. His amulet burned against his chest, some protest? The last of his words were most curious, the deeper darkness, the purest form of the darkside, had it called to him? Had he not stood in front of the greats of their order? Carnifex, Empyrean, Ophidia, and now the Shaper, had he not stood, even with trepidation, but stood nonetheless? The dark had given him the strength to do so, hadn't it? It had always been there, always watching, always encouraging, always whispering.

"A worthy heir."

The amulet whispered, though if it was a true whisper, or something in the depths of his mind, he could not say.

"I have heard its call, and I have attempted to answer it. Yet with so many who also no doubt hear its call, it shall be a steep challenge," His absence from the Order had been a mistake, his peers had no doubt advanced while he had been moping about, Adeline, Omon, Trayze, Venn, Alina, even Alisteri... and then new names, Nwul, Caedes, those he knew nothing off, yet they advanced in the pursuit of their ambition.

Had he already lost the race for what was his?

"If I should one day overtake my forefather, it shall be as my own man, Darth Malum, I shall not be the second Darth Marr."

Arctus Silmar Darth Strosius

 

[Arctus Silmar]

The Shaper

The Iron Crown|| Whilstone of Prowess|| Whilstone of Acuity || Whilstone of Power||
Acharn|| Urfael|| Mithralian || Empyrean Gland
Voice Sample

As the two young Sith gave their replies, wielded their mettle against the Once-Emperor's questions and probing exertions, whether through the force or with force of charisma, his head tilted in an idle expression of curiosity as Alisteri grit his teeth, rallied the defenses of his mind, and shut the doors to the fortress of defenses that dwelt within. Not an unexpected reaction, far from it, but yet also lacking in novelty in a way that made The Shaper's cold eyes drift to Malum a bit quicker than they would have had Alisteri shown any creativity. Of course The Shaper was far, far from done with Darth Strosius, the disrespect of viewing his return as nothing but another errand was quite the slight to address after all.

But the young Marr's reaction made him lean forward a bit, curiosity glinting like a cold ice-chip in those steel-hued orbs. Malum's step forward to draw his attention working... for now and whatever the young Sith may have been scheming with his self-defeatist exclamations The Shaper could not help but be intrigued. At first it was due to Malum admitting his inferiority to his ancestor, and the feelings within that echoed as such, and it was not until Malum finished speaking the The Shaper pursed his lips, meeting Malum's eyes from atop his throne.... and leaned back slowly. Only once his base touched the throne did The Shaper reply. His voice echoing through the Force in an incomprehensible, eldritch slur of words before coalescing into galactic basic.

"I find your lack of faith.... disturbing, Darth Malum, both in yourself and in the efficacy that wielding the title of your ancestor may bring you."

The Shaper straightened his, until now, tilted head and exhaled slowly, his motions slow and deliberate as he stared, never blinking, into Malum's gaze.

"Your house, your being, is already draped in the shadow of your ancestor. Both in it's name, it's legacy, and a darkness only few bloodlines can claim."

The Shaper's gaze on Malum hardened ever so slightly, a barely perceptible shift in his countenance as a relatively weak pressure would begin to press against Malum's mind. An act that was astoundingly gentle compared to the searing heat he had levied upon Darth Strosius, not a true attempt to actually penetrate Malum's defenses, the truth of the maneuver was only to apply a secondary form of stimuli, to distract, as The Shaper asked his next question.

"Could it be, perhaps, that you simply fear being subsumed by the title and memories of a dead man? That all you are, all you shall achieve, shall be nothing but a drop of blackness in the shadow of an ancestor you can never contend with?"

Despite his focused countenance, despite the soft pressure on Malum's mind, these words echoed audibly for all present, and The Shaper's tone was far from snide or aggressive, he was not sneering at the young Marr, not deriding him, he was simply prodding the darkness of Malum's soul to see how the prodigal young Marr may react.

With that said however, leaving Malum to chew on that thought, The Shaper then turned his gaze back to Darth Strosius, and calmly spoke.

