Private Path of Damnation

[Darth Nefaron]

Anoat was foul.

Bleak, storm-ravaged, and bereft of life save for the foul soldiers in Darth Nefaron's service.

In the force, echoes of countless beings' torment had poisoned the very stone of the Corpse Lord's fortress.

Yet the slave pits were empty. Whips remained unused. But there was but one slave who now called it home.
​

It had been three standard days since the Rebellion on Ukatis had come to its bloody end, three days since the Corpse Lord had ordered his new arrival to be taken to chambers in the citadel's central spire. This was no display of kindness, however, for the room provided to the young Seer was little more than four walls, a small refresher, a stone slab for a bed, and the sealed door to the chambers. What little light there was was offered by a dim red bulb that was fixed into the stone ceiling. Nefaron, nor his Apprentice, had said anything to the girl, nor had they come to visit her. Occasionally, a protocol droid arrived to provide a tray of unappealing meat and bread, but these meals were difficult to predict since the passage of time was a mystery within the walls of the fortress.

Yet on the third day, the door to the chamber opened. This time, however, the original protocol droid had been replaced by a heavily modified medical droid, its sleek black plating and singular red eye made it seem a creature spawned from the depths of the fortress.

"Lady Seer," the droid began, its voice deep and unemotional, "I am DD-421, I am the Seneschal of the great Darth Nefaron, the one true Dark Lord of the Sith."

The droid stepped into the cell, revealing its multiple appendages, all designed to be modular. Behind the droid, two do the Corpse Lords heavily scared soldiers stood, blasters in hand, as they escorted the droid.

"The Master has departed for some time. You are in my service until he returns. He has left me in charge of your initial education in the ways of the Order of the Sith Lords. As I understand it, you are woefully behind on your tutelage, I will see that corrected."

The droid turned, expecting the girl to follow.

"So, do not waste time fleeing. The fortress is sealed, and I would so hate to displease the Master by having you mutilated. Lord Nefaron has great plans for you, young Seer, but he will carry on without you if he must."

DD-421 was, of course, bluffing. The Dark Lord had given him very strict orders not to permanently harm the girl, but she didn't need to know that. The droid simply didn't wish to bother having the girl chased by the Corpse Legionaries. He did not find enjoyment in his current task, for he longed to return to the master's laboratory to continue his dissection and experimentation, for he had been built for this purpose.

"Come. The master commanded me to show you his fortress, know the place that shall be your home. You will come to enjoy its confines in time, once you have been made to see."

The droid began to walk. The Corpse Legionaries, cruel eyes gazing upon the girl, waited for her to follow along so that they could block her escape.

But this fortress was a maze. A vast complex of terror and suffering.

A wrong turn could end with the girl's eternal torment.

Or her freedom.

Was it worth it?

TAG: Eurydice ​

 

[Eurydice]

Eurydice had quickly lost track of time.

Minutes, hours, even days began to blend together - it was difficult to tell without any cues. No window, no view of the world outside her room, no rhythm to the protocol droid's visits.

That was the most frightening thing in this sinister place. The loss of time. No one to speak to, with nothing to do. Nothing to fill the empty, mind-numbing hours. Boredom festered into an endless cycle of thought, of trying to picture why she was here and what would be done with her.

They'd killed Father Erasmus. They'd killed the King. So why hadn't they killed her? Eurydice was so far down the totem pole when it came to the Ukatian hierarchy, just barely above a commoner.

On the third day, the door to her cell - because that's what it was - slid open. The Seer was had laid on her bed of stone with her back to the door. She did not feel like eating and ignored the protocol droid.

It was the deep, stoic tones of unfamiliar vocal synthesizers that roused her. Eurydice turned, peering listlessly over her shoulder.

Bathed in red lighting, the droid's sinister appearance sent a shudder up her spine. Her heart stuttered in panic, but she felt a vague pang of relief for finally having someone speak to her. Starved for information and human contact, she was grateful to even interact with a droid.

Even if she was still terrified.

Pushing herself up from the stone cot, Eurydice followed. The mention of mutilation had her fair features absolutely pale, and the red lighting made her skin look even more sallow.

