Revelations from below...

[Romi Jade]

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R U I N S O F E R U D O L ​

B Y S S​

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There had been rumors of a new Sith threat in the Northern reaches of the galaxy, and they'd remain as such until someone could prove them true. One of few active Jedi Knight of her respective sect, and a trusted confidant to the King of Commenor she took the assignment as her own. Romi had never faced a true Sith before and so the idea of exactly what she was looking for possibly eluded her but she approached this like everything else she was new at...eventually she'd come to know exactly what she was doing.

She traced as much information as she could, she'd found no active leads. Her next step was to scour any locations left behind that weren't already on the record. If there was a growing group of darksiders, then they had to gather somewhere...it'd make sense if they took advantage of previously established sites if they were small in number.

She found herself on Byss, not even relaying the initial findings to her Master. She'd already been gone for about a month and a half.

Sigh

She released the air she was building, standing amongst the ruins to an old One Sith hot spot. The ominous presence latched itself onto her skin; it was heavy. The group still lingered on even after being long gone. Her hair blew in the breeze before she started down the entrance, her body being engulfed in darkness as the light from outside faded. Much on the inside there was a dull light from the light barely pouring in from outside.

Still she struggled to see clearly every now and then.

[member="Darth Metus"]

 

[Malok]

Darth Metus needed time to reflect.

As he walked amongst the shattered stones, his mind was set on current affairs. His gaze was inward, assessing himself and his actions as of late. In truth, the Sith had departed from his seat of power in order to ask himself what was it that he truly wanted? Did he honestly desire to be a champion of the people? Or was he...simply a Tyrant waiting to happen? Slow, calculated steps bore the Sith further away from the safety of his vessel and deeper into the ruins of Byss. As he walked, his hand absently rose and touched the side of a crumbling wall.

Would he end up like this? Would his decisions lead to his ruin? How could he prevent this from happening?

A long sigh escaped his lips. He moved ever forward, cycling through his past decisions one at a time. What had inspired him to depart the Sith Empire? Why, was it, that he chose not to be apart of that glorious Vanguard that defeated the Dominion? Was that not always what he wanted? To be feared. Recognized. Praised in the streets. Or was it something more? Why did the thought of being worshipped as a hero...why was it not good enough? As his thoughts grew ever deeper, his care for hiding himself eroded. Here, on a world formerly held by the One Sith, he did not attempt to mask his presence in the Force.

Like removing a boot after a long day, he relaxed. His Darkness shriek all about him. Between the artifacts on his person and his own might, Darth Metus may as well have been a beacon of Shadow.

And now, that beacon came a halt. A downed pillar became his seat for a moment. Descent gripped him and a second sigh escaped his lips. What did he want? What kind of ruler would he be? What kind of Sith would he be? He didn't know. But he hoped taking some time away would help to figure it out.

[member="Romi Jade"]

 

[Romi Jade]

Her nostrils flared, and her eyes came to a squint. From her peripherals, she noticed small engravings etched into the walls. She perched in closer, running her hands along the cool stone as her hair fell forward. The glow stick she carried would cast a orange hue over her skin, causing her cerulean eyes to stand out.

"Runes...?" She dragged out the word at almost a whisper. Somewhere in the distance something fell, possibly stone crumbling and falling out of its formation; she thought nothing of it. It did cause her head to shift in the other direction.

Hmph

Whatever it was, it brought her out from her slight tunnel vision. As soon as she let her guard down, her senses opened up and then she felt her stomach drop, churning slightly. Her head slowly came back around and she was faced with the eerie appearance of the pitch black corridor. Her eyes bounced around a bit before she took a swallow and pressed forward.

Whether she'd find evidence or not, she'd be finding something in the depths of this place. Since she already descended too far down to really turn back, she'd be better off concluding this story and reporting in on it.

She gently and slowly ran her hand up her thigh and onto her hip, before long she was caressing her hilt; assurance.

She'd never fought a Sith before...and Dark Jedi were much different.

But there could've been much more residing here...

She held the glow stick high, casting a gentle warm hue that kissed her body just enough for her features to be made out and for her to see a few feet in front of her.

[member="Darth Metus"]

 

[Malok]

Apprehension.

