Private Per Aspera Ad Inferi (Darth Malum)

[Darth Carnifex]

+Anomaly detected.+

Blue light filled the room, followed by various pinpricks of multi-colored light. One was pulsating a deep red, located on the outskirts of the system. Others hummed a vibrant green and were on intercept course, coming from all directions. Officers in teal uniforms watched the display with cold detachment, the cybernetic implants grafted to the back of their skulls silently churning and blinking in alternate sequences as they processed the data being fed to them.

+Anomaly identified: unregistered vessel.+

+Model: Caedus-class Superiority Fighter.+

+Designation: Lochris.+

The multiple pinpricks of green light continued to converge on the lone red dot, indicators transmitting that each vessel is armed and preparing to engage the unauthorized vessel. But suddenly, and without warning, each of the green blips started to veer away from their intercept trajectory, indicators reading that they've powered down their weapons and are returning to their original patrol patterns. At first, the officers were confused, their processors working hard to unravel this sudden change in behavior.

The reason was made evident as their neural uplinks received new standing orders: priority primus. Mechanically, they forgot all knowledge of the irregularity and continued their assigned tasks without any further spoken word. All the while, the small errant dot changed from red to blue, and began to follow a designated flight path down to the silvery world below.

Remnicore was a barren world, scrubbed clean of life thousands upon thousands of years ago by ancient forces long relinquished to obscurity. Endless wastes of twisted basalt rock stretched as far as the eye, or the sensor, could comprehend. The monotony was only ever disrupted by veins of solidified silver that crisscrossed the land like rivers. All as ossified trees stood vigil over prairies and savannas that had long since lost their vegetation. There was seemingly no life to be found on this dead world.

All that changed as a great monolith arose over the horizon, a towering edifice of black stone that wound up into the gray sky like a corkscrew. At it's base was a wide, sprawling structure that stretched out over many kilometers; burrowing in and out of the dark earth. A single landing pad jutted out from the twirling tower, three pairs of bright red guards standing in formation upon the adjourning bridge. They waited until the vessel landed and it's sole occupant emerged, their pikes held tightly in their hands as they silently watched him approach.

A more typical Imperial officer, their uniform a deep blood-red, walked forward from amidst the armed guards. He looked at the man impassively, their face stony and unexpressive. "He's deemed you fit to bear witness to His glory, young Marr. We have been commanded by His Supreme Excellency to bring you before Him. He awaits." Then the officer turned and began to walk, the guards falling in line the moment the young man passed them. They descended through several floors of the castle tower, each level almost identical to the last.

The walls, floors, and ceilings were all constructed out of the same glossy black marble. Veins of silver, not unlike those seen from the air outside, snaked through the marble itself; winding about in various patterns with no two alike. The only illumination found within the castle came from braziers affixed to the walls at equal intervals, each one burning with an ethereal blue flame. Occasionally the walls would feature mosaics and friezes depicting various events and concepts, and some walls would even be decorated with dazzling stained glass windows that overlooked the dark and foreboding landscape.

When he was at last brought before the Dark Lord, he found the man's back turned to the door. He was stripped down to His waist, and was preoccupied digging through the body of some misshapen beast heaped upon an operating table. The officer and the guards withdrew from the room without having announced their arrival, leaving the two Sith alone. The Dark Lord did not speak, nor did He even address the young Marr at all, for several minutes. All that could be heard was the sound of blade against bone, and the grotesque cleaving of flesh and organ.

Carnifex turned to acknowledge Malum, His arms red up the elbow in blood both caked and fresh. "I must say, you've done something that few others have accomplished, Lord Marr. You've surprised me. Very few living know of this world's existence, let alone it's location. You must regale me with every detail of your last encounter with Lady Ophidia, I am absolutely ravenous to hear about how those final moments passed."

Darth Malum of House Marr ​

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

There had been few times in his life that he had been so certain of a course of action. Truly, he could only think of one time in his life that he had been so convinced, without anyone, anything, needing to be the convincer.

Well, there was a convincer he supposed, the one that built up this wellspring of feeling within him, the one which held no face, yet its power was held through numerous changing faces. Its will paramount, its purpose impossible.

It had led him to Alvaria all those years ago.

It had formed a bond unbreakable, a bond utterly... painful... Kara... Ansisa ...

And now it drew him to here, a part of his mind that was foreign supplying a name despite the hyperfocused attention.

Remnicore.

It was the first time that he had been drawn to a world with a conviction that was not his. By a conviction that was another's entirely, a conviction that he trusted and distrusted in equal measure.

One that he could find himself ignoring, in the very same way he could not ignore what had brought him to Alvaria.

What... bound him to... Kara.

Red eyes glimmered in the light of the hyperspace tunnel, dulling if still maintaining their shine as the blackness of space greeted him. Of course, there was one key difference between those two occurrences and this one, where the other two had been bound by the will of the entity which he so despised.

This one was bound by another too, though the question of whether he despised her or whether he might have even in some sense...

He put the thought away, as she swam in the back of his mind, as memories unlocked to him ever since he had been pulled her continued to flicker through his mind. A world which only three had known of, a world of monsters, he knew its every defence, he knew its every armament.

