Faction Rebirth: Flame of Judgement [Ashlan Crusade]

[Raxtos]

Rebirth: Flame of Judgement​

Muted footsteps, just outside. The tone of the control pad on the wall, and then the incessant hum of the rayshield mercifully clicked off. There were voices, promising pain if he tried anything. And then someone uncoupled his wrist binders from the wall. He lunged out towards the voice with his shoulder lowered. The guard simply tripped him, and when Roshardi hit the floor, multiple people began keeping that promise about pain.

When they’d finally decided he was sore enough that he’d behave, the dragged him from the room. Roshardi had no way of knowing how long he’d been a prisoner here, or even where here was. He was fairly certain he was planetside, but which planet? He couldn't guess.

The memories leading to his capture were... hazy. Distorted. He’d fled some backwater dirtball after…. killing some people? That sounded right. There’d been a lot of blood. Then the hyperdrive had failed, and the ship had crashed. Where had he landed? He tried to picture the screen of the Navcomputer just before the crash landing, but the image slipped like it was made of oil.

The locals hadn’t wanted to fight him, they’d been a bunch of cowards; running away from battle, ambushing him to tie him with cords. Pathetic. Of course he’d escaped, and then he’d killed… wait. No.

Helgard. That was the name of the planet. And the natives hadn’t run from battle; they’d tied him up after besting him in swordplay. And then he’d shouted three of them halfway across the tundra and run for his life, cold and tied up and unarmed. The people who’d captured him weeks later had also saved him from starvation and freezing to death.

The truth seemed so stark and obvious now, and yet the false memories had been so powerful. He’d completely believed that he’d bested the Helgardi, had been totally convinced that the survivors of the slaughter had named him their king… that was all a complete fantasy! Roshardi began to wonder what else in his recollections was a lie.

The guards on either side of him had arms under his shoulders, pulling him along with his legs dragging on the floor. When the young man attempted to put his feet under him and walk with his escort, something blunt hit the back of his knees to keep him sliding. Well, he’d jumped them when they’d come to fetch him, so that was fair enough. They were lucky that his beloved wasn't here to see them treating him like this, or she'd be spraying their blood on the walls like-

He flinched violently again as another wave of sickening reality hit him. Ok, so she was entirely a fabrication. There was no love affair, but how the hell he'd ever fabricated that story eluded him, just like Helgard had. And how could her love for him be fake? Roshardi choked back a sob. He knew her so intimately, could picture her in such detail, her mannerisms and personality....

That's because she's DEAD, Roshardi.

What?! Who'd said that? What was happening?

My ship crashed because you're a maniac who doesn't know how to care for a vessel. You damaged her in several botched landings and never once fueled her or took her in for maintenance, let alone repairs. You said we'd be a team! You said I'd have control! You LIED to me!

NO! Stop it! Leave me alone!

I'm done being your partner. I'm not a hundred people, and you are just a ghost. Give me back my voice!

Raxtos, please!

I AM-

~}&{~​

"...free."

His hoarse whisper let a trail of blood slip from his lips to splatter onto the floor. His entire body was sore, but his throat... the pain was so raw and absolute.

He'd stopped moving. Gruff hands moved forward to check that his wrists were still coupled together, before unlatching the steel binder over his eyes.

The young man squinted into the harsh light, wondering if it would burn him alive.

But then his eyes began to adjust, and he marveled at the sight of the Holy Jury of Ashlan.

His murderous spree was over. His partnership with the dark sword was finished.

And Judgement Day was here.

Vaxis

 

[Vaxis]

Tags: Raxtos

The room was as silent as always. Though many among the Jury weren't opposed to socializing, there was always a quietness that swept over them when it was time for a trial. To them, the trial was a holy rite, the method through which they determined Ashla's will within their sacred halls. No matter which Jurors were assigned to the trial, they all saw it through the same holy lens. Vaxis himself was presiding over this particular trial. He had recently arrived back on Bosph after a long hunt. The road had been long and tiresome, and yet, he had been selected for this trial. It truly seemed that a Juror's work was never done.

