Private Of Betrayers and Kings

[Allyson Locke]

//: Darth Empyrean //:

It was done.

Allyson had made her choices. Her time in the Empire had taught her their ways and almost humanized the Sith. Their ambitions were upfront and celebrated; it was refreshing. After the wars that thinned the number of the Alliance and Jedi, the reformation choked the life out of some of the remaining soldiers. Allyson found herself being one of the forgotten, a relic of the old ways.

There were no heroes welcome from war. The moment she was pulled off Bastion, she was thrown in a cell to be spat on by those she fought alongside. Had that been the breaking point? It wasn't the last straw but a debilitating crack in her armor.

The part that scared her the most was how easy it was to betray them. There was almost a romanticized notion of dramatics that she expected to happen, but it was never there. The draw of the string and the execution of her arrow - all of it felt natural. Did she hate them? No, but there was no love for the Jedi. So many times, they had turned their back on her; she was tired of fighting for people who would easily stab her in the back before claiming her existence.

Allyson was a ghost, and it was a life she had chosen.

The long hallway was quiet. The Corellian remembered the walk she had taken with Him. He had offered her a chance to learn, to see what her enemy was like. The Corellian wondered if this was all His plan. Did he already sense her wavering loyalties? It was easy to discern that Carnifex and Taeli Raaf sensed it, but the Emperor was as much of an unknown as she was to most.

An odd sense of familiarity.

She had returned as promised when He had granted her stay in His Empire. It was a gracious notion that didn't need to be offered. Already, the Emperor of the Sith had garnered interest from the wayward Shadow.

The wait was torturous. There was some doubt that her stay was only meant to be temporary, but she was prepared to embed herself into the Empire, fight for it, and make it a home. When she was summoned, she entered, the small hairs on the back of her neck rising in anticipation. There was no submission to her walk; for once, the Shadow wanted to be seen.

"I've returned," she spoke. "I've seen your Empire and learned what I could as you've asked—I've seen the failings of their teachings, the fallacies in their truths. I want to be free, and I want to learn." Allyson stood, waiting to feel that presence like she had walked beside before. She wanted to learn; she needed a Master.

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Empyrean had given the Shadow free reign, and thus the Palace forces did not stop her from finding him. They brought her to him, but they looked at her with wary disgust, though that was likely not just because she was or had been a Jedi, but because all who were in the Palace that did not outwardly pander to the Emperor were met with distrust. The halls would wind, and as she neared the truth, she would feel it.​

​

The Dead God, as he had come to be known by his people, sat in a study surrounded by piles of books bound in leather of sentient origin. He sat with his singular arm in his lap, while three quills moved in tandem with one another. There was some manner of dissertation he was writing about, and he was covering three chapters at once; a direct result of his Arkanian nature, and powerful mastery of the Force.​

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When she entered, he offered the smallest look back towards her before continuing, allowing her to say her peace.​

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"Breaking your chains and becoming free is the easy part. It is staying free that is hard.", he said idly, almost coldly. It was hard to tell what the Emperor ever meant in his words, because they all were muddled by death, and poisoned with a natural anger that infested every syllable.​

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"I can teach you those first steps, Allyson Locke , but in the end - it will be up to you to understand truth in its entirety. I am not a cruel master, but I am a cruel being. A hypocrite. A monster. Is this something you can truly live with, when all is said and done?"​

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Amidst his words, the quills scratching intervened between his words. The sound of ink wells being tapped into made the room sound alive with scholarly pursuit, even as the Emperor seemed to focus on her now, more than the writings.​

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Darth Empyrean //:

His words and self-assessment were brutally honest. Allyson could respect it; her thoughts were correct about the Sith being able to see farther than their own noses when it came to certain things. She stood, watching his studies. Seeing the Dead God working was almost sobering. A man known to be cruel, but a man who was also self-aware. It reminded her of so few that she had met in her lifetime. His words lingered on her mind, eating away at the particular parts she wished to not allow them to.