The pair of corpse legionaries were quick to close rank behind her. Their gazes felt heavy on her back. The Seer tried to ignore them.

"Do you…do you know if my father is still alive?"

She spoke tentatively, uncertain if speaking out of turn would be frowned upon.

Eurydice had been born Agatha Hargrave, the only child of Colonel Hargrave. Her mother had died in childbirth, and Agatha had been taken into the Seers at a young age. She did not yet know that her father had perished in the city's defense.

Darth Nefaron

 

[Darth Nefaron]

The droid stopped. It considered the question for a moment.

"Irrelevant. You have become a part of the Master's family now."
​

DD-421 did not understand the connection fleshbags shared. He admired his Master for his willingness to toss aside idiotic concepts such as "love" or "friendship". Such factors are limiting; they lead to unnecessary risks and unpredictable outcomes. This girl was young, she had yet to experince life with the bounds of the Sith Empire. Soon enough, she would come to understand that she had but one thing to consider, one thing to consume her focus.

"Darth Nefaron has tasks for you to complete. He desires that I measure your predictive abilities to determine their effectiveness. I suggested that a simple dissection would have been more effective, but he desires that you live. So we will begin at once."

The Droid began to walk again, winding down several dim halls to a bank of turbolifts. Upon choosing one, he beckoned the rest of his following to enter with him. Once the door to the lift sealed, one of the legionaries used the keypad to select a floor, one that took them ever deeper into the fortress.

"Tell me, what do you know of the Sith Order? Of the powers wielded by a Dark Lord?"

DD-421 did not look at the girl; instead, he seemed to be fixed on the turbolift door. This girl was unlike the Master's Apprentice; she had not been hardened within the bounds of the Sith Empire to expect hardship and torment. She was more akin to the slaves that once frequented the halls of the fortress, terrified and utterly weak. Yet the girl seemed to possess the unique ability to use the force, though DD-421 did not quite understand its power outside of the biological component. Darth Nefaron spoke of sorcery and rituals as if they lived in a world of fairy tales and magic. He did not question his master, but he did not quite buy into the idea that sacrificing a thousand innocent souls could provide any power.

Not to say he would not partake. Joy was not in his programming, but a certain satisfaction with the experimentation and death always seemed to overcome his processors. Truly, he enjoyed his work as much as his master did.

"Speak, girl. The Master has instructed me to provide any necessary knowledge about his Order. You have much to catch up on, and he has precious little time to give you a history lesson. Now would be ideal, for you have many trials ahead of you."

TAG: Eurydice ​

 

[Eurydice]

There was a pause, during which Eurydice worried that her question would incite some sort of punishment.

The droid's response was worse, somehow. He'd deemed that the biggest question on the Seer's mind wasn't worthy of a response. That, or he didn't know.

What was more worrying, was that she'd suddenly become apart of that monster's family.

Again, Eurydice went pale. She fidgeted with the sleeve of her robe as DD-412 revealed a little more information regarding her capture, as well as his own…grisly opinions. Much like the droid, her own gaze remained rigidly fixed to the turbo lift door. The faint sensation of weightlessness in her stomach made her a little queasy. Turbolifts were not commonplace on Ukatis, and certainly not in the ancient palace where she'd resided.

"I-I-" she stuttered before forcing herself to swallow around the lump in her throat. It had been days since she'd spoken to anyone at any length. "I do not know much. Only that they wield a powerful dark magic that corrupts the natural way of things and leads to perversion. They lead an empire of their own and attempt to conquer that which they do not have.”

On Ukatis, Seers who delved too much into dark magic and went rogue were Magi. They lived in hiding, lurking in the underbelly of the city or tucking themselves deep into the forests.

The Sith, though, she knew little of. Her first impression had not been a positive one; the Mandalorians might’ve rained fired down on Axilla, but the Sith had sought to destroy Ukatis from within.

Blinks of light flashed across the lift cabin as they passed by several floors.

"What will…the Master expect of me?"