Vaxis took a moment to look at the man whose fate they were to determine. He appeared innocent enough in Vaxis' eyes, causing the Juror to wonder just how the stranger had gotten into this mess. Then he remembered the briefing...

Multiple civilians had been murdered by his hand, a crime that, while particularly heinous, would normally fall under the jurisdiction of local peacekeeping forces. Once someone noticed the strange properties of the sword he carried, however, the Jury were immediately called in to handle the situation. Some of the local authorities had fought to hold the trial on Helgard, but the Jury had strict rules about such things. The only way a target stayed on planet was if they were taken out then and there. This particular prison had been subdued, allowing him the opportunity to explain his situation to the Jury. The local authorities could complain all they liked, but to Vaxis, none of those complaints mattered. All that mattered was the will of Ashla.

As the prisoner was led to the center of the room, the surrounding Jurors gave each other the signal that they were ready. Vaxis would begin the proceedings by addressing the man directly, hoping to hear the truth and end this process as quickly as possible.

"Do you know why we have called this trial?"

The question was simple enough, but Vaxis had a feeling that the answer was much more complicated.

 

[Raxtos]

Rebirth: Flame of Judgement​

Unlike the vengeful echo that had filled his ears and throat, Raxtos was not consumed by questions of where he was or who all these people were. On the contrary, this all made perfect sense to the thief. All his life, some part of him had known that the thuggish life he'd led was a repugnant one. He'd convinced himself that he stole and cheated and killed and ran out of necessity- be it valuables or innocent life, what he took he was owed by the Galaxy that had allowed his home, his normal life, to crash into pieces. It was only as personal as his parents' murders had been. Which was to say, he was never too sure.

But the fear had been always present. The fear that somewhere, there was an avenger waiting in the wings to make right that which Raxtos knew was wrong. Usually, that avenger had been either a uniformed official swooping down in red and blue lights, or else a crime lord Rax had thoroughly scammed right before jumping planet.

The sword had made things different. Raxtos remembered everything Roshardi and he had done together in perfect clarity, even if he'd been in the backseat for some of it. And although the sword's manic hunger had helped make the slaughter palatable, Raxtos had never forgotten. Unlike Roshardi, he'd known that a judgement would appear eventually. Someone who intervened when dark and strange powers like his were at play. Someone forged in the light.

Which was why none of these events were surprising to Raxtos. And why an awful shroud of dread had descended around him. Thoughts of this day had kept him awake at night, and haunted his dreams when he finally slept. And now it was here. The faceless avengers had shown themselves. And they were awesome and terrible to behold.

The man in the helmet spoke, and there was a horrid shame in Rax's heart that bloomed at the question. "Becau-"

He burst into a fit of retched coughing, blood flying from his mouth to stain the floor under his knees. When the pain had passed, he tried again to answer, not daring to look up from the dark red pooling on the tile, and rasped out "Because I'm a monster. I discovered a power I didn't understand... it made me feel good. I surrendered to it, and it changed me. Twisted me into something... profane. Unnatural. There were... so many voices. And the loudest said he could help me. Keep the others at bay. But he lied. He ruined my ship. He lost my droid. And he-" Rax choked on his own words. No. Roshardi had hated DD-4, and neglected the ship. But he hadn't swung the sword alone. "...we hurt people. Killed because we wanted to. Why... why would anyone ever want to kill?"

The young man's final query was hardly a whisper, and was asked to no one in particular. It had been a long time since salt water had filled the human's eyes unbidden. He'd almost forgotten what it felt like to shed a tear.

 

[Vaxis]

Tags: Raxtos

The presiding Jurors were studying the stranger, searching for any sign of dishonesty. It didn't come as a surprise to Vaxis. After all, they were trained to sniff out the treachery of the Bogan in all of its forms. They would likely hold this man under a microscope until they were absolutely sure that he was not a threat. As for Vaxis, things took much less time. He was rather adept at reading people, and the one that stood before them didn't give him reason to feel suspicious. Nevertheless, he would have to convince the others of the same.