"You call yourself a monster, a hypocrite," Allyson continued to watch him, trying to understand the lesson he was putting in front of her. "But I've fought monsters and stood in the presence of hypocrites who drape themselves in their righteousness." Her anger and frustrations seeped into the previously calm tone. "You don't pretend to be something you're not. So, asking me if I can live with it, the answer is yes, but whether or not I can live with it is not why I'm here." The Corellian took several steps forward, drawing closer as she looked at him. This God-King, Emperor of the Sith.

"I broke what held me to the Alliance, to the Jedi - because they no longer exist. Chains are meant to control; I refused to be controlled again." As the words spilled from her lips, she could almost feel the noose around her neck loosen. Far too long, she allowed the false virtues of the Jedi to control her, forcing her to make choices that, in the end, brought no value to her life.

"I want to control my fate for once; teach me." Her fists clenched, that same anger churning in her chest as memories faded in and out of all the lies. Too many times, she had faced death only to be branded a traitor - a liar and a monster.

They were both monsters and hypocrites; she could see that. But they like it, unlike the Jedi could see that.

"I want to be free." ​

 

[Darth Empyrean]

"You will find that I pretend to be many things I am not. My warning to you is not that I am not what I say I am - my warning is that you will become a monster just the same.", he offered flatly. In a way that felt odd to her senses, the Quill's ceased to be, and the Emperor stood from his chair.​

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"Come with me.", he commanded, offering no room for retort - not that he expected any.​

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"There has often been the understanding that Eternalism is dogmatic, religious, or otherwise ignorant. These are claims made by the uninitiated, the ones who simply don't understand. It preaches indepdence, control of your own fate, and the tools to do so - but it is not complete in its breadth of explanation. Being controlled is not a matter of being apart of the Jedi, nor is apart of being in the Sith Empire. Being controlled is a result of our reality, the inertia of history, and the fate the Force has bound you to."​

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"To walk against it, is to invite misfortune. I would not have died as I did were it not for the cruel machinations of the Force and its masters. To see their hand and to see their designs is not something I can teach you. I can, however, give you the tools to find out how to control your own fate yourself. It begins with the Dark Side."​

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As they moved through the halls, and the Emperor spoke, they eventually came to an atrium hidden away from the prying eyes of reality. The wall on the far end was barren, but Empyrean walked towards it like there was nothing there. Indeed, when he made his final step to it, the wall melted away, revealing a room bustling with activity. Scholars in black robes, two students dueling eachother in the style of Makashii near the rear, and another thirty quietly reading, debating, or otherwise learning.​

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"You must learn to walk before you can run, and while I have no question of your abilities, they are not honed. I would like you to stay with these Knights, learn from them. Many serve as Praetorians and have taken a vow to not involve themselves in Sith politics or hiearchy. They will not harm you, should you not give them reason to do so. The others, be wary of - many have hidden allegiances, but that should be no concern to a Shadow."​

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A man in elegant, regal attire approached - but his face was hidden in a blank mask. He bowed before Empyrean, his hands hidden amidst his long sleeves. His voice sounded ragged;​

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"Greetings, my Emperor. How may we serve?"​

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"Find her a room. A nice one. I will see to it that her room is filled with the knowledge I want."​

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"Of course, my Emperor. Please, follow me."​

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And thus they did, but the Emperor did not stay behind. He walked with them until they found their room, then fell in step to enter. He scrutinized it, but eventually was satisfied with what he saw. The room was larger, a double bed in a small room adjacent to the main. Inside was a kitchen, a living room, and a study combined into one. It was covered in a slick black marble, with gold accepts trimming the recessed ceiling. It was opulent, if nothing else, but it was cold.​

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"This shall do.", he said, before lifting his hand towards the bookcase.​

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In a moment, the books there in fell away, then reformed in new bindings, new titles, and new lengths of text.​

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"Here is an assorted collection of books, both on philosophy, but also Sith history and its implications. I would ask you to read them, in your spare time. You will be given an allowance, so you will not want while on Jutrand. I will provide you a ship within the next week, so that you may roam freely. I will have tasks for you soon. Do you have any questions?"​

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Allyson Locke​

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Darth Empyrean //:

Allyson felt her features harden; the path before her felt as if it were set in stone. There was no avoiding the monstrosity she was apparently destined to be. It was a sinking feeling, knowing that trading her humanity for freedom was the only way to gain what she wanted. Was the freedom worth it? Her resolve flickered, but she didn't regret her choice.