Darth Nefaron

 

[Darth Nefaron]

“You have been instructed poorly. The natural order of things lies in the base emotions that beings of flesh are slaves to. The fear you feel now rules you, as it does all who cower in the Master's shadow. The Dark Side has been with you since the day you were born. You will learn that soon enough.”

The droid grew silent. The girl was foolish, but that was the way of the flesh bags who had yet to fully mature. She would be educated properly within the confines of the fortress, and soon enough, she would be among those enlightened few who would dominate the galaxy. But for now, she was little more than a blank slate, one who had much to learn in the coming months.

The droid once more pondered her question. At least she asked something of relevance.

"The Master plucked you from Ukatis for many reasons. Your ability to glimpse the future is among them, but you have far more power than a mere fortune teller. Should you survive and take to his teachings, you will stand as a Dark Lady of the Sith in time."

Such was the plan told to DD-421 by his Master. While the young Nagai was a formidable warrior and slayer of flesh bags, Darth Nefaron sought one who could adapt to the foulest of Sith arts. Sith Sorcery was beyond the ability of a droid to understand, but the Dark Lord had created beautiful monstrosities with his power that even the most logical of beings struggled to understand. He'd watched Nefaron raise the dead to obey his commands, and he'd watched beings of the strongest will break under the barrage of nightmares the Corpse Lord created. Veradun would lead the vast legion being amassed on Anoat to war, but this girl?

She would be the whisperer in the dark. The Lady of Nightmares.

If she survived.​

The turbotlift came to a stop and the doors slid open. In the corridor beyond lay countless cells, many of which lay empty or contained mutated beasts of Darth Nefaron's creation. DD-421 began to walk along these cells, paying little attention of any of the creatures unfortunate enough to lay within. The walk seemed endless, until the droid finally found the cell he seemed to be looking for.

Inside was a young Rodian woman, an oddity from nearly every other being who populated the fortress. From the looks of her, she'd been in captivity for some time. Her clothing was ruined and filthy, and her gaze did not turn toward the newly arrived group but instead, she simply continued to stare at the wall in front of her. Etched into the stone seemed to be a crude drawing of a family, three figures in total, but one of them appeared smaller than the other two. With a silent command, the cell door opened, and the droid turned toward his student and beckoned her inside.

"This one is of little use to anyone, but the Master insists we keep her alive. She is a state akin to a waking coma, aware but seemingly trapped within her own mind. The Master wants you to determine how she arrived at this state by any means. My suggestion is that you attempt to tap into your connection to the force, for my records have many such examples of the Master doing the very thing, though his results typically result in utter insanity. Perhaps your touch will be different."

TAG: Eurydice ​

 

[Eurydice]

The Seers of Ukatis were not wholly beings of Light. Nor had they been steeped in the Dark. They did not have words to describe the dichotomy of the Force, but many lived within a spectrum of neutrality. Those who did become corrupted by their own greed and malice were either executed or cast out. They were to harbor no personal ambitions, to dedicate themselves in service to the crown.

The Dark Side has been with you since the day you were born.

Eurydice visibly hesitated. She had seen Father Erasmus' transformation into a ghoulish specter of a man, and had felt his desperation to survive by offering himself to Nefaron. She had felt his panic, then his mournful pain as Veradun's blade opened a grievous wound along the old man's throat.

She did not understand why one would want to embrace those horrid feelings as a way of life. It had not panned out for Erasmus.

What she did understand, at least a little, was Nefaron's interest in her abilities. Seers were not trained in the traditional ways of the Jedi or Sith; they were not warriors or scholars, but shamans. They read the Great Weave, predicting futures and subtly shaping the outcomes of that which they could not divine.

Should you survive and take to his teachings, you will stand as a Dark Lady of the Sith in time.

Eurydice held back her questions. If she spoke, she feared she would begin to weep.

As their grim retinue shifted through the corridor, she did her best to keep her head straight, to not peer into the cells and witness the dismal horrors of the citadel. Several times, she failed. Was she to become one of them?

DD-421 came to a stop at one particular cell. The occupant did not stir to attention when the door slid open.