"The artifacts of the darkness are indeed corrupting by nature. In our experience, it can be too much for one to bear. Perhaps you're different... perhaps not."

There was something to be said about the man's story, as it seemed to come from a genuine place. Despite this, there could be no mistakes. A single misstep, and they would be letting a dangerous denizen of the Bogan loose upon the galaxy. Vaxis took a moment to look at the information the Jury had gleaned from studying the weapon. It was, to put it simply... an enigma. The dark power that radiated from it was impossible to miss, yet they couldn't fully comprehend its function without taking a much closer look at it... something they would not do. They knew all too well the risks that came with toying around with such items, and as such, would only study the artifact under strict conditions.

"Tell me, do you still seek such destruction? Do you still wish to kill?"

It would be tough for the man to answer, Vaxis thought. Should he say yes, the trial would be over. Should he say no, they would have to dig deeper into the man's heart. Despite the questioning, however, Vaxis still couldn't shake the feeling that this poor soul simply came into possession of power he did not understand. Whether that hunch was correct or not was yet to be seen.

 

[Raxtos]

Rebirth: Flame of Judgement​

The question was... a dangerous one. Dangerous because it threatened to give Raxtos hope. Perhaps this wasn't the end of his story; why else would these avatars of justice ask about his current intentions, if they weren't contemplating mercy? And aside from the threat of hope, the query was a simple one. He shook his head no, and actually looked up to answer his interviewer. But his reply was stopped up, as the young man choked on his own blood...

And on a lie.

Visions of hounds with steel teeth filled his mind. A horrid planet, yellow, that stunk of poison and rot. Crass and ugly torturers who tore people limb from limb while their victims yet breathed. Marauders who took the same perverted pleasure in the suffering of others that he once had. Sharp toothed psychopaths who required no possessed sword to commit atrocities. Fellow monsters.

"The Maw."

This was stupid. This was suicide. It was so easy, just answer no! All Rax had to do was confess that he didn't have a destructive bone in his body. But the words kept coming. Maybe it was too frightening to even try to deceive these people. Or perhaps the boy simply couldn't stomach another lie... even to save his life.

"Once, I was abducted. Dropped onto a decaying planet in the middle of an acid storm. Forced to fight fellow victims and cackling pirates to survive, to reach a shuttle to safety. And y'know what I found out later?" Rax's throat burned, felt as if it was about to break, but he pressed on incredulously. "It had all been a game. All a game!" Blood flew at his shout. "A diversion. Entertainment to them. Watching us get torn to pieces was fething hilarious, apparently."

His eyes hardened with determination, but his mind was free of the fires of rage. Instead, a resolve had overtaken him, like the icy blasts that had nearly killed him on Helgard's frozen tundra. "Those people led me to that damn sword. Set the fire in me that burned my mind and identity to ashes. They're everything that I was becoming before you found me. I'd just as soon never kill another sentient as long as I live. But The Maw..."

And he gave a little chuckle that became a stifling cough. "they taught me that Evil is real. So yes. There is a destruction I seek."

 

[Vaxis]

Tags: Raxtos

The answer wasn't what the Jurors were looking for... but it wasn't a damning answer either. When Raxtos mentioned the Maw, the present Jurors found themselves whispering to each other, considering the implications of the reference. Vaxis himself sat silently for a moment, thinking on what they had all just heard. He began studying the man even closer than before, wondering if perhaps, there would be more than a simple pardon in the man's future.

"The sadistic barbarity of the Maw is well-known to us. They are the biggest threat to the galaxy, and are saturated in darkness. As such, they need to be eliminated."

Vaxis leaned forward, eyeing the man from behind his silver helmet. There was a frustration that lurked deep within Raxtos, perhaps even deeper than the cursed weapon could have penetrated. It wasn't an unknown feeling to the Jury, as their entire existence revolved around channeling their own frustrations with the darkness toward those that championed the Bogan's dark cause. It was what made them such effective agents of the Crusade, as it was what gave them their absolute devotion to their cause.