"As for your worries, puppet of Ophidia, shadow of a shadow, Darth Strosius..... they are not entirely unfounded. Once more our people find themselves divided, scattered in thought and allegiance, as is our way when we are brought low. As we inevitably accumulate power, as the heirs of strength and passion, inevitably those who have no true business wielding it will be exorcised from the whole. I return, now, for much the same reason I arose from Korriban to begin with: The Sith require I should."

Gently standing from his throne The Shaper would begin to descend the dais, arms laced behind his back, and expression now fixated entirely on Alisteri as he murmured through the Force.

"Call it caution, call it biding time, consolidation even, but through a short reign and specific action a grave threat to our people was ended."

Stopping now close to the two young Sith The Shaper would glance side-long at Malum before looking back to Alisteri.

"Emboldened, melded together only by a flame of childish hatred, our enemies assailed us. All the while pretenders and zealots sprung up around us, a beacon for malice..... but as the history of our own people has shown, allies of hatred last only so long as the source of the hatred lives. I, however, have lived through a time when we were unwilling to remove ourselves as the source, to be contained on Korriban as animals until...."

The Shaper paused, eyes gazing off, far off, unseeing and unblinking for a long moment before his entire presence in the Force rippled with emotion, and he spoke once more.

"Until the only kindling to consume for the fires of our passions was ourselves. But now... now new generations prove their mettle and for all those who say I failed in my duties...."

The Shaper let his lips twist into a sole, surprisingly gentle, but satisfied smile as he met Alisteri's masked visage.

"... I would say to them they may come watch as I dance in the ashes of Bastion if they wish."

The Shaper allowed these words to hang in the air for a long, long moment, before he sighed and closed his eyes. His presence in the Force beginning to congeal and... thicken.... his body twitching in brief, unnatural motion, like all his joints were snapping back into place and his eyes would flare open with comparative fluidity to his earlier malaise. A smirk coming to his lips rather easily as the Whilstones upon his crown flared ever more brightly. His eyes slowly, purposely, flickering between the two young Sith as he asked his final question.

"Our people are now on the long march toward something... grand... but only if the currently stalemate of power tips. Tell me..... do you truly believe your Lady of Shadows is the future?"

Darth Malum of House Marr Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Although he would never admit to it, Alisteri felt somewhat relieved when Malum became the focus of attention for a time. He had never been one for the spotlight himself and most certainly not when a Sith Lord with the influence and power to claim the mantle of Sith Emperor was the one directing said spotlight. Without the Shaper's gaze on him directly he could look around freely at both the room, which of course hinted at the wider palace that they had yet to see, and at the Sith sitting in the throne before him.

Every Sith had their secrets, their tricks, and their hidden talents, but at least with the most notable ones of the modern Sith Order he knew of them somewhat. His master, despite being closer to him than any other Sith Lord, was still very much a mystery for example but he had seen her fight before and had been through enough of her training to understand at least a fair share of her abilities. The Dark Lord of the Kainate had crossed blades with him once before. Only once, and in a battle that most certainly had favored neither him nor Malum, but it at least had given him some context as well.

As for the Shaper and even Empyrean he had no idea. They were both powerful yes, far stronger than he, but how much of that was projection alone? How much of an emperor was presence and threat and how much was genuine ability? Alisteri didn't know the answer to either but he had no intention of finding out anytime soon. Still, attempting to measure the threat level of the Shaper relative to what he already knew was technically part of his job he supposed.

Unfortunately for the masked man the Sith Lord had grown tired of pestering Malum with questions and had turned his gaze back to him once more. He braced himself and stood up straight, but not like a soldier at attention. Rather he stood like one would when being addressed by an equal, no matter how presumptive and bold it was. His arms crossed in front of his chest and he resisted the urge to scoff at the Shaper's remark. "We do?" 'Require' was such a strong word with so many integral assumptions after all.