The Seer gave a tentative step forward. Her eyes drifted over the Rodian's turned back, her torn clothes, and then up to the primitive etching on the duracrete wall. It took her a moment to discern the drawing, and another step forward brought her focus into realization. A family.

Her face fell. "I...see."

Eurydice swallowed thickly, uncertain if she could tap into her abilities and produce a satisfying result in this state – and if she couldn't, the unsaid notion of what would happen in response to her failure now lingered over her head. She crouched and reached for the Rodian's hand, opting for a firm grip on her shoulder if she pulled away.

Ukatian nobility in particular had a penchant for masking their intentions behind stone facades and pleasant smiles. A good Seer would be able to creep past the curtain. Eurydice's approach was slow and methodical, but ill refined. The Rodian would sense her. It was unpleasant for the both of them, but perhaps more so for the target.

The girl's eyes fell closed as she peered into the slave's memories. Color spilled across a black canvas; violent, heart-wrenching images of another Rodian. She saw the knife, she saw Veradun's eyes, saw the bright crimson ooze from the slave's neck. She felt the woman's terror, heard Nefaron's cruel laughter as it reverberated through her bones.

The next vision was choppier – like singular frames from a holo. A young Rodian dragged away, his mother screaming in anguish and clawing at the duracrete floor as she was held back. A few more memories filtered in, but they were short and clipped. Less dramatic. Quiet, but not the least bit serene.

Reality struck Eurydice like a bolt of lightning. Her ribs lifted with a sharp inhale when she removed her hand from the Rodian, falling backward and landing on her rear. Sweat beaded along her brow, and her pale cheeks had flushed from exertion.

"I-I'm sorry…" she whispered. The Seer trembled as she shifted to her knees, rested her hands atop her legs and bowed her head. It took a few moments to compose herself enough to speak.

"This woman witnessed the...slaying of a relative. And separation from her child. She misses them both dearly, and her catatonia appears to be related to exhaustion and repeated heartbreak. She made this to remind herself."

Eurydice motioned to the picture, her eyes lingering on the littlest figure. She drew in a deep breath, then peered up at the droid.

"Is...her child still alive?"

Darth Nefaron

 

[Darth Nefaron]

The woman did not react.

She had played these scenes out in her head hundreds of times.

She could no longer feel the horror. She was broken.
​

Still, the droid seemed pleased. He entered the cell behind the Seer. His ocular attachments had been carefully scanning them both to monitor their heart rate. temperature changes, stress levels, and various other data. Some were on behalf of his Master, others were for use in his own experiments with force users. This was a learning experince for DD-421 as well, for his core programming was to advance his own skills in the service of Darth Nefaron, which permitted him to explore his own experimentation even when his Master was not on Anoat. He almost missed the girl's question, but his response was to be expected.

"Irrelevant. The child is not your concern. The subject has served her purpose, and you have met the Master's expectations."
​

In a swift motion, one of the droid's appendages drove its way into the Rodian's neck. A quick injection, and the woman fell forward, at last being granted a brief respite. She was not dead, for Darth Nefaron still had plans for the woman, but for the time being, she was to be kept comatose for the sake of preservation. It was far easier to ensure she received proper nutrition in this state, for she had refused to eat since her child had been taken away.

"Come. You have passed this first test of your ability. Now I am to provide you with a history of the Order of the Sith Lords. The Master believes that you must learn from the past Dark Lords to ensure you do not make the same mistakes."

The droid left the cell, once more expecting the girl to follow. The cell would close behind the girl once she was in the hallway, and the pair of Corpse Legionaries drove her forward, following the Droid once more as they proceeded deeper into the Fortress. More cells, more monstrous beasts, more Legionaries clad in dark armor and wielding cruel blades and pikes. They arrived at two great doors, the droid beckoned for the guards to open them and show them into one of the Fortresses' repositories of knowledge. When the doors opened, a great library was revealed. Unlike much of the fortress, it was in pristine condition, and the walls of data-disks, physical manuscripts, and artifacts were carefully organized by period of Sith history.