What frightened her more than becoming a monster was how easily she followed; her steps were without hesitation. Maybe this was always meant to be, always the path she was supposed to walk. Again, another fear of this feeling right.

His words sat against her chest like weight. The Corellian had always considered herself different, potentially better than the others. Her hubris spoke volumes while other Shadows fell. There was a belief that she could always avoid the inevitable darkness that fell upon so many others before her. Allyson knew she had stepped over far too many times, having done what a Jedi wouldn't do but justifying it as what a Jedi Shadow would do. Was that her downfall?

The Force was the ebb and flow of fate, and for far too long, she felt as if she was always fighting it. Allyson went against the current of the light; she was a shadow, a stain against the purity. Was that why she had so many misfortunes? Like the Emperor, she went against the Force.

"I understand," she answered. His words made sense; they troubled her, but she wanted to believe. The fallen Jedi remained quietly, listening to his lessons and explaining what she was to do. Everything felt like it was happening fast. The Dead God had his plans, and she wondered how she was going to fit in.

Something struck her curious; he knew more about her than he had always let on. There was a sense of all-knowing, but he never gave reason to distrust him. Unlike the others, he didn't want to control her - to hold her leash and pull till she broke. It was a feeling she had invited, but she feared it. Allyson found herself hesitating, but the desire to know this control and embrace something beyond the dark and the light was more decisive.

Upon arrival at the atrium, Allyson took in the sights. She remembered the books from her first visit and his initial request of her. There was more, and the Shadow nodded along, understanding that here - it was almost a sanctuary. "The others?" she asked, but soon one of his loyal came to greet him. The instructions were given, and Allyson found herself in the room. Despite its cold, it was better than what she had with the Jedi - even then, she was far more used to sleeping in their safe houses than at the actual temple.

She moved away from the Emperor, examining the room herself. Everything was different, but it felt right—even the loneliness of the room. Her attention was drawn back to Empyrean, who asked her if she had any questions.

"You speak of control of breaking free from it. Is the Dark side the only way to realize this?" Frustration laced her voice; for so long, Carnifex and Taeli had been trying to make her fall, bring her to their side - did they know something more than she did? Was Empyrean the missing piece to all of this?

"Is it terrible to become a monster, or is it just hard to accept it?" She hated how much those words bothered her, but she needed to know. "And what assignments will you ask of me? I have no preference if that matters." Her loyalties were gone; she would work through breaking them. At this point, this was where she was. The Dead God had the answers she needed, and through him, she would find her freedom.

"Just tell me where to go and consider it done, my Lord." ​

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[Darth Empyrean]

Empyrean's gaze was empty and metallic, made worse by the dead expression constantly plaguing his rough features. Once, he was considered beautiful - immaculate in skin, long silver hair, and gold rimmed eyes to accent a constantly coy grin. Now, there was none of that left, and what remained was the distilled anger and sorrow of a man who had lived too long.​

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"You speak of control of breaking free from it. Is the Dark side the only way to realize this? Is it terrible to become a monster, or is it just hard to accept it?"​

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The Emperor stood quietly for a moment, then looked around the room. It was as though he needed to, he could see everything regardless of where he pointed his head - but it gave him a moment to clench his jaw. His body moved with the Force, but his mannerisms came naturally to him where his dexterity did not.​

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"It is.", he answered at first.​

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"To become a monster is... the most painful thing I have ever done. It grinds me still between its millstones, but I long ago accepted what I have become. Do not ask me about it again."​

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It wasn't an angry command, though his voice always sounded like it, but something to acknowledge. Not so direct as to force her, but perhaps a request - in the odd way an Emperor can ask another anything. A painful question, but one he answered her as well as he could for the time being. For someone he didn't know enough to bare that depth of truth to.​

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"For now, you will learn theory. Practice will come as we require it. I trust you have no need of simple things like lightsaber training - but I will have a training droid provided to you regardless. Should you seek to capitalize on old information networks before they learn of your... fall, I will not stop you. I only ask you keep me appraised of your location, and where you plan on being so that I may make sure you return home."