Alisteri's gaze narrowed into a glare once more as the Shaper approached, refusing to move or budge no matter how close the Sith Lord drew to the pair. He had not come here to be cowed and intimidated. He was here to get answers. "Bastion is in ashes already. No matter how grand a performance you would make, it would hardly be worth wasting on that world." The Shaper was far from the only Sith to survive long after the New Imperial Order had collapsed, Alisteri was rather proud to be another example of such a phenomenon.

The masked man raised an eyebrow as the Shaper's body and presence in the Force seemed to shift. Perhaps as some unnerving display or odd show of force? Maybe even out of some strange and unknown excitement? It was hard to tell given all the popping joints and the more pressing presence against his own, far more minute, essence in the Force. Despite it all however, the question drew a sarcastic scoff from him.

"What's the alternative?" He shrugged and raised up one hand. "Empyrean and his Sepulchral Priests keep pretending as though they have any sort of legitimacy outside of simple allowance and tolerance by their equal powers?" He then raised his other. "Carnifex the Twice-Failed Emperor returns to the throne only to abandon it again when he brings the wrath of the galaxy upon the Sith once more?" He then folded his hands in front of him. "Or are you implying that you, who hid away while the Sith Empire was torn apart piece by piece, should don the Emperorship once more?" Alisteri clicked his tongue and shook his head. "No. No I do not see anyone more worthwhile than my master to lead the Sith Order as it stands now."

Arctus Silmar / Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

He could feel the Shaper's presence around his mind, he was not making an assault upon his mental defences as of yet, but it certainly looked as if he was positioning himself in prime locations to do so. After all, his words seemed almost designed for him to lose focus, to make a chink in his own armour for him to exploit.

He could not exactly let him do that.

Yet, Malum himself was far from one willing to be on the defensive. The strike had not come yet, which meant there was time yet for his own preemptive strike.

However, for one on a diplomatic mission like himself, even considering that was foolhardy. There was no subtle way to use the Force to send the man a warning. Either Malum could use all that he had at his arsenal, to knock out the Shaper in one move.

Or he would be annihilated.

Either way, he felt that his Mistress would be disappointed in their results.

So he tided over, no doubt if the Shaper did strike, it would be an uphill struggle to leave Corbos. Such it was that Ali's obvious antagonism was not helping their matters.

Malum took another step forward, attempting again to usurp the attention which had fallen upon Ali. To be the laurel, to his sword.

"My partner is correct, between those who would claim to rule the Order, those who would be right to rule the Empire, there remains only one, Darth Ophidia. Thus it would be our purpose, to convince you of that fact, that reality," If he was being honest with himself... half those words felt hollow, the other half, incorrect... when had he begun to doubt so? "Return with us, to Sith Space, help us topple Empyrean, and take your rightfully gained place among the Order once again."

If he did not... Malum was far from certain on their chances. The initial wave of assassinations had failed to eliminate their targets. The coup had been underway for days, and as it stood, their loyalist elements were on the backfoot, while Imperial military formations were standing still, and loyal to Empyrean. The first few days of a coup were the most essential, and as he saw it, as news filtered to him... they were losing.

Which meant the only fate that would befall those who even dared orchestrate a coup against the rightful government.

Purge.

His family would already have evacuated from Jutrand... but he would need to reach them soon, or... did he? Their son was part of a failed coup, maybe it would be best if he kept his distance.

Such were the calculations running through his mind, that he almost forgot to answer the first of the Shaper's words.

"You speak well, and you speak accurately, though those among our Order are squemish to speak of fear, seeing it as weakness. I will not hide, what is plainly evident. There is much history between the ancient days of which Darth Marr ruled, and the present I find myself. Much has been recorded, even more has been said, what the truth of the matter is hard to say. Yet what I can say is, for my family, all has been of the great Darth Marr. To abandon that, would be impossible... to surpass him... seems insurmountable. To take his name, now... I do not feel it right, mayhaps, when I take his mask, when I wield his lightsaber... then, I shall be Darth Marr reborn. Only then." He spoke, almost breathless by the time he finished.

Arctus Silmar Darth Strosius