"This is part of the Master's collection that he has instructed me to make available to you. From the days of the Second Great Schism to the modern period, with the birth of the current Sith Empire. In the coming days, you will be free to explore this collection once you have completed the tests that have been prepared for you. Today, we are to focus on the distinction between the Sith and other force users."

The Droid directed the Seer's attention to a desk, one made of actual wood that creaked with age and yet seemed to be antique in design.

"I believe the Master sought to provide you... comfort with this recent acquisition. This desk and accompanying chair were removed from the holdings of the House of Von Ascania. The former Lord of the house no longer had use for it. No doubt the Master found the removal of such an item from the family estate rather amusing."

DD-421 did not understand humor, especially that of Darth Nefaron. Still, he was able to identify such trivial things when they were obvious.

On the desk lay a holoprojector, seemingly preloaded with a program to display. The droid rounded the desk and stood opposite the Seer, transitioning to teacher for the time being.

"Your knowledge of the Sith is steeped in the narrow view of the average galactic citizen. But you are not one of them, for your ability to connect to and wield the force has set you above them. The Jedi Order, the rivals of the Sith Order, deny this fact and seek to make themselves servants to the idiotic masses. The Sith chose to embrace their power; they chose to rule and guide lesser beings, though of course every Dark Lord has their own vision for the galaxy."

The holoprojector leaped to life, displaying a copy of an ancient painting depicting the Second Great Schism.

"Though individuals had broken away from the Order before, it was not until Ajunta Pall led his so-called Dark Jedi against the Order in what has been named the Hundred-Year Darkness that the Sith Order was truly born. They sought to explore their power, to discover the deepest mysteries of the Force. They sought to be free of the chains that bound them to the weak, and for their transgression, they were banished to the edge of the galaxy."

The image vanished for a moment, and the Droid now focused on the Seer.

"This poses an interesting question. If the Sith are stronger, how could they have been banished? Provide your thoughts on this matter, the Master is most eager to hear your thoughts."

TAG: Eurydice ​

 

[Eurydice]

​

In the coming days, you will be free to explore this collection...

Free.

Not a concept she'd entertain as being given so easily. Eurydice had already decided that there was no freedom to be found here. Not in a place like this, not on a world choked in ash and the acrid scent of death.

She recognized the desk before DD-421 spoke of its origin. It was familiar in a way that was not immediate – Eurydice had never seen this particular piece of furniture before, nor had she ever visited the Ascania household. Carved from ancient trees on her home world, the ornate design seemed so starkly out of place among gray block of duracrete and grim steel bars.

It was as if a piece of life had been inserted into this waking nightmare.

Only a few times had she glimpsed the stern figure of Marcel von Ascania. As she slipped into the matching chair, she tried to imagine the Viscount pouring over the documents and correspondences that had culminated into his failed rebellion.

The sting of tears came as a surprise. Eurydice took a deep breath, and tamped down her homesickness. The light of the projector threw a glint against her glassy eyes.

"Are they really stronger?"

It was not a question posed out of malice, nor was it one she'd thought particularly deep on. If she had, she might've held her tongue. Eurydice's lips stilled in hesitation before she sought to continue, and hopefully expand on her query.

"Ukatis is no stranger from rebellion within. Even a small battalion can win against an army ten times its size if it uses the right tactics." The Seer's hands rested in her lap, fingers twining together nervously. "Perhaps...they found it difficult to live among the Jedi, and sought to gather their strength somewhere they could not be disturbed?"

Darth Nefaron

 

[Darth Nefaron]

The Droid was silent when his student spoke. He did not chastise her, nor did he offer praise. She was to speak her mind, and she did, providing detail on her backwater homeworld, at least the Droid believed that to be the case based on the limited amount of data in his central processor.

"You come to an interesting conclusion. But it is flawed, as the Master explained it to me."

The Droid pulled up a map of the galaxy, highlighting the ancient world of Korriban and the surrounding hundred systems that were ruled by those who were to become the original Sith.