Home. A simple thing, but foreign - likely to them both.​

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"There is... another thing I will require of you. Do not mistake this for trust, but of necessity. I have children. For their safety, I can not know their location or what they look like. In your travels, should you discover anything about them, ensure the source of that information is eliminated - but do not report it to me. Is that understood?"​

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Allyson Locke​

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Darth Empyrean //:

He answered her question. The one that had been burning in her mind since he mentioned the consequences. Softly, she released the breath she had been holding - hoping his answer would provide a semblance of solace. It brought nothing, only telling what her future held. She would be unmade into a monster, something torn down to its core and rebuilt into something unrecognizable.

Allyson did her best to bury the thought deep into a place she would only remember when it was too late. She wandered the apartment nodding, acknowledging the Emperor's request. "I won't. You've answered what I needed to know." She knew when to not press - this was one of those things. His voice and the words that slipped through his thin lips held more weight than any explanation.

She understood his pain, not completely, but enough to understand and empathize. Looking over, she tilted her head, listening to the effects he would give her and allow her access to. Everything seemed well in place, and she had no complaints or added requests.

"I only have one thing to handle in the Alliance." She shrugged, lost in her own thoughts and plans. "I'll be heading to New Cov's Jedi Temple soon after I get a few things handled."

Allyson began to run the mission through her head on how she would infiltrate. As far as she knew, the Jedi weren't mobilizing, and SIA had been quiet. Setting her device down, she flicked over the screen, trying to quickly check as many avenues as she could. Her network was still live, everything had been quiet, and she was still considered a ghost.

What followed after the small notion of what her next plans were going forward caused her to pause. Looking up from her device, she looked over the corpse king and kept her composure. The weight of his request and the standing order he gave his new Apprentice were curious. With as many questions as she had, Allyson knew this was another thing that she couldn't inquire about. The man she talked to was more complex than many she had met.

Sighing softly, Allyson nodded her head. While curious about the order and the request, she accepted them at face value. "Of course, I will do as you command." Her eyes fell from him as she could feel the tension that followed the request.

"I'm good at making problems disappear - like they've never existed." Allyson kept herself vague, feeling that despite the fact they were talking about the request, she needed to keep things as such.

As the Shadow kept herself composed, the warmth that swelled in her chest to finally have a place where she felt as if she was welcomed felt nice. Somewhere to call home and a chance to return home was something she had never felt before. So many years, lifetimes - where the Corellian was told she was on her own if she was ever in trouble.

For once, Allyson had a lifeline.

Looking back at the man, she added, "Thank you for this - my Master."

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Empyrean watched her for a moment, quiet and contemplating. He nodded after a moment, affirmation, confirmation of her words. Acceptance that she had not inquired further to something he would not speak on even if she had asked. Perhaps in time, he may trust her like he did with his other apprentices, how they became children to him. Perhaps one day.

"As I said - you will find my teachings not so brutal as my contemporaries. They would teach you with torture and carnage, but I find these blunt tools. My training will be no less brutal, but in expectations and effort - not blind cruelty. I will supply you with anything you need. Money, weapons, ships, power - but I expect the same effort in response. Read the books, study what it is to be Veritas and what it means to be Eternalist. If you have questions, requests..."

He paused and studied her for a moment.

"... simply ask, and you will receive my full effort. I will leave you to settle in.", he said flatly, coldly, just as his voice always was.

Allyson Locke