Yet there was caution in each of the information that passed his brow.

Despite the secret Tsis'Kaar that had kept tabs upon here, so secret that it had even taken thorough investigation from its new lord to even know they had existed.

Caution was ever still the word of the day, a word of warning.

All could have changed since her demise.

He was walking into a world of monsters, and though he was filled with a certainty, not his, he rationally knew there was utmost danger here.

The danger already presented itself, blaring red lights alerting him to a hud display filling rapidly with red dots, such a sight confirmed with his own ruby orbs gazing out the viewports.

He offered a smirk that did not quite meet his eyes, as much as he was pulled here, as much as he could feel the Nexus from even this distance, the call of the Force, the certainty, and confidence it provided. No matter how experienced a pilot he was, what chance did he have against this swarm?

But at this point what choice did he have?

He would need to strike through, and then turn and escape.

"Are you ready, Sibby?" He asked, attempting to keep the tremor out of his voice, as his astromech outside said something which his ears did not register, as the hardpoints deployed, and he drummed his fingers along the controls.

Preparing for the fight of his life.

Only for...

Only for...

Only for... the ships he identified as of Kainite origin to whirl away from him, back towards the planet. He blinked owlishly... well there was the opportunity to turn back, and be on his way. The fact that Remnicore had been discovered would be known, but in exchange for his life, that would be a necessary enough sacrifice.

Only for the Lochris' comms to burst with activity, a voice unfamiliar, transmitting in both words and in coordinates a flight path towards the planet below.

It seemed then whoever on the world did not want him dead... or perhaps wanted the certainty of having him be on land before they killed him... or were unconfident of the chances of their interceptors...? Or simply perhaps wanted to capture him... that seemed rather likely in retrospect. Still, that sense of certainty remained, his mind urged him forward for the opportunity, and the nexus... so called to him.

The engines powered forward, as he descended on this secret world.

Bursting through the cloud line, it was as he had... remembered?

Barren was certainly a word, and it would be the word to call this rock, yet to call it barren was to call it lifeless, and though Malum was certain of the usage of the word to describe the lack of green across a world that by all rights should have it... to call it lifeless he was much certain of, there was life down there, he was certain of it.

A very specific life, as he passed by the endless wastes, the basalt deltas stretching far past the horizons, and likely far beyond that too, rivers and trees... they all still existed, in some form here he realised, gazing down upon them. Yet, there was no water, no saplings, only silver, grey, and white.

It was as if they were statues... an artistic depiction of what had once been.

In some way, it was only the way of the Sith, as a great black spire approached over the distance, this was where the voice had told him to go, where the coordinates had bid him lay, a black spire upon a white background, it was almost too perfect, if anything upon this dead world could be called that. It was as if itself a tree, or perhaps a growth, a parasite burrowing itself deep into its earth.

For all that was unnatural of this world.

This seemed the most so.

Malum took the Lochris to the single landing pad, despite all the nerves that he should have felt, he was oddly at peace. Even as through his viewports, and exiting his vessel, he saw the six bright red guards, no doubt to be his escorts, and likely though they would not say it, his wardens of sorts.

Sibby would be able to protect the ship and pilot it away if needed, while he...

...He had his last resorts.

The Imperial officer who broke ranks was the one whose Malum's eyes trailed to foremost, his words...

...Troubling.

"K- Darth Carnifex is... here... is he?" His mouth was dreadfully dry, memories of what had occurred upon Jutrand... what had occurred in simply the last few years assaulting his mind... so two of the three who knew of this world was here.

Why was that so shocking?

The man did not answer him, simply turning and walking away, Malum had little option but to follow. After all, there was a small ease in his step, for all the cruelties, and depravities that were known to the Twice-Failed Emperor... Malum at the very least was confident enough that he would not kill him.

Not yet anyway.

Still, the guards falling in line behind him, were a strange comfort, considering the circumstances.

As they descended into the depths.

Malum did not even have much opportunity to enjoy the architecture of this new, strange place, if that could be even possible, staring resolutely ahead passing by the inky black marble, with the streaks of silver that at the very least implied that not all this fortresses' construction had been undertaken through imported materials.

The true crime remained that Malum had little opportunity to enjoy the artwork that littered across above them tapestry or glass, illuminated by the blue flamed chandeliers... if only he had some more time, if only he has more focused... he would certainly be tempted.

Instead.

He was brought to him.

The giant of a man who had for the last century been the terror of the galaxy, the man that in another life Malum would have willingly and loyally called His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor... who had failed them twice, the Butcher King.

The quintessential immortal tyrant.

The man who Malum would need to rise above.

Yet, Malum knew little way how.

And here he was, stripped bare, at least the upper half of him, and now deserted by the guards that had at least given him some comfort, he was left along with the Butcher... who... ironically enough was undertaking some sort of butchery, a beast of a nature Malum did not know, sat down on the operating table, as blade cut through bone, flesh, organ, and sinew. All with the precision of a surgeon, yet there was no mistaking exactly what this was.

His words struck him with the weight they deserved, even as the once Dark Lord of the Sith refused to face him.