The cold dread. The pit in one's stomach. The Sith Lord knew it well. Fear of all magnitudes formed the basis of his name and Power. And thus did he feel her: the quiet sensation within echoing as a whisper through the Force. All thoughts of introspection were momentarily shelved as Darth Metus witnessed [member="Romi Jade"]. His senses expanded all around him, inquisitively snaking about the charred remains of the far-flung world. He felt her all the more now - her presence drawing ever near. Closer and Closer she moved. Closer and closer, until the Sith Lord turned his head. His eyes, twin pools of sulfur, burned as the woman stepped forward.

Within her hand was her guiding light.

Darth Metus was suddenly keenly aware of the saber hung upon his waist.

He made no sudden movements, yet began to plan. The wall beside her...that could be caved in yes? Provide an opening to move. The debris on the ground, slinging it to her feet could provide another opening. Options. Options. Yet the Sith Lord did not move. Instead, he spoke. "You are far removed from your Temples, Jedi." A gross assumption was made on the part of two things. One, the woman's attire did not scream civilian, nor was it the standard onyx of a fellow Sith. And two, the woman's presence was not synonymous with his own. Sith made it a point to challenge all creation with their presence...yet she did not. Control, perhaps? Reservation? Was she hiding her true might?

Regardless.

"Are you on the Hunt, Lightling? Am I your prey?"

His voice was a quiet thunder.

[member="Romi Jade"]

 

[Romi Jade]

Everything around her grew still...there was no subtle hum anymore. In the distance she could see a silhouette, and within her stomach she could feel the knots forming; it was something of the dark. In her attempt to come to some sort of a conclusion, her head leaned in while her eyes came to a squint; a blurry figure shrouded even more in the dark was nothing she could make out from her position. She stepped forward and then her eye connected with those of sulfur.

"Uhn..." a soft whimper. Surprised.

She swung her left arm out to widen the arc of the light emanating from her glowstick. Then she was able to make out the striking features of a man she initially failed to see. Settling into her stance, she firmly planted her feet against the splintered stone beneath her soles. It made sense...he was the abyss this entire time.

Cutting through the orange shadow, her glare cut across whatever space remained between them as his voice would echo throughout the vicinity. Her hair fell forward, sliding off her shoulders as she tilted her downward a bit.

Subconsciously, "Those eyes...I definitely sense his energy. Feels heavy...dark."

She thought to herself before coming to the conclusion that he was beyond any Dark Jedi.

She mustered a smirk, "Humph...maybe."

"Say...you wouldn't be the resident Sith I'm looking for eh?"

[member="Darth Metus"]

 

[Malok]

"Resident?"

As she moved, the Sith Lord's gaze did not waver. Sulfur did not leave her form for an instant. Not as she came to a halt. Not as she spoke. Yet, all the while, Darth Metus continued to think ahead. He made a note of her planting her feet upon the shattered ground; yet could not discern a particular form from this action. Maybe she was not yet about to initiate combat...or maybe, the Jedi were not as complacent as he once assumed. Was this something new? A veiled threat? Only time would tell.

Yet.

For the moment, Darth Metus would humor this inquiry. On this question alone, the Sith knew that he was not the target of the hunt. However. Any sufficiently fanatical servant of the Light would take any Crusade against the Dark Side. He would not lower his guard - not for an instant. "Unfortunately, I am not. I am no resident of this world, only a visitor." he answered, truthfully. "Though, I'm sure that you will doubt the truth of my words...on principle."

Was he goading her? Was he stating fact? His expression certainly did not give any clues.

"But...As I am not the one you Hunt, will you turn and walk away? Or. Will you strike me down?"

[member="Romi Jade"]

 

[Romi Jade]

"Visiting...?" Her voice echoed within her head just before it protruded from between her lips, "Visiting huh? I never took the Sith as ones to take a vacation. Grew tired of causing trouble huh?" she teased.

Waiting for his answer she examined his features, those she could see at least. He seemed much more battle hardened than she was...could be for many reasons. What stood out more to her, was what was unseen but felt. His signature within the folds of the Force were much more...she couldn't quite put it into words.

"On principle? Don't count me out just yet, I'll have you know that I believe you..." she spoke before taking a breath, her chest rising and falling as she took in and released air.

Subconsciously, "I can't let him leave..."

"Unfortunately...I can't let you leave." Her voice had sort of shifted, more serious. "But, we don't have to come to blows...Just yield and we can take a different route."