"Despite the current state of the Order, the Sith will never achieve victory when they band together. The original Dark Jedi were defeated as much by infighting as they were by their Jedi foes. The group that survived did so only because they followed the vision of one, Ajunta Pall. He led the newly-born Sith Order into exile, eventually finding their way to what would become Sith space. They settled on Korriban and became rulers of the local red-skinned race that gave the Order its name."

The Droid paused, changing the image to a depiction of the ancient Sith species.

"But you are correct. The Sith abandoned the ancient Jedi because they refused to be chained to anyone. They sought power to free themselves from their service to the weak, but inevitably that led them to seek to place chains on others. The more Sith there are, the more conflicting goals."

The map changed again, showing the slow expansion of the Old Republic and the ancient Jedi Order across the galaxy.

"Let us take your hypotheses further, for the Sith did not simply wish to remain undisturbed. For a time, they expanded their realm, and they fought civil wars to establish dominance. For the Sith to truly have their revenge, they must unite behind a being who is both strong in the Dark Side and also immensely cunning. Yet we again arrive at our original problem, thousands of Sith cannot coexist together, for it is their nature to seek total dominion over all other beings."

The projector then showed the tide of history, the countless Sith Empires that had come and gone over the countless centuries. At times, the Sith came close to dominance, but in the end, they would always succumb to infighting and weakness.

"Failure after failure, the Sith were whittled down. It was not until Darth Bane arose, a Sith Lord who saw the failure of the Order and sought to put an end to the weakness. Perhaps you have heard of the Rule of Two? If not, you must know that it was that consolidation of the Order that led to perhaps its greatest triumph. The Galactic Empire under Emperor Palpatine, otherwise known as Darth Sidious. He was the culmination of a thousand years of work in the shadows to bring down the Republic and the Jedi. For twenty-five years, the Empire ruled the galaxy. Yet it fell."

The projector deactivated. The Droid now leaned into the match, the girl's gaze.

"Why? It was not the pathetic Rebellion. It was not through plucky heroics. What have the Sith always seemed to have done at the height of their power?"

TAG: Eurydice ​

 

[Eurydice]

There was a tension to Eurydice as the droid pondered her response. No, not pondered - evaluated. It was still unclear if an incorrect answer would incite some sort of punishment.

Flawed.

The Seer flinched. Fortunately, the droid saw it fit to correct her with an expanded explanation of how the Sith's power and influence rise and fell. It was cyclical, but lopsided.

"Thousands of Sith cannot coexist together, for it is their nature to seek total dominion over all other beings."

What a miserable existence, Eurydice thought to herself. While her own life had been washed with shades of black and grey in servitude to the crown, it had been relatively devoid of greater conflict and hardship.

Until now, at least.

Her focus was rapt, almost aggressively so, on the projections. Not only did she want to absorb as much information as possible to increase her survival, but she wanted to appear as astute as possible.

The Rule of Two. She'd head whispers, but her knowledge of Force sects beyond her own was extremely limited. Twenty-five years did not seem like a long time for an empire. A third of a life span, if you're lucky.

Eurydice flinched when the droid leaned down, its singular optic input burning a hole through her very soul with a bright red glare. "E-er…" She tapped her fingers together nervously, and gave an uncomfortable squirm in her seat.

"I su…suppose that they always seem to fight." A nervous swallow would move down the pale column of her throat. "F-Fight each other, I mean. If they all want to rule over everything, then they probably see their own allies as an obstacle."

Backstabbing was not a new concept to her; it was a central tenant in how power on Ukatis changed hands. But to build an entire empire that encouraged betrayal?

This was going to be incredibly taxing to navigate.

Darth Nefaron

 

[Darth Nefaron]

“Once more, you are correct.”
​

The droid's tone did not change, but he was beginning to understand why his Master took a keen interest in the girl. Her abilities were one thing, but her mind could become just as dangerous a weapon if she were properly trained to do so. Based on the knowledge in Anoat’s archives, newly updated following the assault on Ukatis, the Seers were to be but mere advisors, meant to be silent observers of the court politics and the pathetic nobles they served. But soon enough, this Seer would break her chains; she would come to crave the power of the Dark Side and use it to bring darkness to the galaxy.