"If there is to be destruction, then yes... it should be directed toward evil. The galaxy cannot continue to allow such atrocities to occur, no matter how futile things may seem. It is why we took it upon ourselves to extinguish that evil once and for all..."

He could sense the air in the room shifting, and deep down, he knew that the other Jurors were beginning to feel as he did. The question was no longer if the man was innocent, but rather if he could be useful to their cause. There were many roles within the Crusade to be filled by such drive, and perhaps they could help him channel his frustration in a more productive direction.

"Protecting the innocent and destroying evil often go hand in hand. If you had the opportunity to do both, would you take it?"

It was another question that would determine the outcome of the proceedings, and one that could change the man's life forever.

 

[Raxtos]

Rebirth: Flame of Judgement

The implications of the question were not lost on Rax, distracting as the pain in his throat might have been. The opportunity to protect and destroy. To do so would require Raxtos to face the horrors of the Maw once again; not as a sniveling joiner this time, but defiant. An objector. Fear beset his mind, as he thought of the horrors he had lived through, and those that he had unleashed upon himself.

Even if he were to face down the Maw and triumph, there was every chance that he would be asked to destroy. To kill again, but now with the towering gravity of the act staring him down. It seemed fitting that, having realized the repugnance of his past sins, his only road towards salvation would require him to take life, after his entire existence had been re-contextualized.

There had been a sickening pit opened in Rax's stomach when the interviewer had called the Maw 'the biggest threat to the Galaxy'. Perhaps some part of Rax had already guessed it, but there was an epic foreboding to hear this man name the Maw as such. A deep assurance that no, it truly didn't get much worse than that wretched hive of scum and villainy.

Fear was probably a good sign, since when Roshardi had been in control, Rax had feared nothing. No crime, and no consequence. And so Rax decided to take the misgivings as a sign that he was truly himself again. He was still able to doubt in himself. But that didn't mean that he would balk.

Raxtos was not an innocent man. He had admitted as much to these people. They, and he, knew what he was. But only they had some idea of what he could become. His path forward was entirely unknown to him. He could only sense that it would not be the easy path. This was his signifier that it was the right one. All his life Rax had done nothing more than survive, always taking the safest and most comfortable route. It was why he'd given in to the Sword Cacophonous. It was why he'd turned to a life of crime. It was why his parents would be eternally unavenged.

But maybe there was a way that Rax could honor them. The whisper was hissing and bitter, as his voice finally gave out.

"I would take it... without hesitation."

 

[Vaxis]

Tags: Raxtos

The man that stood before the gathered Jurors had a sense of confusion about him, as if he were wandering aimlessly in the wilderness. Perhaps that was true, in its own way. It wasn't until his response came that he sounded sure of himself, causing the presiding Jurors to begin whispering among themselves once again. Vaxis could tell where this was going, and after a couple of minutes of whispers, he knew that the others felt the same. He motioned for the guards to open one of the doors in the room, prompting the entrance of a young priest. Vaxis called the man over, motioning towards Raxtos as he approached.

"This man may be of service, but he needs guidance. Tell me, is brother Grandmaster Ihsan still here?"

"Yes, brother. He doesn't leave until tomorrow afternoon."

"Tell him that we request his presence. I have a proposition for him."

The priest bowed before promptly leaving the room. Vaxis turned his attention back to Raxtos, leaning forward in his seat once again.

"The life of a crusader is not easy. It is to be both shield and blade, healer and executioner. It is to understand the will of Ashla and to see it done. Many die in service to the cause, and many other suffer greater things than death. If you truly wish to atone, we will place you in the care of one of our trusted knights. He will be a tough teacher, but you will thank him for it in the end."

A brief pause followed as Vaxis once again studied the man before him, gauging whether or not he would be tempted to fall once again.

"We believe your story, but nevertheless, precautions will be taken until we are sure that you are free from the blade's influence. Should Grandmaster Ihsan accept you as his student, then the duty will be placed onto him."

Eventually, they would see just how much potential the young man possibly had.