"...I am told I always much exceeded everyone's expectations, I saw no reason to stop now," Perhaps such light words were not the way in which to speak to the man, perhaps he expected subordination, fealty, such was at least part of what was offered... and it still would be.

Yet he now had the pride of the Dark Council to represent, the pride of a Marr shimmering through ruby red eyes, "As for details... I am afraid they will likely not compare to the great battles of which you have engaged, we were able to entrap her in a place in which her strength was nullified, she fought valiantly, she fought cunningly, she fought skillfully," His eyes were drills bearing into the back of her skull, where her eyes would have been should he have turned, "And she died." He spoke with a finality that seemed to banish the wind from the room.

So many tests of late involving him, Jutrand, now this... why?

And should he not be happy at this chance?

So why did his skin crawl so?

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Carnifex severed an organ from the surrounding tissue, carefully extracting it before placing it inside a walled collection plate. He then inspected the organ for any damage, before being satisfied that it was collected in good condition. It had been a long time since He had made such an error, but such caution never left Him even as His skill became beyond reproach. He placed the tools down upon a cloth, already soaked through with blood, and walked to a base of water to begin cleaning Himself of blood and offal.

"So she did, I felt it across the stars." The sloshing of water filled the empty space between words. "I had known the lady Ophidia for a long, long time. I remember the day she arrived at the academy, little more than a youth with no past. I can recall her true name as well, though out of respect for her departure I shall not utter it aloud." Water dripping from His hands, the Dark Lord reached for a cloth and began to meticulously dry both of His arms. "We had been close once, the deepest confidantes, but we found that our visions were ultimately irreconcilable. We agree apart and eventually crossed blades. I regret that it came to that, and that I was unable to speak to her amicably before her passing."

With His arms now cleaned, the Dark Lord turned back to Malum. Using the Force, He brought a black cloak to His fingers and draped His broad shoulders in it. "We will not see her like in this lifetime or the next, I fear. She was unique, and we are the poorer for her absence." He strode towards Malum, His shadow falling across the younger man's features until it seemed he was entirely engulfed by darkness. "It is quite unexpected that you would have knowledge of this place, I do not believe that even Ophidia would have divulged such secrets even in her last moments. So tell me, Malum Marr, who else knows of this world besides yourself."

There was a threat in the Dark Lord's voice, and Malum would know that he had never edged so closer to death than he had in this exact moment.

Darth Malum of House Marr ​

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

He was no stranger to blood. It was perhaps what he would have considered one of the weaknesses of a lightsabre, a blade of pure plasma that burned so hot that any wound would be instantly cauterised, the eyes unable to bear witness to the act that one wilfully committed in order to achieve victory.

Bruises, cauterisation, and broken bones, all were ways in which one would enact suffering upon one's foe.

But nothing was so visible as the drawing of blood, perhaps why he had transitioned to a Sith Sword.

Still, seeing Kaine so casually pluck an organ out of the dried guts of whatever that creature was.

Was.

Was not an uncomfortable sight, per se.

But it was an unfamiliar sight, certainly, one which Malum could not even truly formulate how he should respond, so instead, silence was his port of call.

Silence, as Malum stood at attention, curiosity brimming at what else would be said, preparations for a quick escape if this was all to be for nought, inquisitiveness, how exactly would what he said be responded to?

He did not have to wait long.

"My mistress spoke of your once closeness," Malum answered, it was interesting how much he had seen out of golden eyes rather than red, how much of Kaine's words he could confirm or deny based on not his own knowledge, but knowledge that did not belong to him, memories that were not his.

A true name.

He would have once thought it was Saiah, indeed he quirked his head in questioning, there had to be no question of what he did or not did not know.

It had been the name which he had learned the first day he had met his Mistress, the name which had earned his unconsciousness for its utterance.

But he knew better now.

He knew things he would have preferred not to know, especially regarding that closeness.

Or at least the one-sided nature of it.

"...By the end, I imagine she wished to speak to no one, after all, she told no one of her intentions that led to the Ouroboros Crisis," Another piece of knowledge which he so did not wish to know, that no others could know.

As red eyes turned to consider him, as the Force whipped about a cloak draped across Kaine's shoulders, there was a powerful wish to gaze away, to not look upon such a powerful figure, lest his eyes be gouged out, burned out, leaving nothing but blind jelly.

Yet, he was resolute, he gazed forth anyway, even as every instinct demanded all other else.

Perhaps helped by those words, a challenge? He was the Serpent's Heir, one of them anyway, it was his duty to fill her shoes, as gigantic as they were.

And despite all which had occurred, he had never failed his duty.

"Despite her treason, I admit I miss her guidance, and as war approaches, for one of our most powerful to be felled... it is a pity indeed," Malum continued on, even as he advanced upon him, his height, his figure seeming to blot out what limited light was within the room, a shadow that blanketed him.

And which he so wished to retreat from.

Alas, no.

Even as the smell of death was more poignant than ever.

He could not retreat, even as his throat was dry, even as he could not be entirely certain of Kaine's intentions, only that a wrong move could certainly be the end of him.

"...I imagine she might have revealed the knowledge to Darth Strosius, but I cannot be certain,"

Darth Carnifex