"You will learn much of the tenuous alliances that keep the Sith Empire together. But in the end, all allies will become enemies."

DD-421 was designed to detect shifts in an organic's mood and emotional state, but the girl made it plainly obvious that the Sith Order both frightened and disgusted her. But she had yet to feel the rush of power, to understand what it was to take a life.

"You are disturbed by the realities of your new Order. By my calculations, you have yet to process the shock of events on Ukatis fully. Fear is a powerful emotion, but the Master will teach you that when he returns. In the meantime, I shall teach you to revel in the power you have over others, the joys of domination."

The droid beckons for the Corpse Legionaries to approach and to take the girl by both arms. It was time she learned that there would be no one coming to save her, that she must save herself if she is to survive on Anoat.

"Take her to the beast pens. We shall see if she learns to wield her power more effectively."

The Droid led as the two Legionaries all but dragged the poor girl to an uncertain fate. This was part of the indoctrination to instill in her a fear of sudden reversal the moment she failed to meet Darth Nefaron's expectations. Just because one served the Dread Lord did not mean they were safe from his terror, especially if it meant they always sought to improve themselves to escape Nefaron's wrath. The boy, Veradun, had his own unique experience when he was introduced to Anoat, and so it must be with the new arrival.

DD-421 suddenly halted, directing the pair of Legionaries to a ray-shielded room that seemed entirely dark. Once deactivated, the pair tossed the girl inside and watched as the red wall reappeared once more. The scarred and mutated Legionaries could hardly contain their dark glee as they knew full well what lay within the cell.

"A Sith will do anything to survive. In death, a Sith becomes but a footnote in history. Within this cell are creatures of my master's creation, creatures who are normally sustained on the flesh of those who expire in the course of their service to the master."

Something stirred in the darkness. In truth, this cell was a giant cave that had simply been sealed off by Nefaron to act as a testing ground for one of his newest creations. Horrid screeching could be heard within, the sound of a great swarm awakening to take their daily meal.

"But they will consume just about anything when they are denied sustenance for long enough. There is but one way out of this: you must embrace your inner darkness and cast down the beasts. You cannot reason with them, they will devour you, bones and all, and as I understand it, the process is rather painful."

TAGS: Eurydice
​

 

[Eurydice]

Correct.

Relief did not get to touch every corner of Eurydice's soul before confusion stole its place. DD-421 may not have been human, but his programming was advanced enough to understand emotion in ones and zeroes.

In that way, her fear would be easy to detect. The Seer was used to being in the background, ignored and passed over, obscured by billowing black robes and subtle tricks of the Force. The people of Ukatis were taught not to approach them. She watched them from afar.

Now, she was being watched up close.

"W-wait-!" she squeaked as the pair of Legionnaires grabbed either arm. Eurydice flailed and resisted, but her musculature was less than that of a housemaid.

Panic only built as she was dragged through the corridors. Her jailers didn't seem to mind the way she struggled meekly, and soon enough they'd tossed her into a darkened chamber. Eurydice landed on her stomach, her elbows and face pressed against the dirt.

The shielding flickered back into existence, washing the Legionnaires and DD-412 in a layer of crimson light. Lifting her head, the girl could only gaze at them in horrified desperation.

"Pl-please! You misunderstand, I know nothing of combat! W-we were only trained to read prophecies and people, not fight them!"

Eurydice pled her case to dead ears. The soldiers even looked…excited?

"Please, you…you have to understand! I cannot-"

The girl's voice fell away as pitched screeching echoed from deep within the chamber. Eurydice's head whipped toward the darkness.

Bones and all.

The droid's deadpan intonation ended, and the swarm descended.

Despite her trembling feet, Eurydice managed to stand and scramble towards the barrier. "Please!" she begged, clawing at the red light frantically. "Please, let me out, please!-"

One of the swarmers darted out ahead of the rest, its fanged maw closing around her forearm. The girl had been terrified, but now she screamed in agony as the winged creature yanked its head back, attempting to tear the frail limb from bone.