In reality she didn't have the authority to arrest him...but she couldn't walk away and risk losing whatever information he held.

[member="Darth Metus"]

 

[Malok]

"I may ascribe to Darker things, but I am still human." came the Sith's response. "Surely, the weight of your responsibilities has required that you step away, even for a day. That is why I am here. To think. To reflect. To decide."

Darth Metus did not elaborate on exactly what was going on, nor did he plan to. It was one thing to respond to the Jedi's banter, it was another to divulge innermost thoughts to a potential enemy. This instinct was further cemented by what the woman said next.

"That's ironic."

His tone darkened.

"I was about to say the same thing to you. We don't have to come to blows, but you can lay down that saber right now."

He then patted the stone beside him.

"And have a seat."

[member="Romi Jade"]

 

[Romi Jade]

"Well...It might be safe to assume he's a Sith. He hasn't rejected the claims." She thought to herself. She felt the conversation getting short, and just exactly why should she expect it to be deeper than this anyway?

She ran her hand up her thigh, caressing her hilt again after he mentioned it. The muscles in her face began to pulse as she bit down on her teeth.

"I appreciate the offer...but I was speaking in terms of you being the one to lay down your weapon and come with me." she countered. He didn't know what sect she was from, and she could very well make the arrest and fly him into territory where she could get him into holding. Hell, whatever the process would be...it was just the matter of not losing out on this opportunity after so many dead ends.

She was now looking on his person for some sort of weapon...none of which she found visible, granted she made a quick scan before reassuming eye contact; she didn't want it to be obvious.

[member="Darth Metus"]

 

[Malok]

"Very well."

For the briefest of moments, the Sith Lord averted his gaze. Placing his palms flat upon the stone, he then pushed himself up to standing before turning to face the Jedi once more. He then raised his gauntleted offhand, as if to demonstrate that he was surrending to the whims of the woman before him. In the meantime, his dominant hand clutched and removed the saber from his waist. A meaningful step forward was taken. His saber was half-extended in the direction of the woman.

He lunged.

The digits of his Gauntlet coiled about the burning plasma of the lightsaber, gripping it in a terrifying hold. Sparks began to form as the blade sang upon the metal, yet its all-encompassing might did not breach the product of Sith Alchemy. What's more, a savage growl formed his words: a final warning before a clash began. "Surrender and live. Resist and die."

Darth Metus did not come to Byss in order to spill Jedi blood.

But he would never hesitate to Eclipse the Light.

[member="Romi Jade"]

 

[Romi Jade]

Spoiler

[youtube]https://youtu.be/j0IlZb75IaU[/youtube]

She gripped the length of her lightsaber hilt, stepping back with her left she held her stance having swung her right hand up and over her left shoulder to immediately defend herself from any attacks following his lunge at her.

"What?" She kept her thoughts to herself after watching him latch himself onto her weapon.

A twitch of her eye, she wondered just how he managed to hold the scarlet plasma without sustaining any damage. She might've been taking off guard initially but she knew adversity was something of a constant...and she wouldn't allow him to dictate this encounter.

She'd never faced an actual Sith before...she assumed it different from any of her previous encounters and so approached with slight caution as to gage his level of skill first. Unbeknownst to her, she had encountered one of the more renown of the Sith.

Her gripped grew tight as to prevent it from being completely snatched, "I gave you those options already...you chose this!"

She assumed she'd find nothing of interest here...and if anything she wouldn't have thought she'd end up in an encounter like this. But it was what it was at this point.

She glared at him, "Are you hesitating?"

[member="Darth Metus"]

 

[Malok]

"You came to me, with Saber drawn, and demanded my Demise."

The Sith wasted no time in capitalizing on his advantage. Whilst gripping the saber firmly in his offhand, his dominant hand rose. Telekinesis shrieked from his extremity: a solid push aimed to force the woman to surrender her grip upon the saber and to tumble over the ruined stones.

"You call that choice? To allow myself to be captured and slain by the Jedi?"

Regardless if his tactic worked or not, at that point the Sith would have released the saber. Should she have tumbled back, it would have simply fell to the ground. If she maintained her grip, he would have, essentially, been returning control to her. Yet, despite whichever outcome came, the Sith bounded backwards, utilizing the pillar as a natural barrier between he and his adversary.

"But as it is my head you crave, Come."

[member="Romi Jade"]